Late Night Jazz_音乐专辑
Late Night Jazz
表演者: various artists
介质: CD
发行时间: 1995-04-16
唱片数: 3
出版者: Rebound Records
条形码: 0731452030320
专辑简介
A small platform in the darkness, a saxman blowing long, slow standards, background whispers and the clink of glasses, smoke rising lazily to kiss the hot, low lights... that's Late Night Jazz...
Sleevenotes
Late Night Jazz
Although this collection is entitled ‘Late Night Jazz’, there is nothing soporific in the music the listener is confronted with. Indeed, given the sheer quality of both the material and the performers, it’s nothing short of eye-opening.
Assembled here are a number of the movers and shakers responsible for the development of jazz, allied to many recognisable compositions – a combination which gives a taste of the evolving scene during the 1930s and 1940s. This was a period that witnessed the rise and fall of the enormously popular big bands which, in turn, gave way to the essentially small-group music of the be-boppers. So it’s perhaps fitting that our 60 tracks should kick off with the classic tenor saxophone of Coleman Hawkins, who gave his instrument true status in the field of improvised music, and conclude with the archetypal modernist Charlie Parker – a man who, alongside Dizzy Gillespie, took responsibility for moving jazz on to its next logical stage.
Taking Hawkins as a starting point, there is enough of his work among these sides to assess his significance as a major performer and we need only listen to the 1939 rendition of ‘Body And Soul’ to see which direction aspiring tenor saxophonists should have been looking as the new decade approached. This performance may not appear over-adventurous all these years down the line but, at the time, was regarded as unparalleled in its dexterity and imagination.
Although countless fine saxophonists also plied their trade at this juncture, the only one regarded as Hawkins’ equal in terms of authority and originality was Lester Young. His approach differed from ‘the Hawk’ in so far as he presented a cooler alternative, which proved equally as arresting and stimulating, plus he could turn up the heat when necessary. Lester became a household name during his tenure in the Count Basie band and there are some good examples of that association among these performances.
Basie, of course, was responsible for leading one of the finest of all big bands for a number of decades and, in the 1930s, he started to forge a reputation as one of the leaders in his field. He packed the ranks of his band with high-quality players and specialised in highly exciting, swinging, often blues-based numbers which distinguished his unit from the majority of others. Apart from the aforementioned Young, Basie also employed singer Billie Holiday in 1937, their relatively brief alliance terminated by Billie’s reluctance to stay on the road. Unfortunately, no studio recordings exist of the pairing, though some radio ‘airshots’ give us a flavour of two giants in tandem.
Duke Ellington carried equal status in the big-band business as Basie and became similarly famous for the longevity of his leadership. Where Duke particularly held sway over his counterpart was in the outstanding quality of so many of his compositions, often put together in conjunction with band members who, as often as not, stayed in his employ for a remarkable period of time. Five of the most famous Ellingtonian numbers get an airing here: ‘Perdido’, ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing’, ’I Don’t Mind’, ‘Caravan’ and ‘Never No Lament’. The latter two are covered by bands led by Ducal sidemen, clarinettist Barney Bigard and alto-saxophonist Johnny Hodges.
Basie and Ellington represented the ultimate experience when approaching those larger aggregations – but if it was uncompromising excitement the public were looking for, then they went no further than Lionel Hampton, whose big band offered high-octane entertainment whenever it performed. His version of ‘Flying Home’ became one of the most famous records of the swing era and formed a much-copied template for many other bands. ‘When Lights Are Low’ represents a more restrained but equally fascinating offering from one of his many line-ups.
Before turning to the smaller groups and singers, there are some pretty potent operators to be acknowledged, such as Charlie Barnet, who had an enormous hit with his self-penned ‘Skyliner’, Teddy Wilson, who came to a wider public’s attention when recruited by Benny Goodman, swing-era favourite Hot Lips Page and Artie Shaw who, despite his popularity, quit the business at the height of his fame. Claude Thornhill, a relatively ignored figure, gets some welcome exposure and should always be remembered as the man who used many of those early arrangements by Gerry Mulligan and Gil Evans.
Virtually all those big bands employed at least one singer at any time and, although many of the female vocalists were often more visually appealing than musically able, the best of the bunch emerged to pursue successful careers. The emotionally flawed but unique Billie Holiday was a prime example, as was Sarah Vaughan, whose vocal range became the envy of nearly all her contemporaries. Not only did she bring technical expertise to a song but also a clear understanding of the lyrics. And she could swing as well!
Lena Horne developed a highly sophisticated stage manner that won her many fans; Ivy Anderson remains for many the best of the Ellington singers, male or female, and Lee Wiley is still revered by older jazz fans to the present day. Anita O’Day could improvise with the best of them, Peggy Lee became the queen of cool and chic, not to say a wonderful popular artist, and Dinah Washington, who sadly met an early death, managed to satisfy the demands of the general public and jazz fans alike.
Among male singers, Mel Torme trod the ground between pop and jazz as successfully as most; Billy Eckstine emerged from an instrumental and band-leading background to develop one of the most distinctive voices in music and Louis Prima never deserted the path of all-round entertainer.
The rest of the artists spread over this compilation fall into different stylistic categories but never fall below high first-division status. Perhaps the Lester Young-influenced Allan Eager can be regarded as a slightly peripheral figure who drifted in and out of the music but he sat comfortably in that school that included Stan Getz and Zoot Sims. Then there is Ike Quebec, with a tone and attack from the swing era, who flirted with be-bop and became one of the mainstays on the Blue Note label.
The very special talents of be-bop pioneers Parker, Gillespie and Monk are featured on ‘A Night In Tunisia’, ‘Groovin’ High’ and ‘Round Midnight’. These titles are synonymous with the movement which overtook the jazz scene in the 1940s, ‘Midnight’ having arguably been recorded more times than any other jazz standard.
The star of the film Round Midnight, tenor-player Dexter Gordon whose ‘Long Tall Dexter’ is also featured, took on the trappings of be-bop more readily than most others on his instrument (Wardell Gray apart) and became a popular figure in both America and Europe, where he was domiciled for some considerable time.
The solo talents of two individualistic pianists create an agreeable contrast, the committed swing and rhapsodic inclinations of Erroll Garner set against the more probing and cerebral outpourings of Lennie Tristano. Last but by no means least, English-born George Shearing, who eventually made it big Stateside, gives us two beautifully played standards.
There is a great deal of music to take in on ‘Late Night Jazz’, much of it historic as well as enjoyable. It all adds up to an aural experience no jazz follower should resist.
Peter Gamble
