The Be-Bop Boys - Boppin' A Riff

Side 1:

01. Boppin' A Riff, Parts 1 and 2

02. Fat Boy, Parts 1 and 2

Side 2:

01. Everything's Cool, Parts 1 and 2

02. Webb City, Parts 1 and 2

Download from:

http://www9.zippyshare.com/v/gj7ddQ5e/file.html

Recorded in New York, September 6th, 1946. Personnel: Kenny Dorham; Fats Navarro (trumpet); Sonny Stitt (alto sax); Morris Lane (tenor sax); Eddie DeVerteuil (baritone sax); Bud Powell (piano); Al Hall (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums); Gil Fuller (arranger)

The session was credited to Fats Navarro / Gil Fuller's Modernists / The Be-Bop Boys

Release details:

01. Boppin' A Riff, Parts 1 and 2 - Savoy 588

02. Fat Boy, Parts 1 and 2 - Savoy 587

03. Everything's Cool, Parts 1 and 2 - Savoy 586

04. Webb City, Parts 1 and 2 - Savoy 585

The above four 78 rpm singles were listed in Billboard's Advance Record Releases section of 12th October 1946 as being due for release as a 4 disc set called "Be Bop Jam Session Album" (Savoy S-506). "Webb City" was later reissued as Savoy 900 and "Fat Boy" was reissued as Savoy 901. "Everything's Cool" was reissued as Savoy 941, credited to Fats Navarro.

These tracks have been reissued many times on LP and EP but with changing credited artists. For example "Fat Boy" was on "New Sounds In Modern Music - Fats Navarro" (Savoy MG 9005) issued in 1951:

"Everything's Cool" was on the 1952 Sonny Stitt LP (MG 9006) in the same series:

This is one of those "knock off" posts where a few tracks are gathered together into a home made compilation on some pretext or other. I've cobbled together a set inspired by the previous post on Morris Lane. I referred to the fact that prior to his first recording for Savoy as named artist, Lane had recorded for that label as a member of "The Be-Bop Boys" alongside some of the biggest names in bop, including Fats Navarro, Sonny Stitt and Bud Powell. Here are the four singles which resulted from that session, presented in the order in which they were recorded. Each track was split in two to fit onto a 78 rpm single, which leads to some odd sounding fade outs and fade ins.

"The Be-Bop Boys" was a generic name used by Savoy for recordings by various lineups of boppers, including bands led by Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Allen Eager and Sonny Stitt. Anyway I'm a sucker for bop, so I'm off to find my beret and bop shades, then I'm going to  dig these cool vibes! I might even grow a goatee too. Way out, daddy-o.

Suede Jacket / Lion’s Roar – Russell Jacquet And His All Stars (King 4242)

Personnel: Russell Jacquet (trumpet); J.J. Johnson (trombone); Sonny Stitt (alto sax); Leo Parker (baritone sax); Sir Charles Thompson (piano); Al Lucas (bass); Shadow Wilson (drums)

Both sides were recorded at United Sound Studios, Detroit, in May or June, 1948.

The recordings were made for the Sensation label which was owned by Bernard Besman. The Billboard issue of June 19^th 1948 carried an article on the purchase of 64 Sensation masters by King Records. The purchase included sides by Todd Rhodes, “Lord Nelson”, Milt Jackson and Russell Jacquet. “Suede Jacquet” / “Lion’s Roar” was released on King 4242 at the end of July or beginning of August 1948. The same record was also released on Sensation 8.

Listen to "Suede Jacket"

Listen to "Lion's Roar"

Russell Jacquet was the elder brother of tenor sax giant Illinois Jacquet, in whose band he played trumpet and contributed vocals from 1945 until 1953. During this period he also recorded occasionally as a band leader in his own right, beginning in Los Angeles in 1945 with a group which included Calvin Boze in its line-up.

The session which produced “Suede Jacket” and Lion’s Roar” wasn’t the first time Russell had recorded in Detroit. In 1947 he recorded with Sonny Stitt and Sir Charles Thompson in a group led by Milt Jackson. In May / June 1948 three sessions featuring various line-ups were held by Sensation in Detroit. The first session was credited to “Lord Nelson and His Boppers”, in reality a group led by Sonny Stitt and Milt Jackson. The second session was by The Sonny Stitt Sextet which included Stitt, Milt Jackson, Russell Jacquet and Sir Charles Thompson.

The third session was credited to “Russell Jacquet and His All-Stars.” This was actually the Illinois Jacquet band minus Illinois, but with Sonny Stitt added. Two discs resulted from this session – “Suede Jacket” / “Lion’s Roar” and “Scamparoo” / “Relaxin’ With Randel” (King 4259 and Sensation 12).

“Suede Jacket” is a nice bop workout with solo space given to Stitt, Johnson, Parker, Jacquet and, very briefly, Thompson. “Lion’s Roar” is a rousing showcase for the big bad baritone sax of Leo Parker. This session was a reunion for half of the Unholy Four sax section of the bop-leaning Billy Eckstine big band, Sonny Stitt and Leo Parker both being former members, along with Dexter Gordon and John Jackson.

Many thanks to El Enmascarado for putting the BeBop into the Wino with this 78 disc!

Sources - Bruyninckx  Discography. Sleevenotes by Joop Visser to 4CD set on Proper, "Sonny Stitt - Sax O' Bebop." The May / June 1948 Sensation sessions are included in the set.