JAZZ SHOWCASE

A HIGH FIDELITY PRODUCTION SUPERVISED BY JOHN HAMMOND

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EMMETT BERRY, trumpet , MARLOWE MORRIS, organ

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More Than One For My Baby

Too Marvelous For. Words

Sent For You Yesterday

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3 A x THE corner of idea 132nd_ Street and

eat Avenue there is a bar with the magic name,

_ COUNT BASIE’S. It is neither big nor elaborate, but on

7 ‘certain occasions it has the greatest host in the music

business, wonderful music, and an atmosphere not to be

found anywhere else.

Joe Williams, that fine singer with the Basie band, had

a big “Welcome Home” party there on the night of

October 22, 1956, and Vanguard was on hand with its

recording equipment for the entire evening. Count Basie

(courtesy of Clef Records and Norman Granz) was master

host, of ceremonies, and organizer of the musical pro-

ceedings.

Ordinarily, a small, crowded bar would be the last site

in. the ,woe © fo a recording session. The sounds of tele-

~ phones, cash registers, customers, and even plumbing are

just as likely to be picked up by the microphones as the

music itself. Wanguard has recorded it all for posterity,

The bartenders were just too during “Canadian Sunset”.

busy serving drinks to answer it.

Joe Williams has been voted singer of the year by

Down Beat and many other magazines. He joined the

Fy r | ~ Basie band less than two years ago, and almost immediately

2 captivated the music world with his singing of blues and

BS ballads.

on location with a small group of blues specialists like

This is the very first time he has been recorded

Marlowe Morris on organ, Vic Dickenson, trombone, Emmett

es Berry, trumpet, and the drums and bass of Bobby Donaldson

» and Aaron Bell. ; which was played some of the time by Bobby

There is also a rented Mason and Hamlin

spinet,

, Henderson, Billie Holiday’s first great accompanist.

On the first side Joe sings a long blues, which combines

‘Toe Turner's “Wee Baby” and “Low Down Dirty Shame”,

7 ae :a the horns of Vic, Emmett, and the pianist.

4 OUNT BA . | wth JOE WILLIAMS, blues. and oe singer

BOBBY DONALDSON, drums

VIC. DICKENSON, trombone

NIGHT AT ©

PROGRAM

and the listener is cautioned not to rush for the phone

BOBBY HENDERSON, piano AARON BELL, bass

Swe Two

l. Perdido

2. 1 Want a Little Girl

3. Please Don't Talk About Me es I’m Gone

4. Canadian Sunset

Rushing, “Sent for You Yesterday”, which he has never

done with the full band. The reverse of the disc has a

memorable version of “! Went a Little Gir’, in which there

is a wonderful due between organ and piano and a totally

new approach to the lyrics.

In the old days of “tab” shows and the Negvo theater

circuit, Bill Basie used to function as both “straight man”

and announcer. As host on this record he does that and

more, for it was his double duty to keep the crowe quiet

witile encouraging bar sales.

Marlowe Morris is Count Basie’s favorite organist, and

he was brought back: to the Basie bar especially for the

occasion. He is featured on all the numbers, and set the

perfect tempo for “Canadian Sunset’, which lasts a good

ten minutes and closes the session. Marlowe was one of

the fine pianists of the swing era and learned organ from

the master of them all. Fats Waller.

Although Bobby Henderson.was one of the great Harlem

pianists of the Thirties, he has never been recorded before

and is soon to be featured on a solo Vanguard LP. For the

last decade or more he has been playing in upstate New

York under the name of Jody Bolden, and there is no one

else quite like him. :

Vic Dickenson is unique among present-day trombonists.

He claims no recollection at all of the long period he put

in with the Basie band from 1939 to 1941], and lives in a

world all his own. Emmett Berry is another Basie veteran,

with a drive and warmth absent from the slick bands of

today. Aaron Bell and Bobby Donaldson are two of the

most reliable rhythm men in New York.

This is the first record ever made in a neighborhood

bar, and it may quite possibly be the last. The music is

consistently exciting, and the sound accurately catches the

acoustics of a bar, not a professional studio or auditorium.

