Ring dem doorbells!

[mikeweil]

I left off Hampton and Norvo - I' aware Norvo in particular played very modern stuff! - to focus on the discussion on modern doorbellists (I like that term, I'll admit! active in the 1960's, otherwise 10 choices simply wouldn't be enough, and please excuse if I omitted any player of importance - the list of vibists passing through the George Shearing Band alone is enormous: Marjorie Hyams (who was inactive raising children by then), Tjader, Joe Roland, Johnny Rae, Emil Richards, Warren Chiasson, you name 'em! I left off Eddie Costa as he had passed by 1962, and Victor Feldman beacuse he doubled and did much studio work, the latter applies to Emil Richards as well.

Of course Bags 'n' Bobby will lead the pack, that's for sure, but please let us know who are your second or third choices!

Thanks!

I add a list of prominent jazz vibists from the beginning, please post your additions and correction (especially concerning year of birth and/or death) at the end of the thread, and I will edit them in. Thanks again!

first name - last name - year of birth - year of death

Adrian Rollini 1904 - 1956

Red Norvo 1908 - 1999

Lionel Hampton 1909 - 2002

Tyree Glenn 1912 - 1974

Joe Roland 1920

Johnny Otis 1921

Marjorie Hyams 1923

Milt Jackson 1923 - 1999

Terry Gibbs 1924

Cal Tjader 1925 - 1982

Don Elliott 1926 - 1984

Bill Le Sage 1926

Sadi Lallemand 1927

Peter Appleyard 1928

Larry Bunker 1928

Teddy Charles 1928

Lem Winchester 1928 - 1961

Eddie Costa 1930 - 1962

Fritz Hartschuh 1930

Buddy Montgomery 1930

Walt Dickerson 1931

Johnny Lytle 1932

Freddie McCoy 1932

Emil Richards 1932

Warren Smith 1932

Wolfgang Schlüter 1933

Victor Feldman 1934 - 1986

Johnny Rae 1934

Karl Berger 1935

Jerzy Milian 1935

Bosko Petrovic 1935

Gunter Hampel 1937

Charlie Shoemake 1937

Mike Mainieri 1938

Dave Pike 1938

Roy Ayers 1940

Werner Pirchner 1940 - 2001

Bobby Hutcherson 1941

Gary Burton 1943

David Friedman 1944

Bobby Naughton 1944

Khan Jamal 1946

Dave Samuels 1948

Jay Hoggard 1954

Gust William Tsilis 1954

Steve Nelson 1955

Woody Schabata 1955

Stefan Bauer 1956

Joe Locke 1959

Bill Ware 1959

Stefon Harris 1975

Bryan Carrot ?

Ed Mann ?

Tom Van Der Geld ?

Matthias Lupri ?

Orphy Robinson ?

Edited May 17, 2006 by mikeweil

[king ubu]

You're somewhat obsessive about them "doorbells", it seems!?!

I cannot vote, actually, as there's too many on your list I don't know at all, or know only very little of their recorded output.

I love Hutcherson's work on Blue Note, he's playing on some of my favorite albums of that era (Destination Out, Idle Moments, Out To Lunch, Lifetime, Stick Up!, Dialogue, you name it!).

I saw him live a couple of years ago (in one of those dreaded all star affairs) with Ray Brown, Kenny Burrell, Hank Jones and Mickey Roker. Hutcherson was replacing the deceased Milt Jackson, who should have been on that tour. It became a Milt-tribute tour, and Hutcherson was very unimpressing, to say the least. He did not make the impression to care what was happening at all, standing there totally detatched.

Jackson is someone I should explore further. However, I like his collaborations with Coltrane and Cannonball very very much. He is a great blues player!

This is almost everything I can say about them modern doorbellists.

