Sunday, June 8, 2008

Verro Jazz Originals




Click to enlarge images

A couple of years ago, I found this listing at Jazzdiscography.com, under “Hobart Dotson”:

Date: August 1, 1956
Location: Universal Recording, Chicago, IL
Label: Verro
Buddy Butler (ldr), Harold Ousley, Ronald Wilson (ts), Charles Davis (bar), Hobart Dotson (t), Julian Priester (tb), Billy Cargyle (p), Nevin Wilson (b), Buddy Butler (d), Cal Palmer (v)
a. 5691-1 Run, Big Feet, Run (Hobart Dotson) / arr: Hobart Dotson
Verro 45: 701
b. 5691-2 A Hop Hop Skip And A Jump (Hobart Dotson) / arr: Hobart Dotson
Verro 45: 701
c. 5691-3 Desirous (Hobart Dotson) / arr: Hobart Dotson
Verro 45: 702
d. 5691-4 Dee's Dots (Hobart Dotson) / arr: Hobart Dotson
Verro 45: 702
All titles on: Verro LP 12": U-41512
Cal Palmer (v) on a.

After extensive searching, a very clean copy of the Verro 12" LP (U-41512) was found. What is so amazing is that the Verro recording is less than 3 weeks after Sun Ra's first full album, Transition. There is a strong connection between the Verro album and what Sun Ra was doing during this time period; with the presence of Hobart Dotson, Julian Priester, Charles Davis, Ronald Wilson, and others.

Transition Details:

1956.07.12
Universal Recording, Chicago, Il.
Transition by Sun Ra
Sun Ra (Hammond B-3 org -16, p); Art Hoyle (tp, bells from India); Dave Young (tp, bells); Julian Priester (tb, cathedral chimes, arr); John Gilmore (ts, woodblocks); Pat Patrick (bars, bells from India); Richard Evans (b); Wilburn Green (eb, tambourine); Robert Barry (d, bells); Jim Herndon (tymp, timb, bells); Prince Shell (arr -05,06)
--------------------------------------------

The 12" Verro album contained all of what was listed at jazzdiscography.com and more. Some of the tracks sound very "Arkestral". Here is the text that is found on the back of the album cover:

Verro Jazz Originals

Verro Records
U-41512

James Scales, born in Chicago, Illinois, started his musical career at Du Sable High School as a beginner on the clarinet. Later he played alto sax in the Booster Band.

A few of the bands that he has played with were King Kolax when Gene Ammons and Bennie Green were members in the band. After a stay in the Navy he played with Ernie Fields, Billy Eckstine and Red Saunders of Old Club Delisa. James has also made recordings with Sun Ra. Scales still plays the clarinet in parades and Summer concerts with Tick Gray, Omar Critteden and Russell Crider. He just opened a new club playing tenor and alto sax and clarinet with a group called the Fabulous Triads and the fans really dig Scales on tenor and alto.

James Scales also has his own band now recording for Verro Records Recording Company.

Buddy Butler, born in Chicago, Illinois, started playing drums in 1942. Buddy went into the Army in 1943 but did not play music during his Army stay. After his release from the Army in 1946, Buddy enrolled in the Midwestern Conservatory of Music. Some lime later he enrolled in Roy C. Knapp’s School of Percussion. While going to school Buddy received some valuable expørience by playing with some of the jazz giants. He played with Sonny Stitt, Yusef Lateef , Nat Towles, Sun Ra, Sonny Thompson and many others. Buddy Butler with his own band are now recording for Verro Records Recording Company.

SIDE ONE
COME ON IN (Dragging the Blues)
(Music and Arrangement by Charles Sherrill)
BUDDY BUTLER AND BAND

RUN BIG FEET RUN - A Calypso Vocal -Cal Palmer
(Words, Music and Arrangement by Hobert Dotson)
BUDDY BUTLER AND BAND

SKA BLUES BLUES - Vocal Lillian King
(Words by Alberta Roper - Music by James Scales – Arrangement by Bob Doyle)
JAMES SCALES AND THE All SIAKS

HOOTIN’ AND HOWLIN’ - Vocal James Scales
(Word, Music and Arrangement by James Scales
JAMES SCALES AND THE ALL STARS

B. S. BLUES
(Music and Arrangement by Charles Sherrill and Buddy Butler)
BUDDY BUTLER BIG BAND

DESIROUS
(Music and Arrangement by Hobart Dotson)
BUDDY BUTLER BIG BAND

SIDE 2

BLUES LARGO BLUES
(Music and Arrangement by Charles Sherrrill)
BUDDY BUTLER AND BAND

A HOP HOP SKIP AND A JUMP - Vocal Cal Palmer
(Words, Music and Arrangement by Hobart Dotson)
BUDDY BUTLER AND BAND

SCAGGING THE SCALES
(Music and Arrangement by James Scales)
JAMES SCALES AND THE ALL STARS

JUNGLE BLUES
(Music and Arrangement by James Scales)
JAMES SCALES AND THE ALL STARS

BA. DU. DE. DANCE
(Music and Arrangement by Charles Sherrill)
BUDDY BUTLER AND BAND

DEES DOTS
(Music and Arrangement by Hobart Dotson)
BUDDY BUTLER AND BAND

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Would love to hear this one...

Unknown said...

I have a sealed copy of this record. :D