Slam Stewart - Fish Scales

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:05
Size: 142,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. I Want To Be Happy
(5:34)  2. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
(3:34)  3. Fish Scales
(5:12)  4. At Sundown
(5:35)  5. Memories Of You
(3:53)  6. Bye Bye Blackbird
(4:59)  7. Undecided
(4:49)  8. Sleep
(3:01)  9. Runnin' Wild
(4:47) 10. St.James Infirmary
(4:26) 11. I'm Just Wild About Harry
(3:36) 12. Fish Scales (Take 1)
(5:07) 13. Undecided (Take 1)
(3:57) 14. Bye Bye Blackbird (Take 1)

The late bassist Slam Stewart had relatively few opportunities to record as a leader, and most of them took place in the last 15 years of his life. Noted for playing bass while simultaneously scat singing an octave above it, he is, of course, the primary soloist on nearly every track of Fish Scales. This CD compiles portions of three studio dates which originally appeared on two Black & Blue LPs, adding a pair of previously unreleased tracks. Most the music comes from a quartet date with pianist Johnny Guarnieri, guitarist Jimmy Shirley, and drummer Jackie Williams, all of whom acquit themselves during their brief solos. Unfortunately, the tempos for many of the songs are rather turgid compared to other versions recorded elsewhere by Stewart, whether as a leader or sideman. A turbocharged duet with drummer Jo Jones, "Foolin' Around" eventually adds pianist Gene Rodgers to its swinging conclusion, while "Indiana" pales in comparison to Stewart's famous 1945 Town Hall performance with tenor saxophonist Don Byas. A rather subdued but extended "Willow Weep for Me" features Al Casey's bluesy guitar along with Wild Bill Davis (on piano rather than his customary organ) and drummer Joe Marshall; this track feels more like a warm-up to a session or something that would have normally been rejected by most producers. Overall, this is an enjoyable but hardly essential CD for fans of Slam Stewart. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/fish-scales-mw0000267708

Personnel includes: Slam Stewart (bass), Jo Jones (drums) Johnny Guarnieri, Wild Bill Davis, Al Casey.

Fish Scales

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Don Byas - Tenor Giant

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:41
Size: 79.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Three O'clock In The Morning
[2:44] 2. One O'clock Jump
[3:05] 3. Harvard Blues
[2:41] 4. Slammin' Around
[2:47] 5. Laura
[3:01] 6. Stardust
[3:00] 7. Slam, Don't Shake Like That
[3:00] 8. Dark Eyes
[2:44] 9. Humoresque
[2:57] 10. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
[2:47] 11. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:53] 12. Slamboree

Bass – Slam Stewart; Drums – Harold "Doc" West, J.C. Heard; Piano – Erroll Garner, Johnny Guarnieri; Tenor Saxophone – Don Byas. Recorded August 30, September 6 and November 1, 1945.

One of the greatest of all tenor players, Don Byas' decision to move permanently to Europe in 1946 resulted in him being vastly underrated in jazz history books. His knowledge of chords rivalled Coleman Hawkins, and, due to their similarity in tones, Byas can be considered an extension of the elder tenor. He played with many top swing bands, including those of Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940), and most importantly Count Basie (1941-1943). An advanced swing stylist, Byas' playing looked toward bop. He jammed at Minton's Playhouse in the early '40s, appeared on 52nd Street with Dizzy Gillespie, and performed a pair of stunning duets with bassist Slam Stewart at a 1944 Town Hall concert. After recording extensively during 1945-1946 (often as a leader), Byas went to Europe with Don Redman's band, and (with the exception of a 1970 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival) never came back to the U.S. He lived in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark; often appeared at festivals; and worked steadily. Whenever American players were touring, they would ask for Byas, who had opportunities to perform with Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (including a recorded tenor battle with Hawkins and Stan Getz), Art Blakey, and (on a 1968 recording) Ben Webster. Byas also recorded often in the 1950s, but was largely forgotten in the U.S. by the time of his death. ~ Scott Yanow

Tenor Giant mc
Tenor Giant zippy

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Lester Young - Kansas City Swing

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:55
Size: 167,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
(3:00)  2. Countless Blues
(2:59)  3. Them There Eyes
(2:53)  4. I Want A Little Girl
(2:57)  5. Pagin' The Devil
(4:12)  6. I Got Rhythm
(4:09)  7. I'm Fer It Too
(3:06)  8. Hello Babe
(3:06)  9. Linger Awhile
(3:14) 10. Just You Just Me
(3:11) 11. I Never Knew
(3:10) 12. Afternoon Of A Basie-ite
(3:07) 13. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:44) 14. After Theatre Jump
(4:12) 15. Six Cats And A Prince
(4:28) 16. Lester Leaps Again
(3:53) 17. Destination KC
(2:55) 18. Three Little Words
(3:20) 19. Jo-Jo
(2:51) 20. Four O'Clock Drag
(3:18) 21. I Got Rhythm

