#dave pell

1970.

Dave Pell Interviewed

Monk Rowe conducted this in-depth interview with saxophonist-arranger-producer-photographer-band leader Dave Pell in 1996 as part of series for the jazz archives at Hamilton College. Dave was a great talker and a ubiquitious presence on the LA scene in the ‘50s and ‘60s. His stories about Lester Young are especially delightful and enlightening.

-Michael Cuscuna

1969.

Dave Pell R.I.P.

With the news of Dave Pell’s passing this year, Marc Myers has reprinted his fascinating 2009 interview with Dave. Dave wore many hats as a studio musician, jazz soloist, leader of his own unique Octet in the ‘50s and record executive. He travels back to his childhood beginnings as a music student in his discussion with Marc.

-Michael Cuscuna

Happy birthday David Pell! This will now be in your head for the rest of the day.

This is absolutely a first world problem, but it also absolutely describes what we experienced. From Dave Pell's newsletter a couple weeks ago:

If you build it, they will come. The trouble is that you might not be able to find enough construction help to build it for a long time. It was a rare act of bipartisanship that brought us the $1 trillion infrastructure law. We've got the money. We've got the needs. We just don't have people to do the work. NPR: Where did the workers go? Construction jobs are plentiful, but workers are scarce. Basically, your bathroom remodel has become a metaphor for the American economy. Whenever they tell you it will be improved, add six months.

今宵の深夜ジャズ「A Pell of A Time」Dave Pell '57

阿佐ヶ谷マンハッタンのマスターに「え？コレ知らないの？」と言われ、探しまくってたらヤフオクでオリジナル盤が普通の値段で出てて、マニアック過ぎて競合他者も居らず、元値で落札出来ました（笑）

ペルは西海岸クールジャズのテナー(NY生まれ)で、様々なビッグバンドを渡り歩いた後、自分のオクテットを組んで活躍した人。YouTubeで事前に色々聴きましたが、コーラスグループと組んだり、TV音楽演ったりと、結構「売れ線」の人の様で日本では全く評価されてない様です。

しかし、このアルバムは西海岸の腕っこきを集め、ちゃんとクールジャズを演ってます。中でも僕のお気に入りジャック・シェルドン(tp)がかなりフィーチャー(本人以上に)されてるのでとても良いです。

シェルドンも、滅茶苦茶いいラッパなのに、若い頃からコメディアンになっちゃって、そっちで売れた人。思えば、特に西海岸では、副業を持った上で晩年までジャズを続けた人が多い様に思えます。それだけ「ジャズは一過性の流行」というある意味冷めた見方や或いは焦燥感が有ったのかも知れません。特にショウ・ビジネスによりシビアな西海岸の特徴かも。

モノラルですが、流石RCAビクター。録音が滅茶苦茶良く、チリパチノイズは気になりますが、昨日録音したかの様なリアリティで迫って来ます。あまりオリジナル盤にはこだわらないのですが、流石にこういうのを聴かされると上がりますね。