Albums with titles based on leader's name

[David Ayers]

Well as my eyes fall on yet another album title which puns clumsily on the leader's name (Roy Haynes, Roy-alty [sic] geddit? geddit?) I am reminded how much I hate these. I have always struggled to get past these frankly dumb album (and song) titles. It's as if the musicians thought their stuff meant nothing and was therefore not worth a meaningful title, or as if they were so dim they thought such puns were really smart. Or maybe they just thought the whole game was like hypnotising chickens and dumbing down was the best way to get ahead. And yes I know, everybody did it who could get a plausible pun out of their names, but, sheesh. Those titles stoke up my resistance to buying. Miles Ahead was the last Miles Columbia I bought, and I never listen to it (in fact, I think I may never have listened to it). I never upgraded Blue Train and haven't played it in years. Delightful-lee has never and will never darken my turntable. Am I alone?

[GA Russell]

[A Lark Ascending]

Does taking your surname, converting it into musical notes and then weaving them into a composition count too as a reason for a permanent dispatch to Coventry?

Edited September 25, 2011 by A Lark Ascending

[Niko]

"Miles Ahead was the last Miles Columbia I bought, and I never listen to it (in fact, I think I may never have listened to it)." so you noticed only after buying?

there are exceptions though (like those Dexter Gordon Savoy recordings where every single tune is called Dexter... ) but in principle i agree and in the back of my mind there's this particularly outrageous example which i just can't remember...

[David Ayers]

Gaaahhhhhh!!!!

[Dan Gould]

Well as my eyes fall on yet another album title which puns clumsily on the leader's name (Roy Haynes, Roy-alty [sic] geddit? geddit?) I am reminded how much I hate these. I have always struggled to get past these frankly dumb album (and song) titles. It's as if the musicians thought their stuff meant nothing and was therefore not worth a meaningful title, or as if they were so dim they thought such puns were really smart. Or maybe they just thought the whole game was like hypnotising chickens and dumbing down was the best way to get ahead. And yes I know, everybody did it who could get a plausible pun out of their names, but, sheesh. Those titles stoke up my resistance to buying. Miles Ahead was the last Miles Columbia I bought, and I never listen to it (in fact, I think I may never have listened to it). I never upgraded Blue Train and haven't played it in years. Delightful-lee has never and will never darken my turntable. Am I alone?

Knowing your posts so well, I have no doubt you're serious.

And the only response I can give is that stupid shit like this is really amusing coming on the heels of the "Hanging Judges" discussion.

[ValerieB]

i happen to think that Roy(alty) is quite clever and appropriate! different strokes for different folks (now that's an intended pun for you)!!

[Free For All]

The amount of great music you will miss out on with this as your "dealbreaker" is considerable.

[Big Beat Steve]

I like plays on words so I don't mind most of these album titles. Many in fact make me snicker a bit ...

That said, is "Six Pieces of Silver" a bad album just because of its allegedly "dumb" title? Or "Shelly Manne at the Manne Hole" (although this would be stretching the topic a bit - or maybe not, since in a way the leader's name was actually "reworked" twice: for the club AND for the album )?

And I freely admit I like Pete Jolly's "Jolly Jumps in", Shorty Rogers' "Short Stops" and Serge Chaloff's "Blue Serge" (to name only some that come to mind immediately).

Edited September 25, 2011 by Big Beat Steve

[DukeCity]

Perhaps this should be a separate thread, but what about Rejected Titles of Albums Based on the Leader's Name?

Pete's Fountain?

Phil's Wood?

Lester Likes 'Em Young?

Everybody Likes Dick Hyman?

[Chuck Nessa]

Perhaps this should be a separate thread, but what about Rejected Titles of Albums Based on the Leader's Name?

Pete's Fountain?

Phil's Wood?

Lester Likes 'Em Young?

Everybody Likes Dick Hyman?

Or "everybody's dick likes hyman".

[Larry Kart]

"Klook's Clique"

Mingus-Ah-Um"

Also, David, the titles you mention are not puns but plays on words. Every pun is a play on words, but not all plays on words are puns.

[alankin]

My guess is that these titles were concocted by the record companies. I think it's silly to bypass a good record just because it has a crappy name. ...And some of those Lee Konitz albums are pretty good.

[Big Al]

Phooey! I thought this was gonna be a thread that actually showed some of these albums & songs. Oh well...

[jazztrain]

Gee, lighten up.

There must be tons of these.

Off the top of my head:

Buddy Tate. Tate-a-Tate

Gene Ammons. Blue Gene.

Sonny Clark. Some Clark Bars.

Art Farmer. Farmer's Market.

Buddy Collette. Calm Cool and Collette.

Lee Konitz. Subconscious-lee.

Warne Marsh. Warne Out.

Frank Rosolino. Frankly Speaking.

Frank Foster and Frank Wess. Two Franks Please.

Hank Jones. Hanky Panky.

Herb Ellis. Ellis in Wonderland.

Red Garland. A Garland of Red.

Don Byas. Byas'd Opinion. Byas a Drink.

[BillF]

"Miles Ahead was the last Miles Columbia I bought, and I never listen to it (in fact, I think I may never have listened to it)." so you noticed only after buying?

I was entirely happy with Brian Priestley's title for a composition which his Leeds University student big band in the 60s struggled to deliver: "Miles Behind".

[David Ayers]

Well, I am sure I have manny albaums [geddit geddit] with titles like this. But guys come on, it's dumb, right?

[David Ayers]

Of course some such album titles are beyond reproach...

Uh, though that's not the leader's name, so technically not part of this discussion... maybe I need a new thread...

[David Ayers]

Maynard, we get it, really, no honestly we do, oh there you go again, yes hah hah, er...

Like an embarassing uncle.

etc.

[Larry Kart]

Not that bugged by the lame play on words titles, but some seem very apt to me, e.g. "Subconscious-Lee."

[Big Al]

Don Byas. Byas'd Opinion. Byas a Drink.

LOL!!! Never heard that one before! That's great!

[mikeweil]

Funny nobody mentioned "Monk's Music" or "Trane's Blues", or Sonny Side Up" ...

[Swinging Swede]

[A Lark Ascending]

I hate album titles with apostrophes at the end.

Won't have them in the house.

[brownie]

A fitting title...