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Tony Fruscella


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Don't play the trumpet, but I believe that Ruby Braff also played a lot of "off the horn" notes. In both cases (his and Fruscella's), it mostly sounds like it's just the note they need to continue the thought, but there also is a spooky chalumeau edge, as though an extra level of intimacy and/or mystery had been reached.

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Not sure Paul--that's what someone told me...I hope to hear it for myself soon.It must be poor fidelity...recorded in a hotel room?

I saw yesterday for $15 an original 1956 Phil Sunkel vinyl---something like "I wake up every morning to the Phil Sunkel Orchestra".I might have this,but damn that's a tempting purchase.

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The three Fruscella/Parker items on Royal Jazz RJD506 'Charlie Parker, More

Unissued, Volume 2 are indeed bogus. Fruscella is heard on the three tunes

(You Stepped out of a Dream, Now's the Time and Emanon) and shows his

usual controlled excellency. But there is no Bird in sight. The alto player heard

through the low fidelity is Dave Schildkraut.

The very reliable Bergman/Bukowski/Saks Charlie Parker discography does not list

the session.

Tom Lord's discography does not list it either but has a note at the bottom of the

December 1950 Parker at Birdland aircheck (with Red Rodney) that fills most of

RJD506 stating that the alto player on the Fruscella items is Schildkraut.

For more Fruscella music, there was a list of future releases mentioned in the

notes to the Baldwin Street CD 'The Many Moods of Charlie Shavers' that was

issued last year. Among those future releases was Baldwin Street BJG505 'Tony

Fruscella with Gene DiNovi' (Live 1949). Wish this one would show up but it's not

listed anymore at the Baldwin Street website http://www.baldwinstreetmusic.com/

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Among those future releases was Baldwin Street BJG505 'Tony Fruscella with Gene DiNovi' (Live 1949). Wish this one would show up

Brownie,

I don't know if it is the same jam session you're looking for but Japanese Marshmallow has issued a tape of a jam session with Tony Fruscella recorded at Gene DiNovi's house, Brooklyn, in 1952.

image95.jpg

here is the link (scroll down)

The line-up is impressive and there are a few samples. Gene DiNovi has released several albums on that label, so we can assume that this issue was done from the original tapes or acetates.

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Merci, Vincent. Not sure it is the same as the Baldwin Street item but this Fruscella/

DiNovi Marshmallow looks appetizing. Went to their website and saw several CDs that

also looked very interesting. Any idea if these Marshmallows are obtainable in (or near)

Paris? Or do I have to purchase them direct from Japan?

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Brownie,

the Tony Fruscella discography is now online.

Apparently, there's nothing like a 1949 live tape listed in it.

Thanks for the tip.

I see the discography still lists the alto saxophonist who plays on the Tony Fruscella

apartment session that came out on Royal Jazz as Charlie Parker. No way this was

Bird. I am satisfied with the current Davey Schildkraut identification,

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  • 4 months later...

Listened to "Fru'n Brew" this morning (while doing some work, no time to really sit down and listen). A beautiful record.

I love the sound of Brew, and Fruscella is very much his own man. I know some of the other trumpet players that have been discussed above and I do see a link between them and Fruscella, yet Fruscella's playing strikes me as very individual. I simply love it!

"Blue Lester" is great, and the ballad on side two plain beautiful!

Has anyone picked up the Jazz Factory (Definitive) 4CD set? How about sound quality, notes/discographical information all there?

ubu

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Ubu, I picked the Fruscella 4CD box when I found the box for a few euros couple of weeks ago. The sound is pretty good. I have checked with the LPs I have and find the audio from the box to be quite acceptable. And it's nice to have all those Fruscella appearances (or almost) in one box.

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Thanks, brownie. I'll get it! Well, I have picked up the Atlantic CD, and as there's probably no other legal release of the stuff...

Definitives however are rarely seen here (BUT they are written about in the newspaper - the sunday edition of the best swiss newspaper recently discussed the "new 10CD Billie Holiday set released by Definitive" - SUCKS! Sucks bigtime! Even moreso as almost every store has the Columbia box displayed ever since it came out!)

ubu

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  • 11 months later...

Will do Mike!

Well--After sucking down my morning coffee, I just went to listen..The guy who burned it for me,messed up--no burn! So I'll have to wait 'til next week to listen :(

What I know is Joseph and Fru are backed by unknown musicians.The tunes look very promising:

Now's The Time

Embraceable You

I Got Rhythm

S'Wonderful

What Is This Thing Called Love

Blues(Ash Wednesday Blues)

The word is the sound is not good, but the trumpets are clear :)

I can't wait to hear these 2 together!!

Edited by Trumpet Guy
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Well, I've now got this Joseph/Fruscella tape and have listened. This is fantastic!! The sound is fine actually. My tape is edited so that its mostly just when the trumpets are playing. The guitar,bass and drums are clear,but edited. I don't know if Mel Lewis was hangin' at the Open Door in 55', but its someone like him...

This tape is amazing.It sounds like its Don Joseph's gig, cause he is playin' his butt off! Definitely the most chops I've ever heard him display. He's frisky, funny, rhythmic(more than Fru)--quotes galore. You can hear him encouraging Fru as Fru is blowin'.These guys are having a ball; fantastic to finally hear. Laughing;funny endings;Fru even imitates an old fashioned vibrato on one tune to the chuckles of others.

Don Joseph is a strange mix--you hear that dixie influence(even Armstrong),also a swing influence(that reminds me a little of Howard mcGhee ??)+ bop.He sounds fantastic! He must be feelin' it as he plays his high 'A' above high C;which no one would believe!

Fru picks up on Don's influence, but I hear Miles and Chet in there. Man, when Tony plays a melody cloaked in whispers(Embraceable You), it is truly haunting.

The songs played are interesting as quite a few are done up a step from the normal key.So, Now's The Time is in concert 'G'; I Got Rhythm in concert 'C'; What Is This Thing Called Love in concert 'D'.

I've always said I wish I could take the "wayback' machine to the Open Door 1955. This tape almost transports me. I can feel the comraderie of the two trumpeters, which is inspiring to me.

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Phil -- Great news that this exists. About the Swing influence on Joseph and Fruscella, I vaguely recall Dan Morgenstern saying that one or both of them (if it was one, it almost certainly would have been both) really dug Joe Thomas. Either that or it's a possible kinship I came up with myself. (I also recall reading somewhere that Carisi was a Joe Thomas fan.)

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