Willis Jackson on Prestige?

[John L]

It just struck me that I don't have any jazz albums with Willis Jackson playing as a sideman. Did he ever do that?

Edited March 11, 2010 by John L

[Harold_Z]

It just struck me that I don't have any jazz albums with Willis Jackson playing as a sideman. Did he ever do that?

I know that even into the 70's he took "anonymous" sideman work dates on pop dates. Offhand I can't think of any Jazz dates where he was a sideman.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

It just struck me that I don't have any jazz albums with Willis Jackson playing as a sideman. Did he ever do that?

I know that even into the 70's he took "anonymous" sideman work dates on pop dates. Offhand I can't think of any Jazz dates where he was a sideman.

He did make a sideman date in 1957 for King, with Bill Jennings as leader. 3 issued and 2 unissued tracks. But, generally, I agree - after he left Cootie Williams in about 1950, he was leading his own band. He was on quite a few R&B singles in the fifties. Some of the more memorable R&B singles with him in the band are

Ruth Brown - Teardrops from my eyes (Willis and Ruth were married for several years)

Ruth Brown - 5-10-15 hours

Ruth Brown - Daddy, Daddy

Little Willie John - All around the world (aka Grits ain't groceries)

Little Willie John - Need your love so bad (I wish Gator had recorded this song himself)

MG

[ghost of miles]

BLUE GATOR – PRESTIGE 7183 (5&11/1959,2&8/1960)

COOKIN' SHERRY – PRESTIGE 7211 (11/1959,2&8/1960)

Coupled together on the Prestige Willis CD LEGENDS OF ACID JAZZ, which Newbury's currently offering for $3.49 plus shipping.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

BLUE GATOR – PRESTIGE 7183 (5&11/1959,2&8/1960)

COOKIN' SHERRY – PRESTIGE 7211 (11/1959,2&8/1960)

Coupled together on the Prestige Willis CD LEGENDS OF ACID JAZZ, which Newbury's currently offering for $3.49 plus shipping.

Definitely a good deal.

MG

[Kevin Bresnahan]

BLUE GATOR – PRESTIGE 7183 (5&11/1959,2&8/1960)

COOKIN' SHERRY – PRESTIGE 7211 (11/1959,2&8/1960)

Coupled together on the Prestige Willis CD LEGENDS OF ACID JAZZ, which Newbury's currently offering for $3.49 plus shipping.

Just listened to this today. The ballads kinda drag a bit but are bluesy enough to keep up your interest.

[ghost of miles]

A buck more ($4.99 plus three bucks shipping), but the KEEP ON A BLOWIN' Legends of Acid Jazz couples both the title LP and THUNDERBIRD:

Keep On a Blowin' (Legends of Acid Jazz)

[jlhoots]

A buck more ($4.99 plus three bucks shipping), but the KEEP ON A BLOWIN' Legends of Acid Jazz couples both the title LP and THUNDERBIRD:

Keep On a Blowin' (Legends of Acid Jazz)

Yep - I ordered that one.

[ghost of miles]

The Prestige compilation AT LARGE (covering some of Willis' early-1960s albums and one 1968 LP) is currently selling through Newbury for $2.99 plus Ye Olde $3 shipping charge:

At Large for $2.99

Edited September 26, 2010 by ghost of miles

[GA Russell]

Thanks for that very informative post, MG!

[jeffcrom]

I searched this thread out, two years later, as I was listening to Gator Tail. Just a reminder that The Magnificent Goldberg's posts are always interesting, but sometimes rise to the level of amazingly informative and essential. Quite the scholar, in his own way, is our MG.

[jazzbo]

Absolutely. A fine intellect and a great personality. One of the very best jazz scholars to ever ride on the back of my motorcycle!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Absolutely. A fine intellect and a great personality. One of the very best jazz scholars to ever ride on the back of my motorcycle!

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

It just struck me that I don't have any jazz albums with Willis Jackson playing as a sideman. Did he ever do that?

I know that even into the 70's he took "anonymous" sideman work dates on pop dates. Offhand I can't think of any Jazz dates where he was a sideman.

