Idrees & Jamila Sulieman   “The Camel”   Columbia Records (Scandinavia)   1964

Idrees Sulieman was an early bebop pioneer on trumpet. He was born Leonard Graham, and took up trumpet when his father could not afford to buy him a saxophone (he later played alto saxophone after moving to Europe).

He settled in Europe in 1961, firstly in Sweden, then in Denmark. He worked with fellow expatriates Eric Dolphy, Bud Powell and Don Byas. He was part of the excellent Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band for 10 years from 1963, and also worked with the Danish Radio Big Band under Thad Jones. He returned to the USA in 1982, and lived in his native Florida. He died in 2002.

(35 votes, average: 3.51 out of 5)

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“Wheelin’ and Dealin'” Prestige Records   Cover photo by Esmond Edwards. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey on September 20, 1957.   Liner notes written by Ira Gitler.   Personnel: John Coltrane (tenor saxophone); Frank Wess (tenor saxophone, flute); Paul Quinichette (tenor saxophones); Mal Waldron (piano); Doug Watkins (bass); Art Taylor (drums). Includes “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be,” “Wheelin’,” “Robbin’s Nest,” and “Dealin'”.

(43 votes, average: 3.70 out of 5)

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Johnny “Hammond” Smith “The Stinger”   Prestige Records   (1965) Design/Pop Art:   Don Schlitten.   sDusty Groove says: A great little groover from Johnny Hammond Smith — and one of his rarest albums! The record may be rare because it’s got a strange cover that features a comic character that looks like the Green Lantern, and Prestige might have gotten nervous about copyright infringement.   Johnny’s in great form on the Hammond, and his combo really cooks nicely — with Floyd Smith on guitar, Earl Edwards on tenor, and Houston Person sitting in for the version of the title cut. The set features a great version of Smith’s groover “Cleopatra & The African Knight”, plus “Benny’s Diggin”, “There Is No Greater Love”, “You Don’t Know What Love Is”, “The Stinger”, and “Brother John”.

(40 votes, average: 3.43 out of 5)

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“Rock the Blues!”   Count Basie and his Orchestra   Epic Records

(40 votes, average: 3.58 out of 5)

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The great photographer William Claxton passed away this week.   His work captured most of the musical legends of the mid-Twentieth Century and appeared on many Pacific and Contemporary album covers.   Working from the West Coast, he often brought his subjects out of the dark nightclubs they inhabited and into the California sun.   For example, this very un-jazzlike shot of Sonny Rollins on “Way Out West” for Contemporary Records (1957)   With Shelly Manne and Ray Brown.

(53 votes, average: 4.09 out of 5)

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“Skylark”   Jackie Paris Brunswick Records.   (1955)

Only Yesterday, If Love Is Good To Me.

(JACKIE PARIS, vocal; NORMAN LEYDEN, leader, arranger; BILLY TAYLOR, piano; TRIGGER ALBERT, bass; CARMEN MASTERN, guitar; BUNNY SHAWKER, drums; HYMIE SCHERTZER, alto; AL KLINK, tenor; plus 4 strings.)

I Had A talk with A Daisy , Skylark, Idle Gossip.

(JACKIE PARIS, vocal; NEAL HEFTI, leader, arranger; BILLY TAYLOR, piano; SANDY BLOCK, bass; ED GRADY, drums; GEORGE BARNES, guitar; HARRY BRAUER, vibes; plus 10 strings.)

I love this song.   Gene Ammons does a nice instrumental version, but everyone has done it.   Johnny Mercer wrote the words (allegedly for Judy Garland with whom he had an affair) and Hoagy Carmichael wrote the music.   It was published in 1942.

Skylark

Have you anything to say to me

Won’t you tell me where my love can be

Is there a meadow in the mist

Where someone’s waiting to be kissed

Oh skylark

Have you seen a valley green with spring

Where my heart can go a-journeying

Over the shadows and the rain

To a blossom-covered lane

And in your lonely flight

Haven’t you heard the music in the night

Wonderful music

Faint as a will o’ the wisp

Crazy as a loon

Sad as a gypsy serenading the moon

Oh skylark

I don’t know if you can find these things

But my heart is riding on your wings

So if you see them anywhere

Won’t you lead me there

Oh skylark

Won’t you lead me there

(37 votes, average: 3.51 out of 5)

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Here’s a beautiful cover and rare record on Charles Mingus’ Debut Records.   Debut Records Presents Hazel Scott “Relaxed Piano Moods” with Max Roach on Drums and Mingus on Bass.   This was recorded in 1955 and is considered her most enduring jazz recording.   Scott was born in Trinidad, trained at Julliard , played at Carnegie Hall, was married for a time to Adam Clayton Powell, Jr and was the first woman of color to have her own TV show (it lasted only six months before she opposed McCarthy and was accused of being a Communist sympathizer and was blacklisted).   She continued to perform until passing away in New York City in 1981 at 61 years old.

(45 votes, average: 4.07 out of 5)

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From the UK.   “Trip to Mars”   with Jack Parnell on Parlophone Records.

(56 votes, average: 4.32 out of 5)

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“You Get More Bounce With Curtis Counce!” Contemporary Records.   (1956)   Great West Coast Jazz featuring Harold Land on tenor saxophone, Jack Sheldon on trumpet, and Carl Perkins on piano.   Listen to “Complete” – the opening track, here.

(85 votes, average: 4.46 out of 5)

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“Music for Losers”   Turk Murphy   Verve Records

(45 votes, average: 4.13 out of 5)

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