We Remember Clifford

Clifford Brown was three years younger than Lee Konitz, two years Horace Silver's junior and one year Benny Golson's. All the mentioned musicians are alive, some if them still going strong, but it's painfully difficult to accept that one of the best musicians in jazz history has left us for nearly 6 decades.

As they say, The Good Die Young, but it is the time for celebration rather than mourning and lament. Today's Clifford Brown's birthday and Take the "A" Train commemorates the short and once blooming life of Clifford Brown by playing two tapes from David W. Niven's archives. Throughout the tapes, Niven injects personal observations and speculations, anecdotes, history and touching quotes which makes the tapes even more precious.

1

The Memorial Album happened to be one of my first (and due to conditions of life in Iran, one of the very few) acquired jazz CDs. The album contains two early sessions, one a quintet and the other a sextet, led by Brownie. However, Niven's tapes are not exactly track by track replica of the Blue Note release. In order to give a survey of Brownie's recording during the summer of 53, Niven has mixed takes from Brownie Speaks (Applause LP) and Memorial (LP edition).

Jazz Mirrors Iran#5: Strictly for the Persians

For my fifth installment in Jazz Mirrors Iran, I'll look at a tune from a third country in which the secretive consociation between the American art form and Persian culture took place: France.


If you were in Paris during the cold winter of 1941, walking by the Seine and watching the German barracks, you could whistle a beautiful tune by Alix Combelle Orchestra, a song ironically called Strictement pour les Persans, or in English, Strictly for the Persians. 

Strictement Pour Les Persans (Strictly for Persians) - Alix Combelle Orchestra

Paris’ underground resistance did not stay paralyzed for too long. To write the French off as cowards or conceding would be dismissive and inaccurate. A Parisian writer at the time was “incapable of surviving for long hiding, he would sell his soul to see his name in print,” silenced essayist Jean Guehenno observed. “He believes that he is French literature and thought and that they will die without him.” Satre himself had stated that artists and writers had a duty to tell the rest of France “not to be ruled by Germans.”

We all know that jazz played a significant role in uniting African-Americans under the oppressive Jim Crow laws. In Paris of 1941, even as a borrowed art form, it still manifested the self-empowerment to create a nationalistic identity at a point where the country was already fractured into rubble. Before the Nazi invasion of France, when news of an eventual war reached Paris, many African-American expatriate musicians left to return to the United States. Their sudden departure left the active French jazz scene on its own, and club owners found themselves without any entertainers or live music to supply the demand of tasteful customers.

Le Jazz à Paris

Duke Ellington in Paris

‎"America is my country and Paris is my hometown." -- Gertrude Stein

Jazz found its second home in Paris, France. Josephine Baker and Charleston dance paved the way for Sidney Bechet and La Nouvelle-Orléans music. It started in Pigalle and moved to Saint-Germain. Surrealist were fascinated by it, but it was existentialists who cherished it. French films used a good deal of it as their soundtrack, or even their story. Cinéma de papa liked it (Marcel Carné) and the rebellious figures of modern cinema, known as Nouvelle Vague (New Wave), liked it even more: a generation confronted another generation, nevertheless jazz stood there as their only concurrent kick.

The anti-colonialist attitude and a certain tendency toward exotica made Paris of post-WWI the place for American drifters and jazz community. They were free, accepted and treated like kings. "The best of America drifts to Paris," said F. Scott Fitzgerald, "the American in Paris is the best American." So it was when Louis Armstrong, Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, Kenny Clarke, Miles Davis, Bill Coleman, Don Byas, Bud Powell and many other resided in the city for shorter or longer periods.

Master Pianists Sing!

Fresh from the third, and the last radio broadcast under the title, Americans in Paris (an internet-based  programme for Iran which I foolishly do from my own pocket) that was a survey of lives and recordings of American jazz musicians in the city of equality and liberty, I'm going to share with you two remarkable recordings that I played in the show.

Firstly, the tunes are recorded by two of my favorites jazz pianist, Joe Albany and Jimmy Rowles, and secondly, they both sing in these recordings, though they are not singers in the common sense of the word (and from this "amateur" group comes my preferred jazz singers - pianists, trumpetists and reed men who sings!)

Joe Albany, having a particular empathy for ballads and Billy Strayhorn, in 1977 Paris recorded a moving interpretation of Lush Life, in which he manages to balance the sense of sadness in the song with rich, colorful textures added by his romantic and vulnerable mind. Albany says: "With a great melody you're going to get a great composition, with great chords. Then, logically, the tune will be a pleasure for jazz musicians to improvise on and interpret in their own way. And of course most of these songs also happen to have great lyrics, which can be kept in mind to lend emphasis even to an instrumental version."

