****Lucky Thompson Corner****

[Clunky]

COUW: From what label are those records you posted? Especially the Kenny Clarke. Thanks.

Ack Van Rooyen, Bernard Hulin (trumpet) Billy Byers, Nat Peck (trombone) Hubert Fol (alto saxophone) Lucky Thompson, Pierre Gossez (tenor saxophone) Armand Migiani (baritone saxophone) Maurice Vandair (piano) Pierre Michelot (bass, arrangements) Kenny Clarke (drums) Paris, September 23, 1957

Love Me Or Leave Me Columbia (F) ESDF 1176, DRG Swing SW 8411, EMI (F) 795 702-2

Fun For Four - - -

Fantasy For Bass - - -

Jackie My Little Cat - - -

Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Martial Solal (piano) Pierre Michelot (bass) Kenny Clarke (drums)

Paris, September 26, 1957

Now's The Time Columbia (F) ESDF 1167, DRG Swing SW 8411, EMI (F) 795 702-2

The Squirrel - - -

Stompin' At The Savoy - - -

Four - - -

from discography kindly sent to me by a board member

[mikeweil]

Have the Club Amis ? dates from March 1956 even been reissued

Yes, on this CD from the Jazz in Paris series:

Strangely, this omits one track of the LP, Piano Mecca, that was left off all subsequent issues. But, Clunky, this issue is listed in my discography, or do you need an update?

Edited November 17, 2003 by mikeweil

[brownie]

Has anybody here heard the rare Ralph Sharon LP from January/February 1957 with Eddie Costa, Joe Puma, Oscar Pettiford and Osie Johnson?

It was reissued on LP by Fresh Sounds. Nice date where Lucky Thompson is heavily featured with solos on all twelve tunes by Sharon. Eddie Costa sticks to vibes which is cool. The rhythm section with Oscar Pettiford and Osie Johnson is just fine. And Ralph Sharon is OK. Not really essential but no fans of unLucky could let this remain ignored when it was available.

Saw a Fresh Sounds CD reissue of this, long time ago.

[Clunky]

Have the Club Amis ? dates from March 1956 even been reissued

Yes, on this CD from the Jazz in Paris series:

Strangely, this omits one track of the LP, Piano Mecca, that was left off all subsequent issues. But, Clunky, this issue is listed in my discography, or do you need an update?

Thanks Mike , I must be getting the various "Clubs disques" mixed up. Anyway your wonderful discography lists two other sessions from spring 1956 which don't appear on the any of the JiP, emi france, vogue ( sorry don't have the disco. to hand here at work) reissues.

I suppose otherwise, for a figure as marginalised as LT we should consider ourselves very fortunate that so much of his stuff has been reissued on CD- roll on the MPS reissue program

[Vincent, Paris]

Copeland, Cleveland and Thompson make a great front line, and Dennard (I don't know anything by him except this date) is pretty good, too.

Oscar Dennard is the kind of mysterious character you find so often in the jazz history. He was in Lionel Hampton's band for a time, then he came to Europe in a quartet with Idrees Sulieman about '59 and I read somewhere that he died in Cairo, Egypt, no longer after that. Some tapes (sid to be poorly recorded on an out-of-tune piano in Denmark) were released in Japan by Somethin' Else.

[king ubu]

Thanks for this information, Vincent!

Mike: is there a possibility of attaining your Lucky discography? (is it the Paris recordings or a general one?) I'd love to get that!

Clunky (or anyone who knows) - as I don't have those Americans Swingin' in Paris discs yet - they both consist of four lenthy tracks? That would be quite a departure from the sessions for Vogue and those in the Jazz in Paris series.

By the way, Vogue Vol. 2 contains three great live tracks with Lucky in trio, accompanied by Peter Trunk on bass and the great Daniel Humair, drums.

(The rest of the LP was made up of the three Bud Powell tracks reissued on the Original Vogue Masters CD called Duke Jordan / Bud Powell - New York / Paris).

ubu

[couw]

COUW: From what label are those records you posted? Especially the Kenny Clarke. Thanks.

I wanted to add to Clunky's discographical info that these Americans Swinging in Paris disks are yet readily available at least over here in Europe; it seems they're running low in the US though (but I wouldn't really know where to check).

The Clarke is finished off with a couple of 4 4tet tracks featuring the Fol brothers and Michelot and 3 tracks with a large group of french players (so no Lucky T on these).

