NEWSLETTER OCT-2016 ologyology Alcide ‘Slow Drag’ Pavageau G.H.B. JAZZ FOUNDATION • JAZZOLOGY RECORDS GEORGE H. BUCK JAZZ FOUNDATION 1206 DECATUR STREET • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70116 Phone: +1 (504) 525-5000 Office Manager: Lars Edegran Fax: +1 (504) 525-1776 Assistant: Mike Robeson Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Mon-Fri 11am – 5pm Website: www.jazzology.com Entrance: 61 French Market Place Newsletter Editor: Paige VanVorst Contributors: Lars Edegran, Mike Layout & Design: David Stocker Robeson, David Stocker HOW TO ORDER COSTS – U.S. AND FOREIGN MEMBERSHIP If you wish to become a member of the Collector’s Record Club, please mail a check in the amount of $5.00 payable to the GHB Jazz Foundation. You will then receive your membership card by return mail or with your order. *Membership continues as long as you order at least one selection per year. You will also be able to buy our products at a special discounted price: CDs for $13.00 DVDs for $20.00 Books for $25.00 NON-MEMBERS For non-members our prices are: CDs for $15.98 DVDs for $25.00 Books for $30.00 DOMESTIC MAILING & POSTAGE CHARGES There is a flat rate of $3.00 regardless of the number of items ordered. OVERSEAS SHIPPING CHARGES 1 CD $13.00; 2-3 CDS $15.00; 4-6 CDS $20.00; 7-10 CDS $26.00 Canadian shipping charges are 50% of overseas charges ALL PAYMENTS FOR FOREIGN ORDERS MUST BE MADE WITH EITHER: • INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER • CHECK DRAWN IN U.S. DOLLARS FROM A U.S. BANK • CREDIT CARD [ Note: Please be sure to include expiration date & security code ] Send Payments to: GHB JAZZ FOUNDATION 1206 DECATUR STREET • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70116 You may also order directly from our website at www.jazzology.com Jazzology newsletter #9 Here is our second newsletter for the year 2016. In it you will find an introduction of our eight new CD releases presented by Paige VanVorst, articles on Alcide ‘Slow Drag’ Pavageau, George Masso, Carol Sloane and Pete Fountain – along with CD reviews, book reviews and other information of interest. We invite you to take a moment and sign up to receive our E-Newsletter by visiting our website at www.jazzology.com. This way we can keep you updated on new releases and artist information as well as in-depth articles and historical information related to the artists and recordings. news at GHB JAZZ FOUNDATion We are continuing our efforts to make as much as possible all of our recordings available to jazz fans world wide. There is still plenty of unissued material in our vaults and we are also making a few select new recordings of today’s jazz artists. Most of our CDs can now be purchased as digital downloads through iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and other online outlets. This includes, as you can see listed in this newsletter, some recordings that we have not issued as CDs. Our featured artist this time is Alcide ‘Slow Drag’ Pavageau, New Orleans bass player and veteran of Bunk Johnson and George Lewis bands. Slow Drag’s Half- Fast Jazz Band is the only recording issued under his own name. It’s an exciting session recorded in 1965 and features a top-notch New Orleans jazz band. From the Famous Door and Progressive catalogs we have four CD releases of well-known artists in the mainstream/bebop type of jazz - Walter Norris, Chuck Wayne, Billy Hart and George Masso. All terrific performers. Previously issued as an LP on our Audiophile label we now have a CD release of Carol Sloane doing an album of Duke Ellington songs. Recorded in Japan with a superb trio - Sir Roland Hanna, George Mraz and Richie Pratt - it really showcases her vocal talents. We have combined two long out of print GHB LPs onto one CD featuring Wendell Brunious & Louis Nelson together with a great cast of supporting jazz players. Finally, on our Solo Art label, we are releasing a brand new recording of piano maestro Kris Tokarski, a young musician who is very active on the New Orleans jazz scene – it also features trio tracks with Hal Smith and Cassidy Holden. 