1982-1990
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Antwerp Jazz Club members, January 26 1982. Percy France is at rear, far right.
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Oliver Jackson Trio featuring
Percy France
Courcelles, Belgium
January 30, 1982
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
First Set:
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Idaho (Stone)
I Can’t Get Started (Gershwin-Duke)
(Oliver Jackson Trio - France out)
Early Bird (Doggett)
Ain't Misbehavin' (Waller-Razaf-Brooks)
The Man I Love (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Second Set:
(Oliver Jackson Trio - France out)
Honky Tonk - Honky Tonk Reprise (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
(Cliff Smalls feature)
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Soundboard source digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
This performance was edited by an unknown person when transferred to cassette. Applause is faded and no stage announcements recorded. Because of this it is unknown whether the audience asked for multiple performances of "Honky Tonk" or if Oliver Jackson requested them. It is interesting to note that Cliff Smalls feature is a reprise of the same slow blues heard in the earlier trio section, so Percy France was not the only member of the group called upon to perform a song previously played during this concert.
Antwerp Jazz Club members see group departure from Belgium, January 31, 1982. Oliver Jackson, Percy France, standing, fourth & fifth from left at rear.
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
From collection of Georges E. Mathys, promoter of February 5 1982
Oliver Jackson Quartet concert at Yverdon Switzerland
Oliver Jackson Trio featuring
Percy France
Limoges, France
February 8, 1982
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
First Set:
Introductions
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Idaho (Stone)
I Can’t Get Started (Gershwin-Duke)
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Waller-Razaf-Brooks)
Trio feature (France out)
Early Bird (Doggett)
Second Set:
Cottontail (Ellington)
See See Rider (Rainey)
Trio feature (France out)
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Source: Soundboard – Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Oliver Jackson Trio featuring
Percy France
Chateauroux, France
February 10, 1982
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
First Set:
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Idaho (Stone)
I Can’t Get Started (Gershwin-Duke)
Percy France intro
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (tape flip – incomplete) (Waller-Razaf-Brooks)
Trio feature (France out)
Early Bird (Doggett)
Second Set:
Cottontail (Ellington)
Percy France intro
CC Rider (tape flip) (Rainey)
Trio feature (France out)
Percy France intro to Honky Tonk
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
encore – Honky Tonk reprise (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Soundboard source - digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Oliver Jackson Trio featuring
Percy France
Biarritz, France
February 13, 1982
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Idaho (Stone)
You've Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Ain't Misbehavin' (Waller-Razaf-Brooks)
(Trio featured - France Out)
Early Bird (Doggett)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Soundboard source - digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Leonard Gaskin, Percy France
Somewhere in Spain, week of February 22, 1982
Cliff Smalls, Leonard Gaskin, Percy France, Oliver Jackson
Somewhere in Spain, week of February 22, 1982
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Percy France, somewhere in Spain, week of February 22, 1982
All photos: Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Oliver Jackson Trio featuring
Percy France & Budd Johnson
Lucerne, Switzerland
March 5, 1982
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
Second Balcony Jump (solos: Johnson/France) (Eckstine-Valentine)
Idaho (solos: France/Johnson) (Stone)
Yesterdays (Johnson feature) (Kern-Harbach)/I Can't Get Started (France feature) (Gershwin-Duke)
(four trio tracks, saxophones out)
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (solos: France/Johnson) (Waller-Razaf-Brooks)
Cottontail (solos: France/Johnson) (Ellington)
CC Rider (solos: France/Johnson) (Rainey)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Cliff Smalls, Percy France, Leonard Gaskin, Budd Johnson
Schaffhausen, Switzerland, March 6 1982
Cliff Smalls, Percy France, Leonard Gaskin, Oliver Jackson, Budd Johnson
Schaffhausen, Switzerland, March 6 1982
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Oliver Jackson Trio featuring
Percy France & Budd Johnson
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
March 6, 1982
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
Second Balcony Jump (solos: Johnson/France) (Eckstine-Valentine)
Idaho (solos: France/Johnson) (Stone)
You’ve Changed (France feature) (Fischer-Carey)
(four trio tracks, saxophones out)
Yesterdays (Johnson feature) (Kern-Harbach)
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (solos: France/Johnson) (Waller-Razaf-Brooks)
Cottontail (solos: France/Johnson) (Ellington)
CC Rider (France feature – incomplete, fade in and out) (Rainey)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Bottom right, Percy France, Budd Johnson, others unknown
Schaffhausen, Switzerland, March 7, 1982
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Le Quartet Rehearsal
New York City, New York
September 13, 1982
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
How Am I To Know (King)
Sugar (take 1 - incomplete) (Turrentine)
Sugar (take 2 - incomplete) (Turrentine)
You’ve Changed (Fischer-Carey)
You've Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
Sugar (Turrentine)
Tracks 1-5 are from September 13, 1982 rehearsal. Remaining tracks are from an un-dated rehearsal tape found in the Leonard Gaskin Papers.
