DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1924-1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 539 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD contains the first 23 recordings released under Duke Ellington's name. The initial ten selections, dating from November 1924 to June 1926, are quite intriguing because, with the exception of the very first date (resulting in "Choo Choo" and "Rainy Nights"), the primitive band does not sound like Ellington's. While the first date has cornetist Bubber Miley, trombonist Charlie Irvis (Tricky Sam Nanton's predecessor), and altoist Otto Hardwick as the front line, the following eight numbers have shifting personnel and, despite the occasional presence of trombonist Jimmy Harrison (who takes two vocals) and clarinetist Don Redman, the music is under-rehearsed and rough. But on "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" (the band's theme) and "Birmingham Breakdown" from November 29, 1926, the Ellington sound was finally together and from then on the band's output was often classic. Other highlights of this historic disc are "Hop Head" and the initial version of "Black and Tan Fantasy," with such soloists as Miley, Nanton, and Hardwick, and with Duke himself on piano. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1927-1928 | The Classics Chronological Series – 542 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

As usual with the Classics series, the music on this CD is released complete and in chronological order, covering the music originally released by several record labels but without including alternate takes. In the case of Duke Ellington, because he would frequently record the same song slightly rearranged on several occasions for different companies, there are multiple versions of some titles on this CD, but the alternate versions that he made for the labels have been left out. During the very important period covered by this disc, the Duke Ellington Orchestra (having recently found their sound) was hired by the Cotton Club as the house band and they hit the big time. Certainly it is obvious that they deserved fame since this set has classic versions of such songs as "Creole Love Call" (famous for being the first entirely wordless vocal, featuring Adelaide Hall), "Black and Tan Fantasy," their theme song "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo," "Jubilee Stomp," and other hot numbers. Featured along the way are such greats as trumpeter Bubber Miley, trombonist Joe Tricky Sam Nanton, and altoist Otto Hardwick. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1928 | The Classics Chronological Series – 550 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During 1928, the main stars of Duke Ellington's orchestra (in addition to the leader/pianist/composer/arranger) were trumpeter Bubber Miley, trombonist Joe Tricky Sam Nanton, clarinetist Barney Bigard, and (starting in June) altoist Johnny Hodges. All of the master takes (including ones for different labels) are being reissued in the Classics series. This disc is highlighted by "Black Beauty" (particularly Ellington's solo piano version), the heated "Hot and Bothered" (featuring guest guitarist Lonnie Johnson and singer Baby Cox), "Louisiana," and "I Can't Give You Anything but Love." Two songs feature singer Ozie Ware backed by a small combo taken from Ellington's big band. This CD has plenty of timeless classics, most of which are also available in other reissue programs. Scott Yanow  Tracklist :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1928-1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 559 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 The main change for the Duke Ellington Orchestra during this period was that the increasingly unreliable Bubber Miley (an alcoholic) was fired by Ellington in January 1929 and quickly replaced by Cootie Williams. Otherwise, the personnel was stable, featuring trombonist Joe Tricky Sam Nanton, altoist Johnny Hodges, and clarinetist Barney Bigard as key soloists along with trumpeters Miley, Arthur Whetsol, and Freddie Jenkins. Most of the selections from this era border on the classic, with highlights including Miley's spot on "Bandanna Babies," "I Must Have That Man," "Harlemania," and a two-part version of "Tiger Rag." Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

