As the distressingly knowledgeable 20th century history-savvy gang here inhabits what appears to be a permanent state of worry, tension and fear these days, we note that autumn shall soon end and winter will be upon us soon. The month of September is ending shortly, so today, we pay tribute to "Fall."
We'll start celebrating the season change with a Warner Bros. cartoon, the first but not the last on the topic of gambling; the 1951 Merrie Melodie Early To Bet, directed by Robert McKimson, cleverly and literally visualizes the gambling bug. Don't know if Frank "Tish Tash" Tashlin was into gambling, but we do know that at the very least three of our all-time favorite comedians, Phil Silvers, Ernie Kovacs and Norm MacDonald, were.
NOW THAT SUMMER IS GONE would be a fantastic companion to the Twilight Zone episode THE FEVER featuring the great Everett Sloane as a super-strict and super insufferable Calvinist moralist who goes to Vegas on vacation and gets utterly obsessed with slot machines and casino gambling.
Next, we'll answer the question of how many versions of the minor-key tune Autumn Leaves we can post. We'll start with mighty guitar geniuses Jimmy Bruno and Frank Vignola!
Vocalists want equal time!
As do tenor saxophonists. . . I saw this guy, Johnny Griffin, play a slightly less uptempo version of this song as the opener of his first rip-roaring set at San Francisco's Keystone Korner (750 Vallejo Street) on Thanksgiving night, 1978.
As a scandal involving our idiot Empire State mayor ensues, it's as good an excuse as any to go through a slew of good renditions of the song Autumn In New York, composed by the formidabke Vernon Duke in 1934. The dynamic duo of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong kick off the explorations of Autumn in New York with their customary brilliance.
Bud Powell could play both classical and jazz music with ridiculous technical facility and a haunting soulfulness.
Chet Baker gives us cool school Autumn On New York.
Invariably, tenor saxophonists will have the last word. Looks like John "Blue Train" Coltrane and "Stan The Man" Getz are accompanied by the A-1 rhythm section of Wynton Kelly (piano), Paul Chambers (acoustic bass) and Jimmy Cobb (drums). Everybody sounds great.
Today, the dreaded Writer's Block, clearly upon this blogger like a hungry housecat on ACME Smoked Whitefish Salad, determines our month-ending topic: the downright astonishing number of April birthdays for jazz legends, including April 30, both International Jazz Day and the natal anniversary of MJQ and Heath Bros. Quintet bassist magnifique Percy Heath (1923-2005).
As February 26 remains a bonanza for birthdays of comedy and musical comedy performers from stage, vaudeville, movies and TV (Jackie Gleason, Danny Kaye, Betty Hutton, Tony Randall, William Frawley), the entire month of April is chock full of birthdays of iconic jazz artists, as well as composers for movies and television who were heavily influenced by jazz.
First and foremost, we at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog shall atone for missing the 100th birthday of the ultimate lady of song, the incomparable and always perfect-pitched Ella Fitzgerald, born on April 25, 1917, by paying homage with these amazing concert clips.
One day earlier on April 24, two of the greatest jazz saxophonists who ever lived, Joe Henderson and Johnny Griffin, share a birthday.
This writer saw these two greats play together - they tore it up - at Yoshi's Oakland (Claremont Avenue location) way back when, but does not remember if the concert took place on an April 24! If it did, that would have been fitting, indeed.
And a few days later on April 29, Duke Ellington, the maestro, the composer, the man with the symphonic vision who painted with the sophisticated sonorities of a brass and reeds orchestra, was born.
Guitarist and guitar teacher (neighbor and friend of at least two of this blogmeister's film historian colleagues) Larry Coryell was born on April 1.
No doubt Larry had a few good jokes - musical and otherwise - about having an April Fools' Day birthday.
Even while her physical health and strength were clearly deteriorating, Billie's ability to feel and express that lyric, find its essence, remained undaunted.
Among notable late career Billie Holiday appearances on television, the following are from CBS TV's The Sound Of Jazz special - yes, believe it or not, music other than country-western actually was seen on network television in 1957 - and features the yin and yang of swing tenor saxophonists, Bean and Pres. . . Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. She sounds great. So do they.
Keyboard wizard, super prolific recording artist and multi-genre world music explorer Herbie Hancock, born on April 12, 1940, is still touring. Herbie started his career in the late 1950's and early 1960's and continues rocking on nearly two decades into the 21st century.
Obviously, music keeps him energetic and youthful at 77 - although we at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog would love to find out just what Herbie's specific diet and workout regimen is.
Arguably the single bluesiest tenor saxophonist to ever work in jazz, the soulful Gene Ammons, was born on April 14, 1925.
Born on April 16, the same day as two of our all-time favorites, Charlie Chaplin and Edie Adams, one of the jazziest of composers for movies, Henry Mancini.
Sharing a birthday with center fielder Marquis Grissom, the great silent movie actress/comedienne Fay Tincher, this blogger (writer Psychotronic Paul Etcheverry) and his craftswoman-illustrator fraternal twin: keyboardist and prolific composer for movies and TV, Jan Hammer. Unquestionably, artistic tie-ins between Jan and Henry Mancini abound, although the latter did not tour with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and The Jeff Beck Group.
Also born on April 17, Dutch percussionist Han Bennink and one of the unequaled kings of the upright bass, Buster Williams.
April 20 is the birthday of vibraphonist, bandleader, member of Benny Goodman's historic quintet and key stylistic predecessor of rock n' roll Lionel Hampton. Here's Lionel, making history with The Benny Goodman Quartet in 1937.