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Oliver Jackson Presents Le Quartet
New York City, New York
September 27, 1982
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
How Am I To Know (King)
You’ve Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Brittwood Rag
Sugar (Turrentine)
You Stepped Out of a Dream
CC Rider Part 1 (Rainey)
CC Rider Part 2 (Rainey)
For Once In My Life
You’re Gonna Hear From Me
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
France does not appear on indented tracks.
Percy France's Rhythm & Jazz
West End Café
New York City, NY
January 15, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Samuel "Sticks" Evans (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
First Set:
Idaho (Phil Schaap band intro over rhythm section after theme) (Stone)
CC Rider (Rainey)
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart (Ellington)
Honeysuckle Rose (Waller-Razaf)
Cliff Smalls feature (France out)
Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone (incomplete) (Stept-Clare)
Second Set:
Phil Schaap band intro
How High The Moon (Lewis-Hamilton)
You’ve Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Rosetta (Hines-Woode)
Sophisticated Lady (Ellington)
All of Me (incomplete) (Marks-Simons)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Le Quartet
Widder Bar & Restaurant
Zurich, Switzerland
January 28-30, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
January 28
First Set:
September in the Rain (Warren-Dubin)
Rosetta (Hines-Goode)
Band Intro
These Foolish Things (Link-Strachey-Maschwitz)
Undecided (Shavers-Robin)
Outro over Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
January 29
First Set:
Oliver Jackson Speaks
The Earnest & Marty Blues (France-Smalls-Gaskin-Jackson)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
Outro over Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Second Set:
How Am I To Know (King)
Oliver Jackson Speaks
Liza (Condon-McKenzie-Rubin)
You've Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Third Set:
It Had to be You (Kahn-Jones)
Intro to vocalist
Body & Soul (vocals - Susan Mulvaney) (Heyman-Green-Sour-Eyton)
Satin Doll (vocals - Susan Mulvaney) (Strayhorn-Ellington)
Please Don't Talk About Me (Stept-Clare)
Outro over Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
January 30
Idaho (Stone)
Oliver Jackson band intros
How Am I To Know (King)
You've Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Honeysuckle Rose (fade in, vocals - Percy France) (Waller-Razaf)
Intro to Jam Session
Taking a Chance on Love (unidentified Swiss Dixieland musicians added) (Duke-LaTouche-Fetter)
Royal Garden Blues (unidentified Swiss Dixieland musicians added) (Williams-Williams)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Percy France, Caroline Ray, Cliff Smalls
Antwerp, Belgium - February 1, 1983
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Percy France, Miquel Jaume (concert presenter), Oliver Jackson, Cliff Smalls, Leonard Gaskin, Jordi Suñol (promoter)
Photo credit unknown - Photo courtesy Jordi Suñol
Cliff Smalls, Percy France, Oliver Jackson
Theatre Palma de Mallorca, Spain
February 14 1983
Le Quartet
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
February 14, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
You’ve Changed (Fischer-Carey)
One O’Clock Jump (Basie)
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Recording date is approximate.
Music and information courtesy of concert promoter Jordi Suñol.
From the Jordi Suñol archive.
