Well Now Dig This!

The Jodimars - Well Now Dig This! - BULLDOG Records BDL 1031
Originally CAPITOL Records 1955-1957

Side A
Well Now Dig This
Dance The Bop
Let's All Rock Together
(Boom Boom) My Bayou Baby
Eat Your Heart Out Annie
Lotsa Love

Side B
Rattle My Bones
Rattle Shakin' Daddy
Clara-Bella
Midnight
Cloud 99
Later

In 1955 just as Bill Haley and the Comets were becoming the biggest stars of the latest thing, rock 'n' roll, three members of the band quit over a pay dispute. Joey D'Ambrosia (sax), Dick Richards (drums) and Marshall Lytle (bass) decided the way to make some real money was to form their own band, so they signed to Capitol as The Jodimars, (the name made up from the first few letters of each of their first names). Dick switched from drums to vocals and they drafted a new drummer and two guitarists. They recorded six singles for Capitol of good time up beat rock 'n' roll not that dissimilar to their former boss. During this time they had a few minor hits and were one of the first rock 'n' roll bands to take up residence in Las Vegas showrooms. In 1958 the band broke up and the guys started other careers, Joey became a casino pit boss, Marshall went into real estate and Dick became a movie actor.

In 1989 Joey, Dick and Marshall came to the UK and performed as the Jodimars at a rock 'n' roll weekender in Brean Sands, Weston Super Mare. Supplemented by members of the Stargazers, they played for about an hour and tore the place up. It was an amazing concert (I was there!), they played for about an hour and gave it their all, a real high energy show. The atmosphere was electric, the next band had to wait a while for the clapping and cheering to subside before they could go on. As if that wasn't enough, they came back on a little later in the evening as the Comets for another amazing show, and bought the house down yet again. Not bad for three guys in their mid to late fifties! This concert was the only time they played as the Jodimars since the 1960's although they toured for many years as the Comets. Their set as the Comets was filmed (by the BBC I think) and although I remember watching it and trying to find myself in the crowd, for some reason I didn't video it (idiot). Surprisingly though, footage of the Jodimars set is on YouTube (clip below).

Here's 'Let's All Rock Together', 'Eat Your Heart Out Annie' and as a bonus, them performing 'Well Now Dig This' at Brean Sands 1989 (I'm in the audience somewhere)........

City Of Glass

Stan Kenton And His Orchestra - City Of Glass - 1951
CAPITOL Records LC 6577 - 10" LP

Side A
Entrance To The City
The Structures

Side B
Dance Before The Mirror
Reflections

Stan Kenton was always a champion of 'modern' or 'progressive' jazz, indeed many of the big names in West Coast jazz served their apprenticeships in his orchestras. The collaborations he made with contemporary classical composer Bob Graettinger though must surely be his most 'out there'. This album, recorded in 1951, is described by the composer as suggesting "a city in which the structures are shapes of musical sound, transparent and in constant motion, so that one can be seen through the outlines of others - a city of glass-like edifices".

The music is very abstract and by no means an easy listen, but well worth it. Sadly I can no longer listen to it, far too painful, but that's no reason for you not to. Although you can listen to everything Stan Kenton recorded with Bob Graettinger on Spotify here I realise this may be a bit much for the casual listener so I made a Spotify playlist of just the City Of Glass tracks here