HARRY JAMES AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1939 | The Chronogical Classics – 903 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trumpeter Harry James was very consistent in his musical tastes throughout his career. This CD, which has the first 22 selections that James recorded as a leader, starts off with eight numbers in which the trumpeter (still a Benny Goodman sideman at the time) uses many of Count Basie's top sidemen (including trombonist-arranger Eddie Durham, tenor saxophonist Herschel Evans and singer Helen Humes) for swinging performances highlighted by "Life Goes to a Party" and "One O'Clock Jump"; James' bands (particularly from the 1950s on) would often sound like a duplicate of Basie's. In addition, this CD has four tunes from 1938 in which James mostly uses Goodman players (plus baritonist Harry Carney), and he is also heard on the first six numbers by his big band (including "Two O'Clock Jump" and his earliest recording of his theme "Ciribiribin"). However, the hottest performances are four numbers in which James is backed by a boogie-woogie trio featuring either Pete Johnson or Albert Ammons on piano. This enjoyable CD is full of many examples of James' hot swing trumpet and is easily recommended to swing fans. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist + Credits :

LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1949-1950 | The Chronogical Classics – 1161 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although some of the personnel had changed in the interim, Lionel Hampton's big band sounded largely the same in 1949 as it had before the recording strike in late 1947. The main change was that there were now more vocals and the band had clearly shifted toward R&B and a bit away from bebop. But the excitement level remained quite high, as can be heard on such numbers as "Chicken Shack Boogie," "New Central Avenue Breakdown," "Hamp's Boogie No. 2," and "Rag Mop." The key sidemen are trumpeter Benny Bailey, tenors Gene Morris and Johnny Sparrow, guitarist Wes Montgomery (a decade before he became famous), and trombonist Al Grey. Boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons is on a few numbers and the vocalists include such future greats as Betty Carter and Little Jimmy Scott, who had a hit with "Everybody's Somebody's Fool." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :

PETE JOHNSON – 1938-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 656 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This superlative CD reissue features boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson on two classic numbers with singer Big Joe Turner (the original versions of "Goin' Away Blues" and "Roll 'Em Pete"), with inspiring trumpeter Harry James ("Boo Woo" and "Home James"), with his Boogie Woogie Boys (a sextet that includes Turner and trumpeter Hot Lips Page), interacting with fellow pianists Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis (joining Big Joe on "Café Society Rag"), and on a pair of trio numbers. However, it is Johnson's ten unaccompanied piano solos (mostly released previously by Solo Art) that are the rarest and most notable. Taken as a whole, this is Pete Johnson's definitive release, showing that he was much more than just a one-dimensional (although powerful) boogie-woogie specialist. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

PETE JOHNSON – 1939-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 665 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Born in Kansas City, Pete Johnson began his musical career as a drummer but soon learned how to massage a piano under the tutelage of his uncle Charles "Smash" Johnson. During the early 1930s, Pete worked overtime performing as a solo act in his hometown. For those who have a healthy appetite for piano blues and boogie-woogie, you're not going to find anyone more authentically rooted in the Kansas City tradition. This portion of the Pete Johnson chronology begins with four sides cut for the Blue Note label in December of 1939. The "Holler Stomp" is an exceptionally fine accelerated romp for unaccompanied piano. Everything you need to know about the real boogie-woogie is contained in this red-hot four-minute performance. It defines the entire genre. Continuing the rapid pace, "Barrelhouse Breakdown" is performed by Johnson's Blues Trio, with Abe Bolar's superb string bass and the guitar of Ulysses Livingston. The trio eases into blue relaxation with "Kansas City Farewell," a very cool stroll during which the musicians make good use of the four full minutes allowed by 12" 78 rpm records. "You Don't Know My Mind" is a fundamental blues for solo piano, every bit as rich and rewarding as its flip side, the "Holler Stomp." Never chained to one label for very long, Johnson switched to Decca Records during the following year, knocking off a pair of solo boogies in August and the "627 Stomp," possibly the greatest ensemble record of his entire career, on November 11, 1940. The front line of Hot Lips Page with reedmen Eddie Barefield, Don Stovall and Don Byas was perfectly supported by Johnson's ace rhythm section, notably driven by legendary percussionist A.G. Godley. The flip side, "Piney Brown Blues," was issued under the heading of Joe Turner and His Fly Cats. Johnson and Turner's partnership dated back to the early 1930s, when Joe was locally famous as a singing bartender. What we have in "Piney Brown" is the keystone of Turner's entire recording career. 1941 found Johnson recording a stack of piano duets for Victor with the amazing Albert Ammons. Additional friction was supplied by percussionist Jimmie Hoskins. If Godley is more your speed, "Death Ray Boogie" opens four additional trio sides for Decca from May of 1941. Nestled between three excellent studies in boogie rhythm, "Just for You" offers a rare glimpse at Pete Johnson's way of handling a simple love song. He sounds in fact more than a little like Fats Waller. It is a small romantic islet floating in the middle of an ocean swarming with blues and boogies. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

FRANKIE NEWTON – 1937-1939 (1992) The Classics Chronological Series – 643 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Welcome to the incredibly solid and inexplicably overlooked music of Frankie Newton, a formidable trumpeter who led a series of bracingly hot swing bands during the late '30s. First comes a hotter than average version of "You Showed Me the Way," with Clarence Palmer singing in a voice that has just a bit of Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon about it. Pete Brown, Cecil Scott, and Edmond Hall heat up the entire first session, and when you add Russell Procope the fur really flies. Listeners even get to hear clarinetist Hall doubling on baritone saxophone. Even more exciting is the presence of Bulee "Slim" Gaillard, making what must be two of his first appearances on record. Slim scats up a storm and the band wails back at him. On July 13, 1937, the Uptown Serenaders came out with the most notoriously weird and irrepressibly hot record ever to appear under Newton's name: "The Onyx Hop" begins as a scorcher, and then Frankie and Pete chant the following lyrics in a strange, stoned-out duet: "Come with me and smoke some tea and I shall carry on/Look out, fellow, let me pass, I shan't be out here long/Love my wife but what has that got to do with this song?/She stayed out one hour overtime, I stayed out all night long/Went down to the Onyx Club and had myself a ball/I got tight off of scotch and stuff and like not got home at all." This recitation quickly ignites a boiling out-chorus. It is one of the funniest and most dazzling uptown swing recordings of the 1930s, and here it is sandwiched between two globs of molasses as Leon LaFell groans out a pair of sentimental songs, probably perceived as necessary confections for the pop audience. But who cares! This incongruity is quickly forgotten as the session of January 13, 1939, appears in its entirety, with James P. Johnson, Pete Brown, and Mezz Mezzrow in addition to Al Casey, John Kirby, and Cozy Cole. Bits and pieces of this session have been reissued here and there over the years, but rarely has the entire session been made available in this way. Three of these tunes, two slow drags and a stomp, were devised by the Mighty Mezz, who more often than not proved to be a good source of solid grooves and funky atmosphere. The effect of six consecutive selections played by this incredible band is downright intoxicating, as is the rest of the material presented here. "Daybreak Blues" and "After Hour Blues," gently but firmly rendered by Newton in front of Albert Ammons, Teddy Bunn, Johnny Williams, and Sid Catlett, constitute the very beginnings of the Blue Note record label. They have previously appeared under the heading of the Port of Harlem Jazzmen, reissued however briefly by the good people at Mosaic Records. Frankie's Cafe Society Orchestra has Tab Smith playing soprano saxophone during the relaxing "Tab's Blues," while "Jitters," "Frankie's Jump," and "Jam Fever" are cookers. "Vamp" bases its dance rhythm on a very simple line. "Parallel Fifths," a walking blues with an underlying boogie-woogie attitude, provides a smooth finish to this almost perfect package of vintage uptown swing. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    You Showed Me The Way 2:44
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet – Edmond Hall
Double Bass [String Bass] – Richard Fullbright
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – John Smith
Piano – Don Frye
Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Vocals – Clarence Palmer
Written-By – Green, McCrae
2    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone 2:34
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet – Edmond Hall
Double Bass [String Bass] – Richard Fullbright
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – John Smith
Piano – Don Frye
Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Written-By – Stept, Clare
3    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    Who's Sorry Now? 2:44
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet – Edmond Hall
Double Bass [String Bass] – Richard Fullbright
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – John Smith
Piano – Don Frye
Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Written-By – Kalmar, Ruby, Snyder
4    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    I Found A New Baby 2:37
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown, Russell Procope
Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Edmond Hall
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Double Bass [String Bass] – Richard Fullbright
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – John Smith
Piano – Don Frye
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Written-By – Palmer, Williams
5    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    The Brittwood Stomp (I'm A Ding Dong Daddy) 2:42
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown, Russell Procope
Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Edmond Hall
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Double Bass [String Bass] – Richard Fullbright
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – John Smith
Piano – Don Frye
Trumpet, Written-By – Frank Newton
6    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    There's No Two Ways About It 2:53
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown, Russell Procope
Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Edmond Hall
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Double Bass [String Bass] – Richard Fullbright
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – John Smith
Piano – Don Frye
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Vocals – Slim Gaillard
Written-By – Adamson, McHugh
7    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    'Cause My Baby Says It's So 2:40
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown, Russell Procope
Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Edmond Hall
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Double Bass [String Bass] – Richard Fullbright
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – John Smith
Piano – Don Frye
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Vocals – Slim Gaillard
Written-By – Dubin, Warren
8    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    Easy Living 2:47
Alto Saxophone – Gene Johnson, Pete Brown
Clarinet – Edmond Hall
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – O'Neil Spencer
Guitar – Frank Rice
Piano – Don Frye
Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Vocals – Leon LaFell
Written-By – Robin, Rainger
9    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    The Onyx Hop 2:44
Alto Saxophone – Gene Johnson
Alto Saxophone, Vocals – Pete Brown
Clarinet – Edmond Hall
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – O'Neil Spencer
Guitar – Frank Rice
Piano – Don Frye
Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Trumpet, Vocals, Written-By – Frank Newton
10    Frankie Newton And His Uptown Serenaders–    Where Or When 2:32
Alto Saxophone – Gene Johnson, Pete Brown
Clarinet – Edmond Hall
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – O'Neil Spencer
Guitar – Frank Rice
Piano – Don Frye
Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Vocals – Leon LaFell
Written-By – Rodgers-Hart
11    Frankie Newton And Orchestra–    Rosetta
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet – Mezz Mezzrow
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – James P. Johnson
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Written-By – Hines
12    Frankie Newton And Orchestra–    Minor Jive 3:05
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet, Written-By – Mezz Mezzrow
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – James P. Johnson
Trumpet – Frank Newton
13    Frankie Newton And Orchestra–    The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise 3:11
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet – Mezz Mezzrow
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – James P. Johnson
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Written-By – Seitz, Lockhart
14    Frankie Newton And Orchestra–    Who? 3:09
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet – Mezz Mezzrow
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – James P. Johnson
Trumpet – Frank Newton
Written-By – Kern, Hammerstein, Harbach
15    Frankie Newton And Orchestra–    The Blues My Baby Gave To Me 3:12
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet, Written-By – Mezz Mezzrow
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – James P. Johnson
Trumpet – Frank Newton
16    Frankie Newton And Orchestra–    Rompin' 2:33
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Clarinet, Written-By – Mezz Mezzrow
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – James P. Johnson
Trumpet – Frank Newton
17    Frank Newton Quintet–    Daybreak Blues 2:38
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Frank Newton
18    Frankie Newton And His Café Society Orchestra–    Tab's Blues 2:54
Alto Saxophone – Stanley Payne
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Guitar – Ulysses Livingston
Piano – Kenny Kersey
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Written-By – Tab Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Kenneth Hollon
Trumpet – Frank Newton
19    Frankie Newton And His Café Society Orchestra–    Jitters 3:00
Alto Saxophone – Stanley Payne
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Guitar – Ulysses Livingston
Piano – Kenny Kersey
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Written-By – Tab Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Kenneth Hollon
Trumpet – Frank Newton
20    Frankie Newton And His Café Society Orchestra–    Frankie's Jump 2:46
Alto Saxophone – Stanley Payne
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Guitar – Ulysses Livingston
Piano – Kenny Kersey
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Tab Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Kenneth Hollon
Trumpet, Written-By – Frank Newton
21    Frankie Newton And His Café Society Orchestra–    Jam Fever 3:06
Alto Saxophone – Stanley Payne
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Guitar – Ulysses Livingston
Piano – Kenny Kersey
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Written-By – Tab Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Kenneth Hollon
Trumpet – Frank Newton
22    Frank Newton Quintet–    After Hour Blues 4:07
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Meade Lux Lewis
Trumpet – Frank Newton
23    Frankie Newton And His Café Society Orchestra–    Vamp 2:51
Alto Saxophone – Stanley Payne
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Guitar – Ulysses Livingston
Piano – Kenny Kersey
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Written-By – Tab Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Kenneth Hollon
Trombone – Dicky Wells
Trumpet – Frank Newton
24    Frankie Newton And His Café Society Orchestra–    Parallel Fifths 3:15
Alto Saxophone – Stanley Payne
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Guitar – Ulysses Livingston
Piano – Kenny Kersey