Oliver Jackson, Leonard Gaskin, Percy France
Bourbon Street Jazz Club, Palma de Mallorca
Spain - February 15, 1983
Leonard Gaskin, Percy France
Bourbon Street Jazz Club, Palma de Mallorca
Spain - February 15, 1983
Leonard Gaskin, Percy France
Bourbon Street Jazz Club, Palma de Mallorca
Spain - February 15, 1983
Leonard Gaskin, Percy France (far right)
Bourbon Street Jazz Club, Palma de Mallorca
Spain - February 15, 1983
All photos: Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Le Quartet
Bourbon Street Jazz Club
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
February 15, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano), unknown English band (jam session)
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
CC Rider (Rainey)
Oliver Jackson Trio - France out
You've Changed (Fischer-Carey)
When the Saints Go Marching In (joined by unknown English band, possibly Oliver Jackson, vocals) (Black-Purvis)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Leonard Gaskin, Percy France, Oliver Jackson
La Cova del Drac, Barcelona Spain
February 18, 1983
Leonard Gaskin (obscured), Cliff Smalls, Percy France, Oliver Jackson
La Cova del Drac, Barcelona Spain, February 18, 1983
All photos: Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Le Quartet
La Cova del Drac
Barcelona, Spain
February 18, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
How Am I To Know (King)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
Oliver Jackson Speaks
Summertime (Percy France/Cliff Smalls feature) (Gershwin-Gershwin-Heyward)
Sweet Georgia Brown (Bernie-Pinkard-Casey)
Do Nothing til You Hear from Me (Ellington)
Take the 'A' Train (Strayhorn)
Mr. Sandman (vocalist introduced as "Brenda" by Oliver Jackson) (Feltz-Ballard)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Le Quartet
La Cova del Drac
Barcelona, Spain
February 19, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
One O’Clock Jump (Basie)
How Am I To Know (King)
CC Rider (Rainey)
(trio tracks - France out)
Bye Bye Blackbird (Henderson-Dixon)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
You’ve Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Percy France
Yverdon, Switzerland
February 22, 1983
Le Quartet
Casino Municipal de Biarritz
Biarritz, France
February 26, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
First Set:
Oliver Jackson Trio (France out)
Percy France speaks about new album
How Am I To Know (King)
CC Rider (Rainey)
Lover (Rodgers-Hart)
Second Set:
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
You've Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Lady be Good (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Percy France, Pierre Fagalde
Bayonne, France - date unknown
Photo courtesy Pierre Fagalde
Le Quartet
Orange, France
March 5, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
First Set:
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
You've Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Cottontail (Ellington)
Oliver Jackson Trio (France out)
Second Set:
Sweet Georgia Brown (fades in) (Bernie-Pinkard-Casey)
How Am I To Know (King)
CC Rider (fade out/in during piano solo) (Rainey)
That's All (Cliff Smalls/Percy France feature) (Haymes-Brandt)
Oliver Jackson Trio (France out)
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
encore: Honky Tonk Reprise (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Le Quartet
Cercle Cosy Corner
Geneva, Switzerland
March 7, 1983
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano)
First Set:
Second Balcony Jump (Eckstine-Valentine)
Limehouse Blues (Braham)
You’ve Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Trio feature (France out)
Early Bird
Second Set:
Idaho (Stone)
How Am I To Know (King)
CC Rider (Rainey)
That’s All (Percy France feature) (Haymes-Brandt)
(Cliff Smalls feature - France out)
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Percy France at Paul Quinichette's Memorial Service
Saint Peter's Church, New York City
Late May, 1983
Percy France at Paul Quinichette's Memorial Service
Saint Peter's Church, New York City
Late May, 1983
Nancy Miller Elliott Collection
Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University
Photos used by Permission of Copyright Holder
Percy France Quartet
West End Café
New York City, NY
August 21, 1984
Percy France (tenor saxophone, vocals) Bob Neloms (piano) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Oliver Jackson (drums)
Neloms original (France out)
I Love You (Porter)
Fine and Dandy (Swift-Warburg)
The Theme (outro) (Davis)
Set 2
Honeysuckle Rose (France vocal) (Waller-Razaf)
Misty (Neloms feature - France out)
Honky Tonk (incomplete, fade out - second tenor sax plays behind France on intro) (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
It is believed that the second tenor sax on "Honky Tonk" is "Big Nick" Nicholas. During France's scat on "Honeysuckle Rose" he says "Big Nick" before starting a Nicholas-style scat line. This may be indicative that Nicholas was in the audience, and thus the source of the tenor blowing behind France. France's exclamation can be heard at 1:35 of "Honeysuckle Rose," and the unidentified tenor can be heard twice on "Honky Tonk":
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould
Lance Hayward Quartet
Live at Eddie Condon's
New York City, New York
March 11, 1984
Town Crier Cassette 510
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Lance Hayward (piano) Bill Pemberton (bass) Clarence "Tootsie" Bean (drums)
Don’t Blame Me (Fields-McHugh)
Willow Weep For Me (Ronell)
Hello, Dolly (Herman)
Blues in F (Hayward)
That’s All (Haymes-Brandt)
On a Clear Day (Lerner-Lane)
You’ve Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Sweet Georgia Brown (Bernie-Pinkard-Casey)
Bye Bye Blackbird (Henderson-Dixon)
Sly Mongoose (traditional)
First eight tracks are courtesy Larry Kart.
Last two tracks, from same recording session, issued on Lance Hayward & Friends: A Closer Walk (Town Crier CD 517)
Music courtesy Claudia Marx, Town Crier Recordings.
Percy France Quartet
Marriage of Dr. Irene Osborn to Dr. Robert Soper
The Snuff Mill
New York Botanical Garden
Bronx, New York
August 25, 1984
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Oliver Jackson (drums) Charles McLean (Fender Rhodes)
A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody (Berlin)
When the Saints Go Marching In (Black-Purvis)
Take the 'A' Train (Ellington-Strayhorn)
Misty (Garner)
Honky Tonk (incomplete, fades out) (Doggett-Shepherd-Scott-Butler)
Leonard Gaskin, Royce Osborn (father of bride), Percy France
Percy France Quartet
West End Café
New York City, New York
September 3, 1984
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Herman Foster (piano) Oliver Jackson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
In Walked Bud (Monk)
Take the 'A' Train (Strayhorn)
Lover Man (Foster feature, France out)
Perdido (incomplete) (Tizol)
If Dreams Come True (Goodman-Mills-Sampson)
Battle Hymn of the Republic (Steffe)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Lance Hayward Quintet
That's All
New York City, New York
October 28, 1984
Town Crier Cassette 511
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Buddy Tate (tenor saxophone) Lance Hayward (piano) Major Holley (bass) Clarence "Tootsie" Bean (drums)
That’s All (first solo France) (Haymes-Brandt)
Time on My Hands (second solo France) (Gordon-Youmans-Adamson)
I Surrender Dear (first solo France) (Barris-Clifford)
My Ship (Hayward feature)
There is No Greater Love (second solo France) (Jones-Symes)
Misty/I Can’t Get Started (Percy France plays on Misty) (Garner)
Music courtesy Claudia Marx, Town Crier Recordings.
Boston Phoenix October 29, 1985
Courier News (Bridgewater New Jersey) April 17, 1986
Bill Berry Quintet
West End Café
New York City, New York
February 14, 1986
Bill Berry (cornet) Percy France (tenor saxophone) Richard Wyands (piano) Jimmy Lewis (bass) Ronnie Cole (drums)
Just Squeeze Me (Ellington)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
This recording was broadcast on the WKCR Percy France Memorial broadcast (January 11, 1992) from a Friday night WKCR live broadcast from the West End Café. The balance of the broadcast is not available at this time.
