Jazz Blog Special: John Hardee, 'Hardee's Partee - The Forgotten Texas Tenor'

I bought “Hardee’s Partee: The Forgotten Texas Tenor” because I’ve been trying to collect as many of guitarist Tiny Grimes’ side projects as I can. The album, which includes music recorded by tenor saxophonist John Hardee in the ‘40s, is one of the best I’ve found.

Fans of Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster will love this disc. Hardee plays big, rounded notes meant to seduce listeners on tunes such as “Contemporary Blues” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man.” His saxophone also sounds warm on faster tempo songs such as “Tired” and “Date for Eight,” but his notes fly fast and hard; as a result, the songs are an invitation to dance. But my favorite track on the album is “Blue Skies.” Hardee pushes the melody, at times sounding almost like a bumblebee.

Grimes, of course, is fantastic, as are pianist Sammy Benskin, drummer Big Sid Catlett, trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist Buster Bailey, trumpeter Joe Jordan, bassist John Simmons and a lot of other great musicians.

So thanks, Mr. Grimes. I consider “Hardee’s Partee” one of the foundations of my jazz collection.

(Jazz Blog Special is a regular feature that examines older jazz albums worth checking out.)

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-31-07

A New Year's Eve mix:

1) Huey "Piano" Smith: "Happy New Year"
2) Wanda Jackson: "Let's Have a Party"
3) Gogol Bordello: "Alcohol"
4) Clancy Brothers: "Beer, Beer, Beer"
5) Slobberbone: "Haze of Drink"
6) Supersuckers: "Bubble Gum and Beer"
7) X: "I'm Coming Over"
8) Johnny Thunder: "Drink-Drink"
9) Ella Fitzgerald: "What are You Doing New Year's Eve"
10) Otis Redding and Carla Thomas: "A New Year's Resolution"

Earl Bostic: '1945-1948'

Listening to this compilation of Earl Bostic’s recordings from the mid-‘40s, I can see why John Coltrane, Benny Golson and Stanley Turrentine idolized the great saxophonist. Bostic blows hard and sweet as he moves between swing and R&B. He sings well, too.

I can’t think of many other albums from the era I’d rather spend an evening with. It made me start hankering for a zoot suit, which led me to this site. I haven’t ordered anything yet, but I’m thinking about it. A zoot suit and some fly shoes would certainly get my students’ attention at a Friday afternoon seminar.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-30-07

Sunday afternoon blues:

1) Howlin' Wolf: "I Want Your Picture"
2) Sunnyland Slim: "Chicago Woman"
3) Koko Taylor: "I'm a Little Mixed Up"
4) J.B. Lenoir: "The Mountain"
5) Earl King: "Things That I Used to Do"
6) Johnny Rawls: "Lucy"
7) Alberta Adams: "I Can Be Good"
8) Son Seals: "Tough as Nails"
9) Sweet Betty: "These Bills"
10) Willie Kent: "Do You Love Me?"

South By Southwest?

I've been to three Austin City Limits Music Festivals in a row, but I decided not to return this year because I have a hard time coping with the heat. Then tonight I saw on Sarah Borges' myspace page calendar that she'll be performing at South By Southwest this year. And, it turns out, the music portion of the schedule jibes with my Spring Break.

Lou Reed's giving the keynote address. That would be cool, but I'd rather hear him perform. I see that Daryl Hall will also be there (I skipped a Hall and Oates show when I was in college and I see no reason to see him now.)

At any rate, I think Austin in the spring would be fun and I'll probably go if I can talk my best friend into accompanying me. I'm sure the music would be great and, old man that I am, I prefer cool evenings in air-conditioned bars to sweltering afternoons in crowded parks.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-29-07

The daily mix:

1) Phil Ochs: "Chords of Fame"
2) Guy Clark: "She Ain't Goin' Nowhere"
3) Patty Griffin: "Making Pies"
4) Richard Thompson: "One Door Opens"
5) Nick Lowe: "A Man in Love"
6) Carol King: "Home Again"
7) Dusty Springfield: "No Easy Way Down"
8) Janiva Magness: "I Want You to Have Everything"
9) Sue Foley: "Doggie Treats"
10) Rory Block: "Goin' Back to the Country"

Ray Davies: 'Working Man's Cafe'

Ray Davies might not be quite as snarky as he once was, but the music on his new album, "Working Man's Cafe," bites almost as hard as the tunes on his classic Kinks records.

I liked Davies' "Other Peoples' Lives" a lot, but "Working Man's Cafe" is better because it rocks harder. Even the slower tempo songs on the new album seem fuller. In a way, it reminds me a lot of Graham Parker's last two albums as Davies examines America in the new millennium. Davies sounds mature, self-assured and vibrant. Kinks fans will be delighted.

The album will be released in the States in February, but I couldn't wait. I bought it on iTunes and I'm glad I did.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-28-07

Friday morning jazz:

1) Kenny Drew: "You're My Thrill"
2) Eddie Daniels and Gary Burton: "Let's Dance"
3) George Shearing: "Strange"
4) Cedar Walton: "All the Way"
5) John Hicks: "Elation"
6) Freddie Hubbard: "Plexus"
7) Frank Morgan: "Yes and No"
8) Curtis Counce: "Sonar"
9) Danillo Perez: "Cosa Linda"
10) Edsel Gomez: "Ladybug"

Mardis Gras Fun

Hoosiers, mark your calendars: According to the Long Center for the Performing Arts' Web site, C.J. Chenier will be coming to Lafayette on Feb. 2 for a Mardis Gras concert. I'm guessing that he will be replacing Tab Benoit, who no longer seems to be on the schedule.

'The Everything Man: The Best of the Jimmy Castor Bunch'

Much of the music on “The Everything Man: The Best of the Jimmy Castor Bunch” is cartoon-like funk; you can almost see Fat Albert and the gang dancing to tunes such as “Big Bertha Butt Boogie,” “Troglodyte (Cave Man)” and “Hey, Leroy, Your Mama’s Calling You.” Fat Albert would be shakin’ the joint too, because, though the patter is playful, the funk is low-down and nasty.

You’ll also find Latin grooves and funky jazz; Castor was a honking fool on his saxophone. And, yes, there are a few tunes that teeter in the no-man’s land between funk and disco, the grooves you find yourself swaying to even though you wouldn’t admit it to your friends.

“The Everything Man: The Best of the Jimmy Castor Bunch” is a party record, plain and simple. Looks like I’m headed for a silly New Year’s Eve because the pooch and I will be boppin’ around the house with this album as I sip on some 15-year-old Scotch.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-27-07

Thursday afternoon soul and funk:

1) Jimmy Castor Bunch: "Supersound"
2) Stevie Wonder: "Higher Ground"
3) Aretha Franklin: "Spanish Harlem"
4) Bobby Womack: "Secrets"
5) Barbara Mason: "Shackin' Up"
6) Rufus Thomas: "Git On Up and Do It"
7) The Brothers Johnson: "Get the Funk Out of My Face"
8) The JB's: "On the Spot"
9) Edwin Starr: "Agent Double-O-Soul"
10) Maxine Brown: "Little Girl Lost"

Willie Pickens: 'Jazz Spirit, Vol. 2'

Pianist Willie Pickens’ bluesy interpretation of “Down By the Riverside” is the swingingest gospel track I know. And his renditions of “Oh Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High” and “O Lord You are My God and King” are among the loveliest.

You’d know the 10 religious songs on “Jazz Spirit, Vol. 2” were musical sermons even if you didn’t see the titles. At times, Pickens sounds reflective. Then he shifts tempos and sounds as if he’s leading a service at a holy roller convention. Either way, “Jazz Spirit, Vol. 2” is an album that will make you contemplate how lucky you are to be a jazz fan.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-26-07

The daily mix:

1) Ray Davies: "Cowboys in Vietnam"
2) Mark Knopfler: "Song for Sonny Liston"
3) Bob Dylan: "Is Your Love in Vain?"
4) Charlie Sexton: "Bring It Home Again"
5) John Doe: "The Golden State"
6) Keith Richards: "I Could Have Stood You Up"
7) The Seeds: "Girl I Want You"
8) Manfred Mann: "You've Got to Take It"
9) The Sadies: "A Good Flying Day"
10) Uncle Tupelo: "Life Worth Living"

Late Christmas Presents

If you still have a few presents to give this holiday season, you might consider some gifts that will benefit those less fortunate.

A CD called "Give Us Your Poor" raises money for a campaign to raise awareness about homelessness. It features musicians such as Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seefer, Bonnie Raitt, Jon Bon Jovi, Mighty Sam McClain, Natalie Merchant, Jewel, Keb' Mo', Michelle Shocked, Madeleine Peyroux and Sweet Honey in the Rock. In many cases, the established musicians are paired with homeless musicians.

I don't like all the album's songs, but several are great. The highlights for me are "Baby Don't Let Me Go Homeless" by Keb' Mo' and Eagle Park Slim, "Walking the Dog" by Bonnie Raitt and Weepin' Willie Robinson, "Stranger Blues" by Sweet Honey in the Rock, "Show Me the Way" by Jon Bon Jovi and Mighty Sam McClain, and "Hobo's Lullaby" By Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger. Besides, it's for a great cause. The album is available from Amazon and from iTunes.


