Pate's Place » Vocal

Duke Ellington

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:42:00 +0000

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) has often been called a genius and a number of fine biographies will illuminates the whys and where fors. Here’s a very short list:

(1) Duke Ellington’s autobiography Music Is My Mistress; (2) Beyond Category: The Life And Genius Of Duke Ellington by John Edward Hasse; (3) The World of Duke Ellington by Stanley Dance, and (4) for children, Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Pinkney and Brian Pinkney.

Take the “A” Train by Pete Petersen and the Collection Jazz Orchestra recording Playin in the Park.
Prelude To A Kiss on The Overwhelming Joe Williams.

Day Dream by Phil Kelly on My Museum.

Isfahan on Duke Ellington’s The Far East Suite.
Main Stem – Duke on At The Hurricane 1943 or on The Golden Years of Duke Ellington.

In A Sentimental Mood by Sarah Vaughan on
the The Best of Sarah Vaughan.
Mood Indigo – Dave Grusin on Homage to Duke.

Passion Flower – Johnny Hodges Passion Flower 1940-46.
Sophisticated Lady – Billy Eckstine on Love Songs.

Johnny Come Lately – Duke on Black Beauty or on C Jam Blues .
It Don’t Mean A Thing – Sarah Vaughan on The Ellington Songbook, vol 2 .
After All – Duke on Complete Standard Transcriptions.

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(Note: The CD titles are linked to amazon.com for your convenience.)

Sarah Vaughan

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:47:11 +0000

The Divine One would have celebrated her 88th birthday on March 27 (born 1924) but she left us way too soon, dying just a few days after her 66th birthday (April 3, 1990). If you click on the photo of Sarah at the bottom of this post, it will take you to the Wikipedia entry about her and from there you will find links to lots more information.

Baubles, Bangles & Beads on You’re Mine You

Embraceable You on Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown and It Don’t Mean A Thing on Duke Ellington Song Book 2

The Midnight Sun Will Never Set on Misty and Cheek To Cheek on No Count Sarah

You’re Mine You on You’re Mine You and Lullaby Of Birdland on Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown and Misty on Misty

Doodlin’ on No Count Sarah and September Song and It’s Crazy both on Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown

Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most on Roulette Years and You’re Not The Kind on The Complete Sarah Vaughan on Mercury
(volume 1). [Note: this song is on disc 3 of a 6-disc set but you can purchase and download individual songs.]

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Clare Fischer, R.I.P.

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:28:21 +0000

This show was posted last Fall when Clare Fischer celebrated his 83rd birthday on October 22, 2011. We wished him a very happy day and thanked him for all his musical gifts that he has given us. That thanks still applies! This is a gentleman who can be called a musical genius. He was way ahead of his time for many years. Give a listen and you’ll see what we mean.

Opener/This Is Always (Opener is on America the Beautiful; This Is Always is on Waltz)

Thiers’ Tears (on Waltz)

I Remember Spring/America The Beautiful (both on America the Beautiful)

Pensativa/Old Folks (Pensativa on So Danco Samba, 1964, and Old Folks is on Waltz 1969)

The Duke (on Thesaurus 1968)

Blues Bossa (on Momento 1969)

Gilda (on Lembrancas 1989)

Morning (on Manteca!, 1966, no longer available)

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(Note: The CD titles are linked to amazon.com for your convenience.)

John Levy, R.I.P.

admin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:29:36 +0000

Today we salute a person who did a lot of work but in a role that doesn’t get a lot of recognition. Personal managers play a vital role in building artists’ careers and John Levy was one of the most respected managers in the business. Let’s listen to some tracks by just a few of the many clients he’s represented during his 60-plus year career in management.

They All Laughed (on Lullaby Of Birdland an old Pickwick vinyl LP by George Shearing)

Teaneck (an instrumental track from Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley)

Never Will I Marry/All Night Long (Never is on Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley and Nancy sings All Night Long with George Shearing on The Swingin’s Mutual)

But Not For Me (on Ahmad Jamal At The Pershing)

If I Were You, Baby (on Ernie Andrews’ Jump For Joy)

Get Me To The Church On Time (Billy Taylor on My Fair Lady Loves Jazz)

Where Do You Start? (on Here’s To Life by Shirley Horn)

Matchmaker, Matchmaker (on Movin’ Wes by Wes Montgomery)

Love Song (on Sun Goddess by Ramsey Lewis)

Smack Dab In The Middle (on Presenting Joe Williams and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra)

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If you’d like to watch John Levy playing bass with the George Shearing Quintet circa 1950, click here.

(Note: The CD titles are linked to amazon.com for your convenience.)

Joe Williams

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:24:25 +0000

This gentleman (and I do mean “gentleman”) left us much too soon. Joe Williams was one of the most versatile singers to approach a microphone. Listen up and you’ll see where we’re coming from on this edition of Pate’s Place. (By the way, December 12th, 2011 would have been his 93rd birthday. Here’s to you, Joe.)

Jump For Joy (on Jump for Joy)

I Should Have Kissed Her More (on The Exciting Joe Williams, not available on CD, but the LP can be found at re-sellers such as MusicStack)

Evil Man Blues (on Presenting Joe Williams and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra)

One For My Baby (on Presenting Joe Williams and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra)

Gypsy In My Soul (originally from The Exciting Joe Williams but also found on Planet Jazz)

Someone You’ve Loved (on Here’s To Life)

7. Hallelujah, I Love Her So (on Presenting Joe Williams and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, and another big band rendition found on WDR Big Band’s Blues and Beyond)

Did I Ever Really Live? (originally on the Something Old, New, and Blue LP, this was re-issued on a compilation CD titled One More For My Baby)

Young Man On the Way Up (originally on the Something Old, New, and Blue LP, this was re-issued on a compilation CD titled One More For My Baby)

Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning (on WDR Big Band’s Blues and Beyond conducted by John Clayton)

Ol’ Man River (this is the original 1965 recording on The Exciting Joe Williams, not available on CD. But you can also hear Joe sing this song on the WDR Big Band’s Blues and Beyond CD)

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(Note: The CD titles are linked to amazon.com for your convenience.)

