Memphis Jazz Box

Memphis Jazz Box
Box set by various Memphis jazz artists
Released March 9th, 2004
re-released 2008
Recorded various dates between
1995-2003
Genre Jazz
Length 2:33:46
Label Icehouse Records
Producer John Threadgill
Jack Cooper
John Phillips
Compiler Jack Cooper
cat. # - Ice House Records IHR 5902

"The Memphis Jazz Box"[1][2] is a 3-CD box set by Memphis jazz artists, first released by Ice House Records in March 2004 and then re-released to the public in 2008. Volume one and two have a combined 24 tracks from a wide variety of artists who were currently working in Memphis during the time the set was produced. The third CD is the Jazz Orchestra of the Delta Big Band Reflections of Cole Porter recorded in 2003 for Summit Records.

Background

The Memphis tradition of jazz music dates back many years to the time of W.C.Handy, Jimmie Lunceford, and Phineas Newborn. Memphis is a city with a long musical heritage that is an integral part of the American sound consisting of work songs, spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, and rock and roll. Through this tradition, Memphis is a music city that serves to foster musical talent that is unique. There is a wide range a music on the CD set that represents the current flavor of what Memphis music is; from the traditional sounds to Joyce Cobb and W.C. Handy to the contemporary sounds of fusion with the band Voodoo Village. This box set of three CD was produced commercially to promote the city and the jazz music generated from the Mid-south region. This was the second such boxed set produced by Ice House Records and the Chamber of Commerce. The first set, produced in 2001, featured "Best Of. . ." tracks from Sun, Stax, and Hi Records.

Track listing

All tracks written by noted. 

Disc one - THE NEW MEMPHIS JAZZ COLLECTION (Volume one) from the Memphis Jazz Box
No. TitleWriter(s)Original Album Length
1. "Let's Get Lost" (Kelley Hurt)McHugh/LoesserRaindance[3] 3:29
2. "The Protagonist" (Jack Cooper Quartet)Jack Cooper  5:51
3. "Bags" (The U of Memphis Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra)Bill Holman  3:12
4. "Garment District" (Voodoo Village)Ernest WilliamsonFunk Soup[4] 4:10
5. "Family Money" (Hope Clayburn)Hope ClayburnReport 4 Booty[5] 6:49
6. "Beale St. Blues" (Joyce Cobb & the Beale St. Jazz Band)W.C. HandyJazzin on Beale 4:26
7. "I've Got You Under My Skin" (T.J. Graham)Cole Porter  4:51
8. "Rhythm is Our Business" (The New Memphis Hepcats)Jimmie LuncefordSwingopoly[6] 3:14
9. "Andrea" (Herman Green & the Green Machine)Herman GreenHernando Street Strut[7] 5:31
10. "One Kind Word" (Charlie Wood)Charlie WoodSouthbound[8] 3:52
11. "Corcovado" (Holly Shelton & the Backroom Boys)Antonio Carlos JobimBack on Beale Street[9] 3:46
12. "Reed Between the Lines" (Carl Wolfe Quartet)Carl Wolfe  4:43
13. "Reekin' With Love" (Di Anne Price & Her Boyfriends)Di Anne PriceReekin' With Love[10] 2:41
Disc two - THE NEW MEMPHIS JAZZ COLLECTION (Volume two) from the Memphis Jazz Box
No. TitleWriter(s)Original Album Length
1. "Gentle Rain" (Teresa Pate)Luiz Bonfá  4:15
2. "2nd & Beale" (Freeworld)FreeworldDiversity[11] 4:50
3. "Crazy She Calls Me" (Gary Johns)Sigman/RussellMade In Memphis 6:02
4. "El Gato De La Noche" (Memphis Jazz Orchestra)Carl Wolfe  6:51
5. "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" (Gene Rush)Duke Ellington  6:21
6. "Waltz For Debbie" (U of Memphis Jazz Singers)Bill Evans  3:25
7. "School Girl Crush" (Candice Ivory)Candice IvoryPath: Undefined[12] 6:25
8. "Voodoo Village" (Voodoo Village)Kurt Clayton/Pat Register/Ernest WilliamsonFunk Soup[4] 5:23
9. "Out of This World" (Kelley Hurt)Arlen/MercerRaindance[3] 4:15
10. "River of Jive" (Charlie Wood)Charlie WoodSouthbound[8] 4:18
11. "Local Edition" (Jack Cooper Quartet)Jack Cooper  5:38
Disc Three - Big Band Reflections of Cole Porter
No. TitleOriginal Album Length
1. "Big Band Reflections of Cole Porter" (Jazz Orchestra of the Delta)All tracks - Big Band Reflections of Cole Porter  