My favorite charity is the Music Maker Relief Foundation,which provides poor Southern musicians (mostly blues musicians) with some basic needs and with an opportunity to record. Music Maker's Give It Back Record Club would make a great gift, even for yourself. For $100, you get one of Music Maker's CDs every three months. You'll also help some truly deserving musicians.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-25-07

Some Christmas cheer:

1) Brave Combo: "Must Be Santa"
2) Bob Seger and the Last Heard: "Sock It to Me Santa"
3) James Brown: "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto"
4) Jessie Mae Hemphill: "Merry Christmas, Pretty Baby"
5) Mary Gauthier: "Christmas in Paradise"
6) Wilson Pickett: "Silver Bells"
7) Temptations: "Little Drummer Boy"
8) Julia Lee and Her Boyfriends: "Christmas Spirit"
9) Tinsley Ellis: "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'"
10) Clarence Carter: "Back Door Santa"

Stop Recording Fake Duets

I've never had anything against Martina McBride — she's one of the less objectionable modern country singers, I think. But today I found out she recorded a new duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Dean Martin, the late great king of holiday cool.

For Christmas sake, stop it. If an artist wants to record an inane new rendition of a holiday classic, so be it. But don't try to capitalize on someone else's success. I embrace new technology, but these manufactured duets irk me. They're dishonest. Moreover, they're usually awful.

I know it's the season of warm wishes, but I hope the album flops.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-24-07

Christmas Eve jazz:

1) Oscar Peterson Trio: "Swinging on a Star"
2) Jim Hall: "Lucky Thing"
3) Buddy Collette: "St. Andrews Place Blues"
4) Richie Cole & Hank Crawford Quintet: "Snowfall"
5) The Famous Castle Band: "Ja-Da"
6) Eddie Condon: "Beale Street Blues"
7) Cal Tjader: "I Showed Them"
8) Laurindo Almeida and Bud Shank: "Amor Flamengo"
9) Stan Getz: "La Fiesta"
10) Charlie Parker: "A Night in Tunisia"

Oscar Peterson Dies

Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson has died. When I saw Peterson at Ravinia several years ago, age and illnesses had already robbed him of his speed and power. But you could still hear the wit and intelligence in his notes.

Peterson was one of our most muscualar jazz pianists. But he also had a delicate touch when he wanted to display it. My favorite album by Peterson is "The Oscar Peterson Trio at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival" because it highlights both his power and his touch. Guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown proved to be the perfect companions for the gig. On "Norean's Nocturn," for example, they drive Peterson to one of the most exhilarating live jazz performances on record; it reminds me a lot of Paul Gonsalves' driving solo on "“Diminuendo in Blue and Crescendo in Blue” from the ”Ellington at Newport 1956” album. A few tracks later, you find "Nuages," which is as gentle as "Norean's Nocturn" is powerful.

At $10, the album's a bargain. Get it while you can.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-23-07

Some Christmas music:

1) Esquivel:"Blue Christmas"
2) Arthur Lyman: "We Three Kings"
3) Dinah Washington: "Ole Santa"
4) Dean Martin: "Winter Wonderland"
5) Ella Fitzgerald: "Sleigh Ride"
6) Louis Armstrong: "'Zat You Santa Claus"
7) Lionel Hampton: "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus"
8) Rhoda Scott: "Jingle Bells"
9) Arthur Blythe: "The Christmas Song"
10) Billy Eckstine: "Christmas Eve"

Esquivel: 'Merry Xmas From the Space-Age Bachelor Pad'

I'm taking Esquivel's "Merry Xmas From the Space-Age Bachelor Pad" with me when I visit the family in Georgia for the holidays next year.

It's a Christmas album that's pretty enough for the parents, goofy enough for the nieces and hip enough for Uncle Cahl. And it's saying something when I find commond ground with my family members, who adore the Oak Ridge Boys, Donny Osmond, Amy Grant and Hannah Montana.

On one hand, most of the vocals and the instrumentals sound as if they're straight off the "Lawrence Welk Show." But Juan Garcia Esquivel, one of the kings of the exotica movement in the early '60s, accents the songs with bells, Hawaiian guitar riffs and unusual musical meters. As a result, traditional Christmas songs such as "White Christmas," "Jingle Bells" and "Here Comes Santa Claus" are fresh and unpredictable. In fact, they sound as if they should be used as the soundtrack for a holiday cartoon.

I'm spending this Christmas in Hoosierland, far away from the family. But Monday morning I'll be thinking of them when I bounce around my house singing "zu zu zu zu zu" with the choir as I listen to Esquivel's band perform "Frosty the Snowman."

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-22-07

The daily mix:

1) Wayne McGhee: "Here We Go Again"
2) Toots Hibbert: "Love Attack"
3) Jacob Miller: "Baby I Love You So"
4) Sam Moore: "One More Time"
5) James Hunter: "It's So Easy to Say"
6) Ian Hunter: "Good Samaritan"
7) Roky Erickson: "If You Have Ghosts"
8) Roxy Music: "Sentimental Fool"
9) Prince: "If I Was Your Girlfriend"
10) Stevie Wonder: "My Baby's Gone"

Jazz Blog Special: Rahsaan Roland Kirk, 'Blacknuss'

Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s “Blacknuss” is the second stop on my holiday tour of funky jazz albums. Anyone who can turn Bread’s “Make It With You” into a sexy soul masterpiece is a god in my book. But if you’re a jazz fan, you already know Kirk was a jazz deity.

