Lionel Hampton

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #140: Port Of Rico

05.11.2012 by Chris

Jean Baptiste “Illinois” Jacquet (Oct. 31, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was one of the all-time great tenor saxophonists and inventor of the Rhythm & Blues tenor style. His solo on “Flying Home” with Lionel Hampton in 1942 is considered the first R&B saxophone solo.

Beside Lionel Hampton, Jacquet also worked with Cab Calloway (1943-1944) and Count Basie (1945-1946) before he started his own medium-size band in 1946.

He recorded and toured regularly during the 1950s and was still a big name during the next few decades. Usually playing with smaller groups, he led a part-time big band from the late 1980s.

Port Of Rico

A beautiful, mellow and groovy swing tune, recorded with an all-star line-up: Illinois Jacquet (ts), Hank Jones (p), Count Basie (org!), Freddie Green (g), Ray Brown (b) and Jimmy Crawford (d).

[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B000VUBGN4″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AGbWJA0zL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B000VUDA4C” locale=”us”]Port Of Rico[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Illinois Jacquet
Recorded: July 22, 1952, NYC
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B000W1TJV8″ locale=”us”]After You've Gone[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 130 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B004PSS87A” locale=”de”]Amazon DE[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B000VUDA4C” locale=”us”]Amazon US[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B004PSEKEA” locale=”uk”]Amazon UK[/easyazon-link] ･ emusic

How do you like Illinois Jacquet's song? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #122: A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)

02.07.2012 by Chris

Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones (Aug. 29, 1924 – Dec. 14, 1963), was a pianist and a singer that was a master of different styles: Gospel, R&B, Blues, Jazz and Pop.

Her career started at age 15. After winning an amateur contest at Regal Theatre in Chicago, she began performing in nightclubs as a pianist and singer.

Joe Glaser, a talent manger, heard her at the Garrick Bar in 1942 and recommended her to Lionel Hampton, who asked her to join his band. It was around this time, when she changed her name to Dinah Washington, although it doesn't seem to be clear, who finally gave her that name.

From 1943 to 1946, Washington stayed with Hampton and made her recording debut for Keynote at the end of 1943, before she left to go solo. In 1948, she signed with the Mercury label and produced one Top Ten hit after another on the R&B charts from 1948 to 1955.

Washington also recorded many jazz sessions with big bands and small combos, most memorably with Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderley, Clark Terry, Ben Webster, Wynton Kelly, and the young Joe Zawinul (who was her regular accompanist for a couple of years).

Source: allmusic

A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)

This is a nice, lightly swinging, early R&B tune, recorded after leaving Lionel Hampton. Beside Washington's voice, the saxophone solo is remarkably beautiful.

Personnel: Frank Galbraith, Russell Royster (tp), Tab Smith (as), Johnny Hicks (ts), Larry Belton (bars), Red Richards (p), Johnny Williams (b), Walter Johnson (d) and Dinah Washington (vo).

[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B000WV50T8″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51bsJwWM-GL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B000WV50T8″ locale=”us”]A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Dinah Washington
Recorded: October 3, 1946
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B000WV7LPO” locale=”us”]The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol.1 (1946 – 1949)[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 160 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B0046T65ZK” locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B000WV50T8″ locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B0046TSJ4A” locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ･ emusic

What do you think about this version? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #114: Smiles

07.05.2012 by Chris

Back in November 2010, I posted “Smiles” by Swiss alto saxophonist Flavio Ambrosetti as the Song of the Week #35.

Five years earlier, Benny Goodman recorded “Smiles” with his quartet, featuring Lionel Hampton on vibraphone, Teddy Wilson on piano and Gene Krupa on drums.

Smiles

Let's listen to two versions.

First, the studio version (it's a bit scratchy…)

And now, a live version, obviously from the same year (although, I don't have any evidence for that)

Smiles is wonderful song, both for Lindy Hop and Balboa. Because of the clear rhythm, it's especially useful for Balboa (beginner) classes.

Probably, I have written this before: I definitely recommend the album “[easyazon-link asin=”B0013AUWA4″ locale=”us”]The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings[/easyazon-link]”. All the songs were carefully remastered in 1996 and it is one of my favorite compilations of Swing music ever!

[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B0013AUWA4″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518T3JsY0jL._SL160_.jpg” width=”157″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AKXCQ” locale=”us”]Smiles[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Benny Goodman Quartet
Recorded: 1937
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AUWA4″ locale=”us”]The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 154 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop, Balboa

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001VFN2KS” locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link]･ [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AKXCQ” locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001GSFPH8″ locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ･ emusic

Do you like small groups or do you prefer big bands? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

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Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #103: When I Grow Too Old To Dream

20.02.2012 by Chris

After last week's song from the 1970s, here is another fantastic tune which was recorded many years after the swing era:

When I Grow Too Old To Dream” by Arnett Cobb.

