1946 - September 23

Ike Quebec's Swing Seven – September 23 1946 

 

Dan Morgenstern - The Complete Forties Recordings of Ike Quebec and John Hardee Mosaic Box Set 

The final Ouebec Blue Note session of the '40s, again under the "Swing Seven" banner, brings back Keg Johnson, Ram Ramirez, and J.C. Heard from the previous encounter, and Milt Hinton's on bass once again. The two new faces are guitarist John Collins, then working on 52nd Street with Slam Stewart,  and still active in California at this writing, and trumpeter Shad Collins. then with the Calloway band, one of many first-rank big bands he worked with through the '30s and '40s—a gifted but uneven player with a unique, choppy rhythm in his phrasing. He died in 1978, but had pretty well stopped playing the mid 60s. 

The Masquerade Is Over comes to us in no less than three takes; the middle one was issued on 78, but the others have never been heard before. The first take, longer by nearly 30 seconds, has a piano solo omitted from the other two; otherwise, the routine's the same. Take one, at a fast tempo, opens with Basieish introduction. Ike states the melody warmly over soft ensemble. Keg taking the bridge. Ike continues with a very intense chorus of variations. Ram's solo is quite spare - the tempo seems too fast for him. Cup-muted Collins takes a 16-bar ride, with good ideas but a bit of technical uncertainty. Then the leader returns, with horn background, and riffs on out. On take 2. Ike is passionate in his solo, but almost loses his footing on the last eight bars. Shad 's turn is better, the rhythm section soft but hot behind him, and Ike, in good form, returns tor the bridge and last eight. The last take has a stride piano introduction, the tempo's a hair slower, Keg plays his best of three solos and Ike his least—but still pretty good at that. He stumbles a little but soon regains his equilibrium. Collins is excellent until he tumbles the last two bars, and the rhythm section, so fine on the other takes, gets a mite frantic here. It's always interesting to have the opportunity to compare takes, and three complete ones is a feast.  

Basically Blue is Milt Hinton's piece, and he brings it on after Ram's introduction. Bass solos were still a relatively rarity in 1946, certainly so compared to today, but Milt's is as firm and sure as one would expect. Ike's chorus has a Byas flavor, and Keg 's, with a mute, and full of slurs and trills, could almost pass for Dickie Wells. A nice arranged ensemble passage with piano and bass fills follows, and then Milt first bows, then plucks tor the elegant finish.  

Someone To Watch Over Me, heard in two takes, the first never issued before, is a Quebec ballad showcase. Ram plays a sensitive introduction to both takes, as well as a solo bridge after Ike's full chorus, which romances the pretty Gershwin melody with that great tone and personal turn of phrase. Atter Ram's solo, Ike returns, working up to a cadenza with the horns under him. My preference is for the first take, on which Ike is more inspired and not as slightly over-ripe as he tends to get on the second, where he just manages to skirt a Charlie Ventura-like exaggeration in his climax. But don't get me wrong—I don't mind a little schmaltz on occasion... 

Zig Billion, a briskly paced blues by Ike, is another two-take presentation, the first previously unissued. Aside from the tempo, slightly faster on the master take, the solos are quite different, and the issued take also sports a more organized, arranged ending. J.C. kicks it oft, Ike takes two over stroll rhythm,  then John Collins gets his chance to solo for two, showing his mastery. Ram and the rhythm section do another nice Basle. Shad, with ensemble riffing under him, takes his two choruses  (on the master take he gets off his best solo of the date), and Keg, muted, is also marginally better on this take; the rift behind him stems from the Benny Goodman Sextet's memorable WHOLLY CATS. Then Ike takes charge, roaring in with more good riffs underneath. A swinging finish to a generous helping of vintage mainstream jazz, music without pretense or sham, with a message that still has meaning. Too many of the men who made it are gone now, but some of them are with us still, swinging still, reminding us that jazz at its best is music that never grows stale. 

Screenland September 1947 Volume 51 Issue 11 

IKE QUEBEC: Yummy! More of that flowing, lush Ike Quebec tenor sax on “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Shad Collins is on trumpet, Keg Johnson, trombone, Roger Ramirez, piano, John Collins, guitar, Milton Hinton, bass and J. C. Heard (but not seen), drums. Reverse, “Zig-Billion,” an original jump by Ike knocks off some killing melodic hits and runs with good solos by all. Look out! (Blue Note) 

 

Screenland December 1947 Volume 52 Issue 2 

IKE QUEBEC AND HIS SWING SEVEN: More sparkling tenor work by I. Q. on “Basically Blue” and “The Masquerade Is Over.” First face by the “Face” spots Milt Hinton’s bass all the way, and the mood is tres indigo. Ike sprinkles some cinnamon on the eggnog on the flip and that tenor sax really moves. J. C. Heard is very much so on drums behind Mr. Q. Rest of the gang is Shad Collins, trumpet; Keg Johnson, trombone; Ram Ramirez piano; and John Collins, guitar. (Blue Note) 

Down Beat 30 July 1947 Volume 14 Issue 16 

Watch includes some very tasty tenoring by Hawk - like Quebec, with Ram Rameriz's piano showing up well too. Billion is not How High The Moon, Whispering or I Got Rhythm but the traditional 12 bars blues, played up. Rhythm paced by Milt Hinton’s bass and JC Heard’s drumming really strides, while Ram plays some Wilson piano. The excellent tram bit by Keg Johnson goes into a riff finish slightly buried by echoing recording. 

Seventeen November 1947 Volume 6 

Zig Billion (Blue Note). A long-hair friend of ours calls this recording by Ike Quebec’s Swing Seven “a study in instrumental variations.” We’d call it a jam session. The unrecognizable mate is Someone to Watch Over Me. 

Dan Morgenstern - The Blue Note Swingtets 1998 CD Liner Notes 

Two unrelated Collinses, trumpeter Shad (of Teddie Hill and Basie fame) and guitarist John (later with Nat King Cole), are the new men here, and Milt Hinton's back and featured on his own "Basically Blue" (from the Calloway repertory), from a day when bass solo showcases were still a relative rarity. This also spots Keg (Budd Johnson's brother, and a very underrated man) and the leader (who could sound a lot like Don Byas at times). "Zig Billion," a Quebec blues line, spots both the Collinses, both in good form, some Basie stuff from the rhythm team, and then another helping of that straightforward, warm and sincere Quebec tenor. 

Session Information 

Shad Collins, trumpet; "Keg" Johnson, trombone; Ike Quebec, tenor sax; Roger Ramirez, piano; John Collins, guitar; Milton Hinton, bass; J.C. Heard, drums. 

WOR Studios, NYC, September 23, 1946 

BN292-1, The Masquerade Is Over (alternate take) 

BN292-4, The Masquerade Is Over, Blue Note 539 

BN292-5, The Masquerade Is Over (alternate take) 

BN293-2, Basically Blue, Blue Note 539, BLP 5027 

BN294-1, Someone To Watch Over Me, Blue Note 538 

BN294-2, Someone To Watch Over Me (alternate take) 

BN295-2, Zig Billion (alternate take) 

BN295-4, Zig Billion, Blue Note 538