I am liberating a special series of “maxi-tweets” tied to King Records‘ lesser known jazz legacy that were otherwise buried in a PDF file attachment — part of 2018’s King 75th Birthday Celebration so wonderfully organized by Brian Powers of Cincinnati Public Libraries. The following research was conducted primarily by scanning the index of Michel Ruppli‘s 2-volume King recording session discography for the names of notable jazz musicians and specifying which King recording sessions featured their work. For this blog piece, I have probed Ruppli’s “red books” more deeply so as to incorporate additional historical tidbits into the mix.
[In late 2024, Zero to 180 examined this piece from top to bottom to see if evidence for Henry Glover‘s handiwork might have been unwittingly overlooked when this piece had first been posted — sure enough, with the proper historical scrutiny, Glover’s thumbprints suddenly could be found everywhere, as indicated in the revised and expanded text below.]
In the course of compiling this information, it dawned on me that the use of jazz musicians on popular (or “dance”) recordings by King Records was also famously done (later) at Motown, not to mention standard operating procedure (i.e., ‘Wrecking Crew’) at the West Coast studios in and around Los Angeles. Jazz musicians bring, as has been demonstrated, a deep musicality as well as versatility to recording sessions that are aimed at the popular market.
Despite the lack of serious jazz credentials, King (and its affiliated labels), paradoxically, ended up releasing some of the earliest recordings by a number of jazz notables — John Coltrane, Jo Jones, Keter Betts, Roland Kirk, Gerald Wilson, Ray Charles — partly as a result of this far-sighted “assembly line” approach to record production.
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streaming audio:
Click on song titles highlighted in bold blue ink
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #1
Bassist Keter Betts — who spurred Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd to record 1962’s breakthrough Jazz Samba album that introduced bossa nova to America and the world — played on a handful of Earl Bostic sessions, including “Who Snuck The Wine In The Gravy” (written by King’s pioneering A&R producer, Henry Glover, and recorded May 28, 1949 in New York City), “Choppin’ It Down” (also written by Henry Glover and recorded August 2, 1949 in Cincinnati), Bostic’s big hit “Flamingo” (recorded January 10, 1951 in New York City), and also its flip side, “Sleep” (recorded January 23, 1951 in New York City). These 1949-1951 sessions with Bostic were almost certainly the bassist’s early recordings, as Betts’ August 22, 2005 obituary in the New York Times acknowledges “his first job of note was with the popular rhythm and-blues saxophonist Earl Bostic in 1949.” Link to Zero to 180’s profile of Keter Betts from 2021.
France
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #2
25-year-old tenor saxophonist John Coltrane – on what must be among his earliest recordings – backed Earl Bostic for an April 7, 1952 session in New York City (likely produced by Henry Glover) that yielded four songs including “Moonglow” and “Ain’t Misbehavin,’”and also an August 14, 1952 session in Los Angeles that produced “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and “For You.” Worth noting that the label of the 1952 UK 10-inch release below indicates William “Keter” Betts as having played on the New York session, while Ruppli’s session notes, however, point to Ike Isaacs as the bassist on “Moonglow” and “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” Coltrane would later be quoted in the September 19, 1960 issue of Down Beat praising his former employer: “Afterwards, I went with Earl Bostic, who I consider a very gifted musician. He showed me a lot of things on my horn. He has fabulous technical facilities on his instrument and knows many a trick.”
“John Coltaine” –
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #3
Cat Anderson, long-time trumpeter for Duke Ellington, and Connie Kay, drummer for The Modern Jazz Quartet, backed Wynonie Harris on “I Feel That Old Age Coming On” and “Grandma Plays the Numbers” (A and B sides of a February, 1949 single release), as well as “I Want My Fanny Brown” and “She Just Won’t Sell No More” — all songs recorded in Linden, New Jersey on December 19, 1948 for King Records.
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #4
Long-time Duke Ellington bandmates, Johnny Hodges (alto sax) and Russell Procope (tenor sax) played a recording session for Ivory Joe Hunter on July 15, 1949 that almost certainly took place during Henry Glover‘s Cincinnati internship at King Studios — five songs recorded in all, including “Please Don’t Cry Anymore” and “I Got Your Water On” (A and B sides of a July, 1950 single release), as well as “I Have No Reason To Complain” (co-written by Ivory Joe Hunter with Henry Glover).
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #5
Composer/arranger Neal (‘Batman’) Hefti, on what must be among his earliest recordings, played trumpet for the Chubby Jackson Sextet at an early King session recorded July 1, 1944 (in Chicago) that yielded four songs – including “Bass Face” – released as a pair of 78s on King subsidiary label Queen and also packaged as a King EP. Hefti would later arrange Elliot Lawrence and His Orchestra’s version of “Sixty Minute Man” on which Zoot Sims played tenor sax.
1954
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #6
Jabberwockian jazzmeister and hipster supreme, Slim Gaillard (& His Boogiereeners) recorded a dozen sides in September of 1945 for King/Queen at a Los Angeles sound studio, including Slim’s theme song, “Vout Orenee,” along with “Sighing Boogie“; “Nightmare Boogie”; “Voot Boogie“; “Harlem Hunch”; “Travelin’ Blues“; “Sightseeing Boogie“; “Central Avenue Boogie” & “Slim’s Cement Boogie.”
1954
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #7
Dexter Gordon was one of two tenor saxophonists who recorded for Wynonie Harris in NYC on a December 16, 1947 session that yielded “Your Money Don’t Mean a Thing” plus three unreleased tracks: “Snake Hearted Woman Blues“; “Wild Woman Blues“; and “Baby, Baby Shame On You.”
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #8
Pianist Wynton Kelly played on a pair of Henry Glover-produced sessions at King Studios in August of 1949 for Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson (who also received musical support from Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, among others), with a total of eight songs recorded at both sessions, including six co-written by Glover including “I’m Gonna Wind Your Clock“; “Wineola“; “Somebody Done Stole My Cherry Red“; “I’m Weak But Willing” & “Featherbed Mama.”
Lois Mann = publishing name for Syd Nathan
Henry Bernard = publishing name for Henry Bernard Glover
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #9a
Jazz drumming legend Jo Jones recorded a pair of sessions for King Records, including a visit to Cincinnati’s King Studios on August 16, 1949 to lay down percussion for Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis, as part of the (pre-organ) Bill Doggett Trio, with two songs waxed that day (A and B sides of a November, 1949 single release), and both written by Henry Glover: .“Mountain Oysters” and “Huckle Boogie” (the latter song title suggesting that Glover had not quite gotten over the theft of his arrangement for the song that became “The Hucklebuck,” a monster hit for Savoy).
