DIZZY GILLESPIE — The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (1995) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although the sheer scope of this double-CD roundup of all of Dizzy's Victor sessions places it most obviously within the evolution of bebop, it is absolutely essential to Latin jazz collections as well. Here listeners find the discographical launching pad of Afro-Cuban jazz on December 22, 1947, when Cuban conguero Chano Pozo added his galvanic congas and bongos to Gillespie's big band for the first time on record. One can feel the explosive effect of Pozo's subdivisions of the beat, rhythmic incantations, and grooves on the band's bebop charts. Though the musicians' styles aren't much affected, and Pozo does most of the adapting to bebop rather than vice versa, the foundation has clearly shifted. Alas, aside from recorded live gigs, Pozo only made eight tracks with the band -- four on December 22 and four more eight days later, just before the second Musicians Union recording ban kicked in. Yet even after Pozo's murder the following year, Gillespie continued to expand his Latin experiments, using two Latin percussionists who brought more rhythmic variety to the sound of tunes like "Guarachi Guaro" (later popularized by Cal Tjader as "Soul Sauce") and even commercial ballads like "That Old Black Magic." The reprocessing of these recordings from late in the 78 rpm era through the CEDAR process sounds a bit harsh, though less so than most of RCA's earlier desecrations of vault material using NoNOISE. Even so, this remains the best way to acquire these seminal Latin jazz tracks. Richard S. Ginell   Tracklist + Credits :

LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS – 1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1072 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In 1947, Armstrong put together his first set of all-stars, including many old friends and colleagues. With Jack Teagarden as the constant on the majority of these sides, we see the personnel shift by year's end, bringing Peanuts Hucko and Barney Bigard into the clarinet seat, with drumming chores split between George Wettling, Cozy Cole (on a four-song orchestra date), and Big Sid Catlett. Kicking off with six tunes from the May 1947 New York Town Hall concert, the set also features a two-song Giants of Jazz session, with Pops in the company of Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet, Lionel Hampton, Mel Powell, and Louis Bellson, and finishes up with four more studio sides and four performances from a 1947 Decca concert album recorded at Boston's Symphony Hall. This is Pops moving from his big-band sound to a smaller, more comfortable group, getting ready for another run at success. Cub Koda     Tracklist + Credits :

LOUIS ARMSTRONG – 1949-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1179 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Diligently reissuing all of Louis Armstrong's recordings, the Classics Chronological Series opens this volume with six sides he waxed for the Decca label during September of 1949. The first two tracks are comforting romantic pop songs sung in front of an orchestra under the direction of Sy Oliver. Much more famous and ultimately among the most lucrative recordings Armstrong ever made, "That Lucky Old Sun" and "Blueberry Hill" had the singer backed by Gordon Jenkins' squarer-sounding big band augmented with a conventional angel cake choir. Then on September 30, 1949, Armstrong recorded with Sy Oliver's band again, this time in two duets with Billie Holiday, one of his greatest admirers. Note that "My Sweet Hunk o' Trash" and "You Can't Lose a Broken Heart" were both composed by James P. Johnson, king of Harlem stride piano. The next chapter in the Armstrong story consists of pure, unadulterated traditional jazz played by a new edition of his All-Stars. The nucleus of Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, and Arvell Shaw was greatly fortified by the presence of pianist Earl Hines and percussionist Cozy Cole. Seven of these titles were initially issued in two parts owing to the limitations of the 10" phonograph record. Happily, and thanks to careful editing, Classics now presents each selection as a continuous extended performance, most effectively in the case of the nearly nine-minute "Bugle Call Rag." Garnished with a laid-back "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" and a smokin' five-minute dash through "Panama," these are some of the best Armstrong jams of the early '50s.   arwulf arwulf       Tracklist + Credits :

