Billie's Detour (Dedicated to a genius)

Here is a recent play-list from a broadcast at KDVS in Davis, Ca. I was very graciously joined at the end of the show by the great pianist Matthew Shipp and poet Steve Dalachinsky. The version of Day Dream at the start of the show was the original recording. I followed it with a very interesting arrangement of the Strayhorn composition by pianist Dick Katz for Helen Merrill from the Milestone album, The Feeling Is Mutual. This very fine record has just recently been reissued by Mosaic as a CD with the other album Ms. Merrill recorded with the Katz group for Milestone. The highlight of the show, for me, was the 1951 recording by Billie Holiday of Detour Ahead. From her only session for Alladdin, accompanied by the Tiny Grimes Sextet, the lyric and delivery thereof, have Lady Day at her existential best! Also on this show was the always astounding Mingus Sextet of 1964. This particular group featured Eric Dolphy on alto sax, Johnny Coles at the trumpet, Clifford Jordan on tenor sax, Jaki Byard on piano and Dannie Richmond, of course, on drums. I played the relatively scarce double album Concertgebouw Amsterdam April 10th 1964. I chose Ow (Dedicated to a genius), which is an homage to Charlie Parker. Though I played some Bird before this cut, and even the original Anthropology from Dizzy Gillespie and Don Byas, I realized a musical ambiance more conducive to Ow (Dedicated to a genius) could have been created. I think in the future I will do a show only on Bird and his music concluding with this Mingus masterpiece. As Mingus said at the time, "We're trying to make him live a little bit, here."


Day Dream - Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra
Day Dream - Helen Merrill & Dick Katz
Deep In A Dream - Helen Merrill (duet with Jim Hall)
Something To Remember You By - Thad Jones (duet with Kenny Burrell)
Billie Holiday - Detour Ahead
Billie Holiday - Be Fair To Me Baby
Billie Holiday - Blue Turning Grey Over You
Johnny Griffin Quartet - I Remember You
Louis Smith - Au Privave
Annie Ross - This Time's The Dreams On Me
Annie Ross - Let There Be Love
Chet Baker & Art Pepper - Resonant Emotions
The Metronome All-Stars - Victory Ball
Dizzy Gillespie Sextet - Anthropology
Charles Mingus Sextet - Ow (Dedicated to a genius)
Matthew Shipp Trio - Light
Matthew Shipp & Steve Dalachinsky Interview Part 1
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - The Clothed Woman
Matthew Shipp & Steve Dalachinsky Interview Part 2
Matthew Shipp Trio - When The Curtain Falls On The Jazz Theatre

Johnny Coles' Sunken Treasure

Some of the most extraordinary moments on the classic Gil Evans lp Out of the Cool are provided by the late trumpeter Johnny Coles. While still largely unknown to the broader jazz public Coles is among the finest trumpeters of his day. His feature on Evans' Out of the Cool is the moody and deeply evocative Sunken Treasure. A dark and brooding atmosphere is enhanced by the addition of both bass marimba and bass trombone to the orchestral setting. A languid tempo sets the tone for Coles improvisations on Evans theme. The over all impressions are of a deeply hued and subtle character not unlike those of Sun Ra. Coles introspective statements are reminiscent of another frequent trumpet collaborator of Evans, Miles Davis.

While having gained little of the notice that was truly his do Coles went on to record with the greatest composer-arrangers in jazz including Charles Mingus. His presence on the Town Hall recordings of the original Meditations are among not only the highlights of his career but that of Mingus as well. Coles would travel with the Mingus orchestra that toured Europe.

Prior to his association with Mingus Coles recorded what is perhaps his most fully realized album under his own leadership. The lp recorded for Blue Note is Little Johnny C and features among others the great tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson. We are treated to a number of original compositions by Coles as well as those of Duke Pearson. Much of the warmth and ebullient personality of Coles emerges on this most graceful of jazz recordings. While still scarce on vinyl the album can be readily found among audiophile reissues.