Tommy Flanagan – Lonely Town (1959)

Known for his flawless and tasteful playing, Tommy Flanagan received long overdue recognition for his talents in the 1980s. He played clarinet when he was six and switched to piano five years later. Flanagan was an important part of the fertile Detroit jazz scene (other than 1951-1953 when he was in the Army) until he moved to New York in 1956. He was used for many recordings after his arrival during that era; cut sessions as a leader for New Jazz, Prestige, Savoy, and Moodsville; and worked regularly with Oscar Pettiford, J.J. Johnson (1956-1958), Harry “Sweets” Edison (1959-1960), and Coleman Hawkins (1961). Flanagan was Ella Fitzgerald’s regular accompanist during 1963-1965 and 1968-1978, which resulted in him being underrated as a soloist. However, starting in 1975, he began leading a series of superior record sessions and since leaving Fitzgerald, Flanagan has been in demand as the head of his own trio, consistently admired for his swinging and creative bop-based style. Among the many labels he has recorded for since 1975 are Pablo, Enja, Denon, Galaxy, Progressive, Uptown, Timeless, and several European and Japanese companies. For Blue Note, he cut Sunset and Mockingbird in 1998, followed a year later by Samba for Felix. Despite a heart condition, Flanagan continued performing until the end of his life, performing two-week stints at the Village Vanguard twice a year, recording and touring. He died on November 16, 2001, in Manhattan from an arterial aneurysm.

Lonely Town is an album by jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan. It is a trio recording, with bassist Joe Benjamin and drummer Elvin Jones.

The album was recorded in New York City on March 10, 1959.

The compositions are by Leonard Bernstein. They are: “America” and “Tonight” from West Side Story; “Lonely Town” and “Lucky to Be Me” from On the Town; “Glitter and Be Gay” and “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide; and “It’s Love” from Wonderful Town.

This album contains seven Leonard Bernstein compositions that are associated with four musicals that Bernstein scored.

The songs that are associated with Bernstein’s scores (and the associated musicals) are:
Tracks 1 and 3 (America and Tonight) from West Side Story (1957).
Tracks 2 and 5 (Lonely Town and Lucky To Be Me) from On the Town (1944).
Track 4 (It’s Love) from Wonderful Town (1953),
Tracks 6 and 7 (Glitter And Be Gay and Make Our Garden Grow) from Candide (1956).

For me this is one of my favorite Tommy Flanagan albums, and certainly one that showcases his style on both pensive ballads and a few up tempo tracks.

This album was recorded in NYC for Blue Note on March 10, 1959. Flanagan is backed by Joe Benjamin on bass and Elvin Jones on drums. If there ever was a ‘desert island’ Flanagan album this one would be on my personal short list. (by Mike Tarrani)

Alternate frontcover

Personnel:
Joe Benjamin (bass)
Tommy Flanagan (piano)
Elvin Jones (drums)

Tracklist:
01. America (Bernstein) 5.55
02. Lonely Town (Bernstein) 7.28
03. Tonight (Bernstein/Sondheim) 3.44
04. It’s Love (Bernstein) 3.45
05. Lucky To Be Me (Bernstein) 4.15
06. Glitter And Be Gay (Bernstein/Wilbur) 4.13
07. Make Our Garden Grow (Bernstein) 3.10

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Various Artists – An Easy Christmas (2001)

This is just a sampler, full with 20 old and classic christmas songs, performed by many stars in the easy listening style.
You can hear singers like Don McLean, David Bowie, Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Perry Como and Al Green.

“This is my most favourite christmas album ever-I had to order a second copy as the first had a scratch on. I listen to it all the time. Not your average Christmas album!”(by miss r aughton)

“Great to listen to while wrapping presents” (by Zoe Bell)

And I guess, I will play this album (amongst others) on December 24, 2016 … Enjoy this romantic and sentimental sampler.

Tracklist:
01. Andy Williams: Most Wonderful Time Of Year (2001) (Pola/Wyle) 2.34
02. Nat King Cole: Christmas Song (1963) (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (Tormé/Wells) 3.14
03. Eartha Kitt: Santa Baby (1953) (Javits/Springer) 3.26
04. Dean Martin: Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow (1965) (Cahn/Styne) 1.58
05. Judy Garland: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (1944) (Martin/Blane) 2.45
06. Harry Belafonte: Mary’s Boy Child (1957) (Hairston) 2.59
07. Bing Crosby: White Christmas (1954) (Berlin) 3.04
08. Al Green: Silent Night (1963) (Gruber/Mohr) 3.19
09. Crystal Gayle: Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer (1996) (Marks) 2.57
10. Anne Murray: Snowbird (1978) (MacLellan) 2.11
11. Don McLean: Winter Wonderland (1991) (Bernard/Smith) 2.54
12. Charles Brown: Please Come Home For Christmas (Christmas Finds Me Oh So Sad) (1961) (Brown/Redd) 3.18
13. Doris Day: I’ll Be Home For Christmas (1964) (Gannon/Kent/Ram) 2.27
14. Andy Williams: Sleigh Ride (live) (2001) (Anderson) 2.22
15. Crystal Gayle: Silver Bells (1996) (Livingston/Evans) 4.09
16. Don McLean: Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (1991) (Coots/Gillespie) 3.06
17. Perry Como: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (1959)(Traditional) 2.56
18. Al Green: What Christmas Means To Me (1963) (Story/Gaye/ Gordy) 3.44
19. Bing Crosby + David Bowie: Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy (1977) (Fraser/Grossman/Alan Kohan/Simeone/Davis/Onorati) 2.38
20. Michael Ball: Happy New Year (1999) (Andersson/Ulvaeus) 4.18

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Bunk Johnson – The King of The Blues (1989)

Willie Gary “Bunk” Johnson (December 27, 1879 – July 7, 1949) was a prominent early New Orleans jazz trumpet player in the early years of the 20th century who enjoyed a revived career in the 1940s.

