1952-1953

by Bill Coleman

Overview

In addition to the friendliest photograph of Bill Coleman ever published, this fourth installment in the Classics Coleman chronology presents material performed live in Paris, France. The first 11 tracks were recorded on October 18, 1952, with Coleman as MC in front of a wildly appreciative audience at the Salle Pleyel, 252 Rue de Faubourg St-Honore. The opening number is an extended duet on "Out of Nowhere" played by pianist Randy Downes and bassist Alvin "Buddy" Banks. A brief crowd-pleasing take of "The Sheik" consists mostly of Zutty Singleton beating the hell out of a cymbal. Guy Lafitte is heard on clarinet and tenor sax (very nicely handled on "Ghost of a Chance") and Dicky Wells blows his trombone with either laconic eccentricity or a boisterous if somewhat dog-eared abandon. Coleman, as always, sounds like a trumpeter who was inspired by Louis Armstrong and gradually developed his own sound without ever deviating very far from the Armstrong influence. "Knuckle Head," composed by Coleman and Wells, is a solid example of what in 1945 was often referred to as "rebop." Coleman uses a mute most beautifully on Duke Ellington's "Solitude" and Lafitte demonstrates a Barney Bigard-like approach to the clarinet. "Perdido" heavily features bassist Buddy Banks. The author of the liner notes assumed that Wells was loaded and needed to be "rescued" by Coleman. This is debatable; on the excellent "Red Top" the trombonist sounds like he's fully in command of himself. Given the tastes of the average Parisian jazz head in 1952, it is not surprising that this band ended its gig with a singalong version of "When the Saints Go Marching In." Lafitte's very modern tenor solo on this historical New Orleans street stomp perfectly addresses the European fascination with the entire history of jazz. The rest of the material issued here was recorded at the Cluny Palace in the Cluny de Luxe Hotel on October 23, 1953, with trombonist Bill Tamper, veteran reedman Benny Waters, and a tight rhythm section propelled by percussionist Wallace Bishop. Coleman exercises his vocal chords on the last three tracks. Benny Waters takes one of the toughest solos of his career on Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's rocking "Old Maid Blues," a facetious tune addressed to a 35-year-old woman. ~ arwulf arwulf

Product Details

Release Date:	08/23/2005
Label:	Classics
UPC:	3448967138126

Tracks

1. Out of Nowhere
2. The Sheik
3. Royal Garden Blues
4. One O'Clock Jump
5. Ghost of a Chance
6. Knucklehead
7. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
8. In My Solitude
9. Red Top
10. Perdido
11. When the Saints Go Marching In
12. Royal Garden Blues
13. Mood Indigo
14. Lover
15. I Surrender, Dear
16. Old Maid Blues
17. St. Louis Blues

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bill Coleman   Primary Artist,Trumpet,Vocals
Dicky Wells   Trombone
Benny Waters   Sax (Alto),Clarinet,Sax (Soprano)
Zutty Singleton   Drums
Guy Lafitte   Sax (Tenor),Clarinet
Wallace Bishop   Drums
Eddie DeHaas   Bass
Alvin "Buddy" Banks   Bass
Bill Tamper   Trombone
Randy Downes   Piano

Technical Credits

Johnny Green   Composer
Harry Barris   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Anatol Schenker   Liner Notes
Gordon Clifford   Composer
W.C. Handy   Composer
Count Basie   Composer