≡ Click to see image ≡
Welcome to another 2 hours of jazz on Radio Mecha. I'll be posting some links, comments and credits as the set plays, which I hope are of interest to those listening, as well as to those who come to this thread later.

In this program, we have a tune from Jelly Roll Morton that started a whole new dance craze more than 40 years after it was first recorded, a piano boogie from Meade 'Lux' Lewis, a song sung by Frank Sinatra, with '50s "cool" lyrics that highlight how different the social sensibilities of that time really were compared to today, plus some very smooth work from the Oscar Petersen Trio, and from Toots Theilemans.

The tune that I open these sets with, "The Greeting" is from a later McCoy Tyner album, called Things Ain't What They Used To Be.

#2 So Beats My Heart For You

Art Tatum with tune by Tom Waring, Pat Ballard, and Charlie Henderson, from the The Art Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol. 7 CD.

#3 Cake Walking Babies From Home

Louis Armstrong and the Red Onion Jazz Babies [Louis Armstrong (cornet), Charlie Ivis (trombone), Sidney Bechet (clarinet & soprano sax), Alberta Hunter (as "Josephine Beatty," vocals), Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano), and Buddy Christian (banjo)] with a tune by Clarence Williams, Chris Smith and Henry Troy, [the latter two men collaborating on the 1917 tune "The Farm Yard Blues" and possibly the real writers of the tune, with Williams demanding an extra share of royalties as a songwriter credit, as he often did] recorded December 22, 1924 in NYC.

#4 Tell Your Story

Meade 'Lux' Lewis with a solo piano boogie of his own composition recorded October 4, 1940 for Blue Note, from the 1997 Topaz compilation CD.

#5 Blues In The Air

Sidney Bechet and His New Orleans Feetwarmers [Bechet (soprano sax), Henry Goodwin (trumpet), Vic Dickenson (trombone), Don Donaldson (piano), Ernest Williamson (bass) and Manzie Johnson (drums)] with a tune by Bechet recorded October 14, 1941.

#6 King Porter Stomp

Benny Goodman and His Orchestra with a Jelly Roll Morton tune in a famous arrangement that kicked off the Age of Swing.

#7 Star Eyes

One of Charlie "Bird" Parker's best known recordings, this is from the January 17, 1951 recording date in NYC that also produced "She Rote," and features Parker on alto sax, Miles Davis on trumpet, Max Roach on drums, Walter Bishop on piano, and Teddy Kotick on bass. Produced by Norman Granz.

#8 Venus De Milo

Recorded April 22, 1949, this is a Gerry Mulligan tune from the second of the three recording dates that would contribute material to the classic Miles Davis nontet "Birth of The Cool" album finally released in 1957.

#9 Don'cha Go 'Way Mad

From an April 11, 1962 recording date, here is a Neal Hefti arrangement of a tune by Jimmy Mundy, Al Stillman and Illinois Jacquet. It's almost funny to listen now to The Chairman of the Board smoothly crooning those Stillman lyrics, which wouldn't do anything but inflame such a situation as they describe, today.

#10 You Stepped Out Of A Dream

Pianist George Shearing with an often recorded standard by Nacio Herb Brown and Gus Kahn.

#11 Bye Bye Blackbird

From the CD re-issue of the album Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson, here's a smooth treatment of the popular 1926 tune by Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon.

#12 John Brown's Body

The Oscar Peterson Trio [Oscar Petersen (piano), Ray Brown (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums)] with Milt Jackson (vibraphone) from the CD re-issue of the 1961 "Very Tall" album.

#13 Quarte's Fever

Toots Theilemans (harmonica) from the 1992 Compact Jazz compilation CD, with a tune by Pierre Michelot, recorded December 10 and 11, 1989 at Studio Acousti in Paris, with Pierre Michelot (bass & leader), Pierre Blanchard (violin), Maurice Vander (piano) and Billy Higgins (drums).