The Lucky Thompson disk has following tracks (sorry, no info on the original releases here, I'd have to check with the disk in hand)

1956.02.22. Eli "Lucky" Thompson, ts, arr; Henri Renaud, p (out on 1); Emmett Berry, tp; Benoît Quersin, b; Gérard "Dave" Pochonet, ds;

1 Thin ice (E. Thompson)

2 A minor delight (E. Thompson)

3 Takin' care 'n business (E. Thompson-E. Berry)

4 Ballad Medley: Sophisticated Lady-These foolish things (Ellington-Mills-Parrish/Link-Strachey-Maschwitz)

5 One cool night (E. Thompson-E. Berry)

1956.03.27. Eli "Lucky" Thompson, ts; Jean Pierre Sasson, g; Paul Rovière, b; Gérard "Dave" Pochonet, ds;

6 You are my dream (J.P. Sasson)

7 Lucky strikes (J.P. Sasson)

8 My love supreme (J.P. Sasson)

1956.04.05. Eli "Lucky" Thompson, ts; Martial Solal, p; Guy Lafitte, ts; Benoît Quersin, b; Roger Paraboschi, ds;

9 Passin' time (E. Thompson)

10 Nothin' but the soul (E. Thompson)

11 Why weep? (E. Thompson)

12 To a mornin' sunrise (E. Thompson)

1956.04.20. Eli "Lucky" Thompson, ts; Martial Solal, p; Benoît Quersin, b; Roger Paraboschi, ds;

13 You move you lose (E. Thompson)

14 Velvet rain (E. Thompson)

15 One last goodbye (E. Thompson)

1956.02.22. Eli "Lucky" Thompson, ts, arr; Benoît Quersin, b; Gérard "Dave" Pochonet, ds;

16 Thin ice (E. Thompson)

17 Takin' care 'n business (E. Thompson-E. Berry)

18 One cool night (E. Thompson-E. Berry)

Edited November 18, 2003 by couw

[couw]

for the heck of it, here's the complete listing of the Clarke disk:

1957.09.23. Maurice Vandair, p; Bernard Hullin, Ack Van Rooyen, tp; Hubert Fol, as; Lucky Thompson, ts; Pierre Gossez, ts; Armand Migiani, bs; Nat Peck, Bill Byers, tb; Pierre Michelot, b, arr; Kenny Clarke, ds;

1 Fantasy for blues ( P. Michelot )

2 Love me or leave me ( G. Kahn-W. Donaldson )

3 Fun for four ( P. Michelot )

4 Jackie my little cat ( P. Michelot )

1957.10.10. Maurice Vandair, p; Ack Van Rooyen, as; Hubert Fol, as; Jean Aldegon, as; Pierre Gossez, ts; Armand Migiani, bs; Nat Peck, tb; Pierre Michelot, b; Kenny Clarke, ds; Christian Chevalier, arr, dir;

5 Black knight ( C. Chevallier )

1957.09.26. Martial Solal, p; Lucky Thompson, ts; Pierre Michelot, b, arr; Kenny Clarke, ds;

6 Stompin' at the Savoy ( E. Sampson )

7 Now's the time ( Ch. Parker )

8 Four ( M. Davis )

9 The squirrel ( T. Dameron )

1957.06.24. Raymond Fol, p; Jean Liesse, tp; Hubert Fol, as; Jean Aldegon, as; Armand Migiani, bs; Tony Scott, ts, cl; Nat Peck, tb; Pierre Michelot, b; Christian Chevallier, arr, dir; Kenny Clarke, ds;

10 Jean-Paul ( C. Chevallier )

1958.03.11. Maurice Vandair, p; Roger Guérin, tp; "Mickey" Nicholas, as; Georges Grenu, ts; Pierre Gossez, as; Armand Migiani, bs; Benny Vasseur, tb; Pierre Michelot, b; Christian Chevallier, arr, dir; Kenny Clarke, ds;

11 Gold fish ( C. Chevallier )

12 Dream time ( C. Chevallier )

1950.03.03. Raymond Fol, p; Hubert Fol, as, arr, dir; Pierre Michelot, b; Kenny Clarke, ds;

13 This Fol-ish thing ( H. Fol )

14 These foolish strings ( P. Michelot )

15 These foolish things ( Marvell-Strachey-Link )

16 Out of nowhere ( Heyman-Green )

[king ubu]

Are these complete sessions? Or just half ones?

I'd love to have the COMPLETE Lucky T Paris dates! (I have all three JiPs and the two Vogues, so far, and the ASiPs are easy to find here).

ubu

[couw]

Are these complete sessions? Or just half ones?

I'd love to have the COMPLETE Lucky T Paris dates! (I have all three JiPs and the two Vogues, so far, and the ASiPs are easy to find here).

ubu

re: the completeness of these sessions: I don't know; Michael, do you?

grab the ASiP disks ASAP Ubu!

[king ubu]

I would like to grab them YESTERDAY rather than today, but money is a little short these days... Maybe end of the month.

You have a complete list of them? Could start a thread in the Reissues section!

ubu

[mikeweil]

Here's all that Lucky recorded during his first stay in Paris between February and May 1956:

_________________________________________________________________

Emmett Berry (trumpet -1) Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone -2) Henri Renaud (piano -3) Benoit Quersin (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums)

Paris, February 22, 1956

Thin Ice -2

Thin Ice (alternate take) -2

Blues For Frank -1,3 Ducretet Thomson 460 V 219

Takin' Care O' Business -1,2,3

Takin' Care O' Business (alternate take) -1,2,3

A Minor Delight 1,2,3

Medley: Sophisticated Lady / These Foolish Things Ducretet Thomson 460 V 219

One Cool Night 1,2,3 -

One Cool Night (alternate take) -1,2,3

All titles except the alternates on Ducretet Thomson (F) 250 V 024 and DRG/Swing SW 8404. Complete session except "Blues For Frank" on EMI 7243 539651 2.

____________________________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson with Gérard Pochonet & his Orchestra: Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Michel Hausser (vibraharp) Martial Solal (piano) Jean-Pierre Sasson (guitar) Pierre Michelot (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums)

Paris, March 2, 1956

56 V 5672 Tenderly

56 V 5673 I Can't Give You Anything But Love

56 V 5674 East Of The Sun

56 V 5675 I Cover The Waterfront

56 V 5676 My Funny Valentine

56 V 5677 Lullaby In Rhythm

Complete session on Swing (F) LDM 30.030, Dawn DLP-1113, Biograph BLP-12061, Vogue 74321 40934 2. Some sources give March 12, 1956 as recording date.

____________________________________________________________________

Modern Jazz Group: Fred Gérard, Roger Guerin (trumpet) Benny Vasseur (trombone) Teddy Hameline (alto saxophone) Jean-Louis Chautemps, Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) William Boucaya (baritone saxophone) Henri Renaud (piano) Benoit Quersin (bass) Roger Paraboschi (drums) Paris, March 5, 1956

Souscription

Marcel Le Fourreur

G et B

All titles on Club du Disque (F) LP 66, Universal 159 823-2, Royal LD-4003

____________________________________________________________________

Modern Jazz Group: same personnel as before

Paris, March 7, 1956

Influence

Piano Mecca

Meet Quincy Jones

Complete session on Club du Disque (F) LP 66. All titles except "Piano Mecca" on Universal 159 823-2, Royal LD-4003

____________________________________________________________________

Modern Jazz Group: Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Henri Renaud (piano) Benoit Quersin (bass) Roger Paraboschi (drums) Paris, March 7, 1956

The Man I Love

There's No You

Gone With The Wind

Tight Squeeze

All titles on Club du Disque (F) LP 66, Universal 159 823-2, Royal LD-4003

____________________________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson with Gérard Pochonet & his Orchestra: Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Michel Hausser (vibraharp) Martial Solal (piano) Jean-Pierre Sasson (guitar) Benoit Quersin (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums)

Paris, March 14, 1956

56 V 5658 You Go To My Head

56 V 5659 Undecided

56 V 5660 Don't Blame Me

56 V 5661 Our Love Is Here To Stay

56 V 5662 But Not For Me

56 V 5663 Indian Summer

Complete session on Swing (F) LDM 30.030, Dawn DLP-1113, Biograph BLP-12061, Vogue 74321 40934 2.

____________________________________________________________________

Jean-Pierre Sasson Quartet: Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Jean-Pierre Sasson (guitar) Paul Rovère (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums)

Paris, March 27, 1956

You Are My Dream

Lucky Strikes

My Love Supreme

All titles on Columbia ESDF 1105, EMI 7243 539651 2

____________________________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson & Gérard Dave Pochonet All Stars: Fernand Verstraete (trumpet) André Paquinet (trombone) Jo Hrasko (alto saxophone) Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Marcel Hrasko (baritone saxophone) Martial Solal (piano) Jean-Pierre Sasson (guitar) Benoit Quersin (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums) Paris, March 29, 1956

56 V 5747 Once Upon A Time

56 V 5748 A Distant Sound

56 V 5749 A Sunkissed Rose

56 V 5750 Portrait of Django

56 V 5741 Theme For A Brown Rose

56 V 5742 Still Waters

All titles on Swing LDM 30.039 Xanadu 204, Vogue 74321 55950 2.

____________________________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson, Guy Lafitte -1 (tenor saxophone) Martial Solal (piano) Benoit Quersin (bass) Roger Paraboschi (drums) Paris, April 5, 1956

7XCL5373 Passin' Time -1

7XCL5374 Nothin' But The Soul

7XCL5375 Why Weep -1

7XCL5376 To A Mornin' Sunrise -1

All titles on Columbia (F) FP 1083, DRG/Swing SW 8404, EMI 7243 539651 2

____________________________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson & Gérard Dave Pochonet All Stars: Charles Verstraete (trombone -1) Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Michel de Villers (baritone saxophone -1) Martial Solal (piano) Jean-Pierre Sasson (guitar -1) Benoit Quersin (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums)

Paris, April 16, 1956

Facinating Blues -1

Lullaby Of The Leaves

Let's Try Again -1

Stewing Up A Wig -1

All titles on Club Francais du Disque (F) LP 84, Jazz Anthology 30 JA 5215, Royal LD-4004.

____________________________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson & Gérard Dave Pochonet All Stars: Christian Bellest (trumpet) Charles Verstraete (trombone) Jo Hrasko (alto saxophone) Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Marcel Hrasko (baritone saxophone) Martial Solal (piano) Jean-Pierre Sasson (guitar) Benoit Quersin (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums) Paris, April 17, 1956

56 V 5774 Quick As A Flash

56 V 5775 The Parisian Knight

56 V 5775 Street Scene

56 V 5776 Angel Eyes

56 V 5777 To You Dear One

56 V 5778 But Not For Tonight

All titles on Swing LDM 30.039, Xanadu 204, Vogue 74321 55950 2.

____________________________________________________________________

Charles Verstraete (trombone -1) Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Martial Solal (piano) Benoit Quersin (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums)

Paris, April 18, 1956

CN1-LN Rainbow Inn -1, 2

CN2-E The World Awakes -1, 2

CN3-O Take Care Beware -1, 2

CN4-C My Heart Speaks -2

CN5-B Seeing Is Believing -1

CN6-B Yard Bird's Pet -1

All titles on Club des Amis du Disque CAM 11, CAD 3001

____________________________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson, (tenor saxophone) Martial Solal (piano) Benoit Quersin (bass) Christian Garros (drums) Paris, April 20, 1956

You Move, You Lose

Velvet Rain

One Last Goodbye

All titles on Columbia (F) FP 1083, DRG/Swing SW 8404, EMI 7243 539651 2

____________________________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson & Gérard Dave Pochonet All Stars: Charles Verstraete (trombone -1) Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Michel de Villers (baritone saxophone -2) Martial Solal (piano) Benoit Quersin (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums) Paris, May 11, 1956

CN7-C Fine And Lucky -1

CN8-C Ow -2

CN9-C What Is This Thing Called Love -1

CN10-B Time On My Hands -1

CN11-AB Everything Happens To Me -2

CN12-D Fine And Dandy -1, 2

All titles on Club des Amis du Disque CAM 11, CAD 3001

______________________________________________________

Lucky Thompson & Gérard Dave Pochonet All Stars: Fernand Verstraete (trumpet -3) Charles Verstraete (trombone -1) Jo Hrasko (alto saxophone -1) Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Michel de Villers (alto saxophone -4, baritone saxophone -1) Henri Renaud (piano) Jean-Pierre Sasson (guitar -2) Benoit Quersin (bass) Gérard "Dave" Pochonet (drums) Paris, May 11, 1956

I Should Care -3

One For The Boys And Us -2, 4

Home Free -1, 2, 3

Bluebird Blues 1, 2, 3

Easy Going 1, 2, 3

All titles on Club Francais du Disque (F) LP 84, Jazz Anthology 30 JA 5215, Royal LD-4004.

_________________________________________________________

10" LPs:

Columbia FP 1083 Lucky Thompson

Ducretet Thomson 250 V 024 Lucky Thompson - Thompson Plays For Thomson

12" LPs:

Club du Disque LP 66 Modern Jazz Group

Dawn DLP 1113 Lucky Thompson with the Gérard Pochonet Quartet

DRG Swing SW 8404 Lucky Thompson - Paris 1956 Volume One

Jazz Anthology 30 JA 5215 Lucky Thompson - Paris 1956 with Dave Pochonet All Stars

Jazz Anthology/America 30 AM 6155 Lucky Thompson

Royal LD-4003 Lucky Thompson In Paris Vol. 1

Royal LD-4004 Lucky Thompson In Paris Vol. 2

Swing LDM 30.030 Lucky Thompson Vol. 1

Vogue LDM 30.039 Lucky Thompson & Gérard Dave Pochonet All Stars

Xanadu 204 Lucky Thompson - Brown Rose

CDs:

EMI 7243 539651 2 Lucky Thompson - Americans Swinging In Paris

Universal 159 823-3 Lucky Thompson / Modern Jazz Group (Jazz in Paris, Vol. 28)

Vogue 74321 40934 2 Lucky Thompson - The Complete Vogue Recordings Vol. 1

Vogue 74321 55950 2 Lucky Thompson - The Complete Vogue Recordings Vol. 2

... and some 45rpm EPs of course, the remainder not among these LPs or CDs.

__________________________________________

All but one of the various Club LPs have been reissued, one only on a Royal LP - that was another Fresh Sound outlet. I hope this clears it up.

In May, 1956, Lucky returned to New York to participate in Stan Kenton's "Cuban Fire" sessions (he had played baritone in Kenton's orchestra on some European dates just before) and recorded several sessions with the likes of Milt Jackson, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Pettiford and Quincy Jones, as well as his second ABC Paramount LP. He was back in Paris in June, 1957 - this stay in Europe lasted until 1962. Any other Paris dates you might have heard of are from that later period, including the Kenny Clarke and Sammy Price dates that are on CD.

Edited November 19, 2003 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

Has anybody here heard the rare Ralph Sharon LP from January/February 1957 with Eddie Costa, Joe Puma, Oscar Pettiford and Osie Johnson?

It was reissued on LP by Fresh Sounds. Nice date where Lucky Thompson is heavily featured with solos on all twelve tunes by Sharon. Eddie Costa sticks to vibes which is cool. The rhythm section with Oscar Pettiford and Osie Johnson is just fine. And Ralph Sharon is OK. Not really essential but no fans of unLucky could let this remain ignored when it was available.

Saw a Fresh Sounds CD reissue of this, long time ago.

Seems this is no longer available. Would you please post exact issue numbers as I need these for my Lucky discography in the making? Thanks!

[brownie]

The Fresh Sounds LP reissue I have is the exact replica of the original Rama RLP 1001 issue.

(Around the World in Jazz)

Ralph Sharon Sextet: Lucky Thompson, ts, Eddie Costa, vibes, Ralph Sharon, p, Joe Puma, g, Oscar Pettiford, b, Osie Johnson, dm.

- Tipperary Fairy

- Strictly Occidental

- Ask an Alaskan

- Blue in Peru

- Prettily Italy

- Piccadilly Panic

- Sorta Spanish

- Parisienne Eyeful

- Stateside Panic

- Hassle in Havana

- Gibraltar Rock

- Just a Japanese Side-man

All compositions by Ralph Sharon. Various recording dates have been given for the sessions. See here for details:

http://home.t-online.de/home/themenschmidt/oscar60.htm

[mikeweil]

Oh, that Pettiford discography - of course I know it - I must have overlooked that reissue. Thanks for posting, brownie!

p.s. he lists only the CD reissue - does your LP bear the same issue number? I guess not.

Edited November 20, 2003 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

Just found this brand new CD Ocium 0038 "Lucky Moments":

Tracks:

1. Avenue C / Basie, February 26, 1945

2. I'm In The Mood For Love / Freddie Green, May 7, 1945

3. No Good Man Blues / LT, September or October 1945, Excelsior

4. Why Not / as before

5. Irresistible You / as before

6. Phace / as before

7. Dodo's Bounce / LT & Dodo Marmarosa September 13, 1946, down beat

8. Dodo's Lament / as before

9. Slam's Mishap / as before

10. Shuffle That Ruff / as before

11. Smooth Sailing / as before

12. Commercial Eyes / as before

13. Just One More Chance / LT, April 22, 1947 RCA

14. From Dixieland To Bop / as before

15. Boulevard Bounce / as before

16. Boppin' The Blues / as before

17. Stay In There / LT, summer 1950 Triumph

18. Over The Rainbow / as before

19. Flamingo / LT August 14, 1953 Decca

20. Mambo In Blues / as before

21. The Scene Is Clean (not the Dameron tune) / as before

22. The Night Hawk / as before

23. Little Boy, Blow / as before

24. Moonlight In Vermont / as before

25. Bunny / as before

Tracks 3-16 are on the Chronological Classics CD 1113 (LT 1944-1947). - There are two more Excelsior sides that are so hard to find that some doubt they were issued.

Track one is a Basie master take featuring LT.

Track 2 is from a Freddie Green session; 2 of the 4 tracks remain unissued, but the two others are both on an Indigo LT CD "Smooth Sailing" and a Buck Clayton Chronological Classics CD.

Tracks 17-18 are two of four recorded, but as with the Excelsiors it seems to be hard to locate a copy for the other two, they never were on LP.

Tracks 19-25 are the real find of this CD, they are all issued titles LT recorded for Decca (one more track was never issued) - these were on LP in the 1970's but never before on CD AFAIK, and they are very good! A must for LT collectors.

Edited November 21, 2003 by mikeweil

[brownie]

p.s. he lists only the CD reissue - does your LP bear the same issue number? I guess not.

The Fresh Sounds LP issue is FSR-722 which appears alongside the original Rama LP 1001 number on the back cover and both labels but not on the frontcover which has the Rama number only.

Mike, since you're working on the Lucky Thompson discography, you aware that unlucky appeared on several dates with Quincy Jones while in Paris in the late '50s? For instance, he was on the 'Eh Voila' album by Eddie Barclay (with Quincy Jones arrangements). If you need details, I have a copy of that one and could list LT solos. Let me know.

[king ubu]

Just found this brand new CD Ocium 0038 "Lucky Moments":

Tracks:

1. Avenue C / Basie, February 26, 1945

2. I'm In The Mood For Love / Freddie Green, May 7, 1945

3. No Good Man Blues / LT, September or October 1945, Excelsior

4. Why Not / as before

5. Irresistible You / as before

6. Phace / as before

7. Dodo's Bounce / LT & Dodo Marmarosa September 13, 1946, down beat

8. Dodo's Lament / as before

9. Slam's Mishap / as before

10. Shuffle That Ruff / as before

11. Smooth Sailing / as before

12. Commercial Eyes / as before

13. Just One More Chance / LT, April 22, 1947 RCA

14. From Dixieland To Bop / as before

15. Boulevard Bounce / as before

16. Boppin' The Blues / as before

17. Stay In There / LT, summer 1950 Triumph

18. Over The Rainbow / as before

19. Flamingo / LT August 14, 1953 Decca

20. Mambo In Blues / as before

21. The Scene Is Clean (not the Dameron tune) / as before

22. The Night Hawk / as before

23. Little Boy, Blow / as before

24. Moonlight In Vermont / as before

25. Bunny / as before

Tracks 3-16 are on the Chronological Classics CD 1113 (LT 1944-1947). - There are two more Excelsior sides that are so hard to find that some doubt they were issued.

Track one is a Basie master take featuring LT.

Track 2 is from a Freddie Green session; 2 of the 4 tracks remain unissued, but the two others are both on an Indigo LT CD "Smooth Sailing" and a Buck Clayton Chronological Classics CD.

Tracks 17-18 are two of four recorded, but as with the Excelsiors it seems to be hard to locate a copy for the other two, they never were on LP.

Tracks 19-25 are the real find of this CD, they are all issued titles LT recorded for Decca (one more track was never issued) - these were on LP in the 1970's but never before on CD AFAIK, and they are very good! A must for LT collectors.

This looks interesting, Mike! Thanks for the

ubu

[brownie]

Tracks 19-25 are the real find of this CD, they are all issued titles LT recorded for Decca (one more track was never issued) - these were on LP in the 1970's but never before on CD AFAIK, and they are very good! A must for LT collectors.

Ocium obviously lifted the seven Lucky Thompson Decca sides from the French Decca/MCA LP which I have enjoyed since it came out in the '70s. One side of the LP had various Decca/Coral tracks by Coleman Hawkins. Flip side had the Lucky Thompson material minus the eighth side (Slow and Easy) which remains unissued.

[brownie]

Oscar Dennard is the kind of mysterious character you find so often in the jazz history. He was in Lionel Hampton's band for a time, then he came to Europe in a quartet with Idrees Sulieman about '59 and I read somewhere that he died in Cairo, Egypt, no longer after that. Some tapes (sid to be poorly recorded on an out-of-tune piano in Denmark) were released in Japan by Somethin' Else.

How appropriate mentions of Oscar Dennard in a thread about Unlucky Thompson! Talk of unlucky! There is practically no trace of Dennard's pianistic talent.

The man appeared on half-a-dozen sessions with Hampton but was left very few solo space except for the 1956 Jazztone sessions with LT and Pettiford.

Dennard recorded a trio date that is mentioned in the Tom Lord discography.

It is a January 9, 1956 session for an obscure label with Joe Benjamin on bass and Osie Johnson on drums. This remains unissued.

The Japanese Somethin'Else CD 'The Legendary Oscard Dennard' at least provided an opportunity to listen to the man. But it was barely in circulation.

The session was recorded in Tangier by local jazz fans at the Radio Tangier International Studio. The recording date is listed as July 1958 but in 1958 Dennard was still in the USA playing and recording with Hampton. Dennard traveled to Europe, probably at the very beginning of 1959, with trumpet player Idrees Sulieman, Jamil Nasser on bass and Buster Smith on drums. They were in Paris at the start of that year.

Pretty sure the recording date of the Somethin'Else CD is off by one year and should be July 1959.

The sound is a bit muffled, the piano is untuned but the four musicians had talent and it shows. The liner notes mention the informal recording session was held in a small studio with an old piano.

More bad luck and one more unheard Dennard session is a French radio broadcast (Carrefour du Jazz) that had Lester Young playing with Dennard, Jamil Nasser and Buster Smith (the full rhythm section of the Dennard/Sulieman group) plus fellow pianist Rene Urtreger and guitarist Jimmy Gourley.

The broadcast produced a 'D.B. Blues' that remains unissued. It was recorded in Paris on March 11, 1959 just two days before Lester Young flew back to New York to die.

The liner notes to the Somethin'Else CD by Jacques Muyal mentions that the Dennard/Sulieman quartet played for a couple of months at the Casino in Tangiers.

Muyal adds that the group also played in Tunisia, Marseille and St.Gallen (Switzerland) and arrived in Egypt. There Dennard was stricken with typhoid fever and died in 1960. He was buried in Cairo at Zan Eldin cemetery.

[mikeweil]

Ocium obviously lifted the seven Lucky Thompson Decca sides from the French Decca/MCA LP which I have enjoyed since it came out in the '70s. One side of the LP had various Decca/Coral tracks by Coleman Hawkins. Flip side had the Lucky Thompson material minus the eighth side (Slow and Easy) which remains unissued.

I have them on a German MCA LP, which is a continental edition of a US issue, which has the Paul Quinichette Deccas on the flip side. (These too are on an Ocium issue, so draw your own conclusions ... sound was very good on this LP.)

[mikeweil]

How appropriate mentions of Oscar Dennard in a thread about Unlucky Thompson! Talk of unlucky! There is practically no trace of Dennard's pianistic talent.

The man appeared on half-a-dozen sessions with Hampton but was left very few solo space except for the 1956 Jazztone sessions with LT and Pettiford.

Dennard recorded a trio date that is mentioned in the Tom Lord discography.

It is a January 9, 1956 session for an obscure label with Joe Benjamin on bass and Osie Johnson on drums. This remains unissued.

The Japanese Somethin'Else CD 'The Legendary Oscard Dennard' at least provided an opportunity to listen to the man. But it was barely in circulation.

The session was recorded in Tangier by local jazz fans at the Radio Tangier International Studio. The recording date is listed as July 1958 but in 1958 Dennard was still in the USA playing and recording with Hampton. Dennard traveled to Europe, probably at the very beginning of 1959, with trumpet player Idrees Sulieman, Jamil Nasser on bass and Buster Smith on drums. They were in Paris at the start of that year.

Pretty sure the recording date of the Somethin'Else CD is off by one year and should be July 1959.

The sound is a bit muffled, the piano is untuned but the four musicians had talent and it shows. The liner notes mention the informal recording session was held in a small studio with an old piano.

More bad luck and one more unheard Dennard session is a French radio broadcast (Carrefour du Jazz) that had Lester Young playing with Dennard,  Jamil Nasser and Buster Smith (the full rhythm section of the Dennard/Sulieman group) plus fellow pianist Rene Urtreger and guitarist Jimmy Gourley.

The broadcast produced a 'D.B. Blues' that remains unissued. It was recorded in Paris on March 11, 1959 just two days before Lester Young flew back to New York to die.

The liner notes to the Somethin'Else CD by Jacques Muyal mentions that  the Dennard/Sulieman quartet played for a couple of months at the Casino in Tangiers.

Muyal adds that the group also played in Tunisia, Marseille and St.Gallen (Switzerland) and arrived in Egypt. There Dennard was stricken with typhoid fever and died in 1960. He was buried in Cairo at Zan Eldin cemetery.

That the Dennard Trio LP remains unissued is a tragedy! Sure would like to hear that Lester Young broadcast.

I agree that the 1959 date for that Radio Tangier recording seems more logical. In spite of the inferior sound I recommend it!

Brownie, sadly you're right: Besides the Hampton big band stuff there seems to be nothing recommendable but the Hampton Jazztone and the Radio Tangier sessions. He was on a Savoy session of A.K. Salim but did not solo. But there is a Jesse Powell session for Jubilee, perhaps he takes soem solos on that one?

Up for an Oscar Dennard thread! What a tragedy, I repeat.

Edited November 23, 2003 by mikeweil

[king ubu]

A Ghost Of A Chance (06:19) Jazztone J-1040 (06:26) Jazztone SJS-1238

Dark Eyes (04:56) Jazztone J-723 (04:59) Jazztone SJS-1238

Deep Purple (04:23) Jazztone J-1040

Lionel's Choo Choo* (03:01) Jazztone J-723

Loch Lomond (quartet) (06:00) Jazztone J-1238 (06:00) Jazztone SJS-1238

Look! Four Hands (quartet) (03:41) Jazztone J-1238 (03:41) Jazztone SJS-1238

My Man (quartet) (05:18) Jazztone J-1040 (03:53) Jazztone SJS-1238

Over The Rainbow (11:06) Jazztone J-1238

Raindeer (07:59) Jazztone J-1238 (05:07) Jazztone SJS-1238

Romeo's Gone Now (06:25) Jazztone J-723 (04:10) Jazztone SJS-1238

Summertime (02:39) Jazztone J-1238

Take The „A" Train (quartet) (04:18) Jazztone J-1040

Time For Lyons (quartet) (06:20) Jazztone J-1238 (04:58) Jazztone SJS-1238

Too Much (quartet) (04:55) Jazztone J-1040 (03:49) Jazztone SJS-1238

Undecided (07:02) Jazztone J-1040 (05:19) Jazztone SJS-1238

What's Your Hurry* (03:52) Jazztone J-1238

When You're Smiling (06:48) Jazztone J-1238

The Minidisc I have of these is mono and contains the following:

