Jazz in Paris: Sammy Price and Doc Cheatham

[Edward]

"Sammy Price and Doc Cheatham play George Gershwin" was released domestically yesterday, and I am extremely pleased that I purchased it. Recorded in 1956 (16 Sammy Price piano solos) and 1958 (8 Sammy Price/Doc Cheatham duets), this disc features, IMO, some exceptional playing. Of course, this purchase was a no-brainer for me considering my love of Gershwin, jazz piano, and jazz trumpet. Still, I take nothing for granted as such promising dates do not always turn out as hoped. Does anyone have any recommendations to make regarding other Jazz in Paris titles released on 3/11?

[andersf]

Thanks for your recommendation; the Price/Cheatham session has been available in Sweden for a while now, and I have been wondering if it was worth buying.

As to other Jazz in Paris; I have no idea which were released 3/11, but among those I have ; I would recommend the following

the 2 Don Byas CDs + Bebop Collection
Buck Clayton/Peanuts Holland/Charlie Singleton;
Joe Newman/Cootie Williams;
Sidney Bechet/Claude Luter
Albert Nicholas/Jimmy Archey
(the last two mainly for Bechet and Nicholas)
Louis Armstrong & Friends (his 1934 recording in Paris + more).

But there is lots more to chose from; Many of the french musicians arn't bad at all. So I have quite a number now; from the traditional/mainstream to modern jazz; good quality music & good qaulity transfers.

[JamesJazz]

Edward,

Doc and Sammy also waxed some duo records on Sackville in 1976. Hugh Leal brought them to Windsor, Canada a few times in the 1980s and they were just superb.
Sammy, a real character, sparred with Doc, who was a gentle and relaxed man.

[Edward]

JamesJazz,

Thanks for the tip regarding the Price/Cheatham Sackville dates - I had been unaware of their existence. Apparently three of these records are presently available on a reasonably priced 2-CD set from Sackville. AMG gave it a good review (for whatever that's worth), so I will probably pick it up at some point.

andersf,

Thanks for your specific recommendations regarding the Jazz in Paris series. I have been considering the Newman/Williams date for some time now. I have about 15 of the titles in this series so far, and I have found none of them to be less than good and more than a few truly outstanding.

[PDEE]

Plugging the Stuff Smith / Stephane Grappelly.. they play together
It's not two groups like the Newman / Williams for example.

[Late]

I've just recently been exploring this series. Great prices, and usually the music is just as fine. If you like Miles Davis's work on Ascenseur Pour L'échafaud, the four-disc "Jazz et Cinema" mini-series is definitely worth checking out. Volume One, as one example, contains soundtrack work that Barney Wilen composed, with Kenny Dorham and Kenny Clarke along for the gig. A thumbs-up for sure.

[Edward]

Thanks for the recommendation, Late. The second volume of "Jazz et Cinema" features Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers among others. A friend of mine who is a Blakey nut was absolutely delighted when I pointed this out to him. I imagine that I will pick all up all of Jazz et Cinema releases eventually.

Has anyone heard the Jazz in Paris release entitled something like (translated) "Jazz of the Occupation"? It looks intriguing.

[Late]

I had the same question Edward. That disc looks to be one of the earliest (recording date-wise) of the whole series. I was also wondering about the Slide Hampton's from this series. (Are there two? Can't remember just now.) Anyone have them? I imagine they're pretty nice judging from the line-ups.

Back quickly to the Jazz et Cinema mini-series: Volume 3 has a great version of "Cha Cha Cha du Loup" — an infectiously groovy latin jazz track — that's even found its way onto a Serge Gainsbourg compilation.

[Edward]

Late,

I believe that presently there is only one Slide Hampton disc in the Jazz in Paris series. If I remember correctly, there were around four or five people on the BNBB who highly recommended this session and one who disliked it.

[Brownian Movement]

Sammy Price turns up on a "Jazz in Paris" date with Lucky Thompson; Emmett Berry appears on a number of cuts and enlivens the proceedings even further. Sammy also has a "Jazz in Paris" date under his own name; Guy Lafitte and Emmett Berry are both featured.

[desertblues]

I have also found many of these to be great purchases, two of my personal favorites are the Sonny Criss and both volumes of Byrd In Paris w/Bobby Jaspar, W. Davis, D. Watkins & Art Taylor! I haven't seen the Buck Clayton/Peanuts Holland, but I'll be looking for it.