#14 Search for Peace

McCoy Tyner from the 1989 CD from which I draw the opening theme for these programs, with a composition of his own.

#15 Soon

Gary Burton (vibraphone), Chick Corea (piano), Pat Metheny (guitar) and Roy Haynes (drums) from the 1998 "Like Minds" CD, with a tune by George and Ira Gershwin.

#16 Re: Person I Knew

Bill Evans with a modal composition of his own originally released on the album "Moonbeams" via the CD re-issue of the 1956 Jazz Showcase album. With Scott LeFaro on bass, and Paul Motian on drums.

#17 Nuages [Alternate Take]

From the 1985 CD re-issue of the 1975 album "Pure Desmond", here's the classic Django Reinhardt tune in an alternate take. With Paul Desmond (alto sax), Ed Bickert (guitar), Connie Kaye (drums) and Ron Carter (bass).

#18 King Cockroach

Chick Corea's Elektric Band from their 1986 debut CD with a tune by Corea.

#19 Izaura (You Know I Just Shouldn't Stay)

Stan Getz with João Gilberto from the 1975 "The Best of Two Worlds" album, with a tune by Herivelto Martins & Roberto Roberti.

#20 Mr. Steepee

From the 1990 CD "Crazy People Music" here are Bradford Marsalis (saxophones), Kenny Kirkland (piano), Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums), and Robert Hurst (bass) with a tune by Marsalis.

#21 Straight Up and Down

Gary Burton (vibraphone), Chick Corea (piano), Pat Metheny (guitar) and Roy Haynes (drums) with another cut from the 1998 "Like Minds" CD. This time, a tune by Corea.

#22 Jubilee

New England pianist Deborah Franciose with a tune she wrote from her 1994 CD "Gypsy Heart."

#23 Orient Blue Suite (Part I, II, III)

Guitarists John McLaughlin, Al DiMeola, and Paco DeLucia with a DiMeola composition from their 1982 CD "Passion, Grace and Fire."

#24 I Will Say Goodbye

Once again, The Bill Evans Trio, with Eddie Gomez on bass and Eliot Zigmund on drums, takes us out with the title track from the 1977 album of the same name. To recap, in this set, we heard:

1. McCoy Tyner - The Greeting (2:27)
2. Art-Tatum - So Beats My Heart For You (5:19)
3. Louis Armstrong & The Red Onion Jazz Babies - Cake Walking Babies From Home (3:07)
4. Meade 'Lux' Lewis - Tell Your Story (4:05)
5. Sidney Bechet - Blues In The Air / Sidney Bechet & His New Orleans Feetwarmers (2:47)
6. Benny Goodman - King Porter Stomp (3:04)
7. Charlie Parker - Star Eyes (3:34)
8. Miles Davis - Venus De Milo (3:14)
9. Frank Sinatra - Don'cha Go 'Way Mad (3:12)
10. George Shearing - You Stepped Out Of A Dream (2:12)
11. Ben Webster - Bye Bye Blackbird (6:45)
12. Oscar Peterson - John Brown's Body (7:48)
13. Toots Thielemans - Quarte's Fever (6:43)
14. McCoy Tyner - Search for Peace (6:09)
15. Gary Burton - Soon (6:23)
16. Evans, Bill - Re: Person I Knew (5:47)
17. Paul Desmond - Nuages [Alternate Take] (5:15)
18. Chick Corea Elektric Band - King Cockroach (6:55)
19. João Gilberto/Stan Getz - Izaura (You Know I Just Shouldn't Stay) (4:38)
20. Branford Marsalis Quartet - Mr. Steepee (6:19)
21. Gary Burton - Straight Up and Down (9:00)
22. Deborah Franciose - Jubilee (5:05)
23. John McLaughlin, Al DiMeola, Paco DeLucia - Orient Blue Suite (Part I, II, III) (7:08)
24. Bill Evans Trio - I Will Say Goodbye (3:30)


Until next time, Jazz Babies, g'night and good luck...