BENNY CARTER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 579 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD, the fifth in Classics' complete chronological reissue of Benny Carter's early recordings as a leader, features his 1939-40 big band, an orchestra that never did catch on commercially. Most selections have trumpeter Joe Thomas, trombonist Vic Dickenson and pianist Eddie Heywood as the main soloists other than the leader (who plays alto and trumpet) although the last date on this disc has a reorganized band with trumpeter Bill Coleman and trombonist Sandy Williams among the principal players. among the highpoints from this enjoyable but underrated big band are "Savoy Stampede," "Scandal in a Flat," "Shufflebug Shuffle," "Night Hop" and "When Lights Are Low." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Scandal in a Flat 3:20
Benny Carter    
2     When the Lights Are Low 2:54
Benny Carter / Spencer Williams    
3     The Favor of a Fool 3:02
Benny Carter / Irving Mills    
4     Riff Romp 2:59
Benny Carter    
5     Shufflebug Shuffle 2:48
Benny Carter    
6     Vagabond Dreams 2:58
Hoagy Carmichael / Jack Lawrence    
7     Love's Got Me Down Again 2:34     
8     More Than You Know 2:49
Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans    
9     Sleep 3:00
Earl Lebieg    
10     Among My Souvenirs 3:13
Edgar Leslie / Horatio Nicholls    
11     Fish Fry 3:13
Benny Carter    
12     Slow Freight 3:22
Buck Ram / Roger "Ram" Ramirez    
13     Honey Bunny Boo 2:40
Roe Alexander / Roger "Ram" Ramirez    
14     The Five Little Quints 2:46
Roger "Ram" Ramirez    
15     Harmony in Harlem 3:07
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges / Irving Mills
16     Midnight Jamboree 2:28
Roger "Ram" Ramirez    
17     Night Hop 3:11
Benny Carter
18     Pom Pom 2:53
Benny Carter    
19     O.K. for Baby 3:06
Benny Carter    
20     Serenade to a Sarong 3:16
Benny Carter    
21     Smack 2:38
Leonard Feather    
22     I Surrender, Dear 4:30
Harry Barris / Gordon Clifford    
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Carl Frye (pistas: 1 to 12, 17 to 20), George Dorsey (pistas: 17 to 20), James Powell (pistas: 1 to 12)
Alto Saxophone, Trumpet, Clarinet, Piano, Arranged By – Benny Carter
Bass – Hayes Alvis (pistas: 1 to 20), John Kirby (pistas: 21, 22)
Drums – Henry Morrison (pistas: 1 to 4), William "Keg" Purnell (pistas: 5 to 20), Sidney Catlett (pistas: 21, 22)
Guitar – Bernard Addison (pistas: 21, 22), Ulysses Livingston (pistas: 1 to 12, 17 to 20)
Piano – Eddie Heywood, Jr. (pistas: 1 to 16), Sonny White (pistas: 17 to 20)
Tenor Saxophone – Castor McCord (pistas: 1 to 4), Coleman Hawkins (pistas: 9 to 16, 21, 22), Ernie Powell (pistas: 1 to 8), Sammy Davis (2) (pistas: 5 to 8, 17 to 20), Stafford Simon (pistas: 17 to 20), Stan Payne* (pistas: 9 to 12)
Trombone – Gene Simon (pistas: 9 to 12), Jimmy Archey (pistas: 1 to 12), Milton Robinson (pistas: 17 to 20), Sandy Williams (pistas: 17 to 20), Vic Dickenson (pistas: 1 to 12)
Trombone, Vibraphone – Tyree Glenn (pistas: 1 to 8)
Trumpet – Bill Coleman (pistas: 17 to 20), George Woodlen (pistas: 1), Eddie Mullens (pistas: 2 to 8), Joe Thomas (4) (pistas: 1 to 16), Lincoln Mills (pistas: 1 to 12), Roy Eldridge (pistas: 21, 22), Russell Smith (pistas: 9 to 12, 17 to 20), Shad Collins (pistas: 17 to 20)
Vocals – Dell St. John (pistas: 2), Roy Felton (pistas: 6 to 8, 10), The Quintones (pistas: 13 to 16)