Jazz from Blue Lake Sunday Night

[Lazaro Vega]

Tonight on Jazz From Blue Lake from 7 to 8 p.m. we'll hear classic jazz by Louis Armstrong, the great version of "Perdido" from Duke Ellington's "Piano in the Background" album, plus new records. At 8 please stay with Blue Lake for a radio special on Ray Charles, Singular Genius, followed by "Jazz on the Side" at 9 and a program on Duke Ellington in the 1940's at 10 p.m. with David Brent Johnson on Nightlights. All coming up on http://www.bluelake.org/radio.html

Edited March 4, 2012 by Lazaro Vega

[Chuck Nessa]

I am your good friend (and best man at your wedding) and I only clicked on this topic to see wtf JFBL was.

Good message, sloppy intro.

[JSngry]

Yeah, I thought it was some kind of new sports thing...Junior Basket Foot League, or something...

Be sure to credit Gerald Wilson (and a little bit of Jimmy Hamilton) for that Perdido chart!

[Lazaro Vega]

Ha! Thanks guys.

Yes, did mention Wilson. That long unison passage at the front is so swinging, even ol' Flip Phillips JATP (!) solo on Perdido might take a back seat to it.

[JSngry]

That unison passage was Jimmy Hamilton's, or so it's been credited.

My favorite version of it is when him & Paul G. play it on The Great Paris Concert. Nothing aginst Clark Terry, but two tenors playing that line is just RIGHT.

[Lazaro Vega]

That makes sense -- the line is so fluid and improvisational in character it's hard to imagine as anything other than a transcribed improvisation. Will check out the two tenor version -- Hamilton on tenor never sounded that "lithe" to me -- more gut bucket.

[JSngry]

Jimmy Hamilton was one of those guys who had more under his hat than he generally let on.

[Larry Kart]

I am your good friend (and best man at your wedding) and I only clicked on this topic to see wtf JFBL was.

Good message, sloppy intro.

Good point. I've changed the topic title.

[Lazaro Vega]

Thanks Larry. Was leaving it so Chuck's reply made sense to anyone reading.

So, tonight, Jim, we're playing the Perdidos back to back. The Paris Concert version is faster, much to Ellington's delight, and I see what you mean about the two tenors. They sound rich. Hamilton then comes back on clarinet?

Later, in the 11 o'clock hour, we'll hear Flip's version.

[JSngry]

Yeah, Hamilton comes back for a clarinet solo, Gonsalves for a tenor.

Gerald Wilson recorded the arrangement himself, it's on the Mosaic box. There's a few minor tweaks, which I don't know if he did after Duke recorded it, or if Duke did before he recorded it. Nothing significant, just a few little things here and there.