He did make a sideman date in 1957 for King, with Bill Jennings as leader. 3 issued and 2 unissued tracks. But, generally, I agree - after he left Cootie Williams in about 1950, he was leading his own band. He was on quite a few R&B singles in the fifties. Some of the more memorable R&B singles with him in the band are

Ruth Brown - Teardrops from my eyes (Willis and Ruth were married for several years)

Ruth Brown - 5-10-15 hours

Ruth Brown - Daddy, Daddy

Little Willie John - All around the world (aka Grits ain't groceries)

Little Willie John - Need your love so bad (I wish Gator had recorded this song himself)

MG

Well, I was wrong about Gator never having done a jazz date as a sideman. I recently got a listen to a very rare Johnny 'Hammond' Smith album, called 'Imagination' - Warwick W2003. Seems to have been recorded in 1958 or '59, though it's not certain (I think '59). No personnel listed but I'm sure the guy playing tenor on some cuts is Gator Tail. It's Smith's first recording and is a very good example of his style. The other players are said here http://johnnyhammondsmith.com/?p=6

to be Thornel Schwartz, George Tucker and Leo Stevens. However, whether the blogger concerned ever listened to the LP isn't certain, because he doesn't mention a sax player

This is the sleeve:

MG

[ListeningToPrestige]

https://opusforty.blogspot.com/search/label/Willis Jackson

 

Listening to Prestige on Willis Jackson.

[ListeningToPrestige]

Does anyone know where the Club Allegro was? Was it a club Jackson regularly played at?

[HutchFan]

11 minutes ago, ListeningToPrestige said:

Does anyone know where the Club Allegro was? Was it a club Jackson regularly played at?

Don't know the answer to your question.  Sorry. 

I only wanted to say that I just now saw your blog for the first time.  Very nice.  Thanks for sharing.   

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by HutchFan

[mjzee]

On 8/1/2012 at 7:13 AM, The Magnificent Goldberg said:

Well, I was wrong about Gator never having done a jazz date as a sideman. I recently got a listen to a very rare Johnny 'Hammond' Smith album, called 'Imagination' - Warwick W2003. Seems to have been recorded in 1958 or '59, though it's not certain (I think '59). No personnel listed but I'm sure the guy playing tenor on some cuts is Gator Tail. It's Smith's first recording and is a very good example of his style. The other players are said here http://johnnyhammondsmith.com/?p=6 to be Thornel Schwartz, George Tucker and Leo Stevens. However, whether the blogger concerned ever listened to the LP isn't certain, because he doesn't mention a sax player

 

This is the sleeve:

 

MG

"Imagination" was actually a re-release.  It was originally issued on the Arrow label as "Have You Heard":

https://www.discogs.com/master/1070607-Johnny-Smith-Have-You-Heard-Johnny-Smith

 

 

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Well, well! So the Arrow record was the original. That dates the session at 1958. The Gen Manager of Arrow (which had a subsidiary called Bow!) was Fred Mendelsohn. Pres was Herman Pollock. "Imagination" was issued as a two-part single. It also came out on an EP with two of the shorter cuts from the LP on the flip. Another EP, "Ecstasy" was issued, again with two short cuts on the flip. So six of the eight tracks came out on 45.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

22 hours ago, ListeningToPrestige said:

Does anyone know where the Club Allegro was? Was it a club Jackson regularly played at?

I like your blog on Gator.

You touched my heart, so I'm sending you a PM about 'Neapolitan nights'.

As the material from Club Allegro was produced by Ozzie Cadena, my guess it would have been in Newark,, NJ.

MG

[mjzee]

On 8/1/2012 at 7:13 AM, The Magnificent Goldberg said:

 

 

Well, I was wrong about Gator never having done a jazz date as a sideman. I recently got a listen to a very rare Johnny 'Hammond' Smith album, called 'Imagination' - Warwick W2003. Seems to have been recorded in 1958 or '59, though it's not certain (I think '59). No personnel listed but I'm sure the guy playing tenor on some cuts is Gator Tail. It's Smith's first recording and is a very good example of his style. The other players are said here http://johnnyhammondsmith.com/?p=6

to be Thornel Schwartz, George Tucker and Leo Stevens. However, whether the blogger concerned ever listened to the LP isn't certain, because he doesn't mention a sax player

 

This is the sleeve:

 

MG

If anyone's interested, there's a copy available at Dusty Groove.