Stuff Smith (With Svend Asmussen & Paul Olsen) - Hot Violins

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:21
Size: 133.6 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 1967/1991
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. C-Jam Blues
[8:57] 2. Caravan
[5:40] 3. Timme's Blues
[4:19] 4. Oh, Lady Be Good
[6:09] 5. Hello Copenhagen
[5:42] 6. Swingin' Softly
[5:56] 7. One O'clock Jump
[6:15] 8. How High The Moon
[4:55] 9. Swingin' Bach
[4:19] 10. Stand By Blues

Violinist Stuff Smith is heard on this CD during three different dates from his later years when he lived in Copenhagen. Best are four hard-swinging collaborations with fellow violinist Svend Asmussen, including a charming version of "Lady Be Good" that has both of the fiddlers singing. In addition, Smith performs two of his originals in 1967 with the Kenny Drew Trio (seven months before his death) and matches up with violinist Poul Olsen (who sounds a bit like Stuff) on four numbers, including a riff-filled "One O'Clock Jump." An excellent and well-recorded release by the exciting swing violinist Stuff Smith. ~Scott Yanow

Hot Violins mc
Hot Violins zippy

---

Stuff Smith - Cat On A Hot Fiddle

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:21
Size: 87.8 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 1959/2004
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Undecided
[3:42] 2. The Man I Love
[2:17] 3. Oh Lady Be Good
[4:01] 4. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[4:09] 5. Take The A Train
[3:02] 6. Blue Violin
[5:05] 7. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[3:38] 8. Somebody Loves Me
[3:41] 9. 's Wonderful
[3:13] 10. Nice And Warm
[2:52] 11. Strike Up The Band

Bass – Lewis Powers (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 9, 11), Red Mitchell (tracks: 1, 5, 6, 10); Drums – Harry Saunders (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 9, 11), Sid Bulkin (tracks: 1, 5, 6, 10); Piano – Paul Smith (5) (tracks: 1, 5, 6, 10), Shirley Horn (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 9, 11); Violin – Stuff Smith; Vocals – Stuff Smith (tracks: 3, 8). Tracks 1, 5, 6, 10 recorded October 22, 1959 at United Recorders, Hollywood. Tracks 2 to 4, 7 to 9, 11 recorded August 7, 1959 at Edgewood Recording Studios, Washington, DC.

Recorded on two dates in 1959, this full-length by Stuff Smith features a pair of rhythm sections. One contains the great Red Mitchell on bass, the other the magnificent Shirley Horn on piano. In 1959, Smith had been on the scene for over two decades. And while he was well-known by the public at large for his novelty persona and his singing -- as evidenced by his 1936 smash hit "I'se A-Muggin'," this long-player aptly displays his stunning virtuosity as a jazz violinist, from standard jazz repertoire such as Duke Ellington's "Take the 'A' Train" and "They Can't Take That Away from Me" to "Strike Up the Band." His bowing is dizzying and the band pushed hard to keep up with him. On "Nice Work if You Can Get It," the tempo middles along but Smith swings hard in his tasty way. And Smith's vocal skills are showcased on the classics "Oh, Lady Be Good" and "Somebody Loves Me," offering a well-rounded portrait of a man who many thought was past his prime. Not so. This date smokes and is a welcome addition to the jazz violin canon. ~Thom Jurek

Cat On A Hot Fiddle mc
Cat On A Hot Fiddle zippy

---

Stephane Grappelli & Stuff Smith - Stuff And Steff

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:45
Size: 90,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. How High The Moon
(8:37)  2. Blues In The Dungeon
(5:48)  3. Skip It
(5:53)  4. S'posin'
(4:35)  5. Willow Weep For Me
(8:49)  6. This Can't Be Love

Violinists Stéphane Grappelli and Stuff Smith performed together on a few occasions, but this 1965 studio session, first issued by Barclay, was one of the more difficult dates to acquire until Universal Music reissued it on CD in 2002, as a part of their extensive Jazz in Paris series. With a solid rhythm section (pianist René Urtreger, bassist Michel Gaudry, and drummer Michel Delaporte) that pretty much sticks to a supporting role, it is clear that Smith's gritty tone rubs off on Grappelli as the session progresses. Highlights include Smith's "Blues in the Dungeon" (during which Grappelli playfully alternates between playing pizzicato and arco to back Smith's hoarse but swinging vocal) and an equally playful, swinging take of "This Can't Be Love." Jazz violin fans may give Smith the nod over Grappelli on this date, but both men obviously enjoyed themselves during the making of this disc. The glorious 24-bit remastering produces sound that is greatly improved over the tinny Everest LP reissued under Smith's name during the 1970s. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/stuff-and-steff-mw0000229429