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #9b
Count Basie drummer Jo Jones also backed Mabel Scott on “Baseball Boogie,” a sly sports metaphor recorded for King in New York City on March 25, 1950, along with the novelty song’s B-side, “I Found My Baby,” co-written by Henry Bernard Glover, and two other tracks. From the promotional “bio-disc” (below) — Syd Nathan’s innovative approach of educating “disc jockeys and decision makers in the music business” (as notes historian, Randy McNutt) — we learn that “Baseball Boogie” is Scott’s first A-side for King.
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #10
Jazz pianist, arranger, and composer Mary Lou Williams recorded a pair of sessions for King, both in New York City (with producer Henry Glover, in all likelihood), and both with drummer Denzil Best, guitarist Mundell Lowe, and bassist George Duvivier. Trumpeter Idrees Sulieman accompanied Williams at the first session (March 18, 1949) that produced four songs: “Tisherome“; “Knowledge“; “Oo-Bla-Dee” & “Shorty Boo.” Williams’ second session (January 3, 1950) yielded four more tracks: “Bye Bye Blues” and “Moonglow” (with Williams on organ); ‘Willow Weep for Me” & “I’m in the Mood for Love.”
“autographed” King EP
1954
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #11
1951 King Jazz History Four-Way
- Jazz pioneer and long-time NPR (“Piano Jazz“) host, Marian McPartland, would have exactly one encounter with King Records: a solitary session recorded March 15, 1951 in New York City — presumably under the supervision of Henry Glover — that resulted in four songs [“Flamingo“; “It’s Delovely“; “Liebestraum No. 3“; “Four Brothers“] subsequently released in the US, UK, and France. In additional to two 78 releases, Federal issued the playfully-titled EP, Progressive Piano with Cello, Harp, Bass and Drums in 1954, while these same songs would be issued in the UK four years later under the title of the Cole Porter track, It’s Delovely.
1954
France – 1951 ten-inch release
art deco lettering
- Vocalist Lee Richardson recorded a session in Linden, New Jersey for DeLuxe on February 26, 1951 that featured drummer (and future composer/bandleader) Art Blakey – the “Jazz Messenger” himself – on four songs, including “Just Call My Name” and “As Time Goes By.”
- Charles Mingus (bass) and Billy Taylor (piano) backed Melvin Moore (the “blues shouter“) for a December 18, 1951 studio session in New York City — supervised by Henry Glover, in all likelihood — that yielded four songs, including rare King 45 release,“Possessed” b/w “Hold Me Kiss Me Squeeze Me.” Mingus would also record under his own name for Bethlehem prior to Syd Nathan’s acquisition of the label by 1960.
Someone paid $96 in 2017 for this King 45
- Trombonist J.J. Johnson played on a November 3, 1951 session Fluffy Hunter session, with backing from The Jesse Powell Orchestra (featuring Bill Doggett on keys), that was recorded in New York City, presumably under the supervision of Ralph Bass, with the resulting four sides all issued on Federal, including “My Nach’l Man“; “Love Is a Fortune“; and “The Walkin’ Blues” (co-written by Powell and Bass). 2013 would see a UK seven-inch reissue of “Walking Blues” b/w “My Natch’l Man.”
Someone paid $435 in 2013 for this Federal 45
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #12
Al Sears — saxophonist, bandleader, and Duke Ellington alumnus — recorded a single New York City session with his orchestra on September 21, 1951 for King that netted eight songs packaged into two EPs and four 78s, including “Baltimore Bounce”; “Now Ride the D Train“; “Groove Station“; “Azores“; and the historically-minded “Marshall Plan.”
Caution: The rear sleeve of Sears’ second UK EP from 1958 indicates “controversy” over whether Johnny Hodges played alto sax (as Michel Ruppli says) on these sessions.
“When these titles were originally released some years ago controversy existed over the identity of the alto soloist on ‘Steady Eddie’; some critics maintained that it was Hodges himself. In fact it is the similarly-styled Charlie Holmes, a boyhood friend of Hodges and an important mainstay of the Chick Webb, Luis Russell, and Louis Armstrong bands during the nineteen-thirties.”
Sears’ other UK EP from 1958, alternately characterizes the situation thusly —
“It is this band, with alto saxist Charlie Holmes substituting for the contractually debarred Hodges, which may be heard on the enclosed record.”
Produced by Henry Glover?
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #13
Drummer Philly Joe Jones — three years before he linked up with Miles Davis for a series of albums — would back (Bull) Moose Jackson on a February 6, 1952 New York City session (presumably under Henry Glover’s supervision) that produced four songs including “Bearcat Blues“; “Sad“; and “Nosey Joe,” the last song penned by the famed songwriting duo of (Jerry) Leiber and (Mike) Stoller, one year before they wrote (the original) “Hound Dog” for Willie Mae Thornton [more info: .Leiber and Stoller’s connection to Federal Records (1951-1953)].
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #14
Drummer (and future bandleader) Chico Hamilton played percussion on a total of four recording sessions for King/Federal that all took place in Los Angeles:
- Russell Jacquet & His Bopper Band — “Bongo Blues”; “Eight Ball“; “Tropical Fever“; “Cross Bones“; and four other tracks (recorded March 18, 1949)
Note: Given that Henry Glover had produced “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone” for Moon Mullican in Los Angeles on March 15, 1949, it makes sense that Glover would also produce Jacquet’s Bopper Band three days later, especially since he had a hand in writing two of the eight songs recorded that day – “Tropical Fever” and “Cross Bones.”
UK EPs
- Marion Abernathy — “Ee-Tid-Ee-Dee”; “Ja-Hoosey Baby“; “Love Me Or Please Let Me Be“; and one other song (recorded March 26, 1949)
Note: Given that Henry Glover had produced “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone” for Moon Mullican in Los Angeles on March 15, 1949, it makes sense that Glover would also produce Abernathy eleven days later, especially since he had a hand in writing three of the four songs recorded that day.
- Red Callender Sextet — “Poinciana” and “Dolphin Street Boogie” (recorded c. 1950)
- The Platters — “Voo-Vee-Ah-Bee”; “Maggie Doesn’t Work Here Anymore“; “Shake It Up Mambo“; and “Take Me Back, Take Me Back” (recorded September 28, 1954)
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #15
Count Basie vocalist Jimmy (“Mr. Five by Five“) Rushing recorded eight sides for King in New York City across two sessions – October 5, 1951 and September 25, 1952 – with the latter session including three songs co-written by Rushing and Henry Glover: .“In The Moonlight“; “She’s Mine, She’s Yours“; and “Where Were You”). These recordings would be released in the UK on Ember & Parlophone, and in France on Vogue.
