The Great Blue Star Sessions 1952–1953

The Great Blue Star Sessions 1952–1953
Compilation album by
Released2004
RecordedMarch 25 and April 5 and 6, 1952, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and February 22, 1953, at the Studio Pathe Magellan in Paris, France
GenreJazz
Length123:01
LabelEmArcy
980 986-3
Dizzy Gillespie chronology
Dee Gee Days: The Savoy Sessions
(1951–52)
The Great Blue Star Sessions 1952–1953
(2004)
Dizzy Digs Paris
(1953)

The Great Blue Star Sessions 1952–1953 is a compilation album by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie featuring performances recorded in 1952 and 1953 and originally released on the French Blue Star label.[1] Many of the tracks were first released as 78 rpm records and re-released in the US as albums on the Atlantic and Fontana labels such as Dizzy at Home and Abroad and Dizzy Gillespie and His Operatic Strings Orchestra.

Reception

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The Allmusic review stated "it's not for the casual fan, but anyone who knows of these recordings on any level understands what a key place they hold on Dizzy's shelf as he transitioned from the bebop of the 1940s into the hard bopping, big-group wailing of the 1950s. Highly recommended".[2]

Track listing

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All compositions by Dizzy Gillespie except as indicated

Disc One:

  1. "Cocktails for Two" (Sam Coslow, Arthur Johnston) – 2:44
  2. "Cognac Blues" – 2:42
  3. "Moon Nocturne" (Nathaniel Shilkret) – 3:05
  4. "Sabla y Blu" – 3:07
  5. "Blue and Sentimental" (Count Basie, Mack David, Jerry Livingston) – 2:44
  6. "Just One More Chance" (Coslow, Johnston) – 3:14
  7. "The Man I Love" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 3:14
  8. "Night and Day" (Cole Porter) – 3:04
  9. "Night and Day" alternate take (Porter) – 3:06
  10. "Sweet and Lovely" (Gus Arnheim, Harry Tobias, Jules LeMare) – 3:27
  11. "Sweet and Lovely" [alternate take 1] (Arnheim, Lemare, Tobias) – 3:51
  12. "Sweet and Lovely" [alternate take 2] (Arnheim, Lemare, Tobias) – 3:28
  13. "My Old Flame" (Coslow, Johnston) – 3:22
  14. "My Old Flame" [alternate take] (Coslow, Johnston) – 3:41
  15. "I Waited for You" (Gil Fuller, Gillespie) – 3:18
  16. "Ghost of a Chance" (Bing Crosby, Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 3:05
  17. "They Can't Take That Away from Me" (Gershwin, Gershwin) – 3:16
  18. ""They Can't Take That Away from Me" [alternate take] (Gershwin, Gershwin) – 4:01
  19. "Taking a Chance on Love" (Vernon Duke, Ted Fetter, John Latouche) – 2:44
  20. "Taking a Chance on Love" [alternate take 1] (Duke, Fetter, Latouche) – 3:29
  21. "Taking a Chance on Love" [alternate take 2] (Duke, Fetter, Latouche) – 3:36

Disc Two:

  1. "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" (Clarence Muse, Leon René, Otis René) – 2:57
  2. "Lullaby in Rhythm" (Benny Goodman, Clarence Profit, Edgar Sampson) – 4:24
  3. "Lullaby in Rhythm" [alternate take] (Goodman, Profit, Sampson) – 4:07
  4. "Just Blues (One More Blues)" – 3:01
  5. "Ain't Misbehavin'" (Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller) – 2:58
  6. "Summertime" (George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward) – 4:18
  7. "Blue Moon" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) – 4:27
  8. "Mama's Blues (Mrs. Dizzy's Blues)" – 4:04
  9. "Undecided" (Sid Robin, Charlie Shavers) – 2:34
  10. "The Way You Look Tonight" (Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern) – 4:16
  11. "Stormy Weather" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 3:51
  12. "Jalousie" (Vera Bloom, Jacob Gade) – 2:36
  13. "The Very Thought of You" (Ray Noble) – 2:37
  14. "Fine and Dandy" (Paul James, Kay Swift) – 3:44
  15. "I've Got You Under My Skin" (Porter) – 2:24
  16. "Pennies from Heaven" (Johnny Burke, Arthur Johnston) – 2:25

Recorded on March 25 (Disc One, tracks 1–6), April 5 (Disc One, tracks 7–21) and April 6 (Disc Two, tracks 1–8), 1952 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and on February 22 (Disc Two, tracks 9–16), 1953 at the Studio Pathe Magellan in Paris, France

Personnel

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  • Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet, vocals
  • René Bigerille – flute (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • André Gosset, Guy Destanges, René Vasseur – trombone (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • Albert Gillot – clarinet (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • Don Byastenor saxophone (Disc One, tracks 1–6, Disc Two, tracks 19, 21, 22 & 25)
  • Jean-Jacques Tilché – guitar (Disc One, tracks: 7–21)
  • Wade Legge (Disc Two, tracks 9–16), Arnold Ross (Disc One, tracks 7–21, Disc Two, tracks 1–8), Art Simmons (Disc One, tracks 1–6) – piano
  • Joe Benjamin (Disc One and Disc Two, tracks 1–8), Lou Hackney (Disc Two tracks 9–16) – bass
  • Bill Clark (Disc One and Disc Two, tracks 1–8), Al Jones (Disc Two tracks 9–16) – drums
  • Humberto Morales – congas (Disc One, tracks 1–6)
  • Robert Jeannoutot – oboe (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • Jean Louchez – bassoon (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • Yvan Allouche, Maurice Elhan, Lionel Gali, Leon Locatelli, Octave Marchesini, Georges Mignot, Albert Mousseux, Roger Sanard, Jean Sauvage – violin (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • Gabriel Beauvais, Andre Saulnier – viola (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • Pierre Coddee, Georges Schwartz – cello (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • Bernard Galaisharp (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • Jo Boyer, Daniel White – arranger (Disc One, tracks 7–16)
  • The Paris Operatic String Orchestra arranged by Michel Legrand (Disc Two, tracks 11–16)

References

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  1. ^ Dizzy Gillespie discography accessed March 28, 2012
  2. ^ Jurek, T. Allmusic Review accessed March 28, 2012