Pawn Ticket – Ray Bryant
This uptempo piece is a masterful ride through Ray Bryant's swing vocabulary.
- Recording: Ray Bryant - Ray Bryant Trio
- Recorded on: May 11, 1956
- Label: Epic (LN 3279)
- Concert Key: D
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Piano - Ray Bryant
- Bass - Wyatt Ruther
- Drums - Osie Johnson
This Ray Bryant tour de force gem demonstrates his swinging technique. Ray's original chord changes and hits and the bass line for the head are indicated in the C treble clef lead sheet. This composition will make your audience feel good—like all of Ray's music does—as well as your band.
This was the second session of Ray Bryant's trio date for Epic. The trio first recorded on April 3, 1956, with drummer Kenny Clarke. They completed a take of Philadelphia Bound (later recorded by the Jo Jones Trio), but their take of Pawn Ticket was apparently unsuccessful, as it was never released. They tried it again in May with drummer Osie Johnson, and you can hear the results in the audio clip above.
This composition was immediately popular. Guitarist Johnny Smith recorded it next, with Johnny Rae on vibes, a few months later on September 29, 1956. Smith chose a more relaxed tempo (approximately 224). Next, George Shearing, Ray's good buddy and always a champion of Ray's music, recorded it at the Newport Jazz Festival (July 5, 1957—click on the next album cover). We clock this performance at a brisk 246. At the end of that month, Shearing recorded another version (click the third album cover), at a slightly more relaxed tempo (approximately 238). In May, 1958, Billy May arranged it for his "Big Fat Brass" album on Capitol Records. Ray Bryant recorded it again in Japan in October, 1989, for his "All Mine & Yours" recording (EmArcy).
This composition was immediately popular. Guitarist Johnny Smith recorded it next, with Johnny Rae on vibes, a few months later on September 29, 1956. Smith chose a more relaxed tempo (approximately 224). Next, George Shearing, Ray's good buddy and always a champion of Ray's music, recorded it at the Newport Jazz Festival (July 5, 1957—click on the next album cover). We clock this performance at a brisk 246. At the end of that month, Shearing recorded another version (click the third album cover), at a slightly more relaxed tempo (approximately 238). In May, 1958, Billy May arranged it for his "Big Fat Brass" album on Capitol Records. Ray Bryant recorded it again in Japan in October, 1989, for his "All Mine & Yours" recording (EmArcy).
- Recording: George Shearing - At Newport
- Recorded on: July 5, 1957
- Label: Pablo (PACD 5315)
- Concert Key: D
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Piano - George Shearing
- Vibes - Emil Richards
- Guitar - Toots Thielemans
- Bass - Al McKibbon
- Drums - Percy Brice
This version was recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival.
Although this was billed as the George Shearing Sextet, with the Adderley brothers Nat and Cannonball, neither one plays on this track.
- Recording: George Shearing - In The Night
- Recorded on: August, 1957
- Label: Capitol (T1003)
- Concert Key: D
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Piano - George Shearing
- Vibes - Emil Richards
- Guitar - Toots Thielemans
- Bass - Al McKibbon
- Drums - Percy Brice
Pianist George Shearing loved Ray Bryant's music.
This composition was immediately popular. Ray first recorded Pawn Ticket on May 11, 1956, for Epic. Guitarist Johnny Smith next recorded it, with Johnny Rae on vibes, a few months later on September 29, 1956. Smith chose a more relaxed tempo (approximately 224). Next, George Shearing, Ray's good buddy and always a champion of Ray's music, recorded it at the Newport Jazz Festival (July 5, 1957). We clock this performance at a brisk 246. At the end of that month, Shearing recorded the version here, at a slightly more relaxed tempo (approximately 238). In May, 1958, Billy May arranged it for his "Big Fat Brass" album on Capitol Records. Ray Bryant recorded it again in Japan in October, 1989, for his "All Mine & Yours" recording (EmArcy).
Ray Bryant
December 24, 1931 – June 2, 2011
Following performances in his native Philadelphia with guitarist Tiny Grimes and as house pianist at the Blue Note Club with Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Miles Davis and others, Ray Bryant came to New York in the mid-1950s. His first jazz recording session in New York was with Toots Thielemans (August, 1955) for Columbia Records. That session led to his own trio sessions as well as sessions with vocalist Betty Carter for Epic Records in May and June ("Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant"). On August 5, 1955, Ray recorded with Miles Davis, and on December 2, 1955, with Sonny Rollins, both for Prestige Records. Read more...