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Tab Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Kenneth Hollon
Trombone – Dicky Wells
Trumpet, Written-By – Frank Newton

MEADE "LUX" LEWIS - 1927-1939 (1993) The Classics Chronological Series –722 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Do you realize that all these Meade Lux Lewis records almost didn't happen? After making his one three-minute side for the Paramount label in December of 1927, Lewis went back to driving a cab in Chicago. And his record didn't sell. So that could have been the end of the story. But in November of 1935 John Hammond looked him up and begged him to get back on the scene. And so began a remarkable career. This chronological survey of Meade's earliest work is delightful. Each successive version of the "Honky Tonk Train Blues" is sharper, more polished. There's always something bubbling away under the surface of the Meade. Everything he played came out slightly wicked. This man played a lot of piano in bars. Nobody could play like this who hadn't come up in an environment like Chicago during the 1920s. There's a weird sense of humor at the root of his style, most conspicuous when heard coming out of the celeste, a sort of keyboard glockenspiel that sounds like a toy. At times, Meade is cheerfully, dependably eccentric. Lewis may, in fact, be the unsuspected, auspicious link between surrealism and the blues. At times he sounds just a tiny bit like Sun Ra or Muhal Richard Abrams. Meade Lux Lewis discovered Jimmy Yancey's woogie piano back in 1921. It was a turning point for the teenaged musician, inspiring him to switch permanently from violin to piano. Meade's own rendition of the "Yancey Special," recorded in 1936, still conveys some of Yancey's wonderful hypnotic gravity. "Boogie Woogie Prayer," a two-part blow-out for three pianists, feels a lot like a freight train passing through town. Was it Hammond's idea to have Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis all playing simultaneously? It was a worthwhile experiment, and for sheer thunder you can't beat piano-six-hands. Still and all it's good to move on into a series of solitary solos. Lewis was a remarkably inventive improviser, incessantly vibrating with idiosyncrasies that make his recordings delightful to listen to at length. When Meade plays slowly and reflectively, he seems like a kindred spirit to his contemporary from Harlem, Thomas "Fats" Waller. A slow blues is one of the most powerful rituals known to humanity. Lewis tapped into these mysteries with an extended set of blues variations recorded for Blue Note on the January 6 1939. The results, augmented with two very slow blues called "Melancholy" and "Solitude" (no relation to the Ellington composition), comprise nearly twenty-eight-minutes of unhurried, unaffected, friendly, soothing piano blues. Everybody ought to hear this stuff! It's wonderfully honest music. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1    Meade Lux Lewis–    Honky Tonk Train Blues    3:14
2    Meade Lux Lewis–    Honky Tonk Train Blues    2:50
3    Meade Lux Lewis–    Yancey Special    3:15
4    Meade Lux Lewis–    Celeste Blues 3:05
Celesta – Meade Lux Lewis
5    Meade Lux Lewis–    I'm In The Mood For Love 3:05
Celesta – Meade Lux Lewis
6    Meade Lux Lewis–    Mr. Freddie Blues    3:00
7    Meade Lux Lewis–    Honky Tonk Train Blues    2:58
8    Meade Lux Lewis–    Whistlin' Blues 3:30
Whistle – Meade Lux Lewis
9    Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons–    Boogie Woogie Prayer - Part 1 2:37
Piano – Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson
10    Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons–    Boogie Woogie Prayer - Part 2 2:19
Piano – Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson
11    Meade Lux Lewis–    Bear Cat Crawl    2:25
12    Meade Lux Lewis–    The Blues - Part 1    4:10
13    Meade Lux Lewis–    The Blues - Part 2    4:00
14    Meade Lux Lewis–    The Blues - Part 3    4:00
15    Meade Lux Lewis–    The Blues - Part 4    3:51
16    Meade Lux Lewis–    The Blues - Part 5    3:35
17    Meade Lux Lewis–    Melancholy    4:02
18    Meade Lux Lewis–    Solitude    4:09
Credits :    
Piano – Meade Lux Lewis (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 18)

MEADE "LUX" LEWIS - 1939-1941 (1994) The Classics Chronological Series – 743 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Of all the duets recorded by Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, the most exciting is a nearly-six-minute version of "Nagasaki" recorded on January 6 1939, the legendary "first day" of Blue Note Records. Originally left unissued, this amazing performance languished in the shadows for about forty years before being unearthed in the early 1980s, issued on a limited-edition LP by Mosaic Records, and later presented as part of the Classics Chronological Series more than fifty years after being etched on to a recording platter. For some reason, probably due to a labeling error on the original 78 rpm disc, Mosaic identified the melody as "Sheik of Araby." The Classics liner notes echo the Mosaic verbiage in saying that this "improvisation...never refers to the melody." That is true simply because they're not playing "Sheik of Araby" at all! The tune is readily and steadily recognizable as "Nagasaki." Taken at a brisk clip, the old pop song boils and jumps with rambunctious humor. Squeezing these two men on to one piano bench seems to have pushed Ammons to the very top octaves of the keyboard, where he cheerfully spanked the ivories with wild abandon. Lewis balanced down at the basement end, where he dutifully ground out a steady stream of what might be called bassline "Chicago stride" patterns. A marvelous four-handed strut that turns into a boogie bears the title "Twos and