TEDDY HILL AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 645 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Saxophonist, bandleader and entrepreneur Teddy Hill is often remembered mainly as the organizer of informal after-hours jam sessions at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem during the early '40s. Those who delve a bit more assiduously into the history of jazz eventually learn that Teddy Hill led an excellent big band during the '30s. He started out playing drums and trumpet, then took up clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophones. Hill developed his chops during the '20s accompanying the Whitman Sisters then worked with George Howe, Frank Bunch & His Fuzzy Wuzzies and the Luis Russell orchestra, a fine band in which he nevertheless found few opportunities to solo (this almost certainly inspired his later decision to organize open-ended blowing sessions at Minton's). Hill put together his own band in 1934; this group secured steady employment broadcasting over the NBC radio network. All of their 1935 and 1936 recordings were derived from their radio work; they began making records in the Victor studios in 1937. Some of the singing may seem quaint or even saccharine; "Big Boy Blue," however, is full of pep and the stylized group vocal on "The Love Bug Will Bite You if You Don't Watch Out" is a bubbly delight. Note the inclusion of several Hill originals and a perfectly matched pair of atmospheric novelties: Larry Clinton's "Study in Brown" and Raymond Scott's "Twilight in Turkey." Some of Hill's players have become jazz legends -- Roy Eldridge, Bill Coleman, Frankie Newton, Shad Collins, Dicky Wells, Russell Procope and Chu Berry. Yet some folks will consider the presence of young Dizzy Gillespie on the session of May 17, 1937 as the main attraction; "King Porter Stomp" contains his very first recorded solo. Teddy Hill's entire recorded output fits neatly onto one compact disc. While this exact body of work has also been reissued on the Hep and Jazz Archives labels, the easy-to-consult layout of the Classics discography speaks strongly in its favor. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

MILDRED BAILEY – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1225 (2002) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Volume Six in Mildred Bailey's Classics chronology is truly a mixed bag of recordings cut for Vocalion and Columbia between June 27, 1939 and January 25, 1940, with two initially rejected items from September 1938 tacked on like a couple of lost cabooses. The first four tracks feature the John Kirby Sextet-plus-Red Norvo combination that worked so well earlier in the year (see Mildred Bailey's previous volume on Classics). The first three in a series of titles associated with the tradition of American Negro Spirituals find Mildred Bailey collaborating with a vocal group known as the Charioteers. This is one of several sessions heard on this compilation that took place under the direction of composer and arranger Alec Wilder, using 'chamber' instrumentalists like that master of the oboe and Cor anglais, Mitch Miller. This kind of production worked best when Bailey's voice was able to wrap itself around truly wonderful lyrics and melodies like "All the Things You Are," "Easy to Love" and "They Can't Take That Away from Me." Jazz-wise, in addition to the aforementioned John Kirby tracks, the hippest recordings here are "Blue Rain" and "I Shoulda Stood In Bed" waxed on November 3, 1939 in the company of saxophonist Ben Webster and pianist Teddy Wilson. Although Mildred Bailey's duet with Roy Eldridge on "Wham" sounds a bit self-conscious, she manages quite well with that famous exercise in Yiddish hep talk, "A Bee Gezindt." arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

ELLA FITZGERALD – 1941-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 840 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Classics CD traces Ella Fitzgerald's recordings from the beginning of her solo career. Having finally broken up the Chick Webb ghost orchestra, Ella mostly recorded ballads during her first few years as a solo artist; her jazz and scat singing would develop much more quickly starting in 1945. On some selections she is joined by a mundane vocal group called the Four Keys, but her three collaborations with the Ink Spots (particularly "Cow Cow Boogie" and "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall") are quite delightful. Other highpoints from this release (which finds Ella at 24 to 27 years old) include "This Love of Mine," "My Heart and I Decided" and "I'm Confessin'." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :

JOHN KIRBY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941-1943 | The Classics Chronological Series – 792 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third John Kirby CD from the European Classics label has 21 performances that trace Kirby's unique sextet from the peak of its popularity in 1941 through the war years. In addition to a dozen songs originally released by Victor, this set has nine rarer numbers that appeared on V-Discs. With trumpeter Charlie Shavers, clarinetist Buster Bailey, and altoist Russell Procope (along with pianist Billy Kyle and drummer O'Neil Spencer), Kirby was able to form an unusual and very distinctive group sound that, although comprised of swing virtuosos, looked toward the cool jazz of the 1950s. The band was starting to come apart a bit by the later tracks of this CD, with first Specs Powell and then Bill Beason replacing the late Spencer, George Johnson ably filling in for Procope, and Shavers departing before the final number; however, the group sound remained intact. Among the many highlights of this CD are "Coquette," "Royal Garden Blues," "Night Whispers," "St. Louis Blues," and "9:20 Special." Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

JOHN KIRBY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 964 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The fourth and final Classics CD to reissue all of the studio recordings of the John Kirby Sextet features the band's very rare 1945-1946 performances, originally released by the Asch, Crown, Disc, and Apollo labels. The personnel of the classic unit had changed, with only the bassist/leader and clarinetist Buster Bailey still present on all of the numbers (although altoist Russell Procope and pianist Billy Kyle are on half the selections). Trumpeters Emmett Berry, Clarence Brererton, and George Taitt do their best to fill in for the departed Charlie Shavers; drummer Bill Beason was the late O'Neil Spencer's permanent replacement; other musicians making appearances include altoists George Johnson and Hilton Jefferson, tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson (who makes the sextet a septet on six songs), and pianists Ram Ramirez and Hank Jones. The young Sarah Vaughan is featured on four selections (including classic renditions of "You Go to My Head" and "It Might as Well Be Spring"), and the forgotten Shirley Moore takes two vocals. Although the group's sound had not changed and there are some colorful arrangements, Shavers' muted yet fiery trumpet was definitely missed. This valuable release is recommended after acquiring Kirby's first three Classics CDs. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :