LOCKJAW

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Wiki has it definitely mixed up.

On the pop charts, the McVae disc entered 25 Jan '47, peaked at #3 and was on the chart 9 weeks.

On the R&B charts, it entered 8 Feb '47, peaked at #2 (for 2 weeks) and lasted 7 weeks - NOT peaked at 7 and lasted 2 weeks.

Thanks for your memories, Larry. Actually the first memory of mine that I can actually date is singing along with my mother to "Open the door, Richard", which was on the radio. I was three then. I don't know which of the many hit versions it was. In America, Count Basie's was the biggest hit, closely followed by Louis Jordan's. I imagine it would have been either of those versions that would have been the hit over here. Certainly not McVae's, since B&W wouldn't have been able to get a British distributor.

Despite my great love for the R&B of that period, I've never actually heard McVae's version of the song. Coincidentally, I was playing Louis Jordan's version earlier today. And that's not really a honker; I can't really imagine McVae's version being either.

If I had to guess at where Jaws and Fats were coming from on the Savoy tracks, I'd say it would probably be Illinois Jacquet. Fats recorded with Illinois for Aladdin on 7 January 1947 (the "Jivin' with Jack the Bellboy" session) - about two weeks after that Savoy session - so I guess he would have been playing gigs with the band through December at least (and he was on the Jacquet's April 1947 session, too). Illinois was shit hot at that period - even though he wasn't getting records on the charts. And Savoy had a definite yen to make that kind of record. It wasn't until later that year that they managed to crack that market wide open with Wild Bill Moore, then three R&B #1 hits with Hal "Cornbread" Singer and, the following year, Paul Williams, Big Jay McNeely. Savoy was the market leader at the time for Honkers and Screamers (as well as for Bebop). Herman Lubinsky DEFINITELY had specific ideas about what those honking records should be like. The sleeve notes to "The roots of Rock & Roll" on Savoy Jazz, say that Lubinsky was furious to hear Phil Guilbeau's very boppy trumpet solo on Paul Williams' "The hucklebuck" and was going to reject the record. This was two years later but is a fair indication that certain pressures are likely to have been brought to bear when Fats and Jaws were recording. At the same time, I think Fats himself wouldn't have been human if he himself hadn't been carried away by the unbounded energy of a Jacquet show (Amiri Baraka's story "The screamers" conveys this perfectly, though it's about Lynn Hope, not Jacquet). So, although there may have been pressures from Savoy, I rather suspect that Fats may not have been an unwilling recipient, at that particular time.

MG

PS - and don't forget, Jaws had played on two monster R&B hits by the Cootie Williams band - "Cherry red blues", which had the longest run (39 weeks) on the R&B charts (only a top 15) of any single, and "Somebody's got to go" which made #1 in 1945 (both with vocals by "Cleanhead" Vinson). This stuff was in Jaws' blood, too.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Oh, and let's not forget - well, I did, but not for too long - that it was Jaws who pioneered the tenor/organ combo in the late forties or early fifties (there seems to be some dispute about the date). THAT'S an innovation that affects a very large proportion of my collection.

MG

[Shawn]

It's not secret that I worship at the alter of Lockjaw, discovered by accident while going through my "Johnny Griffin obsession" of the late 90's. We got "The Tenor Scene" in the store where I worked at and I was just floored by the interplay & the juxtaposition of their styles...that when blended together sounded more like a two-headed monster sax player instead of two different people.

So soon I was off on a Lockjaw kick that remains unabated to this day. It would be practically impossible for me to pick absolute "favorites" and many of them have been mentioned. But a few that stick out of the pile for me are...

You just really can't go wrong with this album (or Night Hawk w/Hawkins). Having Shirley Scott on board for this tenor meeting was really a plus as well, she manages to keep the testosterone down to an acceptable level in this company. :-)

Okay, Cobb & Lockjaw, playing full tilt..take no prisoners...blow your fucking roof off jazz. It's the kind of album that makes you dance around your apartment like a raving idiot (which is a definite sign of quality).

This one will be traveling with me to the desert island. Although Lock isn't on all the tracks, it's still just a perfect album (check out Garland's take on Stella By Starlight!). Interestingly enough, there is a bonus track from this session not available on the OJC release. A track called "Untitled Blues" was released on the compilation "Straight Blues".

A later date but an exceptionally fine one, well worth grabbing if you can track it down.

As Lon mentioned in the past, the great thing about Lockjaw (and Griffin) is that you can hear the entire jazz tradition in the stuff these guys play. Trad, bebop, hard bop, soul jazz...and all played through Lockjaw's VERY personal and mystifying musical mind.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Shawn

[Jim Alfredson]

How is this? http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...amp;style=movie

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I'm not one for music videos. And this one doesn't say who was in his band, or when it was done. But I don't think Jaws' playing deteriorated much, if at all, towards the end - certainly he's in fine form on "Tough tenors back again" which was done in Copenhagen a couple of years before he died. It does say there's not much of his on film so, if you go for videos, it looks a reasonably safe bet.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Interestingly enough, there is a bonus track from this session not available on the OJC release. A track called "Untitled Blues" was released on the compilation "Straight Blues".

SODS!!!!! And the rest of that CD is stuff that I've got (or soon will have)! I HATE it when they do that!

MG

[Chuck Nessa]

Interestingly enough, there is a bonus track from this session not available on the OJC release. A track called "Untitled Blues" was released on the compilation "Straight Blues".

SODS!!!!! And the rest of that CD is stuff that I've got (or soon will have)! I HATE it when they do that!

MG

It is included in this version of the Moodsville stuff:

They drop one of the Garland trio tracks. The cd also contains 7 of the 8 tracks from Moodsville 4 "At Ease". Shirley plays piano on those titles. This cd is what prompted me to start this thread.

[Shawn]

It is included in this version of the Moodsville stuff:

They drop one of the Garland trio tracks. The cd also contains 7 of the 8 tracks from Moodsville 4 "At Ease". Shirley plays piano on those titles. This cd is what prompted me to start this thread.

Thanks for the info Chuck, I didn't know that "At Ease" was part of that disc, guess I'll have to pick it up.

[Hot Ptah]

One of my great jazz nights ever was at the Parisian Room, Los Angeles, late summer 1979, seeing Lockjaw and Harry "Sweets" Edison.

The evening opened with an African American comic whose entire act was complaining angrily that everyone was switching to small cars and motorcycles, while he was always going to drive the largest Cadillac he could find.

The bartender told us that there was a two drink minimum, and that we might as well order a mixed drink because beer was the same price. We ordered gin and tonics and got a huge glass of straight gin instead. We were soon almost on the floor, literally.

Lockjaw was phenomenal throughout the evening. He stood still at the side of the small stage, just blowing the roof off of the place. I could not see anything different about his saxophone. My vision was getting more blurry by the sip, though.

Harry "Sweets" Edison, on the other hand, danced around the stage, often singing out loudly, "when you smoke Thai you know you're high." I wonder what he meant by that.

[Larry Kart]

Good story well told, Hot Ptah.

[analogak]

yeah the heavy hitter is v good. interesting conceptually-all pairs of songs segued together. good band w. al dailey on piano.

[Dan Gould]

How is this? http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...amp;style=movie

I'm pretty sure that one is a re-packaged Storyville title that I got a couple of years ago. Very fine, mostly standards and ballads, the sound was exceptional, too. I actually transferred the audio part to CDR.

[NaturalSoul]

A later date but an exceptionally fine one, well worth grabbing if you can track it down.

I'm gonna get that one!

Any thoughts on this:

[Shawn]

Any thoughts on this:

Well, I'm listening to it right now and it's NICE! Lockjaw is his normal impeccable self and Edison sounds inspired. Not to mention that's a helluva rhythm section they got there. Major Holley is the shit.

[NaturalSoul]

Thanks, looks like i'll get it.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

It is included in this version of the Moodsville stuff:

They drop one of the Garland trio tracks. The cd also contains 7 of the 8 tracks from Moodsville 4 "At Ease". Shirley plays piano on those titles. This cd is what prompted me to start this thread.

Thanks for the info Chuck, I didn't know that "At Ease" was part of that disc, guess I'll have to pick it up.

Nor me. I have the Garland, but not "At ease". Another one for me.

MG

[Niko]

My favourite Jaws is Trane Whistle - Eddie Lockjaw Davis Big Band, arrangements by Oliver Nelson and Ernie Wilkins (Prestige)

that's my favorite, too... (but there is still too much i don't know)

[Hot Ptah]

Good story well told, Hot Ptah.

That means a lot coming from Larry Kart.

I have been enjoying your book "Jazz In Search of Itself" a great deal recently. I had become frustrated at my inability to read it without constant interruptions from family members, so I moved it into a permanent place in the bathroom. Now I am able to read portions of it in a completely focused manner.

I find your writing to be remarkably clear. It is a pleasure to read such well crafted prose. You make it look easy, which means that it was not easy to write that way at all, and was the product of a great deal of hard work and care.

Also, your thinking about jazz is remarkably clear, which is a rarity among jazz writers of any era.

[Larry Kart]

Good story well told, Hot Ptah.

I have been enjoying your book "Jazz In Search of Itself" a great deal recently. I had become frustrated at my inability to read it without constant interruptions from family members, so I moved it into a permanent place in the bathroom. Now I am able to read portions of it in a completely focused manner.

Thanks. Writing a book that is best read in the bathroom was always my goal.

[Shawn]

I actually do the majority of my reading in the bathroom, in fact I'm thinking about putting a bookshelf in there right beside the throne.

[Peter Friedman]

These two haven't been mentioned. I like them both quite a bit.

Harry "Sweets" Edison - Edison's Lights - Pablo

with: Lockjaw, Count Basie or Dolo Coker, John Heard, Jimmie Smith

Harry Edison And Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Simply Sweets - Pablo

with: Dolo Coker, Harvey newmark, Jimmie Smith

[Elissa]

Thanks. Writing a book that is best read in the bathroom was always my goal.

Shiterature, I've heard that called.

but ManoMan I love Lockjaw n' Johnnie Griffin rekkids.

[Bright Moments]

currently spinning:

[NaturalSoul]

Okay, Cobb & Lockjaw, playing full tilt..take no prisoners...blow your fucking roof off jazz. It's the kind of album that makes you dance around your apartment like a raving idiot (which is a definite sign of quality).

This is the first Soul Jazz album that really caught my attention, blew me away!

[MartyJazz]

How is this? http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...amp;style=movie

I'm pretty sure that one is a re-packaged Storyville title that I got a couple of years ago. Very fine, mostly standards and ballads, the sound was exceptional, too. I actually transferred the audio part to CDR.

Actually, including the one Jim is curious about, there are three Lockjaw DVDs available on the CD Universe site. As all were recorded in Copenhagen, I suspect that there is much duplication (as well as "triplication") among the three. CD Universe provides discographical data on only one of the titles. Can anyone point to which one is the best, i.e., the most "complete" to get? The three on the site are:

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...amp;style=movie

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6070908

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...amp;style=movie

Edited December 13, 2007 by MartyJazz