LOUIS ARMSTRONG – 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1352 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This 21st chapter in the Classics Louis Armstrong chronology documents the great jazz trumpeter's steady development into a mainstream pop vocalist with recordings made for the Decca label between September 22, 1952, and October 22, 1953. The first four titles are among the most heavily sugared he ever recorded; although Pops could make even "White Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland" sound good, the Gordon Jenkins Orchestra & Chorus had a way of drenching everything in Karo syrup. It's a pity the voices were used on "Listen to the Mockingbird," as Louis sounds marvelous intoning the words to this old-fashioned melody, originally published in 1855 by a Philadelphian Afro-American music instructor named Septimus Winner. On February 23, 1953, Armstrong was in Detroit making records with an orchestra using arrangements by Sy Oliver; his performance of "Your Cheatin' Heart" was waxed only weeks after the sudden death of Hank Williams. During the spring and summer of 1953 Armstrong was able to record with a reasonable number of solid jazz players -- most importantly clarinetist Barney Bigard, trombonist Trummy Young, tenor saxophonist Sam Taylor, pianists Joe Bushkin and Marty Napoleon, bassist Arvell Shaw, and drummer Cozy Cole. Two extra-long performances, "Basin Street Blues" and "Otchi-Tchor-Ni-Ya," were recorded in Los Angeles during June of 1953 for intended inclusion in The Glenn Miller Story, a Universal motion picture starring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson. Both tracks perk up halfway through with pyrotechnic drumming by Gene Krupa. Although Bigard, Young, Shaw, and Cole were with Armstrong on the session that took place on July 16, 1953, they had to contend with relatively corny material and square arrangements foisted upon the world by the Jack Pleis Orchestra. The following session, featuring a big band billed as Louis Armstrong & the Commanders, resulted in two more Christmas tunes and three perfectly reasonable big-band ballads, the best of which was Armstrong's own composition "Someday You'll Be Sorry." This itinerary is a good illustration of Armstrong's career as it stood in the early '50s, represented by a little bit of jazz surrounded by a whole lot of pop, some of it rather overbearing. While "Someday" is a record of which Armstrong was justifiably proud, "'Zat You, Santa Claus?" typifies the kitschy excesses of the U.S. entertainment industry during the Truman/Eisenhower era. arwulf arwulf       Tracklist + Credits :

BLANCHE CALLOWAY AND HER JOY BOYS – 1925-1935 | The Classics Chronological Series – 783 (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Cab Calloway's big sister was born in Baltimore, Maryland back in 1902. "Little Cabell" was born in 1907. Eventually the family moved west to Illinois. Blanche was the first to pursue a musical career, singing at clubs in both Chicago and New York. Brother and sister appeared together in the Plantation Days show, live on-stage at Chicago's Loop Theater. Theirs must have been a dynamite act. Blanche sounded like Cab only stronger and more visceral, which is to say: female. Blanche's recording career was brief but brilliantly successful. Her earlier recordings with Reuben Reeves and Andy Kirk have been issued under those artists' names on the Classics Chronological series. Blanche's own chronology as presented here begins with two musty old blues records from November of 1925. Accompanied by Louis Armstrong and Richard M. Jones, Blanche sings her heart out, but some listeners will probably find these two sides most interesting on account of the cornet player. A little over five years later, Blanche is belting it out in front of her own 11-piece orchestra. The "Joy Boys" included several young men who were destined to have quite an impact on jazz. Their names were Cozy Cole, Clyde Hart, Vic Dickenson and Ben Webster. "Just a Crazy Song" might be familiar to some jazz collectors as it was issued on one of many topical collections by the Stash label back in the 1970s. Blanche sounds a bit like Lil Hardin Armstrong as she hollers her way through this novelty exercise in scat. Rather than emulating her brother, Blanche seems to be strutting her own stuff, and one cannot help but wonder how much of his famous style was developed in emulation of hers. The exact dynamics of their relationship have not been explained or understood, and probably never will be. What is known is that even though Cab was headed for relative superstardom, Blanche made a lot more money at first than her brother did. She would always sound like a boisterous vaudevillian, with a rambunctious, burlesque quality that is bracing. Audiences loved her but her unconventional vocals might very well have frightened off recording executives, for this was not your typical "girl singer" but a rowdy woman who sang however the hell she felt like singing. The repertoire is excellent. "It's Right Here for You" is magnificent, and "Make Me Know It" compares nicely with Evelyn Preer's lovely 1926 recording, backed by the great Thomas Morris. Blanche's band picks up the tempo and makes it trot like the pop tune "Just Because You're You," as premiered in 1921 by Yerkes S.S. Flotilla Orchestra. Blanche really works each song for everything it's worth. "I've Got What It Takes" is as tough as Bessie Smith and swings really hard. "Growlin' Dan" was Blanche's theme song, more or less. It is obviously patterned after her brother's biggest hit record, and she even mentions "Minnie the Moocher" in passing. Blanche does wonderful things with Fats Waller's forgotten masterpiece, "Concentratin' on You," allowing us to enjoy Andy Razaf's funny lyrics. This is Blanche at her very best, peppered with enthusiastic shouts from her band. Other highlights are the call-and-response stomp "Catch On," a frantic music hall number called "I Need Some Lovin'" and "What's A Poor Girl Gonna Do?." This last tune could pass for Sophie Tucker material. Lonesome, Blanche is confronted with a bloodless mechanical man, one who is "neither Democrat nor Republican." In the midst of this socio-psycho-sexual dilemma, the band sizzles away with the gas turned all the way up arwulf arwulf

STUFF SMITH AND HIS ONYX CLUB BOYS – 1936-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 706 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This delightful CD has the first 24 titles ever led by violinist Stuff Smith, virtually all of Smith's prewar recordings and the complete output of the violinist's Onyx Club Boys (other than four songs from 1940). With trumpeter Jonah Jones and occasional drummer Cozy Cole the stars of the supporting cast, this was one of the top swing combos of the era. Smith's hard-swinging violin, his enthusiastic vocals, and his interplay with Jones made this a particularly hot unit. In addition to the hit "I'se A-Muggin'," highlights of the disc include "I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music," "After You've Gone," "You'se a Viper," "Old Joe's Hittin' the Jug," "Twilight in Turkey," and the classic "Here Comes the Man With the Jive." Highly recommended Scott Yanow      Tracklist + Credits :

BEN WEBSTER – 1944-1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 1017 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Most Ben Webster albums on the market today seem to be reissues from his magnificent autumnal years, majestically lush or bearishly brusque. It's good to have a chronological sampling of Webster's work from the mid-'40s, in order to appreciate exactly how he developed into the Ben Webster of 1959 and 1969. After popping up on early big band swing records by Bennie Moten and Willie Bryant, Webster came into his own as the first really exceptional tenor saxophonist to be featured with Duke Ellington's Orchestra. What we have here is the post-Ellington Ben Webster. His tone has gotten bigger and wider, grittily sensuous and invariably warm like a pulse in the jugular. The first eight tracks were made for radio broadcast purposes in February of 1944. The combination of Hot Lips Page and Ben Webster is a bitch. There are strolling romps with titles like "Woke Up Clipped," "Dirty Deal" and "'Nuff Said," lively stomps built on to the changes of "Tea for Two" and "I Got Rhythm," and two choice examples of Webster developing his ballad chops. "Perdido," from a quartet session recorded near the end of March 1944, is positively stunning. Webster has definitely tapped into something primal, and no one can hear him without being at least partially transformed by the sounds of his saxophone. April Fool's day, 1944 found Webster in the company of tenors Budd Johnson and Walter "Foots" Thomas, with trumpeter Emmett Berry and a modern rhythm section. "Broke but Happy" is a sweet jaunt, real solid, especially when the saxes take over in unison. But the main reason to get your own copy of Classics 1017 is to have the Savoy session of April 17th, 1944. Gracefully accompanied by Johnny Guarnieri, Oscar Pettiford and David Booth, Webster blows four of the greatest three-minute recordings of his entire career. "Kat's Fur" is a goosed up, improved version of "'Nuff Said." "I Surrender Dear" runs even deeper than the two other versions included on this disc. "Honeysuckle Rose" and especially "Blue Skies" each represent Ben Webster at his toughest and truest. This is a rare blend of musk, and it's not synthetic. It's the real thing. arwulf arwulf  
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JOHNNY GUARNIERI – 1944-1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 956 (1997) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

In addition to recording prolifically in the 1940s, pianist Johnny Guarnieri led a few record dates. This Classics CD has four septet numbers from 1944 that feature tenor saxophonist Lester Young and trumpeter Billy Butterfield as sidemen, four songs with tenorman Don Byas in superb form, and three trio sessions, including two that co-star bassist Slam Stewart. Guarnieri, who was versatile enough to be able to closely emulate Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Fats Waller, and Art Tatum, also had his own swing-based style and is consistently creative throughout the performances. Highlights include "Salute to Fats," "Bowin' Singin' Slam," "Gliss Me Again," "I'd Do Anything for You," and "Make Believe"; all 22 selections are enjoyable. Scott Yanow   Tracklist + Credits :

