Ronnie Ross

[Brad]

If anything is looking for Unforgettable Ronnie Ross, it's back in stock at Dusty Groove.

[tooter]

An addition to the Ronnie Ross Jazz Discography www.ronnieross.com with picture too. A very large entry at 57/3.

[tooter]

A new version of the missing covers list, shorter now due to some having been eliminated. Now down to fifteen. Please keep an eye open for any of these album covers you might have or see or your travels and surfing.

I hope to get the Les Brown album soon but as it is not yet in my hand I'm leaving it in.

Edit - See later post for up-dated list.

Edited November 7, 2005 by tooter

[couw]

on Metronome and a 45rpm, so not quite what you are looking for and I cannot discover Ross on the cover pic either

[tooter]

on Metronome and a 45rpm, so not quite what you are looking for and I cannot discover Ross on the cover pic either

←

Your post slipped by me, Couw - sorry for the delay in replying. I rely on looking at "new posts" so can't understand how I missed it.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's the right one. I have run into several versions of the tunes in question by Acker Bilk and your picture is of one of the others I'm pretty sure. Nice try though! Thanks.

[tooter]

Now for what brought me here today. A fanfare (imagine this please). All my own work - Found on eBay, purchased at some expense (definitely not eBay madness though), vetted for jazz content (minimal but there), and scanned to produce a picture of sorts. Here it is!

[tooter]

So fourteen left! Here is the new list to refer to if you are still looking. Some of them probably don't even exist but if I leave them in something might turn up. Thanks again to everybody for all the help. A long list of names now at our site, in the Ronnie Ross Jazz Discography www.ronnieross.com

(list moved to later post)

Edited December 14, 2005 by tooter

[tooter]

Not one more off the list but a completely new album of which I did not know. 59/5 in the Ronnie Ross Jazz Discography.

[tooter]

Still no reduction in the list but another new picture. I just had a picture of the disk on the site so I've replaced it with this one, albeit not a very clear image, at 54/2.

Edited November 16, 2005 by tooter

[tooter]

I am going to put the disc picture back because I have found out that it is of the other EP - the one above is two different tracks. All four include Ronnie Ross, playing tenor sax. I suppose one day a proper picture of Esquire EP42 might turn up.

[tooter]

And here is another album identified by an astute visitor to our website www.ronnieross.com who saw a review and alerted me to it. I found a nice cheap copy on line and have added it to my collection of Ronnie Ross recorded material. As a matter of fact, it is the latest recording I have, made in early 1990 and therefore (apart from one session for which the date is not known) the last entry in the Ronnie Ross Jazz Discography.

The material is not really the kind of jazz that kindles my interest much but there is plenty of improvising. Ronnie Ross plays only alto and clarinet, soloing on the former occasionally but not too notably. There is another sax man, Ronnie Mackie, who plays baritone and alto and who takes some baritone jazz solos. I surmise that, as it was less than two years before Ronnie Ross died, he may have been finding the baritone difficult to play and perhaps to carry around too.

The only other names on the sessions that I know are Eddie Mordue, playing alto alongside Ronnie Ross, and Iain Dixon on tenor - at least, these are the most prominent ones to me. Some of the other names could be a little familiar.

[tooter]

A visitor to our website www.ronnieross.com has written saying that in the mid-sixties he used to go to the Marquee Club in Soho, London and often saw Ronnie Ross there. Ronnie's girlfriend at the time used to sit at the next table and often spoke to him and his girlfriend. Ronnie's girlfriend was extremely good-looking, he said, and later wrote to tell me that she was "the" Ann Walker, the well known model.

However, he was not entirely distracted from the music and remembers it as being the highpoint of his experience of jazz.

Attached is a picture of Ann - click this link if you wish to see the rest of her (adults only!)

[jazzman4133]

However, he was not entirely distracted from the music

Easy to be distracted though Tooter.

[tooter]

Back to the serious business! Another picture has turned up. I already had a version but it was not good enough to use. Here's the new one.

[tooter]

So list is now only thirteen. Please keep your eyes peeled for anything that looks like any of them.

