bertrand Posted November 24, 2003 Report Posted November 24, 2003 In one of his two books, bassist Bill Crow says that the Wayne Shorter tune 'Nellie Bly' was part of the Mulligan songbook in th early sixties. I admit being almost totally ignorant of Mulligan's discography. Did he ever record it? Do we have any evidence that he played it in public other than Crow's claim (e.g., a concert review that names the tune specifically)? What size group was the arrangement written for? I know that Wayne arranged it for Maynard Ferguson's band during the month he was in it - perhaps Mulligan is uing the same arrangement? Note that Wayne originally recorded this as 'Mama G' on Wynton Kelly's Kelly Great (Vee Jay). This is usually considered Shorter's first recording session, although apparently some sideman date on Columbia may have preceded it... More to come. Bertrand. Quote
Harmon Posted November 24, 2003 Report Posted November 24, 2003 Even Craig Allan Hanley's page on GM http://www.gerrymulligan.info/ does not list any of the two names. Jürgen Quote
Vincent, Paris Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 Bertrand, Bill Crow also says that Wayne Shorter write some arrangements for the Concert Jazz Band, but if so, none seems to have been recorded. Quote
bertrand Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Posted November 25, 2003 I need to find that book again and get my story straight. It may have been the reference to the concert jazz band that I was alluding to. The thing about 'Nellie Bly' was elsewhere - possibly something Michael Cuscuna had told me over the phone. How big was the concert jazz band? Bertrand. Quote
Vincent, Paris Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 (edited) From Bill Crow, "From Birdland To Broadway", Oxford University Press, page 182 : Gerry's music library included arrangements by Bill Holman, John Mandel, Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Thad Jones, and Wayne Shorter, as well as his own charts. The CJB was 13-piece band. The CJB Verve box set discography at Mosaic doesn't list any arrangement by Shorter. But "Nellie Bly" was performed by Maynard Ferguson big band in which Shorter played for three weeks before joining Blakey at Lee Morgan's request. LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka mentions this piece in a famous article about Wayne Shorter published in The Jazz Review (1959). Edited November 25, 2003 by Vincent, Paris Quote
bertrand Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Posted November 25, 2003 Vincent, Thanks. I think I have Bill Crow's e-mail somewhere - I will write to him. I got your e-mail and I tried to respond, but I'm having e-mail trouble again. I will get the information tonight or tomorrow and post it here (in artists, under Lee Morgan). I think it will be useful to other board members anyway. Bertrand. Quote
Vincent, Paris Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 Hey Bertrand, Rooster Ties has been claiming for that information on another thread. Maybe you should post it there. Quote
bertrand Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Posted November 25, 2003 (edited) Poor Rooster - I totally missed this thread! I will post my results there as soon as I have checked the CDs - hopefully tonight. Bertrand. Edited November 25, 2003 by bertrand Quote
Vincent, Paris Posted December 9, 2003 Report Posted December 9, 2003 An additionnal remark now that I have the Mulligan CJB box set : "Mama G" composed and arranged by Wayne Shorter is listed among the unrecorded tunes from the Concert Jazz Band book. So Bill Crow's memory was right! Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.