DODO MARMAROSA TRIO — Complete Studio Recordings (2004) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Even if comparisons with Lennie Tristano, Al Haig and Bud Powell are inevitable, Dodo Marmarosa's music has a surrealistic imprint essentially unlike that of any other pianist in or out of bop. In honor of this cardinal truth, the Lone Hill Jazz label has come forward with the Complete Studio Recordings of the Dodo Marmarosa Trio (including alternate takes), bringing together three different West Coast sessions from 1946 and 1947, four selections waxed in his home town of Pittsburgh in 1950, and an entire second disc's worth of mature Marmarosa material recorded in Chicago in 1961 and 1962. The instrumentation is well worth scrutinizing; the two earliest tracks, dated January 11, 1946, involved bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jackie Mills. Tracks three through 14, waxed on or after September 23, 1946, had no drummer -- only guitarist Barney Kessel and bassist Gene Englund played with the pianist. A rare example of Dodo the vocalist, "I've Got News for You" was originally released on the Atomic record label. The bedrock of this man's musical legacy is a series of sides recorded for the Dial label in Los Angeles on December 3, 1947 (disc one, tracks 15-19 and 24-29). The first cascading bars of "Bopmatism" plunge the listener into an intoxicating groove from which there is no retreat. Here Dodo worked with Harry Babasin, a bassist who doubled on the cello, and once again percussionist Jackie Mills. The Pittsburgh Savoy session found the pianist in the company of bassist Thomas Mandrus and drummer Joe Wallace. More than ten years fraught with personal crises passed before Dodo Marmarosa, by then operating in Chicago, recorded again in a studio with a trio. On May 9 and 10, 1961, the pianist recorded ten tracks with bassist Richard Evans and drummer Marshall Thompson. Almost exactly one year later, on May 4, 1962, seven additional performances were waxed with the great Sam Jones replacing Evans. Both those who are just discovering Marmarosa's music and seasoned jazzheads who are mainly familiar with his earlier work will find this raft of latter-day Dodo a treasure well worth savoring time and again. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist 1 :
1    Mellow Mood 3:12
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
2    Dodo's Blues 3:11
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
3    Raindrops 2:47
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
4    I've Got News For You 2:58
Written-By – L. Easton
5    Compadoo 2:18
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
6    I'm In Love 2:35
Lyrics By – LeBaron / Music By – Kreisler
7    Opus No. 5 1:45
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
8    You Thrill Me So 2:44
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
9    Dodo's Bounce 1:41
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
10    Escape 1:42
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
11    Lover Come Back To Me 2:49
Lyrics By – Hammerstein II / Music By – Romberg
12    Raindrops 2:09
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
13    Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 2:38
Lyrics By – Harbach / Music By – Kern
14    Bopmatism 1:20
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
15    Bopmatism 2:55
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
16    Dodo's Dance 3:06
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
17    Trade Winds 3:08
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
18    Dary Departs 2:35
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
19    Cosmo Street 3:51
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
20    My Foolish Heart 2:36
Lyrics By – Washington / Music By – Young
21    Blue Room 3:04
Written-By – Hart-Rodgers
22    Why Was I Born 3:13
Written-By – Kern-Hammerstein II
23    The Night Is Young 2:48
Written-By – I. Kahal
24    Bopmatism    3:06
25    Dodo's Dance    3:04
26    Trade Winds    3:05
27    Dary Departs    2:45
28    Dary Departs    2:43
29    Cosmo Street    3:25
Tracklist 2 :
1    April Played The Fiddle 4:07
Written-By – Monaco, Burke
2    Why Do I Love You 3:19
Written-By – Kern-Hammerstein II
3    Everything Happens To Me 4:39
Music By – Carmichael / Words By – Mercer
4    Me And My Shadow 4:04
Lyrics By – Rose / Music By – Dreyer / Written-By – Jolson
5    On Green Dolphin Street 3:15
Lyrics By – Washington / Music By – Kaper
6    Tracy's Blues 3:36
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
7    You Call It Madness 3:56
Written-By – Conrad, DuBois, Gregory, Columbo
8    Mellow Mood 3:57
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
9    I Thought About You 5:29
Lyrics By – Mercer / Music By – VanHeusen
10    A Cottage For Sale 4:56
Lyrics By – Conley / Music By – Robison
11    The Song Is You 7:31
Written-By – Kern-Hammerstein II
12    Just Friends 5:17
Lyrics By – Klenner / Music By – Lewis
13    Yardbird Suite 4:18
Written-By – C. Parker
14    I Remember You 3:41
Lyrics By – Mercer / Music By – Schertzinger
15    The Moody Blues 4:09
Written-By – D. Marmarosa
16    The Very Thought Of You 4:02
Written-By – R. Noble
17    Yardbird Suite 3:50
Written-By – C. Parker
Credits :
Bass – Gene Englund (tracks: 1-3 to 1-14), Ray Brown (tracks: 1-1, 1-2), Richard Evans (tracks: 2-1 to 2-10), Sam Jones (tracks: 2-1 to 2-10), Thomas Mandrus (tracks: 1-20 to 1-23)
Bass, Cello – Harry Babasin (tracks: 1-15 to 1-19, 1-24 to 1-29)