The album opens with Kirk using his breathy flute playing to rev up Bill Withers’ soul classic "Ain't No Sunshine" while guitarist Billy Butler and pianist Sonelius Smith retain the song’s slinky sway underneath.

On the next track, Kirk pays tribute to Marvin Gaye on “What’s Goin’ On” and Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecologist).” He races through the song on his tenor saxophone in a wild call and response with trumpeter Charles McGhee and trombonist Dick Griffin. When he’s not doing that, Kirk uses a police whistle to add to the funky chaos created by Bill Salter on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, Arthur Jenkins on congas and cabassa, Joe Habad Texidor on percussion, Richard Tee on piano, Mickey Tucker on organ, and Cornell Dupree and Keith Loving on guitar.

The pace of “I Love You Ye I Do” is even more frenetic; Kirk sounds like Junior Walker on speed. And he adds a sassiness to “Never Can Say Goodbye” that the Jackson 5 were too young to understand when they recorded the tune.

Kirk opens “The Old Rugged Cross” with a powerful sermon before he starts softly testifying on his saxophone. Before long, though, Kirk starts blasting his praises. It’s enough to make a long-time sinner return to the church.

“Blacknuss,” which includes Kirk’s chant-like singing, accompanied by Cissy Houston’s arresting gospel vocals, is the album’s closing tune and its centerpiece. The song’s both funky and mystical and makes you want to break out the incense that’s buried in a box somewhere in your basement.

The album’s a jazz classic and the perfect way to funk up your holiday season.

(Jazz Blog Special is a regular feature that examines older jazz albums worth checking out.)

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-21-07

The daily mix:

1) The Ventures: "Hawaii Five-O"
2) Dave Davani: "Boot-Leg"
3) Steve Wynn: "For All I Care"
4) J. Geils Band: "The Usual Place"
5) James Carr: "What Can I Call My Own?"
6) The 5 Royals: "I'd Better Make a Move"
7) Marcia Ball: "Why Women Cry"
8) Bruce Springsteen: "Mary Queen of Arkansas"
9) Laurie Geltman: "Paris"
10) John Prine: "Everything is Cool"

Patti Smith Hosts Bob Dylan Podcasts

Patti Smith is hosting a series of free podcasts about Bob Dylan. I think episode 7, which features Garth Hudson and Anthony DeCurtis talking about "The Basement Tapes" and "Planet Waves," is particularly interesting.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-20-07

The daily mix:

1) Wade Marcus: "Spinning Wheel"
2) The Undisputed Truth: "Law of the Land"
3) Billy Preston: "Billy's Bag"
4) Vern Blair Debate: "Super Funk"
5) Tabby Thomas: "One Day"
6) Sly and the Family Stone: "Family Affair"
7) Shuggie Otis: "Strawberry Letter 23"
8) Freddie & Hench & Soulsetters: "Funky to the Bone"
9) Curtis Mayfield: "Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey)"
10) Johnny "Guitar" Watson: "Lovin' You"

'Smiling Faces: The Best of the Undisputed Truth'

The fact that "Smiling Faces Sometimes" is The Undisputed Truth's only big hit is one of the biggest travesties in soul history. The group was certainly Motown's funkiest act. They sounded like a combination of Parliament and War with better vocals.

They failed to achieve a hit with the original version of "Papa was a Rolling Stone," which The Temptations turned into gold a few months later. The only discernible difference, as far as I can tell, is that The Undisputed Truth didn't have Melvin Franklin singing bass.

I like the party feel of The Undisputed Truth's "Poontang" a lot better, but I guess it's understandable why the racy tune didn't get much radio airplay in the '70s. "UFO's" takes listeners on a wild ride, too. It sounds like a funky take on a Sun Ra composition.

The only tame thing you'll find on "Smiling Faces: The Best of the Undisputed Truth" is the cover shot. But turn the disc over and you'll find the group wearing freaky red, white and black outfits with capes that make them look like the psychedlic funk superheroes they were.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-19-07

The daily mix:

1) The Faces: "You're So Rude"
2) Chuck Prophet: "I Can Hear Your Heart Beat"
3) John Hiatt: "Sure Pinnocchio"
4) 13th Floor Elevators: "I've Got Levitation"
5) T. Rex: "Jeepster"
6) The Stranglers: "Golden Brown"
7) The Rolling Stones: "Paint It Black"
8) Roger McGuinn: "Suddenly Blue"
9) Marah: "Point Breeze"
10) Frank Zappa: "Baby Snakes"

Joel Dorn Dies

Joel Dorn, who died Monday, creeped into my life many times before I even realized it. He produced albums by Yusef Lateef, Les McCann and Freddie Hubbard that were among the first jazz records I ever bought.

