I found a post-war album set called “Eddie Heywood on the 88” and, (embarrassingly) not recognizing the name at first, assumed it was a popular pianist a la Eddie Duchin sort of record and put it in the sell pile. Recently I got it out and took a closer look – seeing Ray Nance and Johnny Hodges in the credits immediately piqued my interest. As I was in the middle of learning “How High The Moon” on guitar, I put this one on.
Nance’s violin starts us out with the pleasant melody – and by the time Heywood is set to go, he is literally chomping at the keys. Aaron Sachs jumps in on clarinet followed by Nance again (on trumpet now!). Don Byas takes us out, sounding decidedly more modern and giving us a taste of the bop he had been woodshedding with Coleman Hawkins, Bird, and Diz on 52nd St.
0:00 Violin (Nance)
0:40 Piano (Heywood)
1:20 Clarinet (Sachs)
1:58 Trumpet (Nance)
2:37 Tenor Sax (Byas)
3:22 Piano (Heywood)
3:33 Ensemble
Heywood’s pops (Heywood Sr.), it turns out – was a jazz pianist going way back – playing with artists like Mamie Smith, Sara Martin, Wilton Crawley, George McClennon, and Lucille Bogan for Okeh in the early 1920s. Heywood Jr. got his start playing with Benny Carter in the late 30s
The Signature label was started by Bob Thiele, an avid jazz enthusiast, in the early 1940s. Their early releases were full of jazz artists like Coleman Hawkins, Meade Lux Lewis, and James P. Johnson. Kind of reminds me of the type of stuff early Blue Note put out. Signature even went a step further and even reissued old jazz and blues classics from King Oliver, Ida Cox, Will Ezell, and Henry Brown.
Unfortunately, poor sales led the Signature label to abandon jazz in early 1947 in favor of popular vocalists and orchestras. This didn’t help matters – and the label ran aground in the late 40s. It was revived a few times over subsequent decades.
Recorded in New York City on May 2, 1944.
Released as Signature 40002 as part of the 12″ album “Heywood on the 88” (Signature R-101).
Credits:
Eddie Heywood – piano
Ray Nance – violin, trumpet
Don Byas – tenor sax
Aaron Sachs – clarinet
John Simmons – string bass
Shelly Manne – drums
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