HOT LIPS PAGE AND HIS BAND – 1938-1940 | The Chronogical Classics – 561 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A veteran of territory bands from the Southwest and Midwest, Hot Lips Page struck out on his own in the latter half of the '30s to lead a big band. His experience with Bennie Moten and Count Basie's groups may not have translated into similarly stellar material and arrangements, but the rough-hewn yet fluid swing those outfits adhered to certainly found its way into his repertoire. This Classics disc finds Page during those early days from 1938-1940, and includes cuts both by his group and smaller combos featuring Kansas alto legend Buster Smith, pianist Pete Johnson, and tenor saxophonist Don Byas. There's plenty of Page's masterful blues and jazz singing ("Old Man Ben"), along with a fine array of his heated trumpet solos. A fine selection from one of the unwitting godfathers of jump blues and early R&B. Stephen Cook
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HENRY "RED" ALLEN – 1944-1947 | The Chronogical Classics – 1067 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Having served heroically as a front-liner in so many hot bands during the 1920s and '30s, the mighty Red Allen waded into the middle of the 1940s ready to cook like a merry demon. Listeners are very fortunate to have the entire session of May 5, 1944, as it includes "The Theme," a six-minute jam that suggests part of the root system of R&B. An interesting thing occurs during Red's solo: the piano starts vamping on the bassline to "Call of the Freaks," a piece that both Red and trombonist J.C. Higginbotham had recorded some 15 years earlier with Luis Russell's orchestra. "Ride! Red! Ride!" is fast and frantic, a raucous two and a half minutes of over the top blowing and shouting. The transition from this rumble in the parking lot to the relaxation of the following track might cause whiplash. "Just a Feeling" features alto saxophonist Don Stovall, keening in a languid, Johnny Hodges sort of way. "Dark Eyes" begins as a sort of rhumba, with an incredibly funny vocal by Red and another member of the band who plies him with questions. They then pick it up and shake it hard. "Dear Old Southland" features J.C. Higginbotham's trombone. "Red Jump" is the perfect embodiment of the phrase "swing to bop." Boogie-woogie manifests as "Get the Mop," a shout-along stomp soon to be plagiarized by certain opportunistic white musicians for their own financial benefit. Red Allen quietly sued and won the case. This is the story behind the pop novelty "Rag Mop." With a cry of "wamp! wamp!," Red Allen charges into "The Crawl," a blistering ride that ends with basement blasts from the trombone. Red also "wamps" his way into "Buzz Me," a song strongly associated with Louis Jordan. Red's version is nastier and tougher, a bit like full-force Hot Lips Page.

"Drink Hearty" was used in a "soundie," one of those short movies featuring the band lip-syncing over their own record. Red seems to have employed the "wamp!" whenever possible during this time period. It was how he counted off each tune. An updated "Get the Mop" sprints at an insane pace, setting the stage for "Count Me Out" and "Check Up," two boppish runs during which Red sounds almost like Fats Navarro. When he sings the blues or belts out a ballad, Red has a lot of class, as he does on the two titles finishing off his 1946 Victor recordings (and on "A Shanty in Old Shanty Town" from 1947). The next session has apparently languished for years, having never been issued before. A chump announcer introduces Red's band to a live audience during the "Saturday Night Swing Session" in 1947. Higginbotham is still on board, along with Buster Bailey, Johnny Guarnieri, and jazz accordionist Roy Ross, who vamps neatly behind the horns. Allen really stretches out, taking all kinds of chances with his horn, particularly during eight and a half minutes of "Indiana." Switching over to the Apollo label, Red actually becomes "Mr. Wamp" on a very cool walk that seems to have sprouted directly from the "9:20 Special" (aka "Tush") by Earle Warren. "Old Fool" has more of that two-voiced comedy exchange with coordinated hollering from the band. Always willing to pursue an idea to its logical extreme, Red makes room for a comprehensive list of every kind of fool. arwulf arwulf  