Got some Hampton, got some things featuring Dave Friedman, one or two with Dickerson, but that's about it.

ubu

[tjobbe]

oh man.. you really want me to choose ? I'm a doorbell fan

let me say it that way: the one I like most is clearly Gary Burton although I would not put him in as 60's best, but rather in later period. I love his play on ECM specially with Chick Corea (as the Zurich concert is one of my favorites) but when it comes to 60's only, I would not count him in, or if .. on third place

On '60 my personal favorite is Milt Jackson due to the variaty of his playing and he managed to stay on top for a long time even before or after the 60's. I personally can recommend any record in my selection that see Bags as either leader or strong contributor.

Second nominee would be Cal Tjader as his feeling for rhythm is what I like best in his play. I sometimes have the feeling that he's little bit underrated by the "hardcore-jazz fans"

Cheers, Tjobbe

[mikeweil]

Second nominee would be Cal Tjader as his feeling for rhythm is what I like best in his play. I sometimes have the feeling that he's little bit underrated by the "hardcore-jazz fans"

Tjader would be my second choice too, after Ayers. Besides being a Latin Jazz pioneer of the highest order, he covered a lot of ground and he plays with so much feeling. After playing a tune from one of his albums with one of my bands I realized how great an interpreter of others' compositions he is!

[king ubu]

Hey you fans, make some Tjader recommendations, please!

Maybe I find some money somewhere (though not in my purse, for sure...)

How's the OJC with Getz (it pops up in its ZYX-24-bit incarnation here).

ubu

[couw]

Hey you fans, make some Tjader recommendations, please!

Maybe I find some money somewhere (though not in my purse, for sure...)

How's the OJC with Getz (it pops up in its ZYX-24-bit incarnation here).

ubu

The Tjader-Getz album is highly recommended. It's superb Getz with great Tjader and marvellous Guaraldi.

[tjobbe]

Hey you fans, make some Tjader recommendations, please!

Maybe I find some money somewhere (though not in my purse, for sure...)

How's the OJC with Getz (it pops up in its ZYX-24-bit incarnation here).

ubu

The Tjader-Getz album is highly recommended. It's superb Getz with great Tjader and marvellous Guaraldi.

no further comment needed... buy now !!!!

[king ubu]

no further comment needed... buy now !!!!

That's what I was afraid of

thanks!

ubu

[marcoliv]

my vote is for Milt Jackson based on my respect for his work, legacy & etc...

my favorite is Bobby Hutcherson as my BN obsession is still growing...

i only have the Verve Elite from Walt Dickerson but it´s too damn good. maybe i need to get more stuff from him

Dave Pike could have been mentioned too, i think

Marcus Oliveira

Edited February 6, 2004 by marcoliv

[connoisseur series500]

Bobby Hutcherson all the way! I don't think he put in a bad session anywhere aside from a brief period in the 70s. He is always dedicated; love his lightning speed and his superior feel for the avant-garde. He made a wonderful team with Herbie Hancock.

He played a role in many of Blue Note's greatest cds. I can't name them all right now, but he was in Jackie's "Destination Out!" and Grant Green's "Idle Moments." His stuff as a leader is outstanding; my favorite might be "Happenings." I just love his version of "Maiden Voyage."

Milt was the first vibist for me; I heard him when I was a kid, but Hutcherson took it to another level.

I do like Roy Ayers and Tjader is fine with me. Walt Dickerson's "To My Queen" is a masterpiece.

[ghost of miles]

I voted for Hutch--his work on DESTINATION OUT is what got me into vibes in the first place, as discussed earlier in this thread. Right now I'm on a Lem Winchester kick, having recently picked up all four of his Fantasy re-issues.

[Jim R]

No vibist moves me like Milt, although Lem Winchester comes pretty close. If Lem hadn't died so young, there's no telling how accomplished and celebrated he may have become...

Some of Hutcherson's work is very appealing to me, but a lot does very little for me. Just a matter of personal taste- he's definitely one of the greats. I feel almost exactly the same way about Gary Burton.

