…because everyone should listen to it now and then.
The first tenor saxophone solo is by Lester Young. The trumpet is Harry Edison. The second tenor solo is by Herchel Evans. Prez has the tag.
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
by Doug Ramsey
…because everyone should listen to it now and then.
The first tenor saxophone solo is by Lester Young. The trumpet is Harry Edison. The second tenor solo is by Herchel Evans. Prez has the tag.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Doug!
This is the pure joy of swing, happy music, it’s a classic. Beside all what’s ingenious at this particular recording, how solos and arrangement go hand in hand, almost as there would have been just this way how it was working out best … besides all that, is there a very, very short moment, a funny one which always strikes me when I’m listening to this track:
Just a glimpse before minute 3:24 there is this trombone sound, almost like a human voice which seems to burst out for joy, and exaltation. It may have been a “wrong” cue, but to me it sounds like “hoo!”, like: “Yeah! We made it! We are the happiest band in the land!”
A happy orchestra, with one of the most tragic figures in jazz: Lester Young, who had clearly one of the most creative moments here, and in the recorded history of jazz at all.
Alone the introduction to the piece, and the following solo includes all ingredients which made Pres the father of the modern tenor sax:
Relaxed, bouncy phrasing, his false fingering technique (what my late teacher, and mentor Hans Jesse called the “honk-sound”), and the unique lines (not ‘cool’ at all, by the way!) have impressed and influenced so many other tenorists during the 1940’s that Lester rubbed his eyes in bewilderment, saying he felt like walking around, surrounded by mirrors.
Also “Sweets” Edison’s trumpet solo: This is early modern style. There are some phrases you would find in Lee Morgan’s solos 20 years later. Especially the short fill-in of the trumpet (3:00) sounds like Lee at “Sidewinder”.
And then comes the undeservedly neglected one, always the 2nd mentioned after the President; and that is Herschel Evans, the ever jumping counterpoint to Lester Young, like it was German decathlete Juergen Hingsen to the Briton Daley Thompson: One couldn’t exist without the other.
Alas, Herschel died too early, which must have been quite a shock to Lester who certainly missed the beloved tenor battles, and the little, funny arguments between the two: “Hey, Pres, why don’t you play the alto sax? You have an alto sound.” And Lester called him (as he called anybody) ‘Lady’ Herschel.
And the Count? He directed that bunch of creative individuals with his right little finger: Ping, but with what a swing!
I forgot to mention “The All-American Rhythm Section”:
Freddie Green, Walter Page and ‘Papa’ Jo Jones.
What a tremendous job the three men did here, and on all these Kansas
City jump tunes. They made most others sound like amateurs. Often copied,
seldom achieved, as is a famous German saying.
Glenn Miller, one of the most desperate band leaders regarding his
rhythm boys, often nodded his head in amazement, and asked his
friends and colleagues: “Why can’t WE swing like that?!” (Some tried
to tell him … but alas, he didn’t listen.)
What a tune. Plus, there’s the bonus of an evocative title/phrase: every tub-that brings us insight into the hard life on the road travelled by these early jazz heroes.
I wanted to mention, if people aren’t familiar with it, the fantastic version of this tune done by Lambert, Hendricks and Ross in their 1957 “Sing A Song Of Basie” album.
Always good to stick close to the classics.
Grazie
That’s mighty nice. Somehow I managed to never hear this one before. Great comments from Bruno. Thanks.
I have this on an old Ed Beach ‘Just Jazz’ aircheck featuring Mr. Young, and thought he was saying ‘every tongue.’ Mr. Provizors’ explanation of ‘tub,’ assuming it’s correct, clears up a couple of matters in one post. Bueno!