Charlie Ventura & Bill Harris Live At the Three Deuces (1947)

Charlie Ventura & Bill Harris : Live At the Three Deuces : 1947

Lossless : FLAC(tracks +.cue, log + scans) : 224 MB (+ 3% rec.)
Label: Highnote Records

Historic live performances at the Three Deuces in New York City 1947

Charlie Ventura tenor sax Bill Harris trombone

Ralph Burns piano Bob Leininger bass Dave Tough drums

1 . Characteristically B.H. (В. Harris) 9:54
2 . Blue Champagne (J. Eaton / F. Ryerson / G. Watts) 5:18
3 . Frolic Sam (C.C. Williams) 7:45
4 . High On An Open Mike (C. Ventura) 9:06
5 . Body And Soul (J. Green / E. Heyman / R. Sour) 7:37
6 . The Great Lie (C. Calloway / A. Gibson) 7:37
7 . Everything Happens To Me (T. Adair / M. Dennis) 3:18
Total Time: 51:48

Fileserve : p 1 - p 2 - p 3
Filesonic : p 1 - p 2 - p 3

Charlie Ventura and Bill Harris made their mark among fellow jazz musicians but both died in obscurity. The reappearance of these historic live performances from 1947 are important parts of their discography, most of them transcribed by collector Jerry Newman during gigs at the Three Deuces. Unlike 78 rpm discs of the era, the musicians get a chance to stretch out at length. Ventura's boppish tenor sax shows the influence of swingers like Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster, yet he is clearly speaking a new language on the instrument. Harris is a bit more economical with his notes but no less effective an improviser. The rhythm section features pianist/arranger Ralph Burns, bassist Bob Leininger and the tragic but gifted drummer Dave Tough. While this isn't a complete compilation of their material from this period, it represents most of the highlights. Highly recommended.

William P. Gottlieb at the Three Deuces in New York 1947

Bill Harris and Charlie Ventura, William P. Gottlieb's home (table tennis room), N.Y., ca. Apr. 1947

Bill Harris and Charlie Ventura, William P. Gottlieb's home (table tennis room), N.Y., ca. Apr. 1947

Charlie Ventura and Dave Tough, Three Deuces, New York, N.Y., ca. Apr. 1947

Charlie Ventura, Curley Russell, Bill Harris, Ralph Burns, and Dave Tough, Three Deuces, New York, N.Y., ca. Apr. 1947

Jack Teagarden, Bill Harris, Dave Tough, and Charlie Ventura, Three Deuces, New York, N.Y., between 1946 and 1948

Coleman Hawkins

Coleman Hawkins, circa September 1946.
Photo by William P. Gottlieb.

Coleman Hawkins and Miles Davis,
Three Deuces, New York, N.Y., ca. July 1947