BENNY CARTER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 631 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Most of the selections on the sixth and final Classics' CD to reissue all of Benny Carter's pre-war recordings as a leader feature the altoist's commercially unsuccessful big band. With such major soloists as the leader, trumpeter Jonah Jones and Sidney DeParis, trombonists Benny Morton and Jimmy Archey and pianist Sonny White, it is surprising that this orchestra did not make it. The October 23, 1940 recording session (which has three vocals by Roy Felton including one in which he is joined by the Mills Brothers) is quite rare while the opening set from eight days earlier is a small group date with Bill Coleman and Benny Morton that features a pair of W.C. Handy blues sung by Big Joe Turner. Excellent swing music overall. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me 4:05
Clarence Gaskill / Jimmy McHugh   
2     Joe Turner Blues 2:42
W.C. Handy   
3     Beale Street Blues 2:34
W.C. Handy   
4     By the Watermelon Vine, Lindy Lou 3:13
5     The Last Kiss You Gave Me 3:12
Harry Ruby   
6     Boogie Woogie Sugar Blues 3:04
7     I've Been in Love Before 3:08
Frederick Hollander / Frank Loesser   
8     All of Me 3:18
Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons   
9     The Very Thought of You 3:05
Ray Noble   
10     Cocktails for Two 3:03
Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston   
11     Takin' My Time 3:21
Benny Carter   
12     Cuddle up, Huddle Up 2:44
Benny Carter   
13     Ev'ry Goodbye Ain't Gone 3:13
Benny Carter   
14     Babalu 3:04
Margarita Lecuona   
15     There! I've Said It Again 3:03
Redd Evans / Dave Mann   
16     Midnight 3:16
Johnny Gomez / Charlie Parker   
17     My Favorite Blues 3:06
Benny Carter   
18     Lullaby to a Dream 3:07
Benny Carter / Johnny Gomez   
19     What a Diff'rence a Day Made 3:02
Stanley Adams / María Mendez Grever   
20     Sunday 2:41
Chester Conn / Benny Krueger / Ned Miller / Jule Styne
21     Ill Wind 3:00
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler   
22     Back Bay Boogie 2:52
Benny Carter   
23     Tree of Hope 2:49
Benny Carter       
Credits :   
Alto Saxophone – Bill White (tracks: 12 to 15), Chauncey Haughton (tracks: 4 to 11), Eddie Barefield (tracks: 16 to 19), Ernie Purce (tracks: 16 to 23)
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – George James (tracks: 4 to 11, 20 to 23)
Alto Saxophone, Piano, Clarinet, Trumpet, Arranged By – Benny Carter
Bass – Charles Drayton (tracks: 16 to 23), Hayes Alvis (tracks: 4 to 11), John Kirby (tracks: 1), Ted Sturgis (tracks: 12 to 15), Wilson Myers (tracks: 2, 3)
Drums – Al Taylor (tracks: 16 to 19), J.C. Heard (tracks: 12 to 15), William "Keg" Purnell (tracks: 4 to 11), Berisford Shepherd (tracks: 20 to 23), Sidney Catlett (tracks: 1), Yank Porter (tracks: 2, 3)
Electric Guitar – William Lewis (tracks: 20 to 23)
Guitar – Bernard Addison (tracks: 1), Everett Barksdale (tracks: 4 to 11), Herb Thomas (tracks: 12 to 19), Ulysses Livingston (tracks: 2, 3)
Piano – Sonny White (tracks: 2 to 23)
Tenor Saxophone – Alfred Gibson (tracks: 20 to 23), Coleman Hawkins (tracks: 1), Ernie Powell (tracks: 16 to 23), Fred Williams (tracks: 16 to 19), Fred Mitchell (tracks: 12 to 15), George Irish (tracks: 4 to 15), George Auld (tracks: 2, 3), Stafford Simon (tracks: 4 to 11)
Trombone – Benny Morton (tracks: 2, 3, 8 to 11, 20 to 23), Jimmy Archey (tracks: 12 to 23), Joe Britton (tracks: 12 to 19), John McConnell (tracks: 20 to 23), Madison Vaughan (tracks: 4 to 11), Milton Robinson (tracks: 4 to 11), Vic Dickenson (tracks: 12 to 19)
Trumpet – Bill Coleman (tracks: 2, 3), Bobby Williams (tracks: 4 to 11), Doc Cheatham (tracks: 16 to 19), Emmett Berry (tracks: 20 to 23), Jonah Jones (tracks: 4 to 7, 12 to 15), Lincoln Mills (tracks: 16 to 19), Nathaniel Williams (2) (tracks: 20 to 23), Rostelle Reese (tracks: 20 to 23), Roy Eldridge (tracks: 1), Russell Smith (tracks: 4 to 15), Sidney De Paris (tracks: 8 to 19)
Vocals – Joe Turner (tracks: 2, 3), Maxine Sullivan (tracks: 19), Roy Felton (tracks: 15)