Messrs. B - Billy Eckstine and Benny Carter

"The world of jazz is a stage on which it matters less what the actors say than the way they say it."

André Hodeir [156]

In a previous post - "Jam Session Aesthetic" - I wrote of Teddy Wilson's small group recordings. Many of Billie Holiday's best efforts took place in the context of Wilson's small groups. Sarah Vaughan's best recorded work also took place in small groups featuring such sensitive musicians as Clifford Brown, Herbie Mann, Miles Davis, Bud Johnson, Mundell Lowe, Jimmy Jones, and (of course with) Harry "Sweets" Edison. Benny Carter provided arrangements for one of The Divine One's fine LPs. He also provided exquisite alto saxophone solos on Lady Day's late small group recording, Music for Torching, on "Prelude to a Kiss" and "What's New" (oh my!). I wore out Torching in the '50s as a young record collector. I think it was in 1956 that I attended a concert at Masonic Temple in Detroit - The Birdland All Stars on Tour. The performing artists included Bud Powell, Count Basie & his Orchestra, Terry Gibbs' Quartet featuring Detroit's Terry Pollard on piano and vibes. Looking into data concerning the Birdland tour I found that the President, Lester Young was supposed to be on the Birdland program bill in Detroit. Perhaps Prez was too laid-back for a fifteen year old, since I don't recall seeing him. Chet Baker was supposed to be on the bill also, but my data indicated that he was in jail in Philly. Sarah Vaughan and Billy Eckstine were also on the Birdland program. I remember quite vividly The Divine One and Mr B singing duets with Count Basie's band and B playing valve trombone - Damn! to have been underway in life only fifteen years and to have been involved in the musical magic of such greats. I don't remember which tunes Mis Vaughan and Mr B sang - most likely "I Apologize", "Dedicated to You" among others. Except for the thrill that I experienced then (and now when I think about that magical evening) I can't remember the tunes. This brings me to my music for today, Billy Eckstine Sings with Benny Carter  (with special guest Helen Merrill).
  Benny Carter was a master musician: a master of the alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet, trumpet; arranger (for movies, television and singers), composer and band leader. Carter fits into my pantheon of alto saxophone stars who played THIS music. In addition to Carter I include Johnny Hodges, Earl Bostic, Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz, Willie Smith and Tab Smith. I leave to one side the generation of alto saxophonists beginning with Jackie McLean.
  André Hodeir didn't care for Benny Carter's alto. He objected to his alto's timbre and tone (too whiney), Parker's and Konitz's instruments sounding better to Hodeir. In addition to being a musician, Hodeir was one of the best critics writing about THIS music. He also wrote a fine book on European 20th Century music [THAT music]. He is someone to enjoy reading for his insights into THIS and THAT music. But Hodeir couldn't abide French saxophone players from the Conservatoire, the disciples of Marcel Mule who made fun of Charlie Parker and admired Benny Carter. See Hodeir's very interesting book Toward Jazz and the chapter, "Benny Carter as I See Him" -  the quotation above was taken from the chapter on Thelonious Monk. I can understand Hodeir's Carter aversion given his diet in France of the tonal characteristics of Marcel Mule's style of saxophone playing.
  Benny Carter's playing, his tone and melodic inventiveness, is sublime. Billy Eckstine's singing is sublime also. And let us not forget that Eckstine's band was one of the absolute great bands playing THIS music. His under-recorded band included Lucky Thompson (ts), Sonny Stitt (as), Charlie Parker (as), Gene Ammons (ts), Dexter Gordon (ts) Leo Parker (bs), Benny Green (tb), Fats Navarro (t), Howard McGee (t), Dizzy Gillespie (t), Miles Davis (t),  Art Blakey (d), and Sarah Vaughan (v).
  The world stage for THIS music isn't what it used to be. As I've noted before WKCR has devoted itself to THIS music for over 71 years. The WKCR link appears below.

http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/wkcr/