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Geoffrey Smith analyses the challenging art of “stop-time”, when a jazz soloist improvises not against a steady beat but rhythmic punctuation, with thrilling examples from the likes of Louis Armstrong, Pee Wee Russell and Sonny Rollins.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 24 Feb 2019 00:00

Music Played

  • Juanita Hall

    Lovin' Sam From Alabam'

    • Juanita Hall Sings Bessie Smith.
    • Storyville.
    • 6.
  • Albert Ammons & His Rhythm Kings

    The Breaks

    • Topaz Jazz: Albert Ammons - Boogie Woogie Man.
    • Topaz.
    • 20.
  • Count Basie Kansas City Seven

    Lester Leaps In

    • The Lester Young Story.
    • Proper.
    • 2.
  • Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five

    Cornet Chop Suey

    • Louis Armstrong - King Louis.
    • Proper.
    • 7.
  • Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven

    Potato Head Blues

    • King Louis.
    • Proper.
    • 4.
  • Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven

    Wild Man Blues

    • King Louis.
    • Proper.
    • 2.
  • Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five

    Once In A While

    • King Louis.
    • Proper.
    • 17.
  • The Benny Goodman Quartet

    I'M A Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas

    • Benny Goodman On the Air 1937 - 1938.
    • Columbia.
    • 15.
  • Max Kaminsky And His Dixieland Band

    Stuyvesant Blues

    • Windy City Jazz.
    • Concert Hall Society.
    • 3.
  • Dizzy Gillespie

    I Know That You Know

    • Dizzy Gillespie ‎- The Eternal Triangles.
    • Fresh Sounds Records.
    • 2.
  • Rahsaan Roland Kirk

    You Did It, You Did It!

    • ROLAND KIRK Four Classic Albums.
    • Avid.
    • 7.
  • The Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band

    Blueport

    • Gerry Mulligan At The Village Vanguard.
    • Verve.
    • 1.

Stop-time

TITLE LOVIN’ SAM FROM ALABAM

Artists: Juanita Hall

Composers: Perry Bradford

Album Title: Juanita Hall Sings Bessie Smith

Label: Storyville SLP 113

Performers: Juanita Hall (vocal); Claude Hopkins (piano); Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax); Buster Bailey (clarinet); Doc Cheatham (trumpet); Jimmy Crawford (drums); George Duvivier (bass).

TITLE THE BREAKS

Artists: Albert Ammons and his Rhythm Kings

Composers: Young

Album Title: Albert Ammons – Boogie Woogie Man

Label: Topaz – TPZ 1067

Performers: ‘Hot Lips’ Page (trumpet); Vic Dickenson (trombone); Don Byas (tenor sax); Albert Ammons (piano); Israel Crosby (bass); Sid Catlett (drums).

TITLE LESTER LEAPS IN

Artists: Count Basie’s Kansas City Seven

Composers: Lester Young

Album Title: The Lester Young Story

Label: Proper: P1130

Performers: Buck Clayton (trumpet); Dickie Wells (trombone); Lester Young (tenor sax); Count Basie (piano); Freddy Green (guitar); Walter Page (bass); Jo Jones (drums)

TITLE CORNET CHOP SUEY

Artists: Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five

Composers: Louis Armstrong

Album Title: Louis Armstrong - King Louis

Label: Proper : P1470

Performers: Louis Armstrong (cornet); Kid Ory (trombone); Johnny Dodds (clarinet); Lil Armstrong (piano); Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)

TITLE POTATO HEAD BLUES

Artists: Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven

Composers: Louis Armstrong

Album Title: King Louis

Label: Proper: P-1471

Performers: Louis Armstrong (cornet); John Thomas (trombone); Johnny Dodds (clarinet); Lil Armstrong (piano); Johnny St. Cyr (banjo/guitar); Pete Briggs (tuba); Baby Dodds (drums)

TITLE WILD MAN BLUES

Artists: Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven

Composers: Jelly Roll Morton/Louis Armstrong

Album Title: King Louis

Label: Proper: P-1471

Performers: Louis Armstrong (cornet); John Thomas (trombone); Johnny Dodds (clarinet); Lil Armstrong (piano); Johnny St. Cyr (banjo/guitar); Pete Briggs (tuba); Baby Dodds (drums)

TITLE ONCE IN A WHILE

Artists: Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five

Composers: Michael Edwards/Bud Green

Album Title: King Louis

Label: Proper: P-1471

Performers: Louis Armstrong (cornet); Kid Ory (trombone); Johnny Dodds (clarinet); Lil Armstrong (piano); Johnny St. Cyr (banjo/guitar)

TITLE I’M A DING DONG DADDY FROM DUMAS

Artists: Benny Goodman Quartet

Composers: Phil Baxter

Album Title: Benny Goodman On the Air 1937 - 1938

Label: Columbia: CK-4729900-10

Performers: Benny Goodman (clarinet); Lionel Hampton (vibes); Teddy Wilson (piano); Gene Drupa (drums).

TITLE STUYVESANT BLUES

Artists: Max Kaminsky and his Dixieland Band

Composers: Pee Wee Russell

Album Title: Windy City Jazz

Label: Concert Hall Society: CHJ-1009

Performers: Max Kaminsky (trumpet); Pee Wee Russell (clarinet); Miff Mole (trombone); Joe Sullivan (piano); George Wettling (drums); Jack Lesberg (bass)

TITLE I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW

Artists: Dizzy Gillespie

Composers: Vincent Youmans/ Anne Caldwell

Album Title: Dizzy Gillespie ‎- The Eternal Triangles

Label: Fresh Sounds Records: FSR-CD 558

Performers: Dizzie Gillespie (trumpet); Sonny Stitt (tenor sax); Sonny Rollins (tenor sax); Ray Bryant (piano); Tommy Bryant (bass); Charlie Persip (drums).

TITLE YOU DID IT, YOU DID IT

Artists: Roland Kirk

Composers: Roland Kirk

Album Title: ROLAND KIRK Four Classic Albums

Label: Avid: AMSC 1111

Performers: Roland Kirk (tenor sax/stritch/manzello/flute/siren); Hank Jones (piano); Wendell Marshall (bass); Charlie Persip (drums).

TITLE BLUEPORT

Artists: The Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band

Composers: Art Farmer

Album Title: Gerry Mulligan At The Village Vanguard

Label: Verve: V-8396

Performers: Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax/piano); Mel Lewis (drums); Bill Crow (bass);

Trumpets: Nick Travis, Clark Terry, Don Ferrara

Trombones: Bob Brookmeyer, Willie Dennis, Alan Ralph

Reeds: Gene Quill (clarinet/alto sax); Rob Donovan (alto sax); Jim Reider (tenor sax); Gene Allen (baritone and bass sax)

Broadcast

  • Sun 24 Feb 2019 00:00

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