That is why they call me Rolf!: Two early female piano celebrities
(13 downloads)Monday, Jan 28, 2008
“Petite Valse” was written in 1898 by the Venezuelan born composer, concert pianist and opera singer, María Teresa Carreño García de Sena. This piano miniature also goes by the title “Mi Teresita”, 'Teresita' referring to Carreno’s daughter, Teresa Tagliapietra, to whom this is piece is dedicated. Teresa Carreno was born in 1853 in Caracas, Venezuela and her family moved to the United States when she was a very young. By the age of 8 she performed her debut at Irving Hall and in 1863, at the age of 10 she performed at the White House for President Abraham Lincoln.This short, introspective and quietly syncopated dance miniature provides a nice foil to the reverse side of this disc, Debussy’s “Feux d’Artifice” and its dramatic exposition of modern tendencies. Carreno’s romantic sentimentality and maternal instincts are conveyed just as accurately as Debussy’s objective of spectacle. The uneven rhythms suggesting perhaps the uncertain motions of a young aristocratic girl attempting a new ballet routine.
Elly Ney (1882-1968) performs on this 1927 recording. Ms. Ney was in fact compared to Teresa Carreno early in her career. Prior to Ney, it was Carreno who reigned as queen of the concert pianists. Ney quickly established her own identity, surpassing the reputation of any woman preceding her on the instrument. She studied under Emile von Sauer, Teodor Leszetycki and Clara Schumann among other icons of the time and developed a noticeably physical manner of playing, capable of drawing out very lyrical qualities in her performance while still exploiting the fundamentally percussive aspects of the instrument.
Ms. Ney was born in Düsseldorf, Germany and grew up in Bonn; she joined the Nazi Party in 1937 and she was clearly an enthusiastic advocate of their political beliefs including their anti-Semitic campaigns. On an ironic note, her first important distinction (at the age of 16), was as recipient of the highly coveted Mendelssohn Prize. Her performances were banned for a period after WWII and her legacy has been obscured ever since.
She is also a direct descendant of Marshal Michel Ney of France, the military commander in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Marhsal Ney was one of the original 18 Marshals appointed by Napoleon I. After Napoleon’s fall he was arrested and sent before the firing squad. Known by his soldiers as ‘Le Brave des Braves’ (Bravest of the Brave), he is reported to have refused a blindfold and called the order to fire in his own execution.
Brunswick 15094, 1927
Ka-boom
(10 downloads)Sunday, Jan 27, 2008
"Feux d’artifice" is French for fireworks. And a piece of music flaunting this not so uncommon title should be expected to be in the form of a relatively short, pyrotechnical showcase of virtuosity. In this case, it is an offering from Claude Debussy (1862-1918), the last work in the first volume of his Preludes for solo piano. Debussy’s early modernism is also up for display in his “Feux d’artifice” (1910) of which the concert pianist Alfred Cortot (1877-1962) suggested was “a completely atonal composition”. Cortot continues in his reaction to this music: “The impression of novelty is further enhanced by the extremely fragmented and amorphous nature of its form and thematic material. This is not to say, however, that the piece does not evoke specific images: The slumbering smoke of Bengal candles emitting single sparks, the crackling of rockets, the gradual parabolic descent of stars, the whirring of Catherine wheels, the blinding radiance of brightly-coloured bouquets, everything that sparkles and shines in the night, the entire magic of light is contained in this music.”
This recording is from 1927 by Elly Ney, one of the most highly regarded woman pianists of her day.
Brunswick 15094, 1927
Connecting the Spots: the Ink Spots Chronicles
(5 downloads)Saturday, Jan 26, 2008
The Ink Spots were formed in Indianapolis, IN, in the early 1930s with original members: Orville “Hoppy” Jones (bass), Ivory “Deek” Watson (tenor), Jerry Daniels (tenor), and Charlie Fuqua (baritone). Jerry Daniels left the group in 1936 and he was replaced with Bill Kenny. This lineup carried on for a while until 1943 when Charlie Fuqua was drafted into the army to be replaced by Bernie Mackey. In 1944 Hoppy Jones collapsed on stage and died shortly thereafter, the cause of death was identified as a brain hemorrhage. He was replaced by Cliff Givens. That same year, Deek Watson left the group, apparently the result of an ongoing dispute between himself and Bill Kenny. Watson went on to form the vocal group the Brown Dots. His tenor was replaced by Billy "Butterball" Bowen. Cliff Givens’ tenure with the group did not last very long and he was replaced by Bill Kenny’s twin brother Herb in mid-1945. At approximately the same time Bernie Mackey left the group and was replaced by Huey Long. Bernie Mac ousted by the Kingfish!Anyhow, Charlie Fuqua returned from the Army in 1945 and reclaimed his spot from Huey Long and the ship was righted again for a few years. In 1951, Herb Kenny leaves to be replaced by Adriel McDonald. In 1952, Butterball Bowen is replaced by Teddy Williams. Charlie Fuqua also left the group in 1952 and soon after formed a competing Ink Spots group. He was replaced by Jimmy Cannady. Cannady was with the group only very briefly and he was succeeded by Everett Barksdale. Actually I might have this whole Cannady-Barksdale thing backwards. Around the same time Teddy Williams leaves the group to be replaced by Ernie Brown. Ernie Brown was subsequently replaced by Henry Braswell in 1954.
