Cool David Stone Martin on Norgran.   Johnny Hodges “Dance Bash” (1952) Supervised by Norman Granz.

(34 votes, average: 4.62 out of 5)

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A great jazz blues compilation on Savoy.

(14 votes, average: 4.79 out of 5)

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“Afro-Cool,” a mix of cool jazz and latin jazz from Conte Candoli, Wild Bill Davis, Frank Morgan and Machito’s Rhythm Section on GNP records.

(15 votes, average: 3.53 out of 5)

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I love Paul Gonsalves.   Maybe first from hearing and reading the liner notes to the incredible “Duke Ellington at Newport 1956” record when his 27-chorus solo on “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue” turned the staid New England patrons into a frenzied crowd.   But then from digging deeper into his smaller group sessions on Impulse (“Tell It The Way It Is”) and Jazzland (“Gettin’ Together”).   Also great is his “Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick” (on Vocalion).   This is a great one on Argo, which was a great jazz (and soul) label.

“Cookin” (also 1956) features Clark Terry, William Jones, Jimmy Woode and Sam Woodyard.

(13 votes, average: 4.23 out of 5)

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The Dave Brubeck Quartet featuring Paul Desmond (on the left) “Jazz Red Hot and Cool”   Columbia Records.

A quintessential fifties scene and a popular record from a time when jazz was popular (ie, before the Beatles).

(20 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)

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The Eight Balls   “A Musical Essay on Dixieland Jazz”

(17 votes, average: 3.12 out of 5)

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John Hammond produced this first lp by Aretha Franklin in 1961. Five years prior to her first landmark soul recordings for Atlantic, this first effort is jazz and pop standards, show tunes and blues. Reportedly, Aretha met Ray Bryant when John Hammond threw a party at the Village Vanguard in 1960 to introduce his newest find, a young singer from Detroit. The party went to the wee hours of the morning with Aretha and Ray performing together for the first time.

(19 votes, average: 4.95 out of 5)

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Jazz singer Bobby Troup “Here’s To My Lady” (Liberty Records 3078)   Troup was married to Julie London for a while.

(15 votes, average: 4.53 out of 5)

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The AFO Foundation

In New Orleans during the 1950’s and 1960’s there were many talented musicians who made a living playing and recording R&B and rock à «n’ roll. They performed on hit records by Fats Domino, Little Richard, Ray Charles, Shirley & Lee and numerous others. However, it was their hearts desire to play jazz, modern jazz, bebop. Their stories of late night jazz jam sessions are legendary. The music of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and others made a large impact on many post World War II New Orleans musicians. There are precious few recordings of this style in New Orleans.

Compendium, by the AFO Executives, is the best recorded example of the genre. AFO, for the uninitiated, is an anacronym for All For One; it is also the name of the record label founded by Harold Battiste and his “Executives” in 1961. The name “The A.F.O. Executives” did not just happen by pulling names from a hat or secret vote or some similar arbitrary method, but is an accurate description of them because they were, are in fact, the executives of AFO Records, Inc. Having been quite successful in the studio producing record pace setters like “I Know,” the five “executives” who happened to be musicians (or five musicians who happened to be executives) began to play club dates as a group. With Tammy Lynn-the most versatile vocalist in their stable-added to the group, the stage was set for the swinginest all around group to hit the band stand.

The Executives included Harold Battiste on piano and alto sax, John Boudreaux on drums, Melvin Lastie on cornet, Peter Badie on bass, and Alvin “Red” Tyler on tenor sax.   Compendium was recorded in 1963 at Cosimo’s Studio. The musicianship on this recording is exceptional and Tammy Lynn’s voice is the only known example of modern female jazz singing in the city from the 60’s that has survived. She sings, not skats, in a pure bop style. The group’s emphasis is on ensemble work instead of lengthy solos; they are tight while maintaining a loose swing. The horn arrangements and aesthetic expression make this record modern. The repertoire they chose to record reveals their Crescent City connection. There are original compositions by Melvin Lastie, Roy Montrell, Red Tyler, Harold Battiste and James Black. In addition they do very hip arrangements to tunes like Gershwin’s “The Man I Love,” Kern’s “Old Man River” and Williams’ “Mojo Hannah.”   For listeners who were not around during this neglected period of New Orleans music history, Compendium offers a small glimpse into what those late night jam sessions were all about. – Jerry Brock

By late 1961, the label found great success and acclaim following the gold record success of AFO vocalist Barbara George with her national pop hit, “I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More).” The single rose all the way to number 3 on the U.S. national “pop” charts. With this financial boost, the label was then able to finance later recording projects which included the works of such young artists as Mac Rebenack (better known today as Dr. John), Willie Tee, Eddie Bo, and Nookie Boy Oliver “Who Shot the La La” Morgan. In 1963, Harold Batiste was called to California to produce the Sonny and Cher show as musical director and the label became dormant.

(15 votes, average: 2.80 out of 5)

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“Ole Buttermilk Sky” by Hoagy Carmichael on Kapp Records (1958)

“When playing this record, care should be taken to use both a sharp needle and a sharp ear, because it contains an unusual number of unexpected lyrical delights and musical surprises, in addition, of course, to the infectiously fetching delivery of this highly-stylized musical institution, Mr. Hoagland Carmichael, LLD and ASCAP.” From the liner notes by George T. Simon.

Ole buttermilk sky — Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief — Moon country is home to me — When love goes wrong — Old music master — Mediterranean love — My resistance is low — The monkey song — Baltimore oriole — Music always music — Rogue River Valley — In the cool, cool of the evening.

One of the great composers of the American popular song, Hoagy Carmichael differed from most of the others (with the obvious exception of Duke Ellington) in that he was also a fine performer. Such Carmichael songs as “Stardust,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Up the Lazy River,” “Rockin’ Chair,” “The Nearness of You,” “Heart and Soul,” “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening,” “Skylark,” and “New Orleans” have long been standards, each flexible enough to receive definitive treatment numerous times. Carmichael, who was briefly a lawyer, loved jazz almost from the start, and particularly the cornet playing of Bix Beiderbecke. His first composition, “Riverboat Shuffle,” was recorded by Bix and the Wolverines in 1924, and became a Dixieland standard. Carmichael, as a pianist, vocalist, and occasional trumpeter, eventually abandoned law to concentrate on jazz, particularly after recording “Washboard Blues” with Paul Whiteman in 1927. He led a few jazz sessions of his own in the late ’20s (including one that interpreted “Stardust” as an up-tempo stomp), but became more popular as a skilled songwriter. By 1935, he was working in Hollywood and became an occasional character actor, appearing in 14 films including To Have and Have Not and The Best Years of Our Lives, generally playing a philosophical and world weary pianist/vocalist. In the 1940s, Carmichael recorded some trio versions of his hits, and in 1956, he cut a full set of vocals while backed by a modern jazz group that included Art Pepper. After that, he drifted into semi-retirement, dissatisfied with how the music business had changed. His two autobiographies (1946’s -The Stardust Road and 1965’s -Sometimes I Wonder) are worth picking up.           – Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

(13 votes, average: 3.08 out of 5)

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