JOHNNY DODDS – 1927-1928 | The Chronogical Classics – 617 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Cut around the time Dodds was wrapping up his association with Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens, this Classics disc finds the venerable New Orleans clarinetist mixing it up nice and rambunctious with his Chicago Footwarmers. Along with brother Baby Dodds on washboard and vocals, the quartet featured a revolving cast that included cornet player Natty Dominque, trumpeter George Mitchell, trombonists Kid Ory and Honore Dutrey, pianist Jimmy Blythe, and bassist Bill Johnson. Their sound was ragged and irrepressible, with enough in the way of top-notch solo work by Dodds and Ory to keep things truly exciting. And while these sides don't match the quality of Dodds' earlier recordings with his New Orleans Footwarmers and Bootblacks, they still qualify as some of the best work of his career. After checking out Classics' stellar 1926 disc of No Foot and Boot sides, don't forget to give these tight gems a whirl. Stephen Cook
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