Wardell Gray

[JETman]

I don't think it's Wardell on The Happy Bird.

Who then?

[BeBop]

That would explain the guy in the audience (presumably) yelling "Go Wardell".

[Pete C]

That would explain the guy in the audience (presumably) yelling "Go Wardell".

Well, it's not really hi-fi, so maybe he was saying "Go to hell."

[flat5]

Why Allen? I don't recall that being questioned before.

There has been debate about some of the other participants.

[mrjazzman]

This is one of my favorites:

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Haig-1952-Wardell-Quintet/dp/B00000B2EH

But it seems to be more currently available and cheaper under Hampton Hawes' name:

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6729731/a/Memorial.htm

Ladybird missing from Hampton Hawes ed. but for the price difference, I can do without one song, good recommendation, saved me some research time........

[mrjazzman]

Why Allen? I don't recall that being questioned before.

There has been debate about some of the other participants.

Come on Allen, I'm waiting with bated breath for your response.........

[BeBop]

That would explain the guy in the audience (presumably) yelling "Go Wardell".

Well, it's not really hi-fi, so maybe he was saying "Go to hell."

Funniest thing I read all week.

[mrjazzman]

Ok, I now have The Wardell Gray Story, The Chase feat. Dexter Gordon, One For Prez, the Hampton Hawes edition(Memorial) of Live At The Haig 1952, Complete Sunset & New Jazz Masters, and Wardell Gray Memorial Vol's 1&2. Am I missing something? Is there anything I need to pick up to complete this?

[Big Beat Steve]

Ok, I now have The Wardell Gray Story, The Chase feat. Dexter Gordon, One For Prez, the Hampton Hawes edition(Memorial) of Live At The Haig 1952, Complete Sunset & New Jazz Masters, and Wardell Gray Memorial Vol's 1&2. Am I missing something? Is there anything I need to pick up to complete this?

Looks like this is a representative cross-section of his recordings, but I suppose you do realize that rattling off brief titles of reissues where it is far from clear which is which and what exactly is on these releases (no labels, no numbers, let alone title listings) is not exactly helpful to guide you on if you are in a completist mood? Remember that many releases were reissued under a lot of different titles through the times and some may be preferable to others though both largely duplicate each other but one may fill gaps that the other one doesn't, but nobody can know them all by heart. Only the "Memorials" are universally obvious as this title has been used over and over again.

[Pete C]

Ok, I now have The Wardell Gray Story, The Chase feat. Dexter Gordon, One For Prez, the Hampton Hawes edition(Memorial) of Live At The Haig 1952, Complete Sunset & New Jazz Masters, and Wardell Gray Memorial Vol's 1&2. Am I missing something? Is there anything I need to pick up to complete this?

Do any of those compilations include his stuff with Basie?

[mrjazzman]

Ok, I now have The Wardell Gray Story, The Chase feat. Dexter Gordon, One For Prez, the Hampton Hawes edition(Memorial) of Live At The Haig 1952, Complete Sunset & New Jazz Masters, and Wardell Gray Memorial Vol's 1&2. Am I missing something? Is there anything I need to pick up to complete this?

Do any of those compilations include his stuff with Basie?

Forgot to mention Count Basie Septet & Octet and Benny Goodman At Click 1948 are on the way.............

Edited June 21, 2012 by mrjazzman

[romualdo]

James Accardi has just informed me that he has added more bits & pieces to the WG site

http://wardellgray.org

This is a rewarding site if you're are a Wardell fan

Check the documents section - interesting images of various contracts (including Basie Band), some great pics too - the one with WG & Ake Hasselgard is a killer!!

For all you fans of the "Elks Auditorium" Bopland set - it appears that Teddy Edwards was present near the end of the concert & played on the last chorus of Geronimo (Cherokee) - mentioned in the discography (I was never aware of this)

From Dave Bailey comes the information that, although uncredited, the final soloist is Teddy Edwards. Edwards is heard after Gray’s solo on Jeronimo - Edwards confirmed this in a letter to Bailey, stating he arrived late to the concert.