Fews." Also included here is the "Untitled Lewis Original," a solo experiment in free invention. The next leg of the chronology consists of five full-bodied improvisations cut for the Solo Art label in February of 1939. "Blues De Lux" has a bit of "See See Rider" about it and "Far Ago Blues" contains an old riff that Thelonious Monk would later use as the basis for "Blue Monk." Suddenly we get to hear a quintet led by trombonist J.C. Higginbotham. The "Basin Street Blues" heard here was issued briefly by Mosaic as part of an LP bringing together a cluster of ensemble sessions under the heading of "the Port of Harlem Jazzmen." These excellent recordings have since landed all over the place as presented by the producers of the Classics series -- on CDs bearing the names of Frankie Newton, Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, for example. Maybe this wouldn't feel like a disadvantage if Mosaic's limited edition of the complete recordings of the Port of Harlem Jazzmen hadn't become so scarce over the years. Meade's wonderful solo session for Blue Note on October 4 1940 yielded some of his all-time best boogie woogie essays. A stunning version of "Honky Tonk Train Blues" rips along faster than any of his previous renderings. By this time the pianist had mastered the fine art of titling his works. "Bass on Top," "Six Wheel Chaser," "Tell Your Story" and "Rising Tide Blues" each deserve their poetic names. As a fitting coda to this exceptionally satisfying collection of individualistic recordings, two harpsichord solos highlight yet another angle in this man's incredibly varied artistic personality. Lewis pours himself into the experience, creating endless variations using an instrument commonly associated with European notated music from the 18th century. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1    Twos And Fews    4:30
2    Nagasaki    5:44
3    Untitled Lewis Original    3:40
4    Messin' Around    3:28
5    Deep Fives    3:52
6    Blues de Lux    3:58
7    Closing Hour Blues    3:47
8    Far Ago Blues     4:03
9    Basin Street Blues    3:42
10    Honky Tonk Train Blues    4:11
11    Bass On Top    3:38
12    Six Wheel Chaser     3:51
13    Tell Your Story    3:58
14    Tell Your Story No. 2    4:08
15    Rising Tide Blues     3:39
16    Nineteen Ways Of Playing A Chorus    4:00
17    School Of Rhythm    4:14
Credits :    
Bass – Johnny Williams (tracks: 9)
Drums – Sidney Catlett (tracks: 9)
Guitar – Teddy Bunn (tracks: 9)
Harpsichord – Meade "Lux" Lewis (tracks: 16, 17)
Piano – Albert Ammons (tracks: 1-3), Meade "Lux" Lewis (tracks: 1-15)
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham (tracks: 9)

ALBERT AMMONS & MEADE "'LUX" LEWIS - The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Albert Ammons and Meade "Lux" Lewis (1989) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This magnificent three-LP box set was issued as part of the first release by the Mosaic label. The out of print collection has all of the music recorded during Blue Note's first session (nine piano solos by Albert Ammons, eight including a five-part "The Blues" by Meade Lux Lewis, and a pair of Ammons-Lewis duets) plus Lewis' 1935 version of "Honky Tonk Train Blues" and his complete sessions of October 4, 1940, April 9, 1941 (four songs on harpsichord), and August 22, 1944. The music emphasizes boogie-woogie and both Ammons (quite memorable on "Boogie Woogie Stomp") and Lewis are heard in prime form. Incidentally, one of their duets (which is mistakenly titled "The Sheik of Araby") is actually "Nagasaki." This box is well worth bidding on at an auction. Scott Yanow
Tracklist 1 :
1     Boogie Woogie Stomp 3:35
Albert Ammons
2     Chicago in Mind 4:00
Albert Ammons    
3     Suitcase Blues 3:51
Albert Ammons / Hersal Thomas    
4     Boogie Woogie Blues 3:42
Albert Ammons
5     Untitled Ammons Orginal 4:04
Albert Ammons    
6     Bass Goin' Crazy 3:36
Albert Ammons    
7     Backwater Blues 4:38
Bessie Smith    
8     Changes in Boogie Woogie 4:03
Albert Ammons
9     Easy Rider Blues 4:07
Traditional
10     Twos and Fews 4:33
Albert Ammons / Meade "Lux" Lewis
11     The Sheik of Araby 5:45
Harry Beasley Smith / Ted Snyder / Francis Wheeler
12     Honky Tonk Train Blues 2:51
Meade "Lux" Lewis
13     The Blues, Pt. 1 4:12
Meade "Lux" Lewis
14     The Blues, Pt. 2 3:55
Meade "Lux" Lewis
15     The Blues, Pt. 3 4:00
Meade "Lux" Lewis
16     The Blues, Pt. 4 3:51
Meade "Lux" Lewis
17     The Blues, Pt. 5 4:10
Meade "Lux" Lewis
Tracklist 2 :
1     Untitled Lewis Orginal 3:43
Meade "Lux" Lewis    
2     Melancholy 4:05
Meade "Lux" Lewis    
3     Solitude 4:09
Meade "Lux" Lewis    
4     Honky Tonk Train Blues 4:05
Meade "Lux" Lewis
5     Bass on Top 4:02
Meade "Lux" Lewis
6     Six Wheel Chaser 3:49
Meade "Lux" Lewis
7     Tell Your Story 4:00
Meade "Lux" Lewis
8     Tell Your Story No. 2 4:12
Meade "Lux" Lewis
9     Variations on a Theme, Pt. 1: 19 Ways of Playing a Chorus 4:06
Meade "Lux" Lewis
10     Variations on a Theme, Pt. 2: School of Rhythm 4:20
Meade "Lux" Lewis
11     Variations on a Theme, Pt. 3: Self Portrait 4:07
Meade "Lux" Lewis
12     Variations on a Theme, Pt. 4: Feeling Tomorrow Like I Feel Today 3:57
Meade "Lux" Lewis
13     Rising Tide Blues 3:40
Meade "Lux" Lewis
14     Yancey Special (Boogie Woogie) 4:10
Meade "Lux" Lewis / Andy Razaf
15     Chicago Flyer 3:58
Meade "Lux" Lewis
16     Blues Whistle 4:18
Meade "Lux" Lewis
17     Meade's Blues 4:21
Meade "Lux" Lewis
Credits :    
Harpsichord – Meade Lux Lewis (faixas: 2-9 to 2-12)
Piano – Albert Ammons (faixas: 1-1 to 1-11), Meade Lux Lewis (faixas: 1-10 to 2-17)
Producer [Originally Produced By] – Alfred Lion (faixas: 1-1 to 1-11, 1-13 to 2-17), John Hammond (faixas: 1-12)
Research, Producer [Produced For Release] – Michael Cuscuna
Notas.
