|
contents | jazz | |||||||||||||
| MPS Records - Violin Special this week: Stuff Smith, Joe Venuti, Ray Nance, Elisie Bianich MPS Records New Digital Releases Digital Mastered for iTunes Distribution: Edel:Kultur/ Kontor New Media - Mastered for iTunes - 24-bit-Transfer from original master tapes - produced by Dirk Sommer Releases: August 28th, 2015 (Exclusively on iTunes) Stuff Smith - Violin Summit // 1966 Niels-Henning Örsted Pedersen (Bass), Axel Riehl (Drums), Kenny Drew (Piano), Jean-Luc Ponty (Violin), Stuff Smith (Violin), Stéphane Grappelli (Violin), Svend Asmussen (Violin) Stuff Smith - Black Violin // 1967 Peter Witte (Bass), Charly Antolini (Drums), Otto Weiss (Piano), Heribert Thusek (Saxophone), Stuff Smith (Violin) Joe Venuti - ...The Daddy Of The Violin // 1973 Marco Ratti (Bass), Gil Cuppini (Drums), Lou Stein (Piano), Joe Venuti (Violin) Ray Nance - Huffin'n' Puffin // 1974 Ron Mathewson (Bass), Daniel Humair (Drums), Kenny Drew (Piano), Ray Nance (Trumpet, Violin, Vocals) Elsie Bianchi - The Sweetest Sound // 1965 Siro Bianchi (Bass), Charly Antolini (Drums), Johnny Shines (Guitar), Elsie Bianchi (Piano, Vocals) Stuff Smith - Violin Summit Four of the greatest violinists in jazz get together for a once-in-a-lifetime live summit. Dane Svend Asmussen, followed in the steps of jazz legend Joe Venuti; Frenchman Stephané Grappelli together with Django Reinhardt defined European swing; Afro-American Stuff Smith built the bridge between swing and bop; Frenchman Jean-Luc Ponty catapulted the instrument into the modern era (for more on the four, check out their individual releases on MPS). Copenhagen's famous Club Montmartre's rhythm section with pianist Kenny Drew and bassist Niels Henning Pederson guide the violinists as they climb the heights. Ponty's Summit Soul shows off the Europeans as Stephané, Svend and Jean-Luc solo in that order.More Stuff Smith - Black Violin Along with Joe Venuti and Stéphane Grappelli, and Svend Asmussen, Stuff Smith was one of the pre-eminent violinists of the swing era and played an important role in the violin's transition into the modern jazz era, playing with tenor sax giant Coleman Hawkins, bebop icon Dizzy Gillespie, and avant-gardist Sun Ra. A crack rhythm section including MPS 'house drummer' Charly Antolini provide ample support on this 1965 offering. Ain't She Sweet is taken at a tasty swing tempo with Smith's sumptuous blues-laced violin out front. Joe Venuti - ...The Daddy Of The Violin Joe Venuti pioneered the jazz violin; his virtuoso playing influenced generations of players from Stephane Grappelli to Jean-Luc Ponty and beyond. Famous for his "hot" style, his recordings with guitarist Eddie Lang in the late 1920s – early 30s are jazz milestones. He worked with the Dorseys, Bix Beiderbecke, and Benny Goodman. Venuti was "rediscovered" in the late 1960s. Recorded in 1971, the album also features the superb American pianist Lou Stein. Ray Nance - Huffin'n' Puffin "Ray Nance never played a bad note in his life." – Duke Ellington. These words from the maestro are all that need be said. A vital player in the Ellington band for some two decades, Nance doubled on trumpet and violin. His solo on Take the A-Train is one of the most copied trumpet solos in jazz. Nance was also a noted singer in the Armstrong style. A topflight rhythm section is on board. Pianist Kenny Drew played with Lester Young, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane. Bassist Ron Mathewson and drummer Daniel Humair are two of the best players Europe has to offer. Armstrong's influence on Nance's vocal and trumpet play can be heard on He Huffed 'N' Puffed. Elsie Bianchi - The Sweetest Sound Swiss singer-pianist Elsie Bianchi may not be a household name, but from the early 1950s through the 60's she was one of the best jazz singers in Europe. Her sensuous voice and hip phrasing has shades of Anita O'Day. Elsie first gained fame through her appearances at the Zurich Jazz Festival in the early 50's. Elsie and husband bassist Siro Bianchi toured the USA in 1958-59, playing at the legendary Lighthouse jazz club south of LA. She and Siro then began playing winters in Europe and summers in America before permanently moving to the States. Siro and MPS 'house drummer' Charly Antolini make it a tight trio. write your comments about the article :: © 2015 Jazz News :: home page |