I learned more about Dorn when he formed the 32 Jazz label and started reissuing great, though sometimes underappreciated, jazz from the Muse label. He followed 32 Jazz with Label M and Hyena Records. Dorn's taste in music mirrored my own more than any record executive I know. From Dorn's days at Atlantic to his Hynena releases,I don't think I've ever heard an album he produced that I didn't admire. I just wish more folks in the record business were like him.

Return to Forever Reunion

Chick Corea's Web site includes interesting interviews with drummer Lenny White and bassist Stanley Clarke about the reunion of Return to Forever. I'm hoping to catch one of the group's reunion shows next year.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-18-07

Tuesday morning jazz:

1) Sex Mob: "Holiday of Briggan"
2) Buddy Rich: "Late Date"
3) Harry James: "Life Goes to a Party"
4) Junior Cook: "Play Together Again"
5) Prince Lasha Quintet: "Bojangles"
6) Henry Grimes Trio: "Walk On"
7) Hamiet Bluiett: "Head Start"
8) Roscoe Mitchell and the Note Factory: "Song for My Sister"
9) Julian Priester: "Bob T's Blues"
10) Gerry Mulligan: "It's Sandy at the Beach"

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society

Check out the MP3 files from Darcy James Argue's Secret Society. The big band jazz tunes are fabulous. Makes me wish I lived in New York so I could catch one of the group's shows.

Best Albums of 2007

My favorite albums released in 2007:

1) Charles Mingus: "Cornell 1964"
2) Gogol Bordello: "Super Taranta"
3) Fred Anderson and Hamid Drake: “From the River to the Ocean”
4) Anat Cohen: "Noir"
5) Teddy Thompson; “Upfront and Down Low”
6) Bettye LaVette: “Scene of the Crime”
7) Neil Young: “Chrome Dreams II”
8) Graham Parker: “Don’t Tell Columbus”
9) Jason Lindner Big Band: “Live at the Jazz Gallery”
10) Richard Thompson: “Sweet Warrior”
11) Roswell Rudd and Yomo Toro: “El Espiritu Jibaro”
12) Mavis Staples: “We’ll Never Turn Back”
13) Koko Taylor: "Old School"
14) John Hammond: “Push Comes to Shove”
15) Gurf Morlix: “Diamonds to Dust”
16) Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette: “My Foolish Heart”
17) Charles Tolliver Big Band: “With Love”
18) Dave Alvin: “Live from Austin, TX”
19) Spoon: “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga”
20) Suzanne Vega: “Beauty and Crime”
21) Stephen Marley: “Mind Control”
22) Patty Griffin: “Children Running Through”
23) Sarah Borges: “Diamonds in the Dark”
24) Larry Willis: “Blue Fable”
25) Levon Helm: “Dirt Farmer”
26) The Mekons: “Natural”
27) Maria Schneider: "Sky Blue"
28) 3 Cohens: "Braid"
29) Lucinda Williams: "West"
30) The Broken West: “I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On”

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-17-07

Today's mix:

1) John Prine: "All the Best"
2) Graham Parker: "Christmas is for Mugs"
3) Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials: "I'm Your Santa"
4) Bertha "Chippie" Hill: "Christmas Man Blues"
5) Marva Wright: "Christmas Tears"
6) Big Maybelle: "White Christmas"
7) Jimmy Ponder: "We Three Kings"
8) Billy Eckstine: "Christmas Eve"
9) Jimmy Smith: "Jingle Bells"
10) McCoy Tyner: "I'll Be Home for Christmas"

Galactic's Coming to Indy

Heat and Ian McLagan kept me from seeing Galactic at the Austin City Limits Music Festival a couple of years ago. So I'm going to catch the funk band on Feb. 23 at the Music Mill in Indianapolis if weather permits. Join me.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-15-07

Saturday morning jazz:

1) Frank Morgan and Bud Shank: "Quiet Fire"
2) Joe Henderson: "Invitation"
3) Dexter Gordon: "Soul Sister"
4) Kenny Dorham: "Blue Spring Shuffle"
5) Clark Terry: "Boardwalk"
6) Charlie Shavers: "Girl of My Dreams"
7) Kenny Burrell: "Flickers"
8) Jim Hall: "When Little Girls Play"
9) Bill Evans: "Martina"
10) Gil Evans & Ten: "Nobody's Heart"

Frank Morgan Dies

A couple of years ago, shortly after Frank Morgan had released “Raising the Standard: Live at the Jazz Standard, Vol. 2," I compared Morgan to Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly's fictional detective who idolized the great alto saxophonist. Both had slain personal demons (Morgan drugs, Bosch alcohol) and returned to top professional form. In my mind, though, reality trumps fiction in this instance.

