HOT LIPS PAGE AND HIS BAND – 1938-1940 | The Chronogical Classics – 561 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A veteran of territory bands from the Southwest and Midwest, Hot Lips Page struck out on his own in the latter half of the '30s to lead a big band. His experience with Bennie Moten and Count Basie's groups may not have translated into similarly stellar material and arrangements, but the rough-hewn yet fluid swing those outfits adhered to certainly found its way into his repertoire. This Classics disc finds Page during those early days from 1938-1940, and includes cuts both by his group and smaller combos featuring Kansas alto legend Buster Smith, pianist Pete Johnson, and tenor saxophonist Don Byas. There's plenty of Page's masterful blues and jazz singing ("Old Man Ben"), along with a fine array of his heated trumpet solos. A fine selection from one of the unwitting godfathers of jump blues and early R&B. Stephen Cook
Tracklist + Credits :

BILL COLEMAN – 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1381 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In addition to the friendliest photograph of Bill Coleman ever published, this fourth installment in the Classics Coleman chronology presents material performed live in Paris, France. The first 11 tracks were recorded on October 18, 1952, with Coleman as MC in front of a wildly appreciative audience at the Salle Pleyel, 252 Rue de Faubourg St-Honore. The opening number is an extended duet on "Out of Nowhere" played by pianist Randy Downes and bassist Alvin "Buddy" Banks. A brief crowd-pleasing take of "The Sheik" consists mostly of Zutty Singleton beating the hell out of a cymbal. Guy Lafitte is heard on clarinet and tenor sax (very nicely handled on "Ghost of a Chance") and Dicky Wells blows his trombone with either laconic eccentricity or a boisterous if somewhat dog-eared abandon. Coleman, as always, sounds like a trumpeter who was inspired by Louis Armstrong and gradually developed his own sound without ever deviating very far from the Armstrong influence. "Knuckle Head," composed by Coleman and Wells, is a solid example of what in 1945 was often referred to as "rebop." Coleman uses a mute most beautifully on Duke Ellington's "Solitude" and Lafitte demonstrates a Barney Bigard-like approach to the clarinet. "Perdido" heavily features bassist Buddy Banks. The author of the liner notes assumed that Wells was loaded and needed to be "rescued" by Coleman. This is debatable; on the excellent "Red Top" the trombonist sounds like he's fully in command of himself. Given the tastes of the average Parisian jazz head in 1952, it is not surprising that this band ended its gig with a singalong version of "When the Saints Go Marching In." Lafitte's very modern tenor solo on this historical New Orleans street stomp perfectly addresses the European fascination with the entire history of jazz. The rest of the material issued here was recorded at the Cluny Palace in the Cluny de Luxe Hotel on October 23, 1953, with trombonist Bill Tamper, veteran reedman Benny Waters, and a tight rhythm section propelled by percussionist Wallace Bishop. Coleman exercises his vocal chords on the last three tracks. Benny Waters takes one of the toughest solos of his career on Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's rocking "Old Maid Blues," a facetious tune addressed to a 35-year-old woman. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

CLAUDE HOPKINS AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 733 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third and final Claude Hopkins Classics CD has some really obscure and diverse music. The 1937 Hopkins big band included trumpeter Jabbo Smith and trombonist Vic Dickenson in its lineup, but of the six titles it cut, five are showcases for singer Beverly White; in all, the legendary Smith gets a single chorus. Better are eight titles by trumpeter Ovie Alston's orchestra, which includes Hopkins on piano in 1938 along with some of his sidemen. This CD concludes with six numbers by the pianist's struggling 1940 big band, decent swing performances that preceded the orchestra's complete breakup. A bit of a collector's item. Scott Yanow  