That covers the Ink Spots lineage; I could go on since the Ink Spots still go on and perform to this day, though nothing past the last group amendment mentioned in this article really constitutes a credible “Ink Spots” line up. Apparently, Huey Long is still with us at 103 and so is the much younger Henry Braswell. Everyone else mentioned in this article has by now already entered his name in the ledger.
Our song here is “I Never Had a Dream Come True” by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher. Ms. Fisher also composed the popular song “You Always Hurt the One You Love” and is the daughter of Fred Fisher, a very well known songwriter the writer from the Tin Pan Alley era who wrote “Peg O’ My Heart” among many other famous tunes.
The ever changing lineup of this group makes me think of the infinite wheel:
http://www.infinitewheel.com/infinite_wheel.html
Decca 23615, 1946
The Ink Spots: Chapter 1
(4 downloads)Friday, Jan 25, 2008
The Ink Spots are one of, if not the most influential vocal acts in American popular music. They were formed in 1938 in Indianapolis, IN, furthering the Midwestern claim as sire to the R&B vocal act. I’ve got a lot of Ink Spots records to cover so I won’t get too involved with the subject in one article.
The Ink Spots were originally a raucous jive act much in the manner of Cab Calloway or Louis Jordan. However, it was through the mellowed jazz ballad that they found their success on the Billboard charts and managed to cross over to a large mainstream audience.
There is a story that the name ‘Ink Spots’ originates from them brainstorming for a name for their act with their manager. After a string of rejects, their manager’s pen ran dry and as he shook it four blots struck the blotter. Eureka! and all that BS. Who knows, maybe it’s true. It sure doesn’t sound like a true story. A more believable tale is that they changed their name from ‘King, Jack and Jester’ at the request, or perhaps demand, of bandleader Paul Whiteman in order to avoid confusion with his own group the King’s Jesters. Not that this story in any way contradicts the former.
The track that we have here is “To Each His Own”, music by Jay Livingston and lyrics by Ray Evans. The song was first recorded by Eddy Howard in 1946, peaking at number one on the Billboard chart. This Ink Spots version was the second recording of the song released later that same year, also peaking at number one.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Ink Spots that can be known is here:
http://inkspots.ca/
Decca 23615, 1946
Passport: Going Places with the Charlie Parker Orchestra
(4 downloads)Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008
Flipside to “Visa”, Charlie Parker’s “Passport” presents a nice follow-up B-side. The personnel on this one is reduced from the septet on side A. Returning to action behind Bird are Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Al Haig, piano; Tommy Potter, bass; and Max Roach on the drums. The trombone and bongos (Tommy Turk and Vidal Belado respectively) don’t make it to the reverse.
These recordings represent samples from the heyday of an immensely important collaboration in jazz music. Parker’s relationship with Dizzy Gillespie was essentially the catalyst that established Bebop as the dominant jazz form. However, it was Parker’s work in collaboration with producer Norman Granz that created the recordings and ‘sound’ for which Parker is widely recognized. 1949, the year of this recording, is probably the high point of their work together and the year in which we see Parker step into the spotlight of the jazz vanguard, and he’s arguably still there now.
Also from the 1949 vintage are the sessions where we find Parker backed by a rhythm section (Stan Freeman, piano; Ray Brown, bass; and Buddy Rich, drums) and a Haydn era styled chamber orchestra which included Mitch Miller on the oboe. These sessions can be looked upon as the first artifacts of the Third Stream movement where we find a fusion of classical forms and performance sensibilities into the jazz idiom. These sessions are both typical and exemplary of the innovative arrangement and orchestration ideas that we find in Parker’s work with Granz.
