[Dixielandjazz] Johnny Guarnieri Swing Men - 1944

[Stephen G Barbone]

On Dec 4, 2010, at 5:39 PM, Bill Haesler wrote:

>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDtayVD6yHE&NR=1
>
> Dear Steve,
> That Lester/Guarnieri session for Savoy is one of my all-time greats  
> and gets a lot of playing at my place.
> I had the LP of the whole session, including all the alternate  
> takes, but eventually replaced it with the Savoy 2 CD set of the  
> 'Lester Young Complete Savoy Sessions'.
> But the 18 April 1944 'tribute to Fats' session is by far my Savoy  
> favourite.
> Other Guarnieri records in my collection include most of them,  
> including all the stuff with Goodman and Shaw.
> *>)
> Kind regards,
> Bill.

Dear Bill:

My goodness, you are not as one eyed as we thought. <grin>

Yes indeed, great music. I forgot to list Dexter Hall as the guitarist  
and Billy Taylor (no relation to the pianist Billy Taylor) on double  
bass. They were a phenomenal group as you say. Johnny Guarnieri is not  
as well known as he should be. Like Dick Hyman, he could play in  
virtually any style of jazz.

And Pres is one of my favorite players. I will never forget "The Sound  
of Jazz" TV program in NYC on Sunday evening in late 1956/7/or 8. My  
memory is a bit hazy about it, but there were about 30 jazz musicians  
including Pres and Billie Holiday, from Dixieland to Swing to Modern.  
Some of the musos were Pee Wee Russell, Thelonious Monk, Red Allen,  
Freddie Green, Gerry Mulligan, Danny Barker, Roy Eldridge etc.

I especially remember Holiday on "Fine and Mellow" backed by a large  
band, including Pres of course. And Wild Man Blues with Red Allen,  
Danny Barker, Pee Wee Russell, Coleman Hawkins etc.

Is there a recording or video of it? I'm going to search for it on You  
Tube and google right after I send this.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband