Blame Game: Illinois Jacquet I
(3 downloads)Wednesday, Jan 16, 2008
Jean-Baptiste “Illinois” Jacquet (1922-2004) was a tenor saxophonist best remembered for his solo on Lionel Hampton’s 1942 recording of “Flying Home”. This recording and his fiery solo in particular are considered by some to be among the many early annunciations of the advent of Rock and Roll.Jacquet’s mother was Sioux and his father Creole; he was born on Halloween 1922 in Broussard, LA. His father Gilbert Jacquet was a bandleader and the younger Jacquet would on occasion sit in with his father’s band on alto sax. His nickname “Illinois” was derived from the name of the Indian tribe “Illiniwek” and thought, when he was christened with it, to mean ‘strong men’ but it in fact means something along the lines of 'they who speak normal'. “Illinois” in the cases of both Mr. Jacquet and the US state is a deformation of the pronunciation originating from the early French settlers of the area. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, uses Chief Illiniwek as the mascot for their intercollegiate sports programs. This has been the subject of protest from some groups of the South Dakota Sioux tribes.
In 1940 Illinois Jacquet met Lionel Hampton through his acquaintance with Nat King Cole, and by 1942, at the age 19, he was blowing the famous solo passage that would launch his name. After leaving Hampton’s orchestra, Jacquet began playing with Cab Calloway and would appear with Calloway’s band backing up Lena Horne in the motion picture ‘Stormy Weather’.
Though “Flying Home” had imparted Jacquet with a reputation for ‘blowing’, as those in the sax world like to call the approach, he also had a strong lyrical side and was at least equally, if not more, at home with the nuances of a ballad. Both faces of this disc are prime examples of this sometimes overlooked quality in his playing. This side, Side-A “Don’t Blame Me”, features a band of Emmett Berry on trumpet; Fred Green, guitar; Bill Doggett, piano; John Simmons, Bass; and Shad Wilson on the drums. The song was popular tune from 1933 written by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics).
Here are the lyrics to this song for those of you who are interested; as sung in Nat King Cole’s 1958 version:
Don't blame me
For falling in love with you.
I'm under your spell
But how can I help it?
Don't blame me.
Can't you see
When you do the things you do
If I can't conceal
The thrill that I'm feeling,
Don't blame me.
I can't help it
If that doggone moon above
Makes me want
Someone like you to love.
Blame your kiss
As sweet as a kiss can be,
And blame all your charms
That melt in my arms,
But don't blame me.
(Interlude)
Blame your kiss
As sweet as a kiss can be,
And blame all your charms
That melt in my arms,
But don't blame me.
(Interlude)
Blame all your charms
That melt in my arms,
But don't blame me.
And then there's this:
http://www.break.com/index/blame-halo-3.html
Savoy 651, 1946