Recording sessions

Recorded completed in several studios in Memphis to include Ardent Studios, Young Avenue Sound, Sam Phillips Recording Services
Recorded completed in several studios in Memphis to include Ardent Studios, Young Avenue Sound, Sam Phillips Recording Services
Please refer to the Recording sessions section on that Wikipedia/CD page.

Personnel

Musicians

  • DISC ONE - The New Memphis Jazz Collection, volume one

1. Lets Get Lost

Kelley Hurt, vocals/arranger
Doug Garrison, percussion/drums
Chris Parker, piano/arranger
Jonathan Wires, bass

2. The Protagonist

Jack Cooper, alto saxophone/composer
Alvie Givhan, piano
Tim Goodwin, bass
Don Patterson, drums

3. Garment District

Pat Register, saxophone
Kurt Clayton, keyboards
Niko Lyras, keyboards
Ernest Williams, keyboards
Dave Smith, bass
Edward Cleveland, drums

4. Bags

The University of Memphis Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra
:Dr. Jack Cooper - director

5. Family Money

Hope Clayburn, flute/saxophone
Hope Clayburn's 2nd Booty Battalion

6. Beale Street Blues

Joyce Cobb, vocals
Tom Link, clarinet
Tim Goodwin, bass

7. I've Got You Under My Skin

T.J. Graham, vocals
Footprints, (band)

8. Rhythm Is Our Business

The New Memphis Hepcats

9. Andrea

Herman Green, saxophone
The Green Machine

10. One Kind Word

Charlie Wood, vocals/keyboard/organ
Tom Clary, trumpet and horn arrangements
Scott Thompson, trumpet and flugelhorn
Fred Ford, alto sax
Tom Clary, trumpet and horn arrangements
Jim Spake, tenor sax
Joey Moore, bass
David Forrester, drums
Steve Wenger, guitar

11. Corcovado

Holly Shelton, vocals
Rene Koopman, piano
Tim Goodwin, bass
Tom Lenardo, drums

12. Reed Between The Lines

Carl Wolfe, saxophone
Carl Wolfe Quartet, band

13. Reekin' With Love

Di Anne Price, vocals
Jim Spake, tenor saxophone
Tim Goodwin, bass
Tom Lenardo, drums
  • DISC TWO - The New Memphis Jazz Collection, volume two

1. Gentle Rain

Teresa Pate, vocals
Teresa Pate band

2. 2nd & Beale

Freeworld

3. Crazy She Calls Me

Gary Johns, vocals
Gene Rush, piano
Errol Thomas, bass
Tom Lenardo, drums

4. El Gato De La Noche

The Memphis Jazz Orchestra

5. I Got It Bad...

Gene Rush
Tim Goodwin, bass
Renardo Ward, drums

6. Waltz for Debbie

The University of Memphis Jazz Singers, Tim Goodwin - director

7. School Girl Crush

Candice Ivory Band

8. Voodoo Village

Pat Register, saxophone
Kurt Clayton, keyboards
Niko Lyras, keyboards
Ernest Williams, keyboards
Dave Smith, bass
Edward Cleveland, drums

9. Out of This World

Kelley Hurt, vocals/arranger
Doug Garrison, percussion/drums
Chris Parker, piano/arranger
Jonathan Wires, bass