Limited edition of 5000 copies.
These Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis masters appear courtesy of EMI-Liberty Records and are drawn from EMI's Blue Note and Parlophone labels.
Track 1-11 is actually "Nagasaki" and was erroneously titled on this set. This error is noted on Albert Ammons & Meade "Lux" Lewis - The First Day.

ALBERT AMMONS – 1936-1939 (1993) The Classics Chronological Series – 715 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Albert Ammons, father of Gene Ammons, became so thoroughly associated with boogie-woogie and Blue Note Records that it is thrilling to hear him in 1936 leading a straightforward swing band in a solid stride treatment of "Nagasaki" for the Decca record label. Naturally, the flip side is an authentic, upbeat rendition of "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie," and most of the material on this disc contains five times its weight in danceable blues protein. "Mile-Or-Mo Bird Rag," however, swings like "Nagasaki" did, and once again we get to hear Albert playing genuine stride piano with outstanding support from bassist Israel Crosby and guitarist Ike Perkins. There are refreshing solos from trumpeter Guy Kelly and from a fine alto player by the name of Dalbert Bright. Act two opens in 1939 with ten piano solos, packed with blues and boogie. While some folks disparage the woogie, they are most likely complaining about imitators rather than this archetypal, fundamental body of definitive good-time piano. If you're lucky enough to be able to submerge yourself in this many Albert's solos, you'll most likely succumb to his dignified realism, his gut-level understanding of the blues. The coolest surprise of the whole package is the session of February 1, 1939, whereby Harry James made two sides for Brunswick backed by the "Boogie Woogie Trio." The pure excitement of "Woo-Woo" is worth a million bucks, as muted trumpet wails over a churning rhythm section, egged on by neat little crashes of the cymbal. "Jesse" is a minor stomp on open horn, with Albert back in a Harlem stride piano groove. When James puts the mute back on his horn it becomes clear that these are two of the very best undiluted jazz records that this trumpeter ever made! The CD ends with four sides recorded at the Blue Note "Port of Harlem" session of April 7, 1939. The sound quality is a bit misty, but that seems to be the case with most reissues of this material. On the "Weary Land Blues," trombonist J.C. Higginbotham was designated as leader. Frankie Newton's expressive trumpet was added to this band to form the Port of Harlem Jazzmen, resulting that day in three 12" 78 rpm records, each containing more than four minutes of undiluted blues. The moods are disarmingly intimate and uncontrived. Teddy Bunn's guitar sounds particularly good throughout the entire session. Things begin to solidify during a stern walk through the "Mighty Blues," and everybody cuts loose during "Rocking the Blues," a boogie-woogie for sextet driven at a healthy clip by two powerful engines: the drumming of Sidney Catlett and the double-fisted piano of Albert Ammons. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Nagasaki 2:50
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Dalbert Bright
Double Bass [String Bass] – Israel Crosby
Drums – Jimmy Hoskins
Guitar – Ike Perkins
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Guy Kelly
Written-By – Warren, Dixon
2    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Boogie Woogie Stomp 2:58
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Dalbert Bright
Double Bass [String Bass] – Israel Crosby
Drums – Jimmy Hoskins
Guitar – Ike Perkins
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Guy Kelly
Written-By – Smith
3    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Early Mornin' Blues 3:09
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Dalbert Bright
Double Bass [String Bass] – Israel Crosby
Drums – Jimmy Hoskins
Guitar – Ike Perkins
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Guy Kelly
Written-By – Ammons
4    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Mile-Or-Mo Bird Rag 3:12
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Dalbert Bright
Double Bass [String Bass] – Israel Crosby
Drums – Jimmy Hoskins
Guitar – Ike Perkins
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Guy Kelly
Written-By – Ammons
5    Albert Ammons–    Shout For Joy 2:23
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
6    Albert Ammons–    Boogie Woogie Stomp 3:35
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
7    Albert Ammons–    Chicago In Mind 3:59
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
8    Albert Ammons–    Suitcase Blues 3:49
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Thomas
9    Albert Ammons–    Boogie Woogie Blues 3:39
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
10    Albert Ammons–    Untitled Ammons Original 4:04
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
11    Albert Ammons–    Bass Goin' Crazy 3:18
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
12    Albert Ammons–    Backwater Blues 4:02
