Ben Webster

[gmonahan]

Don't think so ... all Dutch recordings.

Well, of course, you're right Ubu. I guess I could have actually *looked* at the Dig Ben booklet before I posted that question, couldn't I?! Once I did I saw that all those things were recorded in Denmark, Sweden, and London. Odd that this Holland box isn't on the Amazon US website. It's listed on some of the European ones, but Dusty Groove doesn't have it.

[king ubu]

I failed to check, too (not being sure where the Holland set is stacked away). The London disc is the lone one that's from outside Scandinavia in the "Dig Ben" box, right?

I do remember "The Holland Sessions" being listed in the printed Blue Note catalogues that were around at the end of the 90s - but I'm quite sure it's an EMI Netherlands production, so might have had limited international distribution indeed.

It's on amazon.com, but expensive:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Holland-Sessions-Ben-Webster/dp/B0000A1M4U

[Head Man]

These two, recorded at Ronnie Scott's Club in 1968 look interesting. Both currently available from Amazon.uk or Resteamed Records.

[king ubu]

how's that compared to the Storyville disc (that is included in the "Dig Ben" box) - any overlap?

http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-ronnie-scotts-1964-the-punch-mw0000141416

btw, there IS some other non-Scandinavian material in "Dig Ben", but not those Dutch albums.

[Head Man]

how's that compared to the Storyville disc (that is included in the "Dig Ben" box) - any overlap?

http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-ronnie-scotts-1964-the-punch-mw0000141416

btw, there IS some other non-Scandinavian material in "Dig Ben", but not those Dutch albums.

No......one's from 1964 and the other from 1968.

[Cyril]

I failed to check, too (not being sure where the Holland set is stacked away). The London disc is the lone one that's from outside Scandinavia in the "Dig Ben" box, right?

I do remember "The Holland Sessions" being listed in the printed Blue Note catalogues that were around at the end of the 90s - but I'm quite sure it's an EMI Netherlands production, so might have had limited international distribution indeed.

It's on amazon.com, but expensive:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Holland-Sessions-Ben-Webster/dp/B0000A1M4U

I have that album. This are 3 concerts. Recordings from 1969 and from 1973, the year of his death....The final concert...

His last words: ‘Son, you are young and growing, and I am old and going, so have your fun while you can.’

On Thursday the 6th of September 1973 Ben has a gig in 'De Twee Spieghels' in Leiden. A concert that would become historical ...

Ben Walenkamp, the manager of the club, remembers that Ben wasn't in good shape, He was accompanied that evening by the Irv Rocklin Trio, featuring Irv Rocklin at the piano, Henk Haverhoek on double bass and Peter Ypma on drums.

Durium wrote a good article:

http://keepswinging.blogspot.nl/2011/02/ben-websters-final-concert-at-twee.html

Edited March 24, 2014 by Cyril

[mjzee]

From Nat Hentoff's liner notes to "The Warm Moods": There is yet a further reason for Ben Webster's mastery of ballads.  Like the late Lester Young (who was also able to make even the most familiar standard suddenly new), Ben Webster has a great affection for and interest in the better singers.  Several of his ideas for repertory have come from a vocalist's interpretation of a particular song.  Like Young, Ben is also aware of lyrics and knows what the intent and particular mood of each song is before he begins to improvise on it.  I was listening to this album with a jazz singer who grew up on the work of Young and Webster.  "It's amazing," she said during the playing of "But Beautiful."  "He breathes whenever I would breathe.  It's as if he were singing the song."

[paul secor]

1 hour ago, mjzee said:

From Nat Hentoff's liner notes to "The Warm Moods": There is yet a further reason for Ben Webster's mastery of ballads.  Like the late Lester Young (who was also able to make even the most familiar standard suddenly new), Ben Webster has a great affection for and interest in the better singers.  Several of his ideas for repertory have come from a vocalist's interpretation of a particular song.  Like Young, Ben is also aware of lyrics and knows what the intent and particular mood of each song is before he begins to improvise on it.  I was listening to this album with a jazz singer who grew up on the work of Young and Webster.  "It's amazing," she said during the playing of "But Beautiful."  "He breathes whenever I would breathe.  It's as if he were singing the song."

Nice quote. Thanks.

[Cyril]

Jimmy Heath told the same on his Facebook, a while ago.

 

[paul secor]

Ben could sing better than the vast majority of singers.

[JSngry]

Does that make Ben the Jazz Fan Jesus? He listened to singers so we don't have to?

