Bunny Berigan plays “I Can’t Get Started”(3)

December 31. 2016

Photo above of Bunny Berigan and bus after accident( from the diary and photos of Gene Kutch who was pianist for the Bunny Berigan band)

Photo above of Bix Beiderbecke

Bunny Berigan died on June 2, 1942. He was just 33 years old.

He and Bix Beiderbecke were same ailment (by alcoholism).

If you are interested in Bunny Berigan, please refer to his private website. Go here

Below, please listen to my favorite tune,”I Can’t Get Started”.

Here is Barry Manilow sings “I Can’t Get Started”.

Here is Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio play “I Can’t Get Started”.

Here is Frank Sinatra with arranged and conducted by Gordon Jenkins.

Bunny Berigan plays “I Can’t Get Started”(2)

Photo by Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

Some Jazz fans were fond of 2-inch Victor recording with Bunny’s band,on August 7, 1937.

Thanks largely to the popularity of Berigan’s version,” I Can’t Get Started” became popular standard song.

Unfortunately Berigan was compelled to play it almost nightly.

Request of some audience might have hastened his death.

Photo above of Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie

Photo above of Harry James from OKMusic

Berigan trumpet style had an influence many of the major trumpet players who Roy Eldridge, Harry James and Dizzy Gillespie.

Also Berigan’s recording(1937 Victor) was inducted into the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammy) Hall of Fame.

Please see the rare clip that Bunny play and sing with the Freddie Rich band in 1936.

Here is Bunny Berigan and Freddie Rich band play “Until today”.

Here is Dizzy Gillespie plays “I Can’t Get Started (1948).

Here is Maynard Ferguson & Al Hirt play “I Can’t Get Started”.

Bunny Berigan plays “I Can’t Get Started”(1)

December 29. 2016

Recently I purchased a significant record,”Bunny Berigan”(CBS SONY SOPL 187).

His masterpiece “I Can’t Get Started” is also included in this record.

I would like to post about the performance of Bunny Berigan.

The song “I Can’t Get Started” was written by Ira Gershwin and Vernon Duke for the musical revue, “the Ziegfeld Follies”.

In those days Bunny Berigan loved the tune and began playing it regularly.

It was first recorded by Red McKenzie and His Rhythm Kings in 1936.

Photo above of Red McKenzie and Bunny Berigan, Eddie Condon at the guiter, Joe Bushkin at the piano

Red Mckenzie took the vocal on “I Can’t Get Started” with Berigan’s accompaniment.

Red Mckenzie sang after Berigan’s trumpet solo performance.

Ten days later, on April 13, Bunny Berigan recorded the number for Vocalion Records.

I can listen this version at “Bunny Berigan”(CBS SONY SOPL 187).

Also he provided the vocal like McKenzie after his trumpet solo performance.

A year and half later, on August 7, 1937, Bunny Berigan and his big band recorded “I Can’t Get Started” again for Victor.

Here is Red McKenzie and His Rhythm Kings play “I Can’t Get Started”.

We can listen to the sample with No 15.G0 here

Here is Bunny Berigan and his Blue Boys  play “I Can’t Get Started”.(1936)

Here is Bunny Berigan and his big band play “I Can’t Get Started”(1937)

Adrian Rollini(5)

December 25. 2016

Photo above of Adrian Rollini and Allen Haulon(by William P. Gottlieb from Wikimedia Commons)

Adrian Rollini died May 15, 1956, at the age of 52.

His death for a long time was somewhat of a mystery.

There are two rumors about his death.

He was sent to the hospital following a severe trauma to his ankle in the parking for a traffic accident.

He died after an 18-day stay in the hospital.
(1)The cause of his death is in a traffic accident.

(2) He truly died of mercury poisoning.
Because he had been inserted a glass tube for feeding in his stomach.

The tube was weighted with mercury.So he seemed to come mercury poisoning.

Here is Adrian Rollini Trio play “Jazz Me Blues”.

Here is Adrian Rollini Trio play “Moonglow”.

Here is Adrian Rollini and His Orchestra play “Sweet Madness “(1934).

Here is Adrian Rollini and his Orchestra play “You’ve Got Me Crying Again” (1933).

Adrian Rollini(4)

December 24. 2016

Photo above of Adrian Rollini from Okmusic

Red Norvo が始めた4本マレット奏法はGary Burtonが確立しました。
Adrian Rollini が4本マレットで演奏している映像を紹介します。

Red Norvo was already playing vibraphone in the late ’20s.

He was one of jazz’s early vibraphonists, known as “Mr. Swing”.

For the first time in jazz history Red used four mallets on vibraphone.

Photo above of Red Norvo and Tal Farlow and Charles Mingus

However Adrian Rollini wasn’t recording on vibraphone until 1938.

I found a rare clip that Adrian Rollini had playing four mallets on vibraphone.

Here is Adrian Rollini Trio play “Dark Eyes”.

The late ’30s, he played in the Hotel President in New York City as leader of his trio and his Tap Room Gang.

He played popular tune for radio program time from Times Square spot.

Also he managed the club inside of the hotel for a short while as well as leading his orchestra.

Photo above of Hotel President 238 West 48th Street New York City :NY postcard 1910s

In 1950s he settled in Florida, occasionally led groups.

Then he turned his attention fully to the hotel business.

Please refer to his recordings.Go here

Here is Adrian Rollini Trio play “Girl With Light Blue Hair”.

