土曜日、奇跡的に自宅で一人の時間が少し生じたので、ハカイダーの心配をすることなく (笑) SP 盤を久し振りに聴くことが出来ました。きもちえがったー。

Saturday – I could have a precious time to be alone at home – without ‘the destroyer’ – my two-years-old daughter – so I could enjoy listening to several 78rpm records this afternoon. It was just fun indeed!

 

というわけで今回は、小難しいこと抜きにしてプレイリスト的ログだけ。もうなんの脈略もないテキトーなピックアップ5枚です。

This time’s entry is just a 78rpm playlist on that day – a kind of random pick-ups without consistency!

 

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ボブ・ウィルス (Bob Wills) の盟友 トミー・ダンカン (Tommy Duncan) による、ヒルビリーバップ風味も漂う良質の C&W。“Nancy Jane” のサイドは結構ゴキゲンです。

A good-sounding C&W tracks by Tommy Duncan (a great music partner w/ Bob Wills) with a bit of hilbilly-bop flavour – nice tunes – way to go, “Nancy Jane” !

 

実際にはこの時期の Duncan さんは襲い来るロックンロールの大波に遅れまいともがいていた低迷期とされているようですが。。。しかしそれが逆に楽曲に独特の陰影を落としていて興味深く聞こえてきたり。

Many of the Duncan recordings in this period (early 1950s) are often regarded as mediocre as he struggled and tried to catch up with soon-to-come Rock’n’Roll craze… but on the other hand it can also be said that such background adds some extra nuances to these tracks.

     

Tommy Duncan & The Ranger Trio:
Tommy Duncan (vo) with unknown (g),
and The Ranger Trio: Curly Roberts (vo, rh-g), Gene Bernard (vo), Toby Stiles (vo,b).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, LA on July 31, 1951.
RR-1719-4              Those Friends of Ours (The Gossip Song)        Intro 6054

Tommy Duncan & The Ranger Trio:
Tommy Dunkan (vo) with:
Alex Brashear (tp), Billy Woods (p), unknown (lead-g), Richard Price (ds),
Curly Roberts (rh-g, vo), Gene Bernard (vo), Toby Stiles (vo, b).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, LA on November 19, 1951.
RR-1809-2 (IM-4481)    Nancy Jane                                     Intro 6054

References and links:

• Michel Ruppli: “The Aladdin / Imperial Labels: A Discography” (Greenwood Press, 1991 / ISBN 0-313-27821-0)

 

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続いては メズ・メズロウ (Mezz Mezzrow) 自らもレーベル設立に関わった King Jazz レーベルの1枚。やはり シドニー・ベシェ (Sidney Bechet) 参加が白眉のセッションからのリリースで、ニューオーリンズリバイバル立役者達(?)によるブルース演奏、さすがにグッときます。

The next 78rpm here is from King Jazz label, which Mezz Mezzrow (he plays on these sides of course) started in 1945. Among all excellent King Jazz releases this 78rpm would be one of the top-notch and really moving, as here plays superb Jazz players who all shed light on great old bluesy style again to spark the New Orleans revival.

     

Mezzrow-Bechet Septet:
Oran “Hot Lips” Page (tp, vo on KJ16-1), Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow (cl), Sidney Bechet (ss),
Sammy Price (p), Danny Barker (g), George “Pops” Foster (b), Sidney “Big Sid” Catlett (ds).
Recorded at W.O.R. Studios, New York City on July 30 1945.
KJ12-1     House Party                                                King Jazz 143
KJ12-2     House Party
KJ13-1     Perdido Street Stomp                                       Storyville SEP-411
KJ13-2     Perdido Street Stomp
KJ14-1     Revolutionary Blues, Part 1                                Storyville SLP-153
KJ15-1     Revolutionary Blues, Part 2                                Storyville SLP-153
KJ16-1     Blood On The Moon                                          King Jazz 143

References and links:

• Here Is Old Time Jazz On Line
  • listen: “House Party” (mp3)
  • listen: “Blood On The Moon” (mp3)

 

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同じ1945年録音といっても、今度は エディー・ヴィンソン (Eddie Cleanhead Vinson) ですから、当然ながら雰囲気がガラっと変わります。この人のさらっと粋で同時に濃厚なアルト、ホント好きなんよな〜。もちろん存在感たっぷりの歌も。“Juice Head Baby” はヴィンソン王道系どっしり R&B、裏面は珍しくホンカー的な側面も見え隠れする良質の R&B インスト。こりゃええのう。

The mood dramatically changes on the next 78rpm, recorded in 1945 too, is by Eddie Cleanhead Vinson – I love his stylish, clean (but also deep & heavy) also saxophone so much, as well as his bluesy-shouting vocal. The Side-A, “Juice Head Baby”, is a typical Vinson-style R&B shouter with excellent band arrangements. The flipside an interesting jazzy R&B instrumental, Vinson playing honking-like saxophone. Love this!