KING OLIVER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1928-1930 | The Chronogical Classics – 607 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After a couple of fine sides from 1928, the saga of King Oliver turns another corner, heading into 1929 armed with little more than a Victor recording contract. There are plenty of strong performances here. Charlie Holmes puts his personality on the front line, and Fats Pichon sings "I've Got That Thing" with plenty of mustard as usual. But things are definitely changing. On "I'm Watching the Clock," a relaxed recording made in September of 1928, King Oliver expressed himself beautifully, but his chops were on the wane. By the beginning of 1929, Louis Metcalf is the featured cornet soloist in front of King Oliver's Orchestra, using the mute a lot like Joe had brandished it years earlier. "Call of the Freaks," "The Trumpet's Prayer" and "Freakish Light Blues" are beautiful vignettes. Punch Miller appeared briefly on a date that featured the flashy piano of Cass Simpson. For the remainder of 1929 Oliver's nephew Dave Nelson took on the task of trumpeting and occasionally composing for the band. He even sang for a minute but someone must have begged him to knock it off. Teddy Hill played tenor sax for Oliver's orchestra in 1928 and 1929. He worked in a lot of big bands that couldn't give him enough solo space, which is probably why he eventually formed his own progressive swing band where Dizzy Gillespie would take his first solos on record in 1937. Teddy would go on to create an open environment that was conducive to extended improvisation during the early 1940s. On this CD you get to hear him paying his dues. The best of Oliver's solid components still make for good listening. Clinton Walker, for example, would operate the tuba with energetic precision all the way through to May of 1930. James P. Johnson and Hilton Jefferson showed up. That's serious business! So is Roy Smeck's steel guitar solo on "Everybody Does It in Hawaii," although jazz purists wrinkle their noses and roll their eyes at such stuff. Smeck also plays harmonica on "Frankie and Johnny." The combination of tuba and mouth harp is a remarkable sonic blend, for those who aren't too proud to have a wild adventure in the company of crusty old records like these. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

JELLY-ROLL MORTON – 1929-1930 | The Chronogical Classics – 642 (1992) FLAC (tracks), lossless

With the exception of two dates as a leader and the remainder of the Wilton Crawley set that closes this album, this disc has the final Jelly Roll Morton recordings before the Great Depression temporarily halted his recording career. The pianist-composer is heard backing singers Lizzie Miles and Billie Young on two songs apiece and interacting with the wild vaudevillian clarinetist Wilton Crawley on "Big Time Woman" and "I'm Her Papa, She's My Mama." The best all-round session has four numbers performed by the trio of Morton, clarinetist Barney Bigard, and drummer Zutty Singleton. Of the band sides (some of which are a bit undisciplined), highlights include "Little Lawrence," "Load of Coal" (with Cozy Cole on drums), and "Fussy Mabel," which has a classic solo from trumpeter Bubber Miley. Whether acquired in this series or on a five-CD Bluebird set, this music is highly enjoyable and often quite essential in appreciating 1920s jazz and the musical genius Jelly Roll Morton Scott Yanow  
Tracklist + Credits :

BIX BEIDERBECKE – 1927-1930 | The Chronogical Classics – 788 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is the second volume in the all-too-brief Classics Bix Beiderbecke chronology. It presents all 13 Okeh Records cut by Beiderbecke & His Gang between October 5, 1927 and September 21, 1928, followed by Beiderbecke's very last recordings, made between May 21 and September 15, 1930 for the Victor, Vocalion and Brunswick labels. He is heard leading his own band and sitting in with Hoagy Carmichael's orchestra as well as Irving Mills & His Hotsy Totsy Gang. Three years into his brief recording career, Beiderbecke was already beginning to feel confined by the artistic limitations of the entertainment industry. In his excellent and insightful novel-length tribute "Remembering Bix," Ralph Berton recalled his final encounter with Beiderbecke, which took place during the autumn of 1927 shortly before Bix began working for Paul Whiteman. Berton describes their conversation as they listened to the recently waxed Bix & His Gang sides. Although Berton rightfully perceived that some of these were among the hottest and best of Beiderbecke's recordings, Bix was not entirely happy with the results, and even threatened to destroy the master of "Goose Pimples" which was soon issued as Okeh 8544. During this performance he momentarily intruded upon the opening of Frank Signorelli's piano solo, became frustrated and tossed off what he later called a "phony Charleston lick," then responded to gesticulations made by an engineer urging him to finish up before they ran out of room on the disc by letting loose with a couple of very atypical high notes, sharp and fortissimo. Beiderbecke was horrified, incredulous and ultimately contemptuous when the session's producers went ahead and issued what is demonstrably a botched take. Yet in retrospect the excitement of hot jazz transforms even these obvious flaws into personable idiosyncrasies. All 13 sides are anchored with beefy bass saxophones, handled expertly by Adrian Rollini or ably by Min Leibrook. Like the turning of a page, the '30s began for Beiderbecke with a series of collaborations hinting at potential developments that either blossomed or withered away. With names like Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Bud Freeman, Gene Krupa, Hoagy Carmichael and violinist Joe Venuti (who can be heard bawdily intoning the words "Barnacle Bill the Shit-head" in a raspy voice), this home stretch of the Beiderbecke discography reads like a "most likely to succeed" roster. Yet three gifted participants would soon be taken out 'way ahead of schedule; guitarist Eddie Lang was soon to die from complications following a tonsillectomy, Ellington's ex-trumpeter Bubber Miley was already in the process of drinking himself into an early grave, and Bix Beiderbecke's days were numbered. On August 6, 1931 he succumbed to alcoholism and pneumonia at the age of 28. The music on this compilation is an essential portion of his legacy. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

THOMAS MORRIS – 1923-1927 (1996) The Classics Chronological Series – 823 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Back in the 1970s, Vol. 126 of the French RCA Black and White series focused on Thomas Morris' recordings dating from the year 1926. Included on that album were two vocalists whose absence from this Classics package must be attributed to a planned compilation of rare vocal recordings from this period. While Margaret Johnson's "When a 'Gator Hollers, Folks Say It's a Sign of Rain" would have added a Ma Rainey touch, the non-inclusion of Evelyn Preer's "Make Me Know It," recorded September 7, 1926, is heartbreaking but only to the few who know of the existence of this beautifully wistful love song. Now that this very specialized disappointment has been registered, let it be known that even without the voice of Evelyn Preer, the earliest known recordings of Thomas Morris are outstanding and well worth experiencing. There are two ways to appreciate the music of this accomplished cornetist and bandleader: the recordings he made with and without Thomas "Fats" Waller. Despite the aforementioned omission, Classics 823 offers the perfect prologue to Morris' famous sessions with the young pianist/pipe organist. The real gold lies in eight sides from 1923, previously difficult to obtain. The only players who have been identified are trombonist Charlie Irvis (later to be a staunch component in Fats Waller's first "Buddies" session) and young Bubber Miley. To hear Morris and Miley merrily mingling their cornets is a delight, comparable to the joy to be gleaned from revisiting the duo runs executed during this same time period by King Oliver and Louis Armstrong. (Get this: "Bull Blues" has a passage that showed up years later as the opening line of Duke Ellington's "What Am I Here For?") The 1926 material is gloriously gutsy, with grand slip-horn parts by Geechie Fields then once again briefly by the mighty Charlie Irvis. A rambunctious banjo solo in "Georgia Grind" and the humorous dialogue cropping up in the middle of "Who's Dis Heah Stranger?" make these worth absorbing time and again. By November 1926 the all-important trombone position was filled by Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, destined to spend the remaining two decades of his life helping to define the sound of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, which he had joined some six months prior to these sessions. Morris' rendition of "The King of the Zulus" nearly surpasses Louis Armstrong's original, yet Morris' unissued take (36896-2) is even better than the master take issued here, and would be well worth pursuing if anyone is hopelessly smitten with the sounds of this ensemble. Lastly, a rare side by Morris' quartet, billed as the Nashville Jazzers: a smartly scruffy approach to W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues." This recording and its alternate take have been issued on Grey Gull Rarities (Jazz Oracle BDW 8038). Once you've developed a taste for the music of Thomas Morris, you might get hooked. Let's hope so. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters–    E Flat Blues №2 3:10
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Drums – Unknown Artist
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Morris
2    Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters–    Original Charleston Strut 2:47
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Drums – Unknown Artist
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Morris
3    Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters–    Lonesome Journey Blues 2:48
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Morris
4    Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters–    When The Jazz Band Starts To Play 2:25
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Morris
5    Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters–    Just Blues, That's All 3:05
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Morris
6    Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters–    Bull Blues (E Flat №1 Blues) 2:44
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Morris
7    Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters–    Those Blues 3:22
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Brass Bass – Unknown Artist
