Ben Webster in California

[mikeweil]

I am looking for recordings of Ben Webster made during his stay in California in the late 1950's, besides the many sessions he did for Norman Granz on Verve.

So far I found:

Did he record with Helen Humes for Contemporary?

Thanks, as always!

[fomafomic65]

Hi Mike.

Yes, I am pretty confident he recorded with Humes the first of the three famous Contemporary sessions, 'Songs I Like To Sing', in the late '50s- maybe early '60s. It's an awesome big band record where he takes solos in just a couple of tunes (if I am not wrong a wonderful double-tempo version of If I Could Be With You is one of them; gives me goose skin just remembering the performance).

Speaking of vocal jazz Masterpieces here you cannot forget some of the best Billie Holiday since her Lester Young days: the Graz's genuary 1957 sessions Webster and the singer have had with Sweets Edison, Barney Kessell and Jimmy Rowles in Verve cds like Songs For Distingue Lovers or All Or Nothing At All .

ciao

Armando

Edited September 16, 2009 by ArmandoPeraza

[EKE BBB]

Since you include At The Renaissance (October 1960), I'll go a few months later:

(Reprise, January 1961)

[Niko]

unfortunately, heinz baumeister's webster discography isn't online anymore, but maybe an email is worth a try...

heinz.baumeister@kolumbus.fi

Edited September 16, 2009 by Niko

[mikeweil]

Hi Mike.

Yes, I am pretty confident he recorded with Humes the first of the three famous Contemporary sessions, 'Songs I Like To Sing', in the late '50s- maybe early '60s. It's an awesome big band record where he takes solos in just a couple of tunes (if I am not wrong a wonderful double-tempo version of If I Could Be With You is one of them; gives me goose skin just remembering the performance).

You're right! I forgot I have this one ...

[Niko]

if it's not outside your time frame, there's also groove holmes first pacific jazz album

[mikeweil]

Oh yes I have that one, too ... I'm not strict about the time frame, as long as it was recorded in California, before he left for Europe.

Edited September 16, 2009 by mikeweil

[medjuck]

I've got a hard cover of the discography and can check when I'm home next week. He did record with Johnny Otis but that may have been in the '40s.

[AllenLowe]

I actually have the LP of the Webster/Otis - and I THINK I used one cut of it on Devilin' Tune -

[paul secor]

I've got a hard cover of the discography and can check when I'm home next week. He did record with Johnny Otis but that may have been in the '40s.

The recordings with Johnny Otis were done in December, 1951 and were available on The Complete Ben Webster on EmArcy.

The Ben Webster/Gerry Mulligan Verve sides were also recorded in California.

[Tom in RI]

I seem to recall Ben Webster played with Big Miller, was that in California? A brief websearch turns up this video from Art Ford's Jazz Party:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natl...67/default.html

[Tom in RI]

Another obvious one would be Benny Carter's Jazz Giant on Contemporary. Webster was also featured on 4 cuts from 1949 on Modern under Carter's leadership recorded in LA, these are the cuts with the really obnoxious dubbed in applause (at least that's the only way I've heard them). I have those on an Official lp. Was Official kind of the Lonenhill of its day?

[Tom in RI]

Yet another obvious one Benny Carter with Ben Webster and Barney Brigard on Swingvile, recorded in LA in 1962 and, I think, readily available on Fantasy.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

indeed- Ben Webster totally went WCJ in the early 60s! that reniassiance date is phat!

[Stereojack]

According to the Langhorn/Sjogren discography, Webster's California period on record begins with his appearance at the Monterey Jazz Festival behind Jimmy Witherspoon, and coincidentally, ends with a May 1962 Jimmy Witherspoon date.

10/2/59 Jimmy Witherspoon - Monterey Jazz Festival (Hi-Fi Jazz)

11/3/59 Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (Verve) 1st session

11/6/59 Ben Webster With Oscar Peterson Trio (Verve) (Discography places this in New York, as does Ruppli's Verve session files)

12/2/59 Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (Verve) 2nd session

12/2/59 Jimmy Witherspoon At Club Renaissance (Hi-Fi Jazz) same band as on Verve session

12/9/59 Jimmy Witherspoon and Ben Webster (Verve)

12/59 Mulligan & Webster appear on Dinah Shore TV show, video exists

1/13-14/59 Maxwell Davis Tribute To Duke Ellington (Crown)

c. 1960 Jimmy Witherspoon & Ben Webster (Stateside)

c. 1960 Jimmy Rushing & Helen Humes (Columbia) (4 tracks)

6/1-3/60 Johnny Hodges (Verve unissued)

7/15/60 Jo Stafford - Jo + Jazz (Columbia)

8/1/60 Jo Stafford - Jo + Jazz (Columbia)

8/10/60 Jo Stafford - Jo + Jazz (Columbia)

c. 1960 Johnny Hodges (Verve unissued) not confirmed by Ruppli

c. 1960 Nancy Wilson - Something Wonderful (Capitol)

9/6-8/60 Helen Humes - Songs I Like To Sing (Contemporary)

9/21/60 Jon Hendricks - Evolution of the Blues Song (Columbia)

10/14/60 Ben Webster At Renaissance Club (Contemporary)

10/18/60 Big Miller - Revelations and the Blues (Columbia)

11/22-23/60 Johnny Hodges - Master of Jazz (Storyville) (later issued on Mosaic)

1/18-19/61 Ben Webster - The Warm Moods (Reprise)

1/19/61 Anita O'Day - Trav'lin' Light (Verve)

1/31/61 Johnny Hodges (Verve unissued)

3/61 Richard "Groove" Holmes - Groove (Pacific Jazz)

6-8/61 Jimmy Witherspoon - Hey Mrs. Jones (Reprise)

10/61 Kay Starr - I Cry By Night (Capitol)

4/10/62 Benny Carter - BBB & Co (Prestige Swingville)

4/11/62 Frank Sinatra - Sinatra and Swingin' Brass (Reprise)

5/23/62 Jimmy Witherspoon - Roots (Reprise)

Webster also appeared with Witherspoon on TV broadcast "Jazz Casual" around this time, not listed in discography

A Reprise LP by Sister Wynona Carr mentions Webster in the liner notes, but he is not audible.

Nancy Wilson session not listed in discography, but I can confirm that he is present and solos on four tracks.

Edited September 16, 2009 by Stereojack

[Stereojack]

Upon further research, it appears that Webster had two extended stays in California, the one I chronicled previously is the second one. Here's the chronology from the earlier stay.

8/14-18/56 Billie Holiday (Verve)

9/4/56 Harry Edison - Sweets (Verve)

9/4/56 Ella Fitzgerald - Ellington Songbook (Verve)

9/11/56 Art Tatum & Ben Webster (Verve)

11-16-20/56 Buddy Bregman - Swingin' Kicks (Verve)

1/3-9/57 Billie Holiday (Verve)

11/11-12/57 Woody Herman - Songs For Hip Lovers (Verve)

1/18/57 Red Norvo (RCA)

1/31/57 Buddy Rich Sings and Swings (Verve)

3/5-30/57 Harry Edison - Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (Verve)

6/11/57 Benny Carter - Jazz Giant (Contemporary)

6/12/57 Billy Daniels - You Go To My Head (Verve)

7/22/57 Benny Carter - Jazz Giant (Contemporary)

8/2/57 Norman Granz Jam Session (Verve unissued) (at Hollywood Bowl)

8/6/57 Barney Kessel - Let's Cook (Contemporary)

9/23/57 Bill Harris and Friends (Fantasy)

10/7/57 Benny Carter - Jazz Giant (Contemporary)

10/15/57 Ben Webster - Soulville (Verve)

10/16/57 Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Verve)

10/17/57 Ella Fitzgerald - Ellington Songbook (Verve)

Webster was back in New York by November, 1957

[medjuck]

He also appeared on the Dinah Shore show with Mulligan-- something Mulligan seemed not to remember as he complained about the show being cancelled before they could appear.

[mikeweil]

Perfect, Jack, thanks much! That's the kind of listing I was hoping for.

Edited September 16, 2009 by mikeweil

[EKE BBB]

According to Heinz Baumeister's Ben Webster discography, here's what's missing in Stereojack's list:

2may57 - LA - Dave Howard with Benny Carter and his orchestra and the Jud Conlon Singers (RCA-Victor)

dec59 - LA - Ben Webster & Gerry Mulligan in Dinah Shore show (video tape exists)

12-14jan60 - LA - Maxwell Davis: Compositions of Duke Ellington and others (Crown)

10+11may60 LA - Nancy Wilson: Something wonderful (Capitol)

sep60 - LA - Jimmy Rushing & Helen Humes (Columbia)

aug61 - LA - Wynone Carr: Wild wonderful Wynona (Reprise)

2jan62 - LA - Jimmy Witherspoon: Jazz Casual

And a few more live recordings with Jimmy Witherspoon survive, with no exact date.

[Dave James]

I wonder what's up with the unissued Johnny Hodges dates? We're they on any of those Verve twofers that came out about ten years back? I'd sure like to hear 'em.

Up over and out.

[carnivore]

Upon further research, it appears that Webster had two extended stays in California, the one I chronicled previously is the second one. Here's the chronology from the earlier stay.

8/14-18/56 Billie Holiday (Verve)

9/4/56 Harry Edison - Sweets (Verve)

9/4/56 Ella Fitzgerald - Ellington Songbook (Verve)

9/11/56 Art Tatum & Ben Webster (Verve)

11-16-20/56 Buddy Bregman - Swingin' Kicks (Verve)

1/3-9/57 Billie Holiday (Verve)

11/11-12/57 Woody Herman - Songs For Hip Lovers (Verve)

1/18/57 Red Norvo (RCA)

1/31/57 Buddy Rich Sings and Swings (Verve)

3/5-30/57 Harry Edison - Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (Verve)

6/11/57 Benny Carter - Jazz Giant (Contemporary)

6/12/57 Billy Daniels - You Go To My Head (Verve)

7/22/57 Benny Carter - Jazz Giant (Contemporary)

8/2/57 Norman Granz Jam Session (Verve unissued) (at Hollywood Bowl)

8/6/57 Barney Kessel - Let's Cook (Contemporary)

9/23/57 Bill Harris and Friends (Fantasy)

10/7/57 Benny Carter - Jazz Giant (Contemporary)

10/15/57 Ben Webster - Soulville (Verve)

10/16/57 Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Verve)

10/17/57 Ella Fitzgerald - Ellington Songbook (Verve)

Webster was back in New York by November, 1957

the RCA date with Red Norvo is one of Ben's best......'The Night is Blue; - 'Easy on the Eye'....not to be missed!

[fomafomic65]

Another obvious one would be Benny Carter's Jazz Giant on Contemporary.

Correct!

How could I forget that one with Manne, some of the best Benny Carter?