Edited February 6, 2004 by Jim R

[randyhersom]

Walt Dickerson is so underrated that I really didn't try very hard to limit my consideration to only his 60's albums. To My Queen is a major triumph, and I wouldn't want to be without any of them. Bobby Hutcherson certainly put out a very large body of fine work during the decade, but Walt's originality and lyricism tip the scales for me.

[mikeweil]

Dave Pike could have been mentioned too, i think

Of course - I always miss one name when I put together such a list.

I love most of these guys.

Ayers is my favourite, because his sound is sooooo beautiful, more than that of any other vibist, and during years with Herbie Mann he played some very exciting rhythmical phrases. His collaborations with Jack Wilson are timeless.

Pike - I recently got me his Columbia album with Bill Evans, and it is fantastic, full of swing, perhaps the best fit for "hard bop vibist".

Jackson is great, but I constantly fail to remember even one of his melodic phrases - a certain sameness creeps in. Same goes fur Huthcerson. I can sing whole solos of Ayers, on the contrary ....

Tjader I love, he is my second choice. Always tasteful, swinging and with good sound.

Teddy Charles is the most fearless on the list, bold and right in your face.

Burton - the four-mallet sophistication turns me off, this obsession with harmonic development - I prefer the rhythmic percussive side of the instrument.

Dickerson - still the epitome of sensitive avant-garde vibes, in the top league.

Lytle - the groove master. Now who voted for Lytle?

[mikeweil]

How's the OJC with Getz (it pops up in its ZYX-24-bit incarnation here).

ubu, have a listen first to check if the ZYX remastering is okay

Of course it's fantastic, swings like hell. All are great on that album: Getz, Tjader, Guaraldi, Duran, LaFaro, Higgins - what a dream band! Eddie Duran is a very good, very underrated guitarist, still active in the Bay area with his wife - they perform as Mad 'n' Eddie!

I have practically all of Tjader's CDs, so if you see anything, just ask, I can tell ya how it is!

[king ubu]

Thanks Mike! But rather than listen, I might get the REAL one from the US right away! It's not only sound - I don't like the flimsy ZYX-digi-packaging either.

However, this sounds like one to check out. And maybe a good way to get to know Tjader.

What you say about Bags makes some sense for me. Well, his work with Monk is exceptional, but that's forties, and we're talking sixties here. I have that 2CD Verve set "Much in Common" by Ray Brown/Milt Jackson, and while there's lots of fine playing there (Cannonball's providing the highlights, in my opinion), there's not much that really sticks to the memory.

How do you rate the Jackson/Thompson recordings? I have only heard one LP's worth of them, and have the "Plenty, Plenty Soul" CD - which is fabulous! I'd love to hear all those dates collected in a neat box!

Regarding Roy Ayers: please make a recommendation or two! The only Ayers I have is on that very nice Jack Wilson Conn CD. I'd sure like to hear some more!

Anyone here has heard Teddy Charles' tribute to Hampton recorded in the early sixties for Bethlehem? That's a very funny album! He's much more modern than Hamp, yet the music is really in a Hampton vein (I think the man on tenor - Zoot Sims, if memory serves me right - even does that Jacquet solo on "Flyin' Home", or at least he does some very similar honking).

ubu

[kh1958]

O

I love most of these guys.

Ayers is my favourite, because his sound is sooooo beautiful, more than that of any other vibist, and during years with Herbie Mann he played some very exciting rhythmical phrases. His collaborations with Jack Wilson are timeless.

[Brad]

That's very hard list to choose from. I have to single out Lem Winchester, Milt and Bobby Hutcherson, whom I've gotten to like more lately: he seems to crop up everywhere! But I like Johnny Lyttle too. In the end I voted for Lem; he needs some recognition. Winchester Special is a must buy and just a fantastic album.