And we feel ourselves extraordinarily fortunate in being

able to present on Vanguard the superb singing of Joe

Williams and the fine musicians inspiring him. NOTES BY JOHN HAMMOND

From left to right, Basie, Hammond, Williams

On the Vanguard Jazz Showcase

LISTEN ‘TO THE BLUES with JIMMY RUSHING. Jimmy Rushing, blues singer; Pete Johnson, piano; Rudy Powell, alto and clarinet; ‘ Emmett Berry, trumpet; Lawrence Brown, trombone; Buddy. Tate, tenor; Freddie Greene, guitar; Walter Page, bass; Jo Jones, GEMIIS 620, CA OUL a ccc Bice ae he pre cue aie 1-12" VRS-8505

“Here we have Rushing in full lustre, as the great blues belter , stunning sonics... Of and a spinner of sensitive, lovely phrases . .

equal importance to the brilliance of the record is the all star band and it is truly that.” Fred Reynolds, Chicago Tribune. fine a jazz blues package as one can find.” The Billboard. “The great tradition of the blues. The supporting combo is superb.” Variety. “Candidate for the top ten of 1956.” San Francisco Examiner.

THE JO JONES SPECIAL. Jo Jones, drums; Emmett Berry, trum- pet; Benny Green, trombone; Luck Thompson, tenor; Freddie

Greene, guitar; Walter Page, bass; Nat Pierce, piano; and Count Bitsie,. cuest artist’ On pranoei.cs, ges. 1-12” VRS-8503

“To all who can’t understand the current Basie boom, and cer- tainly to those who do, this set is urgently recommended.” The Bill- board. “Another wonderful Vanguard LP.” Paul Sampson, Washing- ton Post. “Five Stars. That was Jo Jones and I can’t say enough about him. This is the man for whom the instrument was made.” Chico Hamilton.

THE RUBY BRAFF SPECIAL. Ruby Braff, trumpet; Vic Dickenson. - Walter Page, |

VRS-8504 — trombone; Samuel Margolis, clarinet and tenor;

bass; Jo Jones, drums; Nat Pierce, piano. .......... rae

“Braff unleashes solo after solo with the virility and brilliance of a young Louis Armstrong.” John S. Wilson, N.Y. Times. “Everyone solos, Dickenson in particular, as if jazz were a lyrical music, which it is.” Whitney Balliett, Saturday Review. “A wonderful session.” Hi-Fi Music at Home. “Superb trumpet playing in the great jazz tradition.” Washington Post.

HANS ACROSS THE SEA. Hans Koller, tenor sax; Roaclal Kove piano; Willi Sanner, baritone sax; John E. Fischer, bass; Rudi

Behring, = Crue. x. us 2A... cece ats ene gnedann 1-12” VRS-8509

THE VANGUARD JAZZ SHOWCASE This Vanguard Jazz Showcase record was produced under the

supervision of the distinguished jazz critic and commentator, John Hammond. The Vanguard Jazz Showcase was instituted in ccopera- tion with the noted jazz magazine, Down Beat, to record creative jazz for the first time with wide range high fidelity reproduction. Its aim is also to give full range to the musical ideas of the best contemporary jazz performers, and to win public attention for previously unrecog- nized talent.

This recording embodies Vanguard Quality Control, an exclusive process which assures the listeners that every subtle nuance of the living performance has been captured in the polished grooves of this long playing record. The process begins with the choice of a hall of first-rate acoustic properties. Ampex model 300 magnetic tape recorders, in conjunction with Altec and Telefunken condenser micro- phones, are utilized to produce the original masters, which embody a frequency response covering the entire range of human hearing and embrace the full gamut ef instrumental sonorities. Those with wide range playback equipment should compensate for the RIAA record- ing curve.

The cvoperation of Down Beat staff members in ape production of this recording ts not necessarily to be construed as an endorsement by Down Beat of the resulting recordings. Down Beat has no connection whatsoever with Vanguard Recording Society Inc, either finaacial or otherwise.

VANGUARD RECORDING SOCIETY, INC., NEW YORK

~- VRS.8508

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4. Sent For You Yesterday (Basie-Durham-Rushing)

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EMMETT BERRY, trumpet VIC DICKENSON, trombone

MARLOWE MORRIS, organ AARON BELL, bass

BOBBY HENDERSON, piano BOBBY DONALDSON, drums

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A NIGHT AT COUNT BASIE’'S . Perdido (Tizol-Lengsfelder-Drake)

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Canadian Sunset (Heywood-Gimbel)

VRS-8508-B Vanguard Quality Control

JOE WILLIAMS, blues and ballad singer

EMMETT BERRY, trumpet Vic DICKENSON, trombone

PAARLOWE MORRIS, organ AARON BELL, bass

BOBBY HENDERSON, piano BOBBY DONALDSON, drums

Recorded in U.S.A. MCMLYI

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