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

ANDY KIRK AND HIS TWELVE CLOUDS OF JOY – 1929-1931 | The Classics Chronological Series – 655 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This highly recommended CD from the European Classics label has all of the early recordings of Andy Kirk's Twelve Clouds of Joy, although unfortunately not the alternate takes. The most famous soloists were pianist Mary Lou Williams (who was also responsible for most of the arrangements), violinist Claude Williams (who unfortunately left Kirk before he had his big success in the mid-'30s), and trumpeter Edgar "Puddinghead" Battle, although the lesser-known players mostly fare pretty well too. The selections are primarily hot vintage Kansas City jazz, including such tunes as "Blue Clarinet Stomp," "Cloudy," "Lotta Sax Appeal," "Mary's Idea," and "Once or Twice." This CD concludes with three numbers from 1931 when Kirk's Orchestra was briefly being used to back singer Blanche Calloway (Cab's older sister). Unfortunately, Kirk's ensemble would not record again for another five years, but these early titles -- which give listeners clues as to the big band's evolution -- stand alone as fine 1920s jazz. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Mess-A-Stomp 2:41
Written-By – Williams
2    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Blue Clarinet Stomp 2:48
Written-By – Kirk
3    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Cloudy 2:57
Written-By – Kirk
4    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Casey Jones Special 2:54
Written-By – Kirk
5    John Williams And His Memphis Stompers–    Somepin' Slow And Low 3:09
Written By – Unknown
Written-By [Uncredited] – John Williams
6    John Williams And His Memphis Stompers–    Lotta Sax Appeal 2:30
Written-By – Williams
7    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Corky Stomp 2:40
Written-By – Kirk, Williams
8    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Froggy Bottom 3:10
Written-By – Williams
9    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    I Lost My Gal From Memphis 3:16
Written-By – Tobias, De Rose
10    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Loose Ankles 3:21
Written-By – Kirk, Williams
11    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Snag It 3:07
Written-By – Oliver
12    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Sweet And Hot 3:07
Written-By – Freeman
13    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Mary's Idea 3:07
Written-By – Williams
14    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Once Or Twice 3:00
Written-By – Cobb
15    Seven Little Clouds Of Joy–    Getting' Off A Mess 2:47
Written-By – Williams
16    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Dallas Blues 2:40
Written-By – Wand, Carett
17    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Travellin' That Rocky Road 3:04
Written-By – Lovett / Smith
18    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Honey, Just For You 3:13
Written-By – Freeman
19    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    You Rascal You 2:41
Written-By – Theard
20    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Saturday 3:18
Vocals – Dick Robertson
Written-By – Brooks, Mitchell
21    Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy–    Sophomore 2:59
Vocals – Dick Robertson
Written-By – Hill, Causer
22    Blanche Calloway And Her Joy Boys–    Casey Jones Blues 3:02
Traditional
23    Blanche Calloway And Her Joy Boys–    There's Rhythm In The River 3:01
Vocals – Blanche Calloway
Written-By – Webster
24    Blanche Calloway And Her Joy Boys–    I Need Lovin' 2:49
Vocals – Blanche Calloway
Written By – Glamor
Written-By – Johnson
Written-By [Uncredited] – Henry Creamer
25    Mary Lou WIlliams–    Margie 2:27
Soloist, Piano – Mary Lou WIlliams
Written-By – Davis, Conrad, Robinson
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – John Williams (tracks: 1 to 14, 16 to 24)
Arranged By – Mary Lou Williams (tracks: 1 to 21)
Banjo – William Dirvin (tracks: 1 to 14, 16 to 21), Bill Dirvin (tracks: 22 to 24)
Bass Saxophone – Andy Kirk (tracks: 1 to 14)
Brass Bass – Andy Kirk (tracks: 1 to 14, 16 to 24)
Clarinet – John Williams (tracks: 2), Lawrence "Slim" Freeman (tracks: 2)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – John Harrington (tracks: 1 to 24)
Directed By – Andy Kirk (tracks: 1 to 14)
Drums – Ben Thigpen (tracks: 22 to 24), Edward McNeil (tracks: 1 to 21)
Guitar – William Dirvin (tracks: 1 to 14, 16 to 21)
Piano – Mary Lou Williams (tracks: 1, 3 to 24)
Tenor Saxophone – Lawrence "Slim" Freeman (tracks: 1, 3 to 14, 16 to 21), Lawrence Freeman (tracks: 22 to 24)
Trombone – Allen Durham (tracks: 1, 3 to 21), Floyd Brady (tracks: 22 to 24)
Trumpet – Edgar Battle (tracks: 9 to 14, 16 to 24), Gene Prince (tracks: 1, 3 to 8), Harry Lawson (tracks: 1, 3 to 24)
Trumpet, Vocals – Clarence Smith (tracks: 22 to 24)
Violin – Claude Williams (tracks: 1 to 14, 16 to 24)
Vocals – Billy Massey (tracks: 9, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22), Lawson (tracks: 2)

WILLIE BRYANT AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935-1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 768 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Don't let this one fall through the cracks! Willie Bryant's Orchestra was an exceptionally fine big band, teeming with skilled jazz musicians during the mid-'30s Bryant was born in New Orleans and raised in Chicago. By 1926 he was dancing professionally and eventually appeared in duet performance with Bessie Smith. His band came together towards the end of 1934, and by the January 4, 1935 they were making great records for the Victor label. Teddy Wilson and Cozy Cole were the backbone, and recognizably strong players like Benny Carter and young Ben Webster greatly fortified the ranks. While each solo by Ben Webster is priceless, you'll get a lot out of meeting the rest of the guys in the band, like Robert "Mack" Horton and his husky, growling trombone, outrageously featured at the beginning of "The Sheik." Bryant's sense of theater was highly developed, and it served him well during the more topical numbers. Of all the humorous routines ever created in imitation of a revival meeting, one of the very funniest and most solidly swung is "Chimes at the Meeting." Bryant impersonates an oily, opportunistic preacher who is obviously only interested in the contents of the collection plate. Calling each member of the congregation by name, he is soon inventing all kinds of characters while pointedly pronouncing nicknames for each soloist in the band. At one point Bryant, lending his voice to the imaginary individual "Brother Goldberg," sings an imaginative scat vocal built upon the time-honored syllables "Oy" and "Yoy." The bizarre vaudeville patter fits perfectly over an exciting big band stomp that makes it very difficult to sit still! "Steak and Potatoes" is a hilarious ode to the enigma of Love versus Food. Willie makes it clear that he would always opt for a table full of greasy, hot goodies rather than messing with Love, even if it does "make you feel like a thousand Mickey Mouses running up and down your spine." Again, the combination of top-notch big band swing and a humorous vocal line is irresistible! Accessible to an even wider audience on Victor's affordable Bluebird series during the year 1936, Bryant continued to use this same formula with great success. There is a flute solo -- quite rare in jazz back then -- by Charles Frazier during "The Right Somebody to Love," which has a funky vocal by trumpeter Jack Butler. If Bryant's polished southern drawl sounds a bit conspicuous at times, it definitely conjures up a minstrel show when combined with Butler's enthusiastic clowning on "I Like Bananas (Because They Have No Bones)." Taft Jordan sings up a passion during "All My Life," a song made famous during this same time period by Thomas "Fats" Waller. "Cross Patch" was also a hit for Waller, but Bryant's band cooks it hotter, with a beefy baritone sax intro by Stanley Payne. This music really grows on you. It occupies a sort of limbo between the formative swing of the early 1930s and the fully mature jazz of the early 1940s. Bryant only made a handful of records after 1936 -- following one Decca date in '38, economic pressures forced him to take his band apart. Given the smooth sound of his singing and speaking voice, it is not surprising that Willie went on to work as an emcee, a deejay and even in television. He did lead a band in Harlem during the year 1946, and after hearing these wonderful sides from the middle 1930s, you might ask yourself, did the 1946 Bryant band make any records? This calls for further investigation. arwulf arwulf 

Tracklist :

1 Throwin' Stones at the Sun 2:57

Billy Hueston / Sammy Mysels / Nat Simon

2 It's Over Because We're Through 3:33

Willie Bryant 

3 A Viper's Moon 3:20

Willie Bryant 

4 Chimes at the Meeting 2:56

T. Jones

5 Rigamarole 2:31

Harold Mooney

6 'Long About Midnight 2:58

Alex Hill / Irving Mills

7 The Sheik 2:49

Ted Snyder / Francis Wheeler

8 Jerry the Junker 2:43

Clarence Stout / Clarence Williams

9 The Voice of Old Man River 3:03

Willie Bryant / Harry White

10 Steak and Potatoes 3:03

Willie Bryant

11 Long Gone (From the Bowlin' Green) 2:46

W.C. Handy / Chris Smith

 12 Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away) 2:54

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / Gus Kahn

 13 Is It True What They Say About Dixie? 2:13

Irving Caesar / Sammy Lerner / Gerald Marks

 14 All My Life 3:21

Sidney Mitchell / Sam H. Stept

 15 The Right Somebody to Love 3:09

Lew Pollack / Jack Yellen

 16 The Glory of Love 3:27

Billy Hill

 17 Ride, Red, Ride 2:27

Lucky Millinder / Irving Mills

 18 Moonrise on the Lowlands 3:33

Jerry Levinson / Al J. Neiburg

 19 Mary Had a Little Lamb 3:11

Matty Malneck / Marty Symes

 20 I Like Bananas (Because They Have No Bones) 2:43

Chris Yachich

 21 Cross Patch 2:36

Vee Lawnhurst / Tot Seymour

 22 I'm Grateful to You 3:17

J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis