EARL HINES AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1934-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 528 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Between his auspicious beginnings with Armstrong, Jimmie Noone, and Erskine Tate during the late '20s and his proto-bebop big band of the '40s, Earl Hines found his '30s stride with these fine recordings. Part of a clutch of Classics discs charting his solo and big-band sides from 1928-1947, this collection finds Hines in the stellar company of such top arrangers as Jimmy Mundy, Quinn Wilson, and Cecil Irwin. While Mundy was the only one to achieve fame beyond the group (with Count Basie), all these chart-makers flourished under Hines' watch. Mundy's work especially stands out: Four of his contributions here -- "Fat Babes," "Copenhagen," "Rock and Rye," and "Cavernism" -- count as pinnacles of the form, replete with inventive horn parts and streamlined yet driving rhythm tracks. Hines, of course, finds his own way quite nicely with a series of sparkling solo statements. And helping out on the bandstand are such luminaries as trombonist Trummy Young, trumpeter Walter Fuller, and tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson (later to provide Hines with some quality arrangements of his own). A high point in the Hines catalog. Stephen Cook  
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SKEETS TOLBERT AND HIS GENTLEMEN OF SWING – 1940-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 993 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Skeets Tolbert led a tidy little swing band from the late '30s to the mid-'40s. This group's recorded legacy consists of 40 sides originally released on the Decca label and reissued for the first time on compact disc in the late '90s by the Classics Chronological series. This second volume opens with a novelty bounce dedicated to the topic of a butcher and the various meats available from "Sammy's Choppin' Block." Yack Taylor sings a "Sugar Boogie" and delivers a slow, bluesy attempt at seduction on the flip side, sounding a little like Bertha "Chippie" Hill. On Tolbert's last session of 1940, Taylor returned and sang "Those Draftin' Blues," a cousin of Hot Lips Page's "Uncle Sam Blues." Let it be known that Skeets Tolbert composed "Hit That Jive, Jack," a humongous hit for Nat King Cole's trio in late 1941. Three Johnny Dunn tunes (credited to publisher Clarence Williams and Perry Bradford) are trundled out and performed with immaculate ease. The third of these, "Uncle Eph's Dream," introduces pianist Buddy Johnson, soon to become established as an influential bandleader. Tolbert, in fact, is said to have written arrangements for two Buddy Johnson hits, "Stop Pretendin'" and "Please, Mr. Johnson." The catchy "Big Fat Butterfly" is Tolbert's hopped-up Steve Washington-styled treatment of the popular ballad "Poor Butterfly," and was used on a 1945 Melodisc recording by a group calling themselves the Flennoy Trio. "Jumpin' in the Numbers" carries on in a Slim Gaillard bag while "The Rhumba Blues" showcases Hubert Pettaway's percussive talents. Tolbert used several different pianists, opting for Charles "Red" Richards on his "Messy Boogie" and Herbert Goodwin on "Delta Land Blues." The band's final instrumental, "Fill Up," a steamy strut using a lick from "Hold Tight Want Some Seafood Mama," was committed to wax in January of 1942. Tolbert featured quite a number of vocalists, with the novelty and blues-oriented acts seriously outnumbering the sentimental pop singers. His last pair of records were topical novelties: "C.O.D." makes light of the financial aspect of interpersonal relationships and "Hey Man! Hey Man!" is a takeoff on the spiritual "Amen! Amen!" By the middle of the 1940s Tolbert bailed out of bandleading and retreated to Houston, TX, where he worked for the musician's union, as a teacher, and as the proprietor of a music store. The rest of his story has yet to be told. arwulf arwulf
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BUDDY JOHNSON AND HIS BAND – 1939-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 884 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pianist Buddy Johnson is best-known for leading a swinging, R&B-oriented big band in the late 1940s and '50s that, with his sister Ella Johnson as the main star, introduced "Since I Fell for You." On this CD from the European Classics label, Johnson's first 24 numbers recorded as a leader are reissued and most of the tracks were previously quite hard to come by. At the time Buddy Johnson was an Earl Hines-influenced pianist who was searching for his own sound. A few numbers feature vocals by the so-so Mack Sisters and various bandmembers including the leader himself, but it is the songs with Ella Johnson (particularly "Please, Mister Johnson" and "It's the Gold") that stand out. During the two-year period covered by this CD, Johnson's band grew from a septet to a nonet, but the glory years were still in the future. Scott Yanow