3 ALCIDE ‘SLOW DRAG’ PAVAGEAU DRAG’S HALF FAST JAZZ BAND GHB RECORDS BCD-54 PRICE: $15.98 MEMBERS: $13.00 Bassist Alcide “Slow Drag” Pavageau anchored one of New Orleans’ best rhythm sections during the glory days of the George Lewis band. He was basically self-taught, but his playing was within the lineage of New Orleans’ pioneer bass players. This session was recorded in 1965, when producer Bill Bissonnette was in New Orleans to record the in from Florida and Bissonnette decided to do anotherJazzology album Poll-Winners with some LP; ofDon the Ewell same had players. flown The set is a combination of New Orleans originals- Albert Burbank, Big Jim Robinson, George Guesnon PERSONNEL: and Slow Drag, with two youngsters, Bissonnette and Fred Vigorito. Fred Vigorito Cornet Kid Thomas * Trumpet It’s amazing how easy it was to produce a record Jim Robinson Trombone in those days – Alan Jaffe let them record at Preservation Hall, and even bought a new piano Albert Burbank Clarinet for the occasion; there was plenty of talent- the George Lewis * Clarinet four veterans in this group were at the top of their George Guesnon Banjo form, and Ewell provides perfect support, relying Emmanuel Sayles * Banjo, Voc more on solid ensemble playing than a display of Don Ewell Piano his prodigious facility. Alcide ‘Slow Drag’ Pavageau Bass By the time this session was recorded, producers Bill Bissonnette Drums were leery of recording the same numbers over Sammy Penn * Drums and over, and Brahms’ Cradle Song, was certainly not overworked as a New Orleans vehicle. There’s TRACK LISTING: a nice version of Climax Rag, Burbank’s favorite number, and Creole Song, from the Kid Ory book, Move The Body Over is given a tremendous ride. It’s wonderful to have Struttin’ With Some Barbecue these sides back in print- I bought the album when it came out and played it a lot more than many Little Brown Jug others from the same era. I Can’t Escape From You Slowly The set was extended to CD length with three I Can’t Escape From You Swiftly numbers from the George Lewis-Kid Thomas Brahms’ Cradle Song Ragtime Stompers session, which also features Creole Song Slow Drag and Big Jim with Kid Thomas showing us where Fred Vigorito’s trumpet style came from. Stack-O-Lee Blues These sides were issued long ago on a limited- Climax Rag edition LP and have been out of print for at least Bucket’s Got A Hole In It * a generation. Salty Dog * - Paige VanVorst Battle Hymn Of The Republic * Running Time: 43:16 4 GHB JAZZ FOUNDATION • 1206 DECATUR STREET, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70116 P: +1 (504) 525-5000 F: +1 (504) 525-1776 WENDELL BRUNIOUS IN THE TRADITION (GHB-194) LOUIS NELSON ALL STARS APRIL IN NEW ORLEANS (GHB-241) BCD-541 (2-LPS ON 1 COMPACT DISC) PRICE: $15.98 MEMBERS: $13.00 This set combines two LPs issued late in the LP era that never made it onto Compact Disc; they went out of print when our LP inventory was lost to Hurricane Katrina. Both sets feature Wendell Brunious, Louis Nelson and Sammy Rimington, soOne they forgets fit together what a well.melodist Louis Nelson was – PERSONNEL: he was the musical core of the Kid Thomas band, playing new tunes over and over until the rest Wendell Brunious Tpt, Voc of the band learned them; he always played a Louis Nelson Trombone beautiful straight lead before moving into his Jeanette Kimball, Butch Thompson Piano patented hot variations. I can just imagine him Sammy Rimington Clarinet, Sax showing a western tune like A Fool Such As I to the band at the Tip Top. The latter, by the way, Danny Barker Bjo, Gtr, Voc is beautifully done here with an excellent vocal Frank Fields, Chester Zardis Bass from Brunious. The set is a nice mix of traditional Barry Martyn, Stanley Stephens Drums material and old pop tunes seldom played by New Bugle TRACK LISTING: Boy, Gettysburg, Maryland My Maryland, Climax Rag andOrleans bands. There are finebut renditions where the of album Bugle Boy March Mahogany Hall Stomp, shines is on some of the pop material- Carolina A Fool Such As I Moon is a beautiful piece, and My Dreams Are Maryland, My Maryland Getting Better All the Time, from the Father Al Blues Eyes Crying In The Rain songbook, has a nice vocal from Brunious, as does Mr. Sandman. Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet Sugar Blues The rhythm sections vary from session to session- Wang Wang Blues the earlier session has Jeanette Kimball on piano along with Frank Fields and Barry Martyn; the Mr. Sandman latter session has Barker added with Butch Gettysburg March Thompson, Chester Zardis and Stanley Stephens Button Up Your Overcoat abundant support for the horns and the ensemble This Love Of Mine generatesfilling out a the wonderful rhythm. head Both of sectionssteam on providesome of I’m Sorry I Made You Cry the stomping numbers, particularly on Put On Bill Bailey (voc: D. Barker) Your Old Grey Bonnet. Climax Rag These were among Nelson’s last recordings, and Carolina Moon its good to have them back in print. The two bands I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time (v: WB) wonderful display of Wendell Brunious’ talents- hishere playing are fine and examples singing are of Nelson’sa highlight work of the and set.