Genre: Jazz
For an instrument that was invented in the USA as late as 1921 and only developed to its modern form in 1927, the vibraphone has become an established solo instrument in Jazz within a surprisingly short time. This is due, of course, to Lionel Hampton (1908-2002), who was asked by no less than Louis Armstrong for a recording-date in 1930 to use the vibraphone on some titles. Since Hampton could already play the drums and xylophone, it was not surprising that he preferred a percussive style.
In the Benny Goodman Quartet, one of the first multi-ethnic ensembles of Jazz, the instrument was then popularized by Hampton from 1936 on. In the Forties “Hamp” became an international star as the leader of his own orchestras.
What a wonderful improviser Hampton was, he also proved at a “summit” with Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown and Buddy Rich in 1953, which can be witnessed on the first CD of this documentation of the greatest vibraphonists of jazz history. Red Norvo was, like Hampton, born in 1908, but preferred a pianistic approach. His trio recordings with guitarist Tal Farlow and the young Charles Mingus on bass are among the highlights of “chamber musical” jazz. Milt Jackson (1923-1999), the first bebop star of the vibraphone, changed from hot to cool and back throughout his career – as a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet he had to adapt to the group discipline, but with his own bands and recording projects he could revisit his musical roots, for example with Ray Charles on the album "Soul Brothers" (featured on the wallet box "I Love New York Jazz"). Here he presents himself in top-form with the tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson and Hank Jones on piano.
Unfortunately, Lem Winchester and Eddie Costa, both great musicians, died very young. Here you can hear Costa, who was also a wonderful piano player in his own right, with the pianist Bill Evans, who also lets the sparks fly in dialogue with Dave Pike. Pike went on to great success with his European jazz rock quartet in the 70s.
Buddy Montgomery is represented on a wonderful, rare recording from Canada with the Mastersounds, a more soulful version of the MJQ, which also featured his brothers Wes and Monk. Curtis Amy, a saxophonist from California, whose wonderful records under his own name are appreciated by collectors only, but who has been heard worldwide as a soloist on records by Carole King, holds the honor of having made the first recordings with Bobby Hutcherson and Roy Ayers. Other vibes-men to establish themselves on the West Coast were Cal Tjader, the king of Latin jazz, and the British vibraphonist and pianist Victor Feldman. His countryman Tubby Hayes is primarily known as a saxophonist and flutist, however some live recordings show that he could just as well have based his too short career (1935-1973) on playing the vibraphone.
The lyrical avant-gardist Walt Dickerson (1931-2008), whose music was truly out of this world, was an absolute exception in every way and deserves to be re-discovered.
Tracklist:
CD 1
LIONEL HAMPTON QUARTET
1. The Nearness of You 10.43
(Carmichael, Washington)
2. Stompin' at the Savoy 10.52
(Razaf, Goodman, Webb, Sampson)
