Playlist: Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Keith Jarrett * * * Diatribe * * * Shades * * * Impulse

Clarence "Jelly" Johnson * * * Graveyard Bound * * * Low Down Papa * * * Delmark

Johnny Cash * * * Big River * * * Bootleg Vol. II * * * Legacy

Robert Hicks * * * Mississippi Heavy Water Blues * * * People Take Warning! * * * Tompkins Square

Mary Johnson * * * Never Too Late * * * Devil at the Confluence * * * Delmark

Gregg Allman * * * I Can't Be Satisfied * * * Low Country Blues * * * Rounder

Son House * * * I Ain't Gonna Cry No More (Depot Blues) * * * Classic Blues, Vol. 2 * * * Smithsonian Folkways

William & Versey Smith * * * When That Great Ship Went Down * * * People Take Warning! * * * Tompkins Square

Calvin Cooke & Grace Cooke * * * I'll Just Wave My Hand * * * Sacred Steel Convention * * * Arhoolie

Cynthia Scott * * * Shades of Ray * * * Dream for One Bright World * * * Ttcocs

Vera Hall * * * Black Woman * * * Classic Blues * * * Smithsonian Folkways

Nina Simone * * * I Loves You Porgy * * * Esquire Jazz Collection: Voice of the Soul * * * Blue Note

Dykes Magic Trio * * * Frankie * * * People Take Warning! * * * Tompkins Square

Playlist: Wednesday, February 16

T. Renner, "Improvisation for George Shearing & Jack Keroauc #1," 2011, acrylic on paper, 6" x 4".

Mel Torme * * * Something's Gotta Give * * * Sings Fred Astaire * * * Bethlehem

Mel Torme * * * Too Close For Comfort * * * Finest Hour * * * Verve

Thelonious Monk * * * Reflections * * * In Paris * * * Disques Vogue

Champion Jack Dupree * * * On My Way To See Moe Asch * * * Piano Blues * * * Smithsonian Folkways

Benny Goodman * * * Blue Skies * * * Complete Legendary 1939 Carnegie Hall Concert * * * Disconforme

Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker * * * Dizzy Atmosphere * * * Bird Meets Diz * * * Charly

George Shearing * * * It's Only A Paper Moon * * * Paper Moon * * * Telarc Jazz

George Shearing * * * Angel Eyes * * * Favorite Things * * * Telarc Jazz

Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee * * * Let's Do It * * * Benny Goodman Featuring Peggy Lee * * * Columbia

Memphis Minnie & Willie Dixon * * * Beer Drinking Woman * * * Classic Blues * * * Smithsonian Folkways

Joe Turner * * * I've Got the World On a String * * * In Paris * * * Disques Vogue

Warner Williams * * * Step It Up and Go * * * Classic Blues, Volume 2 * * * Smithsonian Folkways

Snooks Eaglin * * * I Got My Questionaire * * * New Orleans Street Singer * * * Smithsonian Folkways

Research Note: Jazz & Radio in Fiction

"A radio was playing a Wayne King waltz and moonlight, like spilled talcum powder, dusted the shoulders of dancers...." (page 152)

"Wayne King was playing a tango, using wood-winds and stringed instruments, and the music was subdued, sweet. (page 153)

"Louis Armstrong replaced Wayne King on the radio. It was like jumping from Vienna to Africa." (page 155)

"The music was throbbing, moaning, torrid. Saxophones, an inspired trumpet, the piano made wild improvised flights from the written melody. Louis Armstrong was swinging it."

Jonathan Latimer, The Lady in the Morgue, New York: Pocket Books, 1958 (1936)

Research Note: Jazz & Radio in Fiction

"'Miss Ross felt there was no future in strictly union work...'

Crane whispered to Williams, 'Commercial jobs with the big bands.'

'... and thought I ought to form a band of my own with some ride-men,' Udoni continued, 'and pick up some of the dough going to the jungle boys from Harlem.'

Williams' eyes were questioning, but Crane shook his head.

Udoni went on: 'I had been thinking that myself, so I got hold of Frankie Thomas on for the sax and Clem Packard for the clarinet, and Fats Wolman to handle the drums, and some other boys and we grooved a couple of tunes in New York and caught a wire at a nitery here in Chicago.'

'Wait a minute! Wait a minute!' Crane held both hands in the air. 'You're getting too deep for me. What's grooving a tune?'

'Making a record.'

'What in hell's catching a wire at a nitery?'

'A contract to broadcast from a night club.'"

Jonathan Latimer, The Lady in the Morgue, New York: Pocket Books, 1958 (1936), page 137.