Drums – Jackie Mills (tracks: 1-1, 1-2, 1-15 to 1-19, 1-24 to 1-29), Joe Wallace  (tracks: 1-20 to 1-23), Marshall Thompson (tracks: 2-1 to 2-17)
Guitar – Barney Kessel (tracks: 1-3 to 1-14)
Piano – Dodo Marmarosa
Vocals – Dodo Marmarosa (tracks: 1-4)

CHARLIE PARKER – 1945-1947 | The Chronogical Classics – 980 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This features Bird's first solo sides: the legendary early Savoy and Dial sides. Although most of this material has been reissued ad nauseam in various packages and in varying fidelity, Classics gets all the BB's in the right holes, with great annotation and stellar transfers of the material. No alternate takes -- just the issued sides in that space of compressed genius between 1945 and early 1947. As such, a major document of jazz history. Cub Koda    Tracklist + Credits :

GENE KRUPA AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1945 | The Chronogical Classics – 1096 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 11th CD in Classics' Gene Krupa series has the final recordings of his 1942 big band, all eight recordings by his short-lived "Band That Swings With Strings" and the debut of the Gene Krupa Trio. The last numbers by the 1942 band include four Anita O'Day vocals (highlighted by "Massachusetts" and "Murder, He Says"), trumpeter Roy Eldridge's vocal on "Knock Me a Kiss," and the instrumental "That Drummer's Band." A special bonus on this CD are two trio cuts from 1944 with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco and pianist Dodo Marmarosa that were originally issued as V-Discs. The string orchestra was a frivolity, and its best recording actually did not include the strings -- the pioneering bop vocal "What's This" featuring Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart. The CD concludes with three selections ("Dark Eyes," "Body and Soul," and "Stompin' at the Savoy") by the Krupa trio with tenor-saxophonist Charlie Ventura. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist + Credits : 

LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947 | The Chronogical Classics – 994 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

All of Lionel Hampton's studio recordings from 1947 (before the second recording strike) are on this intriguing CD. Hampton's big band at the time mixed together R&B with bebop, swinging hard and putting on exciting shows. "Hamp's Got a Duke," "Three Minutes on 52nd Street," and "Red Top" are typical of the ensemble's work, but there is also Charles Mingus' futuristic "Mingus Fingers" along with the original version of Hampton's classic ballad "Midnight Sun." In addition, there are three fairly obscure small-group sessions that mostly showcase Hampton's vibes but also include pianist Milt Buckner, tenor saxophonist Morris Lane, trumpeter Benny Bailey, and pianist Dodo Marmarosa. Well worth picking up by fans of 1940s jazz. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

DODO MARMAROSA – 1945-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1165 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Michael "Dodo" Marmarosa was a marvelous, flexible pianist. He could cook passionately in the middle of a steaming hot band or ease into an ethereal mood with hardly anybody else in the room. Classically trained, Dodo hung out with young Erroll Garner when they were still figuring themselves out back home in Pittsburgh. He made great records with Artie Shaw, Slim Gaillard, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, and Howard McGhee. What you have here is a chronological grab bag of recordings from Dodo's most promising years. The Barney Kessel All-Stars session, resulting in four sides issued on the Atomic label in 1945, is an exciting discovery, notable for the reeds and vibes of Herbie Steward and Johnny White. Seven months later, the pianist led a pared-down group in concocting another four recordings for Atomic. Dodo has said that he composed "Mellow Mood" when he was only 14 years old. This version, waxed when he was all of 20, exudes a calm sophistication. "Dodo's Blues" is honest and cool, with nice brushwork from Jackie Mills. "How High the Moon" bristles with hot percussion and a wild tenor sax solo by Lucky Thompson. The flip side is a ballad to end all ballads. If you didn't know it was Lucky pouring Alfredo sauce over "I Surrender Dear," you'd think it was Coleman Hawkins himself. The tenth and last side issued by Atomic offers a rare example of Dodo Marmarosa the vocalist. It's worth having as a tasty curiosity, as are two sides cut about a year later with Dodo backing Miss Dana, a singer who really belts out Fats Waller's "Black and Blue." The definitive Dodo is heard on five trio sides recorded for the Dial label in Los Angeles on December 3, 1947. "Bopmatism" has a slightly manic quality that will stay with you long after the piece has ended. "Dodo's Dance" is a giddy, high-velocity workout. "Trade Winds" delivers a much cooler mood, bringing to mind the very beat legend that Dodo once painted the inside of his bathtub green so his bath water would more closely resemble a tropical ocean. Dodo's meditative side is beautifully languid and precious as true love and peace of mind. "Dary Departs," a simple study in relaxed 4/4, is one of his greatest achievements. "Cosmo Street" turns out to be nothing more than a friendly version of Rodgers & Hart's "Lover." The disc ends with four Savoy sides made back home in Pittsburgh during the summer of 1950. Anyone familiar with Marmarosa's discography will be puzzled by the gaps in this picture. Dodo's unaccompanied "Tone Paintings" of 1947 definitely belong in the chronology along with "Deep Purple" and "Tea for Two," fine solos from early 1946. Although other volumes in the Classics series offer plenty of initially "rejected" material, we are told that this volume contains "only those tracks that were actually issued at the time." As for ten additional sides made in collaboration with Barney Kessel and six more with Lucky Thompson, it would be logical to expect them to appear on the Classics label under those artists' names. An excellent survey of Marmarosa's recorded works from 1946 and 1947 was issued in 1991 by Fresh Sound [FSCD-1019], bearing the title Dodo's Bounce. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits : 