[vibes]

I picked Hutch, just because of all the different contexts in which he played. His albums as a leader as great. He did a lot of great work as a sideman - with Jackie McLean, Grachan Moncur, Grant Green, Billy Mitchell, Prince Lasha/Sonny Simmons, Barney Kessel, Stanley Cowell, Lee Morgan and on and on and on. My interest in Bobby Hutcherson has helped me to discover countless other wonderful and exciting musicians.

Walt Dickerson is probably my second favorite. I just bought some of his 70's work on Steeplechase, and while it's a bit more difficult for me to listen to (quite free), it's still pretty good. Of his 60's work, "Relativity," "Impressions of a Patch of Blue," "Jazz Impressions of Lawrence of Arabia" and "Unity" are all really excellent. I listen to them all the time.

Lately, I've really been digging Roy Ayers' 60's work, with Curtis Amy, Gerald Wilson and as a leader. I really like his sound.

[mgraham333]

Too often this is all I hear:

[Big Al]

Not a bad one in the bunch! As much as I enjoy Hutch & Gibbs, I voted for Tjader. His sound moves me like no other vibist; in addition, I like it that he doubles as a percussionist on his own sessions, which makes sense since his playing can be raucously percussive when it needs to be; sweet & mellow other times.

While the Getz/Tjader CD is an outstanding choice, I would also heartily recommend Los Ritmos Calientes, a Fantasy 2-fer. A non-stop Latin groove from start to finish! Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Jose Silva absolutely SMOKE on "Mongorama!"

For the Verve stuff, you can't go wrong with Soul Sauce. If you can avoid paying full price for Soul Bird: Whiffenpoof in the Verve LPR series, scoop it up, as it is a worthy follow up to SS!

Then get Cuban Fantasy to hear how baaaaad he still was in the 70's!

[king ubu]

I will consider the Tjader albums. The LPRs can be found rather cheap.

Listened to the Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett/Gary Burton-Throb twofer this morning. He sounds too clean for me to really like him, I guess. The country-styled things on Throb, the violin etc, have a haunting quality (parallels to what Charlie Haden is doing these days?).

Then I just found my copy of Terry Gibbs' LPR, that "Plays Jewish Melodies in Jazztime" - it's been some time since I listened to it, but I remember I liked it quite a bit. Gotta listen to this and to the Dickerson VME (which I absolutely love, but which is my only Dickerson so far).

ubu

[vibes]

While I voted for Hutcherson, I have a very soft spot for Cal Tjader. I'm glad to see him getting so much praise in this thread, as I feel that he's often overlooked on these boards.

My first experience with Cal was the Verve "Shades of Jade/Breeze From the East" twofer. At the time, I was living in Hong Kong and found the CD at a local HMV. They would let you listen to any CD in the store, as long as it wasn't a Japanese pressing. The music was a joy - I can remember feeling a little embarrased as I giggled and listened with delight to this unusual music that I'd found (I'd only gotten into jazz that year, and only had Lionel Hampton and Oscar Peterson compilations previous to this experience). I bought the CD immediately, and "Soul Sauce" and "Soul Burst" soon followed. I'm glad Verve finally released "Soulbird - Whiffenpoof" and am hoping they'll release more of his music soon.

[tooter]

I went for Milt Jackson simply because of the unfailing high quality of his improvisation - he never seemed to run out of ideas - but also in some small degree because he did not too often indulge in the grunting and singing along with his solos which I find very difficult to tolerate in vibists/bassists/pianists etc (except Bud Powell!). There is at least one recording I know of where Milt Jackson actually tries to sing without playing the vibes as well but this is best avoided I think!

[paul secor]

I voted for Walt Dickerson, though I feel that many of his best recordings were made after the 60's.

I could have voted for Lem Winchester or Bags, also. I like a number of the recordings that Hutcherson plays on very much, but I feel that very often the playing of other musicians has more to do with that than his playing does. In general, I like him more as an accompanist than as a leader or soloist.