HutchFan

I use Excel too. It's all in one file though -- with a column for media format (LP, CD, CD-R, DL). Right now, only my jazz records are cataloged -- but that's well over half of my music collection. I used to be able to keep track of it in my head. Not anymore. . . Too many records for my almost 50-year-old brain!

Over the last few days, I've put together a rough-and-ready Clare Fischer discography because I couldn't find any single source on the web that gave me the info that I wanted. I could only find bits and pieces here and there, so I compiled the discography for myself -- using information from Wikipedia, allmusic, discogs, eBay, etc. I also gleaned some information from the Fischer recordings in my own collection. Thought I'd share it with everyone. Hopefully, someone -- other than me -- will find it useful at some point. By the way, I'm sure there are some mistakes here, since I just threw it together. Please let me know if any errors jump out at you. (Incidentally, entries are listed chronologically by release date.) Sessions as a Leader or Co-Leader Jazz (RCA Mexico, 1961); five of eight tracks trio; three tracks octet First Time Out (Pacific Jazz, 1962); trio Bossa Nova Jazz Samba (Pacific Jazz, 1962); co-led with Bud Shank; septet (with four percussionists) Surging Ahead (Pacific Jazz, 1963); trio Extension (Pacific Jazz, 1963); big band; reissued on Discovery and International Phonograph So Danço Samba (Pacific Jazz, 1964); quartet (CF plays both piano & organ) Manteca! (Pacific Jazz,1965); big band Easy Livin' (Revelation, 1966); recorded 1963; five of eight tracks solo piano; three tracks piano/bass duo; reissued with a different cover in 1968 Songs for Rainy Day Lovers (Columbia, 1967); with strings and rhythm section; reissued as America the Beautiful on Discovery (1978) and reissued again on Clare Fischer Productions (CFP, 2002) ONE – to get ready: FOUR..... to —GO! (Revelation, 1968); recorded 1963-65; four tracks solo piano; two tracks quartet Thesaurus (Atlantic, 1969); recorded 1968; reissued on LP as ‘Twas Only Yesterday (Discovery); also reissued on CD as Waltz (Discovery) with seven of nine tracks from another LP, Duality Fusion 2 (Ten Records, 1969); recorded 1964; CF only plays on four of seven tracks (one side of LP); piano trio; released in Argentina only Great White Hope (Revelation, 1970); solo recital on Yamaha YC-30 organ and Fender Rhodes electric piano Love is Surrender: Ralph Carmichael Presents the Multi-Keyboards of Clare Fischer (Light Records, 1971) Clare Fischer in the Reclamation Act of 1972! (Revelation, 1972); recorded 1970-71; four of six tracks solo piano; two of six tracks trio Organ Solos from “Tell It Like It Is” (Light, 1972) Report of the 1st Annual Symposium on Relaxed Improvisation (Revelation, 1973); recorded 1972; co-led with Warne Marsh and Gary Foster; quintet Music Inspired by the Kinetic Sculpture of Don Conard Mobiles (CF Records, 1975); solo recital on Yamaha EX-42 organ T’DA-A-A! (Revelation, 1975?); recorded 1972 (?); quartet (CF plays Yamaha EX-42 organ); also issued as Clare Fischer and EX-42 (MPS, 1980); note: the liner notes on the MPS LP incorrectly state June 1979 as the recording date The State of His Art (Revelation, 1976) – solo piano recital; recorded 1973 Clare Declares (MPS, 1977) – pipe organ recital Alone Together: Clare Fischer & the Brunner-Schwer Steinway (MPS, 1977 / Discovery, 1980); recorded in 1975; reissued on Advance Jazz Song (Revelation, 1979); solo piano recital; recorded 1973 Salsa Picante (MPS, 1979 / Discovery,1980); recorded 1978 Duality (Discovery, 1980); big band; recorded 1968 (at the same time as Thesaurus); reissued (less two tracks) on CD as Waltz (Discovery) supplemented with the complete album Thesaurus Clare Fischer & Salsa Picante Present 2 + 2 (PAUSA, 1981); released in Germany on MPS as Foreign Exchange: The First Album Machaca (MPS, 1981); with Salsa Picante; recorded 1979 Head, Heart and Hands (Revelation, 1982); solo piano; recorded 1970 and 1973 …And Sometimes Voices (Discovery, 1982); with Salsa Picante & 2 + 2 (voices) Starbright (Discovery, 1983); duo; co-led with Gary Foster; four of eight tracks reissued on CD titled Blues Trilogy (Discovery, 1993), which also includes all tracks from Whose Woods Are These? Whose Woods Are These? (Discovery, 1984); with woodwind ensemble featuring Gary Foster; recorded 1982; reissued on CD as Blues Trilogy with four of eight tracks from Starbright Crazy Bird (Discovery, 1985); with Salsa Picante; recorded 1984 Freefall (Discovery, 1986); with Latin Jazz Sextet 2 +2 (voices) Clare Fischer Plays by and with Himself (Discovery, 1987); solo piano [An unfortunate title] Tjaderama (Discovery, 1987); with His Latin Jazz Sextet (no voices) Remembrances/Lembranças (Concord, 1990) Memento (Discovery, 1992); compilation (of Discovery recordings?) Just Me: Solo Piano Excursions (Concord, 1995); solo piano Rockin’ In Rhythm (JMI, 1997) The Latin Side (Koch, 1997); with the Metropole Orchestra Clare Fischer’s Jazz Corps (CFP, 1998) Latin Patterns (MPS, 1999); compilation tracks with CF’s Salsa Picante band Symbiosis (CFP, 1999); co-led with Hélio Delmiro Bert van den Brink Invites Clare Fischer (Challenge, 2001); duo piano; co-led with Bert van den Brink After the Rain (CFP, 2001) On a Turquoise Cloud (CFP, 2002) Introspectivo (M&L Music, 2005); solo piano A Family Affair (CFP, 2006) ...And Sometimes Instruments (CFP, 2011); with The Clare Fischer Voices Continuum (Clavo, 2011); with The Clare Fischer Big Band ¡Ritmo! (Clavo, 2012); with The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band Music for Strings, Percussion and the Rest (Clavo, 2013) Selected Sessions as a Sideman & Arranger The Hi-Lo's – And All That Jazz (Columbia, 1958); arranger, piano Cal Tjader – West Side Story (Fantasy, 1960); arranger, piano Dizzy Gillespie – A Portrait of Duke Ellington (Verve, 1960); arranger The Hi-Lo's – This Time It's Love (Columbia, 1962); arranger Cal Tjader – Plays Harold Arlen (Fantasy, 1962); arranger Cal Tjader & Mary Stallings – Cal Tjader Plays, Mary Stallings Sings (Fantasy, 1962); piano, arranger Cal Tjader – Plays the Contemporary Music of Mexico and Brazil (Verve, 1962); arranger, piano George Shearing – Shearing Bossa Nova (Capitol, 1962); arranger Bud Shank – Brasamba! (Pacific Jazz, 1963); piano Joe Pass – Catch Me (Pacific Jazz, 1963); piano, organ Cal Tjader – Soña Libré (Verve, 1963); organ, piano The Jazz Crusaders – Chile Con Soul (Pacific Jazz, 1965); organ Stan Kenton – Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra (Capitol, 1965); arranger Lenita Bruno – Work of Love (Nucleus Records, 1967); arranger, conductor, piano, organ, harpsichord Bud Shank ‎– Brazil! Brazil! Brazil! (World Pacific, 1967); organ Moacir Santos – Maestro (Blue Note, 1972); organ Hubert Laws – In the Beginning (CTI, 1974); arranger, piano Moacir Santos – Carnival of the Spirits (Blue Note, 1975); piano The Singers Unlimited ‎– A Special Blend (MPS, 1976); arranger, electric piano Cal Tjader – Guarabe (Fantasy, 1977); electric piano; reissued on CD titled Here and Now (Fantasy) Art Pepper – Tokyo Debut (Galaxy, 1977) ; electric piano Cal Tjader – Huracán (Crystal Clear, 1978); electric piano; reissued on Laserlight Louie Bellson & Walfredo de los Reyes ‎– Ecué Ritmos Cubanos (Pablo, 1978); electric piano Cal Tjader – Here (Fantasy, 1979); recorded live in 1977; electric piano; reissued on CD titled Here and Now (Fantasy) less one track Donald Byrd – Donald Byrd and 125th Street (Elektra, 1979) Poncho Sanchez – Poncho (Discovery, 1979); arranger, electric piano Bill Perkins – Many Ways to Go (Sea Breeze, 1980); organ Poncho Sanchez – Pa'lante (Straight Ahead) (Discovery, 1980); arranger, electric piano João Gilberto ‎– Brasil (Warner Brothers, 1981); keyboards Donald Byrd – September Afternoon (Discovery, 1982); arranger; recorded 1959 (?) Lisa Rich ‎featuring the Clare Fischer Quartet – Touch of the Rare (Trend, 1985); piano, keyboards João Gilberto ‎– João (Polygram Brazil, 1991); arranger, keyboards Cal Tjader – Cuban Fantasy (Fantasy, 2003); electric piano; recorded live in 1977 (same live session as heard on Here LP)

