MAXINE SULLIVAN – 1938-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 991 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second Classics CD in their Maxine Sullivan series has all of the subtle singer's recordings from a 2½-year period. Since "Loch Lomond" had been such a big hit, Sullivan was persuaded to record quite a few Scottish folk songs in a similar light swing style. Included on this CD from that idiom are such numbers as "I Dream of Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair," "Drink to Me With Thine Eyes," "Turtle Dove," "If I Had a Ribbon Bow," "Molly Malone," and "Barbara Allen." Although those performances are enjoyable, the actual high points of this release are such tunes as "It Ain't Necessarily So," "Ill Wind," "The Hour of Parting" and "What a Difference a Day Made." Sullivan, who was in her early prime during this era, is accompanied by five different units, including the John Kirby Sextet, Benny Carter's big band (for two numbers), such players as Bobby Hackett and Bud Freeman, and an octet that includes two clarinets, a bass clarinet, bassoon and Mitch Miller on oboe. Recommended, if not as essential as Sullivan's previous 1937-38 Classics CD. Scott Yanow  
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 :

MARY LOU WILLIAMS – 1953-1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1417 (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In part because it didn't have any of her biggest hits, the 1964 album Queen of Soul is a relatively overlooked one in Etta James' discography, even for an artist whose LPs weren't all that well known. The ten songs are dependable early soul music, though the material isn't quite on the level of her best mid-'60s work. "I Wish Someone Would Care" is about the best tune, but James was beaten to the punch on that score by Irma Thomas, who not only recorded the original and superior version, but also wrote the song. The one track to bear a James writing credit ("Bobby Is His Name," co-penned with Ed Townsend) is a pretty lightweight, almost teen pop-influenced number; "That Man Belongs Back Here with Me," co-composed by noted tunesmith Clint Ballard, is fair but not great pop-soul with a jazzy touch; "Flight 101" has a tinge of melodrama, though James' typically strong vocal saves it. "Loving You More Every Day" has a satisfying blues-gospel feel, but much of this has dated orchestration, even the closing "Mellow Fellow," which has one of her trademark, throaty, drawn-out testifying openings. Perhaps some of the album's overall unevenness can be attributed to it having been taken from sessions done over a period of two years. Richie Unterberger  
Tracklist :
1    Mary Lou Williams Quartet–Sometimes I'm Happy    2:28
2    Mary Lou Williams Quartet–Monk's Tune    2:28
3    Don Carlos Meets Mary Lou–Why    4:19
4    Don Carlos Meets Mary Lou–Lullaby Of The Leaves    4:11
5    Don Carlos Meets Mary Lou–Just You, Just Me    2:35
6    Don Carlos Meets Mary Lou–Chicka Boom Blues    3:15
7    Don Carlos Meets Mary Lou–Mary's Waltz    2:58
8    Don Carlos Meets Mary Lou–O.W.    5:08
9    Don Carlos Meets Mary Lou–Moonglow    3:54
10    Don Carlos Meets Mary Lou–N.M.E. (New Musical Express)    3:26
11    Mary Lou Williams And Her Rhythm–Tire, Tire L'Aguille    2:35
12    Mary Lou Williams And Her Rhythm–Lover    3:03
13    Mary Lou Williams And Her Rhythm–En Ce Temps Là    3:20
14    Mary Lou Williams And Her Rhythm–Autumn In New York    2:32
15    Mary Lou Williams And Her Rhythm–Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea    2:18
16    Mary Lou Williams And Her Rhythm–Nicole    3:31
17    Mary Lou Williams And Her Rhythm–Carioca    2:40
18    Mary Lou Williams And Her Rhythm–There's A Small Hotel    3:12
19    Mary Lou Williams Et Ses Formations–Leg 'N' Lou    2:58
20    Mary Lou Williams Et Ses Formations–Gravel (Scratchin' In The Gravel)    3:35
21    Mary Lou Williams Et Ses Formations–Nancy Is In Love With The Colonel    3:12
22    Mary Lou Williams Et Ses Formations–Mary Lou Blues    2:5
Credits :    
Bass – Buddy Banks (tracks: 3 to 22), Rupert Nuese (tracks: 1, 2)
Drums – Gérard Pochonet (tracks: 3 to 10), Jean-Louis Viale (tracks: 11 to 18), Kansas Fields (tracks: 19 to 22), Tony Kinsey (tracks: 1, 2)
Guitar – Ray Dempsey (tracks: 1, 2)
Piano – Mary Lou Williams
Tenor Saxophone – Don Byas (tracks: 3 to 10), Ray Lawrence (tracks: 19 to 22)
Trumpet – Nelson Williams (tracks: 19 to 22)