 

ヴィンソンの Mercury 最初期リリースということになりますが、ディスコグラフィーによると HU というレーベルから購入した音源ということです。はて、この HU なるレーベル、どなたかご存知の方ご教授下さいませ。。。

BTW this 78rpm is Eddie Vinson’s very early release from Mercury label – according to the discography books these recordings were purchased from less-known HU label – does anyone know much about this label? Let me know…

     

Eddie Vinson and his Orchestra:
Eddie Vinson (as, vo),
Stumpy Whitlock (tp), John Hunt (tp), Joe Bridgewater (tp), Leon Comegys (tb), Rip Tarrant (tb),
Frank Domageux (as), Ernest Tanner (as), Lee Pop (ts), Red Carmen (ts), Greely Walton (bs),
Earl Van Riper (p), Leonard Swain (b), Gus Johnson (ds).
Recorded in New York City, late 1945.
hu 446     Mr. Cleanhead Steps Out                                    Mercury 2031
hu 447     It's A Groovy Affair                                       Mercury 2030
hu 448     I've Been So Good                                          Mercury 2030
hu 449     Juicy Juice Head Baby                                      Mercury 2031

  References and links:

• Michel Ruppli & Ed Novitsky: “The Mercury Labels: A Discography” (Greenwood Press, 1993 / ISBN 0-313-27371-5)

 

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次は私の好きな ジョー・トーマス (Joe Thomas) 参加盤ということで、この バーニー・ビガード (Barney Bigard) の Black & White 盤をチョイス。興味深いことに、テナーサックス奏者もジョー・トーマスで、同じ名前が2名分クレジットされています。

Next 78rpm choice is Barney Bigard Sextet from the Black & White label – featuring one of my favourite trumpeter Joe Thomas. Interestingly enough, a tenor saxophone player on this session is also named Joe Thomas – the name “Joe Thomas” is credited twice on the label.

 

“Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” の方は、そのジョー・トーマスの流麗な音色のトランペットが堪能できる心地よいバラードです。B面の “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone” は対照的に、ふたりのジョー・トーマスの絡みも楽しい、とてもスギンギーなミドルテンポでゴキゲン。どちらの曲でも、リーダーのバーニー・ビガードのクラに加えて アート・テイタム (Art Tatum) の存在感たっぷりのソロが堪能できます。

Side-A “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” is a breezing ballad featuring Joe Thomas’ beautiful trumpet, while the flipside “Please Don’t Talk About Me” is a swingy number with stomping conversation between two Joe Thomases. On both tracks, the leader Barney Bigard’s clarinet and the maestro Art Tatum‘s marvellous piano solo are fully featured.

     

Barney Bigard Sextet:
Joe Thomas (tp, vo on BW65), Joe Thomas (ts), Barney Bigard (cl),
Art Tatum (p), Billy Taylor (b), Stan Levey (ds).
Recorded in New York City on January 5, 1945.
BW63     Can't Help Lovin' That Man                                  Black & White 14A
BW64     Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone                    Black & White 14B
BW65     Sweet Marijuana Brown                                       Black & White 13A
BW66     Blues For Art's Sake                                        Black & White 13B

  References and links:

• Black and White Records numerical listing
• Barney Bigard Sextet on RedHotJazz.com
  • listen: “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” (requires RealPlayer)
  • listen: “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone” (requires RealPlayer)

 

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最後のチョイスは、ゴキゲンなスウィングという意味では1、2を争う程大好きな デューク・エリントン (Duke Ellington) の “In A Jam”。このキャチーなリフ、名だたるメンバーが連ねるステキなソロ、ソニー・グリア (Sonny Greer) のハイハット。ゾッコンです。

Today’s last choice is “In A Jam” by Duke Ellington and his orchestra – what a catchy riff, great solo after solo by all-established players. What’s more, how attractive Sonny Greer plays hi-hat as an accent… definitely one of my favourite performances!

     

Duke Ellington and his Orchestra:
Rex Stewart (cor), Arthur Whetsel (tp), Cootie Williams (tp),
Lawrence Brown (tb), Joe Nanton (tb), Juan Tizol (v-tb), Barney Bigard (cl, ts),
Johnny Hodges (as, ss), Otto Hardwick (as, cl), Ben Webster (ts), Harry Carney (bs, cl, as),
Duke Ellington (p), Fred Guy (g), Billy Taylor (b), Sonny Greer (ds).
Recorded in New York City on July 29, 1936.
B19626-1     In A Jam                                                 Brunswick 7734
B19627-1     Exposition Swing                                         Brunswick 8213
B19627-2     Exposition Swing                                         Columbia CL-2364
B19628-1     Uptown Downbeat                                          Brunswick 7734

  References and links:

• Ellington Session 1936 (on A Duke Ellington Panorama)
• Here Is Old Time Jazz On Line
  • listen: “In A Jam” (mp3)