LUCKY THOMPSON – 1944-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1113 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tenor saxophonist Eli "Lucky" Thompson came up in Detroit but made all of his earliest recordings in the Los Angeles area during the 1940s. This fascinating album of rare jazz opens with a mind-blowing Timme Rosenkrantz-sponsored jam session recorded on December 26, 1944. Thompson leads an ensemble combining violinist Stuff Smith, trombonist Bobby Pratt, pianist Erroll Garner, and drummer George Wettling. "Test Pilots" appears to be a collective improvisation during which, like many Stuff Smith dates, the mood is wonderfully relaxed and informal. Recording for the Excelsior label in September of 1945, Lucky Thompson's All-Stars consisted of trumpeter Karl George, trombonist J.J. Johnson, bop clarinetist Rudy Rutherford and a tough rhythm section in Bill Doggett, Freddie Green, Rodney Richardson, and Shadow Wilson. In August, 1946, Thompson appeared in a live performance with fellow tenor Jack McVea and trumpeter Howard McGhee, along with pianist Jimmy Bunn, guitarist Irving Ashby, bassist Red Callender and drummer Jackie Mills. The proceedings were recorded and issued on the Black and White label under the heading of "Ralph Bass' Junior Jazz Series." The five-minute "Oodle Coo Bop" is really "Ornithology." It is followed by a gutsy jam titled "Bopin' Bop," and a 12-minute blowout simply called "Big Noise." This begins with a detailed introduction by producer Ralph Bass, who speaks like a 1940s high school principal or camp counselor. "Body and Soul," a feature for Hilton Jefferson-styled alto saxophonist Les Robinson, was included for the sake of completeness even though Thompson is not heard on this track. His next date as a leader occurred on September 13, 1946 and is noteworthy for the presence of piano genius Dodo Marmarosa. Red Callender and Jackie Mills acted as the perfect "other half" of this smart little quartet. Dodo and Red were present at the "Lucky Moments" session on April 22, 1947, where Thompson delivered a masterpiece in tenor sax ballad artistry, "Just One More Chance." This inventive octet included Benny Carter, Neal Hefti, baritone saxophonist Bob Lawson, guitarist Barney Kessel, and Lester Young's brother Lee on the drums. It forms one rousing conclusion for this excellent collection of Lucky Thompson's earliest recordings. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1242 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lenny Bruce was a devoted fan of the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five. He also went out of his way to make fun of Georgia Gibbs, the vocalist on Artie Shaw's January 20, 1942 recording of "Absent-Minded Moon." Lenny was playing up his preference for the hipper side of Shaw, as demonstrated on "Hindustan" and every track recorded at the session which took place the following day. These remarkable sides, which sound better every time they are played back, were the last studio recordings Shaw would make before joining the navy. Composer and arranger Paul Jordan crafted a number of transitionally modern-sounding charts for this band. There are several heavies in the lineup: Dave Tough and Johnny Guarnieri worked well together under any circumstances. Georgie Auld, Ray Conniff and Max Kaminsky were fortunate to be blowing their horns alongside Hot Lips Page, a seasoned trumpeter who conveyed the lyrical potency of ten ordinary musicians. The string section provides just the right amount of lilt without injecting too much fluff. There is a gorgeous rendition of "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," with Shaw's clarinet in full blue cry and a gutsy vocal by Page. The Shaw discography, interrupted by a world war, resumes nearly three years later with Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's famous "Accentuate the Positive." Vocalist Imogene Lynn, dutifully intoning Mercer's imitation Afro-American revival lyrics, sounds a bit affected after the soulful gravity of Hot Lips Page. But it is important to place this popular hit record within historical context. By November of 1944 America needed a straight shot of optimism, and this catchy, morale-boosting number did more for the war against fascism than any number of giddy or poker-faced exercises in rhetorical patriotism. This is Artie Shaw & His Orchestra at their finest. Roy Eldridge gave the band extra punch, and the records he made with Shaw are uniformly solid, melodious and attractive. Billie Holiday, who had worked with Shaw in 1938, is invoked in Jimmy Mundy's "Lady Day." Poetically, its chord progressions seem to reference Billie's difficult life and maybe even the abusive racism she encountered while touring with Shaw at a time when black women simply did not appear with white bands. Buster Harding's "Little Jazz" is the definitive portrait of Eldridge. "Summertime" is exceptionally fine, with magical tonalities provided by Dodo Marmarosa and Barney Kessel. This special chemistry is all the more evident on two sides by the Gramercy Five. Certainly one of the best Artie Shaw reissues, and well-worth seeking out. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1277 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1330 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here lie the last of the Victor recordings by Artie Shaw and his orchestra, dating from July and November of 1945. The first nine titles are charming big band dance numbers. A lot of that charm comes straight up from Dodo Marmarosa's piano and Barney Kessel's guitar, through the trumpet of Roy Eldridge and out of Artie Shaw's elegant clarinet. Those are four good reasons to check these records out, up close. Anybody who loves Dodo Marmarosa needs to hear these recordings in order to be able to appreciate how this young man interacted with a big band. Fortunately, there are only a few vocals by syrupy singer Halsey Stevens. At the tail end of "Yolanda," Dodo executes a mildly dissonant run in an apparent response to the heavily sugared crooning. Every sappy vocal is countered by several handsome instrumental interpretations of melodies by George Gershwin, Jerome Kern and Rodgers & Hart. Five solid performances by Artie Shaw Gramercy Five constitute the artistic high point of this CD. But the clarinetist seems to have been unwilling to stick with one style for more than a little while. Personnel changes began to occur and the music itself soon became radically different. Beginning on November 14, 1945, Shaw switched from Victor to the Musicraft label. Eldridge was gone, and the hip team of Kessel and Marmarosa were on the way out, along with much of the jazz element. On April 30 1946 the orchestra was augmented with strings. Succumbing to some sort of Hollywood malaise, Shaw's orchestra found itself supporting the confectionary voices of Mel Tormé & the Mel-Tones. The session of June 6 featured Shaw's clarinet backed by an enormous ensemble consisting of 12 violins, five violas, four cellos, three basses [one of which was played by Art Shapiro], harp, piano, guitar, drums, oboe, flute, two bassoons, four French horns and five saxophones. Arrangements were by Teddy Walters. Pointing in the direction of Technicolor, television and Tupperware, these recordings are as different as can be from the exciting jazz cooked up by Shaw's band only a few months earlier. While Shaw had his own reasons for heading in this direction, he was also at the mercy of the entertainment industry, and said as much in his autobiography, The Trouble with Cinderella. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1946-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1368 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist + Credits :

WARDELL GRAY – 1946-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1264 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here you have the first installment in the Classics Wardell Gray chronology. His earliest appearances on record can be found on this label's surveys of Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine. Having this brilliant saxophonist's recordings laid out in exact chronological order is both a treat for the connoisseur and a perfect introduction for those who haven't yet had the pleasure. Wardell Gray's first session as a leader took place in Los Angeles on November 23, 1946, in the excellent company of pianist Dodo Marmarosa, bassist Red Callender, and alternate drummers Harold "Doc" West and Chuck Thompson. These Sunset recordings were not issued commercially and languished for years in obscurity. Here the Lester Young influence is palpable, and Gray was gracious enough to acknowledge his idol with "One for Prez." The next step of the chronology lands listeners in New York during April and May of 1948, whereupon the saxophonist made four brilliant sides for the Sittin' in With record label backed by a rhythm trio featuring pianist Al Haig, and then sat in as a member of a septet led by virtuoso percussionist J.C. Heard. While the quartet date spotlights Gray and Haig, the Heard band glows with a front line of trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist Benny Green, baritone saxophonist Tate Houston, and Wardell Gray. (Anyone who really loves this kind of music will feel better just contemplating that lineup.) After a smart little study in bop scat singing by Buddy Stewart, the next installment is the justifiably famous New Jazz session of November 11, 1949. Securely supported by Al Haig, Tommy Potter, and Roy Haynes, on that day Wardell Gray blew some of the best jazz of his entire all-too-brief career. The producers of the Classics Chronological Series wisely opted to present only the master takes, although interested parties are encouraged to tap into Wardell Gray Memorial, Vol. 1 on Prestige for multiple takes of both "Southside" and especially "Twisted" for audible proof of this man's wealth of creativity and imagination. Speaking of Prestige, this mind-blowing treasure trove of great vintage bop closes with four sides recorded for that label in Detroit, MI, on April 25, 1950. It's the perfect closer for this potent little package of essential early modern jazz. Every track is strong and solid, tight and righ arwulf arwulf t.