Clarinet [?] – Ernest Elliott
Cornet – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Miley
8    Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters–    Beaucoupe De Jazz 2:57
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Brass Bass – Unknown Artist
Clarinet [?] – Ernest Elliott
Cornet – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Morris
9    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    Lazy Drag 2:57
Banjo [?] – Lee Blair
Brass Bass – Bill Benford
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Ernest Elliott
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Happy Caldwell
Piano [or] – Marlowe Morris, Mike Jackson
Trombone – Geechie Fields
Trumpet – Tom Morris, Ward Pinkett
Written-By – Morris
10    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    Jackass Blues 3:08
Banjo [?] – Lee Blair
Brass Bass – Bill Benford
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Ernest Elliott
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Happy Caldwell
Piano [or] – Marlowe Morris, Mike Jackson
Trombone – Geechie Fields
Trumpet – Tom Morris, Ward Pinkett
Written-By – Kassel, Stitzel
11    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    Charleston Stampede 3:00
Banjo [?] – Lee Blair
Brass Bass – Bill Benford
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Ernest Elliott
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Happy Caldwell
Piano [or] – Marlowe Morris, Mike Jackson
Trombone – Geechie Fields
Trumpet – Tom Morris, Ward Pinkett
Written-By – Peer
12    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    Georgia Grind 3:04
Banjo [?] – Lee Blair
Brass Bass – Bill Benford
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Ernest Elliott
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Happy Caldwell
Piano [or] – Marlowe Morris
Piano [or], Vocals – Mike Jackson
Trombone – Geechie Fields
Trumpet – Tom Morris, Ward Pinkett
Written-By – Williams
13    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    Ham Gravy 3:01
Banjo [?] – Lee Blair
Brass Bass – Bill Benford
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Ernest Elliott
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Happy Caldwell
Piano [or] – Marlowe Morris, Mike Jackson
Trombone – Geechie Fields
Trumpet – Tom Morris, Ward Pinkett
Written-By – Peer
14    Thomas Morris And His Orchestra–    Who's Dis Heah Stranger? 2:56
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Cornet, Speech – Tom Morris
Piano – Mike Jackson
Trombone, Speech – Charlie Irvis
Written-By – Peer
15    New Orleans Blue Five–    My Baby Doesn't Squawk 3:19
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Cornet – Tom Morris
Guitar – Buddy Christian
Piano – Mike Jackson
Trombone – Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton
Written-By – Peer
16    New Orleans Blue Five–    The King Of The Zulus 2:42
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Cornet, Speech – Tom Morris
Guitar – Buddy Christian
Piano – Mike Jackson
Speech – Helen Baxter
Trombone, Speech – Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton
Written-By – Armstrong
17    New Orleans Blue Five–    South Rampart Street Blues 2:53
Cornet – Tom Morris
Guitar – Buddy Christian
Piano – Mike Jackson
Soprano Saxophone – Bob Fuller
Trombone – Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton
Written-By – Fuller, Christian
18    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    Blues From The Everglades 3:08
Banjo – Buddy Christian
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Ernest Elliott
Cornet – Tom Morris
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Unknown Artist
Piano [or] – Mike Jackson, Phil Worde
Trombone – Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton
Written-By – Peer
19    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    P.D.Q. Blues 3:18
Banjo – Buddy Christian
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Ernest Elliott
Cornet – Tom Morris
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Unknown Artist
Piano [or] – Mike Jackson, Phil Worde
Trombone – Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton
Written-By – Henry, Simpson
20    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    The Mess 2:52
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Bob Fuller
Cornet – Tom Morris
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Unknown Artist
Piano [or] – Mike Jackson, Phil Worde
Trombone – Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton
Written-By – Peer
21    Thomas Morris And His Seven Hot Babies–    The Chinch 3:11
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Bob Fuller
Cornet – Tom Morris
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Unknown Artist
Piano [or] – Mike Jackson, Phil Worde
Trombone – Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton
Written-By – Worde
22    Nashville Jazzers–    St. Louis Blues 2:47
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Bob Fuller
Cornet – Tom Morris
Piano [?] – Mike Jackson
Written-By – Handy