Billy Root

[John Tapscott]

Thanks for passing by and sharing, Eric!

Wish I had that Capozzoli's disc ... got to look for it, grabbed three of them by others (Bill Perkins, Don Menza, Gabe Baltazar/Eddie Bert) from the bins many years ago. Guess the Root/Tanno wasn't there as I'm quite sure I was hip to Root by then.

Here it is:

http://www.woofyproductions.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=WPCD94

[eroot64]

There are many very good recordings from woofyprod. one in perticular is a friend of Dads, Lennie Niehaus

http://www.woofyproductions.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=WPCD96

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Randy Marsh's dad Arno has a few CDs in their catalog.

[johnblitweiler]

I may have posted this elsewhere: Billy Root played baritone sax at the very first jazz concert I attended (1958). It was the Kenton band and he and Lennie Niehaus and Jimmie Knepper were the featured soloists. Very strong music, memorable.

[Larry Kart]

Surprised that one of Root's finest outings has not been mentioned, his solo with Lee Morgan, Al Grey, Billy Mitchell, Wynton Kelly, Paul West, and Charlie Persip on the great "Dishwater." Dig the ensemble shout that links the end of Morgan's solo (he's age18!) to the beginning of Root's, and the terrifically loose, swinging feel of the whole track.

[JSngry]

How many records did Wynton Kelley & Charili(e) Persip make together? Those are two one-man big bands right there, put them together and on the same wavelength as they are there and DAMN.

Billy Root feels right at home in there too, for real.

[JohnS]

Surprised that one of Root's finest outings has not been mentioned, his solo with Lee Morgan, Al Grey, Billy Mitchell, Wynton Kelly, Paul West, and Charlie Persip on the great "Dishwater." Dig the ensemble shout that links the end of Morgan's solo (he's age18!) to the beginning of Root's, and the terrifically loose, swinging feel of the whole track.

Mentioned in my post above Larry, but perhaps not obviously. What a great track DIshwater is. Fabulous run of exciting solos from Kelly,Morgan, Root and Grey.

[king ubu]

There are many very good recordings from woofyprod. one in perticular is a friend of Dads, Lennie Niehaus

http://www.woofyproductions.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=WPCD96

just ordered both that and the Root/Tanno - nice international shipping charges there, about half the usual ones or even less!

[jlhoots]

I like the entire Dizzy Atmosphere album.

[eroot64]

One crazy note about Dad and the baritone, Stan Kenton needed a Baritone player and asked pop, Dad said " sure I play Baritone". Then he went out and found a horn to barrow even used the reed that was on it (un heard of,pop was a fanatic about reeds) . He didn't have a chance to pick up the horn before the show, so the first time he played Baritone was on stage with Kenton. In pops words "Iron Balls". Dad was never crazy to play Baritone he said it took to much wind.

[Hardbopjazz]

Pop was a real character, growing up listening to his stories I know the best times of his life were spent on the road. We really hoped to write a book about it , but the dementia took him so quickly it never happened. He wanted to call it "sitting at the back of the bus". He was often the only white member of the bands he toured with during the 50s and 60s. His band mates got great pleasure making him sit in the back . I think that started with Dizzy Gillespie, a man he truly loved.

Sorry for your loss. At least his music remains for the ages.

[eroot64]

P.S. What a great player Al Grey was, and the nicest man you would ever want to meet.

Edited April 25, 2014 by eroot64

[Peter Friedman]

I like Billy Root's playing a lot on both tenor and baritone. That solo on "dishwasher" is a gem. The 2 Birdland sessions, the Red Rodney album, and the Bennie Green session are all very good.

However, the Capazolli's date on Woofy was very disappointing. As Billy's son indicated, Root was just not in good shape for that session. I quickly disposed of my copy.

[johnblitweiler]

If anyone would care to read it Billys elegy along with some photos and a discography it can be found at http://therootsolutions.com/billroot.html , .Also a video of his memorial concert is on you tube Memorial concert

Eric, thank you for the links. Tantalizing stories. It's really too bad your father didn't write or dictate his memoirs.

[jeffcrom]

I have a 78 blog, mostly for my own amusement, but it occurred to me that Billy Root fans might want to hear a rare one - his first recording, for the Roost label, on a never-reissued 78.

Billy Root on Roost

[JSngry]

whoa...

a big fatass gracias beaucoup, mon señor!

[JohnS]

Nice - thanks for posting Jeff.

PS, couldn't resist clicking on Stovepipe No 1. A name I hadn't come across is 50 years.

Edited August 2, 2014 by JohnS

[Dan Gould]

Thanks Jeff - it's hard to imagine a 78 over 60 years old could sound that minty.

[romualdo]

Many thanks Jeff

pity we don't know who the other musicians were

[Eric]

whoa...

a big fatass gracias beaucoup, mon señor!

to all of that and to Jeff for posting the 78 - very cool!

[paul secor]

Another thanks, Jeff. I wonder if the interview that Cadence did with him made any mention of the rhythm section on that record?

Unfortunately, I no longer have my copy.

[AllenLowe]

beautiful performance.

it's a complete shot in the dark, btw, but I thought of Walter Bishop for the piano on Our Love is Here to Stay. Mostly because of how convincingly Bud-ish the chord voicings are, as well as the way he approaches his solo.

[Caravan]

I have a 78 blog, mostly for my own amusement, but it occurred to me that Billy Root fans might want to hear a rare one - his first recording, for the Roost label, on a never-reissued 78.

Billy Root on Roost

Born 1934, record from 1949? I suppose something ain't right there.

[jeffcrom]

I have a 78 blog, mostly for my own amusement, but it occurred to me that Billy Root fans might want to hear a rare one - his first recording, for the Roost label, on a never-reissued 78.

Billy Root on Roost

Born 1934, record from 1949? I suppose something ain't right there.

I can't believe I hadn't noticed that. The discographies I've seen list it as from 1949, but that can't be right. Comparing the catalog number to other Roost 78s, late 1953 or early 1954 seems reasonable.

[johnblitweiler]

One crazy note about Dad and the baritone, Stan Kenton needed a Baritone player and asked pop, Dad said " sure I play Baritone". Then he went out and found a horn to barrow even used the reed that was on it (un heard of,pop was a fanatic about reeds) . He didn't have a chance to pick up the horn before the show, so the first time he played Baritone was on stage with Kenton. In pops words "Iron Balls". Dad was never crazy to play Baritone he said it took to much wind.

My memory from 1958 or 59 is that your Dad was a very good baritone player, with a big sound.