Rudy Lawless, Percy France, Elaine Kirby
March 22, 1986, Flamingo Lounge
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
March 22, 1986
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Bob Neloms (piano) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Rudy Lawless (drums) Elaine Kirby (vocals*)
Set 1:
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (Moll-Koehler-Barris)
Canadian Sunset (Gimbel-Heywood)
Misty (Bob Neloms feature, France out)
The Man I Love (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Honky Tonk (incomplete, fade out) (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Set 2:
Now's The Time (Parker)
If I Were a Bell (Loesser)
When I'm Lonesome *
Since I Fell For You * (Johnson)
All of Me * (Marks-Simons)
They Can't Take That Away From Me (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Lady be Good (incomplete, fade out) (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
March 23, 1986
(Updated July 2 2021: This performance was previously estimated to have occurred during or after March 1983 and to consist only of the tunes identified in Set 2. A more complete tape was located in the Leonard Gaskin Papers, consisting of part of Set 1 and a longer recording of Set 2.)
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Rudy Lawless (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Bob Neloms (piano)
Set 1:
There is No Greater Love (incomplete, fade in) (Jones-Symes)
Out of Nowhere (Heyman-Green)
Easy Living (Robin-Rainger)
Sonnymoon for Two (Rollins)
Set 2:
Falling in Love with Love (Rodgers-Hart)
Misty (Neloms feature, France out)
Ain't Misbehavin' (Waller-Razaf-Brooks)
You've Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Sweet Georgia Brown (incomplete, fade out on theme) (Bernie-Pinkard-Casey)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould with the speed correction assistance of James Sangrey.
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
March 28, 1986
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Bob Neloms (piano) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Oliver Jackson (drums)
Set 1:
Satin Doll (Strayhorn-Ellington)
Body & Soul (Neloms feature, France out)
Take the A Train (Strayhorn)
Jitterbug Waltz (Waller)
Set 2: (Rudy Lawless, drums, replaces Oliver Jackson)
Sugar (Turrentine)
CC Rider (Rainey)
Falling in Love with Love (Rodgers-Hart)
Like a Rose (Neloms feature, France out)
The Girl from Ipanema (incomplete, fade out) (Gimbel-Jobim-de Moraes)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
March 29, 1986
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Bob Neloms (piano) Leonard Gaskin (bass) Rudy Lawless (drums)
Set 1:
I'll Close My Eyes (Kaye-Reid)
They Can't Take That Away from Me (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Neloms feature (France out)
I'll Always be in Love with You (incomplete, fade out) (Green-Stept-Ruby)
Set 2:
Autumn Leaves (Mercer-Kosma-Prevert)
(Blues in G) (France)
Star Eyes (de Paul-Raye)
Misty (Neloms feature, France out)
Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) (incomplete, fade out) (Kaye-Jobim-Lees)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Bob Neloms, Rudy Lawless, Percy France, Leonard Gaskin
March 30, 1986, Flamingo Lounge
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
March 30, 1986
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Bob Neloms (piano) Rudy Lawless (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
First Set:
Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) – (incomplete/fade in) (Kaye-Jobim-Lees)
Get Happy (Arlen-Koehler)
Satin Doll (Strayhorn-Ellington
Second Set:
Almost Like Being in Love (Lerner-Loewe)
Neloms Feature (France out) (Neloms)
I’ll Remember April (de Paul-Raye-Johnston)
CC Rider (Rainey)
Shiny Stockings (Foster)
You’ve Changed (Fischer-Carey)
Honky Tonk (incomplete/fade out) (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
Third Set:
On Green Dolphin Street (fade in) (Washington-Kaper)
Take The ‘A’ Train (Strayhorn)
My Funny Valentine (Rodgers-Hart)
Bye Bye Blackbird (Henderson-Dixon)
Body & Soul (tape flip) (Heyman-Green-Sour-Eyton)
C Jam Blues (Ellington)
The Theme (Davis)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
June 20, 1986
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Bob Neloms (piano) Rudy Lawless (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
First Set:
Three Little Words (Kalmar-Ruby)
Blue 'n' Boogie (Gillespie-Paparelli)
Sophisticated Lady (Ellington)
If I Were a Bell (Loesser)
Second Set:
Rosetta (Hines-Woode)
Do Nothing til You Hear from Me (Ellington)
Cottontail (Ellington)
They Can't Take That Away From Me (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Misty (Garner)
St Louis Blues (incomplete, fadeout) (Handy)
Third Set:
