Jimmy Raney:
King of the Clarinet: Buddy DeFranco
Personnel:
Buddy DeFranco – Clarinet , Kenny Drew – Piano, Jimmy Raney – Guitar, Teddy Kotick- Bass, Art Taylor-Drums Recorded: 1952
Sweet Georgia Brown
Gone With the Wind
Cairo
Artie Shaw – Gramercy 5 with Jimmy Raney
Personnel:
Artie Shaw – Clarinet, Don Fagerquist – Trumpet, Jimmy Raney – Guitar, Dodo Marmarosa/Gil Barrios – Piano, Dick Niveson – Bass, Irv Kluger – Drums Recording: 1949
Titles
Smoke Gets in Your in Your Eyes
Pied Piper Theme
Grabtown Grapple
Cross Your Heart
Jimmy Raney, Bob Brookmeyer and Jim Hall at the Jazz Loft, 1965
The Red Norvo Trio
Strike Up the Band * See the free transcription for this solo!
Red Norvo – Vibraphone Recording: April 23, 1953
Jimmy Raney – Guitar
Red Mitchell – Bass
Doug Raney:
Doug Raney with Hod O’Brien
Up in Quincy’s Room, recorded at a radio broadcast at KRO Jazz Connection in Hilversum, Holland, featuring Raney, O’Brien, Ferdinand Povel (ts), Stefan Lievestro (b) and Max Bolleman (d)
Doug Raney with Hod O’Brien (Courtesy of Marc Meyers @ JazzWax)
2 Comments
Red Sullivan
I remember when the “European Jazz Guitar Orchestra” tour (and a concert with very badly recorded sound -unfortunately – I think for German TV) occurred and the resulting CD:
https://www.discogs.com/pt_BR/Doug-Raney-Heiner-Franz-Maarten-Van-Der-Grinten-Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric-Sylvestre-Louis-Stewart-The-European-Jazz/release/11158163
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Subsequently, and I so wish I could nail the date for you, your brother played the Guinness Cork Festival in Ireland with a 4 guitar frontline, including the late great Louis Stewart, Mundell Lowe and two other guitar players not quite at that level – but with a very fine English rhythm section – Dave Green (bass) and, if I remember correctly, Steve Brown (drums) – today’s rhythm section for much touring activity with Scott Hamilton, and also Barry Harris’ long time London Trio members. Doug was blissful at the opportunity to play with Louis Stewart (biography here, for your possible interest: http://www.louisstewart.net), who, of course, came straight out of your father, musically – and Louis, quite simply – as I myself – regarded Doug as the best true jazz guitarist of his era (the best time, the most melodically inspired length of line, the “true” sound of the guitar and touched by genius often fretting at the very edge of perfection itself!). During that festival weekend I got to meet and, at least to a degree, know your brother, who was an absolute gentleman, a very warm person and an hugely engaging and dazzlingly intelligent conversationalist who took me (a teenager, most probably, at the time) into his confidence and spoke his mind, openly, and very generously (for a young fanatic – which is what I was: I avidly collected all of his SteepleChase records, with Louis Stewart’s active encouragement!). I’ll never forget the time he took with me and his generosity to me personally. It remains deeply precious to me. He was a giant in an era that critical trend got the hierarchy of, in my opinion, very particularly the true guitar masters absolutely wrong (I believe no other art form has been so damaged by critics as has jazz). Who was playing as well as your brother in the ’80s and ’90s? Louis Stewart himself comes to mind, but precious few others – yet, so, far, this is not acknowledged by critical opinion. I believe, though, that as time passes these truths, which are self-evident, may yet become accepted historical record – after all: the literature (by which I mean an extensive, consistent and brilliant discography) EXISTS! With the utmost and most profound admiration possible for your late brother (not to mention your father!!!) – and, too, for your excellent efforts here on this site, Sincerely, Red Sullivan (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
Jon Raney
Hi Red,
Thanks for your informative comments. I have the record at home. I was wondering if there is more of the video available somewhere.
It’s great that you got to meet Doug. To a certain extent I missed out on great deal of my brother’s life, so it is always interest to me to hear about others and with a certain tinge of regret that I missed out on so much it myself. Our reunion in 1993 to about 1998 when we got to do some touring together remain one of the highlights of my life. (Denmark tour in 1994 and then gigs at Birdland in 1996 and 1997)
Doug, often commented about Louis Stewart as someone he really admired. And for Doug, that is a high compliment as indeed was pretty critical of many established players.
Doug had a particular vision of the way he felt like jazz guitar should be played. In the 70s I believe there were two streams – the fusion stream and the traditional jazz guitar stream. At the time he was one of the few that held his ground on his vision. In his view, his vision “won out” so to speak as time wore on. In truth, I suppose it takes all kinds, but the purest vision – that which ideas and core sound driven less by effects and more by ideas wins the day.
My brother was continuing the tradition started by my father but his attention to craft – his sound is often noted as well as the specificity of his own particular lines are indeed his hallmark and is easily underestimated. Even by me, as I continue to muse on their legacy.
Best wishes,
Jon Raney