Norman Granz would later found the Verve and Pablo record labels. He was of East European Jewish descent and an extremely outspoken advocate of civil rights for blacks in the United States. Among many anecdotal incidents involving Granz, we find him in 1955, getting in trouble with the law for personally removing the 'Negro' and 'White' placards which demarcated the segregated theater where he was promoting a concert. He was also known for paying equal salary to white and black musicians, not to mention paying wages above the industry standard.
http://www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=1006801514
Bad pun about a “bird” showing his “visa” to “fly” someplace
(7 downloads)Monday, Jan 21, 2008
A classic orchestration technique from the days of Charlie Parker’s ascent was the doubling of Bird’s alto melody with a muted trumpet. This bright shadow is one part of the cool, classically proportioned elegance behind the be-bop sound at its zenith. It’s this sound that Dizzy Gillespie and Parker rode to the dizzying heights of commercial success and from which Bird would later tragically plummet. This recording of Parker’s original composition, “Visa”, has the trumpet of Kenny Dorham handling this detail work. Dorham was one of the great sidemen from the bebop movement who went on to perform with the Jazz Messengers and the Max Roach Quintet. His star status, however, never shone very bright since he was a figure who was constantly overshadowed by the greatness of those with whom he associated. He died in 1972 of kidney failure at the age of 48, cutting short a purposeful if not high profile career. Here, Dorham, gets a twelve bar solo after Bird, then followed by Tommy Turk on trombone, and a nice piano break by Al Haig. The remainder of the rhythm section on this recording is Tommy Potter, bass; Vidal Belado, bongos and Max Roach on the drums.
Have you ever heard the stories of Parker showing to sessions and gigs with plastic toy saxophone when he was teetering on the edge? Here’s the make; it was a German made instrument, perhaps manufactured as an inexpensive student model but not exactly a toy. Ornette Coleman has also used one of these:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~lexlub/chroma-tic_eng/grafton/index.htm
Ill-Bill: Illinois Jacquet II
(7 downloads)Saturday, Jan 19, 2008
As part of the president’s inauguration ceremony in 1993, Illinois Jacquet joined fellow tenor saxophonist, Bill Clinton in an interpretation of the “C-Jam Blues” on the White House lawn; a musical event in presidential politics bookended by “Don’t Stop (Thinking about tomorrow)” and Al Gore's “Taking Care of Business”, but not quite sealing the deal. This was a big event in the launch to the Clintons' extended dance mix honeymoon housewarming party that seemed to carry into 1994 when everyone had to go back work with a big hangover.I could be wrong, but the Blues we have here is in F, another very manageable key for the horn players. Not that anyone at this recording session would have needed a crutch, the future former President (and perhaps soon to be first mate) wasn’t even born yet. This recording actually took place in January of the same year as Clinton’s birth.
It is not Jacquet who gets the spotlight in “Jacquet’s Blues”, which moreso features Emmett Berry’s trumpet trading off solos with Jacquet and piping in a short cadenza at the end for a tastefully understated finale.
Savoy 651, 1946
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
The Spaniels, the Beatles, and the Rise and Fall of Vee-Jay Records
(7 downloads)Monday, Jan 14, 2008
(Pictured from left to right: James Bracken, Ewart Abner, Vivian Carter, and Calvin Carter)“Don’cha Go”: this offering from Do Wop pioneers, the Spaniels, was apparently recorded on February 19, 1955 but there’s some question about this because of missing information from Vee Jay Records’ studio log. Tenor saxophonist, Red Holloway, led the house band on this date instead of Al Smith who normally filled this duty. Another well storied vocal group, the Dells, also recorded on this date, producing two tracks of their own. When “Don’cha Go” was released, it was issued as the B side to “Do Wah” which was actually recorded two years earlier but withheld, presumably due to low expectations.
In addition to Pookie Hudson’s incredible voice as the lead, one thing you’ve got to love about any Spaniels recording is Gerald Gregory’s innovative bass vocals, which while threading a counter-melody to Hudson’s lead serve up an additional, vocalized, instrumental part: like an extra string bass or a baritone sax.
