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Showing posts with label Album 1961 Zurich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Album 1961 Zurich. Show all posts

14 January 2017

Ray Charles' Zurich 1961 Concert Released

Cover CD booklet.
A while ago my inquiries at the Swiss Radio archives resulted in the discovery of a set of 2 edited tapes with parts of a Jazzkonzert by the Ray Charles Big Band at the Kongresshaus in Zürich, on October 18, 1961.
This concert is now part of an abundant "Swiss Radio Days Jazz" CD-series with post-WWII radio concerts, issued by TCB, "the Montreux Jazz Label", a sub label of Challenge Records.

Any new album with Ray Charles materials is good news (especially when the songs originate from the early 1960s), and this was an excellent concert. But... well, let's say that this one is far from perfect as a CD release because, unfortunately and without due respect, an awful mistake was made, and the liner notes are crap.

From the concert's souvenir
brochure.
Why is the CD-title presenting the Ray Charles Orchestra, where it should be Ray Charles (or Ray Charles, the Ray Charles Orchestra and the Raelettes)?
And WHY in Genius' name was the excellent rendition of My Bonnie omitted (listen to the Youtube file below)?

The notes lack any relevant historical context (but you can go here to compensate that). They include nonsense, for instance a complaint about the quality of the original recording not doing "full justice to [Ray Charles'] piano playing, at times strangely behind in the mix of the time..." - pointing at the instrumentals where Ray, as per usual, simply didn't participate. And they include many factual mistakes (like attributing the arrangement of Come Rain Or Come Shine to Quincy Jones; a similar attribution i.c. Ray Minor Ray is questionable at least).

Ray Charles Orchestra - Zurich 1961. TCB (Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series #41), [2016]. The CD is also streamed by Deezer (probably only in Europe).
For sale through most European music webshops and, as long as the rights owners allow it, also via Amazon USA.

My Bonnie (tenor solo by Don Wilkerson):

19 November 2014

Along Came Betty (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

Album: Ray Charles Orchestra - Zurich 1961. TCB (Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series #41), [2016].

Written by Benny Golson. Arranged by Quincy Jones.
Solo: Marcus Belgrave on trumpet.

Personnel during the October 1961 Europe tour: Marcus Belgrave, Wallace Davenport, Phil Guilbeau, John Hunt - trumpets; Henderson Chambers, Leon Comegys, James Lee Harbert, Keg Johnson - trombones; Hank Crawford (band leader), Rudy Powell - alto saxophones; David Newman - tenor saxophone, flute; Don Wilkerson - tenor saxophone; Leroy Cooper - baritone saxophone; Bruno Carr - drums; Sonny Forriest - guitar; Edgar Willis - bass.

Benny Golson's great story on the genesis of the tune:


Live:
'61 LC Zurich
'61 LC Paris - 3x

11 November 2014

Ghana (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

Fathead in Paris (photo by J.P. Leloir).
Ray Charles Orchestra - Zurich 1961. TCB (Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series #41), [2016].

The band was only recorded playing this instrumental during their brief Europe tour in October 1961. Written by Ernie Wilkins, arranged by Quincy Jones.

David Fathead took the solo on flute, Leroy Cooper on bari, and Sonny Forriest on guitar.

The complete line-up: Marcus Belgrave, Wallace Davenport, Phil Guilbeau, John Hunt - trumpets; Henderson Chambers, Leon Comegys, James Lee Harbert, Keg Johnson - trombones; Hank Crawford (alto saxophone, band leader), Rudy Powell - alto saxophone; David Newman - tenor saxophone, flute; Don Wilkerson - tenor saxophone; Leroy Cooper - baritone saxophone; Bruno Carr - drums; Sonny Forriest - guitar; Edgar Willis - bass.

'61 LC Zurich
'61 LC Paris - 3x

10 November 2014

Happy Faces (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

Phil Guilbeau, John Hunt,
Kurt Mohr, David Newman.
Album: Ray Charles Orchestra - Zurich 1961. TCB (Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series #41), [2016].

The Ray Charles Big Band, on their first brief Europe tour in October 1961, played this Sonny Stitt composition at least four times. Arranged by Quincy Jones. David Fathead Newman solo'ed on tenor saxophone.

With Marcus Belgrave, Wallace Davenport, Phil Guilbeau, John Hunt (flugelhorn) - trumpets; Henderson Chambers, Leon Comegys, James Lee Harbert, Keg Johnson - trombones; Hank Crawford (alto saxophone, band leader), Rudy Powell - alto saxophone; David Newman - tenor saxophone, flute; Don Wilkerson - tenor saxophone; Leroy Cooper - baritone saxophone; Bruno Carr - drums; Sonny Forriest - guitar; Edgar Willis - bass.

Live:
'61 LC Zurich
'61 LC Paris - 3x

26 October 2014

Misty (The Ray Charles Band, Ft Hank Crawford)

Album: Ray Charles Orchestra - Zurich 1961. TCB (Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series #41), [2016].

Recorded during the Ray Charles Big Band's first concert in Europe by Radio Basel at the Kongresshaus in Zürich on October 18, 1961.
The performance of Misty is the only known live recording of this song by the Ray Charles Band. Crawford's original studio version was released on his 1961 album More Soul (Atlantic SD 1356; also released as a single on Atlantic 45-5013), but this live rendition is even more soulful.

I guess the wonderful sound accompanying Crawford (who of course excells on alto) is produced by the core members of the old Ray Charles septet, who also worked on More Soul: Phil Guilbeau, John Hunt - trumpet; Hank Crawford - alto saxophone; David Newman - tenor saxophone; Leroy Cooper - baritone saxophone; Edgar Willis - bass; Bruno Carr (replacing Milt Turner) - drums.