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Archive for the ‘Blogfinger Jazz Corner’ Category

Broad Street. Red Bank, NJ. Birthplace of Count Basie

Broad Street. Red Bank, NJ. Birthplace of Count Basie. By Paul Goldfinger .  Reposted on Blogfinger.net

 

SOUNDTRACK: “It Had to be You.”      The Count Basie Orchestra.

 

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PAUL DESMOND  (1924-1977)  was a great jazz alto sax player who came out of the West Coast cool jazz scene.  He was most famous for playing with the Dave Brubeck quartet.

Desmond had a unique tone. It was very light, minimalist,  and melodic. As an alto sax player myself, I always admired him.  He played a Selmer (French) alto like mine, so I felt a sort of kinship and always tried to emulate his sound.  Unknown-1

In Desmond’s album “Summertime” he performs a touching Broadway song that is rarely done by jazz players—“Where is Love?” from Oliver.

This arrangement was by Don Sebesky.   Of this version, a jazz critic said, “..a thing of great beauty—now and for always.”

 

—Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger

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Ken Peplowski, clarinetist and saxophonist. Internet photo Ken Peplowski, clarinetist and saxophonist. Internet photo

 

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger

 

Ken Peplowski and the International All Stars Play Bennie Goodman Vol. II. recorded live.”

This song, “All the Things You Are,” was written by Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) in 1939 for a show called “Very Warm for May.”

Charlie Parker said that this song had his favorite lyrics, and he called it YATAG (“You are the angel glow”)

Here are some of the lyrics.

“You are the promised kiss of springtime

That makes the lonely winter seem long

You are the breathless hush of evening

That trembles on the brink of a lovely song

 

“You are the angel glow that lights the star

The dearest things I know are what you are

Someday my happy arms will hold you

And someday I’ll know that moment divine

When all the things you are, are mine”

 

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Waterloo Village, New Jersey. Date unknown' Photo by Paul Goldfinger ©

Waterloo Village, New Jersey. Date unknown.  Photo by Paul Goldfinger.

 

In the photo above, Milt Hinton is on bass, Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar and Stephane Grappelli on violin.  Don’t know the drummer.  They used to have excellent jazz there, sponsored by the New Jersey Jazz Society.   Waterloo Village was supposed to be the next Tangelwood—-it was so beautiful there, but mismanagement caused it to decline and then close in 2006.

 

STEPHANE GRAPPELLI    “Sweet Lorraine” from the film “Something’s Got To Give”

 

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Moonstruck. The view from Ocean Grove. By Paul Goldfinger © July 2014

Moonstruck Restaurant in Asbury Park. The view from Ocean Grove. By Paul Goldfinger.

 

From the movie Moonstruck:  “The Finale”.    Dick Hyman music director.

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This is the Aurora in Ocean Grove in 2014.  It is a former hotel, and  later a single family  (albeit a big one) home, and now on its way to becoming  4 condos.  (This post is 2019.)

Many have photographed this scene, but no one produces a unique image like Bob Bowné.  Bob, a professional fine art photographer and a Grover,  is a regular contributor to Blogfinger.  Re-post from July 4,  2014.

The Aurora by Bob Bowné of Ocean Grove. © Special to Blogfinger.

The Aurora by Bob Bowné of Ocean Grove. © Special to Blogfinger. 2014.

 

RUBY BRAFF  (trumpet)  AND DICK HYMAN  (organ.)    From their album America the Beautiful.

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Regina Carter

Regina Carter

 

Kenny Barron

Kenny Barron

 

By Paul Goldfinger   Re-post.

Regina Carter is an American jazz violinist who was conservatory trained before switching to jazz.   She is 46 years old.  Kenny Barron is a 70 year old American jazz pianist.

The album is Freefall and the song “Shades of Gray” was written by Ms. Carter.

Mr. Barron has appeared on hundreds of recordings.  He taught piano and harmony at Rutgers for over 25 years.  He is now at Julliard.

 

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Tampa, Florida. Food truck event. 2013. Paul Goldfinger photo. ©

Tampa, Florida. Food truck event. 2013. Paul Goldfinger photo. © Click to enlarge.

 

PEGGY LEE

 

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Allenhurst, New Jersey. By Paul Goldfinger. 2014 © click to enlarge

Paul Goldfinger ©  Allenhurst, New Jersey.  2014.  Click to enlarge

 

JULIE RAFFERTY.   Music from The Fantasticks.  From her album No Finer Place.

 

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This photograph of the Asbury Park boardwalk by Paul Goldfinger is from 2014 when Ocean Grove’s boardwalk was out of commission due to Sandy. The young lady in the middle is Rose of Washington Square.

 

JAZZMEN TOO NUMEROUS TO COUNT:  Warren Vaché, Randy Sandke, Wyclif Gordon, Ken Peplowski, Joe Temperley, Howard Alden,  Eric Reed, Rodney Whitaker, Joe Ascione and Scott Robinson at the JVC Jazz Festival.

 

“Rose of Washington Square.”

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Milt Hinton (1910-2000) is the most recorded jazz musician ever. His talent on the stand up bass is unsurpassed, so he was the bass player on over 1700 albums. In addition to his musical fame, he was a prolific photographer of the jazz scene over all the formative years of the genre. He was good friends with Louis Armstrong.

—-Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger

 

Milt Hinton the photographer

Milt Hinton the photographer

 

Milt Hinton co-wrote this book about jazz, containing his photos

Milt Hinton co-wrote this book about jazz, containing his photos.

 

Thanks a million." Signed by Milt "The Judge" Hinton.

Thanks a million bass line. Signed by Milt “Judge” Hinton.

 

In the recording below, called “The Last of the Whorehouse Piano Players” with Ralph Sutton and Jay McShann, the album cover says, “The original sessions with Milt Hinton and Gus Johnson.”

Here is a link to a photograph of mine which includes Milt Hinton on stage in Waterloo, New Jersey.

JAZZ ALL-STARS AT WATERLOO

 

You can listen for the bass line in this cut called “Please don’t talk about me when I’m gone.”

 

BONUS RECORDING: The musical notation note above by Milt Hinton reminded me that Louis Armstrong was associated with the song “Thanks a Million.” I don’t know if Milt Hinton was on this record, but here is Louis from the 1930’s with his orchestra:

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The Nighthawks. Vince Giordano is playing tuba and singing. Upper right corner. All photos by Paul Goldfinger. © April, 2013.

The Nighthawks. Vince Giordano is playing tuba and singing (but not simultaneously). Upper right corner. All photos by Paul Goldfinger. © April, 2013.  Click left for full view

 

 

dancers ver 2

 

dancers two

 

VINCE GIORDANO AND THE GRAMMY WINNING NIGHTHAWKS from their album  “The Cotton Club Revisited.”  Vince does the vocal. Harold Arlen wrote this song for the 1932 Cotton Club Parade.

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Ocean Grove beach. By Paul Goldfinger ©.

Ocean Grove beach. By Paul Goldfinger ©. 2014.   Click to enlarge.

 

JOHN COLTRANE  “Too Young to Go Steady”  from his album Ballads.

 

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