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (Washington-Bassman)
Falling in Love with Love (Rodgers-Hart)
Satin Doll (Strayhorn-Ellington)
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
(Bob Neloms feature, France out, fadeout) (Neloms)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
June 21, 1986
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Bob Neloms (piano) Rudy Lawless (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
First Set:
Donna Lee (fade in) (Parker)
They Can't Take That Away from Me (Gershwin-Gershwin)
C Jam Blues (Ellington)
Misty (Neloms feature, France out) (Garner)
All of Me (Marks-Simons)
You've Changed (fadeout) (Fischer-Carey)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
June 22, 1986
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Bob Neloms (piano) Rudy Lawless (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
Second Set:
There is No Greater Love (Jones-Symes)
Bottom's Up (Jacquet)
Just Squeeze Me (Ellington)
Stairway to the Stars (Parish-Malneck-Signorelli)
Almost Like Being in Love (incomplete, fadeout)
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (Moll-Koehler-Barris)
Final Set:
Take the 'A' Train (Strayhorn)
In a Mellotone (vocal) (Ellington)
Satin Doll (Strayhorn-Ellington)
The Theme (Davis)
France's final stage announcement indicates the conclusion of the last set of the evening. A guest bassist played the last set and a female vocalist joined the group for "Mellotone." However it was not possible to decipher their names.
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould with the tape-speed adjustment assistance of James Sangrey.
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Juanita Smith, Leonard Gaskin, Keisha St Joan, Percy France
July 12, 1986, Flamingo Lounge
Bob Neloms, Leonard Gaskin, Percy France
July 12, 1986, Flamingo Lounge
Bob Neloms, Leonard Gaskin, Percy France
July 12, 1986, Flamingo Lounge
Photos: Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
July 12, 1986
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Bob Neloms (piano) Rudy Lawless (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
First Set:
Flamingo Blues (France)
All of Me (Marks-Simons)
Like a Rose (Neloms Feature – France Out) (Neloms)
Shiny Stockings (Foster)
Canadian Sunset / The Theme (Gimbel-Heywood / Davis)
Second Set:
Take The ‘A’ Train (Strayhorn)
Like a Rose (Neloms Feature – France Out) (Neloms)
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (Hammerstein-Romberg)
CC Rider (Rainey)
If I Were a Bell (Loesser)
Castle Rock (incomplete – fade out) (Sears)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould with tape speed correction guidance from James Sangrey and Allen Lowe.
Bob Neloms, Roy Francis, Percy France
July 13, 1986, Flamingo Lounge
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
George Kelly, Leonard Gaskin, Percy France, Ronnie Cole
April 29, 1987 - Jaylin's Club, Bern Switzerland
Leonard Gaskin, Percy France, George Kelly
April 29, 1987 - Jaylin's Club, Bern Switzerland
George Kelly, Percy France, Leonard Gaskin
April 29, 1987 - Jaylin's Club, Bern Switzerland
Percy France, George Kelly, Leonard Gaskin, Ronnie Cole
April 29, 1987 - Jaylin's Club, Bern Switzerland
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sammy Price's Two-Tenor Boogie
Jaylin's Club
Bern, Switzerland
April 29, 1987
Sammy Price (piano) Percy France (tenor saxophone) George Kelly (tenor saxophone) Ronnie Cole (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
First Set:
The Man I Love (Percy France feature – fade in) (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Honeysuckle Rose (France first solo) (Waller-Razaf)
I Want a Little Girl (Kelly first solo, Price vocal) (Murry-Moll)
Second Set:
Georgia On My Mind (fade in, Kelly first solo) (Carmichael-Gorrell)
Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me (Kelly first solo) (Ellington)
I’ll Never Be The Same (Kelly feature, France out) (Kahn-Malneck-Signorelli)
I Would Do Anything For You (Kelly first solo) (Hopkins-Hill-Williams)
I’ve Got the World on a String (France first solo, fade out) (Arlen-Koehler)
Third Set:
In The Evening (Kelly first solo, Price vocal, fade in) (Carr)
Shake that Thing (Price vocal, Kelly first solo) (Price)
I Want a Little Girl (Price vocal, Kelly first solo) (Murry-Moll)
Blues in G (Kelly feature, France out) (Price)
Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me (Kelly first solo) (Ellington)
St James Infirmary (Price vocal, Kelly first solo) (Traditional)
When The Saints Go Marching In (Price vocal, France first solo) (Black-Purvis)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
The following two photographs were taken by Dany Gignoux at the Kornhauskeller, Bern, Switzerland, during the 1987 Bern Jazz Festival.