1. 55/1 Leader: Tony Crombie Date: March 31 1955 Venue: London Label: Decca DFE6281, F10514, 10620, F10592, F10637 Album Titles: Annie Ross with Tony Crombie and his Orchestra, Presenting Tony Crombie No. 2 (EP)

2. 55/5 Leader: Cleo Laine Date: December 13 1955 Venue: London Label: Nixa NJE1010, PRT PYL6028 Album Title: Unforgettable Cleo Laine

3. 58/ 6 Leader: Louis Armstrong Date: July 7 1958 Venue: Newport Jazz Festival Label: Columbia C2-38262, CBS(F)88669, C23-8262 Album Title: Louis Armstrong And The All Stars

4. 58/7 Leader: (Melody Maker All Stars) Date: November 1958 Venue: London Label: Pye Nixa NJT518 Album Title: (Melody Maker Jazz Poll 1958/1959)

5. 60/1 Leader: Vic Lewis Date: April 10 1960 Venue: Bridgeport, Connecticut Label: DJM SPECB103 Album Title: (?)

6. 60/5 Leader: Harry South Date: November 17 1960 Venue: London Label: Album Title: (?)

7. 62/4 Leader: Don Rendell Date: September 6 1962 Venue: London Label: Pye 7NJ 2059 Album Title: The Jazz Stars

8. 65/15 Leader: John Cameron Date: 1965 Venue: Label: EMI SC6116 Album Title: Cover Lover

9. 67/1 Leader: Acker Bilk Date: August 1967 Venue: (?) Label: Columbia DB8241 Album Title: Acker`s Personal Jungle

10. 69/2 Leader: Vic Lewis Date: June 9 1969 Venue: London Label: Nems 6-63723 and DJMSPECB103 Album Title: The Vic Lewis Orchestra

11. 78/1 Leader: Arthur Greenslade Date: January 1978 Venue: London Label: Pye NPSL18557 Album Title: George Melly With Orchestra Arranged And Conducted By Arthur Greenslade

12. 89/4 Leader: Kenny Baker Dates: September 11 23 1989 Venue: London Label: TCM 33006 Album Title: The Louis Armstrong Connection Volume 6

13. 89/6 Leader: Chris Smith Dates: November 23 29 1989? Venue: Wembley, London Label: BBC CDTP818 Album Title: Chris Smith And His String Of Pearls Orchestra

Thanks again to all those from whom I have received help. The list of credits is growing longer and longer - see Jazz Discography (near the top) at www.ronnieross.com

[tooter]

The quest continues, regardless of the season. A new acquistion, courtesy of eBay again. An interesting album and undeniably jazz. I had a picture of the video but have replaced it at our website www.ronnieross.com with the one below, taken from the cassette I have just bought at a very modest price. The only example I have of Ronnie Ross on bass saxophone, the only time I've ever even heard a baritone clarinet.

Edited December 25, 2005 by tooter

[jazzman4133]

The quest continues, regardless of the season. A new acquistion, courtesy of eBay again. An interesting album and undeniably jazz. I had a picture of the video but have replaced it at our website www.ronnieross.com with the one below, taken from the cassette I have just bought at a very modest price. The only example I have of Ronnie Ross on bass saxophone, the only time I've ever even heard a baritone clarinet.

Hey Tooter:

Intrigued by your mention of bass clarinet so here's some input, including musicians and albums.

The Bass clarinet is a very nice member of the family pitched in B-flat, one octave below the soprano B-flat clarinet. Most basses descends to low E-flat (concert D-flat) but there are variants that descends to low C (concert B-flat). The left one of the two basses to the right is an E-flat version and the right one is the C version. It is a little bit longer than the E-flat version in reality.

The instrument is very heavy, so there is a floor stand attached to the clarinet body. A well played bass will boost the overall sound impression in a small ensemble as well as in the symphony orchestra. The lower notes could really make you shiver, especially if the instrument descends to low C. We think the bass was invented by either G. Lott in Paris in 1772 or most probably Heinrich (Heinriah) Grenser in Dresden in 1793. Maurice Ravel uses both A and Bb bass clarinets in his "Rapsodie Espagnole" for instance.

There is also a bass clarinet pitched in A. Wagners Valkyrian and Tristan has nice solos for the A bass. Schönbergs Pelleas and Melisande uses it and I also heard that Strauss makes use of it in some pieces. You can also hear it in Mahler's 4th Symphony.

Nothing Is-Sun Ra Robert Cummings (baritone clarinet),

Randy Weston -TANJAH Danny Bank baritone sax, baritone clarinet, flute

ELLA FITZGERALD "Sings The Rodgers & Hart Songbook Chuck Gentry (baritone saxophone, baritone clarinet)

BBb and EEb Contrabass Clarinet

Richard Teitelbaum with Anthony Braxton: "Time Zones" (Arista Records AL 1037 -LP). Includes Behemoth Dreams on side 2 for Contrabass & synthesizer). Jazz/classical synthesis.Not as avant-garde in playing technique as many Braxton and the contrabass clarinet is clearly audible when playing. Shows off the sound of the instrument very well.)

