Bill Harris rec. with Lennie Tristano, et al

[slide_advantage_redoux]

I have been listening to an odd LP I picked up awhile ago. It is on a small independent label (Jazz Showcase Records). Low budget doesn't even begin to characterize this production; Black and white jacket, very austere design, etc.

The recording is of a live date from August 22, 1947 featuring the following band (billed as The Bill Harris All-stars, and titled "A Knight in the Village"):

Bill Harris - tbn (of course)

Flip Phillips - tenor sax

Billy Bauer - guitar

Lennie Tristano - piano

Chubby Jackson - bass

Denzil Best - drums

What a line up! Of course, Bill Harris was in the Woody Herman band with Chubby, and maybe Billy Bauer, but the presence of Lennie Tristano on this date was a surprise to me. However, compared to other recordings I have of Lennie (all his own productions), his playing sounds different. I am going to give this LP many more spins before I come to any conclusions (such as, is that really him on this date?)

Everyone's playing is very spirited, but the recording sounds like a bootleg. (in fact, I am sure of it) The sound quality reminds me of some of those live Bird releases that were issued back in the late 70's; bad, but considering the personnel and historical significance, its a non issue.

That doesn't really bug me that much anyway, because live recordings are always a treasure trove. Players usually kick it up a notch when in front of an audience.

It is hard to find recordings of Bill Harris, and I am glad to have found this one. It is the only live date I have with him.

[Chuck Nessa]

Around the same time ('70s) Bob Porter issued 2 lps on his Phoenix label by Bill Harris and Charlie Ventura.

This stuff is from the Three Deuces in April of '47. The pianist is Ralph Burns and Dave Tough is on drums.

Edited July 26, 2005 by Chuck Nessa

[ghost of miles]

Bill sounds mighty fine on the Keynote SMALL HERDS dates as well.

[Cliff Englewood]

It's been released on CD by Rare Live Recordings, I was tempted to get it and I am now even more tempted, the sound samples on Amazon don't really encourage me though... :unsure:

[Don Brown]

The presence of Lennie Tristano on this session isn't all that surprising considering the fact that it was bassist Chubby Jackson, one of the greatest talent scouts in jazz, who had talked Tristano into coming to New York from his native Chicago.

[AllenLowe]

see above - apparently it AINT Tristano. Also, if it don't sound like Lennie, you can be sure it isn't Lennie.

[Larry Kart]

see above - apparently it AINT Tristano. Also, if it don't sound like Lennie, you can be sure it isn't Lennie.

I have this one, and the liner notes, FWTW, say that it's Tristano on all but one track, where it's Argonne Thornton. Don't know that it's Thornton, but on that track it's certainly not Tristano. OTOH, I'm pretty sure that it is Tristano on the other tracks, albeit a Tristano who is not very comfortable with the styles of Harris and Phillips and perhaps in response seems to be trying to draw as much of contrast as possible between their hot driving muscularity and his (if you will) "out" inclinations. In other words, it's often "flashy" Lennie and a bit nervous. Also, if this is Tristano, it is still pretty early in the game for him. BTW, this date is listed in the discography in Eunmi Shim's Tristano bio.

[AllenLowe]

well, I shoulda said, if it sounds like Herbie Hancock, it's probably Tristano -

on the other hand, now I'm interested.

[Big Beat Steve]

I have been listening to an odd LP I picked up awhile ago. It is on a small independent label (Jazz Showcase Records). Low budget doesn't even begin to characterize this production; Black and white jacket, very austere design, etc.

The recording is of a live date from August 22, 1947 featuring the following band (billed as The Bill Harris All-stars, and titled "A Knight in the Village"):

Bill Harris - tbn (of course)

Flip Phillips - tenor sax

Billy Bauer - guitar

Lennie Tristano - piano

Chubby Jackson - bass

Denzil Best - drums

Checked my LPs and sure enough, have it too (found in the special offers bin at what is probably the last local brick and mortar secondhand records store with a decent jazz vinyl selection).

On my (secondhand) copy a previous owner scribbled "Chubby Jackson & His Knights" on the back cover above the Bill Harris All Stars credits. No idea offhand where he got this info from but maybe this is a lead as to where the music originally really originated.

[jeffcrom]

see above - apparently it AINT Tristano. Also, if it don't sound like Lennie, you can be sure it isn't Lennie.

I have this one, and the liner notes, FWTW, say that it's Tristano on all but one track, where it's Argonne Thornton. Don't know that it's Thornton, but on that track it's certainly not Tristano. OTOH, I'm pretty sure that it is Tristano on the other tracks, albeit a Tristano who is not very comfortable with the styles of Harris and Phillips and perhaps in response seems to be trying to draw as much of contrast as possible between their hot driving muscularity and his (if you will) "out" inclinations. In other words, it's often "flashy" Lennie and a bit nervous. Also, if this is Tristano, it is still pretty early in the game for him. BTW, this date is listed in the discography in Eunmi Shim's Tristano bio.

I just listened to my copy of the Jazz Showcase LP. It's definitely Tristano on "What Is This Thing Called Love," "Just You, Just Me," and "A Knight in the Village." There's not enough piano on the short ballad medley to tell, and the pianist on "Flip Meets Bill" is certainly not Tristano - could be Argonne Thornton; I'm actually embarrassed that I had never noticed it wasn't the same pianist.

To me, Lennie's playing on the above three tracks sounds exactly like he sounded during that period, especially on informal recordings like this. Compare it to the Barry Ulanov All Star broadcasts of the next month.

Incidentally, it had been a while since I've played this LP, and it was quite a trial. It's very poorly pressed, and I had to double the weight on my tonearm just to get it to track.

And I'm not taking sides on Allen's Tristano/Hancock argument, but as I listened to this record I was struck by how often Lennie, like Herbie 20 years later, builds his lines in fourths.

[AllenLowe]

c'mon, takes sides, you know you wanna......

[Larry Kart]

On p. 152 of William Gottlieb's "The Golden Age of Jazz" there's a photo of this group:

Bill Harris - tbn

Flip Phillips - tenor sax

Billy Bauer - guitar

Lennie Tristano - piano

Chubby Jackson - bass

Denzil Best - drums

in a club, presumably from the gig in question.

[Chuck Nessa]

I think it's Hancock, or Haig, or Triglia.

[clifford_thornton]

Whoever the pianist is, I'm intrigued and would like to check this out.