1953 King Pleasure - Red Top (with Betty Carter)

As he had done so effectively a year earlier with James Moody’s “I’m In The Mood For Love” (aka “Moody Mood For Love”) , the artist known as King Pleasure gives us a vocalese treatment of yet another late-1940s jazz instrumental…the Gene Ammons recording of “Red Top” King Pleasure’s real name of Clarence Beeks will be familiar to fans of the Eddie Murphy-Dan Aykroyd comedy film “Trading Places,” as it was the name that director John Landis gave to the villain character played by Paul Gleason, purportedly in tribute to the jazz artist. Billboard R&B Chart Peak: 3 (sales & juke box charts) The original single was issued on Prestige 821 - Red Top (Hampton-Kynard) by King Pleasure with Betty Carter & the Charlie Ferguson Band, dedicated to Gene Ammons