1. Over The Rainbow (11:06) Jazztone J-1238

2. When You're Smiling (06:48) Jazztone J-1238

3. Time For Lyons (quartet) (06:20) Jazztone J-1238

4. Summertime (02:39) Jazztone J-1238

5. Raindeer (07:59) Jazztone J-1238

6. Look! Four Hands (quartet) (03:41) Jazztone J-1238

7. Loch Lomond (quartet) (06:00) Jazztone J-1238

8. What's Your Hurry* (03:52) Jazztone J-1238

So this seems to be a copy of the Jazztone mono LP, minus several tracks. Was J-1238 one LP? Seems very long for an LP from the mid-fifties! I will check if it's the Jazztone indeed, or rather some european version. I cannot remember what label it was.

ubu

[mikeweil]

The French Jazz Anthology CD 550 152 from 1990 I have has the following tracks:

1. Undecided 5:19

2. My man 3:53

3. Dark Eyes 5:01

4. Too Much 3:49

5. A Ghost of a chance 6:27

6. Romeo's gone now 4:10

7. Loch Lomond 5:59

8. Raindeer 5:07

9. Look! Four Hands 3:41

10. Time For Lyons 4:58

Total time: 48:40, which is more like a 1950's LP.

But the minidisc you have was indeed an LP from the 1950's, I have a copy of that one on cassette tape.

What a mess! These sessions deserve a definite completed reissue more than many others!

[mikeweil]

I promised somewhere to post a list of recent Lucky Cd releases, and this seems to be the best place for it:

Candid CCD 79035 Lucky Thompson - Lord, Lord, Am I Ever Gonna Know?

Classics CD 1113 Lucky Thompson 1944-1947

EMI 7243 539651 2 Lucky Thompson - Americans Swinging In Paris

EMI 7243 539652 2 Kenny Clarke - Americans Swinging In Paris

ensayo ENY-CD-3471 Lucky Thompson - Soul's Nite Out

*Fresh Sound FSR-CD 114 Ralph Sharon - Around The World In Jazz

Fresh Sound FSR-CD 138 Jack Teagarden - Accent On Trombone

Fresh Sound FSR-CD 199 Lucky Thompson - Lucky Meets Tommy And Friends

*Fresh Sound FSCD-2001 Lucky Thompson - Accent On Tenor Sax

HighNote HCD 7045 Lucky Thompson - Lucky In Paris

IAJRC CD-1001 The Tenor Sax of Lucky Thompson

Indigo IGO CD 2104 Lucky Thompson - Smooth Sailing

*Impulse/GRP 1-135-2 Lucky Thompson - Tricotism

Jazz Factory JFCD22843 - Lucky Thompson - Complete 1944-1947 Recordings

Ocium OCM 0038 Lucky Thompson - Lucky Moments

Original Jazz Classics OJCCD-194-2 Lucky Thompson - Lucky Strikes

Prestige PRCD-24144-2 Lucky Thompson - Happy Days

RST Records RST-91537 Fletcher Henderson Sextet 1950

RST Records RST-91736 Fletcher Henderson Sextet

*Savoy/Denon SV-0110 Milt Jackson

*Savoy/Denon SV-0172 Milt Jackson

*Savoy/Denon SV-0173 Milt Jackson

*Savoy/Denon SV-0175 Milt Jackson

Universal 013 038-2 Sammy Price & Lucky Thompson - Paris Blues

Universal 159 823-3 Lucky Thompson / Modern Jazz Group

*Verve 314 543 752-2 Introducing Jimmy Cleveland And His All Stars

*Vogue 74321 40934 2 Lucky Thompson - The Complete Vogue Recordings Vol. 1

*Vogue 74321 55950 2 Lucky Thompson - The Complete Vogue Recordings Vol. 2

* means they are OOP AFAIK.

Some of the Milt Jackson Savoys are still listed as available on the new Savoy website, so try your luck.

The Jazz Factory seems to be a takeoff from the Classical release.

There were some more with less important sideman dates as well, here I decided to list only the highlights among these or readily available discs.

Edited January 29, 2004 by mikeweil