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Smith
13    Albert Ammons–    Changes In Boogie Woogie 4:04
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Unknown Artist
14    Albert Ammons–    Easy Rider Blues 4:09
Traditional
Piano – Albert Ammons
15    Harry James And The Boogie Woogie Trio–    Woo-Woo 3:12
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Harry James
Written-By – James
16    Harry James And The Boogie Woogie Trio–    Jesse 2:42
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Harry James
Written-By – James
17    J.C. Higginbotham Quintet–    Weary Land Blues 2:49
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
18    Port Of Harlem Jazzmen–    Port Of Harlem Blues 4:28
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Frank Newton
19    Port Of Harlem Jazzmen–    Mighty Blues 4:32
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Frank Newton
20    Port Of Harlem Jazzmen–    Rocking The Blues 4:21
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Frank Newton

ALBERT AMMONS – 1939-1946 (1997) The Classics Chronological Series – 927 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This CD offers three distinct periods in the development of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons. Kicking off with solo tracks recorded in 1939 and 1944 for the Solo-Art and Commodore labels, the next batch follows him into a small-band format with Hop Lips Page practically stealing the show in his demonstrative style. The final ten selections emanate from Chicago sessions for Mercury -- again with a small group -- featuring vocals from Sippie Wallace and Mildred Anderson. Ammons was a giant in his chosen field of endeavor, and these sides make a marvelous addition to his too-short discography. Cub Koda
Tracklist :
1    Albert Ammons–    St. Louis Blues 3:50
Written-By – W. C. Handy
2    Albert Ammons–    Mecca Flat Blues 3:54
Traditional
3    Albert Ammons–    Bass Gone Crazy    3:35
 Albert Ammons
4    Albert Ammons–    Monday Struggle 3:53
 Albert Ammons
5    Albert Ammons–    Boogie Woogie    3:27
 Albert Ammons
6    Albert Ammons–    Albert's Special Boogie Woogie    2:59
 Albert Ammons
7    Albert Ammons–    The Boogie Rocks    3:01
 Albert Ammons
8    Albert Ammons–    Blues On My Mind    3:06
 Albert Ammons
9    Albert Ammons–    Bugle Boogie    2:50
 Albert Ammons
10    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Blues In The Groove    3:02
 Albert Ammons
11    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    The Breaks    3:07
 Albert Ammons
12    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Jammin' The Boogie    4:03
 Albert Ammons
13    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Bottom Blues    4:34
 Albert Ammons
14    Sippie Wallace With Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Bedroom Blues 3:16
Written-By –  George "Fathead" Thomas / Sippie Wallace
15    Sippie Wallace With Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Buzz Me 3:02
Written-By – Dexter, Moore
16    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Doin' The Boogie Woogie 2:49
Written-By – Young
17    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Oh, Lady, Be Good! 2:32
Written-By – Gershwin - Gershwin
18    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Suitcase Blues    2:44
 Albert Ammons / Hersal Thomas
19    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Boogie Woogie At The Civic Opera    2:34
 Albert Ammons
20    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Swanee River Boogie 2:31
Written-By – Foster
21    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Why I'm Leaving You 2:38
Written By – Unknown Artist
22    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    I Don't Want To See You 2:49
Written-By – Cooley
23    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Red Sails In The Sunset 2:30
Written-By – Kennedy, Grosz
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Artie Starks (faixas: 14, 15)
Bass – Israel Crosby (faixas: 10 to 13, 16 to 23), John Lindsay (faixas: 14, 15)
Drums – Jack Cooley (faixas: 16 to 23), Sid Catlett (faixas: 10 to 13), Tom Taylor (10) (faixas: 14, 15)
Guitar – Ike Perkins (faixas: 16 to 23), Lonnie Johnson (faixas: 14, 15)
Piano – Albert Ammons
Tenor Saxophone – Don Byas (faixas: 10 to 13)
Trombone – Vic Dickenson (faixas: 10 to 13)
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page (faixas: 10 to 13)
Vocals – Jack Cooley (faixas: 21, 22), Mildred Anderson (faixas: 16), Sippie Wallace (faixas: 14, 15)
Written-By – Ammons (faixas: 3, 5 to 13, 18, 19)