During Han Schulte's interview with Teddy Edwards (October 3rd, 1980), Teddy mentions his appearance on Cherokee (“Jeronimo”) and talks about the situation while listening to the recording. I have transcribed portions of Teddy's comments:

“In fact on that record, the one that – the one that, ‘Jeronimo’ – I had been over to a friends of mine’s house, and we had been practicin’ and I came in just time to play the solo… The last chorus was me, although my name is not on the record, but I played the last – right! I played the last chorus on that solo [. . .] I noticed when they reissued it they didn’t have my name on it, ‘cause they probably didn’t know. ‘Cause I just got in on the tail end of the set, I showed up at the very end of the thing, you know [. . .] I was rushin’ to get to the bandstand . . . But I wasn’t supposed to be on the gig, I had been over to a friend of mine’s house practicin’, another saxophone player we been over there practicin’ in the book, you know. Prez Harris. And I said – and he lived right around the corner from there… We were supposed to get there in time to play, you know, and we got involved in these books, you know…”

Edited May 30, 2013 by romualdo

[romualdo]

James Accardi has just sent me a message - more pics of WG

Hi!
Some new photos:
http://wardellgray.o...ogalleryp5.html

http://wardellgray.o...ogalleryp2.html

There's a real nice shot of Gray with Basie's band at the Roost. And check out what is

likely the earliest available photo of Wardell, just hanging out with Jeanne Goings.

James

Edited June 23, 2013 by romualdo

[romualdo]

Just received an update from James Accardi

He & Jan Evensmo have just completed an updated Wardell Gray solography (on Jan's Jazz Archaeology site)

http://www.jazzarcheology.com/192/

James has also updated the WG Discography - more details e.g. the 54 Bee Hive show (wasn't this supposed to have been released by Michael Cuscuna as a BN CD but never eventuated?)

James Harrod has also covered (thoroughly to the max) WG's "Way Out Wardell" on his Jazz Research blog (August 2013)

http://jazzwestcoastresearch.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/way-out-wardell-james-a.html

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

like w/ Bird, i love how theres such a wealth of live recordings of Wardell.

[Tom in RI]

Has anyone here heard the live date noted at the Wardell Gray discography from the site linked above dating from 9/27/52 and released by the Los Angeles Jazz Institute?

[BeBop]

I've got all the LAJI recordings. I wish I could provide qualitative comments, but I haven't heard them in too long, and, when I did, it was under sub-optimal conditions.

[Quasimado]

I've got all the LAJI recordings. I wish I could provide qualitative comments, but I haven't heard them in too long, and, when I did, it was under sub-optimal conditions.

Q.

[BeBop]

I've got all the LAJI recordings. I wish I could provide qualitative comments, but I haven't heard them in too long, and, when I did, it was under sub-optimal conditions.

Q.

I travel perpetually and have access to my recorded music (aside from what's on my MP3 players) only once a year, for four days. That happens to be at the holidays, when life is hectic and noisy. I'd be hard-pressed to recall or judge music heard only under these circumstances.

[romualdo]

Has anyone here heard the live date noted at the Wardell Gray discography from the site linked above dating from 9/27/52 and released by the Los Angeles Jazz Institute?

It was released over 2 CDs (LAJI #6 & 7 - Shorty Rogers & His Giants Live At The Rendezvous Ballroom, Vols 1 & 2) - the recordings were made by Shorty Rogers - see details. SQ is pretty good

Edited October 6, 2013 by romualdo

[James Accardi]

Exciting news for fans of Wardell Gray!

Both "The Benny Goodman Show" broadcasts from the Westchester County Center have been issued in Japan on CD: Audio Park APCD-6067 (“Modern Benny 1948 featuring Wardell Gray & Stan Hasselgard"). Two previously unissued titles feature solos by Wardell - "It's The Talk Of The Town" (a Dolly Houston vocal number), and a superb "Benny's Bop" (Limehouse Blues) with a 64 bar tenor solo!

Unfortunately I cannot read Japanese, so I cannot understand the liner notes. But photographs of what seem to be the source discs almost certainly are of acetates cut by Boris Rose. Rose issued some of these recordings on his Från Staterna ("From The States") label as "Tribute From Sweden".

Besides the tracks with Wardell there's also fantastic playing by Goodman, Mary Lou Williams, Stan Hasselgard, Billy Bauer, Clyde Lombardi, and Mel Zelnick. The sound here is as good as I've heard on any copy of these shows.

[romualdo]

thanks James

have bookmarked the CD - any unreleased/rereleased Wardell is eagerly anticipated, especially a 64 bar solo

[Big Beat Steve]

'Bout time for an UPTOWN release of all this material!

[BeBop]

Exciting news for fans of Wardell Gray!

Both "The Benny Goodman Show" broadcasts from the Westchester County Center have been issued in Japan on CD: Audio Park APCD-6067 (“Modern Benny 1948 featuring Wardell Gray & Stan Hasselgard"). Two previously unissued titles feature solos by Wardell - "It's The Talk Of The Town" (a Dolly Houston vocal number), and a superb "Benny's Bop" (Limehouse Blues) with a 64 bar tenor solo!

Thank you for the information. I see this on amazon.co.jp. Any US sources?

[erwbol]

Not US, but probably cheaper than amazon.co.jp.

CD Japan