Jazz

Coleman Hawkins: “Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid”

This clip, from the television program Jazz Party, is more than eight minutes long — but the climax is cut off. No matter, it’s great. The start is nice and informal, and the camera moves around quite a bit for a 1950s video. That adds a nice dimension. Hawkins takes his solo starting at about the 3:10 mark. The notes at YouTube identify all the players. In addition to Hawkins, they include Charlie Shavers, J.C. Higginbotham, Lester Young, Pee Wee Russell, Willie “The Lion” Smith, Sonny Greer and others.

The subject of the song — Symphony Sid — was Sid Torin (originally Tarnopol), a radio DJ who was instrumental (no pun intended) in introducing jazz to a mass audience.

Coleman Hawkins also can be seen playing tenor sax on a Stoned, apparently improvising with Charlie Parker in 1950, in a bluesy mode in South of France Blues, Centerpiece and Body and Soul. Of special note is the guitarist in the South of France Blues clip. He apparently is Mikey Baker.

Here is Coleman’s bio and a discography.

Our New Things: Links to Music Sites and Info on Analog Tech and Vinyl

TDMB has focused on music and musicians. We will continue to do that, of course. We're also expanding our coverage to include vinyl and analog equipment.

More specifically, we'll look at this huge and interesting world from the perspective of music lovers who want a better experience, not committed non-audiophiles.

Check out is some of what we've written so far:

-- Assessing the Value of Vinyl Records: An Overview

-- 7 Quick Tips on Optimizing Your Turntable Cartridge

-- Why Vinyl Records Continue to Thrive

-- Finding the Best Amplifier

-- Finding the Best Phono Preamp

-- What Speakers Do I Need for My Turntable?

Check out more articles on analog equipment and vinyl.

The site also is home to The Internet Music Mapping Project, an effort to list and describe as many music-related sites as possible.

Our Music

--A Tribe Called Quest to The Dick Hyman Trio (In other words, A to H)

--Indigo Girls to Queen Ida (I to Q)

--Radiohead to ZZ Top (R to Z)

Reading Music

The stories of the great bands and musicians are fascinating. Musicians as a group are brilliant, but often troubled. The combination of creativity and drama makes for great reading.

Here are some books to check out.

Duke Ellington brought class, sophistication and style to jazz which, until that point, was proudly unpolished and raucous. His story is profound. The author, Terry Teachout, also wrote "Pops," the acclaimed bio of Louis Armstrong. Click here or on the image.

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What else is there to say? Here is the story behind every song written by The Beatles. Click here or on the image.

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The Grateful Dead don't get enough credit for the profound nature of its lyrics. Many of the band's songs are driven by a deep and literate Americana ("I'm Uncle Sam/That's who I am/Been hidin' out/In a rock and roll band" and "Majordomo Billy Bojangles/Sit down and have a drink with me/What's this about Alabama/Keeps comin' back to me?").

David Dodd's exhaustive study tells the story, song by song. Click here or on the image.

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