Here is Joe playing and singing Lush Life with his polite earthiness:

"Musicians have a way of using words in a sense totally different from their everyday usage," says drummer Shelly Manne, "one of these words is Beautiful." And Shelly explains it further by stating that where most people use the word to describe an outward appearance that is pleasing to the eye, the musician uses it to describe the inner person. "I know of no person who deserves this description more than JIMMY ROWLES," says Shelly.

This beautiful musician was passing through the city of Paris, around the same time Mr Albany was living his "lush life." During his Parisian affair, Rowles became so popular in French recording studios that in a single day in 1978, he recorded four complete albums for three different labels.

Here, on May 30th or 31th , 1980,  Rowles played and sang a Ben Webster tune called S. H. Blackula:

Radio Hawkins#24: Americans in Paris III

راديو هاوكينز: جاز براي ايران

اپيزود 24

آمريكايي ها در پاريس

بخش سوم

اين جا بشنويد

دانلود

فهرست قطعات

All recorded in Paris, France.

Zoot Sims-Henri Renaud Quintet
Evening in Paris
Jon Eardley (tp) Zoot Sims (ts) Henri Renaud (p) Benoit Quersin (b) Charles Saudrais (d)
16 March 1956

John Lewis & Sacha Distel
Afternoon in Paris
John Lewis (p), Sacha Distel (g), Pierre Michelot (b), Connie Kay (d)
4 December 1956

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers
The Midget
Lee Morgan (tp) Barney Wilen (as) Wayne Shorter (ts) Bud Powell (p) Jymie Merritt (b) Art Blakey (d)
18 December 1959

Willie "The Lion" Smith
Music on My Mind
Willie "The Lion" Smith (solo p, voc)
November 1965

Don Byas & His Orchestra
Where or When
Don Byas (ts), Maurice Vander (p), Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Popof Medvedko (b), Benny Bennett (d)
19 April 1951

Thelonious Monk Quartet
Well, You Needn't
Charlie Rouse (ts) Thelonious Monk (p) Larry Gales (b) Ben Riley (d)
23 May 1965

Ronnell Bright Trio
Johnnie Pate's Blues
Ronnell Bright (p), Richard Davis (b), Art Morgan (d)
1958

Gerry Mulligan Quartet
Love Me or Leave Me
Bob Brookmeyer (vtb), Gerry Mulligan (bars), Red Mitchell (b), Frank Isola (d)
1 June 1954

Earl Hines Trio
There Is No Greater Love
Earl Hines (p), Larry Richardson (b), Richie Goldberg (d)
December 1970

Slide Hampton
Chop Suey
Slide Hampton (tb), Martial Solal (p), Henri Texier (b), Daniel Humair (d)
6 January 1969

Jimmy Rowles
S.H. Blackula
Jimmy Rowles (solo p, voc)
30 or 31 May 1980

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Cop Out
Ray Nance (c), Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes, Cootie Williams (t), Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors (tb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Johnny Hodges (as), Russell Procope (as, cl), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Harry Carney (bars), Duke Ellington (p), Ernie Shepard (b), Sam Woodyard (d).
1 February 1963

Radio Hawkins#23: Americans in Paris II

 راديو هاوكينز: جاز براي ايران

اپيزود 23

آمريكايي ها در پاريس

بخش دوم

اين جا بشنويد

دانلود

فهرست قطعات

All recorded in Paris, France, unless noted.

Sidney Bechet and His Orchestra
On the Sunny Side of the Street
Gérard Bayol (tp), Benny Vasseur (tb), Sidney Bechet (ss), Eddie Bernard (p), Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Guy De Fatto (b), André Jourdan (dm)
16 May 1949

Oscar Peterson-Stephane Grappelli Quartet
Autumn Leaves
Stephane Grappelli (vln) Oscar Peterson (p) Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (b) Kenny Clarke (d)
22 or 23 February 1973

Bud Powell
Idaho
Johnny Griffin (ts), Bud Powell (p)
14 February 1960

Stan Getz Quartet
Manha de Carnaval (Morning of the Carnival)
Stan Getz (ts), Gary Burton (vib), Steve Swallow (b), Roy Haynes (d)
13 November 1966

Marlene Dietrich & Freddy Johnson

Wo Ist der Mann?
Arthur Briggs (t), Peter Duconge (cl), Freddy Johnson (p), Huan Fernandez (b), Billy Taylor (d), Peter Kreuder (arr, ldr), Marlene Dietrich (voc)
8 July 1933

Blossom Dearie
April in Paris
Blossom Dearie (p), Herman Garst (b), Bernard Planchenault (d)
1955