This ridiculously hard swingin' version of Flying Home from the 1968 Newport Jazz Festival would be this blogger's favorite among the many great Lionel Hampton Orchestra recordings. This edition of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra features quintessential "Texas tenor" Illinois Jacquet. Deftly blending r&b, jazz and rock n' roll, Jacquet, ever the showman, does not disappoint!
The larger-than-life volcano of creativity - composer, arranger, bassist, bandleader of the Jazz Workshop, activist and wordsmith - Charles Mingus and one of the cornerstones from his 1970's group, George Adams, both have April birthdays, on the 22nd and 29th, respectively. This writer, who prefers his modern jazz undiluted, finds Mr. Adams' sonic stylings always a splendid antidote to the syrupy and overly sentimental sounds of "easy listening" saxophonists. Let 'er rip, George!
Frank Sinatra liked, in fondly reminiscing about hot-blooded romantic encounters, to sing "it was a very good year" and, as friend of Basie, Ellington and Holiday, would very likely agree that for the world of music, April was a very good month.
There were so many bandleaders, virtuoso jazz composers and brilliant instrumentalists born in the month of April, it would not have been possible to cover all of them in this post and actually finish the post!
The above sign is a stroke of genius - and brings to this music-obsessed blogger's consciousness versions of the Irving Berlin standard it refers to.
So let's begin today's post with a few renditions of this great song. First up: the "swooner crooners", starting with the ultimate one, Frank Sinatra.
Among the top movie stars of the 1950's was the adept light comedienne, dancer and former big band singer Doris Day. The star of several sprightly Warner Brothers musicals (Calamity Jane) waxed a very nice version of Let's Face The Music & Dance.
For many decades after co-starring with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen in an MGM musical beloved by this blogger, White Christmas, as well as headlining her own TV show, movie actress and vocalist Rosemary Clooney continued performing music and recording. Here she is on her 1984 album, Rosemary Clooney Sings The Music Of Irving Berlin.
The tendency is to associate Shirley Bassey with her bravura performance of the theme song from Goldfinger, but also she recorded standards. On her 1962 Let's Face The Music album, arranger extraordinaire Nelson Riddle was loaned out from Capitol to lend some swingin' Rat Pack magic to the proceedings. Could Dame Shirley Bassey belt 'em out? Yes, definitely.
One vocalist who recorded standards and nailed them every time was Ella Fitzgerald. Her series of songbook albums for Verve still can't be topped.
Although a scant few vocalists, then and now, would even attempt to go toe-to-toe with Ella Fitzgerald in the jazz singing department and especially scat and vocalese, one who could at least give it the old college try was Anita O'Day. Here, Anita swings those standards with virtuoso pianist Oscar Peterson.
Two of the most amazing vocalists are also two of the most mindboggling pianists - Nat King Cole and Diana Krall (who also recorded with the aforementioned Rosemary Clooney).
When thinking of strictly instrumental takes on the standards, look no further than the arranger of many Capitol Records recordings by Frank, Dino, Judy Garland, Keely Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Rosemary Clooney, the incomparable Nelson Riddle.
It comes as no great surprise that a fine instrumental version of Let's Face The Music And Dance can be found on The Nelson Riddle Orchestra's 1966 album of the same name!
Riddle's brassy orchestra frequently slips a double dose of bebop into the pop and brings to mind the post-Charlie Parker jazz virtuosos who explored the harmonically rich compositions of Berlin, Gershwin, Porter and Arlen with a sublime vengeance.
Clifford Brown, Curly Russell, Lou Donaldson and (on right behind drum kit) Art Blakey - Birdland, February 24, 1954
Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean
On the 1959 Swing Swang Swingin' album, just one of a slew of classic recordings Jackie McLean recorded for the Prestige, Blue Note and Steeplechase labels, a program of standards gets supercharged with the driving "hard bop" sound. As usual, Jackie shows a highly original and wonderfully angular approach - and swings like mad.
From modern jazz this itinerary takes a big turn back to where this the Great American Songbook stuff started and tips the top hat to Broadway - not Funky Broadway - with pianist, singer historian, scholar and prolific recording artist Michael Feinstein. And, please, don't monkey with Broadway!
This post would not be complete without a respectful nod to the guy who performed songs on Broadway, in many cases in their very first performances, before standing room only crowds, delivering the goods night after night - yes, under just a little bit of pressure - the one, the only Fred Astaire.
Not surprisingly, practically before the RKO studio cameras stopped rolling, The Vincent Lopez Orchestra recorded 78s of the Cole Porter and Irving Berlin songs from the Fred n' Ginger musicals. Popular dance bands covered hit tunes from Flying Down To Rio, Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, Follow The Fleet, Swing Time, Shall We Dance, etc. And this song was no exception.
Back to the incredible Frederick Austerlitz, the penultimate show-stopping version of Let's Face The Music And Dance, of course, is from Follow The Fleet, directed by Mark Sandrich. There they are, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, defining the art of terpischore in the movies and dancing into eternity.
Thanks, you sublime entertainers, for all that love on the silver screen. And big time thanks to Irving Berlin and to each and every one of the musicians involved in this post.
"There may be teardrops to shed
So while there's moonlight and music and love and romance
Let's face the music and dance" Irving Berlin
The always oh-so-sweet tenor saxophone of the great Lester Young leads this very "Jazz At The Philharmonic" style swing band - also featuring Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Rich, Bill Harris, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Flip Phillips, Hank Jones and Ray Brown. Here's a clip from this 1950 film, featuring Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins with the rhythm section.