1958
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #16
Erskine Hawkins, trumpeter and orchestra leader, recorded a total of three sessions as a King artist with backing from his orchestra:
- Four songs recorded December 6, 1951 in New York City with vocalist Lou Elliott — “Down Home Jump“; steel guitar classic “Steel Guitar Rag“; and two penned by Henry Glover, “Lost Time” and “Remember My Love.”
Henry Glover’s publishing firm:
Jay & Cee
(“Jail & Church“)
- Four more songs recorded September 25, 1952 in New York City, including “Walkin’ By The River” (with vocalist Jimmy Mitchell); “Fair Weather Friend“; and “New Gin Mill Special.
- Hawkins’ final session for King — September 17, 1953 at Cincinnati’s King Studios — yielded four tracks, including two co-written by Henry Glover: “Function at the Junction” and “My Baby Please.”
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #17
Earl “Fatha” Hines (piano) and His Orchestra (including Bennie Green, trombone, and backing vocalists, The Ray Charles Singers) recorded a May 22, 1953 session in New York City for Sugar Ray Robinson (“greatest boxer of all time“) that was produced by Henry Glover, who waxed a total of four songs, including “I Shoulda Been On My Merry Way” and “Knock Him Down Whiskey” — A and B sides of a King 45 that were both co-written by Glover (although withheld from release for five years, oddly). Both of these songs, by the way, would be included on a French EP that also featured a pair of tracks from none other than Mickey Rooney (“Alimony Blues“)!
1958 EP
The other two songs from this session – “Hot Soup” and “Sleep Walking” – would be released under the name, Earl “Fatha” Hines, His Piano And Orchestra, on a King EP (distributed in Norway, as well as the US and UK) that also included two instrumental numbers co-composed by Hines with help from Henry Glover – “In The Attic” and “Space Ship” – that had been recorded August 19, 1953 in New York City.
1954 EP
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #18
Cecil Young and His Progressive Quartet — Cecil Young on piano, Gerald Brashear on tenor sax and bongo, Trafford Hubert on bass, Jimmy Rogers on drums — recorded their entire body of work for King Records (aside from a single release for Gene Norman) between the years 1951 and 1953:
- The earliest session appears to have taken place August 6, 1951 in Seattle, with a total of ten sides recorded, including “Tea For Two“; “Monsieur le Duc“; “Fascinating Rhythm“; and “South of the Border,” although five of the recordings would remain unissued (“Further Out“; “Dinah“; “Song of the Vagabond“; “Passing Fancy“; and “E Flat B Flat.”)
- The next session for King took place February 6, 1952 in Seattle, where – again – only half of the ten sides recorded would be deemed fit for release, including “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby“; “Rushin’ On Home“; “Race Horse“; and “Fine And Dandy.”
- The Cecil Young Quartet’s next Seattle recording session – June 10, 1952 – would take place in front of a live concert audience, with the resulting eleven tracks released on two King EPs (1953 and 1954), two King LPs (released 1952 and 1956), and one Audio Lab LP (1959) plus one single release (“Who Parked the Car” as a two-part 78).
1952
- The Quartet’s April 23, 1953 session in New York City under Henry Glover’s direction yielded two songs that ended up being paired as a single release – “Fish Net” b/w “Stretch Out” – as well as two unreleased tracks, including “You’d Better Go Now.”
Written by Henry Glover
- Michel Ruppli’s session notes indicate that the Cecil Young Quartet’s December 7, 1953 session at Cincinnati’s King Studios (with Franklin Skeete on bass) yielded two songs that ended up paired as a single release —.“Our Waltz” and “Ooh-Diga-Gow” [the latter being the focus of a Zero to 180 history piece from 2017] — along with two unreleased tracks, including “There’s A Small Hotel.” “Ooh-Diga-Gow” is a curious track in that it is unmistakably a live performance — first released January, 1954 as a B-side and later included on King’s 1956 LP release, A Concert of Cool Jazz (“recorded in actual concert at the Metropolitan Theater in Seattle”). I suspect Ruppli might be mistaken in crediting Cincinnati as the recording location, but if not, then which Cincinnati concert venue is the obvious question.
1956
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #19
Gerald Wilson Orchestra’s early 1954 Los Angeles sessions for Federal and King — including “Mambo Mexicano”; “Bull Fighter“; “Black Rose“; “Lotus Land“; and “Algerian Fantasy” — would be reissued five years later on an Audio Lab LP entitled Big Band Modern, a reminder of the mambo mania that had gripped the nation at the time this song was released. Based on available discographical information, these 1954 recordings appear to be among the earliest in a career that would span well into the new century, as NPR’s 2011 piece “The Gerald Wilson Orchestra: A Living Legacy” affirms. Wilson, as it turns out, is one of many famous jazz musicians who “did time” in Earl Bostic’s band — in this case, one of four trumpeters who played on a December 4, 1958 Los Angeles recording session (six tracks, including “My Reverie” and “All the Things You Are“).
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #20
Noble “Thin Man” Watts — hailed by Alligator Records as “one of the early rock superstars” and one of the “greatest exponents of that honking tenor style” — recorded four instrumentals September 1, 1954 at Cincinnati’s King Studios [“Light“; “Stack of Dollars“; “Choice” & “Cat Fruit” (co-written by Watts)] as part of Tiny Bradshaw’s Orchestra, along with tenor saxophonist, Rufus Gore, and the ever dependable “Fas’ Foot” Philip Paul on drums (profiled extensively in 2018). All four songs would be published by Jay & Cee and released altogether as a King EP in 1955.
1955
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #21
Federal Records tapped Plas (‘Pink Panther Theme‘) Johnson to play tenor sax on a March 17, 1955 recording session in Los Angeles for Sugar Pie that netted four songs, including “Please Be True“; “Boom Diddy Wawa Baby“; and “A Man Going Crazy.” Michel Ruppli’s recording notes identify the artist on this session as “Sugar Pie & Hank” – i.e., Henry Huston – who both enjoy the backing of Preston Love And His Orchestra, featuring Ernie Freeman (piano), Pete “Guitar” Lewis (guitar), and Red Callender (bass).
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #22
Jazz pianist and composer Dick Hyman (who accompanied Charlie Parker on his only television appearance in 1952) played a single recording session for Bubber Johnson in New York City on December 22, 1955, along with Al Caiola on guitar and Ruth Berman on harp, among others — four songs recorded (none of them available yet on YouTube): “Keep a Light in the Window for Me“; “I Lost Track of Everything“; “My One Desire” & “A Wonderful Thing Happens.”
Jay & Cee
Produced by Henry Glover?
