[Dixielandjazz] Charlie Ventura

[Stephen G Barbone]

Played a gig with Ace Tesone last night and while talking to him about Charlie Ventura, he mentioned that he was on several recordings with various Ventura groups. Those he was on were straight ahead jazz, or what some call small band swing. Very much OKOM. So I googled <Charlie Ventura - Ace Tesone> and among the listings was the below: It is a part of the 4 CD set, Bop for the People. Definitely not Bop as one might guess from the song titles.

Charlie Ventura and his Quintet: Conte Condoli (tp); Charlie Ventura ts, bs, bass sax; Jimmy Wisner, p; Chick Keeny, d; Ace Tesone, b:  New York 7, 1951.

523-6 Avalon - mercury/Clef 8942
524-1 I'm Confessin - Mercury/Clef 8942
525-9 Bugle Call Rag - Mercury/Clef 8949
526-5 Rose Room - Mercury/Clef 8995
527-6 That Old Feeling - Mercury/Clef 8949
528 -16 After You've Gone = Norgran MGN 1103

Being a local musician from the Philadelphia area, Ventura is still idolized in these parts. Tesone, Wisner and Keeny all of whom played with a variety on Jazz Musicians from Lester Young to Billie Holiday to Clifford Brown during the 1940s and 50s have told me that their time with Ventura was one of the top highlights of their musical careers. He was an inventive musician who mastered a variety of jazz styles.

Perhaps Bill, had you heard this side of Ventura, you would have gone to see him. <grin>

The discography of Bop For The People is at:

http://www.copaceticcomics.com/cds/99

If you go there, note the wide variety of musicians with whom he performed. Guys like Barney Bigard, Buddy DeFranco, Red Rodney, J J Johnson Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband