Avid Jazz here presents three classic Buck Clayton albums plus including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
Buck Clayton first came to prominence when he joined Count Basie’s orchestra in 1936 and henceforth grew in stature to become one of the pre-eminent trumpet players of his generation. For our three fine selections let’s get a flavour of our hero and his music by quoting a few lines from the original sleeve notes of the albums. “Songs for Swingers” …………………”all the writing is by Buck………Buck’s trumpet style is synonymous with good taste………his arrangements which are lucid and direct and always so constructed as to permit swinging interpretations”. “Buck Meets Ruby”…………………”although his technique and range are unlimited, Buck Clayton is one trumpet player who has performed with taste and warmth………it’s Ruby Braff’s trumpet which gives this album that quality of excitement only rarely found in jam sessions”. “Harry Edison Swings Buck Clayton”………………… “Harry is playing with greater finesse and originality than in the Basie days ………The pairing of Harry and Buck brings back some of the happiest memories in Jazz”. The pluses include one LP side of “Duke Ellington and The Buck Clayton All-Stars At Newport” recorded in 1956 as a result of Buck’s best selling Columbia jam sessions leading to his invitation by Newport to put an all star band together …………………“these Clayton performances are different from his studio dates because of the greater heterogeneousness of this small ensemble ……… The Hawk (Coleman Hawkins) was in unusually strong form”………… and side one of “The Newport All-Stars” recorded three years later in 1959. Buck is again invited to jam at Newport and here brings with him three veteran players for a unique marriage of styles. Buck and Vic Dickinson from the Count Basie Kansas City school and Pee Wee Russell and Bud Freeman from the Chicago gang……….”all are playing as great and as wonderful music as they have ever played in their long careers”.
All three of our selections are hard to find on any format and have been digitally re-mastered for probably the finest ever sound quality!
CD1
1-8: ‘Songs For Swingers’
1. Swinging At The Copper Rail
2. Outer Drive
3. Swingin’ Along On Broadway
4. Night Train
5. Mean To Me
6. Buckini
7. Moonglow
8. Sunday
9. You Can Depend On Me from Duke Ellington and The Buck Clayton All-Stars At Newport
10. Newport Jump from Duke Ellington and The Buck Clayton All-Stars At Newport
11. In A Mellotone from Duke Ellington and The Buck Clayton All-Stars At Newport
12: ‘Buck Meets Ruby’
12. I Can’t Get Started
CD2
1-3: ‘Buck Meets Ruby’
1. Love Is Just Around The Corner
2. Just A Groove
3. Kandee
4-8: ‘Harry Edison Swings Buck Clayton’
4. Memories For The Count
5. Come With Me
6. Critic’s Delight
7. Oh How I Hate To Get Up In The Afternoon
8. It All Depends On You / Charmaine / How Long Has This Been Going On / Makin’ Whoopee
9. Royal Garden Blues from The Newport All-Stars
10. Sunday from The Newport All-Stars
11. Dinah from The Newport All-Stars
12. Deed I Do from The Newport All-Stars