CLARENCE WILLIAMS – 1927-1928 | The Classics Chronological Series – 752 (1994) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The fifth CD in Classics' "complete" Clarence Williams program (all are highly recommended to collectors of 1920s jazz) has 22 selections from 11 separate recording sessions, all of the pianist/bandleader's dates for a ten-month period. There are a pair of piano solos, two numbers in which Williams's vocals (including an eccentric "Farm Hand Papa") are backed by the great pianist James P. Johnson, and band performances featuring cornetists Ed Allen and King Oliver, clarinetists Buster Bailey and Arville Harris, trombonist Ed Cuffee, Coleman Hawkins and Benny Waters on tenors, Cyrus St. Clair on tuba, and the washboard of Floyd Casey. Highlights include "Jingles," "Church Street Sobbin' Blues," "Sweet Emmalina," and "Mountain City Blues." Scott Yanow
Tracklist
1    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Shake 'Em Up 2:51
Written-By – Clarence Williams
2    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Jingles 2:46
Written-By – James P. Johnson
3    Clarence Williams' Washboard Four–    Yama Yama Blues 2:48
Written-By – Williams, Williams
4    Clarence Williams' Washboard Four–    (Norfolk) Church Street Sobbin' Blues 3:00
Written-By – Nunez, Lada, Williams, Cawley
5    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Dreaming The Hours Away 2:53
Written-By – Will Dulmage
6    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Close Fit Blues 3:02
Written-By – Clarence Williams
7    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Sweet Emmalina 2:56
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Razaf, Palmer, Williams
8    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Any Time 3:16
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Williams, Jordan
9    Clarence Williams' Washboard Five–    Sweet Emmalina 2:50
Written-By – Razaf, Palmer, Williams
10    Clarence Williams' Washboard Five–    Log Cabin Blues 3:12
Written-By – Tom Delaney
11    Clarence Williams' Washboard Five–    Shake It Down 2:52
Written-By – Williams, Urquhart
12    Clarence Williams' Washboard Five–    Red River Blues 3:00
Written-By – Williams
13    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Red River Blues 2:54
Written-By – Clarence Williams
14    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    I Need You 2:51
Written-By – Williams, Jackson
15    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Lazy Mama 3:03
Written-By – Gifford, Gray
16    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Mountain City Blues 3:04
Written-By – Cjarlie Troutt
17    Clarence Williams–    Organ Grinder Blues 3:20
Written-By – Clarence Williams
18    Clarence Williams–    Wildflower Rag 3:03
Written-By – Clarence Williams
19    Clarence Williams–    My Woman Done Me Wrong (As Far As I Am Concerned) 3:16
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Clarence Williams
20    Clarence Williams–    Farm Hand Papa 3:03
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Clarence Williams
21    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    The Keyboard Express 2:49
Written-By – Mike Jacksonbenny
22    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Walk That Broad 3:03
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Delaney, Frisimo
Credits :    
Banjo – Leroy Harris (tracks: 5 to 8)
Brass Bass – Cyrus St. Clair (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 10, 13 to 16, 21, 22)
Clarinet – Arville Harris (tracks: 11, 12)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Buster Bailey (tracks: 1 to 10)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone [Or] – Arville Harris (tracks: 13, 14), Benny Waters (tracks: 13, 14)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone [Or] – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 15, 16, 21, 22), Benny Waters (tracks: 15, 16, 21, 22)
Cornet – Ed Allen (tracks: 1 to 16, 21, 22), King Oliver (tracks: 11 to 16, 21, 22)
Piano – Clarence Williams (tracks: 1 to 18, 21, 22), James P. Johnosn (tracks: 19, 20)
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 6)
Trombone – Ed Cuffee (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 8, 13 to 16, 21, 22)
Washboard – Floyd Casey (tracks: 3, 4, 9 to 12, 15, 16)

CLARENCE WILLIAMS – 1928-1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 771 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The sixth volume in the very valuable Classics Clarence Williams reissue program contains 22 numbers in its attractive CD, mostly from a four-month period. There is a lot of variety on these sessions with many of the best tracks featuring both King Oliver and Ed Allen on cornets along with tenorman Benny Waters. There are also numbers by Clarence Williams's Washboard Five, his Novelty Four (a quartet with Oliver and guitarist Eddie Lang) and a larger orchestra. Throughout all of the selections there are spirited ensembles, heated but coherent solos and plenty of joy and swing. The highpoints include "Organ Grinder Blues," "Have You Ever Felt That Way," "Wildflower Rag," "Bozo," "Bimbo" and "Beau-Koo Jack" (which is closely based on the Louis Armstrong recording). Scott Yanow
Tracklist
1    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Long, Deep And Wide 2:51
Written-By – Fats Waller
2    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Speakeasy 2:50
Written-By – Williams, Oliver
3    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Squeeze Me 2:50
Written-By – Williams, Waller
4    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    New Down Home Blues 3:02
Written-By – Delaney
5    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Organ Grinder Blues 3:02
Written-By – Clarence Williams
6    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    I’m Busy And You Can’t Come In 2:46
Written-By – Williams
7    Clarence Williams' Washboard Five–    Walk That Broad 3:02
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Delaney, Frisino
8    Clarence Williams' Washboard Five–    Have You Ever Felt That Way? 3:03
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Castleton, Williams-Spencer
9    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Wildflower Rag 2:30
Written-By – Clarence Williams
10    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Midnight Stomp 2:59
Written-By – Williams, Waller
11    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    I’m Through 2:50
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Simmons, Bechet
12    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Bozo 2:38
Written-By – Edward Hite
13    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Bimbo 2:31
Written-By – Palmer, Williams
14    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Longshoreman’s Blues 2:44
Written-By – Unknown Artist
15    Clarence Williams And His Novelty Four–    In The Bottle Blues
Written-By – Williams, Lang
16    Clarence Williams And His Novelty Four–    What Do You Want Me To Do? 2:46
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Williams, Oliver
17    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Watchin’ The Clock 3:04
Written-By – Williams, Oliver
18    Clarence Williams' Orchestra–    Freeze Out 2:54
Written-By – Fats Waller
19    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Beau-Koo-Jack 2:36
Written-By – Hill, Armstrong, Melrose
20    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Sister Kate 2:54
Written-By – Armand Piron
21    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Pane In The Glass 2:42
Written-By – Clarence Williams
22    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Saturday Night Jag 3:01
Vocals – Laura Bryant
Written-By – Unknown Artist
Credits :    
Banjo – Leroy Harris (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 11, 19 to 21)
Banjo [?] – Charlie Dixon (tracks: 17, 18)
Brass Bass – Cyrus St. Clair (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 14, 19 to 21)
Brass Bass [?] – June Cole (tracks: 17, 18)
Celesta – Clarence Williams (tracks: 15, 16)
Clarinet – Buster Bailey (tracks: 12 to 14), Ernest Elliott (tracks: 22)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 5, 6), Unknown Artist (tracks: 17, 18)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone [?] – Ben Whitted (tracks: 17, 18), Russell Procope (tracks: 5, 6)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Benny Waters (tracks: 1 to 4, 9 to 14, 19 to 21)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Arville Harris (tracks: 1 to 14, 17 to 21)
Cornet – Ed Allen (tracks: 1 to 14, 19 to 22), King Oliver (tracks: 1 to 4, 9 to 16, 19 to 21)
Cornet [?] – Ed Anderson (tracks: 5, 6, 17, 18)
Drums – Floyd Casey (tracks: 6)
Drums [?] – Kaiser Marshall (tracks: 17, 18)
Guitar, Violin – Eddie Lang (tracks: 15, 16)
Liner Notes – Anatol Schenker
Percussion [?] – Justin Ring (tracks: 15, 16)
Piano – Clarence Williams, Claude Hopkins (tracks: 7, 8)
Trombone – Ed Cuffee (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 14, 17 to 21)
Washboard – Floyd Casey (tracks: 7, 8)