Norman Granz jam sessions

[Larry Kart]

Anybody have that box? I do and also bought many of the LPs when they came out. Just sat down to listen to the box again after a gap of many years. Quite a trip in a time machine. I'd forgotten BTW what a brilliant -- and unusually long for him -- solo Ben Webster takes on "Just You, Just Me" from "Jam Session #7." I'm still searching, though, for a moment that may exist in my memory only in distorted form. It's on a medium-up track where, in the midst of some vigorous riffing behind an Illinois Jacquet solo, Jacquet does a kind of guttural buzz-bomb imitation, swooping way down from on high. Only track that fits that pattern is "Jam Blues" from "Jam Session #7," but while there is some caloric riffing there and Jacquet does get quite heated, I don't hear the buzz-bomb effect that's stayed in my mind for roughly 65 years now.

[jazzcorner]

9 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Anybody have that box? I do and also bought many of the LPs when they came out. Just sat down to listen to the box again after a gap of many years. Quite a trip in a time machine. I'd forgotten BTW what a brilliant -- and unusually long for him -- solo Ben Webster takes on "Just You, Just Me" from "Jam Session #7." I'm still searching, though, for a moment that may exist in my memory only in distorted form. It's on a medium-up track where, in the midst of some vigorous riffing behind an Illinois Jacquet solo, Jacquet does a kind of guttural buzz-bomb imitation, swooping way down from on high. Only track that fits that pattern is "Jam Blues" from "Jam Session #7," but while there is some caloric riffing there and Jacquet does get quite heated, I don't hear the buzz-bomb effect that's stayed in my mind for roughly 65 years now.

Have that CD box as well as most of the vinyls too. But have also some more of these JATP concert recordings.

Was that track  within the "Jamsessions" or on a single vinyl?  Here is my JATP stock:

 

CD      JATP The complete JATP on Verve 1944 - 1949    1944-49          Verve (10)

         JATP Norman Granz  J.A.T.P.- 1940s  1944-49       Verve(jap) (3)

CD      JATP Jazz at the Philharmonic - the first 10 years         1944-53          Proper Box (4)

          JATP Jazz at the Philharmonic '40s - '50s  1944-54       Verve  (jap) DSM (2)

          JATP Jazz at the Philharmonic Vol 2  1946  Verve (jap) DSM

          JATP The new Vol. 5 DSM        1947  Clef Records

          JATP The new Vol. 6 (formely 8/9 & 10)       1947  Clef Records

          JATP JATP Allstars Perdido    1947  VSPS

          JATP JATP Allstars How High The Moon     1947-55       VSPS

          JATP The Challenge        1949  Verve

          JATP Midnight Jazz at Carnegie Hall 1950s Verve(2)

          JATP Carnegie Hall Concert      1952  Columbia(EMI)

CD      JATP The complete Norman Granz Jam Sessions  1952-54          Verve Box (5)

          JATP Jazz At The Philharmonic - 1950s      1952-55       Verve (jap) (3)

          JATP Trumpet Battle      1952/09       Verve

          JATP The 1950s    1953-56       Verve(3) DSM

          JATP Hartford, 1953      1953/05       Pablo

          JATP One o clock jump   1953/09       Verve

CD      JATP The Exiting Battle Stockholm `55      1955/02       Pablo

          JATP Blues in Chicago     1955/10       Verve

          JATP JATP in Europe 21.11.1960        1960  Verve box(4)

          JATP Norman Granz Presents JATP in Europe       1960s Verve

          JATP J.A.T.P. in Tokyo   1963  Verve(3)

          JATP JATP at Montreux 1975  1975  Pablo(jap)

 

Edited January 27, 2020 by jazzcorner
fonts

[Brad]

Yes, I have that box as well as the JATP, the latter being one of my older acquisitions. I purchased it in my infant jazz days when Phil Schapp talked extensively about JATP. 

[jazzbo]

I have those boxes too. I don't specifically remember what Larry is looking for but man there's great moments in that "Jam" box.

[Larry Kart]

 Jazzcorner -- That buzz-bomb moment from Jacquet definitely was on one of the Jam Session LPs, not a JATP album.

BTW I caught the 10/2/55 JATP performance at the Chicago Opera House, eventually issued years later  as "Blues in Chicago." First live jazz performance I saw. Sitting in the audience at age 13, waiting for the curtain to go up, I don't think I'd ever been more excited in my life. Only time I got to hear Lester Young in person.

 

[Peter Friedman]

Larry,   I was 15 years old at my first JATP Concert in either 1952 or 1953 at the Broadway Capital theatre in Detroit.

What stands out in my memory were the trumpet battles between Roy Eldridge and Charlie Shavers, and the tenor battles between Illinois Jacquet and Flip Phillips.

During the tenor battles the large audience got highly excited and began to rise out of their seats screaming to egg on the musicians.

Not sure at which JATP concert I saw the drum battles between Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich and  between Louis Bellson and Buddy Rich?

I also recall that when Norman Granz announced a ballad medley, the audience groaned. They primarily came to the concert to see the excitement of up tempo tunes and the instrumental battles.

[Milestones]

This was all way before my time.

Groaning at ballads?   I don't think I'd go for concert that was all uptempo and all about "battles."   Ballads are a must.

 

[jazzcorner]

20 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

 Jazzcorner -- That buzz-bomb moment from Jacquet definitely was on one of the Jam Session LPs, not a JATP album.

 

 

OK thanks for the Info. Will concentrate on Illinois on the Jamsessions.

Some nice covers of JATP also here:

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/david-stone-martin-cover-design.823384/

 

Here is another on by "Mr. Honker"

 

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by jazzcorner

[Kevin Bresnahan]

11 hours ago, Milestones said:

This was all way before my time.

Groaning at ballads?   I don't think I'd go for concert that was all uptempo and all about "battles."   Ballads are a must.

 

I've been to shows in larger venues where I've heard a little moan/groan when the band calls out a ballad. In general, people like the barn-burners and it's likely especially true when the band, JATP, is known for them.

[Milestones]

Just saying that I find diversity essential.  Are there any symphonies or concertos that lack the adagio/largo?

Or, to put it in jazz terms, how often does a jazz album (especially a great one) totally dispense with ballads? 

Edited January 28, 2020 by Milestones

[Larry Kart]

Jazzcorner -- I'll listen again to "Jam Blues" from #7. It's probably there but probably sounded more sensational/unusual to me way back when than it does now.

[Peter Friedman]

Milestones, yes I share your opinion . But as a very young teenager, I was not into ballads. Also JATP concerts were known for excitement, battles, etc. , and many of the audience had come to the concert that reason.

Also drum battles were very very big crowd pleasers. While I dug them then, they are no longer appealing to me, with just minor exceptions.

 Your own opinion while fine,  misses the time period and specific context of a JATP concert in the early to mid-50's.

[Milestones]

True enough, but I recall there were songs like "Embraceable You" at JATP.

[jazzcorner]

3 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Jazzcorner -- I'll listen again to "Jam Blues" from #7. It's probably there but probably sounded more sensational/unusual to me way back when than it does now.

Hi Larry,

have just sorted out those with Illinois Jaquet for a listen. BTW "Jam Blues is Vol. # 8

the Volume 5 (Jamming for Clef & Rose Room)

the volume 7 (Blue Lou & Just You, Just me)

the Volume 8 (Jam Blues & Ballad Medley)

 

[Larry Kart]

You're right, it's on #8. But I did listen to it yesterday.

[Larry Kart]

BTW, I remember reading in Metronome in the '50s a parody titled "Jazz At the Mikvah." (A Mikvah is where Orthodox Jewish women bathe to achieve ritual purity after menstruation and childbirth before they and their husbands may resume marital relations.) One of the featured artists was Michigan Racquet, and the soloists played while standing in three feet of tepid salt water. IIRC, eloctrocution was in the cards.

[Guy Berger]

The first two sessions are IMHO great (discs 1 & 2 in the box).  Ben Webster is great, Bird is great, Stan Getz is great, Count Basie is great...

The 3rd and 4th (CDs 3-5) I enjoy less.

[Chuck Nessa]

Jam Sessions 7 & 8 are favorites in this house - Hampton is a big plus here. I found originals of both jams in the early '70s.