J.AT.P. Live at Carnegie Hall September 17 1955 -
Lester Young, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge & Dizzy Gillespie
Phono 870241 (Two CD Set)
Tracks 1 to 8 CD One & tracks 1 to 2 CD Two
Dizzy Gillespie ( tpt ) Roy Eldridge ( tpt ) Ben Webster ( tnr )Lester Young ( tnr ) Flip Phillips ( tnr ) Sonny Stitt ( alto ) Bill Harris ( tmb ) Herb Ellis ( gtr ) Oscar Peterson ( pno ) Ray Brown ( bass ) Louie Bellson ( drs )
Recorded Carnegie Hall, New York, 17 September 1955
Tracks 3 to 5 CD Two
Same as previous tracks but omit Ben Webster, Lester Young & Sonny Stitt, add Buddy De Franco
( clt ) on track 4 only
Recorded live ar Sportplast, Berlin, 10 February 1955
Tracks 3 to 9 CD Two
Fats Navarro ( tpt ) Sonny Criss ( alto ) Flip Phillops ( tnr ) Tommy Turk ( tmb ) Hank Jones ( pno ) Ray Brown ( bass ) Shelly Manne ( drs ) Ella Fitzgerald ( vocal ) on tracks 7 & 9
Recorded live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 11 February 1949
When we consider Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts and recordings historically there are as many pluses as minuses. There is no doubt it brought many borderline jazz fans to the concerts and provided work for a large number of musicians.
On the debit side the music did tend to the lowest common denominator and provided very few moments of outstanding music.
The JATP concerts had been existence for approximately seven years by the time these recordings and Norman Granz had produced a winning formula which entertained a large audience and enticed a number of concertgoers to attend even they were on the fringe of jazz listeners.
When you peruse the personnel on this concert it is absolutely mouth watering but the results are far from what could have been produced. There are odd flashes of inspiration from players like Lester Young and Bill Harris. There moments of brilliance from Dizzy Gillespie until he is drawn into a competitive mode and good taste goes out of the window. As you would expect the rhythm section rarely puts a foot wrong and supports all the soloists fully and with sensitivity.
As in all JATP concerts it is the ballad medleys that provide the real gems which makes the listener aware what talented musicians have been taking part.
Lester Young’s one ballad opportunity on “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” is an outstanding example of his later work and although his tone has darkened his melodic brilliance is still intact. Trombonist Bill Harris chooses to play the same number on two of the medleys but thet are both worth a listen as he caresses the melody with such delicacy and “Imagination” is a tune worth the effort.
Roy Eldridge manages to contain his natural exuberance on “Body and Soul” to turn in a heartfelt performance which is his best playing on the whole concert. Dizzy Gillespie has always been a fine exponent of the ballad and he does not disappoint on this occasion with “My Old Flame” and “Stardust”.
The final for tracks on CD Two are from an earlier concert in 1949 which took place at Carnegie Hall. The long “Perdido” gives the listener a chance to hear an extended solo by the talented Fats Navarro whose solo makes it all worthwhile, drummer Shelly Manne usually such a tasteful player tends to overuse his bass drum and Ella Fitzgeralds contribution sounds like she was two doors away. Ella fares much better on her feature “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm”.
These recordings may well appeal to many people and the star rating is purely reflecting the historical value and for the three ballad medleys.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Lester Young, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge & Dizzy Gillespie
Phono 870241 (Two CD Set)
Tracks 1 to 8 CD One & tracks 1 to 2 CD Two
Dizzy Gillespie ( tpt ) Roy Eldridge ( tpt ) Ben Webster ( tnr )Lester Young ( tnr ) Flip Phillips ( tnr ) Sonny Stitt ( alto ) Bill Harris ( tmb ) Herb Ellis ( gtr ) Oscar Peterson ( pno ) Ray Brown ( bass ) Louie Bellson ( drs )
Recorded Carnegie Hall, New York, 17 September 1955
Tracks 3 to 5 CD Two
Same as previous tracks but omit Ben Webster, Lester Young & Sonny Stitt, add Buddy De Franco
( clt ) on track 4 only
Recorded live ar Sportplast, Berlin, 10 February 1955
Tracks 3 to 9 CD Two
Fats Navarro ( tpt ) Sonny Criss ( alto ) Flip Phillops ( tnr ) Tommy Turk ( tmb ) Hank Jones ( pno ) Ray Brown ( bass ) Shelly Manne ( drs ) Ella Fitzgerald ( vocal ) on tracks 7 & 9
Recorded live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 11 February 1949
When we consider Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts and recordings historically there are as many pluses as minuses. There is no doubt it brought many borderline jazz fans to the concerts and provided work for a large number of musicians.
On the debit side the music did tend to the lowest common denominator and provided very few moments of outstanding music.
The JATP concerts had been existence for approximately seven years by the time these recordings and Norman Granz had produced a winning formula which entertained a large audience and enticed a number of concertgoers to attend even they were on the fringe of jazz listeners.
When you peruse the personnel on this concert it is absolutely mouth watering but the results are far from what could have been produced. There are odd flashes of inspiration from players like Lester Young and Bill Harris. There moments of brilliance from Dizzy Gillespie until he is drawn into a competitive mode and good taste goes out of the window. As you would expect the rhythm section rarely puts a foot wrong and supports all the soloists fully and with sensitivity.
As in all JATP concerts it is the ballad medleys that provide the real gems which makes the listener aware what talented musicians have been taking part.
Lester Young’s one ballad opportunity on “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” is an outstanding example of his later work and although his tone has darkened his melodic brilliance is still intact. Trombonist Bill Harris chooses to play the same number on two of the medleys but thet are both worth a listen as he caresses the melody with such delicacy and “Imagination” is a tune worth the effort.
Roy Eldridge manages to contain his natural exuberance on “Body and Soul” to turn in a heartfelt performance which is his best playing on the whole concert. Dizzy Gillespie has always been a fine exponent of the ballad and he does not disappoint on this occasion with “My Old Flame” and “Stardust”.
The final for tracks on CD Two are from an earlier concert in 1949 which took place at Carnegie Hall. The long “Perdido” gives the listener a chance to hear an extended solo by the talented Fats Navarro whose solo makes it all worthwhile, drummer Shelly Manne usually such a tasteful player tends to overuse his bass drum and Ella Fitzgeralds contribution sounds like she was two doors away. Ella fares much better on her feature “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm”.
These recordings may well appeal to many people and the star rating is purely reflecting the historical value and for the three ballad medleys.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