Personnel:  Violin – Stuff Smith, Stéphane Grappelli;  Vocals – Stuff Smith (tracks: 2, 4);  Double Bass – Michel Gaudry;  Drums – Michel Delaporte;  Piano – René Urtreger

Stuff And Steff

---

Stuff Smith - Black Violin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:10
Size: 78.2 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 1972/2015
Art: Front

[3:57] 1. Ain't She Sweet
[4:11] 2. April In Paris
[5:42] 3. Sweet Lorraine
[4:39] 4. One O'clock Jump
[6:01] 5. Cherokee
[3:18] 6. Yesterdays
[6:20] 7. What Is This Thing Called Love

Stuff Smith's poor health in his later years didn't stop him from performing or recording, this studio date in Germany was recorded not long before his death on September 25, 1967. With a band of competent but not well known European musicians backing him, the violinist completed seven numbers for his final record, all standards of various vintage. Smith, of course, is the centerpiece of the LP; although he only uses a small portion of his bow, his unorthodox approach to the instrument produces a very distinct sound all his own. His vibrato-filled introduction to "Cherokee" is followed by a fine solo by pianist Otto Weiss and several brief drum breaks by Charley Antolini. His most adventurous playing takes place during "Sweet Lorraine," in a happy arrangement that almost seems like someone whistling as he jauntily walks down the street, though his second solo within the song makes great use of dissonance. Tenor saxophonist Heribert Thusek plays in unison with Smith during the opening to "One O'Clock Jump" and takes a swinging solo prior to the leader; he is also present on one other number, a foot tapping easygoing take of "What Is This Thing Called Love?" Unfortunately, this LP disappeared from print rather rapidly after its 1972 release when BASF quit the record-making business, so fans of Stuff Smith may have a very difficult time locating a copy of this excellent LP. ~Ken Dryden

Black Violin

---

Stuff Smith With The Henri Chaix Trio - Late Woman Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:03
Size: 142.1 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:31] 1. C Jam Blues
[6:47] 2. Perdido
[6:06] 3. Late Woman Blues [blues In B Flat]
[6:35] 4. How High The Moon
[5:36] 5. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[8:05] 6. Take The A Train
[4:39] 7. Body And Soul
[7:19] 8. After You've Gone
[6:22] 9. Oh, Lady Be Good
[4:59] 10. Rosetta

Stuff Smith spent the final two years of his life performing in Europe; this previously unreleased Swiss concert from 1965 was finally released some 36 years later. The violinist is accompanied by stride pianist Henri Chaix, young bassist Michel Guillemin, and fellow American expatriate Wallace Bishop (who had resided in Europe since 1950) on drums. Smith is in top form, though the inexperience of the bassist is rather obvious during the awkward introduction to "Perdido"; fortunately, things improve rapidly afterwards. In addition to his swinging fiddle, Smith's hoarse vocals are a riot in his "Late Woman Blues" (also known as "Blues in B Flat"), while he breaks up one of his sidemen with his singing of "On the Sunny Side of the Street." The instrumentals are mostly familiar to Smith's fans, including "Take the 'A' Train" and "How High the Moon," though it is the adventurous and occasionally dissonant take of "Body and Soul," a standard rarely played by the violinist, that takes top honors. The sound is very good for such a vintage recording. Swing fans will consider this long-hidden treasure to be an essential CD. ~Ken Dryden

Late Woman Blues

---

Stuff Smith Quartet - Swingin' Stuff

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:01
Size: 164.9 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 1965/2005
Art: Front

[7:24] 1. Caravan
[5:08] 2. Take The A Train
[4:26] 3. Old Stinkin' Blues
[3:52] 4. Only Time Will Tell
[4:54] 5. Mack The Knife
[5:45] 6. One O'clock Jump
[5:08] 7. Blues For Timme (Timme's Blues)
[3:45] 8. My Blue Heaven
[3:09] 9. Bugle Blues
[5:10] 10. C Jam Blues
[6:58] 11. Perdido
[7:30] 12. S'posin
[8:47] 13. How High The Moon

Bass – Niels Peterson; Drums – Alex Riel; Piano – Kenny Drew; Violin – Stuff Smith. Recorded Copenhagen Denmark live.

Recorded five days after a similar performance at the Montmartre in Copenhagen by the same personnel (violinist Stuff Smith, pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Alex Riel), Stuff and his quartet are once again heard in top form. Four of the nine songs are repeated from the earlier date, but unfortunately, the music on this LP is currently out of print. On such tunes as "Bugle Blues," "Mack the Knife," "One O'Clock Jump" and "Take the 'A' Train," Stuff Smith shows that he was as hard-swinging an improviser as any horn player and that at the age of 55 he had not run out of gas yet. ~Scott Yanow

Swingin' Stuff

---