Hi-Fi Jazz Session

Swinging The Blues

Hi-Fi Jazz Session
Featuring Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Red Norvo, Cozy Cole, Charlie Ventura and others
Masterseal
1957

Mean To Me
Sarah's lilting vocalizing is introduced by Charlie Parker's alto sax. The tenor sax of Flip Phillips and Dizzy Gilespie's trumpet share a chorus in the middle of the record. The other members of the group are Bill De Aranzo, Max Roach, Curley Russell and Nat Jaffe.

Bouncy
This original riff opus is played by a Red Norvo pick-up group, originally supervised by the jazz critic, Timmie Rosenkrantz. Choruses are by Norvo, vibraharp, Charlie Ventura, tenor sax, Harry Carney, baritone sax and Johnny Bothwell on alto sax. The other members of the group are Otto Hardwick, Jimmy Jones, Specs Powell and John Levy.

Blues At Dawn
Another original by Rosenkrantz-Jones-Cavanaugh and played by the same group as in the previous selection. Solo honors go to Harry Carney (of Duke Ellington fame), Red Norvo and Charlie Ventura.

What
This is a remarkable record in that here were have a blues singer, Rubber-Legs Williams, singing in the old tradition of Bessie Smith, with accompaniment by such modernists, as Dizzy Gillespie and Charles Parker. "Bird" and Don Byas take choruses while Dizy and Trummie Young are to be heard backing up the vocal. Rubber-Legs and the backing blend quite successfully; this ride, as well as the next one, besides being good jazz music, are quite interesting curiosities to the jazz researcher.

Every Bit
This is another tune by the same group as above. The tempo is slower and the mood is a little "funkier." Bird again is heard to good advantage.

Rose Noire
H. Carel's combo of piano, drums, bass, trumpet and baritone sax typifies the music of the forties that by 1956 turned into Rock and Roll. The music is certainly jazz, yet the undertone is strictly "Rhythm & Blues."

Comes The Don
The artists here consist of Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas, Hank D'Amico, Charlie Shavers, Tiny Grimes, Slam Stewart, Johnny Guarneir and Cozy Cole – an all star lineup if there ever was one. The music they produce is not in the avantgarde category, yet it certainly remains as fresh as when first recorded.

Beat Bounce
On this tune, you find the same artists as for Bouncy and Blues At Dawn. Featured soloists are Norvo, Carney, Ventura and Bothwell.

Cravin'
This tune, by Hen Gates' combo, proves that there's nothing new under the sun, not even in Rock and Roll.

Kilroy Was Here
Dorothy Donegan, who has since become quite an attraction in the plusher music spots, here gives her version of the blues. Subclassification: boogie-woogie.

Edna
The Sabby Lewis band is a typical riff-oriented big band tune of the forties.

Swinging The Blues
This features the violin and voice of Eddie South with Hand Jones, and Leonard Garkin on piano and bass. The group plays in a surprisingly modern style. This tune has no connection with the Basie tune of the same name.

Notes by Joseph P. Muranyi