Further Definitions

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Further Definitions
Benny Carter studio album

Publication
(s)

1962

Label (s) Impulses!

Format (s)

LP, CD

Genre (s)

jazz

Title (number)

8/16

running time

33:06 (LP), 73:02 (CD)

occupation

production

Bob Thiele

Studio (s)

Capitol Recording Studios, 46th Street, New York City

chronology
Swingin 'the Twenties
(1958)
Further Definitions BBB & Co.
(1962)

Further Definitions is a jazz album by Benny Carter , recorded on November 13th and 15th, 1961 in New York and published in March 1962 on Impulse! Records . The CD Further Definitions - The Complete Further Definitions Sessions contains the original album (AS-12) including the Impulse from 1966 ! -Album Additions to Further Definitions (AS-9116).

The album

When Bob Thiele took over the management of the Impulse label from Creed Taylor at the end of 1961 , he immediately produced a series of albums that were among the most popular of the young jazz label; were recorded Coltrane "Live" at the Village Vanguard , Quincy Jones ' The Quintessence and Further Definitions of the swing veteran Benny Carter , the 1962 twelfth impulses published album. Thiele had definitely wanted to produce Coleman Hawkins for Impulse , but at that time he was still under contract with Prestige ; so the November 1961 session ran under Benny Carter's name.

Was planned Further definition as a reunion album, which was related to the legendary Paris session of the two saxophonists; this session is commemorated with the two titles " Honeysuckle Rose " and " Crazy Rhythm ". Charles Delaunay and Hugues Panassié had organized a recording session with the Americans in Paris on April 28, 1937 for the new label Swing ; Benny Carter was brought together with a French alto saxophonist, André Ekyan , Coleman Hawkins with the tenorist Alix Combelle , who formed the rhythm section and others. a. Stéphane Grappelli on the piano and the guitarist Django Reinhardt ; The tracks " Out of Nowhere " and " Sweet Georgia Brown " were also played at the time . But it was mainly "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Crazy Rhythm" that caused a sensation in the European jazz community. The two numbers were the first releases of the Swing label, the first record company devoted exclusively to jazz.

24 years after his stay in Europe, Benny Carter worked mainly as an arranger in Los Angeles ; a short visit to New York, where he worked with Peggy Lee , drew Bob Thiele's attention to him. The new Impulse producer brought him together for the 1961 session, which was again planned with four saxophones, piano, guitar, bass and drums, with swing veterans and young musicians, such as Coltrane bassist Jimmy Garrison and Basie drummer Jo Jones , the Monk saxophonist Charlie Rouse and the saxophonist Phil Woods , who at the time was working in the hard bop environment and as a studio musician: Woods later recalled:

I later learned that every Benny Carter session is totally calm. He was perfectly prepared and claimed control without being a control freak, and Bob (Thiele) was experienced enough to be able to leave Benny and the musicians alone. I remember it was 'old friends' material, well-known tracks like 'Honeysuckle Rose' and a couple of Benny originals. Nothing was out of place, especially the beauty of the ballads. The chemistry is right with the mix of music; the ingredients Benny chose were perfect I think, but my judgment was different at the time. 'That's a strange potpourri of musicians,' I thought at the time. I had overcome my reservations, especially about Coleman Hawkins. Coleman's entry into 'Honeysuckle Rose' after my solo was formidable; to me it sounded like: 'Get out of my way, little one, let a real man play!' "

Carter's tasteful arrangements tried to revive the spirit of the old sessions, and he mostly succeeded, wrote Hawkins biographer Teddy Doering:

'Crazy Rhythm' is based closely on the original, with the four saxophones presenting the theme; but this time Hawk comes first, followed by Woods, Rouse and Carter. The two old masters frame their younger colleagues, all four play excellent solos. Hawk can sense the challenge of the other saxophonists, and something like that always spurred him on. In 'Midnight Sun' and ' Cotton Tail ' he risks some daring phrases to make it clear to everyone that he is still the greatest. "

Quincy Jones ´ "The Midnight Sun Will Never Set" is the first slow track of the session; Hawkins, pianist Dick Katz, and Carter add solos. In Duke Ellington's “Cotton Tail”, Carter takes over the almost classic arrangement of the saxophones from the “Ellington / Webster Band” version. Hawkins' solo breaks off at the bridge of the first chorus ; Carter, Rouse, Woods and Hawkins in turn have their solos. The opening of Body and Soul refers to Hawkins' classic rendition of the piece from 1930; Woods, Rouse, Carter and Hawkins follow. The session ends with Benny Carter's own composition “Doozy”; Katz introduces the topic, Woods follows with a bluesy game, followed by Hawkins, Carter, Rouse and again Dick Katz.

