Jazz On The Beach 155
Jazz On The Beach 155
Cecil Payne, Vanisha Gould, Rudolph Johnson & Doug Sides
I’ve long been a fan of Strata-East Records, the New York label founded in 1971 by trumpeter Charles Tolliver and pianist Stanley Cowell. On this weeks’ playlist is a track from one of the many jewels in their catalogue, the baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne’s Girl You Got a Home from Zodiac (The Music of Cecil Payne). The album had been recorded in 1968 (possibly by Atlantic?), but only released in 1973 when it found a home at Strata-East. The music is joyful and spiritual, but there’s a dark side, as both pianist Wynton Kelly and trumpeter Kenny Dorham died before it was released, and Town Sound Studio where it was recorded was destroyed in a fire. The other players on this particularly funky track are double bassist Wilbur Ware, drummer Albert Kuumba-Toudie (Tootie) Heath and an unknown phantom organist.
Another ‘70s label whose music I love (but on the opposite coast in Oakland, California) is Black Jazz Records, founded by pianist and producer Gene Russell and percussionist Dick Schory. I’ve chosen tenor saxophonist Rudolph Johnson’s The Traveller from the extraordinary The Second Coming (Black Jazz Records, 1974) with pianist Kirk Lightsey, double bassist Kent Brinkley and drummer Doug Sides.
When I spoke to Doug last week, he reminded me that the musicians on the session were so excited with what they had recorded, they were convinced it was going to be a major breakthrough record. If you know it already, it certainly deserved to be. But if not, I envy you the joy of discovering this music for the first time. incidentally, if you’re anywhere near the Isle of Thanet, The Doug Sides Quartet with pianist Mick Bishop, saxophonist R.J. Gilbert and guitarist Ollie Canham are playing at The Magnet, Albion Street, Broadstairs on Friday October 4th at 8.00pm.
Bret Primack writes wonderfully about Rudolph Johnson and Black Jazz Records and Doug Carn in his new Unsung Jazz Warriors series. If you’re not following his Syncopated Justice substack already, you really should.
I’m marking the change of seasons with Samara Joy’s gorgeous version of Autumn Nocturne from her upcoming third album Portrait (Verve, October 11th), taking the Joe Myrow & Kim Gannon standard that was first recorded by Claude Thornhill and his Orchestra in 1941 to new heights. Continuing the theme there’s guitarist Gábor Szabó’s medley Autumn Leaves/Speak to Me of Love from Spellbinder (Impulse! 1966).
Following the downpours over the last few days there’s tenor saxophonist Zoot Simms’ September in the Rain from The Modern Art of Jazz by Zoot Sims (Dawn, 1956) featuring trombonist Bob Brookmeyer. I managed to avoid any Autumn titles with serenade, almanac or New York so far, but there’s still time.
More new releases this week include Jazz Is Dead’s cofounder/producer Adrian Younge’s Human Absence from his new compilation project Linear Labs: São Paulo (Linear Labs, November 15th), with a live 30-piece orchestra, fuzz guitars, cinematic arrangements and funky percussion. Here’s Younge talking about Linear Labs…
Moving east from Sâo Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, there’s singer-songwriter Dora Morelenbaum’s Caco from her album Pique (Mr Bongo, October 18th). She’s a member of the band Bala Desejo and the daughter of esteemed Brazilian musicians Jaques and Paula Morelenbaum, and wrote the excellent string arrangement with her father.
Finally, and sure to be heading for major jazz stardom, is the outstanding Vanisha Gould with the deeply moving Donovan from She's Not Shiny, She's Not Smooth (Cellar Live, November 8th). I played her sharp and timely Demure a few weeks ago, and this is even better, again performed with her trio of pianist Chris McCarthy, double bassist John Sims and drummer Jongkuk Kim.
This week marks the third anniversary of the Jazz On The Beach radio show. My thanks to all of you who tune in live, I’m so glad to have your company. And the steadily growing audience of those who are catching up on Mixcloud suggests I must be doing something right.
Also, my sincere thanks to Sharon Cullen and everyone at Wellingtons of Dover and 6 Park Avenue of Deal for your sponsorship and support over the last two years, not least for the excellent coffee and hot giant pretzels.
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Both shows are broadcast live from the Deal Radio Studio at 69a High Street, Deal, Kent CT14 6EH, a mere stone’s throw from the beach.
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