Bethlehem Records

[Tom 1960]

I recently started a thread on Savoy Records asking for peoples recommendations. It was a label I was sadly underweighted in. Thanks to all for the many great recommendations. I can now say, I have seriously bolstered that part of my collection. Now I'm asking for folks thoughts/favorites on the Bethlehem label. I own maybe 8 -10 titles at best but would like to add further.  Your input as always is much appreciated.

[jlhoots]

Stu Williamson

[duaneiac]

[JSngry]

http://www.jazzdisco.org/bethlehem-records/catalog-6000-5000-series/album-index/

http://www.jazzdisco.org/bethlehem-records/catalog-deluxe-series/album-index/

I'll put it this way - if you see a name(s) you know, their Bethlehem records are worth checking out, all of them. A few people, like Mingus, Booker Little, Nina Simone, & Ellington, made some very good/historically important records for the label that you should have if you collect at least partially from an archival standpoint. Some people, like J & K, Frances Fay, Mel Torme, & Chris Connor, had hits for the label that were of top-shelf quality (if that's your bag). The lesser/more "unknown" names...what I've heard of them has been at worst not bad.

As for "pleasant surprises"...The Howard McGhee record was a lot better than I expected it to be, really, and I didn't exactly expect it to suck. And the Harold Ousley record really came out of nowhere for me - Charles Davis AND Julian Priester. Sallie Blair was fun enough, although an afternoon was really enough. Rouse/Quinnichette was a good ride, the Charlie Persip record even more so. I find the Dexter Gordon things (with and without Stan Levey) to be really close to being really good, but....there's better by both I'd look for first. However, if you've been there and done that, hey, here THIS is.

In general, if you're not paying too much, if you see something you think you might like for the price, you probably should go ahead.

[mjzee]

Here's an album I'm surprised I'm recommending.  I don't think I like her voice or her delivery, yet I keep coming back to it, so there must be something about it...

[Tom 1960]

Thanks Jim for your thoughts. I was thinking about the Howard McGhee "Dusty Blue" release. Sounds like I'm on firm footing on this.

[jazzbo]

I love Bethlehem Records, and I think I bought all but five or six of the most recent Japanese reissue series on Solid Records.

I'll agree with what Jim says. And I'll say that there are a number of releases that surprised the heck out of me; I didn't think I would really really like the Joe Derise or Bobby Troup albums as much as I do for example. Or the Sam Most or Charlie Shavers.

If you are an Ellington fan the two Ellington albums (and his contributions to the Porgy and Bess record set) are well worth having. The Blakey "Big Band" and "Hard Drive" are excellent, as are the three Mingus entries in the catalog (especially "East Coasting," which is one of my favorite jazz sessions, period. The Oscar Pettiford, the McKusick, the Teddy Charles. . . these too are becoming favorites. . . .

Many nice albums. . . .

Edited December 5, 2016 by jazzbo

[Dan Gould]

I'm partial to the Zoot Sims release.

And word of greater enthusiasm for the Dex leader date than Jim showed. But then I'm always partial to a pairing of Kenny Drew with any of my tenor heroes.

[Big Beat Steve]

Some I spin fairly often among my Bethlehem records are the ones by Stan Levey ("This Time the Drum's on Me" and "Stan Levey Plays") and Claude Williamson ("Claude Williamson" and "Round Midnight") - and one I like particularly is "Sam Most plays Bird, Bud, Monk and Miles".

And another plug for Dexter Gordon's "Daddy Plays The Horn"! To be taken along with his "Blows Hot and Cool" on Dootone as a document of his "middle period".

Edited December 5, 2016 by Big Beat Steve

[Tom 1960]

Any thoughts on this?

[jazzbo]

'S a good one.

[Peter Friedman]

There are (at least) 2 Howard McGhee CDs on Bethlehem 

The Return of Howard McGhee

Dusty Blue

Others on Bethlehem I like that were not mentioned include:

Zoot Sims - Down Home

Frank Rosolino - I Play Trombone

Max Bennett (Septet)

Pepper Adams - Motor City Scene

I forgot to include two CDs by Oscar Pettiford.

Oscar Pettiford / Red Mitchell - Jazz Mainstream (2 separate groups, 1 by Pettiford and 1 by Mitchell)

Oscar Pettiford - Another One

[Brad]

I have several Bethlehems.   Among others I like 

Stan Levey.  