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #23
Roland Kirk’s debut album Triple Threat — recorded November 9, 1956 in New York City, presumably under Henry Glover’s supervision — was released in 1957, incredibly, on King. Five years later, Bethlehem would reissue the album under the title, Third Dimension, and then again in 1977 retitled once more as Early Roots. According to Discogs, the “original album received limited distribution and only became widely known after the Bethlehem Records re-issue, a few years prior to Kirk’s death.” Musical personnel: . Roland Kirk on tenor sax, stritch, manzello, and siren (!), James Madison on piano, Carl Pruitt on bass, and Henry Duncan on drums.
Check out opening track “Roland’s Theme“
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #24
A number of notable jazz musicians did King recording sessions for Earl Bostic, including drummers Earl Palmer [“Anvil Chorus” & “Southern Fried”] and Jimmy Cobb [“Flamingo” & “Sleep”]; pianists Luis Rivera [“Memories”], Jaki Byard [“Blip Boogie”], and Sir Charles Thompson [“Dark Eyes”]; organist Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes [“Telestar Drive”]; tenor saxophonists Stanley Turrentine [“What, No Pearls”] and Benny Golson [“Cherry Bean”]; alto saxophonist Benny Carter [“Dream”]; trumpeter Richard ‘Blue’ Mitchell [“Jungle Drums”]; guitarists Rene Hall [“La Cucaracha”], George Barnes [“Bugle Call Rag”], and Al Casey [“Serenade”]; bassist Johnny Pate [“Feeling Cool”]; and, of course, the aforementioned Keter Betts [“Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams”] and John Coltrane [“Moonglow”] – subjects of King jazz tweets #1 & #2, respectively.
1956
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #25
Tenor saxophonist, Benny Golson, played on four recording sessions for bandleader and alto saxophonist, Earl Bostic:
- October 8, 1954 in New York City = 6 songs as the only tenor player, including “Cherry Bean”; “Liebestraum”; “Embraceable You“; and “Song of the Islands”
- May 4, 1955 in Los Angeles = 4 songs as the only tenor player (with Benny Carter joining Bostic on alto) including “Dream”; “East of the Sun”; and “For All We Know”
- January 11, 1956 in New York City = 4 songs as part of a sax section (with George Barnes on guitar) including “Bugle Call Rag”; “I Love You Truly”; and “’Cause You’re My Lover”
- April 23, 1956 in Los Angeles – 4 songs as the only tenor player (with Barney Kessel on guitar) including “I Hear a Rhapsody”; “Where or When”; and “Harlem Nocturne”
Benny Golson was also one of two tenor saxophonists who played at an October 17, 1951 King Studios session for Moose Jackson that produced “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “I Never Loved Anyone But You, (plus one unissued track, “I’ve Had a Hard Way to Go.”)
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #26
Bassist Milt Hinton (“dean of jazz bassists”) played a handful of sessions for King in support of the following artists:
- Little Willie John – September 20, 1955 in New York City – three songs recorded with Mickey Baker (guitar), “Bubber” Johnson (piano), Willis Jackson (tenor sax), and Calvin “Eagle Eye” Shields (drums), including “Home at Last” and “I’m Stickin’ With You” (latter track reviewed in the February 24, 1956 issue of Cash Box)
Co-written by Rudy Toombs & Henry Glover
- Big John Greer – January 5, 1956 in New York City – two songs co-written by Henry Glover and recorded with Mickey Baker (guitar), Specs Powell (vibraphone), and “Panama” Francis (drums): .“Record Hop” and “Keep On Loving Me“
Co-written by John Greer & Henry Glover
test pressing
- Teddy Humphries – January 31, 1959 in New York City – four songs recorded with Mickey Baker (guitar), Joseph Askew (tenor sax), and Herman Foster (piano), including three songs authored by Henry Glover: .“What Makes You So Tough” (#16 in the R&B charts – Apr. 12, 1959); “Guitar Pickin’ Fool“; and “Firm Foundation“
FYI, Bethlehem released a full-length album by Milt Hinton – 1955’s East Coast Jazz/5 – three years before Syd Nathan acquired half-ownership of the label.
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #27
I have a soft spot for Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis‘s arrangement of Gershwin’s “Foggy Day” that was recorded August 16, 1955 at King Studios and selected as the lead-off track of a Parlophone EP released 1956 in the UK. Here in the US, however, “Foggy Day” appears to have been a B-side — and part of a 12-track album entitled Modern Jazz Expressions that also enjoyed release in France and Denmark.
1956
The Eddie Davis Trio and Doc Bagby’s 1955 recordings for King were done in Cincinnati, while 1956-1958 releases for King and Bethlehem were recorded in New York City, presumably under Henry Glover’s supervision.
classic 1950s modernist covers
1957 LP + its 1959 reissue
King would also release Davis’s …Uptown LP in 1958 [with half these tracks providing an album side for 1959’s A Battle of Saxes LP with Charlie Ventura] — audio link to “The Happy Whistler.”
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #28
Organist Doc Bagby — who has recorded for Okeh and Epic, in addition to playing on Eddie Davis’s Modern Jazz Expressions album (et al.) — was also a King recording artist in his own right. Two 1955 Cincinnati sessions with Eddie ‘Lockjaw‘ Davis (tenor sax), Clifford Bush (guitar), and Charlie Rice (drums) would yield six songs (plus one unissued track, “Call Me Darling, Call Me Sweetheart, Call Me Dear“) that would comprise side one of King LP Battle of the Organs — Luis Rivera and Doc Bagby. King would also issue two singles from these sessions, including “Grinding” (co-written by Henry Glover) backed with “Hayride,” while Odeon France would issue an EP (below).
1960
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #29
Fania All-Star percussionist Ray Barretto played on a February 12, 1957 recording session in New York City for Bill Doggett that (Zero to 180 assumes) was produced by Henry Glover, who wrote “Cling To Me” — one of three songs recorded that day, along with “Chloe.”
Barretto would also play conga on two New York City recording dates for Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis in January and February of 1957 that yielded eight songs. including the King 45 “Sheila” b/w “Say What,” as well as the King LP Jazz With a Beat.
I never tire of looking at this album cover
“J & C”
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #30
Guitarist Kenny Burrell — whose debut Blue Note album with the Andy Warhol cover design was launched to the world in 1956 — did session work the following year in New York City for these King/DeLuxe artists:
- Wynonie Harris — April 15, 1957 session in New York City that yielded two songs: “Big Old Country Fool” and “That’s Me Right Now” (the latter written by Henry Glover, the presumptive producer)
Reissued in Spain in 2017
- Little Willie John — August 29, 1957 session in New York City that yielded four songs, including “Dinner Date” and “Uh Uh Baby” (the latter co-written by Henry Glover, the presumptive producer)
1962 “twist” EP – France
(King session drummer, Philip Paul, in the background)
- Annie Laurie — May 3, 1957 session in New York City that yielded four songs, including “Hold On To What You Got” and “It Must Be You“
In 1958, Kenny Burrell would also play guitar on a number of songs recorded in New York City (with presumptive producer, Henry Glover) for these King artists:
- Bubber Johnson — April 4, 1958 session in New York City that yielded three songs, including “As Long As I Live” and “Finger Tips” (co-written by Henry Glover, the presumptive producer)
- Little Willie John — June 11, 1958 session in New York City (with George Barnes also on guitar) that yielded two songs, including “Let’s Rock While the Rockin’s Good”
UK 7-inch
- Jimmy Scott — September 6, 1958 session in New York City (with Teddy Charles on vibraphone, Jimmy Jones on piano, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums) that yielded four songs, including “Please” and “Somehow“
- Harold “Shorty” Baker Quartet — September 10, 1958 session in New York City (with Jimmy Jones on piano, Carl Pruitt on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums) that yielded the eleven songs packaged as 1959’s The Broadway Beat LP, including “Rosetta“; “Cherry“; and “’S Wonderful” (check out the intro)
- Little Willie John — September 24, 1958 session in New York City (with Roy Gaines also on guitar) that yielded three songs, including “Why Don’t You Haul Off And Love Me” and “All My Love Belongs To You” (co-written by Henry Glover, the presumptive producer)
- James Brown And The Famous Flames — September 18, 1958 session in New York City (with Clifford Scott on tenor sax, “Panama” Francis on drums, and Gene Redd as arranger) that yielded four songs: “Tell Me What I Did Wrong“; “There Must Be A Reason“; “I’ve Got To Change“; and *“Try Me” (*strings overdubbed at a December 17, 1962 New York City session)
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #31
Vocalist Jimmy Scott recorded four sessions for King, all in New York City with presumptive producer, Henry Glover:
- two songs recorded July 26, 1957 (with Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hal Singer on tenor sax, and Gene Redd on vibraphone): “When Day Is Done” and “Home“
- two songs recorded October 2, 1957 (with Hal Singer on tenor sax, Billy Butler on guitar, and “Panama” Francis on drums): “What Sin” and “Somewhere Down the Line” (the latter co-written by Henry Glover)
“J & C”
- four songs recorded April 3, 1958 (with Clifford Scott on tenor sax), including “Don’t Be Misled” and “Woke Up With You On My Mind” (written by Henry Glover)
- four songs recorded September 6, 1958 (with Teddy Charles on vibraphone, Jimmy Jones on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums), including “Somehow” and “Please“
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #32
Drummer/singer/bandleader (and “Godfather of Rhythm & Blues“) Roy Milton recorded four tracks with his orchestra on October 17, 1956 at Cincinnati’s King Studios: “You’re Gonna Suffer“; “Succotash“; “One Zippy Zam“; plus one unissued track, “Bam-a-Lam“). Milton’s next session for King (February 27, 1957 in Los Angeles) would yield two songs – “I’m Grateful” and “Skid Row” – while Milton’s final session (at Cincinnati’s King Studios on July 2, 1957) would produce four songs: “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu“; “Brand New Thrill“; “Jeep’s Blues“; and “R.M. Blues”
Jay & Cee
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #33
Jerome Richardson — who began his professional career in Lionel Hampton’s band at age 14 — played flute and tenor sax on a pair of April, 1957 sessions in New York City (with Bobby Donaldson on drums) for vocalist Etta Jones that yielded eleven songs, including “When I Fall in Love“; “S’posin’”; “Mountain Greenery“; “Sweethearts On Parade“: “You Call It Madness“; “White Cliffs Of Dover“; and “Don’t Worry About Me“
Richardson’s flute work is featured on this track
All eleven recordings on this 1958 LP:
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #34
Jazz/gospel singer Lorez Alexandria recorded an album-length tribute to Lester “Pres” Young at an ‘intimate’ Chicago club on November 6 & 13, 1957 that was issued by both King and Federal in 1958 as Lorez Sings Pres — link to the opening song, “Fine and Dandy“
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #35
Bassist and bandleader, Johnny Pate, with backing from his Quintet (featuring Bennie Druss on flute) would infuse the blues with a jazz sound and sensibility on “Swinging Shepherd Blues” — recorded in Chicago on Nov. 29, 1957 for Federal Records — along with three other tracks (The Elder“; “Easy Does It“; and “Five O’Clock Whistle“) that enjoyed overseas distribution.
Released on Parlophone –
Australia & New Zealand (plus UK)
The Quintet would return to the (Chicago) studio two weeks later on December 13, 1957 (this time with Edwin Johnson on tenor sax) to record two more songs for Federal – “Pattin’ With Pate” and “Walkin’ With Mr. Lee” – and then again three months later (March 20, 1958) to record two more tracks – “Pretty One” and “Muskeeta” (early “Tequila” cash-in attempt)
1958 EP
Pate’s next move as a solo artist was then to record a pair of performances at Chicago’s London House on October 16 and 17, 1958 with his Trio (Willie Huff on piano, Isaac Holt on drums, and Walter Gant) that King then issued in 1959 as the live album, A Date With Johnny Pate.