Drugs and prison kept Morgan, who died Friday a few days short of his 74th birthday, from recording for 30 years. But Morgan had to stage two comebacks. After resuming his career in the '80s, Morgan suffered a stroke in 1998; Morgan returned from that, too, and recorded some of his best albums in the last years of his life.

If you've never listened to Morgan's music, check out "Frank Morgan," released in 1955; "You Must Believe in Spring," released in 1992; and "Reflections," released in 2005. My favorite, though, is "Quiet Fire," a live album Morgan recorded with Bud Shank in 1987. On it, you can hear the spirit that enabled Morgan to fight through his problems. On "Solar," for example, you hear the embodiment of Charlie Parker, Morgan's idol, as he battles Shank in a fiery bebop duel. And on "Emily," you hear Morgan's inner strength in an elegant duet with pianist George Cables.

I'm not a big fan of movie biopics — they usually turn the protagonists into simplistic cartoon characters — but if ever there was a musician worthy of a film, it's Morgan.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-14-07

The daily mix:

1) Gatemouth Moore: "Let's Go Back and Try One More Time"
2) Jimmy Witherspoon: "Blues and Trouble"
3) Wynonie Harris: "Good Morning Judge"
4) Buddy and Ella Johnson: "(Gotta Go) Upside Your Head"
5) Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham: "Midnight Mama"
6) Mel Torme: "Blue and Sentimental"
7) Joe Williams: "What Will I Tell My Heart"
8) Donny Hathaway: "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know"
9) Howard Tate: "My Soul's Got a Hole in It"
10) Neville Brothers: "Fever"

Gatemouth Moore: 'Cryin' & Singin' the Blues'

I pulled out Gatemouth Moore’s "Cryin' & Singin' the Blues" tonight because we’re supposed to get 10 inches of snow tomorrow and “Christmas Blues” is one of my favorite Christmas tunes of all time. Moore pleads and begs for a new Cadillac and a new woman so sweetly that I don’t know how Santa could refuse.

Moore probably charmed everyone who heard his smooth voice, which sounds like Wynonie Harris' with a bit more honey. Even when Moore’s almost shouting, as he does on “I Ain’t Mad at You Pretty Baby,” he sounds almost like he’s singing a lullaby.

He’s backed on the album by some of the best jazz musicians of the day, including Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Harry Carney on alto and baritone saxophone, Budd Johnson on tenor saxophone, Tiny Grimes on guitar and Al Raglin on bass. Even the lesser known musicians sound like gods of jazz.

Hamilton and Carney help make it sound as if Moore’s being backed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra when he sings “Did You Ever Love a Woman,” later covered by B.B. King and Charles Brown, but as great as that song is I still find myself returning to “Christmas Blues.” To me, it has even more holiday spirit than Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.” Now I’m ready for some snow.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-13-07

The daily mix:

1) Ike Turner: "You've Got to Lose"
2) Amos Milburn: "Bad, Bad Whiskey"
3) Freddie Robinson: "The Creeper"
4) Pops Staples: "Down in Mississippi"
5) Furry Lewis: "Shake 'em on Down"
6) Hank Williams: "I've Been Down That Road Before"
7) Delmore Brothers: "Freight Train Boogie"
8) Speedy West: "Railroadin'"
9) Johnny Cash: "Monteagle Mountain"
10) Stanley Brothers: "Death is Only a Dream"

Remembering Ike Turner

I know some women who refuse to listen to Ike Turner because of his abusive history with Tina Turner. I understand their feelings. But Turner turned my ears inside out when I first heard “Matchbox” as a kid, and no matter how much empathy I feel for Tina, I’ve never been willing to give up his music.

Turner, who died Wednesday, isn’t the only unpleasant musician I love. Perhaps that makes me a hypocrite, but some songs, some musicians, are as much a part of my psyche as my job, my family and my friends.

Turner howled when he sang “Catfish Blues” and he snarled when he played it. It’s not really nasty, though. Instead, it’s a song performed with passion by one of the most confident musicians I’ve ever heard. I listen to it whenever I need a shot of toughness.

He had a tender side, too. Just listen to his instrumental version of “After Hours” from last year’s “Rising with the Blue,” album and you’ll know what I mean. Turner caressed every note.

I certainly can’t embrace Turner’s dark side, but that’s not his legacy, at least not to me, because only a few folks ever played blues, rock and soul with as much fire.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-12-07

Wednesday morning jazz"

1) Lou Donaldson: "West Indian Daddy"
2) Jack Costanzo: "Peanut Vendor"
3) Blue Mitchell: "Hootie Blues"
4) Herbie Hancock: "A Jump Ahead"
5) Nat Adderley: "Oleo"
6) Alan Jones Sextet: "The Walker"
7) Leroy Vinnegar: "restin' in Jail"
8) McCoy Tyner: "Four By Five"
9) Curtis Amy: "Very Frank"
10) Modern Jazz Quartet: "Fine"

Jazz Blog Special: Lou Donaldson, 'Everything I Play is Funky'

Lou Donaldson doesn't sing as well as Lee Dorsey, but Dondaldson's cover of Dorsey's signature tune, "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)," grooves about as hard as anything I own. The song, which can be found on Donaldson's "Everything I Play is Funky" album, is the first stop on a tour of jazz funk I promised a former student I'd make over this holiday season.

In many respects, "Everything I Play is Funky" is every bit as good as some of Donaldson's more famous jazz funk albums such as "Alligator Boogaloo" and "The Midnight Creeper." On "Hump's Groove," for example, there's nothing fancy, but Donaldson on alto saxophone, Lonnie Smith on organ and Melvin Sparks on guitar take turns greasing up the basic melody. The result is a hopping jazz funk party.

On "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," Donaldson proves he didn't have to rely on funkiness to capture the soul of a song. Listening to the dreamlike textures that Smith creates on his organ under Donaldson's saxophone riffs, you feel almost as if you're stuck in a poppy field. And there's not a thing wrong with that.

The album also includes appearances by Blue Mitchell and Eddie Williams on trumpet, Jimmy Lewis on Fender bass and Idris Muhammad on drums.

(Jazz Blog Special is a regular feature that examines older jazz albums worth checking out.)

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-8-07

The daily mix:

1) Built to Spill: "Goin' Against Your Mind"
2) Brian Jonestown Massacre: "This is Why You Love Me"
3) The Hold Steady: "Hostile, Mass."
4) Paul Westerberg: "Ain't Got Me"
5) Juliana Hatfield: "Dirty Dog"
6) Lux Courageous: "Barely Enough"
7) Jets to Brazil: "Cat Heaven"
8) Green on Red: "Where the Rooster Crows"
9) Jacobites: "Silken Sheets"
10) John P. Strohm: "Eva Braun"

Mike Uva: 'Static Songs'

I’ll admit that I have one of the biggest goofy streaks in the Midwest — just ask the students who’ve attended my editing seminars — so Mike Uva sucked me into his new album, “Static Songs,” as soon as I heard “Hook Boy.” The song, which is about a boy born with a hook, sounds a lot like a Frank Black tune and that’s a pretty big draw for me, too.

“Static Songs” includes nine well-crafted songs, mostly acoustic, but there are a couple of tracks, notably “Flip Me Over,” that mesh elements of the Talking Heads and the Cure with those of the Vulgar Boatmen and Mysteries of Life. In short, the album is one of the great unexpected surprises I’ve encountered this year.

I bought my copy of “Static Songs” from iTunes, but I see it’s also available on emusic. If you want a CD, check out the Cleveland record company Collectible Escalators, where Uva works.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-7-07

Friday morning jazz:

1) Ahmad Jamal: "If I Find You Again"
2) Erroll Garner: "Rosalie"
3) John Hicks: "What a Little Moonlight Can Do"
4) Willie Pickens: "When Peace Like a River (It is Well Worth My Soul"
5) Lee Konitz: "What's New"
6) James Carter: "Here"
7) Mort Weiss: "Autumn Leaves"
8) Richard Galliano: "Historia de un Amor"
9) Grachan Moncur III: "Hipnosis"
10) Phil Ranelin: "Black Destiny"

Winter Sucks

Last December, snow kept me from going to Chicago to see McCoy Tyner at Orchestra Hall; I also missed Henry Grimes with Fred Anderson and Roy Campbell. Now, almost exactly a year later, it looks as if icy roads will keep from going to hear Fathead Newman at the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis.

It's almost enough to make me move back to the South; I won't, though. The little hellhound loves the snow and I love my students.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-6-07

The daily mix:

1) Roy Orbison: "Land of 1,000 Dances"
2) Wilson Pickett: "Don't Fight It"
3) Undisputed Truth: "Lil' Red Riding Hood"
4) Nella Dodds: "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers"
5) Dusty Springfield: "Son of a Preacher Man"
6) Carl Perkins: "Glad All Over"
7) Guy Clark: "Black Haired Boy"
8) Benton Flippen: "More Pretty Girls Than One Train"
9) Bishop Dready Manning: "Don't Let the Devil Ride"
10) Mississippi Fred McDowell: "You Drove Me from Your Door"

Good Move

I'm not buying into all the Led Zeppelin reunion hype, but it's hard to deny the band's taste in music. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and pals made Solomon Burke their first choice to perform at an after-show party. Needless to say, I'd be more interested in seeing King Solomon than Led Zeppelin.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-5-07

Wednesday morning blues:

1) Bobby "Blue" Bland: "Is This the Blues"
2) Blues Boy Willie: "Stealin' Your Love Tonight"
3) Little Willie Anderson: "Last Night"
4) Slim Harpo: "Midnight Blues"
5) Lazy Lester: "I Love You Baby"
6) Dalton Reed: "Keep on Loving Me"
7) Jimmy Rogers: "I Used to have a Woman"
8) Phil Guy: "Help Wanted Blues"
9) Shemekia Copeland: "It's 2 a.m."
10) Angela Strehli: "I Wouldn't Treat a Dog"

O.V. Wright, a Legend of Soul

I don’t know why more folks haven’t covered Willie Mitchell’s “I Don’t Know Why” — I can find only a few versions. What I do know is that O.V. Wright’s rendition is one of sexiest tracks ever recorded.

