JACK TEAGARDEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1944-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1032 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Minute by minute and track for track, this disc contains an invigoratingly high concentration of Jack Teagarden's best music. Nearly half of the performances are instrumental and, with the exception of a pretty torch song sung by Christine Martin and a gruffly cheerful duet with Wingy Manone, the primary vocalist is Big Tea. After three marvelous V-Discs, including a six-minute version of "If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)," a Commodore session erupts with a smokin' run through "Chinatown, My Chinatown" and a deeply steeped "Big T Blues," introduced by Jack's sister Norma Teagarden at the piano. While singing his homespun lyrics to this bluesy slow drag, Jack introduces Norma by name, then pays tribute to trumpeter Max Kaminsky. Norma proves that she was an exceptionally fine stride pianist as she sets up "Pitchin' a Bit Short" and Detroiter Bob Zurke's lively theme song, "Hobson Street Blues," which sounds a bit like a Broadway show tune. Back in Chicago on April 11, 1946, Mr. T's orchestra waxed half a dozen sides for the Teagarden Presents record label. Bobby Fischer delivers some Gene Krupa-styled drumming during the quirky "Martian Madness," the band smokes the tar out of "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," and there is a grandiose rendition -- minus Rudyard Kipling's lyrics -- of "On the Road to Mandalay." On the first day of March 1947, Teagarden created one of his all-time greatest vocal and trombone ballad testimonials in the form of an intoxicating version of "Body and Soul." This precious live V-Disc recording begins with a spoken introduction by Bob Bach of Metronome magazine. Nine days later, master percussionist Davey Tough provided propulsive persuasion for Jack Teagarden's Big Eight, an ensemble including Max Kaminsky, clarinetist Peanuts Hucko, butter-toned tenor saxman Cliff Strickland, and one of Eddie Condon's most trusted pianists, Gene Schroeder. After a couple of expertly rendered blues, a tasty stomp with modern overtones simply called "Jam Session at Victor" sails in like a steam locomotive. As a surprise for dessert, the producers of this series have tacked on a pair of leftover big-band sides dating from November of 1939, issued in 1947 on V-Disc. This provides an example of how Dave Tough sounded as part of Teagarden's 16-piece big band. Their two-minute version of Jelly Roll Morton's "Wolverine Blues" is the perfect coda for this solidly satisfying album of rare and exciting traditional jazz. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist
1    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Beale Street Blues     3:53
2    Jack Teagarden And Band–    I Swung The Election     2:13
3    Jack Teagarden And The V-Disc All Stars–    If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight     5:50
4    Jack Teagarden And His Swingin' Gates–    Chinatown My Chinatown     2:49
5    Jack Teagarden And His Swingin' Gates–    Big "T" Blues     3:13
6    Jack Teagarden And His Swingin' Gates–    Rockin' Chair     4:09
7    Jack Teagarden And His Swingin' Gates–    Pitchin' A Bit Short     4:09
8    Jack Teagarden And Band–    Hobson Street Blues     1:58
9    Jack Teagarden And His Dixieland Jazz Orchestra–    Muskrat Ramble    2:56
10    Jack Teagarden And His Dixieland Jazz Orchestra–    Way Down Yonder In New Orleans     2:57
11    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Basin Street Blues     3:06
12    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Martian Madness     2:38
13    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    On The Road To Mandalay     2:33
14    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Sabino You For Me     2:55
15    Jack Teagarden And His Trombone–    Body And Soul     4:19
16    Jack Teagarden's Big Eight–    St. Louis Blues     3:05
17    Jack Teagarden's Big Eight–    Blues After Hours     3:15
18    Jack Teagarden's Big Eight–    Jam Session At Victor     3:14
19    Jack Teagarden's Big Eight–    Say It Simple     3:11
20    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    On Revival Day     1:40
21    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Wolverine Blues     2:06
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