Larry, I've not heard that Concord compilation, but I know what you mean about Shearing being "studied but effective" on ballads. . . .Have you heard the solo release that Shearing did for MPS? He interweaves Debussy with "My Ship." It's absolutely gorgeous -- but it feels as much like classical music as it does jazz.

Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 / Eugen Jochum, Staatskapelle Dresden Magnificent! If I'm taking just ONE Bruckner recording to my desert island, THIS IS IT. Now listening to more music from this wonderful conductor. This time it's LvB's Eroica with the London SO.

With those players, the music could go in just about ANY direction. I'll be interested to hear where they do go.

Yeah, I've heard that talk about Ellington's sax section. Somebody jive like Rob McConnell putting them down. Whatever. To me, this is proof that we all experience music differently. Music really does "happen" in the ear of the behearer. It's not an objective thing; the real action is in our minds. That's only reasonable explanation when people say these sorts of things -- because, from where I'm sitting, bad-mouthing the Ellington sax section is 100% pure CRAZY talk. It's sorta like saying Leo Tolstoy was a shitty writer or Raquel Welch was a homely woman or the Grand Canyon is underwhelming. What??? Not liking Carney and Hodges and Procope and Hamilton and Gonsalves is incomprehensible to me. Of course, I didn't always feel this way about Ellington. I just listened and listened, and then one day I heard it. And it was like a kaleidoscopic carnival, angels singing, joyous shouting, riotous, slippery colors, somehow like life itself. I guess McConnell and Big Tea never heard that.

Larry, is the majority of van de Leur's book written for a general audience? Or is it more squarely aimed at professionals -- musicians, musicologists, and the like? I'm sure that a lot of it will be over my head. But how much? Some of it? Or MOST of it?

Honestly, I think all of them are problematic in one way or another. The "definitive" Ellington biography hasn't been written yet. I was hoping that Teachout's might be the ONE. I thought his Satchmo biography was very, very good. But, as I said, his Ellington bio was a GIANT disappointment. It was clear that Teachout is unsympathetic toward Ellington the man, and -- more surprisingly -- he doesn't even seem to like Ellington's music (!) very much. Also, like James Lincoln Collier before him, Teachout continued to perpetuate the idea that Ellington peaked in the 1940s and spent the rest of his career in a long, slow decline. I say, "Phooey on that!" I think Ellington was composing brilliant music right up until the end. If you did want to read about Ellington, I'd suggest a combination of books to get a full picture. Among them: Mercer Ellington's remembrance of his father, Duke Ellington in Person: An Intimate Memoir -- Like Hadju's book, this doesn't always present a flattering portrait. But Mercer was probably as close to Ellington as anyone ever was. The World of Duke Ellington by Stanley Dance -- There's all sort of interesting stuff about Ellington's musical philosophy in this book. Even though Dance is purportedly the author, Ellington is the real author of this book. As such, The World of DE is much more informative and interesting than Ellington's memoir Music is my Mistress. Duke: A Portrait of Duke Ellington by Derek Jewell -- A good all-round bio, written only few years after Ellington's passing. Obviously, there are more up-to-date biographies facts-wise. But Jewell clearly understands and appreciates Ellington's music. Beyond Category: The Life And Genius Of Duke Ellington by John Edward Hasse -- I read Hasse's biography eagerly as I was discovering Ellington's music. And unlike some other biographers, Hasse digs ALL Ellington -- early, middle, and late! That makes sense!

