Howard McGhee

[mrjazzman]

To all you beboppers in the know, which would you recommend, "Trumpet At Tempo" or "The Complete Savoy & Dial Master, Leader Sessions". Doesn't seem to be much difference in the titles. Thanks............

[jazzbo]

They share the Dial sides. . .but differ otherwise.

I'd recommend the Chronogical Classics under Howard's name.

Well, I was being serious in a way. . . I think the McGhee stuff is important enough to have it all and the Classics discs are great.

[clifford_thornton]

What's up with that one on Dutch Fontana? I believe George Coleman is on it. Always looked cool but I haven't spent enough time with his music to know any better.

[Chuck Nessa]

Never warmed to the Savoy stuff and Trumpet At Tempo (Dials +) is a fine disc that benefits Tony Williams, a true jazz benefactor. All the others were probably dubbed from this cd.

Edited August 18, 2005 by Chuck Nessa

[Chuck Nessa]

What's up with that one on Dutch Fontana? I believe George Coleman is on it. Always looked cool but I haven't spent enough time with his music to know any better.

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That was reissued on Black Lion - much later stuff. I think Chris Albertson produced it.

[brownie]

If you can find it, the best reissue of the Howard McGhee sides on Dial came out in Japan on Spotlite.

Album is titled 'Night Music' and is part of the Dial Collection. This gathers 20 Maggie sides. No remastering information but the sound is better than on the other issues I have of these recordings.

[king ubu]

I know this is not what you asked about (I have a cheapo disc on Definitive with some early sides, plus the fantastic Navarro/Dameron Blue Note 2CD set which has the Navarro/McGhee sides, nothing else as far as early Maggie is concerned)... but don't neglect this one:

A mighty fine disc, in my opinion!

[AllenLowe]

pick up the Capitols with Hawkins and Sir Charles Thompson - a fascinating look at the music JUST BEFORE bebop - when McGhee still was more Eldridge-ish -

[king ubu]

pick up the Capitols with Hawkins and Sir Charles Thompson - a fascinating look at the music JUST BEFORE bebop - when McGhee still was more Eldridge-ish -

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Great on the fast tunes, but... uh, not really good on the ballads? Too much youthful drive and want to show off? Hawk is terrific throughout, of course!

[AllenLowe]

true - but not only is Hawkins great but also Sir Charles -

[Christiern]

What's up with that one on Dutch Fontana? I believe George Coleman is on it. Always looked cool but I haven't spent enough time with his music to know any better.

←

Here's what's up with that.

It's a session I did for my own production company in 1961, at a time when Howard was having a hard time generating interest from record companies.

I wish my budget had allowed me to rent a better studio, but I've heard worse. Musically, Howard did not let me down. The other players are George Coleman, Junior Mance, George Tucker, and Jimmie Cobb.

I eventually sold the master to Alan Bates (not the actor) and he leased it to Fontana before putting it out on his own label, Black Lion.

[Brad]

I'd second Lon's rec about the McGhee Classics as well as Dusty Blue. I mentioned this elsewhere just the other day but if you have Phillps Ventura Mosaic, there's a great Flip Maggie session on there. The stuff with Bird is also fantastic.

[mrjazzman]

I know this is not what you asked about (I have a cheapo disc on Definitive with some early sides, plus the fantastic Navarro/Dameron Blue Note 2CD set which has the Navarro/McGhee sides, nothing else as far as early Maggie is concerned)... but don't neglect this one:

A mighty fine disc, in my opinion!

←

I have this disc in my collection, thanks..........

[mrjazzman]

What's up with that one on Dutch Fontana? I believe George Coleman is on it. Always looked cool but I haven't spent enough time with his music to know any better.

←

Here's what's up with that.

It's a session I did for my own production company in 1961, at a time when Howard was having a hard time generating interest from record companies.

I wish my budget had allowed me to rent a better studio, but I've heard worse. Musically, Howard did not let me down. The other players are George Coleman, Junior Mance, George Tucker, and Jimmie Cobb.

I eventually sold the master to Alan Bates (not the actor) and he leased it to Fontana before putting it out on his own label, Black Lion.

←

is the title to the set "Sharp Edge"?

[jazzbo]

Yup. One title. . . I think it has also appeared under another.

[Brad]

Here's the cover.

[AllenLowe]

funny McGhee story - I interviewed him in the late 1970s; he was standing with his wife (who was white) many years before, when Miles Davis wandered by; Miles points to her, says loudly: "Who's the white bitch?" Charming guy, that Miles...

[mikeweil]

There is another Bethlehem album That Bop Thing with Sahib Shihab, Duke Jordan, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones that is very nice.

There is a record of the big band he led in 1966 that finally made it to LP on the British Hep label in 1977, very nice, too.

And then there are the beautifully recorded Contemporary LPs he made, available on OJC CDs.

I sold many an LP over the years, but I wouldn't part with these. A very underrated player, IMHO.

[AllenLowe]

YES- That Bop Thing is one of the greatest McGhee dates -

[Fer Urbina]

Trumpet At Tempo (Dials +) is a fine disc that benefits Tony Williams, a true jazz benefactor.  All the others were probably dubbed from this cd.

←

And you can probably get the CD direct from him.

His details are (after a quick google)

Tony Williams,

Spotlite,

103 London Road,

Sawbridgeworth,

Herts, CM21 9JJ.

+44 (0) 1279 834175 (office tel)

+44 (0) 1279 834175 (office fax)

F U

[BFrank]

I just picked up "The Complete Savoy & Dial Master, Leader Sessions" at Amoeba today. Sounds like some smokin' tunes to me.

What are the objections? That there's better stuff out there or what?

[Kalo]

pick up the Capitols with Hawkins and Sir Charles Thompson - a fascinating look at the music JUST BEFORE bebop - when McGhee still was more Eldridge-ish -

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This is just damn great music, even if McGhee is a bit too brash on some of the ballads. A great band, and very well recorded. A favorite Hawkins date.

As for the Savoy Maggies, I never warmed up to them either, and sold the LPs ageds ago.

I'd be willing to try them again. Perhaps Classics is the way to go.

Edited October 9, 2005 by Kalo

[Kalo]

I had a girlfriend who made me stop playing the Capitol Hawkins/McGhee record, because she hated the trumpet playing. She pretty much hated any trumpet playing, though. I also remember her saying that she couldn't stand Shakespeare, because the language was "pretentious" and she hated all that "kings and queens stuff."

[Tony Pusey]

I concur Kalo, too much kings and Queens stuff in Shakespeare...real formula writer that guy.....

[Peter Friedman]

A recording I like very much is TEDDY EDWARDS-HOWARD MCGHEE - TOGETHER AGAIN - CONTEMPORARY. This one has a fine rhythm section of Phineas Newborn,Jr, Ray Brown, and Ed Thigpen.