Additions to Further Definitions

Bud Shank

The Impulse album Additions to Further Definitions , which was recorded in March 1966, was intended to repeat the ensemble sound and the immense success of the first album from 1962 with a different line-up; the alto saxophonist Bud Shank took over the role of Phil Woods, the tenor saxophonist Bill Perkins came for Coleman Hawkins. With the cast of Mundell Lowe and Barney Kessel , the guitar part became more prominent than in the first session in 1961, when guitarist John Collins could not come close to the legendary Django Reinhardt. Benny Carter contributes six of the eight titles this time, including a remake of "Doozy". Coleman Hawkins then continued his collaboration with Bob Thiele with the 1963 album Desafinado .

Rating of the album

Richard Cook and Brian Morton, who gave the album the highest rating in their Penguin Guide to Jazz , call Furter Definitions Carter's most famous album. Carter's "Blue Star" is fascinating, "a complex, deceptive subject with effective saxophone interplay."

Scott Yanow writes in the All Music Guide , which gave the album the highest rating of 5 stars, “Body and Soul” gives everyone in the band the chance to shine; and "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Crazy Rhythm" keep up with the 1937 versions: "Blue Star" and "Doozy" were among Carter's greatest originals. The addition session in 1966 did not quite reach the level of the first session, but it was still enjoyable.

The titles

Benny Carter
  • Original LP Further Definitions (Impulse AS-12)
  1. Honeysuckle Rose ( Andy Razaf / Thomas Waller ) 3:50
  2. The Midnight Sun Will Never Set ( Quincy Jones - Dorcas Cochran - Henri Salvador) 3:57
  3. Crazy Rhythm ( Irving Caesar - Joseph Meyer - Roger Wolfe Khn) 3:23
  4. Blue Star (B. Carter) 5:19
  5. Cotton Tail ( Ellington ) 4:24
  6. Body and Soul (Green-Sour-Heyman-Eyton) 4:09
  7. Cherry ( Don Redman - Ray Gilbert) 4:52
  8. Doozy (B. Carter) 3:32
  • CD Further Definitions - The Complete Further Definitions Sessions (Impulse 0602498840153)
  1. Honeysuckle Rose (Andy Razaf / Thomas Waller) 3:50
  2. The Midnight Sun Will Never Set (Quincy Jones - Dorcas Cochran - Henri Salvador) 3:57
  3. Crazy Rhythm (Irving Caesar - Joseph Meyer - Roger Wolfe Kahn ) 3:23
  4. Blue Star (B. Carter) 5:19
  5. Cotton Tail (Ellington) 4:24
  6. Body and Soul (Green-Sour-Heyman-Eyton) 4:09
  7. Cherry (Don Redman - Ray Gilbert) 4:52
  8. Doozy (B. Carter) 3:32
  9. Come on Back (B. Carter) 4:14
  10. We Were in Love (B. Carter) 4:27
  11. If Dreams Come True ( Edgar Sampson - Benny Goodman - Irving Mills ) 5:49
  12. Prohibido (B. Carter) 3:20
  13. Doozy (B. Carter) 5:33
  14. Rock Bottom (B. Carter) 4:14
  15. Titmouse (B. Carter) 3:02
  • Recording dates for the Further Definitions session: Tracks 1–3, 7: November 13, 1961; Titles 4-6, 8: November 15, 1961
  • Recording dates for the Additions to Further Definitions sessions: Tracks 9, 10, 12 & 13: March 2, 1966; Title 11, 14-16: March 4, 1966

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Swing was founded a few months before the US label Comodore Records ; see. Kahn, p. 72.


  • Teddy Doering: Coleman Hawkins . Oreos, Waakirchen
  1. Quoted from T. Dorting, p. 205.
  • Richard Cook / Brian Morton: The Penguin Guide to Jazz On CD , Sixth edition, Penguin , London 2002
  1. ^ Cook / Morton.
  2. ^ Cook / Morton.
  • Ashley Kahn: The House That Trane Build. The Story of Impulse Records . New York, London, Norton, 2006
  1. Kahn, p. 70.
  2. Kahn, p. 72 f.
  3. Quoted from Ashley Kahn, p. 73.