I kinda hope not, that's not a choice I will allow myself to be forced to make!

O:-)

[paul secor]

12 hours ago, JSngry said:

Does that make Ben the Jazz Fan Jesus? He listened to singers so we don't have to?

I kinda hope not, that's not a choice I will allow myself to be forced to make!

O:-)

How did you get to that? I don't recall anything like that being said here.

[JSngry]

Opportunity knocked and I answered the door.

[paul secor]

Guess you were hearing things that weren't happening.

[Guy Berger]

Follow-up to this discussion - in the liner notes to the reissue of BEN WEBSTER MEETS OSCAR PETERSON, it's noted that Webster liked to say that he was NOT one of those saxophonists who knew the lyric to every ballad.  Was this Webster just engaging in a humblebrag?

[JSngry]

3 hours ago, paul secor said:

Guess you were hearing things that weren't happening.

Man, all kinds of things come to my door...sometimes it's Amazon, sometimes it's Jehovah's Witnesses, sometimes it's drive-by roofers, sometimes it's Boy Scouts selling popcorn, sometimes it's alleged youth in trouble hawking magazine subscriptions, my door knocks, I DO answer it. I'm forever haunted by the words of the Kipplinger guy from those Changing Times infomercials of the 60s, you know, "opportunity knocks many times - but YOU have to open the door."

Besides, it lets people know that the house is not at that point being left unoccupied.

[alankin]

On 5/23/2016 at 11:21 AM, JSngry said:

Man, all kinds of things come to my door...sometimes it's Amazon, sometimes it's Jehovah's Witnesses, sometimes it's drive-by roofers, sometimes it's Boy Scouts selling popcorn, sometimes it's alleged youth in trouble hawking magazine subscriptions, my door knocks, I DO answer it. I'm forever haunted by the words of the Kipplinger guy from those Changing Times infomercials of the 60s, you know, "opportunity knocks many times - but YOU have to open the door."

Besides, it lets people know that the house is not at that point being left unoccupied.

But there comes a time when you have to open the door, go through it, and slip into the world.   

[JSngry]

[danasgoodstuff]

I know I've asked this before, but has anyone here heard the album of public domain (spirituals, folk songs, etc.) Ben made for a European grocery chain?  It's mentioned as bding quite nice in one of the bios...and I've been intrigued ever since.

[mjzee]

I found this excellent album in a used record store for $2.99.  Never knew of it before.  Clark and Ben make a nice front line.  Recorded June 17, 1963.  Clark Terry tp+flh, Ben Webster ts, Roger Kellaway p+celeste, Gene Bertoncini g, Bill Crow b, Dave Bailey dr. 

[mjzee]

There's a new release on Dot Time Records - Legends Series: Ben Webster - Valentine's Day 1964.  Has this ever been previously available?  Interestingly, February 14, 1964 does not appear on this Ben Webster chronology: https://www.press.umich.edu/pdf/0472114700-appendix.htm

[Dan Gould]

Supposedly not. It arrived yesterday; I am a little concerned about sound quality as jazzmessengers listing says "pretty good" which doesn't strike me as a ringing endorsement. I should be able to report back by tomorrow.

[Dan Gould]

4 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

Supposedly not. It arrived yesterday; I am a little concerned about sound quality as jazzmessengers listing says "pretty good" which doesn't strike me as a ringing endorsement. I should be able to report back by tomorrow.

Well I slipped this to the top of the pile and must report the sound is at minimum decent and the playing is topnotch. 

[Moko]

https://www.discogs.com/Ben-Webster-Ben-At-His-Best/release/4124993

For the guy asking about Bens LP for the grocery store – Ben Op Zijn Best the above is a French reissue of the same LP that can be bought very cheaply. It’s a really good LP....in the book on Ben’s life it’s described as the best Ben LP you don’t already own.

[Big Beat Steve]

48 minutes ago, Moko said:

https://www.discogs.com/Ben-Webster-Ben-At-His-Best/release/4124993

For the guy asking about Bens LP for the grocery store – Ben Op Zijn Best the above is a French reissue of the same LP that can be bought very cheaply. It’s a really good LP....in the book on Ben’s life it’s described as the best Ben LP you don’t already own.

Very cheaply indeed. Picked this up a couple of years ago at a record store clearout sale at 1 (ONE) Euro. Dutch pressing on Westside Stereo (6802 656), (I don't see that Westside would have been a grocery store label, though. )

I haven't listened to it that intently but at 1 euro you can never go wrong with any Ben (for later listening when you are in the mood or whenever ...).