Bunk gave the year of his birth as 1879, although there is speculation that he may have actually been younger by as much as a decade.

Bunk received lessons from Adam Olivier and began playing professionally in Olivier’s orchestra. Bunk probably played a few adolescent jobs with Buddy Bolden, but was not a regular member of Bolden’s Band for any length of time (contrary to Bunk’s claim). Bunk was regarded as one of the top trumpeters in New Orleans in the years 1905–1915, in between repeatedly leaving the city to tour with minstrel shows and circus bands. After he failed to appear for a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade job in 1915, he learned the krewe members intended to do him bodily harm, and so he left town, touring with shows and then settling in New Iberia, Louisiana. In 1931 he lost his trumpet and front teeth when a violent fight broke out at a dance in Rayne, Louisiana, putting an end to his playing. He thereafter worked in manual labor, occasionally giving music lessons on the side when he could.
Career revival and first recordings

In 1938 and 1939 the researchers /writers of the first book of jazz history, Jazzmen, interviewed several prominent musicians of the time, including Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, and Clarence Williams, who spoke very highly of Bunk in the old days in New Orleans. The writers tracked down Bunk’s address, and traded several letters with him, where Bunk recalled (and possibly embellished) his early career. Bunk stated that he could play again if he only had new teeth and a new trumpet. A collection was taken up by writers and musicians, and Bunk was fitted with a set of dentures (by Bechet’s dentist brother, Leonard) and given a new trumpet. He made his first recordings in 1942, for Jazz Man Records.

These first recordings propelled Bunk (along with clarinetist George Lewis) into public attention, attracting a cult following. Bunk and his band played in New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston, and New York City and made many more recordings. Bunk’s work in the 1940s show why he was well regarded by his fellow musicians—on his best days playing with great imagination, subtlety, and beauty—as well as suggesting why he had not achieved fame earlier, for he was unpredictable, temperamental, with a passive-aggressive streak and a fondness for drinking alcohol to the point of serious impairment.

Bunk suffered from a stroke in late 1948 and died in New Iberia the following year.

Jazz fans and historians still debate Bunk’s legacy, and the extent to which his colorful reminiscences of his early career were accurate, misremembered, exaggerated, or untrue.

The majority of his recordings remain in print on CD reissues, and his playing is an important influence on many contemporary traditional jazz musicians. Johnson plays a small, but significant, role in Alan Schroeder’s picture book “Satchmo’s Blues.” In that book, Johnson serves as a source of musical inspiration to the young Louis Armstrong. (by wikipedia)

Bunk (left) with Lead Belly in New York City, 1946

Back in New Orleans during part of 1944-45, the legendary trumpeter Bunk Johnson recorded fairly extensively with his regular group of the period: trombonist Jim Robinson, clarinetist George Lewis, banjoist Lawrence Marrero, bassist Alcide “Slow Drag” Pavageau, drummer Baby Dodds and occasionally the tuba of Sidney Brown. This CD, which launched the rebirth of the American Music label, has 13 performances, including two vocals by Myrtle Jones, three songs not previously released in the U.S., and two numbers (“Weary Blues” and “How Long Blues”) being put out for the first time. In general, Bunk plays very well, and the ensemble-oriented music is quite enjoyable. (by Scott Yanow)

Recorded in New Orleans, July + August 1944

Personnel:
Baby Dodds (drums)
Bunk Johnson (trumpet)
George Lewis (clarinet)
Lawrence Marrero (banjo)
“Slow Drag” Alcide Pavageau (bass)
Jim Robinson (trombone)
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Sidney “Jim Little” Brown – tuba (2 & 8)
Myrtle JonesMyrtle Jones (vocals on 04, + 13.)

Bunk Johnson & his 1944 Blues Band

Tracklist:
01. C. C Rider (Rainey) 3.44
02. Low Down Blues (Johnson) 4.27
03. St. Louis Blues (Handy) 4.11
04. Blue As I Can Be (Traditional) 3.59
05.Dippermouth Blues (Oliver/Armstrong) 3.47
06. Midnight Blues (Johnson) 9.25
07. Weary Blues (Mathews) 4.29
08. New Iberia Blues (Johnson) 4.11
09. Careless Love (Traditional) 4.31
10. How Long Blues (Carr) 3.46
11. Royal Garden Blues (S.Williams/C.Williams) 3.51
12.Tishomingo Blues (S.Williams) 4.46
13. C. C Rider Blues (Rainey) 4.13

Alternate frontcover

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