Here’s To The Ladies

admin — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 08:31:32 +0000

This special edition of Pate’s Place is proud to bring you some of the superbly talented ladies in our business.

DIVA, an all-female big band headed by drummer Sherri Maricle, playing You Stepped Out of a Dream and If I Should Lose You – both tunes are on Something’s Coming

Pianist Lynne Arriale with her Trio

playing A Night in Tunisia

on Long Road Home

Pianist Renee Rosnes

playing With A Little Help From My Friends

on Art & Soul with her Trio in 1999

Nan Schwartz’ arrangement of

Don’t You Love Me Anymore? on Ray Charles’

Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection

Ali Ryerson, on flute, playing Joy Spring on an album titled Alto: Joe Beck & Ali Ryerson

Bassist Kristen Korb playing her own composition Mac on Where You’ll Find Me

Guitarist Emily Remler’s original composition Blues For Herb on her East to Wes recording

Natalie Cole singing to

Nan Schwartz’ arrangement of

Here’s That Rainy Day

on Still Unforgettable

Sherri Maricle, again leading of DIVA, this time playing her arrangement of one of her own compositions 80 Chestnut Street on Something’s Coming

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(Note: The CD titles are linked to amazon.com for your convenience.)

Marlena Shaw

admin — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:59:46 +0000

Once you’ve heard Marlena Shaw, you’ll never forget her. This lady has a definite style that will stay with you.
(P.S. Today happens to be her birthday.)

Dangerous (the title track on Dangerous)

You’ve Changed/ Oo Wee, Baby (You’ve Changed is on Jimmy Smith’s Sum Serious Blues; Oo Wee is on Dangerous)

Love Is In Flight/ Mercy Mercy Mercy (the title track on Love Is In Flight; Mercy is on Lookin’ For Love)

Go Away, Little Boy/Here’s To Life (Go Away is on Spice of Life; Here’s to Life is on Lookin’ For Love)

Y o u (on Who Is This Bitch, Anyway?)

Whisper Not (on Dangerous)

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(Note: The CD titles are linked to amazon.com for your convenience.)

B B King

admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:00:09 +0000

Riley B. King, known by the stage name B.B. King, was born September 16, 1925. We salute B.B. King, the undisputed King Of the Blues. Happy Birthday B.B.!

Every Day I Have The Blues (on Live at the Regal and on The Complete Collection)

I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water/ Having My Say (Drink Muddy Water is on Confessin’ the Blues and Having My Say is on Blues On Top of Blues. Both tunes are also on Great Moments with B.B. King)

I’m Gonna Do What They Do To Me/Don’t Answer The Door (Don’t Answer is on Blues Is King and on The Complete Collection. I’m Gonna Do is on Blues On Top of Blues)

Dance With Me/Sweet Little Angel (Dance With Me is on Blues On Top of Blues and Great Moments, and Sweet Little Angel is on Live at the Regal. Both are also on The Complete Collection)

Tired Of Your Jive (on on Blues is King, Great Moments, and on The Complete Collection)

Stormy Monday (on GRP All-Star Big Band’s All Blues)

That’s Wrong Little Mama/Paying The Cost (both tunes are on Blues On Top of Blues; Paying the Cost is also on The Complete Collection)

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(Note: The CD titles are linked to amazon.com for your convenience.)

Billie & Ella & Carmen

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 08:03:04 +0000

Three High Priestesses of the Jazz Vocal Tradition, all born during the month of April: Billie Holliday on April 7th, Carmen McRae on April 8th, and Ella Fitzgerald on April 25th — here’s to the Ladies.

Lover, Come Back To Me on Billie’s Fine and Mellow: Golden Classics, followed by Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered on Ella’s First Lady Of Song , and Suddenly In Walked Bud on Carmen’s Dream Of Life

God Bless The Child on Billie’s Complete American Decca Recordings, followed by Blue Skies on Pure Ella, and Miss Brown To You on Carmen’s Dream of Life

What A Little Moonlight Can Do on Billie’s Fine and Mellow: Golden Classics, followed by Love You Madly on Ella’s Love Songs, and Sunday on Carmen’s Dream of Life

Fine and Mellow on Ken Burn’s Jazz Collection: Billie Holiday, followed by a change in pace with Party Blues on Joe Williams’ Finest Hour, and I Didn’t Know What Time on Carmen’s Dream of Life

We close out with Darn That Dream on Jazz ‘Round Midnight: Billie Holiday

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Thad Jones

admin — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:59:12 +0000

Thad Jones left us way too soon (he was only 63 when he died) but he gave us a recorded legacy of wonderful music, some with him as a player, and more by others who recorded his unique arrangements — the sound of a Thad Jones arrangement is unmistakable.

Tip Toe on Consummation and H. R. H. on Count Basie’s Chairman Of The Board

Consummation and Us both on Consummation and Little Pumpkin on The Great One

Evil Man Blues on Joe Williams and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra’s One More For My Baby and Little J on The Great One

A Child Is Born and It Only Happens Every Time both on Consummation

Hallelujah, I Love Her So on Joe Williams and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra’s One More For My Baby and To You on First Time: Count Meets the Duke

Ah, Henry on The Great One and Speaking Of Sounds on Count Basie’s Chairman Of The Board

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