All Tracks & Credits :

SLIM GAILLARD – 1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 864 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

These 23 different selections recorded in Los Angeles for the Queen, 20th Century, Bee Bee, and Four Star labels feature Gaillard with partner/bassist/vocalist Bam Brown and a variety of different bands, from the Boogiereeners with Fletcher Smith or a quartet with Dodo Marmarosa on piano. A horn section with saxophonists Teddy Edwards, Wild Bill Moore, and Lucky Thompson and trumpeters Howard McGhee and Karl George back the band on four cuts. Gaillard is heard to good effect whether goofing off, playing boogie harpsichord, singing standards, or jamming hard and swinging steadily. The Smith-Gaillard (on harpsichord) combine gets eight shots. There's the wistful scat of the midtempo "Sighing Blues"; the upbeat, Smith-led "Queen's Boogie" and "Nightmare Boogie"; or the slower, occasionally shouted "Voot Boogie. "Sightseeing Boogie," a mellow song with a spoken-word reference to "Gates" aka Lionel Hampton; a straight instrumental, "Central Avenue Boogie"; a more interactive, Queen-rejected "Boogie"; and a more patient instrumental, "Slim's Cement Boogie," all speak to the center of Gaillard's unique approach. With the horns loading up on background charts and solos, Thompson cuts loose on both "Slim Gaillard's Boogie" and "Harlem Hunch," and Edwards gets the spotlight on the rootsy "Tutti Frutti." "Travelin' Blues" is the undisputed highlight, as Gaillard, in a hilarious, narcoleptic stupor, tries to decide at which "mellow" train stop to land: his ex-Detroit home, Cleveland, or Toledo, influenced by Moore and Thompson's solos. Two other cuts with trombonist Vic Dickenson and two unidentified horns are a slowed "Voot Orenee" and the standard postwar ballad "Please Wait for Me." Nine selections with the Marmarosa-Gaillard-Brown-Zutty Singleton (drums) tandem has the leader on guitar, vibes (for the hot yet soft instrumental "Ding Dong Orenee"), and piano. Well-known hits are here, such as "Laguna" ("lyin' in the sun and havin' fun"); "Laguna Orenee" (different key, rejected by Bee Bee); the static, food-referenced swinger "Dunkin' Bagel"; and dueling vocals and some crooning from Gaillard on the easy swinger "Buck Dance Rhythm." Dual pianos crop up on the instrumental "Boogin' at Berg's"; Gaillard sings the standard torch song "Don't Blame Me"; "Carne" is done in Gaillard's "Spanglish" dialect; and "Ya Ha Ha" is the ultimate fun tune. This CD is a companion to Classics label issues 1937-1938, 1939-1940, and 1940-1942. Because this is the latter period's music and is better recorded, it's perhaps Gaillard at his zenith and shows his most developed musical powers. Highly recommended. Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Voot Orenee    3:01
2    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Please Wait For Me    2:30
3    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Sighing Boogie    2:52
4    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Queen's Boogie    2:51
5    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Voot Boogie    2:52
6    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Nightmare Boogie    2:47
7    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Slim Gaillard's Boogie    2:43
8    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Harlem Hunch    2:40
9    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Tutti Frutti    2:44
10    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Travelin' Blues    3:03
11    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Sightseeing Boogie    2:44
12    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Central Avenue Boogie    2:40
13    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Boogie    2:52
14    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Slim's Cement Boogie    2:40
15    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Laguna    2:42
16    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Dunkin' Bagel    2:47
17    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Boogin' At Berg's    2:49
18    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Don't Blame Me    3:05
19    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Laguna Oroonee    2:35
20    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Ya Ha Ha    3:11
21    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Carne    2:49
22    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Ding Dong Oreeney    2:51
23    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Buck Dance Rhythm    3:10
Credits :    
Bass – Thomas "Bam" Brown (tracks: 1 to 23)
Drums – Leo Watson (tracks: 1, 2, 7 to 14), Zutty Singleton (tracks: 15 to 23)
Guitar – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 1, 2, 7 to 23)
Harpsichord – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 3)
Piano – Dodo Marmarosa (tracks: 15, 17 to 23), Fletcher Smith (tracks: 1 to 14), Slim Gaillard (tracks: 16)
Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson (tracks: 7, 8, 10 to 14), Teddy Edwards (tracks: 9, 11 to 14), Wild Bill Moore (tracks: 10 to 14)
Trombone, Alto Saxophone – Vic Dickenson (tracks: 1, 2)
Trumpet – Howard McGhee (tracks: 7 to 14), Karl George (tracks: 7 to 14), Unknown Artist (tracks: 1, 2)
Vocals – Slim Gaillard, Thomas "Bam" Brown (tracks: 15 to 23

