Jazz On The Beach 149
Jazz On The Beach 149
Cannonball Adderley with Bill Evans, Dan Wilson, Mal Waldron, Ronnie Scott, SF Jazz Collective
On this week’s playlist there’s one of my favourite jazz compositions, the pianist Bill Evans’ Waltz For Debby from alto saxophonist Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley’s Know What I Mean? (Riverside, 1962), featuring Evans and the Modern Jazz Quartet’s rhythm section of double bassist Percy Heath and drummer Connie Kay. This version of Debby was recorded in early 1961, a few months before Evans’ June 25th Village Vanguard performances with double bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motion that were captured on the albums Waltz For Debby and it’s predecessor Sunday Night At The Village Vanguard (Riverside, 1962 & 1961).
Evans did record a short solo piano version of the song on his album New Jazz Conceptions in 1956, but of all the many versions including those by Oscar Peterson, John McLaughlin, Ahmad Jamal and Chick Corea & Gary Burton, Cannonball’s is the one for me. And now is a good time to hear it, as the album has just been reissued by Craft Recordings with mastering by Kevin Gray at Coherent Audio and a nice RTI pressing. But this music always connects whether on an old cassette or on pristine vinyl, transcending any limitations of the medium.
I only recently rediscovered Mal Waldron Plays Eric Satie (Baybridge, 1984), one of the albums the great pianist recorded in Japan where he spent a great deal of time in his later years. It’s a beautiful record and Waldron’s version of Three Gymnopédies No. 1 with double bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Ed Blackwell sounds like time standing still.
I first heard this album in my days at Tower Records Piccadilly in the early ‘90s after it had been reissued on CD. Hearing it again reminds me of my Monday late evening shift, when musicians playing around Soho would drop by before or in-between sets and hang out listening to new releases over the department’s excellent sound system.
I’m a little late to the party for guitarist Dan Wilson’s recent album Things Eternal (Brother Mister Productions/Mack Ave, May) which was co-produced by Christian McBride and is a total blast. Here’s the opening track Sticology that begins with a voicemail recording of his late mentor, the organist Joey DeFrancesco, and features Glenn Zaleski playing Fender Rhodes, bassist Brandon Rose and drummer David Throckmorton. There’s no shortage of great guitar players these days, but Wilson’s already right up there with the best of them.
San Francisco Jazz Collective’s terrific One For Chick comes from SF Jazz Collective: Twenty Year Retrospective Vol. 3 (SF Jazz Records, March with vinyl arriving soon), and features the formidable lineup of tenor saxophonists Chris Potter and David Sánchez, trumpeter Mike Rodriguez (who composed it), vibraphonist Warren Wolf, pianist Edward Simon, double bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Kendrick Scott. Here’s the video from November 3, 2023:
Last week I mentioned how much I liked the 10” vinyl format, and here’s a beauty from Ronnie Scott with 1612 Overture (Gearbox/Live At Ronnie Scott’s, 2013), recorded by Les Tomkins with Ronnie's permission at ‘The Old Place’ 39 Gerrard Street, Soho, using a Ferrograph tape recorder running at 3 3/4ips and with Grampian ribbon microphones. Ronnie’s tenor is roaring as are pianist Stan Tracey, double bassist Malcolm Cecil and drummer Jackie Dougan. It’s easy to forget that one of the world’s greatest jazz club owners was also a world class saxophonist, even if he wouldn't agree.
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Blues Beach Goes Country
Judging by your early feedback and listening figures, last week’s Blues Beach Goes Country was a major success, rising to #1 in both the Mixcloud Outlaw Country and Western Swing charts. If you missed it, click here, and let me know below if you’d like to hear a second instalment in the coming months.
Herne Bay Jazz Festival
And finally, the 7th Herne Bay Jazz Festival is taking place this weekend, and it’s going to be great - click here for all the details. Hope to see some of you there!
Listen live…
You can listen live to Jazz On The Beach every Wednesday evening from 10.00pm - midnight* and to Blues Beach every other Thursday from 6.00pm - 7.00pm* on DealRadio.co.uk or via the TuneIn Radio app. (*UK time). Or you can ask your smart device to ‘Play Deal Radio’.
Both shows are broadcast live from the Deal Radio Studio at 69a High Street, Deal, Kent CT14 6EH, a stone’s throw from the beach.
Catch up on Mixcloud
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Jazz On the Beach and Blues Beach radio shows are sponsored by our good friends at 6 Park Avenue Coffeehouse & Bar, Deal and Wellingtons Coffeehouse & Bistro, Dover.
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Distribute the playlists and playback links for my two radio shows avoiding social media platforms
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Share music and whatever knowledge I have
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I can tell this newsletter will become essential reading. Love the details.