CLARENCE WILLIAMS – 1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 736 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pianist/bandleader Clarence Williams was at the height of his productivity in 1927; the 22 numbers on this CD were recorded within a 6 1/2 month period. With the exception of The Dixie Washboard Band, all of the performances were originally released under Clarence Williams's name but the personnel and instrumentation often differ from session to session. The fourth in Classics' complete reissuance of Williams's recordings features such top sideman as cornetists Ed Allen and Louis Metcalf, trumpeter Red Allen (in what was probably his earliest recording), trombonist Charlie Irvis, clarinetist Buster Bailey and a variety of lesser-known players with some of the best performances being "Cushion Foot Stomp" (which is heard three different times), "Shooting the Pistol," "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" and Williams's solo version of "When I March in April with May." Highly recommended to collectors of vintage jazz. Scott Yanow
Tracklist
1    Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band–    Cushion Foot Stomp 2:59
Written-By – Clarence Williams
2    Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band–    P.D.Q. Blues 2:54
Written-By – Henry, Simson
3    Dixie Washboard Band–    Anywhere Sweetie Goes (I'll Be There) 2:58
Written-By – Williams, Waller
4    Dixie Washboard Band–    Cushion Foot Stomp 3:00
Written-By – Clarence Williams
5    Clarence Williams' Washboard Five–    Cushion Foot Stomp 3:20
Written-By – Clarence Williams
6    Clarence Williams' Washboard Five–    Take Your Black Bottom Outside 3:01
Written-By – Williams, Green
7    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Black Snake Blues 2:54
Written-By – Johnson, Spivey
8    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Old Folks Shuffle 2:49
Written-By – Williams, Waller
9    Clarence Williams' Blue Five Orchestra–    Baltimore 2:53
Written-By – Healy, Kahal, McHugh
10    Clarence Williams' Blue Five Orchestra–    Take Your Black Bottom Outside 3:02
Written-By – Williams, Green
11    Clarence Williams And His Bottomland Orchestra–    Slow River (Vocal) 3:13
Written-By – Clarence Williams
12    Clarence Williams And His Bottomland Orchestra–    Slow River (Instr.) 3:12
Written-By – Clarence Williams
13    Clarence Williams And His Bottomland Orchestra–    Zulu Wail (Vocal) 2:59
Written-By – Clarence Williams
14    Clarence Williams And His Bottomland Orchestra–    Zulu Wail (Instr.) 3:09
Written-By – Clarence Williams
15    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Shooting The Pistol 2:38
Written-By – Smith, Williams
16    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Bottomland 3:08
Written-By – Williams, Trent
17    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    I'm Goin' Back To Bottomland 2:33
Written-By – Williams, Trent
18    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    You'll Long For Me (When The Cold Winds Blow) 3:02
Written-By – Clarence Williams
19    Clarence Williams–    When I March In April With May 3:08
Written-By – Clarence Williams
20    Clarence Williams–    Shootin' The Pistol 2:53
Written-By – Clarence Williams
21    Clarence Williams' Blue Seven–    Baby, Won't You Please Come Home? 2:51
Written-By – Warfield, Williams
22    Clarence Williams' Blue Seven–    Close Fit Blues 2:58
Written-By – Clarence Williams
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone [?] – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 11 to 14)
Banjo – Leroy Harris (tracks: 7 to 10, 17, 18, 21, 22)
Clarinet – Buster Bailey (tracks: 5, 6)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 17, 18), Arville Harris (tracks: 7 to 10, 21, 22), Ben Whitted (tracks: 7, 8), Carmelo Jari (tracks: 1 to 4)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone [?] – Arville Harris (tracks: 15, 16)
Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Flute [?] – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 15, 16)
Cornet – Ed Allen (tracks: 1 to 9, 15 to 18), Louis Metcalf (tracks: 21, 22)
Drums – Floyd Casey (tracks: 7 to 14)
Piano – Clarence Williams
Soprano Saxophone – Buster Bailey (tracks: 21, 22)
Sousaphone – Cyrus St. Clair (tracks: 5 to 8, 15 to 18, 21, 22)
Trombone – Charlie Irvis (tracks: 7 to 18, 21, 22)
Trumpet – Ed Anderson (tracks: 11 to 14), Henry "Red" Allen (tracks: 11 to 14)
Vocals – Clarence Lee (2) (tracks: 1, 2), Clarence Williams (tracks: 5, 6, 19, 20), Evelyn Preer (tracks: 11, 13), Katherine Henderson (3) (tracks: 9, 10), Shufflin' Sam
Washboard – Floyd Casey (tracks: 1 to 6)

CLARENCE WILLIAMS – 1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 791 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The seventh volume in the European Classics label's complete reissue of bandleader Clarence Williams' very valuable recordings documents his music during a four-month period. Included are two Williams piano solos; his sessions leading the Barrelhouse Five Orchestra, Jazz Kings, and the Memphis Jazzers; and quite a bit of superior small-group jazz. Among the sidemen are cornetist Ed Allen, trombonist Ed Cuffee, Arville Harris and Albert Socarras on reeds, banjoist Leroy Harris, pianist James P. Johnson (on two songs), the exuberant tuba of Cyrus St. Clair, Floyd Casey on drums and washboard, and Williams himself on piano and occasional vocals. Highlights include "Endurance Stomp," "If You Like Me Like I Like You," "Steamboat Days," "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home," "In Our Cottage of Love," and the original version of "Breeze." All of the CDs in this enjoyable series are easily recommended to 1920s collectors. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Hot Lovin’ 3:00
Written-By – Charles Warfield
2    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Mama Stayed Out 3:05
Vocals – Clarence Williams, Ed Allen
Written-By – Razaf, Wilson
3    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Nobody’s Business (How I Love That Man) 2:51
Written-By – Glady Rodgers
4    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Endurance Stomp 2:50
Written-By – Angelo Fernandez
5    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Some Do And Some Don’t 2:59
Written-By – Unknown Artist
6    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Scufflin’ Blues 3:01
Written-By – Garrison, Jefferson
7    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    If You Like Me Like I Like You 2:51
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Clarence Williams
8    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Have You Ever Felt That Way? 2:59
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Castleton, Williams
9    Clarence Williams–    A Pane In The Glass 3:01
Written-By – Clarence Williams
10    Clarence Williams–    Too Low 2:54
Written-By – Clarence Williams
11    Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band–    Mississippi Blues (Home Town Toddle) 3:07
Written-By – Williams, Hegamin
12    Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band–    Steamboat Days 3:14
Written-By – Clarence Williams
13    Memphis Jazzers–    Close Fit Blues 3:07
Written-By – Clarence Williams
14    Memphis Jazzers–    Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home? 3:34
Written-By – Warfield, Williams
15    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Breeze (Blow My Baby Back To Me) 2:57
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – MacDonald, Hanley, Goodwin
16    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Mountain City Blues 2:58
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Charlie Troutt
17    Clarence Williams And His Band–    I’m Not Worryin’ 3:27
Written-By – Williams, Waller
18    Clarence Williams And His Band–    Touch-Down 2:51
Written-By – Fats Waller
19    Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band–    In Our Cottage Of Love 3:17
Written-By – Shafer, Milne
20    Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band–    Lazy Mama 2:57
Written-By – Gifford, Jr., Gray
21    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    In Our Cottage Of Love 2:49
Written-By – Shafer, Milne
22    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Them Things Got Me 2:58
Written-By – Williams, Jackson
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Unknown Artist (tracks: 21, 22)
Banjo – Leroy Harris (tracks: 13 to 16), Unknown Artist
Banjo [?] – Leroy Harris (tracks: 7, 8)
Brass Bass – Cyrus St. Clair (tracks: 13 to 16, 21, 22), Unknown Artist
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 15, 16), Arville Harris (tracks: 1 to 6, 11 to 14), Russell Procope (tracks: 15, 16), Unknown Artist (tracks: 17 to 20)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone [?] – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 17, 18)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Flute – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 7, 8)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Arville Harris (tracks: 7, 8, 19 to 22), Prince Robinson (tracks: 15, 16)
Cornet – Ed Allen (tracks: 1 to 8, 11 to 20)
Cornet [Either/Or] – Ed Allen (tracks: 21, 22), King Oliver (tracks: 21, 22)
Drums – Floyd Casey (tracks: 21, 22)
Piano – Clarence Williams (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 16, 19 to 22), James P. Johnson (tracks: 7, 8)
Piano [?] – J.C. Johnson (tracks: 17, 18)
Trombone – Ed Cuffee (tracks: 13 to 18), Unknown Artist (tracks: 21, 22)
Washboard – Floyd Casey (tracks: 1 to 6, 11, 12, 19, 20)