Lionel Hampton (vibes) Oscar Peterson (p) Ray Brown (b) Buddy Rich (drs)
Recorded in New York City, September 10, 1953
Released in 1953
LIONEL HAMPTON QUARTET
3. 'S Wonderful (G. & I. Gerhwin) 7.27
4. Always (Irving Berlin) 8.05
5. Air Mail Special 7.42
(Christian, Mundy, Goodman)
6. Soft Winds (Benny Goodman) 6.17
Lionel Hampton (vibes) Oscar Peterson (p) Ray Brown (b) Buddy Rich (drs)
Recorded in New York City, September 10, 1953
Released in 1954
Total Time 51.07
CD 2
MILT JACKSON
- JACKSON´S VILLE
1. Now's the Time (Charlie Parker) 8.20
2. In a Sentimental Mood / Mood Indigo / 6.51
Azure (Duke Ellington)
3. Minor Conception (Milt Jackson) 8.41
4. Soul in 3/4 (Milt Jackson) 6.43
Milt Jackson (vibes) Lucky Thompson (ts)
Hank Jones (p) Wendell Marshall (b)
Kenny Clarke (drs)
Recorded on January 23, 1956
RED NORVO TRIO VOL. 1
PLUS BONUS TRACKS
5. Little White Lies (Walter Donaldson) 3.47
6. I've Got You Under My Skin 2.25
(Cole Porter)
7. I Get a Kick out of You (Cole Porter) 2.27
8. Move (Miles Davis) 2.39
9. I Can't Believe That You're in Love 2.54
with Me (Gaskill, McHugh)
10. I'll Remember April 3.21
(Raye, DePaul, Johnston)
11. Zing Went the Strings of My Heart 3.29
(Jimmy Hanley)
12. September Song (Kurt Weill) 3.33
13. This Can't Be Love (Rodgers, Hart) 2.31
14. If I Had You (Campbell, Connelly, Shapiro) 4.09
15. Cheek to Cheek (Irving Berlin) 2.41
16. Time and Tide (Bob Bilder) 2.35
Red Norvo (vibes) Tal Farlow (git)
Charles Mingus (b)
Recorded in Los Angeles in 1949 and 1950
Total Time 67.09
CD 3
TERRY GIBBS
- PLAYS THE DUKE
1. Rockin' in Rhythm 2.44
(Ellington, H. Carney, Mills)
2. I Let a Song Go out of My Heart 3.06
(Ellington, Mills, Redmond)
3. Caravan (Ellington, Mills, Tizol) 4.17
4. Solitude (Ellington, de Lange, Mills) 3.38
5. Take the 'A' Train (Billy Strayhorn) 3.10
6. Sophisticated Lady 3.20
(Ellington, Mills, M. Parish)
7. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me 3.51
(Ellington, Russell)
8. Don't Get Around Much Anymore 2.39
(Ellington, Russell)
9. Johnny Come Lately (Billy Strayhorn) 3.01
10. Duke's Place 5.01
(Kaz, Thiel, Ellington, Roberts)
Terry Gibbs (vibes, marimba, xylophone)
Pete Jolly (p, accordion) Leroy Vinnegar (b) Gary Frommer (drs)
Recorded in Los Angeles on December 4, 1957
LEM WINCHESTER
- LEM´S BEAT
11. Eddy's Dilemma (Oliver Nelson) 11.41
12. Lem & Aide (Oliver Nelson) 8.01
13. Friendly Persuasion 4.11
(Tiomkin, Webster)
14. Your Last Chance (Oliver Nelson) 6.53
15. Lady Day (Roy Johnson) 2.54
16. Just Friends (Klenner, M. Lewis) 5.19
Lem Winchester (vibes) Oliver Nelson (ts)
Curtis Peagler (as) Billy Brown (p: 11, 14)
Roy Johnson (p: 12, 15, 16) Wendell Marshall (b) Arthur Taylor (drs)
Recorded on April 19th, 1960
Total Time 73.48
CD 4
THE MASTERSOUNDS
- SWINGING WITH THE MASTERSOUNDS
1. Golden Earrings 9.47
(Evans, Livingston, Young)
2. People Will Say We're in Love 6.10
(Rodgers, Hammerstein)
3. There No Greater Love (Jones, Symes) 5.35
4. West Coast Blues (Wes Montgomery) 5.26
5. I've Never Been in Love Before 8.33
(Frank Loesser) / Don't Blame Me
(McHugh, Fields)
6. I Could Write a Book (Rodgers, Hart) 5.17
Buddy Montgomery (vibes) Richie Crabtree (p) Monk Montgomery (b) Benny Barth (drs)
Recorded in 1960
WALT DICKERSON
- THIS IS WALT DICKERSON!
7. Time (Walt Dickerson) 6.30
8. Elizabeth (Walt Dickerson) 5.07
9. The Cry (Walt Dickerson) 7.00
10. Death and Taxes (Walt Dickerson) 6.06
11. Evelyn (Walt Dickerson) 6.13
12. Infinite You (Walt Dickerson) 7.01
Walt Dickerson (vibes) Austin Crowe (p)
Bob Lewis (b) Andrew Cyrille (drs)
Recorded in New York City on March 7, 1961
Total Time 78.48
CD 5
THE MONTGOMERY BROTHERS
- IN CANADA
1. Jeanie (Duke Pearson) 4.13
2. Snowfall (Claude Thornhill) 6.52
3. Angel Eyes (Brent, Dennis) 6.27
4. Barbados (Charlie Parker) 2.33
5. This Love of Mine 3.51
(Sinatra, Sanicola, Parker)
6. Green Dolphin Street 4.32
(Kaper, Washington)
7. You Don't Know What Love Is 6.24
(Raye, DePaul)
8. Beaux Arts (Buddy Montgomery) 4.42
Buddy Montgomery (vibes) Wes Montgomery (git) Monk Montgomery (b)
Paul Humphrey (drs)
Recorded in Toronto in December, 1961
CURTIS AMY & FRANK BUTLER
- GROOVIN´ BLUE (W. BOBBY HUTCHERSON)
9. Groovin' Blue (Curtis Amy) 8.17
10. Beautiful You (Curtis Amy) 7.46
11. Very Frank (Curtis Amy) 1.52
12. Gone into It (Curtis Amy) 6.23
13. Annsome (Curtis Amy) 8.40
14. Bobblin' (Curtis Amy) 5.31
Curtis Amy (ts) Carmell Jones (tp)
Bobby Hutcherson (vibes) Frank Strazzeri (p) Jimmy Bond (b) Frank Butler (drs)
Recorded in Los Angeles in 1961
Total Time 78.06
CD 6
TEDDY CHARLES
- WORD FROM BIRD
1. Word from Bird (Teddy Charles) 10.08
2. Laura (David Raksin) 5.04
3. Show Time (Bob Brookmeyer) 6.12
4. When Your Lover Has Gone (E. A. Swan) 2.30
5. Just One of Those Things (Cole Porter) 6.08
6. Blue Greens (Teddy Charles) 11.45
Teddy Charles (vibes) Art Farmer (tp: 1, 3)
Eddie Bert (tb: 1) Jim Buffington (fhr: 1)
Hal Stein (as: 1, 3) Robert Newman (ts: 1, 3)
George Barrow (brs: 1, 3) Don Butterfield (tuba: 1, 3)
Jimmy Raney (git: 1, 3) Hall Overton (p)
Addison Farmer (b: 1, 3) Charlie Mingus (b: 2, 4-6) Ed Shaughnessy (drs)
Recorded in New York City on October 23, 1956 (1 & 3)
Other tracks on November 12, 1956
Total Time 41.49
CD 7
THE EDDIE COSTA QUARTET
- GUYS AND DOLLS LIKE VIBES
1. Guys and Doll (Frank Loesser) 6.46
2. Adelaide (Frank Loesser) 8.29
3. If I Were a Bell (Frank Loesser) 5.10
4. Luck Be a Lady (Frank Loesser) 6.23
5. I've Never Been in Love Before 7.00
(Frank Loesser)
6. I'll Know (Frank Loesser) 6.04
Eddie Costa (vibes) Bill Evans (p)
Wendell Marshall (b) Paul Motian (drs)
Recorded in January 1958 in New York City
THE DAVE PIKE QUARTET
- PIKE´S PEAK
7. Why Not (Dave Pike) 6.48
8. In a Sentimental Mood 6.33
(Ellington, Mills, Kurtz)
9. Vierd Blues (Miles Davis) 6.00
10. Besame Mucho (Consuelo Velazquez) 6.56
11. Wild Is the Wind (Tiomkin, Washington) 9.32
Dave Pike (vibes) Bill Evans (p)
Herbie Lewis (b) Walter Perkins (drs)
Recorded in New York City in November 1961
Total Time 75.44
CD 8
JOHNNY LYTLE TRIO
- BLUES VIBES
1. Blue Vibes (Johnny Lytle) 5.41