From left to right: Charlie Gabriel (sax), Leroy Jones (tp), George Kelly (sax), Percy France (sax), Leonard Gaskin (b), Clive Wilson (tp), Lucien Barbarin (tb)
From left to right: Charlie Gabriel (sax), Leroy Jones (tp), George Kelly (sax), Percy France (sax), Leonard Gaskin (b), Clive Wilson (tp), Lucien Barbarin (tb)
Sammy Price's Two-Tenor Boogie
Jazz Band Ball
Bern, Switzerland
May 2, 1987
Sammy Price (piano) Percy France (tenor saxophone) George Kelly (tenor saxophone) Ronnie Cole (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
Honeysuckle Rose (France first solo) (Waller-Razaf)
When The Saints Go Marching In (Price vocal) (Black-Purvis)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Scott Hamilton recalls that this concert (which included the George Wein All-Stars of which Hamilton was a member) was a Brunch event at a restaurant called the Kornhaus. These two tracks are all that were recorded.
Sammy Price, Percy France, George Kelly
May 2, 1987 - Bern Festival - Bern Switzerland
Sammy Price, Percy France, George Kelly, Leonard Gaskin, Ronnie Cole
May 2, 1987 - Bern Festival - Bern Switzerland
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sammy Price (piano) Percy France (tenor saxophone) George Kelly (tenor saxophone) Ronnie Cole (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
The Bern Festival (Price)
In The Evenin’ (Carr)
Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
I Want a Little Girl (Murry-Moll)
Kansas City (Leiber-Stoller)
Body and Soul (Heyman-Green-Sour-Eyton)
Shake That Thing (Price)
Honeysuckle Rose (Waller-Razaf)
When The Saints Go Marching In (Black-Purvis)
Sammy Price's Two-Tenor Boogie
Jazz Festival Bern
Bern, Switzerland
May 2, 1987
Performance at 12th Annual Jazz Festival Bern.
Video issued as part of The Jazz & Blues ARTBOX, a 230 DVD collection of performances recorded by Swiss television at International Jazz Festival Bern from 1983 to 2002.
Information about performance courtesy Hans Zurbrügg, founder of Jazzfestival Bern.
Wild Bill Davis (organ) Percy France (tenor saxophone) Dickie Thompson (guitar) Clyde Lucas (drums)
This performance of "Atlantic City" was broadcast on the German-language Swiss TV show, "Carousel" November 9, 1987. The actual recording date is unknown. Based on the format of the program, this is believed to be a one-off performance. (Video is not available outside of Switzerland.)
Wild Bill Davis Quartet
Switzerland
1987
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
August 30, 1987
Percy France (tenor saxophone) Marcia Frazier (piano and vocals) Freddie Sullivan (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
Embraceable You (Gershwin-Gershwin)
Just a Lucky So-and-So (Frazier, vocals) (Ellington-David)
More Than You Know (Frazier, vocals) (Youmans-Rose-Eliscu)
Blue Bossa (Dorham)
On Green Dolphin Street (Washington-Kaper)
Take the 'A' Train (Strayhorn)
Flamingo (Anderson-Grouya)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
Percy France, John Patton, Leonard Gaskin
October 7, 1988 - Flamingo Cafe
Leonard Gaskin, Wes Anderson
October 7, 1988 - Flamingo Cafe
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Percy France Quartet
Flamingo Lounge
Brooklyn, New York
October 7, 1988
Percy France (tenor saxophone) "Big" John Patton (piano) Wes Anderson (drums) Leonard Gaskin (bass)
First Set:
Out of Nowhere (Heyman-Green)
Just Friends (Lewis-Klenner)
Body and Soul (Heyman-Green-Sour-Eyton)
C Jam Blues (Ellington)
The Theme/Meet the Flintstones (Davis/Curtin-Hanna-Barbera)
Second Set:
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (Hammerstein-Romberg)
CC Rider (Rainey)
St Louis Blues (Handy)
My Funny Valentine (Rodgers-Hart)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Audience recording digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.
