The first and second editions of Cawthron 507
from the collection of Armin Büttner
The first and second editions of Cawthron 507
from the collection of Armin Büttner
Sam Lazar (org); Grant Green (eg); possibly Chauncey Williams or Phillip Wilson (dr)
St. Louis, late 1959
| CP-2077 | Space Flight | Part I (Lazar) |
Cawthron 507-A | |
| CP-2078 | Space Flight | Part II (Lazar) |
Cawthron 507-B |
Information from different copies of Cawthron 507 from the collection of Armin Büttner. This session is not mentioned in Tom Lord's Jazz Discography.
"Space Flight Part 1" and "Space Flight Part 2" are two variations on the blues. They have the same key and tempo, but really distinct themes. Guitarist Grant Green (whose first issued session this was) is identifiable clearly. Matrix numbers CP-2077 and CP-2078 according to 45rpmrecords.com indicate a pressing date of 1959.
Cawthron 507 was first issued with the Maffit Avenue, St. Louis adress. A second copy seems to have been pressed shortly after label owner Dunlap J. Cawthron's move to Los Angeles – this one carries the "Distributed exclusively distributed by Bingo Records" note .
Note that the St. Louis copy mentions Lyco Music as the publisher while it is Marmor Music on the Hollywood copy.
The release of Cawthron 507 was only announced in the Billboard issue of May 9, 1960. Most probably this pertained to the third issue of this record. Note that the publisher has reverted back to Lyco Music on this copy. This time the CP numbers are only printed on the label. In the wax the numbers are 1450-A and 1450-B which might suggest a connection to the Claude Mclin Allegro series which ran from 1459–1464.
The third edition of Cawthron 507. From the collection of Armin Büttner
Uptown UPCD 27.68
Bob Graf (ts), Grant Green (g); Sam Lazar (org); Chauncey Williams (dr), Pete Simpson (poetry -1)
The Holy Barbarian, St. Louis, December 25, 1959
| Opening Credits (announcement by Pete Simpson) | Uptown UPCD 27.68 | ||
| There Will Never Be Another You (Warren-Gordon) | Uptown UPCD 27.68 | ||
| The Holy Barbarian Blues (Lazar or Green) | Uptown UPCD 27.68 | ||
| Groovin' High (Gillespie-Parker) | Uptown UPCD 27.68 | ||
| Deep (Lazar) [Grant's Swing (Green)] | Uptown UPCD 27.68 | ||
| Out Of Nowhere (Green-Heyman) | Uptown UPCD 27.68 | ||
| Blue Train-1 (Coltrane) | Uptown UPCD 27.68 |
Uptown UPCD 27.68 was released in 2012. According to the liner note to Uptown UPCD 27.68, written by Bob Blumenthal, what the producers titled "The Holy Barbarian Blues" on Uptown UPCD 27.68 was named "Caramu" on the tape box that carried the Holy Barbarian tapes. But the tune is not identical to the "Caramu" with matrix 10220 on Argo LP4002 (see also note to the next session).
What is called "Deep" on Uptown UPCD 27.68 is the same piece as "Deep" from Lazar's summer 1962 session (matrix 11763 composer there: Lazar). On the tape box of the Holy Barbarian tapes this was given as "Grant's Swing" (Green).
The Grant Green / Sam Lazar group at the Holy Barbarian in St. Louis. From an article in
The St. Louis Argus, March 11, 1960. Reproduced in the booklet of Uptown UPCD 27.68
The Holy Barbarian, St. Louis, February 20, 1960
| Blue Caribou [Caramu] | Uptown UPCD 27.68 |
Sam Lazar announces this tune at the Holy Barbarian as "Blue Caribu". It is identical to the tune "Caramu" with matrix number 10220 from the next session (see also note to the previous session).
Argo LPS 4002 from the collection of Armin Büttner
Sam Lazar (org); Grant Green (g); Willie Dixon (b); Chauncey Williams (dr)
Chicago, June 1, 1960
| 10214 | Funky Blues (Lazar-Jones) | Argo LP4002 | |
| 10215 | Big Willie (Big Willies) [Space Flight Part II] | Argo LP4002 | |
| 10216 | Space Flight (Lazar-Jones) | Argo LP4002, Argo 5365 | |
| 10217 | Dig A Little Deeper (Lazar-Jones) | Argo LP4002, Argo 5365 | |
| 10218 | Gigi Blues (Lazar-Jones) | Argo LP4002 | |
| 10219 | Blues (?) | Chess (G)6.24802AG ? | |
| 10220 | Caramu (Lazar-Jones) | Argo LP4002 | |
| 10221 | Mad Lad (Lazar-Jones) | Argo LP4002 | |
| 10222 | We Don't Know (Lazar-Jones) | Argo LP4002 | |
| 10223 | Ruby (Parrish-Roemheid) | Argo LP4002 | |
| 10224 | So Fine | unissued | |
| 10225 | Put In Your Old Grey Bonnet | unissued | |
| 10226 | My Babe (Dixon) | Argo LP4002 | |
| 10227 | All Or Nothing At All | unissued |
Basic information from Tom Lord. Argo LP4002 (mono) and Argo LPS4002 (stereo), both titled "Space Flight", were released in 1960. Chess (G)6.24802AG is an LP under Willie Dixon's name, Vol. 12 in the Blues Roots series. We have not yet checked that LP, any information is welcome. For example: Is there really Lazar track on that LP? If so, is its name really just "Blues"? Has this track been previously been released? Lord gives "Big Willies" as an alternate title for "Big Willie" – which seems to be dedicated to Willie Dixon. "Big Willie" is the same "composition" as "Space Flight part II" from the 1959 Cawthron session. "Mad Lad" is a dedication to St. Louis radio personality E. Rodney "Mad Lad" Jones, who is also the "Jones" who is given as co-composer in all tracks from this session that were composed by Lazar. Jones was also responsible for the liner notes.
Back of Argo LPS 4002 from the collection of Armin Büttner
Sam Lazar (org); rest unidentified
Chicago, circa Nov. 7, 1961
| 11289 | Three Points East | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11290 | Deeper Yet | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11291 | Falling In Love With Love | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11292 | Another Space | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11293 | Cheatin' On Me | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11294 | Whenever | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11295 | Into Every Life Some Rain Must Fall | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11296 | Makin Whoopee | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11297 | Gangster Lee | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11298 | Barbados | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11299 | My Funny Valentine | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11300 | Please Send Me Someone To Love | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11301 | On The Street Where You Live | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11302 | Misty | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11303 | Come Rain Or Come Shine | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 11304 | All Of Me | Chess/Argo unissued |
Argo LP4015 from the collection of Armin Büttner
Miller Brisker (ts); Sam Lazar (org); Joe Diorio (g); Phillip Wilson (dr)
Chicago, circa summer 1962
| 11763 | Deep (Lazar) | Argo LP4015 | |
| 11764 | Long Gone (Thompson) | Argo LP4015 | |
| 11765 | Bag's Groove (Jackson) | Argo LP4015 | |
| 11766 | Fuzz Buzz (Lazar) | Argo LP4015 | |
| 11767 | Just Make Love To Me (Dixon) | Argo LP4015 | |
| 11768 | S&S (Lazar) | Argo LP4015 | |
| 11769 | Please Send Me Someone To Love (Mayfield) | Argo LP4015 | |
| 11770 | Scootin' (Lazar) | Argo LP4015 | |
| 11771 | Everyday [I have the blues] |
unissued |
Basic information from Tom Lord. Argo LP4015 (mono) and Argo LPS4015 (stereo), both titled "Playback", were released in 1962.
Back of Argo LP4015 from the collection of Armin Büttner
Argo 5472 from the collection of Armin Büttner
prob. same pers.
Chicago 1962
| U11941 | I Ain't Mad At You | Checker 1030, Argo 5427 | |
| U11942 | Camp Meeting | Checker 1030, Argo 5427 |
Information from Tom Lord and a copy of Argo 5472 from the collection of Armin Büttner.
Argo 5472 from the collection of Armin Büttner
Argo LP714 from the collection of Armin Büttner
Miller Brisker (ts); Sam Lazar (org); George Eskridge (g); Phillip Thomas (dr)Chicago, November 21, 1962
| 12027 | Smooth Casting (Lazar) | Argo LP714 | |
| 12028 | C C Rider (arranged and adapted by Lazar) | Argo LP714 | |
| 12029 | High Noon (Tiomkine-Washington) | Argo LP714 | |
| 12030 | Sam's Jams (Lazar) | Argo LP714 | |
| 12031 | Happy Bossa Nova (Lazar) | Argo LP714 | |
| 12032 | Soul Merchant (Lazar) | Argo LP714 |
Basic information from Tom Lord.
Back of Argo LP714 from the collection of Armin Büttner
Sam Lazar (org); rest unidentified
Chicago, 1963 or 1964
| 12942 | De Villa | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 12943 | Three For One | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 12944 | J.C.T. | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 12945 | I'll Never Be Free | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 12946 | unidentified title | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 12947 | unidentified title | Chess/Argo unissued |
Sam Lazar (org); rest unidentified
Chicago, 1964 (?)
| 13501 | unidentified title | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 13502 | unidentified title | Chess/Argo unissued | |
| 13503 | unidentified title | Chess/Argo unissued |