Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Wild Bill With Strings

[Graham Martin]

Bob Ringwald K6YBV said:

["Listmates, Anne Davidson, Wild Bill's wife, sent me his "Wild Bill With 
Strings" CD shortly before she pass on.  Bill was very proud of that 
recording.  He does some very nice stuff on the CD.  I wonder if some of you 
have heard it.  I must dig it out & give it another listen."]

Hi Bob and all,

I was just wondering which of the 'Wild Bill Davison With Strings' that would be? 

The original LP I have was subtitled 'Pretty Wild' and made in the early 50s with Percy Faith and his strings - Columbia CL 871. It is a collector's item and as far as I know it has not been released as a CD. I would love to here that it has! I treasure my somewhat worn vinyl. There was also an LP called 'With Strings Attached' that I have never been lucky enough to find.

I also have a CD that is subtitled 'Sweet and Lovely' and was made, as I understand it, using some of the original arrangements. It was recorded in Copenhagen in 1976 with the strings from the Danish Radio Symphony conducted by Ole Kurt Jensen. It is a superb recording that was remixed in 1988 and released on Storyville STCD 4060. I have to say that despite the high quality of this second recording I prefer the younger Wild Bill's playing on the earlier recording.

I guess I am now also wondering which of the cornets pictured on the various albums is to be placed in the New Orleans Jazz Museum by Sandy Gumpert? I was also thinking the young lady sharing the front sleeve with the cornet from the 'Pretty Wild' album must have been considered a bit risqué for the 50s.

Talking about Wild Bill recordings, I have been very concerned about the fate of the Jazzology masters in the New Orleans flood following Katrina. The last I heard on this list was that George Buck was safe but had evacuated his home. What happened to the Jazzology warehouse where all the masters are held?

And if George Buck happens to be reading this, I have always wondered why the excellent LP called "Wild Bill Davison In London" and made in 1980 with mostly ex members of the Alex Welsh Band, and released in 1984 for the 35th Anniversary of Jazzology, was never released on CD? It has to be one of the best Wild Bills in the Jazzology collection!

Best,

Grah 

Graham Martin
Email: grahmartin at bigpond.com
Website: http://tromjazz.netfirms.com
REDLAND BAY
Queensland
AUSTRALIA