Donald Martino: "Triple Concerto for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Contrabass Clarinet" Nonesuch (LP). A modern classic and there is plenty of contrabass writing. Martino states that he used the 3 sizes of clarinet as a kind of Superclarinet. The style is very modern but not avant-garde and there are no extended playing techniques. It is apparently a virtuoso piece. A more recent recording (CD) is "Donald Martino - Notturno" (1995, Albany Records, Troy168), with Leslie Thimmig on contrabass clarinet.

Elver Schmiel & Christoph Schiller, "Modern Music by Swiss Composers" (Jecklin szene sCHweiz JS 296-2 CD). This includes Rudolf Kelterborn: Duett fuer Bratsche und Kontrabassklarinette. Many avant-garde techniques used - multiphonics, extended high register, etc. The contrabass clarinet is not always as loud as the viola but can generally be heard well enough. There is also an interesting composition on this disc for soprano and basset horn.

Marc Monnet: "Pieces Celibitaires" (Disques Montaignes 782068 CD). Includes Le Cirque for unaccompanied contrabass clarinet played by Armand Angster. There is relatively little traditional playing in this piece and a lot of tongue slapping on the reed.

Anthony Braxton: "Complete Anthony Braxton" (1971, Arista 0798, 2 LPs) includes a track for unaccompanied contrabass clarinet. The style is avant-garde Jazz. Some 'straight' playing but much avant-garde - split-notes, high-pitched squeaks, etc. Various other Anthony Braxton recordings also use contrabass clarinet in quartet and other groupings.

Hamiet Bluiett, "The Clarinet Family" (1987 Black Saint 120097-2). This is a great CD: imagine a clarinet choir performing free jazz. The players are Hamiet Bluiett on Eb alto clarinet; Dwight Andrews on Eb soprano and Bb soprano; Don Byron on soprano and bass; Buddy Collette on soprano and alto; John Purcell on soprano and bass; Gene Ghee on soprano and bass; J.D. Parran on Eb soprano, Bb soprano, alto and EEb contralto clarinets; Sir "Kidd" Jordan on BBb contrabass; with Fred Hopkins on string bass and Ronnie Burrage on drums.

Paul Winter, "Prayer for the Wild Things" (CD - Living Music LD0028) includes an extended solo for contrabass clarinet (Dennis Smylie), a solo for heckelphone (Mark Perchanok), and other instruments.

Bob Moses, "When Elephants Dream of Music" (1993, Gramavision Inc.). Jazz, verging on avant garde, by a large ensemble. The musicians include Howard Johnson on tuba and "electric contrabass clarinet."

Doctor Nerve, "Skin" (1995, Cuneiform Records). Avant garde metal rock. The ensemble includes guitar, bass, drums, two trumpets (one doubling baritone), bass/contrabass clarinet, soprano sax, and vibraphone. The contrabass clarinet is hard to pick out in the mix, and is mainly used to add "ambience". (The bass clarinet is clearly audible, however.)

Oliver Messiaen, "Éclairs Sur l'Au-Delà" (e.g., 1994, Deutsche Grammophon 439 929-2) includes a contrabass clarinet, with at least one solo passage.

John Corigliano, "Symphony No. 1" ("Of Rage and Remembrance") (e.g., 1996, RCA Victor Red Seal, 09026-68450-2), Leonard Slatkin and the National Symphony Orchestra. This work also include a solo contrabass clarinet passage.

Hoffnung's "Music Festivals" (1989, EMI 7 63302 2) contains a recording of "Variations on Annie Laurie" by Gordon Jacob, scored for two piccolos, heckelphone, two contrabass clarinets, two contrabassoons, serpent, contrabass serpent, harmonium, hurdy-gurdy, and subcontrabass tuba. Written and arranged on a dare...

Allen Ginsberg "The Lion For Real" (1989, Mouth Almighty Records, 314 534908-2). This CD consists of Allen Ginsberg's poetry, read by the author with a musical (mainly jazz) background. The musicians include Bill Frisell, Lenny Pickett, Steve Swallow, Rob Wasserman, and other well-known players. One track ("Stanzas: Written at Night in Radio City") has a funky background by Lenny Pickett (alone), which includes contrabass sarrusophone, tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, Eb clarinet, Bb clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, flute, piccolo, oboe, sopranino recorder, soprano recorder, alto recorder, tenor recorder, hambone, and drum.

