White Lightning Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 Richie Kamuca was born 73 years ago today. I think that this is a good occasion as any to celebrate the music of this excellent Tenor (and Alto) player. You don't hear Kamuca's name mationed quite often. He's overshadowed by Zoot and Getz - his style "brothers". I myself really began to really dig him only a few years ago. His name is popping up in so many of the Albums that I liked: Shally Mann's Blackhawk sessions, Terry Gibbs' Dreamband recordings, Woody Herman's 3rd herd, Frank Rosolino, Chet & Art Pepper, Bill Hollman's really big Band etc. The man swung so hard with such a beautiful sound! His Concord LPs are great. His interaction with guitar playes Mundell Lowe and Herb Ellis is magical It's a crime that these sessions are not available on digital form (or are they? Some obscure Japanese pressing maybe?) Anyone else shares a for Kamuca's music? Quote
Dave James Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 Agree 100%. Unfortunately, another jazz guy who put his cue back in the rack way too soon. If Kamuca hadn't ever done anything other than the Manne Blackhawks, I would still hold him in the highest regard. Those 5 CD's are among my very favorites. Not sure I've ever heard a live date that's captured any better than this one. Speaking of his Concord recordings, how is it they haven't been released on CD? I was holding out hope, what with Concord celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, that they'd have occasion to look in their vaults and see what's lying around. It's a travesty that these have never been spiffed up and reissued. Up over and out. Quote
BeBop Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 Ah yes, Richie. I'm fortunate to have lots of Richie on vinyl that I guess hasn't been released on CD. Very consistently enjoyable player. Nice stuff with Al and Zoot and Jimmy Rushing. Frank Rosolino too. And in his few leader dates. I'll have to pull out a few LPs next chance I get. Thanks for the reminder about this underappreciated player. Quote
JohnS Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 Let's hear it for Richie. I don't have a lot of his later recordings but I do have a quartet album on the Jazzz label (I think this one went on to Concord) with Mundell Lowe. It's a real cracker and would certainly be among my desert island choices. Some beautifully assured playing and the guitarist is just right. Quote
Alexander Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 Count me as another Kamuka fan. Wish I had more of his stuff. Quote
brownie Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 I keep the Kamuca flame alive too. I have a lot of his records and keep playing them. What a beautiful sound the man had! He swung! Took good note of him when he played on Al Cohn's The Brothers RCA album with Cohn and Bill Perkins. I also cherish that Jazzz LP with Mundell Lowe. The only thing I don't like about this album is the cover. Quote
randissimo Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 My dad, Arno Marsh (now 75 and still playin' his ass off) sat alongside Richie Kamuca and shared the tenor solos with him in Woody Herman's Third Herd.. They had a great sound and really complimented each other. One of my favorite arrangements is "Senior Blues" and another is a burnin' arrangement of "Perdido". Quote
brownie Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 Randissimo, wish I could hear your dad play nowadays! He and Richie Kamuca made a great pair during those Third Herd days. Quote
king ubu Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 Love Kamuca too! The only recording of his as leader I have is "Richie Kamuca Quartet" (VSOP 17CD, reissue of Mode MOD-LP 102, rec. 1957). Great record, with a great band featuring unsung Carl Perkins on piano along with Leroy Vinnegar and Stan Levey. ubu Quote
Larry Kart Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 Some under-the-radar Kamuca worth checking out is on Shelly Manne's album of music from the TV show "Checkmate" (originally on Contemporary, now on OJC). It dates from Oct. 1961, by which time Kamuca had been trying to assimilate as much Rollins and Trane as his third-generation Pres approach could handle, and it seems to me that here he's got it all together. The themes, by John Williams (yes that John Williams), are post "Kind of Blue" modal to some extent, and the player Kamuca had become by then just eats this material up. By contrast, his frontline partner, Conte Candoli, was then trying his damndest to sound like "KOB" Miles, and the mix between this impersonation and Conte's actual, brassy Diz-Sweets soul is a bit uneasy -- he tries so hard to wiggle himself into the "style" that at times he sounds like he's trying on a girdle. Russ Freeman is on piano (he too eats up the material), Chuck Berghofer is on bass. Concord-era Kamuca is a bit different -- wonderfully mellow, completely mature, and the album on alto captures Bird's spirit (the freedom and rhythmic fluidity) about as well as anyone this side of Dave Schildkraut. Quote
