Be Bop Wino Pages

Joan Selects - the complete Joan Selects Collection

Big Ten Inchers - 78rpm rips by El Enmascarado


Attention Mac Users!

Mac users have been experiencing problems in unpacking the WinRAR archives used on this blog. Two solutions have been suggested.

1. Use The Unarchiver - www.theunarchiver.com - see comments on Little Esther Bad Baad Girl post for details.

2. Use Keka - http://www.kekaosx.com/en/ - see comments on Johnny Otis Presents post.

Sunday 24 February 2013

Blow "Mr. Low-Blow" / Lyin' Girl Blues - Red Saunders and his Orchestra (Columbia 30218)



Recorded in Chicago, June 15th, 1950. Personnel: Hot Lips Page, Sonny Cohn (trumpets); Harlan Floyd, John Avant (trombones); Porter Kilbert (alto sax); Leon Washington (tenor sax); McKinley Easton (baritone sax); Earl Washington (piano); Jimmy Richardson (bass); Jumpin' Joe Williams (vocal); Sonny Blount (arranger).



Once more we thank El Enmascarado for the rips and label shots from this deejay special issue of a fine 78 rpm disc by Red Saunders, featuring some great blues shouting by Joe Williams. Band leader and drummer Red Saunders was a prominent performer and recording artist on the Chicago jazz and R&B scene from the late 1930s until the late 1960s. He backed T-Bone Walker on his early recordings for Rhumboogie and Mercury and also played on some of Big Joe Turner's sessions for National. As named artist, Red recorded for Savoy in 1945, Sultan in 1946, Score in 1947 and Supreme in 1948.

In June 1950, Red started recording for Columbia, this disc being the only one he released on that label, the rest of his Columbia recordings being released on their Okeh subsidiary with whom he stayed until 1953. His only hit came in 1952 - "Hambone" released on Okeh 6862, credited to Red Saunders and his Orchestra with Dolores Hawkins and the Hambone Kids. Joe Williams performed live with the Red Saunders band in Chicago, particularly at the Club DeLisa which was the home base for Red for many years. He also featured on many of Red's recordings for Columbia and Okeh. In 1954 he joined the Count Basie band with whom he achieved stardom.

The above is the briefest of outlines of part of Red Saunders' career. There is much, much more to be found at the incredible Red Saunders Research Foundation website which explores the Chicago R&B scene in tremendous depth. The article on Red Saunders can be found here.

At the Club Delisa, 1942.

Photograph: Jack Delano. One of a series of 10 now at the Library of Congress website:

 http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=delisa&sg=true

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Jesse Powell - The R&B Years


Side One
1 Fluffy Hunter - My Natch'l Man
2 Fluffy Hunter - The Walkin' Blues
3 Jesse Powell - Rear Bumper
4 Jesse Powell - Love To Spare
5 Jesse Powell - Hot Box
6 Jesse Powell - Leavin' Tonight
7 Jesse Powell - Riggin'

Side Two
1 Jesse Powell - Can't Help Myself pts 1 & 2
2 Jesse Powell - Turnpike
3 Jesse Powell - Jesse's Blues
4 Jesse Powell - I'm All Alone (Take 5)
5 The Goofers - Scotch On The Rocks (Take 2)
6 The Goofers - The Head Hunters
7 Jesse Powell & The Caddies - Ain't You Gonna

Well who could resist the temptation? After doing some research on Jesse Powell for the post on El Enmascarado's "Blow Man Blow" LP, I just had to pull together the various Jesse tracks I have scattered across my R&B stash and make up a little compilation for my media player. Add a quick knock off cover for the collection and hey presto, I've got myself a follow up post to "Blow Man Blow".

So now we can appreciate the gutsy, bluesy side of Jesse's music which is quite a contrast to the smooth jazz of "Blow Man Blow."

The Jesse Powell Orchestra backed former Buddy Banks Sextet chantoozy Fluffy Hunter on a Ralph Bass supervised session for Federal on November 3rd, 1951. Four tracks were recorded, including two raunchy pieces of double entendre, "The Walkin' Blues" and "My Natch'l Man". The band line up on this session was: Buck Clayton (trumpet); J.J. Johnson (trombone); Jesse Powell (tenor sax); Cecil Payne (baritone sax); Bill Doggett (piano); Johnny Jones (guitar); James Smith (bass); Herb Lovelle (drums).

On October 9th 1953, Jesse returned to Federal to record four first class slices of R&B - "Rear Bumper", "Love To Spare", "Hot Box" and "Leavin' Tonight." For me these tracks are the absolute cream of the crop on this compilation. The line up on this session was: Jesse Powell (tenor sax); Sir Charles Thompson (piano / organ); Mickey Baker (guitar); Lloyd Trotman (bass); Osie Johnson (drums); Dan Taylor (vocals).

