Does anyone have Leon Sash recordings or links to them

[Mike K]

I am looking for recordings of Leon Sash's original songs, specifically the ones in the yellow books.   I found a few Youtube videos but they are him doing cover songs.   Thanks.

 

[JIM D.]

 

[losthobos]

Yellow books???? Enlighten me please...

 

[dunlustin]

Well, what a discovery for me!
I guess this is the yellow book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collection...rds=leon+sash&qid=1555668629&s=gateway&sr=8-2
I see he played finto - how strange that the cba was so unacceptable in the USA at the time.
There are some really interesting memories among the youtube comments.
Great music!

 

[losthobos]

For me he still IS the man... Never surpassed...
And how he gets that sound from a CBA Genius...

 

[Eddy Yates]

Most of us will never come close to Leon, but it’s great to hear what can be done in his transcendent playing. Thanks for the links. Wish there was video somewhere.

 

[Mike K]

Those are all cover songs....I have listened to them.   I am looking for the originals in his books like:

Fast Operation
G Whiz
Sashkebob
Robinsonia, etc.   

Two yellow jazz books.   Also looking for the blue Rockin the Blues book, do not have that one.  I have a few recordings on SOundcloud, https://soundcloud.com/mike-klemen/sets/leon-sash-jazz-accordionist, but I would like to hear what his versions really sounded like.

 

[losthobos]

While we're here does anyone know of any video links on how to achieve Sashs Chord Tremolos and other effects... Many thanks

 

[Eddy Yates]

While were here does anyone know of any video links on how to achieve Sashs Chord Tremolos and other effects... Many thanks

This doesnt specifically address your request, but is really interesting for a number of reasons. First, Tom Collins was kind of the saint of accordion teachers in Montana and the Northwest United States. Im very sorry he passed before I came to my senses and discovered the instrument.
Second, he wears the accordion in a way not many teach, with the bottom angled towards the right so that the weight of the bass box of the instrument makes tremolo easier (listen to his little masterclass. Of course, Ive never had a teacher and Im just guessing from videos Ive watched.)
Third, if you track him down on the web, youll find a lot of stories of other accordionists. Not sure if he knew Leon, though.

 

[losthobos]

Thanks Eddy... Though was not so much the bellows shake techniques but another little tremolo Leon uses.... If you check the Misty link above, first one Jerry posted you'll hear it on the words WALK my way and a thousand violins begin to PLAY.....just for starters.. Guy had phenomenal expression
Hope that makes sense
Thanks again

 

[AccordionUprising]

Its a crime against jazz (and the accordion) that only one of Leon Sashs records was reissued in the CD era. I dont have them all and it pisses me off. I really want a copy of The Master, his posthumous collection of early 1950s recordings.


Hey, look! Some good person has posted Hi-Fi Holiday for Accordion on the Internet Archives! Hurray for Piracy!
https://archive.org/details/hifiholidayforac00sash

Ill post the files from my not good condition (sorry) copy of This is Jazz Accordion to my Dropbox here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/r3c3fahxxh1zrel/Leon Sash, This is Jazz Accordion (1956).zip?dl=0

Thanks for asking about this, Sashs students continue to lament that hes so little known. Its with the hope that hell get much deserved attention that I wrote about him in my Accordion Revolution book (due in June!)

******

I believe Sash released five commercial albums (one posthumously). His wife Lee Morgan (not the trumpet player) put together a few tapes/cds of standards after his death too.

Some of these are the tracks you were looking for. I dont have the books he published. (Interestingly, his students transcribed them, since he was blind.) 


Below is the track lists for the five commercial albums:


******

His posthumous 1983 Polygram Records LP collected his 1950s singles (originally released on 45 and 78 rpm on eMarcy Records). The track list includes several Sash originals from early in his career.

The Master (Polygram 1983):

1.  Leon The Lion (Sash)
2.  Swing Brother Swing (Sash - Morgan)
3.  Sweet And Gentle (Sash - Morgan)
4.  Give Me A Solid Beat (Sash - Morgan)
5.  Minoring For Gold (Sash)
6.  Lets Fall In Love (Koehler - Arlen)
7.  Runaway (Sash)
8.  Its Sentimental (Morgan - Les)
9.  Package For Peggy (Sash)
10.  Its The Talk Of The Town (Levinson - Symes - Nelburg)
11.  Tell Me Youre In Love With Me (Morgan)

******

The Leon Sash Quartet, This is Jazz Accordion (1956)
(Storyville (US) STLP 917)

1. Sash-ke-bob (Sash and Morgan; Mills Music, ASCAP. Time: 4:25)
2. Scoobie Doobie George (Sash and Morgan; Mills Music, ASCAP. Time: 3:28)
3. Lullaby of Birdland (Shearing; Patricia Music, BMI. Time: 4:06)
4. Fast Operation (Sash and Morgan; Mills Music, ASCAP. Time: 2:47)
5. Deep Purple (DeRose and Parish; Robbins Music, ASCAP.
Time: 3:40)

1. Take the Turnpike (Sash and Morgan; Mills Music, ASCAP. Time: 4:42)
2. Meant for Brent (Sash and Robinson; Mills Music, ASCAP. Time: 5:10)
3. I Cant Get Started (Duke and I. Gershwin; Chappell & Co.,
ASCAP. Time: 6:35)
4. Robinsonia (Sash and Robinson; Mills Music, ASCAP.
Time: 4:02)


******

Toshiko and Leon Sash at Newport
(Verve MGV 8236)
(This live album was recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 and released on the Verve record label.)
Leons split album (hes on side B) First accordionist to play at Newport Jazz Fest:

Leon Sash Quartet: Leon Sash, accordion; Ted Robinson, t sax and clarinet; Lee Morgan, bass; Roger Price, drums.