“an on the spot jazz session”
Before being signed to King as a solo artist, Johnny Pate also played string bass on a July 17, 1957 studio session for Bill Doggett in New York City (joined by Clifford Scott on flute, as well as tenor sax) that yielded two songs: “Soft” and “Shindig” (the latter written by Henry Glover)
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #36
Future founding member of The Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Malachi Favors, was once hired to play double bass for Clifford Scott at a July 8, 1958 Chicago recording session that yielded four songs: “Eastwood Blues“; “Cuban Echoes“; “Tossed Salad“; and “Good Gosh” (the latter written by Henry Glover)
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #37
Jazz drummer and bandleader Cozy Cole would record for King thrice —
- May 26, 1959 session at King Studios (with George Kelly on tenor sax, Harry Sheppard on vibes, Reuben Cole on piano, John Faire & Fred Jordan both on guitar, Ivan “Loco“ Rolle on bass, and Evalene Cole on vocals) that yielded seven songs, including “Blop Up”; “Blop Down”; “Pogo Hop“; “D’Mitri“; “Stained Glass“; and “Playtime Blues“
1959 EP
- June 18 & 19, 1959 two-day session at Cincinnati’s King Studios (with George Kelly on tenor sax, Gene Redd on vibes, John Thomas on piano, John Faire & Fred Jordan both on guitar, and Edwyn Conley on bass) that yielded twelve songs, including “Strange” and “D Natural Rock” (both co-written by Henry Glover), as well as “Cozy’s Mambo” (reissued 2011 in Spain); “Ha-Ha Cha-Cha“; “Soft“; “Blockhead“; “Teen Age Ideas“; “Bag Of Tricks“; and “Drum Fever“
Update of “D Natural Blues“
- May 17, 1960 session in New York City that yielded two songs – “Red Ball” and “Cozy’s Corner” – plus two unissued tracks (“Little Eva” and “Fantasy“)
Note = In the wake of 1962’s Jazz Samba worldwide smash hit album, King would update “Cozy’s Mambo” with a new title – “Cozy and Bossa” – and reissue the recording as a Bethlehem 45 in 1963:
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #38
Howard Roberts (guitar), Ernie Freeman (piano), and Ed ‘Sharkey’ Hall (drums) played on a July 21, 1961 recording session in Los Angeles for Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson that yielded one original composition (“Cuttin’ In”) plus three standards (“Nearness of You“; “Posin’“; and George & Ira Gershwin’s “Embraceble You”) — check out the modernist sleeve design below of the 1962 French EP that includes “Cuttin’ In“:
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #39
King session drummer emeritus Philip Paul threatens to steal the show in Milt Buckner‘s blistering jazz organ instrumental version of “Fever” — recorded March 5, 1963 at King Studios with Gene Redd on vibraphone and Bill Willis — a key track on 1963 LP, The New World of Milt Buckner (reissued in Japan in 2013), an album that would also include five more tracks recorded November 26, 1962 at King Studios [see related Zero to 180 piece]
1963 Bethlehem LP
Audio link to “Why Don’t You Do Right“
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #40
Organist Hank Marr would kick off his 1963 King LP Hank Marr Trio + 3 – Teentime Latest Dance Steps with organ-sax instrumental classic, “Tonk Game.” That same year, “Tonk Game” would be released for its second time as a single — initially issued January, 1961. Furthermore, blues musician and historian Ben Levin points out that the liner notes for 2016 compilation Night Sounds: The Genesis of Soul/Jazz Organ Combos identify Hank Marr to be – after Bill Doggett – King’s next big organist, who recorded several influential discs, “including ‘Tonk Game’ which became so popular with Britain’s Jamaican immigrant population that it received a British release on the Blue Beat label.”
1961 UK single on Blue Beat
The majority of tracks for Marr’s Trio +3 album were recorded December 13, 1962 at King Studios. Gene Redd‘s back cover notes for Latest Teentime Dance Steps outline the album concept as “Hank Marr Trio +3” — i.e., the trio of musicians on the front cover [Hank Marr (organ), Taylor Orr (drums), and Rusty Bryant (tenor sax)] augmented by “three of the finest musicians in the mid-west” [Philip Paul on drums, Cal Collins on guitar, and Bill Willis on bass], thus adding a double drummer dimension to the group’s sound in order to get dancers on the floor.
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #41
Bill Doggett’s “mod jazz” take on “Twenty Five Miles” — Edwin Starr’s rewrite, essentially, of Wilson Pickett’s “Mojo Mamma” (penned by Bert Berns and Jerry Wexler) — was, according to Michel Ruppli, recorded at a special 1969 session in Detroit (Motown Studios, one can only presume) with the organist backed by a “studio band” and the producer role served by none other than Berry Gordy!
2nd track on this 1969 King LP –
Album co-produced by James Brown
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #42
James Brown organized a special Los Angeles recording session on November 10, 1969 in which Oliver Nelson did the arrangements, while Brown enjoyed backing from the Louis Bellson Orchestra, featuring legendary bassist Ray Brown, as well as Ernie Watts, Buddy Collette, Chuck Finley, Jimmy Cleveland, Maceo Parker, and Cincinnati’s own, Frank Vincent, among others — twelve songs recorded altogether, but only eleven included on 1970s Soul on Top album (“There Was a Time” from this session was not issued)
Audio link to kick-off track, “That’s My Desire.”
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #43
Cincinnati Jazz Artists
Cincinnati‘s own local jazz talent has appeared on King and its subsidiary labels:
- Frank Vincent: played piano as part of The Dee Felice Trio on several sessions at Cincinnati’s King Studio in late 1968 and early 1969 for James Brown‘s Gettin’ Down To It album — audio links to “Willow Weep for Me“; “Time After Time“; “It Had to Be You“; and “Cold Sweat.” A few other tracks recorded for this album remain unissued in the vault: “The Shadow of Your Smile“; “Unwind“; and “The Weight” [!]
Vincent also played piano on “I’m Not Demanding (Pt. 1 & 2)” & “The Man in the Glass (Pt. 1)” for Brown’s 1970 LP It’s a New Day So Let a Man Come In, as well as the aforementioned Soul on Top sessions with the Louis Bellson Orchestra.
- The Dee Felice Trio (Frank Vincent on piano, Lee Tucker on bass, and Dee Felice on drums) were King recording artists whose jazz output would be issued on Bethlehem — if you have never before seen the cover of their 1969 debut album, In Heat, prepare to be dazzled:
Audio links to “Uncle” + “There Was a Time” + “Wichita Lineman“
It is worth noting the number and range of songs recorded by the Dee Felice Trio at King Studios that remain unissued in the Starday-King vault:
- ten songs recorded c. September, 1968 — including “Light My Fire“; “Crickets Sing for Anna Maria“; “Porque“; “Chano“; “By The Time I Get To Phoenix“; and “Summer in the City“
- 5 songs recorded on December 21, 1968 — including “Day In, Day Out“; “Nice And Easy“; “Gone with the Wind“; and “You Came a Long Way from St. Louis“
- 9 songs recorded over three successive sessions between December 10-12, 1969 by Dee Felice backed by unknown musicians (likely affiliated with James Brown) — including “Double Funky“; “Cold Sweat“; “I’ve Just Got To Know“; “Ode to Billie Joe“; “Down On All Five“; “A Different Shade of Colors“; “Watermelon Man“; and “Get Ready“
“Oh Happy Day” on the flip side
- James Brown arranged a February 17, 1969 recording session at King Studios that featured a number of notable Cincinnati musicians — Kenny Poole (guitar), Jimmy McGary (tenor sax), Carmen DeLeone, Jr. (vibes), David Matthews (trombone), William ‘Beau Dollar’ Bowman (drums), Frank Vincent (piano), Lee Tucker (bass), and Dee Felice (drums) — who recorded a total of five songs, though only two were deemed suitable for release, including Brown’s arrangement of Burt Bacharach & Bob Hilliard’s “Any Day Now” (included on 1969’s It’s a Mother LP).
