Rare Gonsalves

I have been trying recently to collect the earliest recordings of Paul Gonsalves. Whether they are records he made with Teddy Weatherford (or indeed if he recorded with him at all: see here) is a subject for another day.

    Paul certainly did record four sides with Boston society pianist  Sabby Lewis and his band in March, 1946. You can clearly see Paul sitting in the reed section in the photograph here...   

... which appears on the cover of the Sabby Lewis album it is easiest to obtain, Boston Bounce:

This LP from the 1970s anthologises the first two sides Paul recorded with the band, Edna and Boston Bounce.

    The LP is likely a dub and so in order to get closer to the music, and indeed the other two titles, one must dig a little deeper into the crates...

    These sides appeared first as 78s on the Continental label. The third title on the session, Alone In The City Blues, was only ever issued in that format, as far as I know. Here is the record:

... which was the B-side of the aforementioned Edna.

Trying to avoid the much later dubbed LP, here are some more alternatives for much earlier pressings, the first time in fact in which these recordings were anthologised on microgroove on the Remington label. Edna also appears on the B-side of this 10" Lp celebrating Ethel Waters...

The fourth and final title from this elusive session, Are You Coming Home, John? was anthologised on this Remington 45...

A much more modern and 'hi fi' title Hi Fi Jazz Session on the Mastersound label also includes the ubiquitous Edna.

... and two of there sides, Are You Coming Home, John? and Boston Bounce appear on this (likely) bootlegged title from Australia.

Here is the original of that 'Manhattan' bootleg Café Society Swing  again on the Remington label and what for my money is the definitive microgroove issue of those two titles.  

Those four obscure sides, then, have appeared in several different guises over the years. You pays your money and you takes your choice...

For much greater detail on the Remington and associated labels, visit the fascinating Sound Fountain pages...