Vee Jay records was founded in 1953 in Gary, IN by Vivian Carter and her future husband James C. Bracken; the name of the label was taken from their first initials. Vee Jay was the largest, most successful black owned record label prior to Motown. Vivian Carter initially got into the radio business in 1948 after winning a talent contest which awarded a DJ spot on Chicago radio station WGES. She eventually came back to her hometown of Gary and landed spots with the local stations WWCA and then WGRY. By 1950, she and Bracken had opened up a record store called ‘Vivian’s’ where they specialized in the same black audience material that Vivian was spinning on the radio. Well aware by now of the promotional strength behind Vivian’s influence over the airwaves, the couple (it seems like they have been a couple for several years at this point) established Vee Jay records in 1953 signing as their first acts, the Spaniels and blues guitarist Jimmy Reed. A third name in the Vee Jay administration was Vivian’s bother Calvin Carter who served as the labels A&R man.
From here until the mid-60s, Vivian, James, Calvin and later Sid McCoy and Ewart Abner (who would eventually become president of the company) proceeded to assemble one of the most unbelievable catalogs ever held by an independently owned record label. Actually, it’s Calvin who was the real engine behind their talent surplus which extended across a wide range of genres. In gospel he was responsible for signing the Staple Singers and the Original Five Blind Boys. In blues he got Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker. R&B: Gene Chandler (Duke of Earl), Jerry Butler, the Spaniels and the Dells. Curtis Mayfield, as a member of the Impressions, did his first recordings with Vee Jay. In 1961 Carter, signed the Four Seasons as a very successful white act working with Vee Jay. In 1958, Sid McCoy would join the label handling A&R for their jazz division. He would go on to sign: Gene Ammons, Wynton Kelly, Lee Morgan, Paul Chambers and Wayne Shorter to name a few.
The biggest deal, as it turns out, was in 1962 after the British label EMI approached its US interest, Capitol Records, with a few acts that it wished to introduce to the American market. Though owned by EMI, Capitol acted fairly autonomously in its business decisions and had the option to refuse material from the parent company. Among the acts that Capitol turned down was the Beatles. Thus, the opportunity to introduce the Fab Four to the US was passed on to Vee Jay, which was by now getting noticed as an important entity in the American music industry. They released the singles: “Love Me Do”; “Please Please Me”; and “From Me to You”. Unfortunately this was the beginning of the end. Vee Jay was experiencing an explosion of sales independent of, but simultaneous to their signing the Beatles, and it doesn’t look like they were prepared to make the jump.
It’s not completely clear what caused Vee Jay’s collapse but a certain amount of blame has been directed at Ewart Abner, who at this time was acting as the president. Amid complaints from the Four Seasons thir royalty payments, word got out that Vee Jay was in financial straits. at Vee Jay was not keeping up with theTaking this as their cue, EMI sought to retract all of their contracts from Vee Jay. Obviously prompted by the unforeseen success of the Beatles, EMI wanted to redirect US control of this profitable act back to their subsidiary, Capitol. Abner, under fire from accusations of shoddy bookkeeping and mismanagement resigned and the Brackens returned to the helm of Vee Jay’s day to day management. This wasn’t enough, if it made any difference at all. It seems like Vee Jay was an organization which always operated as a small business, whether under the guidance of Abner or the Brackens, and did not have the wherewithal to make the transition from a small business to a big business. They were also in no position to defend themselves against a powerful company like EMI's decision that it had had a change of heart. In late 1963, when Vivian and James released the LP ‘Introducing the Beatles’, culled from material that they may have felt some legal entitlement to (though pretty similar in scope to Capitol's ‘Meet the Beatles’) they were issued a cease and desist order from the EMI lawyers.
Vee Jay filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1966 amid a torrent of litigation and after hemorrhaging much of their most lucrative talent to bigger players.
And there you have it, a brief synopsis of another lost legend. What about the Spaniels?-the first of the many impressive jewels in the crown worn by one of the great stories in American pop music. Besides, we gave them a discussion in the last post about side-A.
Check this site for a more in depth look at the Vee Jay legacy and to get a better understanding of all the great shit this little record company from Gary was responsible for:
http://www.vee-jay.net/
For something even more in depth, check this:
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/veejay.html
Vee-Jay 131, 1955
What a Howl! Pookie Hudson and the Spaniels
(6 downloads)Saturday, Jan 12, 2008
Thornton James “Pookie” Hudson passed away from cancer on January 17, 2007. He was the lead vocalist and composer for the classic Do Wop group, the Spaniels. His best known song was “Goodnight, Sweetheart” which hit number five on the R & B chart in 1954. As was common practice back in those days, a “whitened” version of this promising tune was needed to pass on to the public at large and to break it on the national chart. This was served up by the McGuire Sisters, and their version made it to number seven on the national chart and for some time was probably perceived as the original. Meanwhile, the Spaniels cut was relegated to black radio only, until the early 1970s when the original was featured on the soundtrack to 'American Graffiti'. Apparently, Alan Freed refused to play any Spaniels records as a result of being deservedly refused a writing credit on “Goodnight, Sweetheart”, which may have been sought as a form of compensation.Though, throughout the mid-50s their name was easily found on the R&B charts, the track provided here, Do Wah, was not a successful effort. Maybe not a chart-breaker, but a nice tune nonetheless with its sparse instrumentation, bass vocalizing, and dark, mid-tempo rumba mood. It may have just been a little too heady for the 1955 top 40.
Forming in 1952 amongst a group of high school friends in Gary, IN, the Spaniels were one of the first successful R&B vocal acts to emerge from the Midwest. The impetus for their getting together was to perform in a school talent show as Pookie Hudson and the Hudsonaires. They soon changed their name to the Spaniels and were one of the first two acts to sign with Vee Jay records when it launched in the spring of 1953, the other act was guitarist Jimmy Reed. Vee Jay is historically notable as the most successful black owned record label prior to Motown. The original Spaniels were: Ernest Warren (first tenor), Opal Courtney, Jr. (baritone), Willie Jackson (second tenor), and Gerald Gregory (bass) and Hudson as the lead. Among Hudson’s many reputed innovations was the practice of using a separate microphone as the lead man while the rest of the group shared a second microphone. Perhaps an innovation in the fine art of hogging the spotlight, but there never seemed to be any dispute that Hudson was the star of the show. He was the most talented among a group of pretty talented musicians and it may have run in the family considering he was cousins with both Josephine Baker and Fats Waller. In any case, he is looked upon as the first true front man of the vocal groups. He also wrote or co-wrote most of the group’s material, another anomaly for his day.
The B side to this was a cut called “Don’cha Go”, more on that and the Vee Jay records story coming soon.
Here they are, past their prime, but still sounding good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xADs9uY1EI&NR=1
Vee-Jay 131, 1955
Esau and Jacob of Accordionland: Pietro and Guido Deiro
(7 downloads)Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008
Pietro Deiro performing “Danube Waves” (Onde del Danube) by Iosef Ivanovici (1845-1902) who can claim the singular distinction of being known as the Romanian Johann Strauss. This piece is also known as the “Anniversary Song” and is the only work for which he is known today. Ivanovici was a successful composer and bandleader in his day having written over 350 waltzes and assorted dance tunes.
Guido Deiro (1886-1950), Pietro’s older brother was the first star of the accordion. He was a huge hit with the Vaudeville stage and was married to Mae West. He made the first recordings on wax cylinder, and he performed the first radio broadcast. Prior to Guido, the only accordion instruments to be found on the United States were the button types without the piano keyboard, an instrument which he instructed his younger brother how to play. Guido also wrote the song “Kismet” which was featured in the musical of the same name. His career, however, ended abruptly with the Great Depression.
Pietro Deiro, on the other hand was not only an important artist, but a shrewd businessman who remained successful even during the depression years. He established a publishing house specializing in accordion music and was the first president of the American Accordionists Association (AAA). He very opportunistically capitalized on his family name siphoning off some of his brother’s reputation and proclaiming himself to be the Il “Papa di Fisarmonica” (daddy of the accordion) in spite his brother’s list of firsts (and the fact that Guido taught him the instrument). This ultimately led to a rift between the two brothers that lasted until near the end of their lives.
The Deiro brothers were born in Italy in the village of Salto Canavese (near Turin in Piedmont). Pietro moved to the US in 1907 and worked in the coal mines in the Seattle area. Guido joined his brother in the states in 1908 having already established himself as a performing artist in Europe.
Columbia A1477, 1913
He's Baaack!: Early Accordion Wiz, Pietro Deiro
(4 downloads)Tuesday, Jan 01, 2008
This 1913 recording of “Ritorno di Pietro” (Pietro’s Return) was one of the best selling records for one of the most successful artists of the accordion. Pietro Deiro (1888-1954) is considered by many to be the father of the accordion in the United States. While it is his brother, Guido, who first performed the “piano accordion” (with a keyboard for the right hand) in the US and made the first inroads for the instrument, it may be said that it was Pietro who showed more ambitious ideas for popularizing the instrument. He was also clearly a better businessman and self-promoter.
This piece is one of hundred’s of Pietro’s original compositions which, along with his arrangements, serve as a cornerstone for the accordion repertoire.
Columbia A1477, 1913