- According to the detailed recording credits on Discogs for James Brown – The Singles, Volume 6: 1969-1970, guitarist Kenny Poole has played on at least fifteen different James Brown recordings, including “Mother Popcorn (Pt. 1 & 2)”; “Let a Man Come In and Do the Popcorn (Pt. 1 & 2)”; “It’s Christmas Time (Pt. 1 & 2)”; “The Drunk“; “Georgia On My Mind“; “Bewildered“; and “I Cried” (not to mention uncredited ‘wah-wah’ guitar on “Brother Rapp” — plus a pair of JB-produced Bobby Byrd tracks, “I Need Help” and “Hang Ups We Don’t Need (Hungry We Got to Feed).”
1973
- Thanks to detailed credits posted on Discogs, I know that Jimmy McGary played alto saxophone on a handful of James Brown tracks — “I’ll Go Crazy“; “I Know It’s True“; “This Old Heart“; and “Wonder When You’re Coming Home” — also tenor sax on “Let It Be Me” and (as already noted) “Any Day Now.” Additionally, McGary was one of three flute players on “I Cried.”
Jimmy McGary plays flute
1971 A-side from Germany –
Arranged by David Matthews
- “Bewildered” – recorded April 12, 1969 – would also bring together Jimmy McGary (tenor sax), Carmen DeLeone, Jr. (percussion), Kenny Poole (guitar), and William ‘Beau Dollar’ Bowman (drums), as well as David Matthews (piano). Matthews would also do arrangement work for James Brown on such recordings as “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (in a ‘live’ track that also includes Poole and Bowman), “Let It Be Me“; and “No More Heartaches, No More Pain” (both with Vicki Anderson) and “Georgia On My Mind.” Matthews, who co-wrote and co-arranged Brown’s 1971 Sho Is Funky Down Here album, also wrote “The Drunk” (which includes bass work by Cincinnati’s William “Bootsy” Collins). Worth noting that only “Part 2” of “The Drunk” has been released, according to both Ruppli and the Jazz Discography Project.
Kenny Poole & Bootsy on a JB B-side –
Written by David Matthews
- James Brown would also utilize local musicians Les Asch (tenor sax) and Eddie Setser (guitar) of The Dapps on a number of tracks, including “I’m Shook“; “Sometime“; “Shades of Brown“; “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye“; “Let Them Talk“; “I’ll Lose My Mind“; “Here I Go“; “Just Plain Funk“; “Funky Soul #1“; and “The Soul of JB” — Asch would also play tenor sax on Lyn Collins‘ “Just Won’t Do Right.”
Les Asch & Eddie Setser
1968 South African B-side
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King Records Jazz Legacy Tweet #44
Tribute to Bethlehem Records
In 1958, Syd Nathan became part owner of jazz label, Bethlehem Records, as has been noted. When one examines Ruppli’s two-volume recording sessionography, it becomes clear that by 1958, Bethlehem’s most vital days had already passed, as by the early 1960s, Nathan would significantly pull back on recording new jazz material in favor of issuing the label’s back catalog. Nevertheless, this 1958-1961 period would see some notable recording sessions for Bethlehem take place primarily in New York City —
- Vibraphonist Teddy Charles‘ 1959 album, Salute to Hamp, is a salute to Lionel Hampton that features Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Art Farmer (trumpet), Hank Jones (piano), and Ed Thigpen (drums). Audio links to “Air Mail Special“; “Blue Hamp“; “Moonglow“; and “Flying Home.”
- Bethlehem also released On Campus — Ivy League Jazz Concert, recorded live at Yale University in 1960, with Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Sam Most (flute), Dave McKenna (piano), Jimmy Raney (guitar), Bill Crow (double bass), and Ed Shaughnessy (drums). Audio links to “Whippenpoof Song“; “Yale Bird“; “Rifftide“; and “Nigerian Walk.”
- Tony Ortega recorded 1959’s Jazz for Young Moderns album (with the memorable cover) accompanied by Art Farmer (trumpet, 6-10); Ray Starling (trumpet & mellophone 1-5); Jimmy Cleveland (trombone); Jim Buffington (French horn); Ray Tricarico (bassoon); Ortega (alto & tenor sax, clarinet & flute); John Hafer (tenor sax & bass clarinet); Jay Cameron (baritone sax); Dick Wetmore (violin); Bobby Timmons (piano); Ahmed Abdul-Malik, bass); and Ed Thigpen (drums). Audio links to “Bat Man Blues“; “Cinderella’s Curfew“; “Four to Four“; and “No Fi.”
- Frank Minion recorded his (Teddy Charles-produced) The Soft Land of Make Believe album in 1959, with backing from Bill Evans, Jimmy Jones & Tommy Flanagan (piano). Roland Alexander (tenor sax), Kenny Burrell (guitar), George Tucker, Joe Benjamin & Paul Chambers (bass) & Dannie Richmond, Ed Thigpen & Jimmy Cobb (drums). Audio links to “Introduction to Black Opium Street” and (vocal version of) “So What” plus “You I Love” and “Watermelon” (both co-written by Frank Minion and Henry Glover).
The year before, Bethlehem had released Minion’s debut album, futuristically titled The Forward Sound of Frank Minion – Sound Stylings of 1970 [!]
- Zoot Sims‘ 1960 LP, Down Home, features Dave McKenna (piano), George Tucker (bass), and Danny Richmond (drums). Audio links to “Jive at Five“; “Avalon“; “Doggin’ Around“; “Bill Bailey“; and “I’ve Heard That Blues Before.”
- Mal Waldron Trio‘s 1960 (Teddy Charles-produced) album Left Alone, dedicated to Billie Holiday, features Julian Euell (bass), and Al Dreares (drums), and Jackie McLean (alto sax). Audio links to “Left Alone“; “Cat Walk“; and “Minor Pulsation.”
- John Letman received support from Dick Wellstood (piano), Kenny Burrell (guitar); Peck Morrison (bass), and Panama Francis (drums) on his 1960 LP, The Many Angles of John Letman. Audio links to “Say Si Si“; “The Room Upstairs“; “Moanin’ Low“; and “This Time the Drink’s on Me.”
- Charles Persip and the Jazz Statesmen‘s self-titled (Teddy Charles-produced) LP, Charles Persip and the Jazz Statesmen, was recorded on April 2, 1960, with Freddie Hubbard & Marcus Belgrave (trumpet), Roland Alexander (tenor sax), Ronald Matthews (piano), Ron Carter (bass), and Persip (drums). Audio links to “Sevens“; “Soul March“; “The Song Is You“; and “Right Down Front.”
