Happy Birthday Newport

www.legacyrecordings.com / www.sonymusic.com

Happy Birthday Newport
50 Swinging Years
Sony Legacy 2004

Back before the wheel when I was young and carefree I used to drive from Western Massachusetts to Rhode Island on Friday nights and hang out at Allery’s. Allery’s is (sadly) not there anymore but back in the 70s (oh dear, I am getting old) it was my place for Jazz on a regular basis. I would slide in the back door, pass the kitchen, pull up some floor and—listen. Sometimes when it was very late and the bar was closed and whomever was still playing I would fire up the restaurant’s stove and cook breakfast for all concerned. Then around 5 AM we’d all wander off to the closest crash pad and die until Saturday night when—miraculously—we’d come alive once again.

Come summer, I would require total immersion so I dragged ass out there for as long as it took. In Newport I would plant myself at a sidewalk café and drink wine or whatever and let the music seep into the very marrow of my bones during the Festival. You didn’t have to go to ‘center court’ if you were short of cash. The entire city thrilled with the sound. Three years running I was blessed to be there and so help me the time spent got me through the dark and dreary winter months that followed in Berkshire County, MA.

It’s been a long, long 25+ years and I think it’s far past time I got it together to get to Monterey, CA—but in the meantime I’ve got this 3 disc set to keep me warm and wooly.

They’re all here. Those I heard live and those I never had the chance to. Louis Armstrong, Eddie Condon, Willie Smith, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Muddy Waters (!), Buck Clayton, Ben Webster & Billy Strayhorn, Dinah Washington, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Brubeck, Mahalia Jackson, Miles Davis (a standout track, ‘Round Midnight makes me smile), Jay & Kai, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonious Monk (11+ minutes with Pee Wee Russell on Blue Monk—heaven), John Coltrane, VSOP, The Carnegie All-Stars, The Newport All-Stars and Dizzy Gillespie.

Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy. That man and his crazy turned-up horn, good God have mercy on me. I had the good fortune to party with him in the early 80s. It was long ago and far away and the other members of our merry band included the Center Stage theatrical company of Englewood, NJ and the wonderfully nutty and charming Paul Sorvino. Sometime during that ecstatic evening, Dizzy and Paul swapped instruments. Paul blew the horn and Dizzy sang. We’ll not go into that.

George Wein

Listening to Happy Birthday Newport is like being there—almost. The liner notes and memories of George Wein (jazz pianist and instigator of The Newport Jazz Festival) are far more fun (and more poignant to be sure) than my commentary so be sure to grab this and listen while you’re reading. Lucky ol’ George, not only hanging with but playing with some of these geniuses. The intro to this set begs the question, “When is Georgie going to get a job?” Heh. Yeah. Well… if it comes to it, I’ll beat the drum and raise the money so he can keep on keepin’ on. Thank you Mr. Wein! When I get up the scratch, I’ll be back on Narragansett Bay—fancy a snifter? I’m buying.

—Jessie Lilley