ROY ELDRIDGE - I Remember Harlem
Inner City IC 7012
Tracks 1 to 7
Roy Eldridge & his Orchestra
Roy Eldridge ( tpt / vocals ) Benny Vasseur ( tmb ) Albert Ferreri ( tmb ) William Boucaya ( bar ) Raymond Fol ( pno ) Barney Spieler ( bass ) Robert Barnet ( drs )
Recorded Paris, 28 October 1950
Tracks 8 to 16 except track 12 & 13, 14 to 16
Roy Eldridge Quintet
Roy Eldridge ( tpt ) Don Byas ( tnr ) Claude Bolling ( pno ) Guy De Fatto ( bass ) Armand Molinetti
( drs )
Recorded Paris, 28 March 1951
Tracks 12 & 13
Roy Eldridge ( tpt ) Claude Bolling ( pno )
Recorded Paris, 29 March 1951
Tracks 14 to 16
Roy Eldridge ( solo pno )
Recorded Paris, 28 October 1951
Roy Eldridge is generally considered by most jazz historians to be the link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie, whilst the link to Armstrong is apparent the link to Dizzy is less clear. You really need to go back to Eldridge’s earlier work to see the connection, once Gillespie was collaborating with the likes of Charlie Parker and company the link becomes blurred.
These recordings were made during Eldridge’s first visit to Europe with the Benny Goodman Orchestra and all the musicians on the sessions were European except for fellow American Don Byas who was already living and playing in Europe.
The first seven tracks are by the larger group and Eldridge displays his vocal talents on five of the tracks. The two takes of “Une Petite Laitue” are a bit of vocal nonsense but the second take as a nice Eldridge trumpet solo.
None of the other participants get a look in except trombonist Benny Vasseur and he makes the most of his chance in the spotlight. The Eldridge debt to Louis Armstrong is most apparent on the Wller and Razaf composition “Black & Blue”.
The four Quintet tracks are more fruitful and Don Byas contributes some stunning tenor solos which seem to inspire Eldridge to give extra bit. “The Heat Is On” is a particularly fine track with whole group giving it their all. And Claude Bolling is a much more interesting pianist than Raymond Fol.
The two tracks by the duo of Eldridge and Claude Bolling put you in mind of the Armstrong and Earl Hines recordings and are the best tracks on the album far. The three piano solo tracks by Eldridge are best summed up by the title of the first track “Just Fooling” and although he is a competent pianist the is little to stimulate the listener.
On balance it is an interesting release if not an essential one and at least there is some decent Eldridge trumpet unlike some of his later work the Norman Granz “Jazz at the Philharmonic” circus.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Inner City IC 7012
Tracks 1 to 7
Roy Eldridge & his Orchestra
Roy Eldridge ( tpt / vocals ) Benny Vasseur ( tmb ) Albert Ferreri ( tmb ) William Boucaya ( bar ) Raymond Fol ( pno ) Barney Spieler ( bass ) Robert Barnet ( drs )
Recorded Paris, 28 October 1950
Tracks 8 to 16 except track 12 & 13, 14 to 16
Roy Eldridge Quintet
Roy Eldridge ( tpt ) Don Byas ( tnr ) Claude Bolling ( pno ) Guy De Fatto ( bass ) Armand Molinetti
( drs )
Recorded Paris, 28 March 1951
Tracks 12 & 13
Roy Eldridge ( tpt ) Claude Bolling ( pno )
Recorded Paris, 29 March 1951
Tracks 14 to 16
Roy Eldridge ( solo pno )
Recorded Paris, 28 October 1951
Roy Eldridge is generally considered by most jazz historians to be the link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie, whilst the link to Armstrong is apparent the link to Dizzy is less clear. You really need to go back to Eldridge’s earlier work to see the connection, once Gillespie was collaborating with the likes of Charlie Parker and company the link becomes blurred.
These recordings were made during Eldridge’s first visit to Europe with the Benny Goodman Orchestra and all the musicians on the sessions were European except for fellow American Don Byas who was already living and playing in Europe.
The first seven tracks are by the larger group and Eldridge displays his vocal talents on five of the tracks. The two takes of “Une Petite Laitue” are a bit of vocal nonsense but the second take as a nice Eldridge trumpet solo.
None of the other participants get a look in except trombonist Benny Vasseur and he makes the most of his chance in the spotlight. The Eldridge debt to Louis Armstrong is most apparent on the Wller and Razaf composition “Black & Blue”.
The four Quintet tracks are more fruitful and Don Byas contributes some stunning tenor solos which seem to inspire Eldridge to give extra bit. “The Heat Is On” is a particularly fine track with whole group giving it their all. And Claude Bolling is a much more interesting pianist than Raymond Fol.
The two tracks by the duo of Eldridge and Claude Bolling put you in mind of the Armstrong and Earl Hines recordings and are the best tracks on the album far. The three piano solo tracks by Eldridge are best summed up by the title of the first track “Just Fooling” and although he is a competent pianist the is little to stimulate the listener.
On balance it is an interesting release if not an essential one and at least there is some decent Eldridge trumpet unlike some of his later work the Norman Granz “Jazz at the Philharmonic” circus.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
