Blue Mitchell

jazz_trpt · Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2002 11:54 am Post subject:

Nice thread.

One of my favorite Blue sides is one called "Last Dance". It hasn't been released on CD to my knowledge, and was recorded shortly before Blue passed away. Nice versions of "Portrait of Jenny", "Ow", "Getting Sentimental Over You", and a few others. Worth looking for.

Blue played the jazz chair on Ray Charles' band for awhile. One story I heard about him from one of the guys in the band went something like this...

Ray's band was (and is) notorious for being sticklers about uniforms and whatnot. One night, Blue shows up on the bandstand for the warmup with a native american headband on. The road manager sees this, goes back to Ray's dressing room, and says, "Mr. Charles, you're not gonna like this. Blue Mitchell's playing with an Indian band!" Ray, upset, replies, "INDIAN BAND??! He's supposed to be playing in MY BAND."

I guess you had to be there.

Blue's albums "Up With It" (mentioned by someone else in this thread) and "The Thing To Do" are excellent and should be sought out.

Later,
jeff
_________________
Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!

mark936 · Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2002 7:26 pm Post subject:

DARN, JEFF !

I clicked on hoping to read something like "I've posted a batch of Blue Mitchell solo trancriptions..."

Well at least you told a joke.

Indian band! thanks keemosaube.

mm

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

jazz_trpt · Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2002 12:45 pm Post subject:

Actually, I did one a long time ago from that album:

http://www.shout.net/~jmh/transcriptions/mitchell-anotheryou.pdf

I'm working on a series of "Sweets" Edison solos right now, but I think I'm gonna tackle some Blue Mitchell next. Maybe "Capuchin Swing" to start with, "Blue Mitchell Live" (w/Mark Levine)...he's also on a Ray Charles album, I think...

Has anyone mentioned "Smooth As The Wind"? Cool album, 1960, arrangements by Tadd Dameron and Benny Golson. One of the better trumpet w/strings albums...

-- jeff
_________________
Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!

jazz_trpt · Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2002 7:38 am Post subject:

Happy Holidays!

Two new transacriptions posted on my website -- Blue Mitchell's solos on
"Capuchin Swing" and "High Heel Sneakers", plus a new set of pages
dedicated to Mitchell.

Check it out here:

http://www.shout.net/~jmh/mitchell/

or here

http://www.shout.net/~jmh/#recent

More to come when I have time to get them up...

Have a safe holiday!

Jon Arnold · Heavyweight Member Joined: 07 Jan 2002 Posts: 2026

I have also been digging Blue Mitchell. I have him on a Louie Bellson big band recording with "Sweets" Edison and one of my all time favorites Bobby Shew. I love "Spanish Gypsy." Anyway, I definitely want to get a hold of all the Blue Mitchell I can.

musiclifeline · Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2003 8:01 am Post subject:

Blue also jumped on the "with strings" bandwagon... but to great success, IMHO, with an album called Smooth As the Wind (no, it ain't smooth jazz). It's worth picking up if you can find it used (and if you can stand string arrangements). It's not as schmaltzy as some other "with strings" efforts I'll restrain myself from mentioning.

jazz_trpt · Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 3:42 pm Post subject:

brenter · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Nov 2001 Posts: 135

jeff:

FYI, Mapenza is available on CD, I purchased it several years ago. However, I noticed recently that it was in the cut out CD section of the store, meaning it soon will be discontinued.