Booker Little

Synopsis

Alyn Shipton is joined by Tom Perchard to select the highlights from trumpeter Booker Little's recorded catalogue. Before his death in 1961 aged 23, Little was seen as one of the brightest hopes of jazz in the 1950s, forging a new compositional and playing style that offered a way forward from bebop that was strikingly original.

Playlist:

DISC 1
Title: Jewel's Tempo
Artist: Booker Little 4 and Max Roach
Composer: Little
Album: Booker Little 4 and Max Roach
Label: Blue Note
Number : CDP 7844572, Tr 5
Personnel: Booker Little (trumpet), George Coleman (tenor saxophone), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Art Davis (bass), Max
Roach (drums). October 1958. Nola Studios, NYC

DISC 2
Title: Minor Sweet
Artist: Booker Little
Composer: Brent
Album: In New York
Label: Jazz View
Number: 013, Tr 2
Personnel: Booker Little (trumpet), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Scott LaFaro (bass), Roy Haynes (drums). April
1960. NYC

DISC 3
Title: Hazy Blues
Artist: Booker Little
Composer: Little
Album: Out Front
Label: Candid
Number: 79027, Tr 6
Personnel: Booker Little (trumpet), Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet), Julian Priester (trombone), Max Roach (percussion), Don Friedman (piano), Ron Carter, Art Davis (bass). New York - March 17/April 4, 1961

DISC 4
Title: Fire Waltz
Artist: Booker Little
Composer: Waldron
Album: Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Vol 1
Label: Prestige
Number: OJCCD 133-2, Tr 1
Personnel: Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone), Booker Little (trumpet), Mal Waldron (piano), Richard Davis (bass), Ed
Blackwell (drums). July 16, 1961

DISC 5
Title: Mrs Parker of KC (Bird's Mother)
Artist: Eric Dolphy
Composer: Jaki Byard
Album: The Essential Eric Dolphy
Label: Prestige
Number: 60022, Tr 7
Personnel: Booker Little (trumpet), Eric Dolphy (flute, bass clarinet), Jaki Byard (piano), Ron Carter (bass), Roy Haynes (drums)

DISC 6
Title: Garvey's Ghost
Artist: Max Roach
Composer: Roach
Album: Percussion Bitter Sweet
Label: Impulse
Number: 122, Tr 1
Personnel: Booker Little (trumpet), Julian Priester (trombone), Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone, bass clarine), Clifford Jordan (tenor saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Art Davis (bass), Max Roach (drums); Abbey Lincoln (vocals). Aug 61

DISC 7
Title: If I Should Lose You
Artist: Booker Little
Composer: Robin/Rainger
Album: Booker Little and Friend
Label: JVC Japan
Number: 61453, Tr 4
Personnel: Booker Little (trumpet), Don Friedman (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), Pete LaRoca (drums), (Julian
Priester (trombone), George Coleman (tenor sax) - do not appear on this track)

DISC 8
Title: Forward Flight
Artist: Dave Douglas
Composer: Little
Album: In Our Lifetime
Label: New World
Number: 80471, Tr 3
Personnel: Dave Douglas (trumpet), Chris Speed (tenor sax, cello), Josh Roseman (trombone), Marty Ehrlich (bass clarinet), Uri
Caine (piano), James Genus (bass), Joey Baron (drums). Recorded at Power Station, New York City on December 7, 8, 1994.

Broadcasts

1. Sat 13 Jun 2009
   16:00
   BBC Radio 3
2. Sun 13 Dec 2009
   00:00
   BBC Radio 3