Red Norvo

[Clunky]

Recently I've been enjoying the follwing Red Norvo sides

Dance of the Octopus (Hep)

Wartime Vibra-tions ( IAJRC) LP

His progressive side seems very interesting. Does any one know what the contents of his various mid forties Classics discs are. ??

The Modern Red Norvo 2 CD on Savoy seems to miss a take of two tracks ( Hallelujah and Congo Blues) is this correct and if so is their absense a significant omission. Anything else missing?

any other recommendations?

thanks

[mikeweil]

He led a big band with his wife Mildred Bailey which takes up a lot of space on the Classics CDs - don't know enough of it to really make a judgment. I concentrated on his small group dates from any decade, and never was disappointed.

His Capitol sides contained in the Mosaic set are great, but the sound is muddy compared to a 1970's LP reissue I have - same on a Definitive reissue.

Hamp seems to get more credit, which is not quite fair - Norvo was every bit as good, and much more elegant. A Gentleman - like the Benny Carter of the vibes.

His earliest sides include a great take on Bix' "In a Mist" on the xylophone.

[brownie]

I have the Red Norvo 1943-1944 Classics.

This one incvludes five small group sessions.

- a VDisc date with Aaron Sachs, Flip Philips and a rhythm section of Ralph Burns, Clyde Lombardi and John Blowers,

- a quartet session with Stuff Smith, Remo Palmieri and Lombardi,

- a sextet session with Sachs, Palmieri, Lombardi, etc.

- another VDiscv session with the same above group,

- two sides from the Keynote session with Sachs, Palmieri, Teddy Wilson and Slam Stewart. Drummer Eddie Dell is on the last three sessions.

No vocals except for Helen Ward singing 'Too Marvellous For Words' in the first VDisc session!

[Christiern]

• Hallelujah
  Get Happy
  Slam Slam Blues
  Congo Blues
  

These were Dial recordings by Red Norvo and His Selected Sextet:

Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Flip Philips, Norvo, Teddy Wilson, Slam Stewart, Specs Powell (the drummer on Slam Slam and Congo

As I recall, they were 12" 78 rpm discs, the Comet releases I bought in Denmark were 10" extended.

[jazzbo]

They put didn't put all those Dial tracks on there, but they did add that session (two takes each) to the Norvo two cd set Chris.

Looks as if it is missing about three takes of Congo Blues and one of Hallelujah.

Edited January 26, 2005 by jazzbo

[JSngry]

He led a big band with his wife Mildred Bailey which takes up a lot of space on the Classics CDs - don't know enough of it to really make a judgment.

I've got this one:

I've yet to fully warm to Mildred Bailey, but otoh, there are lots of nice arrangements by Eddie Sauter.

Worth a chckout, at the least.

[jazzbo]

Yes, that's a ver good one.

I have developed a liking for Mildred and have a lot of her stuff (the Mosaic and a few other cds). Her early stuff before the recordings with Red are great (Bunny! Eddie Lang!), and most of the material with Red are very well arranged.

[Brad]

If you're looking for the full session with Bird and Dizzy, it's on the Complete Dial and Savoy. This is a seminal session in bop history because by Red recording with them, it gave them legitimacy in the mind of the public that they did not otherwise have.

Another recommended session on Savoy is the Red Norvo Trio with Tal Farlow and Charles Mingus.

[Jazz Kat]

Whats the album where he's out in a field with his vibes and two young kids on the cover?

That's the only Norvo record I ever seen.

[AllenLowe]

He made some live recordings with Frank Sinatra that are quite good -

[Dave James]

I like this guy a lot. A genuine swinger. That Sinatra album - I think it's Live in Australia, with Red's band is a good one. Don't forget to catch him in the original Ocean's 11, backing up Dean Martin on "Ain't That a Kick in the Head." Good stuff, Maynard.

Up over and out.

[Late]

Dance of the Octopus (Hep)

Love that tune. I have it on a Classics disc (I think it's 33-'35), which also has a great cover of "In A Mist."

[garthsj]

Whats the album where he's out in a field with his vibes and two young kids on the cover?

That's the only Norvo record I ever seen.

Here it is .... a fine, chamber jazz album ... with Bill Smith (clarinet), Barney Kessell, Buddy Collette, Red Mitchell, and Shelly Manne ... OJC 1015 (Contemporary 7534)

[king ubu]

That Sinatra album - I think it's Live in Australia, with Red's band is a good one.

[couw]

There is some very nice Norvo on the Mavis Rivers Vee Jay album "We Remember Mildred Bailey." The duet vibes/vocals on "Confessin'" gets special mention.

[Jazz Kat]

Whats the album where he's out in a field with his vibes and two young kids on the cover?

That's the only Norvo record I ever seen.

Here it is .... a fine, chamber jazz album ... with Bill Smith (clarinet), Barney Kessell, Buddy Collette, Red Mitchell, and Shelly Manne ... OJC 1015 (Contemporary 7534)

That's it!

i'm considering purchasing that one!

[sal]

Wasn't Red on some of the Tal Farow sides as well?

[brownie]

It was Tal Farlow who played on a number of Red Norvo Trio dates (bassist was Charlies Mingus)

A recent discovery was the audiophile session 'The Forward Look' from Reference Recordings. Nice quintet date with Jerry Dodgion, Jimmy Wyble, Red Wooten and John Markham.

This one:

http://www.mp3.com/albums/145743/summary.html

[mmilovan]

Those mid-1950's sides for Savoy with Norvo, Charles Mingus and Farlow are among my favourite records anytime.

Another one I especially like: Norvo, Wilson and Harry James on that slow blues ("Just a Mood").

[montg]

Whats the album where he's out in a field with his vibes and two young kids on the cover?

That's the only Norvo record I ever seen.

Here it is .... a fine, chamber jazz album ... with Bill Smith (clarinet), Barney Kessell, Buddy Collette, Red Mitchell, and Shelly Manne ... OJC 1015 (Contemporary 7534)

Any other thoughts about this one? I like the players on it--Kessell, Manne, Norvo etc--but the description 'chamber jazz' conjures up images of stiffness and pretentiousness.

Edited October 6, 2006 by montg

[mikeweil]

I bought this during the recent Zweitausendeins Fantasy blowout and like it a lot - chamber jazz, yes, but not Third stream, swinging, great solos from all involved, and great sound as usual from Contemporary. Recommended.

[alocispepraluger102]

'A Gentleman - like the Benny Carter of the vibes.'

phrases like this must be remembered.

[Chuck Nessa]

'A Gentleman - like the Benny Carter of the vibes.'

phrases like this must be remembered.

I've been trying to purge it.

[Big Beat Steve]

The Red Norvo Trios (both the one with Tal Farlow and the one with Jimmy Raney) are just great but apart from the Savoy reissues there is more addition from the Tal Farlow/Charles Mingues trio period that deserves a hearing:

"The Red Norvo Trio featuring Tal Farlow/Charles Mingus" on Natural Organic 7001.

The tracks on this LP (which I guess was released sometime in the late 70s or early 80s) seem to come from transcriptions and do not duplicate the Savoy sessions.

I've no idea if any CD release of this is available (I guess I am what some call a Vinyl junkie - one of those who buy CDs mainly to fill gaps in their collection when the vinyl is either unavailable or unaffordable) but it's a nice addition to the Savoy tracks.

[Hot Ptah]

I saw Red Norvo live in the fall of 1982, with Tal Farlow. They played extremely well. It was a memorable concert. Does anyone know how much longer Red performed in public?