Dizzy Gillespie Quartet And The Double Six Of Paris
Con Alma
Dizzy Gillespie (tp), Bud Powell (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Kenny Clarke (d), Claudine Barge, Jean-Claude Briodin, Christiane Legrand, Eddy Louiss, Mimi Perrin, Robert Smart, Ward Swingle (vo)
8 July 1963

Lucky Thompson
Lucky Strikes
Lucky Thompson (ts), Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Paul Rovére (b), Gérard 'Dave' Pochonet (d)
27 March 1956

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Paris Stairs
Ray Nance, c; Bill Berry, Roy Burrowes, Eddie Mullens, t; Lawrence Brown, Leon Cox, tb; Chuck Connors, btb; Jimmy Hamilton, cl, ts; Johnny Hodges, as; Russell Procope, as, cl; Paul Gonsalves, ts; Harry Carney, bs; Duke Ellington, p; Aaron Bell, b; Sonny Greer, d.
New York City, 29 March 1962

Lester Young
Back Home Again in Idiana
Lester Young (ts), Rene Urtreger (p), Jimmy Gourley (g), Jamil Nasser (b), Kenny Clarke (d)
4 March 1959

Joe Albany
Lush Life
Joe Albany (p, cov)
1977

Louis Armstrong with Sy Oliver Orchestra
La Vie en Rose
Cy Oliver (arr), Louis Armstrong (t, voc), Melvin Solomon (t), Bernie Parivin (t), Paul Webster (t), Morton Bullman (tb), Hymie Schertzer (as), Milt Yaner (as), Art Drelinger (ts), Bill Holcomb (ts), Earl Hines (p), Everett Barksdale (g), George Duvivier (b), Johnny Blowers (d)
New York City, 26 June 1950

Charles Mingus
Sophisticated Lady
Jaki Byard (p), Charles Mingus (b)
18 April 1964

Bill Coleman
Afromotive in Blue
Bill Coleman (tp), Quentin Jackson (tr), Budd Johnson (tsax), Les Spann (g), Patti Bown (p), Buddy Catlett (b), Joe Harris (d)21 or 22 January 1960

Al Haig
Round About Midnight
Al Haig (p), Pierre Michelot (b)
23 September 1977

Radio Hawkins#22: Americans in Paris I

راديو هاوكينز: جاز براي ايران

اپيزود 22

آمريكايي ها در پاريس

بخش اول

اين جا بشنويد

اين جا دانلود كنيد

فهرست قطعات

All recorded in Paris, with exception of the first track, recorded in New York City.

Coleman Hawkins & Manny Albam Orchestra
I Love Paris
Chauncey Welsch (tr), Romeo Penque (t), Ray Beckienstein (f, sax), Al Epstein (f, sax), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Marty Wilson (vibe), Barry Galbraith (g), Hank Jones (p), Arnold Fishkin (b), Osie Johnson (d)
July 9, 1956

Sonny Criss
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Sonny Criss (alto sax), Georges Arvanitas (org), Rene Thomas (g), Pierre Michelot (b), Philippe Combelle (d)
April 22 or 25, 1963

Dizzy Gillespie
Serenity
Dizzy Gillespie (tp), Kenny Drew (p) Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (b) Kenny Clarke (d)
April 13, 1973

Ben Webster
Johnny Come Lately
Ben Webster (ts), Georges Arvanitas (p), Jacky Samson (b) , Charles Saudrais (d)
June 5, 1972

Dexter Gordon
Broadway
Dexter Gordon (t), Bud Powell (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Kenny Clarke (d)
May 23, 1963

Chet Baker
Oh You Crazy Moon
Chet Baker (t), Phil Markowitz (p), Jean-Francois Jenny Clark (b), Jeff Brillinger (d)
Dec 28, 1978

Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Walk Tall
Nat Adderley (t), Cannonball Adderley (alto sax), Joe Zawinul (p), Sam Jones (b), Louis Hayes (d)
March 27, 1969

Joe Newman Quintet
Lover Man
Joe Newman (t), Frank Wess (ts), Maurice Vander (p), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d)
October 8, 1956

Cootie Williams
Mood Indigo
Cootie Williams (t), George Clarke (ts), Arnold Jarvis (org), Larry Dale (g), Lester Jenkins (d)
January 31, 1959

Bill Evans Trio
What are you doing the rest of your life?
Bill Evans (p), Eddie Gomez (b), Marty Morrell (d)

February 6, 1972

Ahmad Jamal
Bellows
Ahmad Jamal (p), Joe Kennedy Jr. (violin), Calvin Keys (g), Jeff Chambers (b), Yoron Israel (d), Manolo Badrena (percussion)

October 26, 1996