Jazz for aficionados

Alex, in my young days, I traveled from one blues joint to another; consequently, my familiarity with the blues is from live music, as opposed to records, as in jazz, and the only famous name I can recall is Albert King.

At that time I never had one serious thought about the music, I was just out to have a good time, and now I have to reflect back to those times in order to put the music in some kind of perspective. When I reflect back to what I heard at that time, the blues I heard was either Delta, or New Orleans based, meaning originated from one of those two places, and I make that statement founded on what Rok, the blues expert has said about the music.

Although I liked "Tiny Grimes" I was unable to put his guitar into any kind of perspective, it sounded original to me; but what's all important is whether or not I liked it, and I did.



Enjoy the music.

 

O-10, Tiny played with Charlie Parker, I believe the Dial recordings, and Art Tatum. 

Short on on time or I would play a YouTube .

Sorry Savoy recordings!

Acman, thank you very much for that valuable information; now I'll be able to find the best of Tiny Grimes, playing with "Bird" says more than a mouthful.


Enjoy the music.

Yes,Tiny Grimes with Charlie Parker "Red Cross" on Savoy 1944.Early Bird and almost pre-Bop.Tiny with Art Tatum,look for the Capitol trio recordings.He made lots of sessions in the 40's as Jazz was in transition from small group Swing to Bop.Prior to that he was in the "Cats and the Fiddle" a string group that played hot Jazz.In the 50's he had a instrumental band called the Rockin' highlanders and made some hard driving Jazz flavored R&B sides for Atlantic.Through all this he kept at that 4 string tenor guitar.I was fortunate to hear him live and meet him when he came to L.A. in the early 80's for a concert with guitarist John Collins,who was Nat Cole's guitarist as well as an important 52nd st.Jazz player in the 40's.Too bad Collins didn't make more solo records,he was a real master.
     Tiny Grimes was not a Blues player as we would usually associate with that genre,but he always shined there and the relative uncomplicated nature of the Blues lent itself to the tenor guitar.He greatly enhanced those Prestige Swingsville sessions.
   One of the unsung heroes of the intersection of Jazz and Blues guitar was Teddy Bunn. Poorly represented on records but if you can find them you will hear some great playing in the T-Bone Walker meets Charlie Christian vein.He made a few sides for Blue Note in the 40's.
   Irving Ashby was another of those 40's guitarists who made a few records but had a great Christian influenced sound. 
   I would like to think that people still listen to and appreciate the innovations of Charlie Christian.Tiny Grimes might have been a footnote in Jazz,but Charlie Christian is a chapter.