MARY LOU WILLIAMS - I Made You Love Paris (1954-2000) Jazz In Paris 14 / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Mary Lou Williams spent a fair amount of time in Europe in the early '50s, prior to a temporary hiatus from jazz. This CD from Verve's Jazz in Paris series compiles two separate sessions from 1954; one features a trio, a quintet, and a pair of vocals by blues singer Beryl Bryden, and the other is purely a trio. All of the selections are fairly brief, with only one running over three-and-a-half minutes. The first 11 songs are a bit of a mixed bag. The strongest tracks feature Williams alone ("I Made You Love Paris" and her "Club Francais Blues") or with her trio ("Avalon," "Swingin' for the Guys," and "Memories of You"). Weaker are the four tracks with trumpeter Nelson Williams and tenor saxophonist Ray Lawrence, who aren't up to the playing level of horn players who typically worked with the pianist, though bassist Buddy Banks somewhat makes up for their shortcomings by contributing an enjoyable original ("Leg'n Lou") and a strong solo. Least important is the pair of vocals by Bryden, including a cover of bluesman Piano Red's "Rock Me" and Trixie Smith's "Freight Train Blues." The eight tracks from the other session are more consistent. With Banks again in tow and drummer Jean-Louis Viale, Williams sounds more relaxed and less encumbered during a set that is heavily weighted with standards like "There's a Small Hotel," "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," "Lover," and "Autumn in New York." An obscure, oddly constructed blues by the pianist, "Nicole," is also well worth hearing. This is hardly among the best recordings from Williams' long career, but with a paucity of CD reissues of her work,  by Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1     Avalon 2:36
Buddy DeSylva / Al Jolson / Vincent Rose
2     Scratchin' in the Gravel 3:36
Mary Lou Williams
3     Rock Me 3:11
William Lee Perrymen
4     I Made You Love Paris 2:34
Robert Perrier      
5     Nancy Is in Love With the Colonel 3:12
Mary Lou Williams
6     Swingin' for the Guys 2:30
Oscar Pettiford / Mary Lou Williams
7     Club Français Blues 3:25
Mary Lou Williams
8     Freight Train Blues 3:13
Mary Lou Williams
9     Memories of You 3:11
Eubie Blake / Andy Razaf
10     Leg'n Lou 2:58
Buddy Banks
11     Mary Lou Blues 2:52
Mary Lou Williams
12     Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 2:17
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
13     There's a Small Hotel 3:12
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
14     En Ce Temps-Là 3:21
Charles Trénet
15     Lover 3:04
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
16     Carioca 2:40
Edward Eliscu / Gus Kahn / Vincent Youmans
17     Nicole 3:11
Mary Lou Williams
18     Tire Tire l'Aiguille 3:25
Eddie Barclay / Emil Stern
19     Autumn in New York 2:31
Vernon Duke
Credits :
Double Bass – Buddy Banks
Drums – Jean-Louis Viale (faixas: 12 to 19), Kansas Field (faixas: 1, 2, 4 to 7, 9 to 11)
Piano – Mary Lou Williams
Tenor Saxophone – Ray Lawrence (faixas: 2, 5, 10, 11)
Trumpet – Nelson Williams (faixas: 2, 5, 10, 11)
Nota :
Recorded 1954 in Paris.
Tracks 1-10: reissue of the Club Français du Disque 10" LP 12.
Track 11: extract from the Club Français du Disque EP 6 "Vacances nº 2".
Tracks 12-19: reissue of the Blue Star 10" LP 6842, recorded at the Pathé-Pelouze Studio, January 14th.

BUDDY BANKS / BOBBY JASPAR - Jazz De Chambre (2000) Jazz In Paris 18 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Part of the fun of listening to Universal Music's Jazz in Paris series is digging into their compilations of obscure recordings, such as these two mid-'50s sessions, led by Buddy Banks and Bobby Jaspar. Banks, originally a saxophonist who switched to bass, had arrived in Europe after World War II; he is accompanied by drummer Roy Haynes, pianist Bob Dorough, and guitarist Jimmy Gourley. The leader takes the spotlight in a subtle take of "Yesterdays," though a strange clicking mars an otherwise swinging "I Love You." Banks' group also offers serviceable interpretations of modern pieces like Gerry Mulligan's "Line for Lyons" and Milt Jackson's "Bag's Groove." The partnership of Belgian flutist Bobby Jaspar and American pianist Blossom Dearie was rather brief. Married not long after they met, they recorded just four selections together in 1956 with bassist Benoit Quersin and drummer Christian Garros, then went their separate ways. The best track is the snappy arrangement of "Old Devil Moon." Dearie adds a quick bit of celesta to their abbreviated take of "There Will Never Be Another You." The four standards on this session are enjoyable, though they might have benefited from adding a second reed or brass instrument to provide some variety. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1    Buddy Banks–    A Night In Tunisia    4:26
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
2    Buddy Banks–    Almost Like Being In Love    3:19
Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
3    Buddy Banks–    Bag's Groove    3:47
Milt Jackson
4    Buddy Banks–    Yesterdays    3:29
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
5    Buddy Banks–    I Love You    5:58
Cole Porter
6    Buddy Banks–    Line For Lyons    3:46
Gerry Mulligan
7    Buddy Banks–    You Go To My Head    4:29
J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie
8    Buddy Banks–    Buddy Banks Blues    3:27
Buddy Banks
9    Bobby Jaspar Quartet–    Old Devil Moon    2:30
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / Burton Lane
10    Bobby Jaspar Quartet–    Autumn In New York    3:58
Vernon Duke
11    Bobby Jaspar Quartet–    Flamingo    3:06
Edmund Anderson / Ted Grouya
12    Bobby Jaspar Quartet–    There Will Never Be Another You    2:10
Mack Gordon / Harry Warren
Credits :
Double Bass – Benoit Quersin (faixas: 9 to 12), Buddy Banks (faixas: 1 to 8)
Drums – Christian Garros (faixas: 9 to 12), Roy Haynes (faixas: 1 to 8)
Flute – Bobby Jaspar (faixas: 9 to 12)
Guitar – Jimmy Gourley (faixas: 1 to 8)
Piano – Blossom Dearie (faixas: 9 to 12), Bob Dorough (faixas: 1 to 8)
Nota :
Recorded in Paris.
Tracks 01-07: reissue of the Club Français du Disque 10" LP 33, recorded October 28th 1954 at the Geneix Studio.
Track 08: extract from the Club Français du Disque EP 6 "Vacances nº 2".
Tracks 09-12: reissue of the Barclay