Lester Young was one of the true jazz giants, a tenor saxophonist who came up with a completely different conception in which to play his horn, floating over bar lines with a light tone rather than adopting Coleman Hawkins' then-dominant forceful approach. A non-conformist, Young (nicknamed "Pres" by Billie Holiday) had the ironic experience in the 1950s of hearing many young tenors try to sound exactly like him. Although he spent his earliest days near New Orleans, Lester Young lived in Minneapolis by 1920, playing in a legendary family band. He studied violin, trumpet, and drums, starting on alto at age 13. Because he refused to tour in the South, Young left home in 1927 and instead toured with Art Bronson's Bostonians, switching to tenor. He was back with the family band in 1929 and then freelanced for a few years, playing with Walter Page's Blue Devils (1930), Eddie Barefield in 1931, back with the Blue Devils during 1932-1933, and Bennie Moten and King Oliver (both 1933). He was with Count Basie for the first time in 1934 but left to replace Coleman Hawkins with Fletcher Henderson. Unfortunately, it was expected that Young would try to emulate Hawk, and his laid-back sound angered Henderson's sidemen, resulting in Pres not lasting long. After a tour with Andy Kirk and a few brief jobs, Lester Young was back with Basie in 1936, just in time to star with the band as they headed East. Young made history during his years with Basie, not only participating on Count's record dates but starring with Billie Holiday and Teddy Wilson on a series of classic small-group sessions. In addition, on his rare recordings on clarinet with Basie and the Kansas City Six, Young displayed a very original cool sound that almost sounded like altoist Paul Desmond in the 1950s. After leaving Count in 1940, Young's career became a bit aimless, not capitalizing on his fame in the jazz world. He co-led a low-profile band with his brother, drummer Lee Young, in Los Angeles until re-joining Basie in December 1943. Young had a happy nine months back with the band, recorded a memorable quartet session with bassist Slam Stewart, and starred in the short film Jammin' the Blues before he was drafted. His experiences dealing with racism in the military were horrifying, affecting his mental state of mind for the remainder of his life.

Although many critics have written that Lester Young never sounded as good after getting out of the military, despite erratic health he actually was at his prime in the mid- to late-'40s. He toured (and was well paid by Norman Granz) with Jazz at the Philharmonic on and off through the '40s and '50s, made a wonderful series of recordings for Aladdin, and worked steadily as a single. Young also adopted his style well to bebop (which he had helped pave the way for in the 1930s). But mentally he was suffering, building a wall between himself and the outside world, and inventing his own colorful vocabulary. Although many of his recordings in the 1950s were excellent (showing a greater emotional depth than in his earlier days), Young was bothered by the fact that some of his white imitators were making much more money than he was. He drank huge amounts of liquor and nearly stopped eating, with predictable results. 1956's Jazz Giants album found him in peak form as did a well documented engagement in Washington, D.C., with a quartet and a last reunion with Count Basie at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival. But, for the 1957 telecast The Sound of Jazz, Young mostly played sitting down (although he stole the show with an emotional one-chorus blues solo played to Billie Holiday). After becoming ill in Paris in early 1959, Lester Young came home and essentially drank himself to death. Many decades after his death, Pres is still considered (along with Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane) one of the three most important tenor saxophonists of all time. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lester-young-mn0000259529/biography

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Lester Young;   Double Bass – Al Hall, John Simmons, Rodney Richardson , Slam Stewart , Walter Page;  Drums – Jo Jones, Sidney Catlett;  Electric Guitar – Eddie Durham; Guitar – Freddie Green;  Piano – Ellis Larkins, Joe Bushkin, Johnny Guarnieri, Prince Charming;
Trombone – Dickie Wells;  Trumpet – Bill Coleman, Buck Clayton

Kansas City Swing

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Don Byas - Savoy Jam Party

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1946

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 73:48

Size: 169,7 MB

Art: Front

(2:55)  1. Riffin' And Jivin'

