Carmen McRae

Carmen McRae was born Carmen Mercedes McRae on April 8, 1920 in Harlem to Jamaican immigrant parents. She began playing piano at eight and when she was seventeen she met Teddy Wilson's wife, Irene Kitchings Wilson, who introduced her to all the jazz stars including Billie Holiday. Billie was to become Carmen's main influence.

In her late teens and early twenties Carmen played piano at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem where she met the drummer Kenny Clarke who would become her husband. She sang with Benny Carter's Big Band and then with Count Basie in 1944. She played piano with Mercer Ellington's Band and made her first recording.

In the late 1940's and early 1950's Carmen is in Chicago playing piano and singing. She moves back to New York in 1952 and records for the Bethlehem, Venus, and Stardust labels. In 1954 Downbeat magazine votes her Best New Female Vocalist and in 1955 she signs with Decca and records the first of 12 albums for that label. In the late 1950's her and Kenny Clarke are divorced and she marries her bassist Ike Isaacs. However, by 1961 they divorce.

In 1967 Carmen moves to Los Angeles and she enjoyed bookings in clubs, festivals and concert halls. She was a performer at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1961, 62, 63, 66, 71, 73, and 82. Her last public performance was in May 1991 at the Blue Note in New York. She was awarded a Master's of Jazz award  for lifetime achievement from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1994 and on November 10th of that year she passed away at her home.

My favorite recording of Carmen's is "The Great American Songbook" recorded live at Donte's in Los Angeles. She is backed by Jimmy Rowles on piano, Joe Pass on guitar, Chuck Domanico on bass and drummer Chuck Flores.

The songs include "Satin Doll," "At Long Last Love," "Day by Day," "I Only Have Eyes For You," "Sunday," "I Cried For You," "Three Little Words," and "I Thought About You" among others.





Here's a video of Carmen singing "Body and Soul"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zOEMym54XQY

Scott Hamilton

Scott Hamilton was born on September 12, 1954 in Providence, RI. He never had any formal training but tried out several instruments, drums, piano, and mouth-organ, before settling on the saxophone at age sixteen.

In 1976 he moved to New York and through Roy Eldridge got a six week gig at Michael's Pub. In 1977 Scott formed his own quartet and started to record for Concord Records. More than forty albums later he is still recording for them both under his own name and as one of the Concord Jazz All-Stars. He can be heard backing Rosemary Clooney on her Concord releases and as a member of Ruby Braff's New England Song Hounds in the 1980's.

For some years Scott was based in London but now travels the world from Italy. He regularly tours Europe and Japan and returns to America three or four times a year to play at festivals.


I just finished listening to "Nocturnes and Serenades" This is a 2006 Concord release. Scott's on tenor sax with his U.K. rhythm section comprised of John Pearce on piano, Dave Green on bass and drummer Steve Brown.

There are 10 tracks on this CD which include "Man With a Horn," "Autumn Nocturne," "Flamingo," Serenade in Blue," "You Go to My Head," and "Chelsea Bridge" among others.



Here's a video of Scott playing "East of the Sun,West of the Moon."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RPulo4KMYo&feature=player_detailpage

Horace Silver

Horace Silver was born Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva on September 2, 1928 in Norwalk, CT. His father was of Portuguese descent and his mother was of Irish and African descent. He was introduced to Portuguese music through his father.

Horace began playing the saxophone and switched to the piano in high school. After high school he led trios in Connecticut and he was discovered by Stan Getz in 1950. Getz brought him on the road and it was with Getz that Silver made his first recording.

In 1951 he moved to NYC where he met Art Blakey. They were to form the Jazz Messengers and in 1953-56 they recorded some fine albums. Horace branched out in 1956 and started leading his own groups. He began recording for Blue Note and would stay with them until 1980. He stayed very busy recording and composing.

After leaving Blue Note in 1980 Silver recorded on his own label (Silveto). He continued to record and tour throughout the 1980's and 1990's. He is the composer of such tunes as "Blowin' the Blues Away," "Sister Sadie," "Peace," "Song for my Father," and "The Tokyo Blues." He was a pioneer in the style known as "hard bop" and presently lives in California.