Adrian Rollini(3)

December 23. 2016

Photo above of Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra:Coleman Hawkins was to sit next to bass saxophone

多くのリード・プレイヤーはベースサックスの演奏を試みましたがほとんど成功しませんでした。コールマンホーキンスも初期のヘンダーソン楽団でベースサックスに挑戦しました。しかし、ヘンダーソン楽団の同僚たちは彼の音色を聞いてヒステリックに笑いました。その結果、ホーキンスはベースサックスを諦め、テナーサックスに専念しレジェンドになりました。

Today I will post about a difficulty of bass saxophone.

Many other reed players tried the bass saxophone, but mostly with little success.

The great Coleman Hawkins used it briefly with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra.

His timbre was curious honks and squeaks and Henderson colleagues laughed hysterically.

So he decided to concentrate on tenor saxophone.

Fortunately we can hear his bass sax performance with Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra.

I think that it is interesting to compare the bass saxophone of Coleman Hawkins and Adrian Rollini.

Photo above of Harry Carney

Although there were never many bass saxophonist, the baritone sax was to become the cornerstone of jazz band by Harry Caney’s effort.

Harry Carney said “I actually tried to get a sound as big as Adrian Rollini, who was playing bass sax at that time . . . so I suppose whatever sound I get goes back to that.”

Rollini gave up the bass saxophone for the last time in 1938.

Then he continued to be active with vibraphone and chimes.

Here is Coleman Hawkins & Fletcher Henderson play “Carolina Stomp” (1925).

We can actually hear Coleman Hawkins on a bass saxophone.

Here is Frankie Trumbauer & Bix Beiderbecke & Adrian Rollini play “Crying All Day”(1927).

Here is California Ramblers with Adrian Rollini play “I Must Have Company”(1924).

Adrian Rollini(2)

December 21. 2016

Photo above of Adrian Rollini

Today I will post about his early activity.

Adrian Rollini was born June 28, 1903 in New York.

He was a child prodigy on piano, genius of bass sax, equally genius on vibes.

Photo above of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel

When he was at four, he gave a Chopin recital at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York.

Also at 14 he led own band in New York, and he doubled on piano and xylophone.

He began to pioneer the bass saxophone and introduced to the California Ramblers in 1922.

About the California Ramblers, please refer to this website. Go here

The California Ramblers were one of the most recorded bands of the 1920s.

The band also featured Red Nichols, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey.

Photo above of Bix Beiderbecke

He also worked with  Bix Beiderbecke and Frankie Trumbauer.

In 1934 he put together some recording sessions that featured Jack Teagarden, Bunny Berigan and Benny Goodman.

Here is Adria Rollini trio play “Chopin Waltz Op.64 No.1 “Minute Waltz”.

Here is California Ramblers play “Crazy Words, Crazy Tune” (1927).

彼は4歳の時、ニューヨークのウォルドルフ・アストリア・ホテルでショパン・リサイタルを行う程の天才でした。又、14歳でニューヨークで自らバンドを結成しました。
名門バンドCalifornia Ramblersではベース・サクソフォンのパイオニアとしてジャズ史に名前を残すことになりました。Bix Beiderbeckeともレコーディングを行なっています。

Adrian Rollini(1)

December 21. 2016

上の写真は、最近購入したレコードです。40年以上前に 「Aspect in Jazz(油井正一解説)」でAdrian Rollini の名前を初めて聞きました。その日のテーマは「第17回スイング以前の白人コンボ」でした。最近、彼の名前を聞きません。
自分自身の勉強も兼ねて数回に分けて彼の業績について投稿したいと思います。

Recently I purchased an interesting record.

“Adrian Rollini his Quintet,his Trio featuring Bobby Hackett”(TAX m-8036）

I had heard first his name by radio program(FM大阪) over 40 years ago.

Photo above of Shonichi Yui

Every week I was listening “Aspect in Jazz(アスペクトインジャズ)” by commentary of Shouichi Yui(油井正一) who was a best critic in Japan.

THE theme was “History of jazz”, and that day he commented “The 17th,Swing era previous White men combo”.

After that, Mr.Yui broadcasted a few recordings by Adrian Rollini.

As you know,he was a passionate fan of Bix Beiderbecke and probably I guess Mr.Yui was favorite with Adrian Rollini.

In recent years, we will not hear the name of Adrian.

So I would like to post about his achievement in several times.

Here is Adrian Rollini Trio play “Loch Lomond”.

Here is Shouichi Yui talks “Aspect in Jazz”.

The Jazz Foundation of America helped Freddie Hubbard

December 20. 2016

Recently I found an interesting clip of Freddie Hubbard by Jazz Profiles.

Here is Freddie Hubbard plays “Caravan”.Go here

Freddie Hubbard passed away on December 29, 2008.

Today I want to post about Freddie and the Jazz Foundation of America.

Despite his brilliant achievement,he did not have his health insurance.

For years he was covered by his wife’s health insurance plan.

In 2002 he suffered congestive heart failure.

Unfortunately after they lost their coverageshe lost,she lost her job.

Finally they spent all their savings on medical bills.

Freddie Hubbard came to the Jazz Foundation of America for help in 2002.

When he had congestive heart failure and couldn’t work, the Jazz Foundation paid his mortgage for several months and saved his home.

Also his funeral was solemnly held by the Jazz Foundation of America.

Here is Freddie Hubbard plays “Sky Dive”.

 

 

 

 

 

The living legend pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi(秋吉敏子)

December 18. 2016

Last week I heard a radio program which featured two great pianist,Barry Harris and Toshiko Akiyoshi. Go here

Both pianists had one thing in common.

They developed their art under the influence of bebop great Bud Powell.

I was very happy as a Japanese.

About Toshiko Akiyoshi, please refer to my past blog.

If you do not mind. Go here and here, here

Also I will introduce recently uploaded clips.

Here is her photograph.

Here is her interview by THE MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS(毎日新聞)