10. River of Jive

Charlie Wood, vocals/keyboard/organ
Tom Clary, trumpet and horn arrangements
Scott Thompson, trumpet and flugelhorn
Fred Ford, alto sax
Tom Clary, trumpet and horn arrangements
Jim Spake, tenor sax
Joey Moore, bass
David Forrester, drums
Steve Wenger, guitar

11. Local Edition

Jack Cooper, alto saxophone/composer
Alvie Givhan, piano
Tim Goodwin, bass
Don Patterson, drums

Di Anne Price passed in March 2013.[13]

Charlie Wood is married to Jacqui Dankworth and has moved to London since the release of this CD set.[14] He still retains a CD contract with Archer Records in Memphis, TN.

Please refer to the Personnel Section on that Wikipedia/CD page.

Production

Promotion

The CD release party was held in AutoZone Park on March 18, 2004 at 5:30 pm., in the upper club room convention/party level: it was promoted well and the Commercial Appeal as well as the Memphis Business Journal.[15][16] The box was conceived through cooperation of the nonprofit Mid-south Jazz Foundation, the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, the Shelby County/Memphis Music Commission, the University of Memphis School of Music, and Select-O-Hits. Numerous artists from the CD set performed at the event, it was well attended and sponsored by the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce. Interviews were done on WKNO-FM 91.1 and WUMR with the producer of the set, the tracks from the set have had extensive play on WUMR radio which is the jazz radio station for the Mid-South region. It has also had airplay on other jazz radio stations around the country.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Commercial Appeal [17]
DISC 3 - L.A. Jazz Scene
(Los Angeles)
United States		(very positive)[18]
DISC 3 - Jazz Journal International
(London)
United Kingdom		(very positive)[19]

"A new collection, The Memphis Jazz Box, states with classy pride the case for the Bluff City's jazz heritage, notably those currently working on the local scene...The box stands as a fine effort, a nice cross-section..."

Bill Ellis, Commercial Appeal [17]

"...the result is a cohesive ensemble that understands (the) musical direction so well that they reproduce precisely what (the arranger) has intended...Balance and phrasing, suitable textures, and mellow harmonic ties follow with glamourous effects."

Jim Santella, L.A. Jazz Scene[18]

"...(the arranger) is to be congratulated on the way he orchestrated some of (Porter's) best known songs, maintaining interest, despite the familiarity with the material."

Gordon Jack, Jazz Journal International[19]

References

  1. ↑ The Memphis Jazz Box, Select-O-Hits release page
  2. ↑ Allmusic.com, The Memphis Jazz Box
  3. 1 2 Allmusic Guide, Raindance
  4. 1 2 Allmusic Guide, Funk Soup
  5. ↑ Allmusic Guide, Report 4 Booty
  6. ↑ Allmusic Guide, Swingopoly
  7. ↑ Allmusic Guide, Hernando Street Strut
  8. 1 2 Allmusic Guide, Southbound
  9. ↑ Allmusic Guide, Back on Beale Street
  10. ↑ Allmusic Guide, Reekin' With Love
  11. ↑ Allmusic Guide, Diversity
  12. ↑ Allmusic Guide, Path: Undefined
  13. ↑ The Commercial Appeal, Michael Lollar. Memphis Singer Di Anne Price was music stylist, March 14, 2013, Di Anne Price obituary
  14. ↑ Charlie Wood biography page
  15. ↑ The Commercial Appeal, CD RELEASE PARTY TODAY FOR MEMPHIS JAZZ BOX, Bill Ellis, March 18, 2004
  16. ↑ Memphis Business Journal, Memphis Jazz Box to debut, March 12, 2004, 11:59 a.m. CST
  17. 1 2 "COLLECTION EXHIBITS CITY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO JAZZ" Bill Ellis, Commercial Appeal, March 20, 2004 review
  18. 1 2 L.A. Jazz Scene, JIM SANTELLA, July 2004 review (Issue no. 203)
  19. 1 2 Jazz Journal International, GORDON JACK, April 2004 review (Vol 57 no.4)
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