SLIM GAILLARD – 1945, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 911 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The nucleus of Slim Gaillard's professional activity during December of 1945 was a trio consisting of himself, singing bassist Tiny "Bam" Brown, and shuffle drummer Zutty Singleton. The addition of pianist Dodo Marmarosa created a modern-sounding quartet that hinted at stylistic changes very much in the air at that time. Sixteen sides originally issued on the Atomic and Cadet labels document this group's evolution over the course of three weeks. By 1945 Gaillard had become extremely popular in the Los Angeles area, and his music was beginning to sound quite different from that of his pre-war period. His collaborations with Slam Stewart between the years 1938 and 1942 were peppered with Stewart's inspired singing over the bowed bass. Bam Brown had a much different approach, which was to echo Gaillard's every utterance in a silly little voice almost like that of a cartoon character. This was essentially a bop-era vaudeville routine and it caught on quickly with West Coast audiences eager for "hip" entertainment but largely distrustful of the less accessible face of modern music as represented by serious, innovative young musicians from New York. Gaillard's topical humor made fun of everything in sight. During "Jumpin' at the Record Shop" he drops the names of famous DJs and popular entertainers, from Carmen Miranda and Xavier Cugat to Spade Cooley, Bob Wills, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope in addition to a solid roster of jazz luminaries including of course his own bad self. On the "Novachord Boogie" Gaillard rocks away on what seems to have been a rudimentary electric piano, sounding almost like a premonition of Sun Ra's Farfisa organ. But Gaillard's main axe was the electrically amplified guitar, the main force behind "The Hop," which has a ferocious, explosive drum solo by Zutty Singleton. This chronology builds up marvelously to the famous "Slim's Jam" session recorded for the Bel-Tone label on December 29, 1945, with an added front line of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Jack McVea, who Gaillard insists on introducing as "McVouty." These superb performances are greatly enhanced and contextualized by this compilation's unprecedented inclusion of all the records made by Gaillard's groups during December of 1945. "Dizzy Boogie" features Gaillard at the piano and a cool bass solo with vocal accompaniment by Bam Brown, who sounds more dignified than ever. "Flat Foot Floogie" and "Popity Pop" are outstanding novelty jump tunes suffused with the leader's infectious sense of humor. As a prime example of the intersection of innovative modern jazz and immaculately hip shenanigans, "Slim's Jam," with Gaillard introducing each participant in a smooth, laid-back voice, belongs among the very greatest three-minute episodes in the entire history of recorded jazz. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Scotchin' With Soda    2:44
2    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Cuban Rhumbarini    2:47
3    Slim Gaillard Trio–    As Long As I Have Your Love    3:20
4    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Cement Mixer    3:16
5    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Atomic Cocktail    2:39
6    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Yep-Roc-Heresay    3:03
7    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Penicillin Boogie    2:29
8    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Jumpin' At The Record Shop    3:08
9    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Drei Six Cents    2:40
10    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Minuet In Vout    2:56
11    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Tee Say Malee    2:49
12    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Novachord Boogie    2:58
13    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Baby, Won't You Please Come Home    3:17
14    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Groovy Juice Jive    3:03
15    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    The Hop    2:46
16    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Three Handed Boogie    2:58
17    Slim Gaillard And His Orchestra–    Dizzy Boogie    3:09
18    Slim Gaillard And His Orchestra–    Flat Foot Floogie    2:31
19    Slim Gaillard And His Orchestra–    Popity Pop    2:57
20    Slim Gaillard And His Orchestra–    Slim's Jam    3:14
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Charlie Parker (tracks: 17 to 20)
Bass – Tiny "Bam" Brown
Drums – Zutty Singleton
Guitar – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 2, 5 to 8, 13 to 16, 18 to 20)
Piano – Dodo Marmarosa (tracks: 5 to 8, 13 to 20), Slim Gaillard (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 17)
Synthesizer [Novachord] – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 9 to 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Jack McVea (tracks: 17 to 20)
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie (tracks: 17 to 20)
Vibraphone – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 17 to 20)
Vocals – Slim Gaillard, Tiny "Bam" Brown (tracks: 1 to 16)

SLIM GAILLARD – 1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 962 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The year 1946 saw Slim Gaillard's act diversifying like never before. This leg of his chronology finds Gaillard singing and playing guitar, piano, drums, and vibraphone. His guest performers included singing pianist Wini Brown, singing drummer Leo "Scat" Watson (an ideal match for Gaillard's bizarre temperament), bop geniuses Marshall Royal, Lucky Thompson, Dodo Marmarosa, and Howard McGhee, and Zutty Singleton or Scatman Crothers on the drums. Boogie woogie was an essential part of the hip end of popular music in 1946, and Gaillard did it up beautifully in the form of a four-handed piano duet with Wini Brown. "Riff City," a prime example of the "Slim & Bam" act in fourth gear, contains some of bassist Tiny "Bam" Brown's best scat singing. The instrumental "Santa Monica Jump" might