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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Roy Eldridge - NYC (r.i.p. Dick Katz)


Dick Katz, 1924 - 2009


Here are a pair of radio broadcasts by Roy Eldridge's band, featuring Richie Kamuca on tenor sax, and Dick Katz on piano.

These are shared to commemorate Dick Katz, the great pianist and talented writer, who just died. He performed with many greats, including Benny Carter, Kenny Dorham, Tony Scott, the Jay Jay Johnson/Kai Winding band, and others, and he co-founded Milestone Records with Orrin Keepnews, producing albums by Jim Hall/Ron Carter, Lee Konitz and others.

My own favourites among his recordings - next to classics like Carter's "Further Definitions" and "Kenny Dorham & The Jazz Prophets Vol. 1" - though are the Helen Merrill albums he masterminded, both as a producer as well as a pianist. They were recently reissued by Mosaic Records. Some of the finest vocal jazz ever put to tape! Ms. Merrill has posted an NYT review from 2008 on her site.

Marc Myers did an interesting interview with Katz, in the summer. Read it here.

These recordings aren't in perfect quality, far from in fact. But these are historical glimpses at a period when jazz' commercial decline was about to begin. Further, they offer an interesting mix: oldie Roy Eldridge pairs up with west coast tenor Richie Kamuca and east coast pianist Dick Katz. In addition, we get to hear some Kansas City blues from guest Jimmy Witherspoon. Tommy Potter, one of Bird's bass players, is on bass, and Eddie Locke, who often played with Coleman Hawkins around that time, is on drums.


Joe Newman, Dick Katz, Teddy Reig, Count Basie
(photo from Bill Crow's website)


Roy Eldridge
New York City (USA), Half Note
August 20 (#1-6) & 27 (#7-11), 1965


Roy Eldridge - trumpet
Richie Kamuca - tenor sax
Dick Katz - piano
Tommy Potter - bass
Eddie Locke - drums
Jimmy Witherspoon - vocals (#5 & 6 only)

1. Sweet Sue (5:47)
2. Stompin' at the Savoy (8:15)
3. Comin' Home Baby (7:04)
4. Rifftide (6:05)
5. It's a Low Down Dirty Shame (2:03)
6. Ain't Nobody's Business (2:11) [inc]
7. Announcement > The Heat's On (7:20)
8. Announcement (1:38)
9. Oh for Two (9:58)
10. I Surrender Dear (4:48)
11. Undecided (4:36) [inc]

TT: 59:50

Sound: #1-6: B+ (boomy bass) | #7-11: A-/B+
Source: WABC-FM broadcast (from vinyl, maybe bootleg?)
No lineage info

1 comment:

ubu said...

FLAC (tagged) + info:

http://rapidshare.com/files/305406257/Roy_Eldridge_1965-08-20___1965-08-27_NYC.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/305400341/Roy_Eldridge_1965-08-20___1965-08-27_NYC.part2.rar