Max Bennett.

Claude Williamson.

Also Daddy Plays the Horn by Dexter. 

[jazzbo]

If this thread runs long enough, most every Bethlehem will be recommended. Well, maybe not the Francis Fayes. . .

[kh1958]

6 hours ago, jazzbo said:

I love Bethlehem Records, and I think I bought all but five or six of the most recent Japanese reissue series on Solid Records.

I'll agree with what Jim says. And I'll say that there are a number of releases that surprised the heck out of me; I didn't think I would really really like the Joe Derise or Bobby Troup albums as much as I do for example. Or the Sam Most or Charlie Shavers.

If you are an Ellington fan the two Ellington albums (and his contributions to the Porgy and Bess record set) are well worth having. The Blakey "Big Band" and "Hard Drive" are excellent, as are the three Mingus entries in the catalog (especially "East Coasting," which is one of my favorite jazz sessions, period. The Oscar Pettiford, the McKusick, the Teddy Charles. . . these too are becoming favorites. . . .

Many nice albums. . . .

I wish there were three Mingus recordings on  Bethlehem, but aren't there only two--East Coasting and A Modern Jazz Symposium of Poetry and Music. The other 1957 Mingus recordings were on Atlantic, RCA and Jubilee.

[Stereojack]

2 hours ago, kh1958 said:

I wish there were three Mingus recordings on  Bethlehem, but aren't there only two--East Coasting and A Modern Jazz Symposium of Poetry and Music. The other 1957 Mingus recordings were on Atlantic, RCA and Jubilee.

There are three:

Jazz Experiments (BCP 65)

East Coasting (BCP 6019)

Modern Jazz Symposium of Jazz and Poetry (BCP 6026)

 

[JSngry]

The third Mingus Bethlehem was an issue of the Period album, same thing that came out on Everest.

[kh1958]

Okay, I didn't realize recording that recording had been reissued by Bethlehem; I  believe it was also reissued by Jazztone. 

[T.D.]

9 hours ago, JSngry said:

 

...I'll put it this way - if you see a name(s) you know, their Bethlehem records are worth checking out, all of them...In general, if you're not paying too much, if you see something you think you might like for the price, you probably should go ahead.

My collection of Bethlehem titles is not extensive, but I agree 100% with the above!

[Big Beat Steve]

10 hours ago, jazzbo said:

If this thread runs long enough, most every Bethlehem will be recommended. .

Which only goes to show that tastes differ. Luckily ...

Things MIGHT be different if the thread starter in such a situation had said "I like artists A and B but not really C and D and the like, and style-wise I tend towards X but can do without Y. So within that framework, what would you recommend from the Bethlehem catalog?". But he didn't. And I dont think this is a bad thing. Because if your musical horizons are a bit wider this will hold plenty of interesting discoveries in stock for you.

Bethlehem is a label that for a time I bought almost unseen-unheard when reissues were around easily, and while there are some I like better than others I cannot recall having ever ended up with one that (to my taste) was a dud.  (But I did avoid the femme vocalist albums - not my cuppa to explore them in depth ... )

And coming to think of it,  another one that (to me) stands out is "The Chase Is On" (BCP 6021) feat. Charlie Rouse & Paul Qunichette.

 

[soulpope]

[brownie]

Don''t forget the Herbie Nichols  album 'Love, Gloom, Cash, Love', one of the rarest LP from the  label.

[jazzbo]

Indeed, Guy, glad you posted that.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

While I have enjoyed many of the titles mentioned in this thread and I do play some of them quite a bit (Pepper Adams), I haven't been all that thrilled with the CD masterings I've heard on quite a few of them. I don't know if the masters are lost or if some of these recordings were just badly recorded, but I haven't been able to find a decent version of several titles. Many of them sound muffled while others are overly bright. I think some of the worst reissues were the mini-LP versions I bought from Japan in the early 00's. Stan Levey's "Grand Stan" and Howard McGhee's "The Return of Howard McGhee" sound particularly harsh, especially if you crank them up a bit. Almost painfully sibilant.

[Big Beat Steve]

5 hours ago, brownie said:

Don''t forget the Herbie Nichols  album 'Love, Gloom, Cash, Love', one of the rarest LP from the  label.

An affordable vinyl reissue is "Out of The Shadow" on Affinity (UK) AFF90.