be the best overall piece of jazz in this grab bag of recordings originally issued on the Bel-Tone, V-Disc, Atomic, Savoy, and Disc labels. Anyone collecting all of the various volumes of the Gaillard chronology on Classics will experience the thrill of amassing several versions of "Cement Mixer." The version heard here faithfully reproduces the Mexican radio announcer routine Gaillard used in live performance, while in fact "Fried Chicken O'Routee" (a remake of "Ya Ha Ha") seems to have actually been recorded in front of an appreciative audience. The live ambiance is even more pronounced during the "Groove Juice Symphony," also known as "Opera in Vout," presented amid much laughter, cheering, and applause on April 22, 1946, at the Shrine Auditorium. Gaillard and Brown open with Skeets Tolbert's "Hit That Jive, Jack," move into a wild version of Duke Ellington's "C Jam Blues" and cap the set with a fractured extension of Gaillard's own "Flat Foot Floogie" tempered with hints of "Big Noise from Winnetka." This disc contains two versions of "Chicken Rhythm," the second introduced by Bob Hope and issued by the Armed Forces on V-Disc. This interesting segment of the Slim Gaillard story ends with a handful of studio sides representing the full range of his musical persona -- cool love songs, hot jam tunes, and weirdly executed novelties with titles like "Oxydol Highball." arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Wini Beatty With Slim Gaillard Trio–    Early Morning Boogie    2:55
2    Slim Gaillard Trio And Wini Beatty–    That Ain't Right, Baby    2:43
3    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Riff City    2:50
4    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Mean Mama Blues    2:50
5    Slim Gaillard And His Orchestra–    Chicken Rhythm    3:04
6    Slim Gaillard And His Orchestra–    Santa Monica Jump    3:01
7    Slim Gaillard And His Orchestra–    Mean Pretty Mama    3:03
8    Slim Gaillard And His Orchestra–    School Kids' Hop    2:55
9    The Slim Gaillard Trio–    Cement Mixer    2:19
10    The Slim Gaillard Trio–    Fried Chicken O'Routee    3:04
Slim Gaillard And Bam Brown    Opera In Vout (Groove Juice Symphony)    
11    –    Introduzione - Pianissimo    2:38
12    –    Recitativo E Finale    2:17
13    –    Andante Contabile In Modo De Blues    3:14
14    –    Presto Con Stomp    3:35
15    Slim Gaillard–    Chicken Rhythm 3:14
Speech [Introduction] – Bob Hope
16    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    Jam Man    2:34
17    Slim Gaillard Quartette–    I Don't Know Why    2:22
18    Slim Gaillard–    The Jam Man    3:02
19    Slim Gaillard–    Slim's Riff    1:53
20    Slim Gaillard–    I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)    3:10
21    Slim Gaillard–    Oxydol Highball    2:24
Credits :    
Bass – Bam Brown
Clarinet – Marshall Royal (tracks: 5 to 8)
Drums – Oscar Bradley (tracks: 18 to 21), Scatman Crothers (tracks: 16, 17), Slim Gaillard (tracks: 11 to 14), Zutty Singleton (tracks: 1 to 8)
Drums, Vocals – Leo Watson (tracks: 9, 10, 15)
Guitar – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 1 to 20)
Piano – Bill Early (tracks: 16, 17), Dodo Marmarosa (tracks: 5 to 8), Slim Gaillard (tracks: 10 to 14, 21), Wini Beatty (tracks: 1 to 4)
Piano [possibly] – Dodo Marmarosa (tracks: 18 to 21)
Speech [Introduction] – Bob Hope (tracks: 15)
Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson (tracks: 5 to 8)
Trumpet – Howard McGhee (tracks: 5 to 8)
Vibraphone – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 1 to 4)
Vocals – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 18, 20, 21), Bam Brown (tracks: 5, 7 to 18, 20, 21), Wini Beatty (tracks: 1, 2)

SLIM GAILLARD – 1947-1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1221 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Multi-instrumentalist and gloriously irrational vocalist Slim Gaillard marked 1947 as his last year of steady activity on the West Coast. Popular with the public but rather notorious among record company executives and nosy narks, Gaillard managed to squeeze out a series of records for MGM before relocating to New York City where three more titles apparently fulfilled his contractual obligations with that company in 1949. Gaillard also landed a small piece of work with Mercury in March 1951 and even managed to line up a session with Norman Granz for the Clef label two months later. The first 13 tracks on this peculiar compilation represent the Slim Gaillard/Bam Brown L.A. hipster novelty routine taken to its inevitable extreme. On one session someone named Jim Hawthorne even barks like a dog ("Serenade to a Poodle") and keeps up an irritating refrain of "Hoo-hoo-hoo-Hogan!" ("The Hogan Song"). Discographical rumors persist that the pianist on October 1, 1947, might have been Dodo Marmarosa, but this is almost certainly not the case. The session that took place on December 22, 1947, yielded a surprisingly palatable version of "Down by the Station" and "Communications," a very hip paean to various 20th century modes of keeping in touch. With "Puerto Vootie," Gaillard continued his ongoing tendency to tap into Caribbean and Latin American traditions as fuel for his seemingly endless slaphappy shenanigans. "Money, Money, Money" is one of the best "Cuban" numbers Gaillard ever recorded. The 1949 MGM session brought in bongos, congas, and a very gutsy tenor sax to fortify the old vaudeville standby "When Banana Skins Are Falling." This group dishes out a fiery Cubano bop ritual in "Bongo Cito" and tears up with the brisk "Organ-Oreenie," a vehicle for Gaillard's maniacal manhandling of the electric organ. The Mercury date, with the band billed as Slim Gaillard's Peruvians, had the very versatile Dick Hyman at the piano and bassist