Walter Bishop Jr. Bish At The Bank: Live In Baltimore

Product Description

BLACK, 180 GRAM VINYL. Bish at the Bank: Live in Baltimore is an official previously unissued set of recordings by one of the unsung heroes of bebop jazz piano, Walter Bishop Jr., featuring a swinging trio with Harold Vick on saxophone, Lou McIntosh on bass and Dick Berk on drums. This hand-numbered (to 3,000), double LP set was transferred from the original tape reels and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl, boasts 100 minutes of music and is packaged in a gatefold sleeve with an extensive booklet with essays by esteemed jazz journalist Ted Panken and jazz video journalist and friend of Bishop's, Bret Primack; rare photos by Don Schlitten, Raymod Ross and Jan Persson; plus, poetry pieces written by Bishop. The set is produced by label owner musician Cory Weeds and "Jazz Detective" producer Zev Feldman. The double LP set consists of 2 shows recorded in Baltimore, Maryland, disc one recorded at The Madison Club on August 28, 1966 and The Famous Ballroom on February 26, 1967.

Harlem-born Bishop began his performing and recording career as part of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers on his debut Blue Note album in 1948. His bebop style continued on with gigs and recordings with Kenny Dorham, Jimmy Heath, Milt Jackson, Stan Getz, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Oscar Pettiford, Wynton Kelly and many others. In the 1960s he fronted a trio with Jimmy Garrison and G.T. Hogan. He recorded for various independent labels including Jazztime, Black Jazz and Muse Records.

The 8-track set cooks with 2 Miles Davis compositions along with standards such as "Willow Weep for Me," Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Quiet Nights" and Henry Mancini's "The Days of Wine and Roses."

Track Listing:

Disc 1:

My Secret Love
Blues
Days Of Wine & Roses
Quiet Nights

Disc 2:

If I Were A Bell
So What
Willow Weep For Me
Pfrancing (No Blues)

Review

4.5 stars! Two exuberantly delivered live shows...While his studio albums are superb, Bish at the Bank goes a long way in showcasing just how masterful and appreciated he truly was, especially in a live setting. --All Music Guide

Bop pianist Walter Bishop Jr. gets a well-deserved, overdue ovation with the release of Bish At The Bank. The sets have been beautifully packaged and reproduced by archivist Zev Feldman and musician-impresario Cory Weeds, complete with great photography. --Downbeat Magazine

The music hits like a hurricane...Reel-to-Real Recordings has become a company that can always be counted on to deliver musical surprises no matter who they are featuring, and Bish At The Bank is now at the very top of their offerings. Bank on it. --Americana Highways