(3:39)  2. Free And Easy

(3:14)  3. Worried And Blue

(2:52)  4. Don's Idea

(2:58)  5. Savoy Jam Party

(3:00)  6. 1944 Stomp

(2:59)  7. What Do You Want With My Heart

(3:00)  8. Sweet And Lovely

(2:30)  9. White Rose Kick

(3:02) 10. My Deep Blue Dream

(2:39) 11. Byas'd Opinion

(3:18) 12. Candy

(2:56) 13. How High The Moon

(3:11) 14. Donby

(2:45) 15. Byas A Drink

(3:00) 16. I Don't Know Why

(3:02) 17. Old Folks

(3:01) 18. Cherokee

(2:58) 19. September In The Rain

(2:43) 20. Living My Life

(2:57) 21. To Each His Own

(2:23) 22. They Say It's Wonderful

(2:46) 23. Cynthia's In Love

(2:53) 24. September Song

(2:58) 25. St. Louis Blues

A former two-LP set with 32 tracks becomes a single CD consisting of the first 25 numbers. The packaging was shrunk to the point where the liner notes (which refer to all 32 songs) are nearly microscopic...But at least it is "an exact reproduction." Although this reissue from the Japanese Denon label could have been executed better, the music is excellent. Don Byas, one of the great tenors of the 1940s, is featured with groups ranging from a quartet to a sextet; the sideman include trumpeters Charlie Shavers, Emmett Berry and Benny Harris, altoist Rudy Williams, pianists Clyde Hart, Dave Rivera, Jimmy Jones, Teddy Brannon and Sanford Gold, bassists Slam Stewart and Milt Hinton and drummers J.C. Heard and Max Roach. Byas is in superior form on these late-period swing performances...it will interest those who can't find the original, better-packaged two-LP set (put out by Arista in the 1970s). ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/savoy-jam-party-the-savoy-sessions-mw0000645489

Personnel: Don Byas (tenor saxophone); Rudy Williams (alto saxophone); Charlie Shavers, Emmett Berry, Benny Harris (trumpet); Clyde Hart (piano, celeste); Dave Rivera, Jimmy Jones, Teddy Brannon, Sanford Gold (piano); Slam Stewart, Milt Hinton, John Levy, Frank Skeete, Leonard Gaskin (bass); Max Roach, J.C. Heard, Jack Parker, Fred Radcliffe (drums).

Savoy Jam Party

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Slam Stewart - Slamboree

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:38
Size: 138,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Slamboree
(3:22)  2. On Green Dolphin Street
(3:46)  3. Foolin' Around
(3:38)  4. When Your Lover Has Gone
(3:47)  5. Back Home Again In Indiana
(3:11)  6. All The Things You Are
(3:35)  7. Yes Indeed
(6:49)  8. Willow Weep For Me
(4:42)  9. A Jam With Sam
(3:13) 10. All The Things You Are (take 1)
(3:28) 11. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
(2:47) 12. On Green Dolphin Street (alt take)
(2:24) 13. Yes Indeed (take 1)
(3:12) 14. All The Things You Are (take 2)
(5:01) 15. Willow Weep For Me (take 1)
(3:44) 16. Foolin' Around (rehearsal)

Leroy Eliot "Slam" Stewart (September 21, 1914 – December 10, 1987) was an African American jazz bass player whose trademark style was his ability to bow the bass (arco) and simultaneously hum or sing an octave higher. He was originally a violin player before switching to bass at the age of 20. 

Stewart was born in Englewood, New Jersey on September 21, 1914, and began playing string bass while attending Dwight Morrow High School. While attending the Boston Conservatory, he heard Ray Perry singing along with his violin. This gave him the inspiration to follow suit with his bass. In 1937 Stewart teamed with Slim Gaillard to form the novelty jazz act Slim and Slam. The duo's biggest hit was "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" in 1938 (see 1938 in music). Stewart found regular session work throughout the 1940s with Lester Young, Fats Waller, Coleman Hawkins, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, Johnny Guarnieri, Red Norvo, Don Byas, the Benny Goodman Sextet, and Beryl Booker, among others. 

One of the most famous sessions he played on took place in 1945, when Stewart played with Dizzy Gillespie's group (which featured Charlie Parker). Out of those sessions came some of the classics of bebop such as "Groovin' High" and "Dizzy Atmosphere." Throughout the rest of his career, Stewart worked regularly and employed his unique and enjoyable bass-playing style. He taught at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York, and at Yale University. He died on December 9, 1987 in Binghamton. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slam_Stewart

Personnel:  Slam Stewart (Bass, Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals );  Al Casey (guitar);  Gene Rodgers (bass),  Wild Bill Davis (piano);  Joseph "Kaiser" Marshall,  Jo Jones (drums).

Slamboree

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