Howard McGhee, Teddy Edwards & Benny Bailey
Jazzcraft Studion Recordings 1978-79
Storyville Records
www.storyvillerecords.com
By George W. Harris

“You used to be big”
“I’m still big; it’s the ‘pictures’ that got small”
Sunset Blvd

Back in the 1970s, rock and fusion ruled the entertainment world, and
guys that were the pioneers of bebop, such as Howard McGhee/tp, Teddy
Edwards/ts, Benny Bailey/tp and Barry Harris/p couldn’t find a steady
job to save their lives. Anyone who played “acoustic” jazz was
considered passe’, and not until the emergence of Scott Hamilton and
Wynton Marsalis did electronic plugs start getting removed from
instruments again.

Bebop Boys like McGhee and Edwards during this desert time made a
living by playing in Europe or California, where musical life was a bit
more endurable. These two discs feature sessions from October 1978 and
1978, at the Spectrum Studios in Venice, California, and includes
artists that started in the 40s and 50s and were holding on for dear
musical integrity by the time of the recording.

McGhee, who played on some of the very first bebop recordings with
Coleman Hawkins, leads a team with California toned Teddy Edwards, Art
Hillery/p, Leroy Vinnegar/b and Billy Higgins/dr through the first
disc. Most of the tunes are slow to medium tempo, and are encyclopedic
in their display of the joys of modern jazz. Like founder Charlie
Parker, none of the solos are too long; 2-3 choruses, and they get out
for the next time. Professionally concise, but tons are said during
solos on a mourning “I Want To Talk About You” and a sauntering “Moose
The Mooche.” Edwards’ tone is like molten lava on “Relaxing At The
Camarillo” and they all play with an authority that is sadly missing in
today’s artists.

The second disc has a couple songs by MgGhee and Edwards, but most of
it is comprised of a 1978 session that McGhee lead with Benny Bailey
along with Sonny Redd/ts, Barry Harris/p, Lisle Atkinson/b and Bobby
Durham/dr. The songs remain bebop and bop, with some WONDERFUL tenor
work by Sonny Redd on medium tempo burners like “Blues For Helen” and
“Nostalgia.” The pair of trumpeters is a hint of heaven on tunes like
the snappy “Funky Senior” while Harris’ piano work charms the keys on
“Brownie Speaks” and “Alone Together.” It’s just a joy to hear guys
that play like they’re telling a story, instead of just playing notes.
It’s like they invented it or something…hey! They did!!!