Around 1954 Jessie started recording for Josie, featuring on many Cadillacs' sides as arranger and sax player. A few Jesse Powell singles were released by Josie, the first being "Moonlight In Vermont" / "Riggin'" (Josie 782). Also recorded at this session was the unreleased "Jesse's Blues". In February 1956 a two-parter, "Can't Help Myself, Parts 1 and 2" was released on Josie 799. Part 1 features a bluesy vocal by Jesse while Part 2 is a showcase for some hard blowing tenor sax from our man. An unreleased track, "I'm All Alone" or "I'm Alone" was recorded at the same session.

"Turnpike" / "Ain't You Gonna" (Josie 834) was released in early 1958. "Turnpike" was an instrumental recorded a couple of years beforehand while "Ain't You Gonna" was another vocal outing for Jesse. This side was recorded at a Cadillacs session with the group (billed as The Caddies) sticking around to provide backing vocals.

In September 1958 Jesse recorded two "novelty" sides for the Port subsidiary of Josie. Released on Port 70006 under the pseudonym of The Goofers, the A side, "The Head Hunters" features moody guitar, drums and sax with big cat growls and Tarzan type yelling in the background. Just the sort of thing you would expect to find on one of those Jungle Exotica compilations which Crypt Reords used to put out. The other side of the disc, "Scotch On The Rocks" features the bagpipes. No further comment from this Scotsman!

Download from here:

http://www17.zippyshare.com/v/gNxhy8da/file.html

No password!

Sources: Bruyninckx Discography. Sleevenotes from the Sequel CD "Saxophony" by Dave Penny, the Westside CD "Titanic And 23 Other Unsinkable Saxblasters" by Dave Penny, the Sequel CD "Jumping At Jubilee" by Neil Slaven, the Westside CD "Groove Station" by Neil Slaven, the Sequel CD "Roulette Rock'n'Roll Volume 2" by Adam Komorowski.

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Jesse Powell - Blow Man Blow (Jubilee JLP 1113)



Side 1
1. Jesse's Theme
2. Blue And Sentimental
3. Cross On The Green
4. I Cover The Waterfront
5. I've Got You Under My Skin
6. Our Love Is Here To Stay

Side 2
1. This Is Always
2. My Silent Love
3. Que Paso
4. No Tomorrow
5. But Beautiful
6. Just Chips

Recorded and released in New York, 1959. Personnel: Jesse Powell (tenor sax), with Eddie Williams (trumpet); Henderson Chambers (trombone); Norman Thornton (baritone sax); Oscar Dennard piano); Peck Morrison (bass); Wilbert Hogan (drums).

Thanks to El Enmascarado for his work on restoring this slab of vintage vinyl.

It’s a Valentine’s Day special post on Be Bop Wino! This LP features mainly smooth and romantic jazz tracks from Jesse Powell. So pop this on the virtual turntable and get all smoochy with the one you love.
Jesse Powell was one of those innumerable Texas tenor players. Born in Fort Worth in 1924, he majored in music at Hampton University, graduating in 1942. He turned professional with the Hot Lips Page Band, staying for a year before joining Louis Armstrong in 1943 and then moving to the Luis Russell Orchestra a year later. In 1946 he replaced Illinois Jacquet in the Count Basie band. He then formed his own band and played on several blues sessions for Brownie McGhee and Champion Jack Dupree, but gave that up to spend a year in the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra until 1950.

His next recording date is well known to R&B fans as it was the November 1951 session for Federal backing Fluffy Hunter on the notorious “The Walking Blues” and “My Natch’l Man.” In October 1953 he had a second session for Federal, recording four good R&B numbers – “Love To Spare” / “Rear Bumper” (Federal 12159) and “Leaving Tonight” / “Hot Box” (Federal 12171). These four tracks were featured on the old Westside CD “Groove Station” which utilized the artwork from “Blow Man Blow” on its back cover.

Jesse continued his R&B career through the 1950s with sessions for Josie and Jubilee, mainly as an arranger and session man on vocal group sessions, particularly with The Cadillacs. He released three solo singles on Josie – “Moonlight In Vermont” / “Riggin’” (Josie 782), “Can’t Help Myself, Parts 1 and 2” (Josie 799) and “Turnpike” / “Ain’t You Gonna” (Josie 834).

The session at which Josie 782 was recorded also brought forth a couple of novelty numbers by Jesse – “The Head Hunters” and “Scotch On The Rocks”, the latter with bagpipe accompaniment. These two sides were released as by The Goofers on Port 7006.


The Josie and Port tracks featured on the Sequel CDs “Jumping At Jubilee” and “Saxophony!” and also on the Westside CD “Titanic And 23 Other Unsinkable Sax Blasters.”
After recording “Blow Man Blow” Jesse had two more LPs released in the early 1960s – “It’s Party Time” on Tru-Sound and “A Taste Of Honey” on Kapp. Jesse Powell died in New York in October 1982.
 Now let’s get romantic with Jesse:



Download from here:

http://www16.zippyshare.com/v/BE19VIs9/file.html

Or here:

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?oe4z23940k61q77

No password! Happy Valentine’s Day!