Jim Alfredson Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Arno just sent Joe and I some charts for the tune "Blue Lou" and I'm wondering what the quintessential recorded version of it might be. I have only one version by Lockjaw (from a Pablo "Live at Montreux" side) and, though swingin', the melody is nefarious at best. Thanks! Quote
Joe G Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Yes, the nefarious Dr Lockjaw, in his secret laboratory deep beneath the earth's crust... Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted December 20, 2004 Author Report Posted December 20, 2004 ...from whence he launches his diabolical saxophone assaults at humanity!!! Quote
BeBop Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Wardell Gray, Hollywood/Pasadena, April 1947. Actually two versions. I prefer the live. That's it. Question settled. You're welcome. Quote
White Lightning Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 I like Lockjaw and Griff's version in: I also like Reinhardt and Grapelli's version. Quote
BeBop Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Obviously, I was being a bit flip (I'll bet Flip has a nice version too...) It's just a great song with many great versions. Wardell played it about a million times - half a million with Benny Goodman. And I'm just a Gray hound at heart. Another nice one (IMHO) 'Deed I Do. Wardell didn't play that. Quote
JSngry Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Wardell Gray, Hollywood/Pasadena, April 1947. Actually two versions. I prefer the live. That's it. Question settled. You're welcome. Yep. If you want a version w/an easily gras[ed melody for arrangement purposes, the LockGriff is good. But otherwise, the man's done called it. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 I was "imprinted" by a version on one of the early Granz Jam Sessions with Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge (tp) Johnny Hodges (as) Ben Webster, Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips (ts) Lionel Hampton (vib) Oscar Peterson (p) Ray Brown (b) Buddy Rich (d). Quote
Larry Kart Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 You're making me want to buy that damn set. I was imprinted by that "Blue Lou" back then too but had forgotten about it until you mentioned it. I think that's the one (if not it's whatever track was on the other side of the original album) where Jacquet play an incredibly guttural background figure -- like the sound a P-47 Thunderbolt might make as it heels over to strafe some enemy armor. Quote
John L Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 I don't know, people. Roy Eldridge and Chu Berry pack one hell of a one-two punch on the original. Quote
Harold_Z Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Blue Lou is a nice blowing vehicle. This tune goes way back. I think the earliest version I have is the 3/27/36 Fletcher Henderson with Roy Eldridge doing the solo work and Big Sid kicking the rhythm section. There is also a very nice version with Rex Stewart, Bud Freeman, George Wettling, Cutty Cutshall, et al on a very good Eddie Condon MGM lp called Eddie Condon Is Uptown Now. I don't think this has made it to cd. Quote
Christiern Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 My favorite recorded performance of "Blue Lou" is the one from Gene Norman's April 1947 Just Jazz concert. Wardell Gray, Howard McGhee, Erroll Garner, et al. Terrific performance by Gray. I used to have it on a Vogue 78, and I believe I wore it out. I have yet to hear "Blue Lou" played in a more exciting way. Quote
brownie Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Wardell Gray, Hollywood/Pasadena, April 1947. Actually two versions. I prefer the live. That's it. Question settled. You're welcome. No doubt about it, the live version from Wardell Gray with Erroll Garner KILLS! Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted December 20, 2004 Author Report Posted December 20, 2004 Obviously, I was being a bit flip (I'll bet Flip has a nice version too...) It's just a great song with many great versions. Wardell played it about a million times - half a million with Benny Goodman. And I'm just a Gray hound at heart. Another nice one (IMHO) 'Deed I Do. Wardell didn't play that. We played "Deed I Do" with Arno this past summer. Fun tune! Quote
EKE BBB Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Some of you will criticize it (that old story ´bout Tatum only knew how to make it when playing solo and bla,bla,bla...), but I like the version on disc 5 of this treasure: Quote
mmilovan Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Blue Lou is a nice blowing vehicle. This tune goes way back. I think the earliest version I have is the 3/27/36 Fletcher Henderson with Roy Eldridge doing the solo work and Big Sid kicking the rhythm section. BTW, what year Fletcher disbanded his orch? Quote
EKE BBB Posted December 20, 2004 Report Posted December 20, 2004 Blue Lou is a nice blowing vehicle. This tune goes way back. I think the earliest version I have is the 3/27/36 Fletcher Henderson with Roy Eldridge doing the solo work and Big Sid kicking the rhythm section. BTW, what year Fletcher disbanded his orch? Quoting from various sources: -In 1929 the band travelled to Philadelphia to play in a musical revue called Horseshoes. During rehearsals for the show a dispute over White musicians' role in the production fractured the band and half of the orchestra quit. Henderson put together another version of the band. -The Depression took its toll on the band, and the increased competition from other orchestras (along with some bad business decisions and the loss of Coleman Hawkins) resulted in Henderson breaking up the big band in early 1935. -In 1936, he put together a new orchestra and immediately had a hit in "Christopher Columbus," but after three years he had to disband again in 1939. Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Got to go with the Tatum choice. I can only hear this one as 'his' tune. Quote
BbM7 Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 I like the Wardell Gray version I have on an old Crown LP (aside from the crummy sound quality and editing typical of Crown/Modern). I guess this is the one everyone else likes too. I have not heard the Art Tatum version, though I have heard lots of Art Tatum recordings (other songs). Quote
AllenLowe Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Somewhere there's a spectacular 1940s Metronome All Stars version - I'll have to do some research - Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 My current fave is by Guy Lafitte, Wild Bill Davis and Alvin Queen. Quote
AllenLowe Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Here it is: Metronome All Starts, 1/11/39, with: Sonny Dunham, Bunny Berigan, Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden - nice band. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Here it is: Metronome All Starts, 1/11/39, with: Sonny Dunham, Bunny Berigan, Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden - nice band. Are you sure this is a Metronome date? I thought they started in 1940. Quote
AllenLowe Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 well, it's on a BMG Metronome All Stars Reissue LP - BUT - reading the notes (in like 6 point type) they do indicate it was simply called The All Star Band, and put together by Metronome in response to a reader poll- so you are correct - Quote
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