BESSIE SMITH – 1923 | The Classics Chronological Series – 761 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This document of Smith's first year in the studio reveals a blues giant in full command of her talents. And while later dates -- especially the epochal 1925 sessions with Louis Armstrong -- offer more in the way of the era's horn-blowing royalty, these early sides nicely showcase Smith in the unadorned company of a variety of top pianists like Clarence Williams and Fletcher Henderson. The Empress of the Blues flexes her vocal muscle throughout, ranging from Broadway fare like "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" to the dark-hued rumblings of "Graveyard Dream Blues." She also revels in the provocative ambiguities of "Nobody in Town Can Bake a Sweet Jelly Roll" and puts her stamp on the future blues warhorse "'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do." From the opening strain of her first best-seller, "Downhearted Blues," until the end of the disc, lovers of classic female blues will find plenty here to keep them enthralled. Stephen Cook
Tracklist + Credits :

JOE MARSALA – 1944-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 902 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is the story of a man who got his start with traditionally oriented musicians like Wingy Manone and Eddie Condon, then gradually evolved into a "modern" sounding artist who never completely turned his back on the old-fashioned music that had spawned him. Beginning with a typical Chicago jam formula blowing session, Joe's All-Timers -- essentially the Condon band with Joe as leader -- present the slow blues/fast blues pairing, sandwiched between two standard New Orleans stomps. A striking contrast occurs when we encounter the session of November 29, 1944 as Joe's wife Adele Girard opens several of the tunes with arpeggios from her harp. Sounding a bit like her contemporary Robert Maxwell, she swings a bit but also sends flurries of almost Harpo Marx-like effervescence into the air. This combines strangely with Chuck Wayne's amplified guitar and the mingling of trumpet and clarinet. The melodies themselves demonstrate a very modernized swing, with an unmistakable bop edge, right on the money for the mid-1940s, if not somewhat ahead of their time. The tempi are very quick, hasty enough to have given Eddie Condon a headache if he'd even listen to such stuff. During the dynamic "Joe-Joe Jump" Adele plays virtuosic swing harp, showing off her amazing technique. This must have been a very exciting act in person. On the second half of the date Adele takes a break while Linda Keene sings two interpersonal relationship blues, very slow and sultry, obviously inspired by Billie Holiday. Joe was an exceptionally sensitive bluesman, working in wonderfully understated ways with trumpeter Joe Thomas. Sitting in at the piano behind the singer was Leonard Feather, who also wrote the material for her. Leonard composed topical blues for a lot of musicians, most notably Hot Lips Page. "Don't Let It End" is Joe's own piece of blues, deep and clear, powerfully effective as an instrumental. The Joe Marsala Sextet had Dizzy Gillespie sitting in on January 12,1945. It's interesting to compare these sides with the other recordings Gillespie participated in during that same month (see Classics 888). "Perdido" is a creative delight and "Melancholy Baby" becomes a feisty swing-to-bop outing. Chuck Wayne is very plugged in and Diz enjoys himself, working up wild solos over these familiar melodies, signing his name all over "On the Alamo." Joe of course takes this in stride, sounding as comfortable as ever with the music evolving so rapidly all around him. "Cherokee" inevitably exudes bop juice, running rapid and sailing through frantic changes as Diz rips it up. On May 4, 1945 Adele Girard got feature billing with her husband's septet, integrating her swing harp into the ensemble as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do. "Southern Comfort" is a suave line, as cool as cukes. There's a spry run through Rodgers & Hart's "Lover," a welcome reinterpretation of "Don't Let It End" (sounding really nice with the addition of the harp), and a sassy version of "Gotta Be This or That," with vocal by Marsala himself. "East of the Sun" is all lavender and lace and "Slightly Dizzy" pours on the bop, showcasing the inventive piano of young Gene DiNovi. "I Would Do Anything for You" comes out elegant, sophisticated and calm. A marvelous finale for this fascinating portrait of a remarkable clarinetist and the unique bands that he led at the stylistic crossroads of 1944 and 1945. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

CLARENCE WILLIAMS – 1921-1924 | The Classics Chronological Series – 679 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although this is not the most essential of the Clarence Williams CDs released in the complete Classics series, all of the releases are highly recommended to fans of early jazz. Many of these titles are quite rare and historical. First Williams is heard as a singer on five period numbers from 1921 ("The Dance They Call the Georgia Hunch" is the most memorable) and has a vocal duet with Daisy Martin on "Brown Skin (Who You For)." Williams also takes four piano solos and on most of the other titles features the great soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet (heard in his earliest recordings); "Wild Cat Blues" and "Kansas City Man Blues" are classics. In addition Louis Armstrong joins the group on three numbers, two of which have vocals from Eva Taylor. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Clarence Williams–    If You Don't Believe I Love You (Look What A Fool I've Been) 2:48
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Clarence Williams
2    Clarence Williams–    Roumania 3:11
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Williams, Peyton
3    Clarence Williams–    The Dance They Call The Georgia Hunch 3:07
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Williams, Wade, Williams
4    Clarence Williams–    Pullman Porter Blues 3:02
Written-By – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Hamilton, Ulrich
5    Clarence Williams–    Decatur Street Blues 2:56
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Clarence Williams
6    Clarence Williams–    Brown Skin (Who You For) 3:06
Vocals – Clarence Williams, Daisy Martin
Written-By – Piron, Williams
7    Clarence Williams–    Mixing The Blues 3:10
Written-By – Clarence Williams
8    Clarence Williams–    The Weary Blues 2:31
Written-By – Artie Mathews
9    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Wild Cat Blues 2:58
Written-By – Williams, Wiley
10    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Kansas City Man Blues 2:55
Written-By – Johnson, Williams
11    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Achin' Hearted Blues 2:56
Written-By – Johnson, Williams, Williams
12    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    'Tain't Nobody's Bus'ness If I Do 2:47
Written-By – Robbins, Grainger
13    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    New Orleans Hop Scop Blues 2:50
Written-By – George Thomas
14    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Oh Daddy! (You Won't Have No Mama At All) 3:07
Written-By – Herbert, Russell
15    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Shreveport Blues 2:58
Written-By – Annie Potter
16    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Old Fashioned Love 3:07
Written-By – Mack, Johnson
17    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    House Rent Blues (The Stomp) 2:56
Written-By – De Koven-Thompson
18    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Mean Blues 2:56
Written-By – Gillham, Smythe
19    Clarence Williams–    My Own Blues 2:25
Written-By – Clarence Williams
20    Clarence Williams–    Gravier Street Blues 2:23
Written-By – Clarence Williams
21    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Texas Moaner Blues 3:10
Written-By – Williams, Barnes
22    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Of All The Wrongs You Done To Me 2:51
Vocals – Eva Taylor
Written-By – Smith, Davell, Leyton
23    Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Everybody Loves My Baby (But My Baby Don't Love Nobody But Me) 2:33
Vocals – Eva Taylor
Written-By – Palmer, Williams
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Unknown Artist (tracks: 14, 15)
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet – Don Redman (tracks: 5 to 9, 12, 13, 16, 17)
Banjo – Buddy Christian (tracks: 1 to 18)
Banjo [prob.] – Leroy Harris (tracks: 16 to 20)
Brass Bass – Cyrus St. Clair (tracks: 16 to 20)
Clarinet – Bennie Motlto Saxophone – Unknown Artist (tracks: 5)
Banjo – Buddy Christian (tracks: 21 to 23)
Clarinet – Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Joseph Samuels (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone – Sidney Bechet (tracks: 9, 10, 12 to 18)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Cornet – Jules Levy Jr. (tracks: 1 to 4, 6), Louis Armstrong (tracks: 21 to 23), Thomas Morris (tracks: 9 to 18), Unknown Artist (tracks: 5)
Drums – Unknown Artist (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Piano – Clarence Williams (tracks: 7 to 23), Larry Briers (tracks: 1 to 4, 6), Unknown Artist (tracks: 5)
Soprano Saxophone – Buster Bailey (tracks: 21 to 23)
Trombone – Aaron Thompson (tracks: 21 to 23), John Mayfield (tracks: 9 to 18), Unknown Artist (tracks: 5)
Trombone [?] – Ephraim Hannaford (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Violin – Unknown Artist (tracks: 5)

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