O.V. Wright always sang with a passionate urgency that fell somewhere between Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. That’s especially evident on Wright’s bluesy reading of “Let’s Straighten It Out,” which I think is one of the great recordings in soul history.

In the introduction to “A Little More Time,” Wright pays tribute to the memories of Cooke and Redding, Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley. It seems almost like a joke when he also mentions Guy Lombardo, but then you hear Wright sing and you know he’s sincere. Now, 27 years after Wright’s premature death at the age of 41, it’s both sweet and painful to hear him plead for a little more time.

All three tunes, along with a killer version of Al Green’s “Rhymes,” can be found on “The Complete O.V. Wright on Hi Records.”

A lot of soul fans prefer “The Soul of O.V. Wright.” It’s great, too, especially his pleading rendition of “You’re Gonna Make Me Cry.”

Either way, this holiday season I suggest you treat yourself or someone you love to the music of one of the greatest soul singers ever.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-4-07

The daily mix:

1) Tania Maria: "Samba de Orly"
2) Amalia Rodrigues: "Coimbra"
3) Clara Nunes: "A Deusa Dos Orixas"
4) Mario Bauza: "Biri Bi Kum Bi"
5) Tito Puente: "Obaricosa"
6) Cal Tjader: "Linda Chicana"
7) Gene Ammons: "Anna"
8) Paco Renteria: "Egipto"
9) Raphael Rabello and Dino 7 Cordas: "Escovado"
10) Paco de Lucia: "La Canada"

Losing My Holiday Spirit

I love Christmas albums, but the prospect of hearing new ones by Toby Keith, Captain and Tenille, the Disney Channel. Barry Manilow and Olivia Newton-John is making me lose my holiday spirit.

I recommend you skip those and check out some classic Christmas albums by James Brown, Charles Brown, Ella Fitzgerald and Dave Brubeck.

Cahl's Jukebox, 12-3-07

Today's mix:

1) Barbara Lynn: "I'm a Good Woman"
2) Big Maybelle: "Go'in Home Baby"
3) Ruth Brown: "I Can't Hear a Word You Say"
4) Annisteen Allen: "Mine All Mine"
5) Wynona Carr: "It's Raining Outside"
6) Alberta Adams: "Just a Lucky So and So"
7) Bettye LaVette: "He Made a Woman Out of Me"
8) Mavis Staples: "Ain't No Better Than You"
9) Mable John: "I Need Your Love So Bad"
10) Laura Lee: "Dirty Man"

Jazz Blog Special: 'The Art Farmer Septet Plays the Arrangements and Compositions of Gigi Gryce and Quincy Jones'

Trumpeter Art Farmer might not have been a star yet when he recorded “Plays the Arrangements and Compositions of Gigi Gryce and Quincy Jones" in 1953, but it might be his most spirited album. That’s evident when you hear the grunts on “Maui Maui,” the album’s first track. The opening bass lines by Monk Montgomery, the oldest brother of Wes Montgomery, and the percussion work by Sonny Johnson foreshadow the funky sounds that R&B rhythm sections would popularize two decades later. Farmer’s trumpet playing sounds a lot like the best work of Herb Alpert. Quincy Jones, who plays piano on the tune, created a tough arrangement with ample room to groove.

Three of the album’s cuts feature Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone, Danny Bank on baritone saxophone, Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass and Art Taylor on drums. It’s one of the most outstanding jazz groups assembled in the ‘50s. The group’s rendition of “Wildwood” bops particularly hard. Farmer’s play on the ballad “Evening in Paris” is lovely. And “Elephant Walk,” highlighted by Silver’s bluesy piano licks and the answering calls of the horn section, might be the album’s best track.

The album closes on a tender note. Farmer, who is the focal point on the ballad “When Your Lover has Gone,” is accompanied by Barry Harris piano, Doug Watkins on bass and Art Taylor on drums. It’s perfect music for either a romantic dinner or for a late-night cocktail.

I’m not willing to give up my albums that feature Farmer with the Jazztet, but it shows that Farmer — who was just 25 when he recorded “Plays the Arrangements and Compositions of Gigi Gryce and Quincy Jones" — was headed toward stardom from his early days.

(Jazz Blog Special is a regular feature that examines older jazz albums worth checking out.)