JOHNNY GUARNIERI – 1946-1947 | The Chronogical Classics – 1063 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Johnny Guarnieri first attracted attention as a wonderfully facile pianist -- and harpsichordist -- with Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five. He then became the Keynote record label's all-purpose piano man. Classically trained, then strongly influenced at any early age by Fats Waller and James P. Johnson, Guarnieri was a gifted improviser whose bag of tricks was never empty. This disc delivers a deep dose of the pianist's work for the Majestic label. Fresh from many months of active service at Keynote, Johnny sails into "All the Things You Are" almost as if running Jerome Kern through a set of Beethoven variations. The rest of the quartet enters, the song develops into a tidy bounce, and Johnny renders up a majestic unaccompanied finale. "Carioca" is a very cool demonstration of this excellent quartet in action. "Swing for Yourself, John" walks in 4/4, its early modern harmonic runs sounding exactly contemporary for 1946. "My Gal Sal" deliberately references 1890s saloon piano, then chucks it for ultra-modern cool swing, bristling with boppish licks. Eloquently cool, "Temptation" receives an almost film noir treatment, and guitarist Tony Mottola gets most of "Guilty" to himself. Bassist Trigger Alpert is spotlighted on his own invention, "Trigger Fantasy." Accompanied only by his brother Leo and drummer Morey Feld, Johnny demonstrates what Fats Waller might have done with "Flying Home." Waller was undoubtedly on his mind as he launched "Believe It, Beloved" and chased it down with two lovely ballads. Just imagine what kind of four-handed piano records the two men could have made together had Fats lived longer than 39 years. Luckily, Johnny thrived for decades as a living extension of his Harlem stride piano heroes. Sitting in with the Tony Mottola Four, the pianist provided backing for two unnecessarily cutesy vocals by Rosemary Calvin and a bop-flavored feature for the guitar. The rest of this package consists of unaccompanied piano solos. "Nice Work" and "Mean to Me" sound to some extent like the work of Art Tatum. "Exactly Like You" has full-tilt James P. Johnson passages nestled between Tatum-like arpeggios. "Sorry, I Lost My Head" continues this fascinating blend of styles. After a couple of reflective reveries, Johnny bravely sings "Bobo the Bowery Barber" in his thin little voice. He sounds at first a lot like Fats Waller, then mimics Jerry Colonna lampooning Italian opera at the top of his lungs, and finally anticipates the weirdly cornball humor of Lenny Bruce as a homicidal Bobo brandishes his razor! The song ends with a loud, high-pitched scream and maniacal laughter. This side of Guarnieri's personality would surface periodically in the form of strange originals like "Santa Claus Is Smoking Reefers." The rest of the tracks on this album are 110 percent piano. "Plenty of Money" is delightful, "Stardust" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" are ethereal, and "Tiger Rag" clearly references its French quadrille origins, with lovely embellishments similar to what he did with "All the Things You Are" but even more stunning, as this old-time stomp would naturally demand. This, then, is a precious stash of rare recordings by an unjustly neglected master of traditional swing and transitional early modern jazz piano. 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  
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LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1938 | The Chronogical Classics – 524 (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

In 1937, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton began leading a series of all-star swing recording dates. Although he would still be a member of Benny Goodman's organization for another three years, Hampton was a natural-born leader and his record dates featured top sidemen from a variety of major jazz bands. This CD begins the chronological reissue of all of this music (except alternate takes). Hampton is teamed with players from the Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington orchestras plus a large assortment of guests. Among the many highlights are "Hampton Stomp" (featuring Hampton playing rapid lines on the piano with two fingers), "Stompology," Johnny Hodges on "On the Sunny Side of the Street," and some good spots for Jonah Jones' trumpet. Scott Yanow
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LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1940 | The Chronogical Classics – 562 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During 1937-1940, Lionel Hampton led a series of exciting small-group swing dates featuring all-stars drawn from a variety of jazz orchestras. This reissue is one of the strongest. The first four songs alone have Hampton heading a group that includes altoist Benny Carter; tenors Coleman Hawkins, Chu Berry, and Ben Webster; and a 22-year old trumpeter named Dizzy Gillespie (who takes a solo on "Hot Mallets"). Also featured along the way are trumpeters Henry "Red" Allen and Ziggy Elman, trombonist J.C. Higginbotham, altoist Earl Bostic, and the Nat King Cole Trio. Three songs (including a classic version of "Dinah") feature Coleman Hawkins and (on trumpet) Benny Carter. This highly recommended set has more than its share of gems. Scott Yanow
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HENRY "RED" ALLEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935-1936 | The Chronogical Classics – 575 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third of five Classics CDs that cover Red Allen's recordings of the 1930s has the contents of six complete sessions from a ten-month period. Allen (who has vocals on all but one of the 24 selections) is assisted by such classic players as trombonist J.C. Higginbotham, Cecil Scott (on tenor and clarinet), altoist Tab Smith and several strong rhythm sections. Among the more memorable swing performances are "On Treasure Island," "Take Me Back to My Boots and Saddle," "Lost," "Algiers Stomp" and "I'll Sing You a Thousand Love songs." The fairly obscure recordings (cut during an era when the big bands really ruled) have long been underrated. Scott Yanow
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HENRY "RED" ALLEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936-1937 | The Chronogical Classics – 590 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The fourth in the Classics label's five-CD series of Red Allen recordings reissues 20 obscure performances from a seven-month period. Although Red Allen was mostly playing with big bands during the 1930s, these small-group sides gave him a chance to be showcased quite a bit more than usual. Allen takes vocals on each of the tunes and, although many of the songs are long forgotten, his trumpet solos and the improvisations of altoist Tab Smith, clarinetist Buster Bailey and Ted McRae on tenor keep one's interest. This is actually the weakest of the five CDs but all are worth picking up. Scott Yanow
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COZY COLE – 1944 | The Chronogical Classics – 819 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Check this out -- probably the best overall Cozy Cole collection, and possibly one of the top picks for mid-'40s small-group swing. There are distinct reasons for such a strongly stated claim. They are, specifically: Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Budd Johnson, and Don Byas. Got that? Three additional reasons are Teddy Wilson, Johnny Guarnieri, and Earl Hines. This is no offhand list of incidental participants, but a pantheon of indispensable figures in mid-20th century jazz. Their combined experience and influence add up to direct involvement with the heart and soul of this music, from Armstrong and Ellington to Bird and Diz. Glance at the rest of the collective personnel and you're confronted with a stunning lineup containing some of the most accomplished jazz musicians on the scene during the year 1944. The Cozy Cole All Stars session recorded for Keynote on the 22nd of February still stands near the apex of that label's best achievements, especially because of the electromagnetic field created by putting Hawkins and Hines into the same room at the same time. These Keynotes sound better than ever presented, with 17 vivid sides issued on the Savoy label, which like Commodore and Keynote granted the musicians absolute artistic control. This is precisely why the music holds up so well regardless of the passage of time. Johnny Guarnieri is particularly well represented, as is Teddy Wilson, who sparkles during the Buck Ram All Stars session. There are a couple of percussion feature numbers where attention is deliberately focused upon Cole, but generally speaking every selection is defined, supported, and shaken to its roots by the energetic presence of this indefatigable drummer. arwulf arwulf
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COZY COLE – 1944-1945 | The Chronogical Classics – 865 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Classics CD reissues drummer Cozy Cole's sessions for Continental, Keynote, and Guild, most of which have been out of print for years. The two Continental dates feature overlapping all-star groups (with trumpeter Charlie Shavers, clarinetist Hank D'Amico, Coleman Hawkins, Walter "Foots" Thomas, and/or Don Byas on tenors, Clyde Hart or Johnny Guarnieri on piano, guitarist Tiny Grimes, bassist Slam Stewart, and the drummer/leader), but are sometimes a bit frustrating. Since every player is a potential soloist and the performances are limited to around three minutes apiece, the solos are almost cameos, generally eight or 16 bars apiece. The most memorable spot, Hawkins' exploration of "When Day Is Done," finds the great tenor doing what he can with his half chorus. The Keynote session is most notable for Don Byas' solos and for the recording debut of 20-year-old trumpeter Shorty Rogers. The Guild sides have Byas well showcased in a quintet, two extensive drum features ("Stompin" and "Strictly Drums"), and three dramatic vocals from June Hawkins. Overall, this is an interesting and enjoyable CD -- swing music with slight touches of bop. Scott Yanow  
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ROY ELDRIDGE – 1945-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 983 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