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BUDDY JOHNSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1079 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

1942-1947 is the second volume chronicling Buddy Johnson's piano-led jump blues with his orchestra. An enjoyable listen, it offers a good sampling of the different vocalists Johnson worked with, including Chester Boone, James Lewis, Warren Evans, and -- happily -- seven tunes featuring the warm vocals of his sister Ella Johnson. "Let's Beat Out Some Love" and "Fine Brown Frame" are some of the only covers amidst Johnson-penned numbers such as "South Main," "Walk 'Em," and his biggest hit with Ella, "Since I Fell for You." Joslyn Layne
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BUDDY JOHNSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1115 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Buddy Johnson Orchestra was one of the few big bands that were able to stay together during the second half of the 1940s. They did that by featuring the vocals of Ella Johnson and Arthur Prysock, leaning towards R&B at times and hinting at (but not outright playing) bebop. This CD has the music from Johnson's last three sessions of 1947 and his three 1949 dates; the 1948 recording strike caused a gap. There were no major soloists in the band, but the musicianship was high, the vocalists (heard along with Buddy Johnson himself on all but four numbers) were excellent and there was plenty of spirit. Scott Yanow
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BUDDY JOHNSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1950-1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1244 (2002) FLAC (tracks), lossless

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COLEMAN HAWKINS - 1947-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1162 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Classics brings you another fine round of Hawkins' swing and bebop sides. This time out, the focus is on the last years of the '40s and Hawkins' work with bebop stars like J.J. Johnson, Fats Navarro, Max Roach, and Hank Jones. In addition to the legendary "Picasso" and an amazing "April in Paris," Hawkins is also heard on several fine sides ("It's Only a Paper Moon," "Sophisticated Lady") from a 1949 Paris date with bassist Pierre Michelot and drummer Kenny Clarke. A fine way to delve deeper into the extensive and varied Coleman Hawkins catalog. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1 Coleman Hawkins And His All Stars–    April In Paris    3:07
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
2 Coleman Hawkins And His All Stars–    How Strange    3:03
Coleman Hawkins
3 Coleman Hawkins And His All Stars–    Half Step Down Please    3:01
Tadd Dameron / Coleman Hawkins
4 Coleman Hawkins And His All Stars–    Angel Face    3:13
Coleman Hawkins / Hank Jones
5 Coleman Hawkins And His All Stars–    Jumpin' Jane    3:08
Leonard Feather
6 Coleman Hawkins And His All Stars–    I Love You    2:50
Harry Archer / Harlan Thompson
7 Coleman Hawkins–    Picasso    3:15
Coleman Hawkins
8 Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra–    The Big Head    3:23
Coleman Hawkins
9 Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra–    Skippy    3:33
Coleman Hawkins
10 Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra–    Platinum Love    3:24
Coleman Hawkins
11 Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra–    There's A Small Hotel    3:02
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
12 Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra–    Sih-Sah    3:11
Coleman Hawkins / James Moody
13 Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra–    It's Only A Paper Moon    3:00
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / Billy Rose
14 Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra–    Bean's Talking Again    3:09
Kenny Clarke / Coleman Hawkins
15 Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra–    Bay-U-Bah    3:18
Tadd Dameron / Coleman Hawkins
16 Coleman Hawkins And His Rhythm–    I Surrender, Dear    3:11
Harry Barris / Gordon Clifford
17 Coleman Hawkins And His Rhythm–    Sophisticated Lady    3:06
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Mitchell Parish
18 Coleman Hawkins With Leo Mathisen And His Orchestra–    The Man I Love    3:29
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
19 Coleman Hawkins With Leo Mathisen And His Orchestra–    It's The Talk Of The Town    3:53
Jerry Livingston / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes
20 Coleman Hawkins–    You've Got Me Crying Again    2:50
Isham Jones / Charles Newman
21 Coleman Hawkins–    Can Anyone Explain?    2:49
Bennie Benjamin / George David Weiss
22 Coleman Hawkins–    I Cross My Fingers    2:44
William Farrar / Walter Kent
23 Coleman Hawkins–    I'll Know    2:50
Frank Loesser