Soul Stream Posted July 25, 2003 Report Posted July 25, 2003 Kamuca can be seen "LIVE" in his prime on the Jazz Scene U.S.A DVD for "Shelly Manne/Shorty Rogers." He's amazing on it (as is the whole swingin' group with Conti Condoli sharing the front line). A GREAT DVD!!!!!!! Get it and see Richie blow!~ Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted April 18, 2008 Report Posted April 18, 2008 Some under-the-radar Kamuca worth checking out is on Shelly Manne's album of music from the TV show "Checkmate" (originally on Contemporary, now on OJC). It dates from Oct. 1961, by which time Kamuca had been trying to assimilate as much Rollins and Trane as his third-generation Pres approach could handle, and it seems to me that here he's got it all together. The themes, by John Williams (yes that John Williams), are post "Kind of Blue" modal to some extent, and the player Kamuca had become by then just eats this material up. By contrast, his frontline partner, Conte Candoli, was then trying his damndest to sound like "KOB" Miles, and the mix between this impersonation and Conte's actual, brassy Diz-Sweets soul is a bit uneasy -- he tries so hard to wiggle himself into the "style" that at times he sounds like he's trying on a girdle. Russ Freeman is on piano (he too eats up the material), Chuck Berghofer is on bass. Concord-era Kamuca is a bit different -- wonderfully mellow, completely mature, and the album on alto captures Bird's spirit (the freedom and rhythmic fluidity) about as well as anyone this side of Dave Schildkraut. Some footage of this - except with Monty Budwig on bass... Quote
jazztrain Posted April 18, 2008 Report Posted April 18, 2008 Some years ago, Concord (on their website) was asking for recommendations about albums to reissue on CD. I remember suggesting the Richie Kamuca albums and the early James Williams albums. Needless to say, none of these was ever reissued by them. Agree 100%. Unfortunately, another jazz guy who put his cue back in the rack way too soon. If Kamuca hadn't ever done anything other than the Manne Blackhawks, I would still hold him in the highest regard. Those 5 CD's are among my very favorites. Not sure I've ever heard a live date that's captured any better than this one. Speaking of his Concord recordings, how is it they haven't been released on CD? I was holding out hope, what with Concord celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, that they'd have occasion to look in their vaults and see what's lying around. It's a travesty that these have never been spiffed up and reissued. Up over and out. Quote
Larry Kart Posted April 18, 2008 Report Posted April 18, 2008 IIRC, Concord doesn't own that Kamuca material; it was material that they leased, and the rights probably reverted to Kamuca and thence to his estate. Quote
JSngry Posted April 19, 2008 Report Posted April 19, 2008 Something I've long wondered about - is "Kamuca" a Hawaiian name? Quote
AndrewHill Posted April 19, 2008 Report Posted April 19, 2008 Dig him on Cy Touff's Octet and Quintet. Quote
Denis Posted April 19, 2008 Report Posted April 19, 2008 Yeah Richie was such a beautiful player. Too bad all the YouTube videos have been removed. There were so great. The one with Vic Feldman and Frank Rosolino. I wish I could have d/l them. I have one of his last LP's on the Jazzz label with Mundell Lowe, Monty Budwig and Nick Cirello. Denis Quote
Don Brown Posted April 19, 2008 Report Posted April 19, 2008 Jsngry asked about the origin of Kamuca's surname. Kamuca told my late friend Gunter Nolte that he was the best Jewish-Hawaiian tenor player in Philadelphia (his home town). Actually, I believe Kamuca was part Hawaiian and that the name is probably Japanese/Hawaiian (Kamuka). Quote
montg Posted April 19, 2008 Report Posted April 19, 2008 Dig him on Cy Touff's Octet and Quintet. Good call, prompted me to listen to this today. Some really nice playing, plenty of swing, lots of love for Pres Quote
Cliff Englewood Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 Some footage of this - except with Monty Budwig on bass... Great clip, thanks, here's another good one; Quote
Cliff Englewood Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 Dig him on Cy Touff's Octet and Quintet. Good call, prompted me to listen to this today. Some really nice playing, plenty of swing, lots of love for Pres Ditto, I bought this one from good ole Felser a while back, it's great. Quote
Peter Friedman Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 Some more small group recordings that have good playing by Richie Kamuca. Stan Levey Sextet - Grand Stan - Bethlehem Stan Levey Quintet - Mode / VSOP Shelly Manne & His Men - Yesterdays - Pablo Jake Hanna - Kansas City Express - Concord (unfortunately not reissued on CD) Quote
Cliff Englewood Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 Some more small group recordings that have good playing by Richie Kamuca. Stan Levey Sextet - Grand Stan - Bethlehem Stan Levey Quintet - Mode / VSOP Shelly Manne & His Men - Yesterdays - Pablo Jake Hanna - Kansas City Express - Concord (unfortunately not reissued on CD) I have the "Yesterdays" on Pablo and would also recommend it, a good live set, I would love to get my hands on the 2 Levey's. Quote
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