Woody Shaw Quintet Live, May 1978

In 1978, 1979 and 1980 my friend Otto Flückiger (we did not know each other until 1992) went to the USA for some weeks. In 1978 he chose New York City as his destination. Of course he tried to see as many jazz bands as possible. So on May 18 1978 he took his camera and his cassette recorder to the Village Vanguard, where Woody Shaw (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was playing with his quintet from May 16 to May 22 (Shaw’s Columbia live album “Stepping Stone” was recorded there in August of same year).

Carter Jefferson and Woody Shaw at the Village Vanguard, May 18, 1978.
Photo: Otto Flückiger (click to enlarge)

Although Otto took several photos of each band he saw, for some reason only two photos from this concert survive. But Shaw is announcing the personal at one time. Carter Jefferson is playing soprano and tenor sax, Onaje Allan Gumbs is the pianist, Victor Lewis is playing drums. A problem is the identification of the bassist. Shaw’s regular bass player at that time was Clint Houston. But what Woody Shaw seems to say is Ted Easton. Meanwhile Otto noted down Frank Houston.  But of course this may well be Clint Houston after all.

So here is the other photo:

Carter Jefferson, Woody Shaw and Onje Allan Gumbs at the
Village Vanguard May 18, 1978. Photo: Otto Flückiger (click to enlarge)

Although the cover of the cassette on which Otto recorded this concert says “C-60″, it contains a C-90 Cassette, so a full 1 1/2 hours survive from this concert:

Unfortunately sound quality is not too good. Some parts are rather muffled, others are very distorted. One of the better tracks on the tape is Woody Shaw’s composition Rahsaan’s Run dedicated to Roland Kirk, which I am presenting you here:

Enjoy!

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