David Sanborn "Another Hand" (1991 Elektra Musician 9 61088-2) includes one track ("medley: prayers for Charlie from the devil at four O'clock/the lonely from the Twilght Zone") that includes Lenny Pickett on Eb clarinet and contrabass clarinet.

The Vinny Golia Large Ensemble "Commemoration" (1994 Nine Winds Records NWCD 0150/0160) is a 2 CD set that includes Vinny Golia on contralto clarinet (along with piccolo through bass flute, sopranino through bass sax, andEb/A/alto/bass clarinets). A large jazz band with a cello section!

trio de clarinettes "Live" (1991 FMP CD39). This CD contains a live performance by jacques Di Donato (cl, bs cl), Louis Sclavis (cl, bs cl) and Armand Angster (cl, bs cl, contrabass cl). As with all FMP releases, this is free jazz :-)

"circular logic" by Steve Adams and Vinny Golia (9winds, NWCD0203). Steve Adams plays C/alto/bass flutes and sopranino through bari saxophones, while VG plays sopranino/bari/bass saxes, english horn, bassoon, picc/C/alto/bass flutes, and Eb/Bb/A/alto/bass/contralto/contrabass clarinets. The tracks are listed on the back along with a chart of who plays what on which track. A lot of creative interplay, in a free jazz improvisational style.

"Bits & Pieces", Wolfgang Fuchs (1996 FMP, OWN90004). This CD contains solos and duets by Wolfgang Fuchs (sopranino sax, clarinet, bass cl, and contrabass cl) with Evan Parker (soprano sax) and Jean-Marc Montera (guitar). If you've heard any FMP CDs, you know to expect that this one is also free jazz. WF does amazing things with/on/to the contrabass clarinet (a Leblanc 340), and spends quite a bit of time on it. Worth picking up!

Adam Gilberti's "Genesis Concert" CD includes contrabass and/or contra-alto clarinet on "Reflections of Honor", "Celestial Equinox", "Seismic Disturbances" (in which there are obvious CBCl solos), and "Violin Concerto" (with back to back CBCl and CBCA solos). Other instruments featured on the CD (actually a 2 CD set) include contrabass flute, contrabassoon, contrabass sarrusophone, serpent, contrabass sax, and Bb subcontrabass tubax. See http://www.genesisconcert.com to order the CD.

[tooter]

Mmmm - yes - thank you. The question that stands out is whether Lenny Pickett on the Sanborn album is playing soprano or alto Eb clarinet. I doubt I will sleep tonight thinking about this

[tooter]

Doing some background searching on an LP I recently found and which features some tracks with Ronnie Ross and a local Polish pick up rhythm section, I stumbled on this site: The Ronnie Ross Homepage. Nothing too spiffy looking, but very informative wrt discographical questions.

I liked the last part of the last sentence but how about the first part now? Is it a bit more spiffy looking these days? Give us your verdict if you've a few spare moments to look.

[tooter]

This is not a real album but just a conglomeration of recordings I've acquired. My friend did the art work and it is now avaiable for download at [http://www.dimeadozen.org/themes/dime/imag...header-left.jpg

Edited January 4, 2006 by tooter

[tooter]

Now another album cover picture, already on the website www.ronnieross.com but this is not one from my list as I wasn't sure it existed. Straight from eBay today although improved by Couw as usual, here it is.

[couw]

some excellent pictures in this ebay auction

[baryshnikov]

As i mentioned last year a good friend of mine used to be his secretary, but she is suffering some mental problems at present, so is not compus mentis, will try to illicit some stories if possible, paul, uk.

[tooter]

some excellent pictures in this ebay auction

Thanks, Couw - excellent as you say. I have the front cover but dispensed with it at the site because I also have to two constituent album covers. I've copied the back for later perusal however, in case it throws up any new info.

Edited January 24, 2006 by tooter

[tooter]

As i mentioned last year a good friend of mine used to be his secretary, but she is suffering some mental problems at present, so is not compus mentis, will try to illicit some stories if possible, paul, uk.

Very interested to hear of anything you can tell us, Paul. Do you think she has any old papers or anything like that? I am trying to conglomerate all the facts I can about Ronnie Ross, with a view to doing a short biographical bit for our website (www.ronnieross.com).