DIZZY GILLESPIE | MILT JACKSON | JOE CARROLL — School Days (1957-2000) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

An old recording from 1951, this album has been re-released on Columbia from the old Savoy/Regent recordings. The blowing is insane in spots -- in "Pop's Confessin," Dizzy tries to hit the loudest, highest, longest note possible (à la Roy Eldridge). Joe Carroll provides some humor in his vocal work (often performing in duet with Dizzy). Milt Jackson actually goes without his vibes here, singing and playing piano. A young John Coltrane solos on “We Love to Boogie,” which was one of his first appearances on record. According to the original liner notes, other performers on the album are "probably" Bill Graham on baritone sax, Wynton Kelly on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Al Jones, Kansas Fields, or Joe Hanes on drums. The interplay among trumpet, piano, and Joe Carroll's vocals is some of the best you'll hear from this time period (it gets even better in a couple years, but this is still outstanding). "Lady Be Good" is a tour de force for Carroll, and "School Days" starts to sound a lot like the blues-shouting R&B of the day. For any fan of Dizzy, and the bop of the day, this is a worthwhile investment in listening pleasure. The trumpet is good, the vocals are good, the humor is good. You can barely miss with this one. Adam Greenberg 
Tracklist :
1 Lady Be Good 2:39
Written-By – G&I. Gershwin 
2 Pop's Confessin 3:31
Written-By – Neiburg, Daugherty, Reynolds
3 Nobody Knows The Trouble 2:36
Written-By – K. Clarke
4 Bopsie's Blues 2:33
Written-By – D. Gillespie
5 I Couldn't Beat The Rap 2:57
Written-By – D. Gillespie
6 School Days 3:07
Written-By – D. Gillespie
7 I'm In A Mess 2:10
Written-By – A. White, P. White
8 Umbrella Man 2:23
Written-By – Cavanaugh, Rose, Stock
9 Love Me, Pretty Baby 3:00
Written-By – K. Clarke
10 We Love To Boogie 2:50
Written-By – D. Gillespie
Credits
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Bill Graham (tracks: 2 to 8)
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 10)
Bass – Bernie Griggs (tracks: 2, 8), Percy Heath (tracks: 1, 3 to 7, 9,10)
Drums – Al Jones (tracks: 2 to 8), Art Blakey (tracks: 1, 9), Kansas Fields (tracks: 10)
Guitar – Kenny Burrell (tracks: 10)
Organ, Vocals – Milt Jackson (tracks: 3)
Piano – Milt Jackson (tracks: 1,3 to 7, 9, 10), Wynton Kelly (tracks: 2, 8)
Tenor Saxophone – Budd Johnson (tracks: 1, 9)
Trombone – Jay Jay Johnson (tracks: 1, 9)
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie (tracks: 1 to 10)
Vibraphone – Milt Jackson (tracks: 1, 3 to 7, 9)
Violin – Stuff Smith (tracks: 3)
Vocals – Dizzy Gillespie (tracks: 2, 4, 7, 8), Freddy Strong (tracks: 10),
Joe Carroll (tracks: 1 to 9), Melvin Moore (tracks: 1, 4 to 8, 9)

DIZZY GILLESPIE – 1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1380 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The first three tracks on this ninth installment in the Classics Dizzy Gillespie chronology were recorded for the Vogue label in Paris on February 22, 1953. Note the presence of pianist Wade Legge. A stunning exercise in reflective meditation entitled "This Is the Way" is followed by a nutty study on "'S Wonderful" that begins like Dixieland corn and suddenly shifts into a 65-mph bop mode. The session finishes off with a patented Joe Carroll doubletalk scat-bop vocal. Gillespie and his quintet spent the rest of February 22, 1953, recording for Blue Star, the competitor to Vogue. After two very solid numbers, the band cut six more tracks backed by what Diz called his "Operatic String Orchestra." For those who aren't allergic to this kind of theatrical instrumentation, this is an opportunity to compare Gillespie's stringed adventure with Bird's famous Charlie Parker with Strings sessions. The effect here is something like a saucy '50s film soundtrack, often exciting and never tedious. Two sides cut in New York for the Showcase label in June of 1953 feature alto and baritone saxophonist Sahib Shihab, and still more of that fine piano from Wade Legge. This outstanding compilation closes with six titles recorded in Los Angeles on December 9, 1953, for Norman Granz's Norgran label. The music, like the lineup, with tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Max Roach, is breathtaking. arwulf arwulf      Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE - Cognac Blues (2001) Jazz In Paris 52 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Part of Verve's Jazz in Paris series, Jazz in Paris: Cognac Blues features various tracks recorded by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie during the '50s in France. All of the material included in the series is stellar and makes for excellent listening. The tracks are not necessarily rare, but are often ignored in favor of the more popular late-'40s Gillespie material. Fans and collectors looking for a great compilation of Gillespie's work overseas should appreciate this. by Matt Collar
Tracklist :
1     Cognac Blues 2:41
Dizzy Gillespie
2     Cocktails for Two 2:42
Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston
3     Moon Nocturne 3:03
Dizzy Gillespie
4     Sabla y Blu 3:04
Dizzy Gillespie
5     Blue and Sentimental 2:42
Count Basie / Mack David / Jerry Livingston
6     Just One More Chance 3:10
Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston
7     They Can't Take That Away from Me 3:14
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
8     Break at the Beginning (Taking a Chance on Love) 2:42
Ted Fetter / John Latouche
9     When It's Sleepy Time Down South 2:55
Clarence Muse / Otis Rene / Leon René
10     Lullaby in Rhythm 4:22
Benny Goodman / Clarence Profit / Edgar Sampson
11     Just Blues (One More Blues) 2:59
Dizzy Gillespie
12     Ain't Misbehavin' 2:56
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
13     Summertime 4:16
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
14     Blue Moon 4:25
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
15     Mama's Blues (Mrs. Dizzy Blues) 4:01
Dizzy Gillespie
16     Undecided 2:32
Sydney Robin / Charlie Shavers
17     The Way You Look Tonight 4:13
Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern
18     They Can't Take That Away from Me [Alternate] 3:59
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
19     Taking a Chance on Love [Alternate 1] 3:27
Vernon Duke / Ted Fetter / John Latouche
20     Taking a Chance on Love [Alternate 2] 3:35
Vernon Duke / Ted Fetter / John Latouche
21     Lullaby in Rhythm [Alternate] 4:05
Benny Goodman / Clarence Profit / Edgar Sampson
Credits :
Bass – Joe Benjamin (faixas: 1 to 15, 18 to 21), Lou Hackney (faixas: 16, 17)
Congas – Humberto Cantos (faixas: 1 to 6)
Drums – Al Jones (faixas: 16, 17), Bill Clark (faixas: 1 to 15, 18 to 21)
Guitar – Jean-Jacques Tilché (faixas: 7, 8, 18 to 21)
Piano – Arnold Ross (faixas: 7 to 15, 18 to 21), Art Simmons (faixas: 1 to 6), Wade Legge (faixas: 16, 17)
Tenor Saxophone – Don Byas (faixas: 1 to 6)
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie
Vocals – Dizzy Gillespie (faixas: 4, 12, 15)
Nota :
Trombonist and guitarist on tracks 16 and 17 are unknown artists
Reissue of the Blue Star 78rpm discs 253 (2,9), 254 (6,11), 255 (1,4), 256 (7,8), 257 (3,5), 259 (16,17)
Song 10 taken from the Blue Star 10" LP 6807
Song 12 taken from the Barclay LP 844 006
Songs 13-15 taken from the Blue Star 10" LP 6806
Tracks 18-21 are previously unreleased