- George Wein and the Storyville Sextet — Shorty Baker (trumpet); Tyree Glenn (trombone), Pee Wee Russell (clarinet), Bill Crow (bass), Mickey Sheen (drums), and Wein (piano) — recorded their Metronome Presents Jazz at the Modern album June 16, 1960 at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Audio links to “Rosetta“; “Undecided“; “Ain’t Got Nobody” and “That’s a Plenty“
- Dave McKenna and Hal Overton enjoyed backing from Earl May (bass) and Jerry Segal (drums) on their 1960 LP, Dual Pianos. Audio links to “Keepin’ Out of Mischief“; “Monk’s Blues“; and “Ruby, My Baby.”
- Howard McGhee‘s 1961 LP, Dusty Blue features Bennie Green (trombone), Roland Alexander (tenor sax & flute), Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Ron Carter (bass); Walter Bolden (drums); and McGhee (trumpet). Audio links to “Dusty Blue“; “Sleep Talk“; “Cottage for Sale“; and “I Concentrate on You.”
- Vocalist Betty Blake recorded 1961’s Sings in a Tender Mood with instrumental backing from Mal Waldron (piano), Teddy Charles (vibraphone), Zoot Sims & Roland Alexander (tenor sax), Marcus Belgrave (trumpet), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Addision Farmer & Eustis Guilemet (bass); and Ed Shaughnessy & Charles Persip (drums). Audio links to “Moon and Sand“; “Blue Fool“; “Trouble Is a Man“; and “Let There Be Love.”
- Donald Byrd (trumpet) and Pepper Adams (baritone sax) enjoyed backing from Tommy Flanagan (piano), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Paul Chambers (bass), and “Hey” Lewis (drums) on their 1961 LP, Motor City Scene. Audio links to “Stardust“; “Philson“; “Trio“; “Libeccio“; and “Bitty Ditty“
- Bennie Green‘s 1961 LP, Hornful of Soul, features Jimmy Forrest (tenor sax), Lem Davis (alto sax), Mal Waldron (piano), Skip Hall (organ), Tommy Lopez (congas), Wyatt Ruther (bass), Art Taylor (drums); and Green (trombone). Audio links to “Summertime“; “Groove One“; “Lowland-ism“; “Dibblin’ And Dabblin’“; and “Dee Dee.”
- Booker Little (trumpet) received musical support from George Coleman (tenor sax), Julian Priester (trombone), Don Freedman (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), and Pete La Roca (drums) on his (Teddy Charles-produced) album from 1961, Booker Little and Friend. Audio links to “Victory and Sorrow“; “Forward Flight“; “Looking Ahead“; and “Booker’s Blues.”
- Booker “The Book“ Ervin‘s (Teddy Charles-produced) The Book Cooks album from 1961 features Ervin & Zoot Sims on tenor saxes, Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums. Audio links to “The Book Cooks“; “The Blue Book“; “Git It“; “Largo“; and “Poor Butterfly.”
- Azie Mortimer would record a string of singles for various labels, including Epic and RCA, in the run up to her debut album, Feeling of Jazz, on Bethlehem — recorded in 1969 but not released until 1971 (though reissued in 2014 in Japan). Mortimer would enjoy a backing band that included Jimmy Cleveland & Quentin Jackson (trombones), Jerome Richardson (tenor sax), Phil Woods (alto sax & clarinet), Les Spann (guitar), Milt Hinton (bass), Willie Rodriguez (percussion) & Charlie Persip (drums) among others, with Mercer Ellington as arranger and conductor.
Huge debt of gratitude to Jazz Discography Project for Bethlehem Records info!
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King Records Jazz Legacy =
T R I V I A
Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, and Gerry Mulligan were among the musicians in Gene Roland’s Boppers (accompanied by the Chubby Jackson rhythm section) who recorded a “rehearsal” in New York City on May 17, 1949 — “Oh Them Saxes“; “Hold Them Trumpets“; “Blues In Our Time“; and “Symphony Sid’s Symphette” — four compositions recorded for DeLuxe by the bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, and long-time Stan Kenton collaborator that remained unissued in King’s vault for sixty-five years until finally liberated in 2014 via the 2-CD Chubby Jackson Big Band release, Ooh, What An Outfit! / New York City 1949.
Excerpt –
Ruppli’s King Labels discography
The Gerry Mulligan Collection
Library of Congress – Recorded Sound Division
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King Records Jazz Legacy =
Rare Vinyl Alert
One of the earliest recordings by trombonist Al Grey (previously celebrated in a musical tribute to grits) took place at Cincinnati’s King Studios on October 1, 1954 — “Speak To Me (In My Dreams Tonight)” b/w “Goofa Nut” (B-side instrumental) — these two songs comprising a 45 that is rather challenging to find. Writing credits reveal Henry Glover to have had a hand in both compositions.
Jay & Cee
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King Records Jazz Legacy =
Genius Sighting
Ray Charles, incredibly, has a bona fide King connection, thanks to a 78 release from an early point in his recording career – “Walkin’ and Talkin’ to Myself” b/w “I’m Wonderin’ and Wonderin’ – that was released December, 1952 on a King subsidiary – Rockin’ – that was overseen by Henry Stone in Miami. Note that both sides were published by Lois, Syd Nathan’s publishing firm. Both tracks were recorded in Miami in 1952, as well as two unissued tracks “Jumpin’ the Blues” and “Blue Rhumba.” Ruppli adds that both 78 recordings were “also issued on Crown LP5303, Strand LP1086, Crown LP5418, Musicdisc CV964 [France], Visadisc VI245 [France] & Guest Star LP1901.”
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King Records Jazz Legacy =
King Kontroversy
Ruppli’s recording session notes (page 258) say that the Paris backing band used by Babs Gonzales on 1953 King single “Still Wailin’” b/w “Shuckin’ And Jivin’” included “possibly” Dizzy Gillespie. Did Dizzy play trumpet on these two tracks? Perhaps Wynton Marsalis might be able to settle this question.
“J & C”
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Tip of the hat to librarian/historian Brian Powers, who organized a jazz-related lecture at Cincinnati Public Library’s Main Branch on September 24, 2016 in support of King Records Month:
Formula X-9:
King Records and Jazz
Although more known for R&B and Country music, King Records did make a mark in the field of Jazz. The label recorded many jazz artists, while King’s production staff preferred to use jazz musicians to play on King’s R&B releases. In the 1950s, Syd Nathan purchased Gus Wildi’s jazz label, Bethlehem. Jazz had a great influence on James Brown’s music recorded at King. Music historian Uncle Dave Lewis will give a talk at Cincinnati’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center that will cover the salient points of this melting pot of influences and how King managed to have an impact in the history of jazz without producing any top 100 jazz albums.
