Debussy’s “Children’s Corner Suite   Paolo Spagnolo, piano   Decca

(43 votes, average: 3.56 out of 5)

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Cool Gabriels Groove Records   (1956)   Andy Warhol illustration and design.

This rare and longtime hard-to-find album was conceived to show how enjoyable cool trumpets can sound. Featured “Cool Gabriels” are Conte Candoli, Nick Travis, Don Stratton, Bernie Glow, Phil Sunkel, Al de Risi and Dick Sherman.   With a rhythm section of Elliot Lawrence (p), Burgher Jones (b), Sol Gubin (d)

The tune contained in this album were selected specifically to give each “Gabriel” a chance to show his stuff and also to demonstrate the various moods that could be brilliantly exemplified with a trumpet ensemble. The fun that the musicians had making these recordings is apparent on every selection.

Elevation (Mulligan-Lawrence) 2:54 / Five O’Clock Shadow (Lawrence-Reichner) 3:56 / Happy Hooligan (Mulligan) 2:54 / Spooky (Cohn) 2:54 / Each Other’s Arms (Lawrence-Reichner-Glenn) 3:59 / The Swingin’ Scot 1 & 2 (Lawrence) 3:10 / Nick (Benson Brooks) 2:59 / Cupcake (Cohn) 2:59 / Mostly Latin (Lawrence) 2:21 / Love is Just Arround the Corner (Lawrence) 2:49 / Something Blue (Selden) 3:59

(40 votes, average: 3.10 out of 5)

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“Get Down with the Philly Sound”   Black Beat 4   Epic Records

(45 votes, average: 4.09 out of 5)

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“Mr. Swing”   Harry “Sweets” Edison   Verve Records     I admit it.   I love Sweets!   Can’t get enough.   Illustration by David Stone Martin.   Here’s a classic Sweets Edison.   This and the Verve album “The Swinger”, both recorded during the same 1958 session has tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest joining Edison in the quintet’s frontline while pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Joe Benjamin, drummer Charlie Persip, and rhythm guitarist Freddie Greene make up the rhythm section. (You can get both LP’s on a single Verve CD.)   Edison (who died of prostate cancer on July 27, 1999, at 83 years of age) was one of the acknowledged masters of swing trumpet.   His trumpet was a recognizable voice in the Count Basie Orchestra from 1938 until it broke up in 1950.   During that period, he was featured on many records, appeared in the 1944 short “Jammin’ the Blues” and gained his nickname “Sweets” (due to his tone) from Lester Young.   In the 1950s, Edison toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic, settled in Los Angeles, and was well-featured both as a studio musician (most noticeably on Frank Sinatra records) and on jazz dates. He had several reunions with Count Basie in the 1960s and by the ’70s was often teamed with Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis; Edison also recorded an excellent duet album for Pablo with Oscar Peterson. One of the few swing trumpeters to be influenced by Dizzy Gillespie, Sweets led sessions through the years for Pacific Jazz, Verve, Roulette, Riverside, Vee-Jay, Liberty, Sue, Black Blue, Pablo, Storyville, and Candid among others. Although his playing faded during the 1980s and ’90s, Edison could still say more with one note than nearly anyone.

(58 votes, average: 4.26 out of 5)

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Decca’s Record Hop “All-time Dance Favorites”

(35 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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“A Divertirse con las Ardillitas”   Columbia Harmony.

(31 votes, average: 2.97 out of 5)

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Thurston Knudson “Rouses you with the Rhythm of Tropic Drums”   Tempo Records.

(69 votes, average: 4.48 out of 5)

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“Jaleo de Roock!”   Vik Records   (Can anyone help me find another copy?)

(38 votes, average: 4.11 out of 5)

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“Soul Dracula” b/w “Sans Dracula”   Red Blood Discoteque Sounds

(47 votes, average: 3.64 out of 5)

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The Theme from “The Devil’s Hand” Original Soundtrack on Chess Records.   (1962)

A beside-the-point Batman connection:   Neil Hamilton (the ironic police commissioner in the BATMAN TV show) is highly amusing here as Mr. Lamont, a bloodthirsty devil figure extraordinaire. He runs a creepy doll shop during the day, but holds satanic blood rituals in the back room at night!

(58 votes, average: 4.19 out of 5)

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