Classics 1137: Billy Taylor 1945-1949

Classics 1137
Billy Taylor 1945-1949 Release Date: 2000


Other notable musicians in this CD: Doc Cheatham, Denzil Best, Milton Hinton, Shadow Wilson.
Label(s): Savoy, Prestige, H.R.S, Swing 234
Number of sessions: 6


About this period: "When I first really embraced bop, it was—I had, of course, become aware of Parker and Gillespie, prior to coming to New York, but I was very much into Tatum and that kind of thing. I used to have some knock-down, drag-out arguments with Bud Powell, because I'd run into him frequently at Minton's and other places. This was in '44. I came here in '44, and when I got here I worked with Ben Webster at the Deuces, and the whole transition was really being formalized then because this was just prior to Dizzy Gillespie opening at the Onyx with the first bop band downtown." - Billy Taylor

The Album: A good example of what Billy Taylor calls pre-bop, a period of jazz which is not really swing, nor is bebop, but it had all of the ingredients that formalized by people like Clyde Hart, Sid Catlett, Jo Jones, and others. Of course, there are more swing oriented tracks (5 to 8, for instance), or more bop playing stuff (like Paris date), but the main concept is playing a variety of sounds with a great dexterity. - E. K.

Monk’s Mood (see below for details)

Details:

Billy Taylor Trio
Billy Taylor (p), Al Hall (b), Jimmy Crawford (d)

• New York, March 20, 1945, Savoy

S-5792 Monk’s Mood
S-5793 Solace
S-5794 Night And Day
S-5795 Alexander’s Ragtime Band

Walter Thomas Orchestra:
Doc Cheatham (t), Eddie Barefield/Hilton Jefferson (cl,as), Walter ‘Toots’ Thomas/Teddy McRae (ts), Buddy Saffer (barsax), Billy Taylor (p), Milton Hinton (b), Specs Powell (d).

• New York, June 27, 1945, Prestige

8131 -B Black Maria’s Blues
8132-B Bird Brain
8131-A Dee-Tees
8132-A Back Talk

Billy Taylor:
Billy Taylor (p), Ted Sturgis (b), Buford Oliver(d).

• Paris, December 4, 1946, Swing 234

OSW-435-1 The Very Thought Of You
OSW-436-1 Stridin’ Down Champs-Elysées (sic)

Billy Taylor Quartet:
Billy Taylor (p), John Collins (g), J0hn Levy (b), Denzil Best (d).

• New York, June 1947, H.R.S

1068-2 Well Taylor-ed
1069-2 I Don't Ask Questions, I just Have Fun
1070-3 So You Think You’re Cute
1071 -2 Twinkle Toes

Billy Taylor Quartet:
Billy Taylor (p), Herman Mitchell (g), J0hn Levy (b), Denzil Best (d).

• New York, September 26 1947, H.R.S

1084-2 Restricted
1085-3 Stridin’ Down Champs-Elysées
1086-2 Mitch’s Pitch
1087-2 Mr. B. Bops

Billy Taylor Quintet:
John Hardee (ts), Milt Page (org), Billy Taylor (p), John Simmons (b), Shadow Wilson (d).

• New York, November 20 1949, Savoy

SBT-4450 Misty Moming Blues
SBT-4451 The Bug
SBT-4452 Prelude To A Kiss
SBT-4453 Take The “A” Train