2. Over the Rainbow (Harbur, Arlen) 5.20
3. For Heaven's Sake (Meyer, Bretton) 4.40
4. Movin' Nicely (Milt Jackson) 5.01
5. Autumn Leaves (Kosma, Mercer) 7.09
6. Mister Strudel (Johnny Lytle) 6.31
7. Canadian Sunset (Eddie Heywood) 6.25
Johnny Lytle (vibes) Milton Harris (organ) Albert Heath (drs)
Recorded in New York on June 16, 1960
JOHNNY LYTLE
- HAPPY GROUND
8. Lela (Johnny Lytle) 4.16
9. Secret Love (Webster, Fain) 6.54
10. When I Fall in Love (Heyman, Young) 4.27
11. Tag Along (Clark, Ness) 3.15
12. It's All Right with Me (Cole Porter) 5.39
13. Happy Ground (Johnny Lytle) 7.16
14. My Funny Valentine (Rodgers, Hart) 4.15
15. Take the "A" Train (Billy Strayhorn) 2.51
Johnny Lytle (vibes) Milton Harris (organ) William "Peppy" Hinnant (drs)
Recorded in New York in January 23, 1961
Total Time 79.44
CD 9
CURTIS AMY FEAT. VICTOR FELDMAN
- WAY DOWN (W. ROY AYERS)
1. Way Down (Onzy Mathews) 7.51
2. Liberia (Curtis Amy) 6.47
3. 24 Hour Blues (Curtis Amy) 5.26
4. Lisa (Curtis Amy) 2.42
5. A Soulful Bee, a Soulful Rose 7.02
(Curtis Amy)
6. All My Life (Stept, Mitchell) 7.22
7. Bells and Horns (Milt Jackson) 5.38
Curtis Amy (ts) Marcus Belgrave (tp)
Roy Brewster (valve tb) Ron Ayers (vibes) John Houston (p: 3, 4) Victor Feldman (p: 1, 2, 5, 6) George Morrow (b) Tony Bazley (drs)
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios, Hollywood, California in 1962
TUBY HAYES
BONUS TRACKS
8. But Beautiful (Van Heusen, Burke) 7.26
9. Down in the Village (Tubby Hayes) 10.58
Tubby Hayes (vibes) Jimmy Deuchar (tp) Gordon Beck (p) Freddy Logan (b)
Allan Ganley (drs)
Recorded live at The Ronnie Scott Club,
London on 17-18th May, 1962
Total Time 61.14
CD 10
VICTOR FELDMAN
- THE ARRIVAL OF VICTOR FELDMAN
1. Serpent Tooth (Miles Davis) 3.25
2. Waltz (Frederic Chopin) 5.31
3. Chasing Shadows (Victor Feldman) 3.59
4. Flamingo (Anderson, Grouya) 3.18
5. S' Posin (Razaf, Denniker) 4.29
6. Bebop (Dizzy Gillespie) 2.47
7. There Is No Greater Love 4.24
(Jones, Symes)
8. Too Blue (Victor Feldman) 4.14
9. Minor Lament (Victor Feldman) 4.01
10. Satin Doll (Duke Ellington) 6.03
Victor Feldman (vibes, p) Scott LaFaro (b) Stan Levey (drs)
Recorded at Contemporary's Studio
in Los Angeleson January 21 & 22, 1958
CAL TJADER
- LATINO
11. Mambo Terrifico (J. Lozano) 4.21
12. A Night in Tunisia (Gillespie, Paparelli) 8.34
13. The Continental (Conrad, Magidson) 4.45
14. Afro Blue (M. Santamaria) 6.32
15. Cuban Fantasy (R. Bryant) 6.30
16. Rezo (Guerra, Lobo) 5.56
Cal Tjader (vibes) Tony Terran (tp)
Jose Lozano, Rolando Lozano, Paul Horn (fl) Modesto Briseno (as, fl) Jose "Chombo" Silva (ts) Lonnie Hewitt, Eddie Cano, Vince Guaraldi (p) Al McKibbon, Victor Vinegas, Edddie Coleman (b)
Willie Bobo (drs, timbales) Mongo Santamaria (congas)
Recorded in 1960
Total Time 78.50