Written by Claude Lemaire
For Part-2: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2022/09/treasures-from-vinyl-vault-part-2.html
17- Chet Baker – Chet Baker Sings. Pacific Jazz – PJLP-11 (mono) (1954), 10", PJ-1222 (1956), 12" LP, Tone Poet Series – B0031300-01 (2020), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: cool jazz, West Coast jazz, vocal jazz, swing.
Well recognized for his smooth romantic-infused cool jazz, trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker's recordings are ideally suited as a gateway into jazz for those who show an interest, without delving too deep into the genre. Chet Baker Sings is definitely my favorite album of his among a few others I have, many on the Riverside label. Originally recorded in February 1954 at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California, and released as an 8 track, 10-inch album later in May, it got re-released under the same title two years later as a 12-inch LP–with six newly recorded songs–on the Pacific Jazz label. The latter–recoined World Pacific by 1957–specialized in West Coast jazz, named in relation to its geographic location, vs the lesser-referenced East Coast jazz, aka hard bop flourishing in New York. Joining him on the first date are Carson Smith and Joe Mondragon on bass, Bob Neel, Shelly Man, and Lawrence Marable on drums, while on the second date are Jimmy Bond on bass, Peter Littman on drums–while Russ Freeman on piano and celesta appears on both sessions. The fourteen tracks span smooth swinging to soft playing ballads, and includes his signature tune "My Funny Valentine" sung in a melancholic mood, and forever defining his sound. Engineers Allan Emig and Phil Turetsky knew what they were doing, while the musicians knew how to listen to one another. Kevin Gray accompanied by Joe Harley did an outstanding all-analog remastering and cutting, turning out what I consider one of the best-sounding mono LPs I've heard on my system! Pressed on 180g by RTI, the sound is warm, intimate, balanced from bottom to top. Perfect packaging and presentation, you can't ask for more.
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18- Dizzy Gillespie & Roy Eldridge – Diz and Roy. Verve Records – VE-2-2524 (mono) (1977), (2x33 1/3 rpm). Genre: jazz, bebop, ballads.
My partner in crime just recently found this low-priced gem. A double-LP compilation from 1977 that reunites 15 tracks taken from the following Verve albums: The Trumpet Kings, Trumpet Battle, and Tour de Force. Side A, B, and C were recorded in October 1954 while side D dates from November 1955. Dizzy and Roy are in top shape dueling against one another in a mixture of bebop and ballads. Louie Bellson and Buddy Rich share drum duties, Ray Brown is on bass, Herb Ellis is on guitar, and Oscar Peterson is on piano. The mono sound is quite impressive, with the trumpets especially dynamic, natural, and biting. Great mastering by Bob Ludwig.
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19- Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers – Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note – BLP 1518 (mono) (1956, July or Oct.), Classic Records – BLP 1518 (2006), 33 1/3 rpm, 200g. Genre: jazz, hard bop.
This repackaged album is the second oldest Blue Note LP in my collection after Thad Jones' Detroit-New York Junction [BLP 1518]. Previously released on two individual 10-inch LPs recorded in November 1954 and February 1955, this is a fine example of the newly emerging hard bop subgenre typified by New York City's Blue Note label–the leading exponent of this style combining seeds of bebop, blues, rhythm and blues, and gospel music rolled into one. Nearly all Blue Note LPs were produced by founder Alfred Lion and recorded by Rudy Van Gelder–hence the famous RVG inscription in the record's "dead wax" or lead-out groove. RVG developed a signature sound that some adore while others deplore–in a nutshell fantastic brass and drum sounds with more often than not, boxy piano, compromised bass, and some form of level compression. Here, we have Silver on piano, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Doug Watkins on bass, and the one and only Art Blakey on drums–the latter frequently leading the Jazz Messengers formation through its many incarnations. These two sessions–and all those up to July 1959–were done at RVG's first studio located at his parent's home in Hackensack, New Jersey where the overall sound was more intimate and less reverberant than the second studio address. My 200g pressing is the 2006 Classic Records reissue cut by Bernie Grundman which is quite excellent.
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20- Miles Davis and Milt Jackson – Quintet/Sextet. Prestige – PRLP 7034 (mono) (1956, Aug.), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, bebop, hard bop, cool jazz.
Recorded one year prior to its release date, Quintet/Sextet–along with Relaxin'–is probably my favorite Miles album of his Prestige years. The pairing of Davis and Jackson on vibes–who by that time was in full swing with the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ)–combines the energy and spirit of bebop via a cool vibe. Replacing Rollins on tenor, a young Jackie McLean on alto, channels the spirit of Parker on two of the four tracks, which happen to be my favorites of the album–not really surprising given my strong appreciation for the altoist in later Blue Note releases. Prestige "house drummer" Art Taylor sets the tempo, Percy Heath–another MJQ member–is on bass, and Ray Bryant is on piano. The last track is the only ballad, the first three ranging from mild swinging to a more uptempo bop. Rudy repeats his sonic recipe in the same local as the prior selection. I was lucky to find an original RVG cutting and pressing in fairly good shape many years ago before prices skyrocketed. Typical for an original Prestige, the sound is quite good, emphasizing slightly the vibes and brass over the rhythm section.
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21- Frank Sinatra – Songs for Swingin' Lovers!. Capitol Records – W 653 (mono) (1956, March), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: swing, traditional pop, ballad, big band vocal, jazz.
Recorded between October 1955 and January 1956, this was Frank's fourth album for Capitol out of a total of sixteen for the label, and is one of my all time favorites. There are fifteen tracks in total–mostly vocal jazz standards from the Great American Songbook by the likes of Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Johnny Mercer–not one is weaker than the other when interpreted by this song master who had just turned forty by that time. Nelson Riddle arranged and conducted the orchestra as he did on several occasions accompanying Sinatra.
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Reference List (Singles, albums, and labels):
Chet Baker – Chet Baker Sings. Pacific Jazz – PJLP-11 (mono) (1954), 10", PJ-1222 (1956), 12" LP, Tone Poet Series – B0031300-01 (2020), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: cool jazz, West Coast jazz, vocal jazz, swing.
Dizzy Gillespie & Roy Eldridge – Diz and Roy. Verve Records – VE-2-2524 (mono) (1977), (2x33 1/3 rpm). Genre: jazz, bebop, ballads.
Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers – Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note – BLP 1518 (mono) (1956, July or Oct.), Classic Records – BLP 1518 (2006), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, hard bop.
Miles Davis and Milt Jackson – Quintet/Sextet. Prestige – PRLP 7034 (mono) (1956, Aug.), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, bebop, hard bop, cool jazz.
Frank Sinatra – Songs for Swingin' Lovers!. Capitol Records – W 653 (mono) (1956, March), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: swing, traditional pop, ballad, big band vocal, jazz.
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