DON REDMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1931-1933 | The Chronogical Classics – 543 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The first of three Don Redman Classics CDs consists of his orchestra's earliest sessions. Although Redman's big band never hit it as big as his former employers' (Fletcher Henderson and McKinney's Cotton Pickers), it was an impressive outfit, thanks to the leader's advanced arrangements. Among the key sidemen on these performances are trumpeters Red Allen (who is on the first two sessions) and Sidney DeParis, tenor saxophonist Robert Carroll, and pianist Horace Henderson. Highlights include "Chant of the Weed" (Redman's atmospheric theme song), "I Heard," "How'm I Doin'," and "Hot and Anxious." The main Don Redman CD to get. Scott Yanow
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DON REDMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1933-1936 | The Chronogical Classics – 553 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The great arranger Don Redman made Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra in the mid-1920s the first real swing band, but during the swing era itself, Redman was little known to the general public. His big band (heard here on the second of three "complete" Classics CDs) failed to really catch on, although it stayed together throughout the 1930s. After recording a bunch of sessions in 1933, Redman's orchestra only cut two sides in Jan. 1934 and then none until May 1936. There are vocals on 22 of the 25 selections on this CD; of the three instrumentals, this version of "Christopher Columbus" might not be by Redman. The leader's charming vocals are fine, but the nine by Harlan Lattimore are of lesser interest, and Chick Bullock dominates a six-song session. There are some good solos along the way, particularly by trumpeter Sidney DeParis, trombonists Benny Morton and Claude Jones and the forgotten tenor Robert Carroll, but this CD is primarily for completists. Scott Yanow 
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DON REDMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936-1939 | The Chronogical Classics – 574 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third in the series of Don Redman Classics CDs finds the innovative arranger adjusting to the swing era. His big band is heard on sessions cut for ARC in 1936 ("Bugle Call Rag" is excellent), Variety in 1937 (including a previously unreleased "Swingin' With the Fat Man"), and Bluebird during 1938-39 (including "I Got Ya," "Down Home Rag" and "Milenberg Joys"). A lot of interesting names passed through the band during this era, including trumpeter Sidney DeParis, trombonist Quentin Jackson and singer Laurel Watson, and there is some pleasing music despite a fair amount of vocals. This series ended before Redman's last two big band sessions, but those have often been made available by RCA/Bluebird. The first CD in Classics' Redman series is the most essential. Scott Yanow
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SIDNEY BECHET – 1950-1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1326 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One great thing about the Classics Chronological Series is that for the first time Sidney Bechet's European recordings are completely available in context. Longtime collectors and devotees of Bechet are at last able to hear his Vogue sessions in their entirety, exactly as they occurred between periodic U.S. Blue Note blowouts. This allows for an unprecedented understanding of the man's creative activity during the last ten years of his life. By the autumn of 1950, Bechet was established as the king of traditional jazz in Paris. Backed by the Claude Luter Orchestra, he casually grew into the role of presiding patriarch. First and foremost, there was a traditional jazz repertoire to be addressed, as in "Bill Bailey" and "Royal Garden Blues." During the slow-paced "Society Blues," Bechet nonchalantly quotes a pastoral lick from Rossini's William Tell Overture, then shifts into "I've Been Working on the Railroad"! Six selections recorded on May 4, 1951, are among the best examples of French jazz in the swing tradition. "En Attendant le Jour" is remarkably handsome. Valve trombonist Guy Longnon brings to mind the pleasantries of Jack Teagarden. "Egyptian Fantasy" is as dramatic as the original version recorded for Victor in 1941. But the real gem is "Blues in the Cave," wherein Bechet sets up the tune with a seemingly informal but very theatrical spoken introduction. "Now boys, I want you all to gather 'round me. I wanna show you how easy it is to play a blues, a different blues. But in the meantime, you'll stay right with the blues melody." He then gives verbal instructions to each player, assigning parts and adding "Christian, you take over while I get my soprano." The timing is impeccable and Bechet's solo is one of his very best on record. Four days later, Bechet cut a couple of sides with the Orchestra of the Dutch Swing College in Hilversum, Holland. In a rare instance of discographic confusion, Classics has swapped titles on "King Porter Stomp" and "Dutch Swing College Blues." Eight titles from the Parisian session of September 7, 1951, include a fine rendering of Jimmie Noone's "Apex Blues" and the amiable melodies "Sleepy Time Gal" and "Together." Both "Kansas City Man Blues" and "Of All the Wrongs You've Done to Me" date back to Bechet's first days in New York during the early '20s, while "Darling Nellie Gray" and "Put on Your Old Gray Bonnet" practically predate jazz itself. This excellent session closes with a theme borrowed from the Bechet/Mezzrow book, here titled "Sidney's Wedding Day" in commemoration of his festive marriage to a very lucky French woman. Back in New York for a bit of work at the Blue Note studios, Bechet led five of his seasoned peers in the production of several outstanding traditional jazz records, taking full advantage of advanced recording technology. "Avalon" is nearly five minutes long and a relaxed, ambling "Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me" clocks in at nearly twice the length of the old standard 10" 78-rpm record. Two remaining tracks from this session may be found at the beginning of the next volume in Bechet's Classics chronology. arwulf arwulf  
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CHICK WEBB AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1929-1934 (1990) The Classics Chronological Series – 502 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The perfect way to acquire drummer Chick Webb's recordings is to get his two Classics CDs which contain all of his performances as a leader, other than Ella Fitzgerald's features (which are in a separate Ella series) and a few numbers from Webb's final dates. On the first of the CDs, Webb leads a pickup band in 1929 (for "Dog Bottom" and "Jungle Mama"), an early orchestra in 1931 (highlighted by the first version ever of Benny Carter's "Blues in My Heart"), two numbers from 1933, and all of his classic swing sides of 1934. With arranger/altoist Edgar Sampson providing such compositions as "When Dreams Come True," "Don't Be That Way," "Blue Lou," and "Stompin' at the Savoy" (all of which would become better-known for their slightly later Benny Goodman recordings), trumpeter Taft Jordan taking some vocals purposely influenced by Louis Armstrong, Jordan, trombonist Sandy Williams, and tenor saxophonist Elmer Williams coming up with consistently hot solos, and the drummer/leader driving the orchestra, this was one of the top jazz big bands of the era. Highly recommended as is Classics' 1935-1938 Chick Webb volume. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1    The Jungle Band-    Dog Bottom 2:40
Vocals – Ward Pinkett
2    The Jungle Band–    Jungle Mama    3:19
3    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    Heebie Jeebies 3:08
Arranged By – Benny Carter
4    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    Blues In My Heart 3:09
Arranged By – Benny Carter
Vocals – Louis Bacon
5    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    Soft And Sweet 3:07
Arranged By – Benny Carter
6    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    On The Sunny Side Of The Street 2:54
Vocals – Taft Jordan
7    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    Darktown Strutters' Ball    2:51
8    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    When Dreams Come True    3:23
9    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    Let's Get Together 3:05
Arranged By – Edgar Sampson
10    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    I Can't Dance (I Got Ants In My Pants) 2:58
Vocals – Taft Jordan
11    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    Imagination 3:25
Vocals – Chuck Richards
12    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    Why Should I Beg For Love 3:07
Arranged By – Edgar Sampson
Vocals – Taft Jordan
13    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    Stompin' At The Savoy    3:11
14    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    Blue Minor 2:47
Arranged By – Edgar Sampson
15    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    True 2:44
Vocals – Charles Linton
16    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    Lonesome Moments 2:45
Arranged By – Edgar Sampson
17    Chick Webb's Savoy Orchestra–    If It Ain't Love 3:00
Vocals – Charles Linton
18    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    That Rhythm Man 2:57
Vocals – Taft Jordan
19    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    On The Sunny Side Of The Street 2:50
Vocals – Taft Jordan
20    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    Lona 2:49
Arranged By – Edgar Sampson
21    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    Blue Minor 3:06
Arranged By – Edgar Sampson
22    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    It's All Over Because We're Through 3:17
Vocals – Taft Jordan
23    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    Don't Be That Way    2:38
24    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    What A Shuffle 2:57
Arranged By – Edgar Sampson
25    Chick Webb And His Orchestra–    Blue Lou    3:07
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Edgar Sampson (tracks: 6 to 25), Pete Clark (tracks: 6 to 25)
Banjo, Guitar – John Trueheart
Bass [String Bass] – John Kirby (tracks: 6 to 25)
Brass Bass, Bass [String Bass] – Elmer James (tracks: 1 to 5)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Benny Carter (tracks: 3 to 5), Hilton Jefferson (tracks: 1 to 5), Louis Jordan (tracks: 1, 2)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Elmer Williams
Drums – Chick Webb (tracks: 1, 3 to 25)
Piano – Don Kirkpatrick (tracks: 1 to 5, 18 to 25), Joe Steele (tracks: 6 to 17)
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Wayman Carver (tracks: 14 to 25)
Trombone – Robert Horton (tracks: 1, 2), Claude Jones (tracks: 18 to 25), Fernando Arbello (tracks: 14 to 17), Jimmy Harrison (tracks: 3 to 5), Sandy Williams (tracks: 6 to 25)
Trumpet – Bobby Stark (tracks: 14 to 25), Edwin Swayzee (tracks: 1, 2), Louis Bacon (tracks: 3 to 5), Louis Hunt (tracks: 3 to 5), Mario Bauzá (tracks: 6 to 25), Reunald Jones (tracks: 6 to 13), Shelton Hemphill (tracks: 3 to 5), Taft Jordan (tracks: 6 to 25), Ward Pinkett (tracks: 1, 2)