Leon Sash set (Side B):

Sash-Kebob (Sash, Morgan)
Meant for Brent (Sash, Robinson)
Carnegie Horizons (Shearing)
Blue Lou (Mills, Sampson)


******

Hi-fi Holiday For Accordion: The Twin Accordions of Leon Sash
(Harmony January 1, 1965)  
COLUMBIA HARMONY: HL7222
[Correct Date? Is there another “Hi Fi” version?]

A1 Liebestraum
A2 Barcarolle
A3 Bublitchki
A4 Helene Polka
A5 Dark Eyes
B1 I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls
B2 Chaine Polka
B3 Two Guitars
B4 Dear One
B5 Come Back To Sorrento


******

I Remember Newport (1967?) Delmark, Ds 9416
Trio: Sash, Lee Morgan, Ed Uhlig, drums.  
[This is the only original Sash record reissued on CD.]
[Mostly standards, except I Remember Newport]

1 Easy To Remember
2 I Remember Newport
3 Arent You Glad Youre You
4 Pennies From Heaven
5 Polka Dots and Moonbeams
6 Misty
7 Our Love Is Here To Stay
8 There Will Never Be Another You
9 Lullaby Of The Leaves
10 I Remember Newport
11 Arent You Glad Youre You
12 Our Love Is Here To Stay

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Just downloaded Hi-Fi Holiday for Accordion from the Internet Archives: https://archive.org/details/hifiholidayforac00sash

Listening to it for the first time, I much prefer This is Jazz Accordion (see the copy I put up for download here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r3c3fahxxh1zrel/Leon Sash, This is Jazz Accordion (1956).zip?dl=0

Too bad, I really wanted to have another one with his bop style. 

Makes me want to get his original Newport record and The Master collection. Pity he didnt record more. 

See what you think. Any other opinions?

 

[Eddy Yates]

Great list, Bruce. Wonder how tough it would be to find the master tapes, get permission to re-release them, clean them up and put them out digitally?

 

[AccordionUprising]

Its very unfortunate that Sash didnt get reissued in the great burst of CD reissues in the late 1990s. I think reissues are much more difficult now.

Sashs recordings were spread over several labels: EmArcy, Polygram, Mercury, Storyville, Verve, Harmony (Columbia), and Delmark.

According to Wikipedia, Universal Music Group owns EmArcy, Polygram, Mercury, and Verve.
Sony Music owns Harmony (Columbia)
Storyville remains independent: https://www.storyvillerecords.com

Delmark remains independent as well, and their Sash CD I Remember Newport is still available! https://delmark.com/product/416/

So Reissuing Sashs recordings would be a project.

The best vintage jazz accordion reissues are probably the Art Van Damme ones on MPS records in Germany (I dont think these are all of Arts records but Im not sure):
https://www.mps-music.com/?s=art+van+damme
It might be worth contacting them to suggest Sash reissues.

The best example of successfully campaigning for reissue of a forgotten accordionist is that of Terry Teachout, whos New York Times article about Joe Mooney helped lead to Mooneys work being reissued in 1999.

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/21/...e-few.html?src=pm&pagewanted=2&pagewanted=all

https://news.allaboutjazz.com/joe-mooney-greatness-and-happiness.php

But again, the music industry is in massive flux now, and this type of reissue seems less likely without some significant effort by fans. Sigh.

 

[Eddy Yates]

Bruce said, “But again, the music industry is in massive flux now, and this type of reissue seems less likely without some significant effort by fans. Sigh.”

My wife and I have run a “boutique” label for years. It’s not so expensive to do a small pressing and release if one doesn’t need to recoup immediately. I may check it out if the masters are available and that is actually more likely with some favorable copyright laws now taking effect.

 

[AccordionUprising]

Easiest might be asking Storyville to reissue the great This is Jazz Accordion (since they still exist as Europes oldest independent jazz label).

Matter of fact, Im going to go over there and politely request it now.
https://www.storyvillerecords.com/about
CONTACT STORYVILLE Email: info@storyville-records.com

Well see how that goes.

The next one Id go for is The Master compilation of early tracks.
That was Polygram in 1983, which is now owned by Universal.
Universal also owns Verve, which did the original Newport split album in 1957, so you could ask about both.

 

[Zevy]

Have you tried this?:
http://www.henrydoktorski.com/historicaccordionrecords.html

 

[AccordionUprising]

Latest: The Storyville Records that released Sashs This is Jazz Accordion was based in Boston, and isnt the same as the European label. That makes things harder.

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Have you tried this?:
http://www.henrydoktorski.com/historicaccordionrecords.html

Thanks Zevy,

Youre right. I shouldnt leave those out. They are the other posthumous Sash records released by Lee Morgan (Leons wife and bass player).

Theyre ok. But mostly standards from live dates. I dont think they show the quality of his playing as well as some of the early studio recordings.

b

 

[Mike K]

Thank you very much.   First time I heard the songs I have been trying to play.   As I feared, he plays them much faster than I do.    The metronome settings on the sheet music are faster than I can make my old fingers move.   This is great though, really appreciate it.

 

[KLR]

Toshiko and Leon Sash at Newport Enjoy!

 

[AccordionUprising]

Toshiko and Leon Sash at Newport Enjoy!

These are a treat KLR! Thank you!