19 FITZGERALD, Ella. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book. New York: Verve Records, 1956 First pressing, French release, inscribed on the inner fold, “Best wishes Ella Fitzgerald”. One of Fitzgerald’s most popular recordings; “a sentimental favourite of many, in the jazz audience and beyond, and it’s one of the records which typifies the first great era of the long-playing record” (Cook & Morton). A wonderful set to find signed. Recorded early in 1956 shortly after Fitzgerald signed for Norman Granz’s Verve label, this, the first release, “became the commercial rock on which Verve was built. It was so successful that Granz set Ella to work on all the great American songwriters, and her series of songbook albums are an unrivalled sequence of their kind … Fitzgerald herself was at a vocal peak, strong yet flexible, and her position as a lyrical interpreter was perfectly in tune with records dense with lyrical detail; each disc carefully programmes familiar with lesser-known material; the arrangers all work to their strengths, Bregman and May delivering hard-hitting big band sounds” (Cook & Morton). Two 12-inch vinyl discs (Verve-Barclay 80033 and 80034), original inner sleeves and gatefold album cover. Some splits to spine, general toning and light sign of handling, minor abrasions to discs otherwise very good. This set has the French Barclay labels (Barclay had a French market distribution deal with Verve); runouts have the matrix numbers as listed by Discogs. ¶ Cook & Morton, The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, 2010 ; four star core collection recording. £685 [148093]
20 GILLESPIE, Dizzy. Original poster for the 1981 Kool Jazz Festival-New York. New York: printed by B. & W. T. Co., 1981 Vibrantly eye-catching poster featuring artwork by LeRoy Nieman and picturing a dj-ed Diz blowing in characteristic “bullfrog chops” mode with signature up- tilted horn. Nieman is perhaps best known for providing the cover art for Frank Sinatra’s Duets albums. This was the final New York iteration of George Wein’s Newport Jazz Festival, which had relocated to the Big Apple in 1972 under the banner of Newport Jazz Festival-New York. Although it was Miles Davis who stole the show after five years away from live performing, it was Gillespie’s iconic status as the instantly recognisable “face of jazz” that put him on the poster. Double-sided poster (650 × 457 mm) on medium paper stock, artwork by LeRoy Nieman. A little peripheral creasing, short closed tear at lower left yet remains in very good condition, unfaded and bright. £850 [149188] 21 GILLESPIE, Dizzy; Count Basie; Dexter Gordon, & others. Signed silk tie. Late 1940s multiply signed and immaculately syncopated neckwear Highly unusual jazz souvenir. The owner evidently wore this tie to a number of gigs and assembled an impressive selection of top-line names, around 30 in
all. From the personnel involved it would seem that the owner was based in France. Groups include all of Bill Coleman’s band from European tours of the early 50s, a similar bunch for Mezz Mezzrow, a heavy representation of Ellingtonians, a clutch of Basie- ites including the Count, and a number of Black musicians who chose to make their homes in France after the Second World War. Due to the difficulties of signing on the slick or textured silk surface, a few have blocked out their names rather than signing fluently, and a couple have resisted attempts to decipher. Starry single names include Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Roy Eldridge, Lil Armstrong, and Lionel Hampton; eminent Ellingtonians – Russell Procope, Don Byas, Kay Davis, Jimmy Hamilton, Alva McCain, Ray Nance, Butch Ballard, Nelson Williams, and Harry Carney – as well as Basie and bandmates Wendell Culley and Marshal Royal; Bill Coleman with Zutty Singleton, Buddy Banks, Randy Downes, and Dick Wells; Mezzrow accompanied by Buck Clayton, Red Richards, Claude Sedric, “Taps” Miller, and dancer Della Grayson from his 1953 tour of France. We have seen a good number of discographies and pictorial histories carried from gig to gig for signatures, but this is the first garment. An exotic and highly attractive piece of memorabilia. Pale blue silk tie with textured diagonal stripe. Somewhat worn, quite literally, and with a few small spots, some signatures a touch faded but in the main strong and legible, but overall very good. £3,500 [149258]
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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