As far as Roy Eldridge's big bands go, this was the peak. With arrangements by Buster Harding and a stable of powerful young players, the Roy Eldridge Orchestra must have been formidable in live performance. Most of the recordings they made for the Decca label represent the ultimate in extroverted big-band swing. The explosive "Little Jazz Boogie" is one of the hottest records Roy Eldridge ever made. The flip side, "Embraceable You," bears witness to his profound abilities as an interpreter of ballads. Three sides by the Roy Eldridge Little Jazz Band recorded for V-Disc on November 14, 1945, allow for more intimate interplay. "Roy Meets Horn" -- the title is a takeoff on "Boy Meets Horn," Ellington's feature for Rex Stewart -- and "Old Rob Roy" are late-period swing or "prebop" numbers, anticipating stylistic changes that were in the wind at the time. With Nick Caiazza blowing tenor sax, Ernie Caceres wielding a clarinet, and Trigger Alpert and Specs Powell in the rhythm section, this was one exciting little jam band. "I've Found a New Baby" is a full-blown stomp employing traditional swing polyphony. Contrary to what the discography claims, there is no spoken introduction by Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. Back in the Decca studios on January 31, 1946, the big band generated huge gusts of sound, employing lots of in-your-face brass. "Ain't That a Shame" is a fine cool blues graced with one of Eldridge's hippest vocals. The session of May 7, 1946, opened with the rowdy "Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip" and eased into "Tippin' Out" -- the apparent obverse of "Tippin' In," a big hit for Erskine Hawkins. During his solo on "Yard Dog," tenor saxophonist Tom Archia quotes from Fats Waller's hit record "There's Honey on the Moon Tonight." On the other hand, "Les Bounce" is not a very inventive melody. The band compensates by blowing hard and Eldridge tries using a portion of the melodic line from his famous "Little Jazz." The material recorded on September 24, 1946, signals a return to dependable jazz standards of the day. This band had alto saxophonists Sahib Shihab and Joe Eldridge, Cecil Payne on baritone, and pianist Duke Jordan. The disc closes with the WNEW Saturday Night Swing Session broadcast live on May 31, 1947. "Honeysuckle Rose" is played by just the rhythm section of Al Casey, Eddie Safranski, and Specs Powell. "Flip and Jazz" is nearly nine minutes of hot jamming in the company of tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips. "How High the Moon" is, well, a visit to bop city as Eldridge brings in the melody known as "Ornithology." "Lover" is played bright and fast with lots of block chords hammered out by pianist Mike Coluchio's right hand. "Buck Still Jumps," played once again just by the rhythm section, is Al Casey's sequel to "Buck Jumpin'," his famous feature number from Fats Waller days. arwulf arwulf
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REX STEWART – 1934-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 931 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On January 9, 1935, Rex Stewart made his first records with Duke Ellington. Clearly, Duke was already a very strong presence in the young cornetist's musical life. "Stingaree," recorded on December 12, 1934, by Rex Stewart & His Orchestra, sounds more than a bit like "Stompy Jones," recorded by Duke Ellington & His Orchestra on January 9, 1934. "Baby, Ain't You Satisfied" was the flip side of "Stingaree," issued on a 78-rpm Vocalion record bearing the serial number 2800. This is the kind of information that the Classics Chronological reissue series provides in its discographies, by the way. You can savor the gradual evolution of an artist's career while poring over recording data and neat little lists of personnel. One name that stands out from the "Stingaree" session is reedman Rudy Powell, who was distinguishing himself in the company of Fats Waller during this same time period. Powell's verbal expostulations during "Satisfied" are as funky and funny as those gruff outbursts usually spoken by Waller or Louis Armstrong. These two numbers are the perfect curtain-raiser for an unusually diverse musical profile. Many of Stewart's best and most often reissued recordings were made under the auspices of Irving Mills and Duke Ellington. Here at last is a collection that expands the lens to include music well outside of that familiar ground. Rex Stewart's Big Seven made four sides on behalf of the Hot Record Society in the summer of 1940. Stewart led his Big Eight on a Keynote date in June of 1944. A slightly reconstituted Big Eight slapped down three contemporary-sounding tracks for Capitol in January 1945. Another octet, now billed as Stewart's "Orchestra," made four records for Parlophone in July 1945. Finally, there is the wild and woolly Mercury session of February 8, 1946. Seldom has an essential segment of Rex Stewart's career been so carefully represented on one disc. The Hot Record Society session glows with the rhythmically