Lionel Hampton and Arnett Cobb — Lionel Hampton & Arnett Cobb, Aquarium, New York, N.Y., ca. June 1946 / William P. Gottlieb

Arnett Cobb (Aug. 10, 1918 – Mar. 24, 1989), born Arnette Cleophus Cobbs, played briefly piano and violin before switching to tenor saxophone. His style was based between swing and early rhythm & blues.

Cobb worked with Frank Davis (1933), Chester Boone (1934-1936) and the Milt Larkin Orchestra (1936-1942). The latter was never recorded, though.

When Cobb was succeeding Illinois Jacquet with Lionel Hampton‘s Big Band (1942-1947), he gained his initial fame.

In 1948, he led a popular band but due to health issues, he needed an operation of his spine and his career stopped. In 1951, he was back and led another band for five years.

A serious car accident in 1956 injured his legs by crushing them and he needed to use crutches for the rest of his life.

In 1959, he returned once again to play and record actively. He moved to Houston, Texas and played mostly locally. However, in 1973 he occasionally toured and recorded nationwide. In 1988, he even was touring Europe with Jimmy Heath and Joe Henderson.

When I Grow Too Old To Dream

This title was on Arnett Cobb's debut for the label Prestige and his first recording as a leader after his car accident in 1956 (not to be confused with the version from 1947, which sounds quite different.)

An easy going swing tune which I also like to use to teach beginners classes.

Be aware: the song is looong!

Personnel: Arnett Cobb (tenor saxophone), Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (tenor saxophone), Wild Bill Davis (organ), George Duvivier (bass) and Arthur Edgehill (drums).

Title: When I Grow Too Old To Dream
Artist: Arnett Cobb
Recorded: January 1959
Album: Blow Arnett, Blow
Tempo: 120 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU – iTunes US – A'zon.de – A'zon.com – A'zon.co.uk – eMusic

not an eMusic member yet? Get $10/€10 credit with Your 7 Day FREE Trial!

Do you like this song for classes? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

Song of the Week #102: “Rosetta” by Al Casey
Song of the Week #101: “Gift For The Club” by Buck Clayton
Song of the Week #100: “Livery Stable Blues” by Original Dixieland Jass Band
Song of the Week #99: “Oh I'm Evil” by Una Mae Carlisle
Song of the Week #98: “Wednesday Night Hop” by Andy Kirk & His Twelve Clouds of Joy

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #93: Moonglow

12.12.2011 by Chris

I'm a big admirer of Benny Goodman's small group recordings from 1935 to 1939. He recorded with different group sizes and what I like is the relaxness in the songs, there is so much joy of play hearable.

The sound is full and often, you get the feeling, there were many more musicians involved than actually were.

Most of the recordings were done as a quartet, with Gene Krupa on drums, Teddy Wilson on piano and Lionel Hampton on vibes.

Please note, that two of the musicians (Wilson and Hampton) were black. It was quite uncommon at that time to have mixed orchestras. In fact, Benny Goodman was hesitating for a long time to perform with black musicians on stage because of race discrimination.

Moonglow (or Moon Glow) was recorded by the quartet in 1936 and there are two existing takes. Take two is a tad faster than take one and is our song of the week. The same tune was a number one hit two years before, recorded by Goodman's freshly organized permanent performance orchestra.

Moonglow is a quite slow Lindy Hop tune, which suits perfectly to the winter season we have right now in Europe. Imagine, it's cold outside and you are attending an afternoon swing event. You drink some hot tea, eat a piece of cake and dance to this song.

I recommend “The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings” for every swing dancer and music lover, it's one of the best compilations I've ever bought. The remastering is softly and respectfully done without damaging the original sound feeling.

Title: Moonglow (Take 2)
Artist: Benny Goodman Quartet
Recorded: 1936
Album: The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings
Tempo: 114 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

Click the link to prelisten and/or buy the song (mp3/mp4a) at
iTunes CH/EU — iTunes US — Amazon.de — Amazon.com

What do you think about Benny Goodman's small group recordings? Let us know in the comment section below!

Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“. You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist.

Song of the Week #92: “Little Sir Echo” by Rex Stewart & Dickie Wells
Song of the Week #91: “‘Tain’t What You Do” by Jimmie Lunceford
Song of the Week #90: “Stompin’ At The Riverside” by Spade Cooley
Song of the Week #89: “Rexatious” by Rex Stewart
Song of the Week #88: “Honeysuckle Rose” by Fats Waller

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Lionel Hampton

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #140: Port Of Rico

Port Of Rico

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #122: A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)

A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #114: Smiles

Smiles

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #103: When I Grow Too Old To Dream

When I Grow Too Old To Dream

Related Posts:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #93: Moonglow

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