ALBERT AMMONS – 1946-1948 (2000) The Classics Chronological Series – 1100 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Here's vibrant proof that virtually any melody could be heated up and hammered out into an enjoyable boogie-woogie stomp. "Deep in the Heart of Texas," "Margie," "Roses of Picardy," "You Are My Sunshine," "Sheik of Araby," "When You And I Were Young, Maggie," and "Twelfth Street Rag" were all fair game for Albert Ammons' eight-to-the-bar gyrations. The twangy electrified guitar of Ike Perkins maintained rhythmic velocity with well-timed kicks and struts. On August 6, 1947, Ammons' Rhythm Kings quartet was fortified by the presence of Albert's son -- tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons -- and trumpeter Marvin Randolph. The pianist sounds deliberately old-fashioned during the introduction to W.C. Handy's hit of 1914, "St. Louis Blues." When the horns chime in during the bridge, everyone's rolling in a solid groove. Then Gene takes over, sounding majestically hip. This mood is continued and expanded on the flip side, "Shufflin' the Boogie," which is a rocker. "S.P. Blues" cooks just a bit hotter, and Gene wails up a storm. "Hiroshima" is this band's version of "Nagasaki," another goofy 1930s pop song turned jazz jam standard. Given what had happened to both cities in August of 1945, the retitling seems grimly playful. This session is perfectly symmetrical, with two steamy up-to-date boogies sandwiched between old standards. The Albert-and-Gene father-and-son combination is very exciting, and should be better known than it seems to be, even among seasoned jazz heads. "In a Little Spanish Town" sounds like a premonition of Professor Longhair's own Louisiana approach to the boogie-woogie, and compares well with Lester Young's version recorded in March of 1951. "Tuxedo Boogie" begins with a guitar lick that would eventually surface as "Shake Your Money Maker." Israel Crosby plays his upright bass on all six sessions, and the final date introduces a fine alto sax player by the name of Riley Hampton. These are the final sessions of Albert Ammons, preserved for posterity on Mercury Records. He passed away in Chicago on December 2, 1949, at the age of 42. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1     Kilroy Boogie 2:44
Hattie Young
2     Deep in the Heart of Texas Boogie 2:58
June Hershey / Don Swander
3     Sweet Patootie Boogie 2:57
Hattie Young
4     Twelfth Street Boogie 2:48
Euday L. Bowman / Andy Razaf
5     St. Louis Blues 2:57
W.C. Handy
6     Shufflin' the Boogie 3:04
Hattie Young
7     S.P. Blues 2:36
Hattie Young
8     Hiroshima 2:46
Hattie Young
9     Roses of Picardy 2:56
Frederick Edward Weatherly / Hayden Wood
10     Sheik of Araby 2:47
Harry Beasley Smith / Ted Snyder / Francis Wheeler
11     You Are My Sunshine 2:50
Jimmie Davis / Charles Mitchell
12     In a Little Spanish Town 2:49
Sam M. Lewis / Mabel Wayne / Joe Young
13     Margie 2:38
Con Conrad / Benny Davis / J. Russel Robinson
14     Tuxedo Boogie 2:43
Hattie Young
15     Mr. Bell Boogie 2:58
Hattie Young
16     Bear Den Boogie 2:21
Hattie Young
17     Rhythm Boogie 3:04
Albert Ammons
18     Ammons Stomp 2:56
Albert Ammons
19     Baltimore Breakdown 3:04
Hattie Young
20     When You and I Were Young, Maggie 3:07
James Austin Butterfield / George Washington Johnson
21     The Clipper 3:02
Hattie Young
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Riley Hampton (faixas: 18 to 21)
Bass – Israel Crosby
Drums – Alvin Burroughs (faixas: 5 to 8), Armand "Jump" Jackson (faixas: 13 to 21), Jack Cooley (faixas: 1 to 4), Unknown Artist (faixas: 9 to 12)
Guitar – Ike Perkins (faixas: 1 to 13)
Piano – Albert Ammons
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Ammons (faixas: 5 to 8)
Trumpet – Marvin Randolph (faixas: 5 to 8)

JOE TURNER – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1034 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This fine collection captures Turner in his early prime, out on the West Coast and cutting some of the tightest jump blues of the '40s. Part of Classics' chronological series, the disc features such fine support players as pianists Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons, guitarist Teddy Bunn, and alto saxophonist Tab Smith. Among the 23 tracks are fine remakes of earlier Turner gems like "Roll 'em Pete," "Nobody in Mind," and "Ice Man Blues." Other highlights include Turner's initial R&B chart topper "My Gal's a Jockey" and the salaciously swingin' "Around the Clock Blues." A solid bet for fans of vintage jump blues. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1     My Gal's a Jockey
Joe Turner
2     I'm Still in the Dark 3:20
Joe Turner
3     I Got Love for Sale 2:32
Joe Turner
4     Sunday Morning Blues 2:52
Big Joe Turner
5     Mad Blues 2:25
Joe Turner
6     It's a Low Down Dirty Shame 2:38
Joe Turner
7     I'm Still in the Dark 3:04
Joe Turner
8     Miss Brown Blues 2:52
Joe Turner
9     Sally Zu-Zazz 2:53
Big Joe Turner
10     Rock O' Gibralter 2:36
Joe Turner
11     Milk and Butter Blues 3:06
Joe Turner
12     That's What Really Hurts 2:48
Joe Turner
13     I'm in Sharp When I Hit the Coast 2:54
Joe Turner
14     New Ooh Wee Baby Blues 3:03
Joe Turner
15     Around the Clock Blues, Pt. 1 1:46
Wynonie Harris
16     Around the Clock Blues, Pt. 2 1:39
Wynonie Harris
17     Morning Glory 2:29
Traditional
18     Nobody in Mind 3:09
Big Joe Turner
19     Low Down Dog 2:31
Leroy Carr / Big Joe Turner
20     Back Breaking Blues 3:04
Joe Turner
21     Empty Pocket Blues 2:40
Joe Turner
22     Roll 'Em Pete 2:51
Pete Johnson / Big Joe Turner
23     Ice Man Blues 2:31
Louis Jordan