EMS-2-400: “Jug” Sessions / Gene Ammons

	Label Type :	khaki EmArcy type F (The EmArcy Jazz Series)
	Matrix Number :	SIDE-A	EMS-2-400 A-CP4    MASTERDISK G.K.
		SIDE-B	EMS-2-400 B-CP4    MASTERDISK G.K.
		SIDE-C	EMS-2-400 C-CP4    MASTERDISK G.K.
		SIDE-D	EMS-2-400 D-CP4    MASTERDISK G.K.

Comments

gatefold cover.

Inside The Groove

“The Jug” Gene Ammons' nice compilation of his Mercury sessions from 1947 to 1949.

Personal Impression (and brief notes)

The very first appearance of Gene Ammons on Mercury label was as a sideman of Albert Ammons & his Rhythm Kings (recorded in 1946). Then from 1947 to 1949, Gene Ammons recorded dozen of tracks, which were originally released on Mercury 78rpms. This compilation features Gene Ammons' almost all leader sessions on Mercury, plus some Albert Ammons tracks featuring Gene Ammons as a tenor saxophone player.

Needless to say, Gene Ammons was an important tenor sax stylist - he started his career under heavy influence of his great idol, Lester Young, then he gradually made his own individual sound by blending several new voice (Charlie Parker and be-bop sound) as well as earthy blues. He was one of the scarce players who could play both swing/mainstream jazz and newly-born be-bop jazz.

This compilation captures the progression and evolvement of Gene Ammons' tenor sound in the early post-war era, before he finally won huge amount of success in the 1950s and 1960s (BTW his mellow and sweet tracks can be heard on D-4 and D-6, which reveals his later trademark).

C-1 and C-6 are previously-unreleased tracks.

Strictly Personal Rating (to what extent I could enjoy this album)

9 out of 10

Track Listing

Personnel

Personnel/recorded date/master numbers confirmed with the Ruppli's discography.
(“The Mercury Labels - A Discography” by Ruppli and Novitsky, Greenwood Press, 1993)

A-1, A-2, A-4:
Gail Brockman (tp), Gene Ammons (ts),
James Craig (p), Gene Wright (b), Chuck Williams (ds),
George Stone (arr).
Recorded in Chicago, IL on June 19, 1947.

A-3:
vocal overdubbed version of A-2 (unknown vocal group).

A-5, A-6, A-7, B-1:
Marvin Randolph (tp on A-5, A-6), Gene Ammons (ts),
Albert Ammons (p), Ike Perkins (g), Israel Crosby (b), Al Burroughs (ds).
Recorded in Chicago, IL on August 6, 1947.

B-2, B-3, B-4, B-5:
Gail Brockman (tp), Ernest McDonald (as, bs), Gene Ammons (ts),
Junior Mance (p), Gene Wright (b), Elis Bartee (ds),
Earl Coleman (vo on B-3),
George Stone (arr).
Recorded in Chicago, IL on October 23, 1947.

B-6, B-7, C-1, C-2:
same personnel as B-2, except Earl Coleman out.
A.K. Salim (arr).
Recorded in Chicago, IL on December 1, 1947.

C-3, C-4, C-5, C-6:
same personnel as B-6, except Earl Coleman (vo on C-5).
Recorded in Chicago, IL on December 10, 1947.

C-7, D-1, D-2, D-3:
Jesse Miller (tp), Ernest McDonald (as), Gene Ammons (ts),
Junior Mance (p), Leo Blevens (g), Leroy Jackson (b), Wesley Landers (ds),
Marcel Daniels (vo).
Recorded in Chicago, IL on February 5, 1949.

D-4, D-5, D-6, D-7:
Jesse Miller (tp), possibly Matthew Gee (tb), Ernest McDonald (as, bs), Gene Ammons (ts),
Junior Mance (p), Leo Blevens (g), Leroy Jackson (b), Wesley Landers (ds),
Jimmy Mundy (arr).
Recorded in Chicago, IL on October 4, 1949.