The pianist on this date has been determined to be the organist known as “Big” John Patton. Guitarist Ed Cherry and organists Mike Flanigin, Radam Schwartz and Javier Gonzalez all identified him from the available musical, photographic, and vocal evidence.
Percy France
Audiobook Projects
New York City, New York
Ca. 1988
Percy France (tenor saxophone)
The Ragman’s Son by Kirk Douglas (1988)
Mickey Spillane audiobooks narrated by Stacy Keach
The Killing Man (published December 1989) – cassette source
My Gun is Quick (May 1990) – audiobooks.com source
Kiss Me Deadly (September 1990) – cassette source
Vengeance is Mine (September 1990) – youtube.com source
I, The Jury (May 1991) – audible.com source
One Lonely Night (May 1991) – audiobooks.com source
The Big Kill (June 1994) – audiobooks.com source
Original music composed and performed by Percy France
Digitally remastered and edited by Daniel Gould.
In the WKCR Percy France Memorial broadcast, Phil Schaap stated that he recommended France to provide tenor saxophone interludes for audiobook recordings of Kirk Douglas’ autobiography, The Ragman’s Son, and the Mickey Spillane novel Vengeance is Mine. Research revealed that France provided saxophone interludes for each of the Spillane novels listed above, all narrated by Stacy Keach. Recording location is presumed to be New York City. While it is unknown if this music was recorded at a single session or several, an interlude from Ragman’s Son was also used as the final notes for The Killing Man, suggesting that this music was recorded at a single session. It should also be noted that the last audiobook appeared two and a half years after Percy France died.
Purvis Henson, Shep Shepherd, Cliff Smalls, Percy France
November 15, 1988 - Home of Muriel Randall
Brooklyn, New York
Shep Shepherd, Percy France, Muriel Randall (front) Cliff Smalls (rear) Purvis Henson, Celeste Henson
November 15, 1988 - Home of Muriel Randall - Brooklyn, New York
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
On November 15, 1988, Shep Shepherd was visiting the east coast from San Francisco. A cassette labelled "Shep Get Together," acquired from the Gaskin Papers, documents about 80 minutes of conversation among Shepherd, France, Smalls, Leonard Gaskin (in attendance but not photographed) and Purvis Henson, who was the featured saxophonist for the Buddy Johnson Orchestra featuring Ella Johnson.
Percy France, unknown guest
Percy France's 61st birthday party
August 15, 1989
Seaman's Net Restaurant
New York City, New York
Percy France, unknown guest
Percy France's 61st birthday party
August 15, 1989
Seaman's Net Restaurant
New York City, New York
Percy France (saxophone), unknown guests
Percy France's 61st birthday party - August 15, 1989
Seaman's Net Restaurant, New York City, New York
Photos: Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sammy Price's Two-Tenor Boogie
West End Café
New York City, New York
April 6, 1990
Sammy Price (piano) Percy France (tenor saxophone) Doug Lawrence (tenor saxophone) Jerry Potter (drums)
Phil Schaap intro to Body and Soul (Doug Lawrence feature, France out) (Heyman-Green-Sour-Eyton)
Misty (Garner)
CC Rider (Solos: France/Lawrence) (Rainey)
Honky Tonk (solos: France/Lawrence/France) (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott)
West End (Gate) Boogie (solos: France/Lawrence/France) (Price)
Leonard Gaskin Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Originally a live Friday night broadcast from the West End Gate, these tracks were re-broadcast during WKCR Percy France Memorial Broadcast (January 11, 1992). Other songs broadcast during the original concert are unknown.
Digitally remastered by Daniel Gould.