PDEE
April 9th, 2003, 07:19 AM
I'm sure we all know these records... but then again maybe not
If so, I always thought the two reviews that I quote below as being interesting reading, and perhaps are not as well known as the music.
In 1937, the Teddy Hill band toured Europe. In spite of the Musicians Union ban they were allowed a “performance” at the London Palladium as part of the Cotton Club show.However they were restricted to musical participation only.. the only movements permitted were those necessary in playing their instruments, and their presence was restricted to the band pit , purely as an accompaniment to the stage performers. Perhaps they played an overture or intermission piece. This was the band that included Dizzy Gillespie and more importantly Dicky Wells.
The band played Paris, where it, or more especially Dicky Wells impressed the French critic Huges Panassie that he brought Wells into the studio to record 12 sides that have become legendary landmarks in the history of Jazz.
The first session, on July 7, had a somewhat unusual line up ( considering Panassie’s addiction to the “real Jazz” at the time.) Three trumpets, trombone, guitar, bass and drums . Wells, the leader was backed by Shad Collins and Bill Dillard on trumpets, Richard Fulbright bass, Bill Beason drums, from the Hill band. To these he added Bill Coleman, a Paris resident at the time and Django Reinhardt on guitar.
Much is made in the literature that Diz was not considered well known enough to be part of the session. His first recorded solo having taken place about seven weeks before ( King Porter Stomp 17 may ) . Panassie also no doubt saw the “name “ recognition of Coleman to French jazz record buyers, as no doubt also was Django.
Perhaps Diz was busy buying Berets at the time.
The music produced is special. The first three recordings featured the full group, while on the last three tracks recorded that day, Dillard and Collins sit it out.
Django is on top form, his solo on Japanese Sandman seems so logical and dynamic that it must rank with his best on record.. but the star of the sessions is Wells with or without his home made mute.
Panassie brought Wells back into the studio five days later to produce six more sides. A bit more conventional line up. Dillard and Collins on trumpet, Howard Johnson alto, Sam Allen piano,Bill Beason drums again all from the Hill unit, and local guitarist Roger Chaput, recorded four tracks, and then Wells and rhythm recorded two sides, one of which is considered to be the epitome of trombone, or perhaps any instrumental blues.
Dicky Wells Blues, seven choruses based on the basic 12 bar format fundamental to jazz.
Two Reviews
Slightly tongue in cheek…Peter Clayton & Peter Gammond
Most Jazz musicians starting out on a long improvisational solo are in for a lonely walk. There may be a bodyguard of a rhythm section hovering behind but they are not the focus of attention.It’s the one man out front , on whom all ears are bent, and the slower he walks, the more scrutiny he will get. Dicky Wells with his famous solo is a positive Blondin, as alone as any balancing act on a tightrope over Niagara Falls. He sets up such an atmosphere of precariousness that we are riveted to every step of his solo as if it might be the very last before a ghastly plunge into the orchestra pit. The very simplicity of his act makes it seem the more arduous. No tricks in the middle, just a steady nervous progress, full of slips and slides, quivers and queries, yet always recovering and, in the end, convincing us that there was no danger of mistake at all.
There have been many flashier, better oiled trombonists in Jazz since the heyday of Dicky Wells, but few have made the trombone slide such a natural extension of their right arm. Never has a solo seemed to come so directly from the mind of a man with no technical interference from a thing of brass. Somehow this solo seems new every time you play it. You may know every step of the way across the tightrope, but every crossing is still an adventure.
More analytical….. Humphrey Lyttelton
The second masterpiece of the Paris sessions ( he cites Sweet Sue as the first) again sounds as though it was put down as an afterthought. The art of a continuous blues performance such as this is to build successive choruses with logic and mounting intensity, one on top of the other, so that in the end, an impressive and awesome edifice is erected. If Dicky Wells Blues is not one of the greatest recordings in this genre it is because, to use contemporary jargon, Dicky Wells peaks too soon.. Over five choruses, his performance completes a perfect elliptical shape, rising to a high emotional climax in the third chorus, then gently subsiding to the mood of the opening. But there are two more choruses to go after that, and full of good ideas that they are, they have no new ideas to add to the overall structure and consequently give one the feeling of anti climax.
Nevertheless, the record provides one of the finest examples of blues playing.. The opening chorus establishes that Wells was well versed in the history as well as the structural format of the blues. The chorus is based on a “vocal” line stated in bars one to three, repeated in bars five to seven and resolved in bars nine to eleven. The only structural difference between Wells approach and Bessie Smith, is that Wells himself fills in between the principal statements, accompanying himself.
To my ears chorus one is melancholy, two defiant, four anguished, five ineffably wistful. Chorus three merits separate discussion, being the climax of the whole piece. Here there is no alternating pattern of statement and elaboration. The impassioned opening phrase, ending on an explosive fifth in the upper register, is not self contained, but a question, which demands an equally weighty reply. In this respect is similar to Teagarden’s second chorus in Knockin’ a Jug, with the same sense of urgrncy. The stetching of the principal vocal line over bars one to four, and again over bars five to eight, and the consequent elimination of any contrasting “fill in “ phrases gives this climatic chorus enormous power and strength, and servers to lift Dicky Wells Blues to the exalted realms of great blue choruses
The records were a great success, should be in all collections be you Necrophiliac or Necrophobe,Wells , as most of us know, continued performing at a high level, with the Basie Band, and then in various groups
, but his recordings as a leader are far below the quantity thar such an important musician deserves. The paris sessions were his first, the next were those with Pres, for sides in 1943. another four for HRS in 1946.
1958, Stanley Dance used him as co leader with Vic Dickenson on two albums
There is a date from 1978 recorded in Sweden with local musicians, that was never issued
His last date was in 1981, I haven’t heard it but by all accounts it fell below expectations
He had more or less given up serious playing in1967, taking a job on Wall Street
He had returned to Paris in 53 with Bill Coleman and Zutty Singleton, much to his dismay, Panassie wrote him off. Wells attributes his less pleasing performances to ill heath, but Panassies change in attitude obviously seriously disappointed the trombonist.
His autobiography, written with Stanley Dance, NIGHT PEOPLE is one of the good books on jazz, and a touching image of the great trombonist, Dicky Wells
The 12 records are relatively easy to find most recently on the Americans Swingin in Paris. Classics 937, Dicky Wells 1927 -43 is perhaps a better buy, giving you the four tracks with Pres plus some earlier appearances in addition to the 12 main recordings.
If so, I always thought the two reviews that I quote below as being interesting reading, and perhaps are not as well known as the music.
In 1937, the Teddy Hill band toured Europe. In spite of the Musicians Union ban they were allowed a “performance” at the London Palladium as part of the Cotton Club show.However they were restricted to musical participation only.. the only movements permitted were those necessary in playing their instruments, and their presence was restricted to the band pit , purely as an accompaniment to the stage performers. Perhaps they played an overture or intermission piece. This was the band that included Dizzy Gillespie and more importantly Dicky Wells.
The band played Paris, where it, or more especially Dicky Wells impressed the French critic Huges Panassie that he brought Wells into the studio to record 12 sides that have become legendary landmarks in the history of Jazz.
The first session, on July 7, had a somewhat unusual line up ( considering Panassie’s addiction to the “real Jazz” at the time.) Three trumpets, trombone, guitar, bass and drums . Wells, the leader was backed by Shad Collins and Bill Dillard on trumpets, Richard Fulbright bass, Bill Beason drums, from the Hill band. To these he added Bill Coleman, a Paris resident at the time and Django Reinhardt on guitar.
Much is made in the literature that Diz was not considered well known enough to be part of the session. His first recorded solo having taken place about seven weeks before ( King Porter Stomp 17 may ) . Panassie also no doubt saw the “name “ recognition of Coleman to French jazz record buyers, as no doubt also was Django.
Perhaps Diz was busy buying Berets at the time.
The music produced is special. The first three recordings featured the full group, while on the last three tracks recorded that day, Dillard and Collins sit it out.
Django is on top form, his solo on Japanese Sandman seems so logical and dynamic that it must rank with his best on record.. but the star of the sessions is Wells with or without his home made mute.
Panassie brought Wells back into the studio five days later to produce six more sides. A bit more conventional line up. Dillard and Collins on trumpet, Howard Johnson alto, Sam Allen piano,Bill Beason drums again all from the Hill unit, and local guitarist Roger Chaput, recorded four tracks, and then Wells and rhythm recorded two sides, one of which is considered to be the epitome of trombone, or perhaps any instrumental blues.
Dicky Wells Blues, seven choruses based on the basic 12 bar format fundamental to jazz.
Two Reviews
Slightly tongue in cheek…Peter Clayton & Peter Gammond
Most Jazz musicians starting out on a long improvisational solo are in for a lonely walk. There may be a bodyguard of a rhythm section hovering behind but they are not the focus of attention.It’s the one man out front , on whom all ears are bent, and the slower he walks, the more scrutiny he will get. Dicky Wells with his famous solo is a positive Blondin, as alone as any balancing act on a tightrope over Niagara Falls. He sets up such an atmosphere of precariousness that we are riveted to every step of his solo as if it might be the very last before a ghastly plunge into the orchestra pit. The very simplicity of his act makes it seem the more arduous. No tricks in the middle, just a steady nervous progress, full of slips and slides, quivers and queries, yet always recovering and, in the end, convincing us that there was no danger of mistake at all.
There have been many flashier, better oiled trombonists in Jazz since the heyday of Dicky Wells, but few have made the trombone slide such a natural extension of their right arm. Never has a solo seemed to come so directly from the mind of a man with no technical interference from a thing of brass. Somehow this solo seems new every time you play it. You may know every step of the way across the tightrope, but every crossing is still an adventure.
More analytical….. Humphrey Lyttelton
The second masterpiece of the Paris sessions ( he cites Sweet Sue as the first) again sounds as though it was put down as an afterthought. The art of a continuous blues performance such as this is to build successive choruses with logic and mounting intensity, one on top of the other, so that in the end, an impressive and awesome edifice is erected. If Dicky Wells Blues is not one of the greatest recordings in this genre it is because, to use contemporary jargon, Dicky Wells peaks too soon.. Over five choruses, his performance completes a perfect elliptical shape, rising to a high emotional climax in the third chorus, then gently subsiding to the mood of the opening. But there are two more choruses to go after that, and full of good ideas that they are, they have no new ideas to add to the overall structure and consequently give one the feeling of anti climax.
Nevertheless, the record provides one of the finest examples of blues playing.. The opening chorus establishes that Wells was well versed in the history as well as the structural format of the blues. The chorus is based on a “vocal” line stated in bars one to three, repeated in bars five to seven and resolved in bars nine to eleven. The only structural difference between Wells approach and Bessie Smith, is that Wells himself fills in between the principal statements, accompanying himself.
To my ears chorus one is melancholy, two defiant, four anguished, five ineffably wistful. Chorus three merits separate discussion, being the climax of the whole piece. Here there is no alternating pattern of statement and elaboration. The impassioned opening phrase, ending on an explosive fifth in the upper register, is not self contained, but a question, which demands an equally weighty reply. In this respect is similar to Teagarden’s second chorus in Knockin’ a Jug, with the same sense of urgrncy. The stetching of the principal vocal line over bars one to four, and again over bars five to eight, and the consequent elimination of any contrasting “fill in “ phrases gives this climatic chorus enormous power and strength, and servers to lift Dicky Wells Blues to the exalted realms of great blue choruses
The records were a great success, should be in all collections be you Necrophiliac or Necrophobe,Wells , as most of us know, continued performing at a high level, with the Basie Band, and then in various groups
, but his recordings as a leader are far below the quantity thar such an important musician deserves. The paris sessions were his first, the next were those with Pres, for sides in 1943. another four for HRS in 1946.
1958, Stanley Dance used him as co leader with Vic Dickenson on two albums
There is a date from 1978 recorded in Sweden with local musicians, that was never issued
His last date was in 1981, I haven’t heard it but by all accounts it fell below expectations
He had more or less given up serious playing in1967, taking a job on Wall Street
He had returned to Paris in 53 with Bill Coleman and Zutty Singleton, much to his dismay, Panassie wrote him off. Wells attributes his less pleasing performances to ill heath, but Panassies change in attitude obviously seriously disappointed the trombonist.
His autobiography, written with Stanley Dance, NIGHT PEOPLE is one of the good books on jazz, and a touching image of the great trombonist, Dicky Wells
The 12 records are relatively easy to find most recently on the Americans Swingin in Paris. Classics 937, Dicky Wells 1927 -43 is perhaps a better buy, giving you the four tracks with Pres plus some earlier appearances in addition to the 12 main recordings.