fasstrack - I thought the book was very good. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The picture it painted of Ellington wasn't always a positive one. But I didn't think that Hadju was unfair -- unlike some other biographers have been. For example, see Terry Teachout's Ellington bio. That book made me angry because the author seemed to have such an obvious anti-Ellington bias. (And if anything James Lincoln Collier's Ellington bio is even worse.) By way of contrast, I thought Hadju handled the "complexity" (as you say) of the Ellington/Strayhorn relationship very well. Since I'm not a musician, I didn't miss the musicological analysis. Overall, big thumbs up.

Dan, I'm pretty sure that those Rushing recordings were originally done for MJR. They've subsequently been reissued on New World. Another notable MJR / New World reissue: Earl Hines' recordings of Duke Ellington's compositions. IIRC, there were 4 LPs issued originally, and those have been collected in New World's 3-CD set. Another excellent MJR / New World reissue: Roy Eldridge's The Nifty Cat. MJR recorded a bunch of swing-era greats back in the day. . . EDIT: For more info, see this thread: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?/topic/3227-master-jazz-recordings/

I dunno. Often, it's the detours where the really interesting stuff seems to happen. Sometimes, it's the "rabbit hole" conversations where I learn the most from the knowledgeable people 'round these parts.

Yeah, I've noticed this too, John. And I bet many of those same people think that jazz ended sometime around 1970.

Great post, Mark!

Yes, much of his music is very powerful. Love those MTT recordings!

Sorry to hear this news. Along with her work in Hollywood, Nixon made a terrific LP of Charles Ives' songs for Nonesuch. Here's a sample, a beautiful setting of a Matthew Arnold poem:

Looks interesting. . . A couple more that I've enjoyed: Heinz Sauer & Bob Degen - Ellingtonia Revisited! (L+R) Marcus Roberts Trio - In Honor of Duke (Columbia) No actual Ellington compositions; instead, it's music inspired by Ellington. One of Roberts' best records, imho.

ubu, I got my order a day or two ago. One would think that it'd make it to you in Switzerland sooner than it would to me here in the U.S.

Williamson made three trio records with Sam Jones and Roy Haynes for Interplay Records. Quite the rhythm team! I know and can recommend one of them: La Fiesta (1979). This LP was also reissued on Discovery. I haven't heard the others -- New Departure (1978) and Blues in Front (1978) -- but I bet they're good too. I plan to get 'round to them eventually.

Dan, I've heard of people heating records in an oven to flatten them out. But it's always struck me as a bit of a black art -- with lots of potential for things to go wrong. I've never tried it, but I bet there's info out there about it. By the way, John's probably right about it being warped from the factory. I recently purchased a new reissue of Roy Brooks' The Free Slave. It was warped. It's still playable, so I didn't bother returning it. But it still sorta bugs me.

"Lennie - Bird" from this:

Such a great LP!!!

I've never heard Anderson's music. I've only heard of him. He's someone that I've always wanted to check out. Let us know what you think of it, fasstrack. The write-up on the Fresh Sounds site mentions that Anderson had some sort of brittle bone disease. I wasn't aware. Was it the same thing that afflicted Michel Petrucciani?

Happy Birthday!

I agree with you, John.

Yep. Same record. Are you familiar with it, soulpope?