I just finished listening to "Blowin' the Blues Away." This is a 1959 Blue Note release. It includes Silver's compositions "Blowin' the Blues Away," "Peace," "Sister Sadie," and "Melancholy Mood."

The quintet lineup includes Horace Silver on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Junior Cook on tenor saxophone, Gene Taylor on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums.





Here's a video of the young Horace playing "Song for my Father."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8B2GZ0MfuPQ

Billy Eckstine

Billy Eckstine was born William Clarence Eckstein on July 8, 1914 in Pittsburgh, Pa. His grandparents were a mixed race lawfully married couple. He changed the spelling of his last name at the request of a club owner because it looked Jewish.

Moving to Washington, DC, Billy began singing at the age of seven. He had wanted to be a football player but a broken collar bone changed his career plans to music. He attended Howard University but left after winning an amateur talent contest.

In 1939 Eckstine signed on with the Earl Hines Orchestra as the male vocalist. He recorded such jukebox hits as "Stormy Monday Blues," "Jelly,Jelly," and "You Don't Know What Love Is." He left the Hines Band in 1943.

In 1944 Billy formed his own Orchestra, becoming a vehicle to showcase his rich baritone voice and also as a training ground for young Bebop musicians. His band included such future stars as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Art Blakey. His hits included "Cottage For Sale," "Prisoner of Love," and "I'm in the Mood For Love." It became apparent that it was Billy's voice the people wanted to hear and so in 1947 he disbanded his orchestra and became a solo performer.

Eckstine won Esquire Magazine's "New Star Award" in 1946, the Downbeat readers' poll from 1948 to 1952, and the Metronome award for "Top Male Vocalist" from 1949 to 1954.

Billy signed on with MGM Records and he recorded such hits as "My Foolish Heart," and "I Apologize" both reported to be million sellers. He maintained a successful career into the early 1990's with nightclub and concert performances and he also continued to record. In 1986 he recorded his final album "Billy Eckstine Sings with Benny Carter" which was nominated for a Grammy.

Billy Eckstine was known as "Mr. B." He died March 8, 1993 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Earlier today I listened to "Billy's Best" a 1958 Mercury release. Arrangers are Henry Mancini and Pete Rugolo. Eckstine's baritone and vibrato are in top form.

There are 18 tracks on this recording. The tunes include "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," "Stella by Starlight," "You Don't Know What Love Is," "A Sunday Kind of Love," "That Ole Devil Called Love," "Prisoner of Love," and "Vertigo."




Here's a video of Billy and his Orchestra doing the hit "Prisoner of Love."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWuGF-Xh-RM&feature=player_detailpage

Harry "Sweets" Edison

Harry "Sweets" Edison was born on October 10, 1915 in Columbus, Ohio. At the age of 12 he was playing trumpet with local bands. When he was 18 he joined the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra in Cleveland.

In 1937 Edison moved to New York and joined the Count Basie Orchestra. This is when he got the nickname "Sweets" from Lester Young. He stayed with the Basie Band until it broke up in 1950.

In the 1950's "Sweets" toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic. He moved to Los Angeles and played as a studio musician, most notably for Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. In the 1960's and 1970's he worked with many orchestras on TV and on Count Basie reunions.

During the 1980's and 1990's he led groups and toured in Europe and Japan. Harry "Sweets" Edison died July 27, 1999 in Columbus, Ohio.

Earlier this afternoon I listened to "Live at the Iridium." This is a 1997 Telarc release. The personnel are Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet, Clark Terry on trumpet and fluglehorn, Frank Wess on flute and tenor sax, Junior Mance on piano, Marcus McLaurine on bass, and David Gibson on drums.

There are four Edison originals including the well known "Centerpiece." The other four tunes on this recording include the standard "Emily," "I Wish I Knew," "Midgets," and "Doggin' Around."

Here's a video of "Sweets" playing "There Is No Greater Love."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PDkduz8gmQ&feature=player_detailpage

Benny Carter

Benny Carter was born Bennett Lester Carter on August 8, 1907 in Harlem, NY. He learned to play the piano from his mother and eventually took up the trumpet and then the saxophone. By the age of 15, Carter was playing in Harlem's night clubs.

His first recording was with Charlie Johnson's Orchestra, also being the arranger, in 1928. He played and arranged for Fletcher Henderson in 1930 and 1931. He led the Detroit based Mckinney's Cotton Pickers before returning to New York to lead his own band in 1932-1934.

Carter moved to Europe in 1935 and played trumpet with Willie Lewis's orchestra and he became the arranger for the BBC dance orchestra. He returned to Harlem in 1938 and formed another orchestra which played at the Savoy Ballroom through 1940.

Benny relocated to Los Angeles in 1943 and started arranging for the film and television industries. With a few exceptions, he gave up leadership of a full time orchestra in 1946.

In 1969 Carter turned his talents to education. In 1974 Princeton awarded him a honorary masters of humanities degree.He won a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement in 1987. In 1990 he was named "Jazz Artist of the Year" by Downbeat and Jazz Times Critics' polls.

Carter is the receipient of numerous awards including the Golden Score Award of the American Society of Music Arrangers. He composed such standards as "Blues in My Heart," "When Lights are Low," "Cow-Cow Boogie" "Key Largo," "All That Jazz," and "Only Trust Your Heart."

Benny Carter's career spanned eight decades. He played the alto sax and trumpet. He was a composer, an arranger, a bandleader and an educator. He was known as "The King." He died on July 12, 2003 in Los Angeles, Ca.

This afternoon I listened to "All That Jazz-Live at Princeton." The line-up includes Benny Carter on alto sax, Clark Terry on flugelhorn, Kenny Barron on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums. Billy Hill is on vocals on four of the tracks.

The tunes include "Hackensack," "I'm Beginning to See the Light," "Misty," "Now's the Time," "When Sunny Gets Blue," "All That Jazz," "We Were in Love," "All of Me," and more.

This was a very enjoyable live concert date and would be a nice addition to every jazz library.

Here's a video of Benny playing "When Lights are Low" in Copenhagen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ighsUS177QY&feature=player_detailpage

Art Farmer

Art Farmer was born Arthur Stewart Farmer on August 21, 1928, along with his twin brother Addison, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The family moved to Phoenix, Arizona when Art was four years old. Art played the piano and violin in elementary school and by the age of 15 he was playing trumpet.

At the age of 16, Art and his brother moved to Los Angeles and during the late 1940's performed with the bands of Johnny Otis and Jay McShann among others. Art joined Lionel Hampton in 1952 and toured Europe.

After leaving Hampton's band, Art settled in New York City. In 1953 he recorded his first album as a leader and during the mid 1950's performed with Art Blakey, Horace Silver and Gerry Mulligan. It was in 1959 that Art formed the "Jazztet" along with saxophonist Benny Golson. The "Jazztet" lasted till 1962 and it was during this period that Art started playing Flugelhorn.

In 1968 Art moved to Vienna where he joined the Austrian Radio Orchestra. He continued to tour around the U.S. and in 1982 Art and Benny Golson re-formed the "Jazztet." This lasted until the late 1980's.

Art maintained a residence in Manhattan as well as Vienna and during his late career he continued to perform with quartets and quintets. Art Farmer died October 4, 1999 in NYC.

This afternoon I listened to "Blame It On My Youth" on the Contemporary label. It was recorded and released in 1988. The personnel include Art Farmer on flugelhorn, Clifford Jordan on tenor saxophone, James Williams on piano, Rufus Reid on bass and Victor Lewis on drums.

The tunes include "Blame It on My Youth," "Fairy Tale Countryside," "The Smile of the Snake," "Third Avenue," "Summer Serenade," Progress Report," and "I'll Be Around."

Art Farmer is in top form and this recording was very enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Here's a video of Art and his quintet playing "Summer Serenade."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=q_tHol39Jrw