magical combination of Wellman Braud and Davey Tough. A slow drag entitled "Solid Rock" is exceptionally passionate and blue. The Keynote sides, especially "Zaza" and "Swamp Mist," are marvelous pieces of chamber jazz, graced with the minds of pianist Johnny Guarnieri and the great Harry Carney, who brought along his bass clarinet. Great changes in style took place within the span of time represented by this CD. A particularly good year for the appearance of young whips who seemed always to be looking ahead, like Earl Bostic and Al Sears, was 1945. There is a smoky tenor sax solo by Stafford "Pazuzza" Simon on "That's Rhythm." A 1946 remake of the famous Ellington/Stewart collaboration "Boy Meets Horn," a funky "Jug Blues," and the outrageous "B.O. Blues" demonstrate Stewart's increasingly eccentric approach to artistic expression and musical entertainment. arwulf arwulf  
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REX STEWART – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1016 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After leaving Duke Ellington's Orchestra, cornetist Rex Stewart went to Europe for a few years, recording extensively. This entry in Classics' "complete" series has a four-song studio session and a jam cut shortly before Stewart went overseas plus sessions in Paris (including six tunes from a concert) and Stockholm. The music is fairly erratic overall. There are some fireworks on a quartet date with pianist Billy Kyle, bassist John Levy, and drummer Cozy Cole, and the two-part, privately recorded "I May Be Wrong" has its moments. With the exception of a previously unreleased alternate take of "Blue Jay" from 1945 (which has a vocal by Joya Sherrill) that had been discovered and was tagged on to the end of this CD, the other selections find Stewart heading a group also including trombonist Sandy Williams (he has some of his best late-period solos), John Harris on clarinet and alto, tenor-saxophonist Vernon Story, pianist Don Gais, Simon Brehm or Fred Ermelin on bass, and drummer Ted Curry. Stewart sings "Run to the Corner" and Honey Johnson is strangely country-oriented on "Waitin' for the Train to Come In"; otherwise the performances are instrumentals. Although Stewart plays in his usual fiery mainstream swing style, some of the arrangements are a bit boppish and do not work that well, plus the recording quality is decent but not great. The overall results are not without their strong moments but are a little uncomfortable and not too essential. However, it is nice to have this formerly scattered music put out in coherent order. Scott Yanow
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MILDRED BAILEY – 1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1187 (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This is volume five in the Classics Mildred Bailey chronology. It contains all of the Vocalion records she made between January 18 and June 14, 1939. For all of her concessions to mainstream pop culture, Mildred Bailey was a blues-inflected jazz singer with traditional roots reaching back into the early '20s. Each of the ensembles featured on this particular compilation are decidedly hipper than most of her previous backup bands. Bailey's March 16, 1939 session with pianist Mary Lou Williams, guitarist Floyd Smith, bassist John Williams and drummer Eddie Dougherty resulted in a series of fine and soulful renderings of old time melodies like the "Arkansas Blues," "Gulf Coast Blues," "You Don't Know My Mind Blues" and Russ Columbo's "Prisoner of Love." Sixteen of this compilation's 22 tracks feature the John Kirby Sextet. This brilliant and creatively concise group had a frontline of trumpeter Charlie Shavers, clarinetist Buster Bailey and alto saxophonist Russell Procope; its well-oiled rhythm section contained pianist Billy Kyle, bassist John Kirby and drummer O'Neill Spencer. This little band was capable of handling material from the jazz, pop and European classical traditions; the Bailey/Kirby magic is most evident on Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine," Ziggy Elman's "And the Angels Sing," Lovie Austin and Alberta Hunter's "Down Hearted Blues" and the "Tit Willow" aria from Gilbert & Sullivan's Mikado. On most of the Kirby sides, xylophonist Red Norvo can be heard obviously enjoying the opportunity to collaborate with exceptionally gifted improvisers. Premonitions of things to come! Norvo dissolved his big band in June 1939, not long after the recording of "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles," and began working with smaller, more modern-sounding ensembles. While Red Norvo would become an integral participant in the bop revolution of the '40s and '50s, Mildred Bailey's career gradually decelerated during the '40s, particularly after her health began to deteriorate. The records she cut during the first half of 1939 add up to some of the best music she ever made. For that reason, this particular installment in Mildred Bailey's Classics chronology is most highly recommended. arwulf arwulf  
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