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PETE JOHNSON – 1939-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 665 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Born in Kansas City, Pete Johnson began his musical career as a drummer but soon learned how to massage a piano under the tutelage of his uncle Charles "Smash" Johnson. During the early 1930s, Pete worked overtime performing as a solo act in his hometown. For those who have a healthy appetite for piano blues and boogie-woogie, you're not going to find anyone more authentically rooted in the Kansas City tradition. This portion of the Pete Johnson chronology begins with four sides cut for the Blue Note label in December of 1939. The "Holler Stomp" is an exceptionally fine accelerated romp for unaccompanied piano. Everything you need to know about the real boogie-woogie is contained in this red-hot four-minute performance. It defines the entire genre. Continuing the rapid pace, "Barrelhouse Breakdown" is performed by Johnson's Blues Trio, with Abe Bolar's superb string bass and the guitar of Ulysses Livingston. The trio eases into blue relaxation with "Kansas City Farewell," a very cool stroll during which the musicians make good use of the four full minutes allowed by 12" 78 rpm records. "You Don't Know My Mind" is a fundamental blues for solo piano, every bit as rich and rewarding as its flip side, the "Holler Stomp." Never chained to one label for very long, Johnson switched to Decca Records during the following year, knocking off a pair of solo boogies in August and the "627 Stomp," possibly the greatest ensemble record of his entire career, on November 11, 1940. The front line of Hot Lips Page with reedmen Eddie Barefield, Don Stovall and Don Byas was perfectly supported by Johnson's ace rhythm section, notably driven by legendary percussionist A.G. Godley. The flip side, "Piney Brown Blues," was issued under the heading of Joe Turner and His Fly Cats. Johnson and Turner's partnership dated back to the early 1930s, when Joe was locally famous as a singing bartender. What we have in "Piney Brown" is the keystone of Turner's entire recording career. 1941 found Johnson recording a stack of piano duets for Victor with the amazing Albert Ammons. Additional friction was supplied by percussionist Jimmie Hoskins. If Godley is more your speed, "Death Ray Boogie" opens four additional trio sides for Decca from May of 1941. Nestled between three excellent studies in boogie rhythm, "Just for You" offers a rare glimpse at Pete Johnson's way of handling a simple love song. He sounds in fact more than a little like Fats Waller. It is a small romantic islet floating in the middle of an ocean swarming with blues and boogies. arwulf arwulf
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PETE JOHNSON – 1944-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 933 (1997) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The third "complete" Pete Johnson CD put out by the European Classics label features the great boogie-woogie pianist in three different settings. There are eight formerly rare piano solos from 1944 that cover a variety of moods, five selections with a hot Kansas City octet which includes trumpeter Hot Lips Page, tenorman Budd Johnson and two vocals from the young Etta Jones, and eight intriguing numbers in which Johnson is gradually joined by an additional musician on each track. "Page Mr. Trumpet" is an exciting outing for Hot Lips, and the other top players include clarinetist Albert Nicholas, trombonist J.C. Higginbotham and tenorman Ben Webster. A particularly exciting release. Scott Yanow
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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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SAM PRICE AN HIS TEXAS BLUSICIAN – 1929-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 696 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This single CD from the European Classics label collects all of pianist Sammy Price's prewar recordings as a leader. Despite its title, only two titles preceded the 1940-41 period: "Blue Rhythm Stomp" by Price's Four Quarters in 1929, and "Nasty But Nice," which finds Price on the same day accompanying trombonist Bert Johnson. Otherwise, the music features Price's Texas Blusicians, New York-based septets and octets put together especially for recordings. The emphasis is on blues, with Price taking several vocals, but such notable guests as altoist Don Stovall, trumpeters Shad Collins and Emmett Berry and (on four songs) tenor great Lester Young uplift the music. Recommended to small-group swing collectors. Scott Yanow
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SAM PRICE – 1942-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1083 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A nice collection of Price's 1942-1945 recordings that spotlights this highly undervalued boogie pianist. Kicking off with four sides backing Mabel Robinson, the set also includes ten sides that Price's small groups cut for the Decca label, as well as ten piano solos recorded in New York but originally issued in France. A stray duo track with drummer Big Sid Catlett rounds out the collection. A hidden treasure. Cub Koda
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