Ernie Shepard, fated to become an important ingredient in the Duke Ellington ensemble. "Genius," a previously unissued third title from this obscure date, has a lot more going on in it than the discography discloses, with trombone, saxophone, vibraphone, and tap dancing all clearly audible over the organ and "vout"-infested vocals. On May 25th, Slim Gaillard & His Internationally Famous Orchestra were in the recording studio, singing "Oh, Lady Be Good" in well-rehearsed harmony and diving back into the Gulf of Mexico with "Sabroso," "Babalu," and "Yo Yo Yo." The real gem in this ensemble was none other than Count Basie's star tenor saxophonist, Buddy Tate. Anyone searching for songs inspired by the trials and tribulations of a unionized musician should check out the previously unreleased "Federation Blues," peppered with pointed references to James C. Petrillo and his American Federation of Musicians. Small wonder Granz decided not to issue this one. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Boip! Boip!    2:50
2    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    The Bartender's Just Like A Mother    2:49
3    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Arabian Boogie    2:47
4    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Tip Light    2:51
5    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Momma's In The Kitchen    2:38
6    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    A Ghost Of A Chance With You    3:02
7    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Little Red Riding Woods    2:55
8    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Puerto Vootie    2:37
9    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Money, Money, Money    2:45
10    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    The Hogan Song    2:35
11    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Serenade To A Poodle    2:16
12    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Down By The Station    2:20
13    Slim Gaillard And His Trio–    Communications    2:27
14    Slim Gaillard Sextet–    When Banana Skins Are Falling    2:49
15    Slim Gaillard Sextet–    Bongo Cito    2:43
16    Slim Gaillard Sextet–    Organ-Oreenie    2:40
17    Slim Gaillard And His Peruvians–    Laughing In Rhythm    2:57
18    Slim Gaillard And His Peruvians–    Soony-Roony    2:04
19    Slim Gaillard And His Peruvians–    Genius (Ride, Slim, Ride)    2:49
20    Slim Gaillard And His Internationally Famous Orchestra–    Oh, Lady Be Good    2:30
21    Slim Gaillard And His Internationally Famous Orchestra–    Sabroso    2:30
22    Slim Gaillard And His Internationally Famous Orchestra–    Babalu    3:36
23    Slim Gaillard And His Internationally Famous Orchestra–    Yo Yo Yo    2:46
24    Slim Gaillard And His Internationally Famous Orchestra–    Federation Blues    3:40
Credits :    
Bass – Clyde Lombardi (tracks: 20 to 24)
Bass Guitar – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 14 to 16)
Bass, Vocals – Ernie Shepherd (tracks: 17 to 19), Bam Brown (tracks: 1 to 13)
Bongos – Pepe Benque (tracks: 17 to 24)
Congas, Percussion – Armando Peraza (tracks: 14 to 16)
Drums – Charlie Smith (tracks: 20 to 24), Herbie Lovelle (tracks: 17 to 19), Bam Brown (tracks: 5 to 8, 12, 13)
Guitar – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 1 to 13, 17 to 24)
Organ – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 16)
Piano – Cyril Haynes (tracks: 14 to 16), Dick Hyman (tracks: 17 to 19), Maceo Williams (tracks: 20 to 24), Slim Gaillard (tracks: 1 to 4, 9 to 11)
Piano [probably] – Dodo Marmarosa (tracks: 5 to 8)
Speech [barks] – Jim Hawthorne (tracks: 11)
Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Tate (tracks: 20 to 24)
Vocals – Slim Gaillard

HOWARD McGHEE – 1946-1948 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1089 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This two-year examination of McGhee's recorded work finds the trumpeter performing dates from the West Coast to New York and Chicago. The playing is stellar, and the bands feature notables like Dodo Marmarosa, James Moody, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, J.C. Heard, Milt Jackson, and Percy Heath. Highlights include "Midnight at Minton's," "Up in Dodo's Room," "Night Mist," "Messin' With Fire," and "Bass C Jam." A nice chunk of McGhee's best work. Cub Koda

LESTER YOUNG – The Complete Aladdin Recordings of Lester Young (1995) 2CD | MONO | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although it has often been written that cool-toned tenor saxophonist Lester Young's experiences with racism in the military during 1944-1945 so scarred him that he never played at the same musical level as he had previously, the music on this essential two-CD reissue disproves that theory. It is true that his attitude toward life was affected and Young became somewhat self-destructive, but his postwar solos rank with the greatest work of his career. This two-fer, which has four selections from 1942 in which Young is heard in a trio with pianist Nat King Cole and bassist Red Callender and a rare 1945 session headed by singer Helen Humes (including a previously unknown instrumental "Riffin' Without Helen"), is mostly taken up with Young's very enjoyable 1945-1948 small-group dates. Highlights include "D.B. Blues," "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid" (which was a minor hit), "Sunday," and "New Lester Leaps In," among many others. Minor errors aside (trumpeter Snooky Young is left out of the personnel listing for the Humes date and Young's final Aladdin session is from 1948, not 1947), this is a well-conceived and brilliant set filled with exciting performances by one of the true greats of jazz. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :