Question For The Red-Heads

VTDB · #1 06-01-2005, 11:52 AM

I am looking for some Red Mitchell recommendations. I know he has a ton of recorded material so I'm a bit lost as to where to begin. I recently got the Cole Porter tribute with Red and Lee Konitz and it has been on my turntable constantly.

Paul Warburton · #2 06-01-2005, 06:44 PM

Hey Man, welcome to TBDB. I'm the local RM authority and Red freak. I can tell you just about anything you wanna know about Red, his playing and life in general. He was a piece of work. My friends here know better than to mention his name, because they know it's gonna be off topic for a minute or 20. But, for now, do a search under his name and/or mine. There are tons of Reds recordings mentioned and reviewed, as well as a couple of DVDs.
Also, try and complete a few more fields in your Profile. The more we know about you, the more we have to talk about and this also helps us help you, if you ever need it.
Thanks, and again, welcome....

VTDB · #3 06-01-2005, 07:05 PM

Thanks. I have been searching through all of the Red posts. Its a bit like trying to get a glass of water from Niagara Falls (I mean that in a good way).

Paul Warburton · #4 06-02-2005, 06:05 AM

VTB, do you have a name? I might be able to help a bit...are you interested primarily in Reds later stuff after he went to the fifth tuning? Or his older stuff before he moved to Sweden or both? Duos, trios,solo stuff. He was also a great pianist. His politically driven and humorous compositions that he performed singing and playing the piano were almost another genre.
Lemee know what you want...

VTDB · #5 06-02-2005, 09:58 AM

My name is Tyler. VTDB was my attempt at being clever. I'm not really sure what I am looking for. I mentioned liking that Red Mitchell/Lee Konitz record which I think was made after the switch to fifths tuning and I love that but I would also be interested in pre-fifths stuff. I'm looking at those Hampton Hawes records and that looks like a good place to start, no?

Paul Warburton · #6 06-02-2005, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTDB

My name is Tyler. VTDB was my attempt at being clever. I'm not really sure what I am looking for. I mentioned liking that Red Mitchell/Lee Konitz record which I think was made after the switch to fifths tuning and I love that but I would also be interested in pre-fifths stuff. I'm looking at those Hampton Hawes records and that looks like a good place to start, no?

You bet. The three Hampton Hawes Trio sides on Contemporary, as well as the 'All Night Session' quartet sides featuring Jim Hall...also Contemporary. Another one, with Red as leader 'Presenting Red Mitchell' Contemporary. A real early one I just got that was recorded about the time Red was with Billie Holiday: Jimmy Raney and Sonny Clark/Together.Xanadu re-release, 1954. Another that I love and Reds first as a leader..Red Mitchell Bethlehem label. The Hawes trio with Joe Maini and Conte Condoli.
The above are all Red four string with guts.
For more contemporary Red with steel strings and into the fifth tuning era go to Diane Mitchells site for Reds catalogue:
http://home.teleport.com/~mimuma/
That oughta get you started.

Peck_Time · #7 06-02-2005, 05:46 PM

A bit off-topic: did Red have a bass playing brother?

I'm pretty sure i've got an old LP with 'Whitey' Mitchell playing DB. I seem to remember he had Steve Lacey in his band.

Paul Warburton · #8 06-02-2005, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peck_Time

A bit off-topic: did Red have a bass playing brother?

I'm pretty sure i've got an old LP with 'Whitey' Mitchell playing DB. I seem to remember he had Steve Lacey in his band.

Yes, Gordon Whitey Mitchell took up the bass at the same time as Red did..Red was in Germany in the Army, trading a couple cartons of cigs for a bass, just as Whitey, at home in NY, was taking up the bass....neither brother was aware that the other was taking up the bass!
Whitey recorded and worked with Gene Krupa, among others.
He became a very successful TV comedy writer on shows such as Dick VanDyke.
The brothers did a record together called: Get Those Elephants Outta Here...The Mitchells: Red, Whitey and Blue.
When Red and Whitey finally got together with their basses, practicing in the elder Mitchell's living room, the boys mother would come through the living room with her vacuum yelling...Get those elephants outta here !!....
This album features Blue Mitchell, trumpet ( no relation ) Andre Previn, piano (recorded in NYC when Red and drummer Frank Capp were with Previn performing there) Frank Rehak, trombone, Pepper Adams, bari and Capp.
A couple bass duets and some piano by Red....

VTDB · #9 06-02-2005, 06:58 PM

Paul, thanks a lot. Your considerable knowledge of Red Mitchell is much appreciated.

Paul Warburton · #10 06-02-2005, 07:08 PM

See what I mean? I can't stop.....
Here's one that not alot of people know.....Whitey Mitchell was the second bass player on the Oscar Pettiford Big Band!
He also recorded with Herbie Mann.

I think i'm through now.

Marcus Johnson · #11 06-02-2005, 08:51 PM

What?! So Blue Mitchell is no relation to Red and Whitey?

Paul Warburton · #12 06-03-2005, 05:50 AM

I thought you might enjoy that. Marcus, did you ever work with Blue? I had the pleasure and honor of working with he and Harold Land together one of the most delightful experiences of my life. Blue was one of the funniest Mothers in the world and Harold is my very favorite tenorist.

Marcus Johnson · #13 06-03-2005, 12:04 PM

No, man, I wish I had. I've heard he was a great guy. Him and Harold together, that must have been great.

simandlhandle · #14 06-06-2005, 04:34 PM

Jim Hall and Red Mitchell live duo album.

Paul Warburton · #15 06-06-2005, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simandlhandle

Jim Hall and Red Mitchell live duo album.

Yes, of course, but that one is so hard to find, I decided to leave it out this time around. It's so good that when people start talking about it, it becomes a frustrating scene not to be able to get it..somebody ripped off my copy and I was able to replace it only because someone here on TBDB was able to get me a burned copy.

Marcus Johnson · #16 06-06-2005, 05:37 PM

I wish someone would re-release that one, so everyone here could experience it. One of the greatest recordings of any kind, ever.

VTDB · #17 06-06-2005, 07:40 PM

I had actually heard of this recording before (possibly from this site) and I was unable to find it but I didn't realize it was so hard to find.

jgbass · #18 06-06-2005, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

Diane Mitchells site for Reds catalogue:
http://home.teleport.com/~mimuma/
That oughta get you started.

Paul, what a great resourse for Red. Answered alot of questions I had in the bio there. Right now I am stuck on Presenting Red Mitchell, his first solo effort. Looks like there's many more recordings yet to be heard.

Paul Warburton · #19 06-07-2005, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbass

Paul, what a great resourse for Red. Answered alot of questions I had in the bio there. Right now I am stuck on Presenting Red Mitchell, his first solo effort. Looks like there's many more recordings yet to be heard.

Great, glad you dug it jg! Alot of tunes that Red released on early albums, such as Rainy Night on 'Presenting' had Red adding lyrics to them later and then released later with Red playing piano and singing them on albums such as 'Home Suite'
This is the one that I mentioned before that features Red playing piano, singing and whistling 'Body and Soul'
I mentioned playing this cut for many great players at my home, including Don Thompson and our own Ray Parker.
This cut is so musical and beautiful, it moved more than one great player to tears! You, first, have to get by Reds voice, which kinda sounds like Bert Lahr as the lion in 'The Wizard of Oz'
Actually, Red Mitchell on Bethlehem is Reds first outing as a leader.
Fortunatley, like Bill Evans, Red left a huge recorded legacy for us. The Jim Hall-Red Mitchell Duo Live from Sweet Basil's in NY, that Marcus mentions is the only, and maybe the best recorded Red that seems impossible to get. For me and apparently Marcus, it's the best guitar/bass record in recorded history.

jgbass · #20 06-07-2005, 04:24 PM

Finally Live in Stockholm with Joe Pass and Red playing and singing is a great one too. Will try to get the Jim Hall one too.