BILLY BANKS AND HIS ORCHESTRA + JACK BLAND AND HIS RHYTHMAKERS – 1932 | The Chronogical Classics – 969 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The real spark behind the Rhythmakers can be summed up in three words: Henry "Red" Allen. Teamed with surrealistic reedman Pee Wee Russell (who plays a lot of tenor sax in addition to his famously wry clarinet), Red stirred up the Rhythmakers in the same way that he completely transformed every band he ever worked with. In addition to the dynamic front line, these snappy sides from 1932 are worthwhile mainly for the presence of pianists Joe Sullivan and Fats Waller, bassists Al Morgan and Pops Foster, and drummers Gene Krupa and Zutty Singleton. What about the nominal leader? Well, Billy Banks sounded more than a little like Cab Calloway in 1932, even singing some of the same topical hits. Billy seems to have gotten waylaid en route to the studio on April 18th. The band cooked up a steaming "Bugle Call Rag" while waiting for the singer to arrive. This is the only instrumental track on the entire album. It is followed by "Oh Peter (You're So Nice)" which has a vocal by Red Allen. Finally Banks showed and sang "Margie" in his rather shrill voice, sounding almost goofy after the wonderfully husky tones of Allen. The session of May 10th uses an unidentified band. Banks tried hard to be clever, scatting up a storm on "The Scat Song," but there are less kicks to be had with this group. As if to make up for a missed opportunity, Banks sang "Oh Peter" on May 23rd with the original ensemble except for Krupa, who was replaced by the mighty Zutty. Billy scats nicely on "Who's Sorry Now?" and "Take It Slow and Easy." These are strong performances, tough stomps played by a band that gradually works Billy down to a hipper delivery. "Bald Headed Mama" focuses on a theme revived years later by Professor Longhair ("Bald Head") and Lou Donaldson ("Wig Blues"). The epicenter of this album is the session of July 26th, 1932. Fats Waller and Pops Foster gas up the band so solidly that Banks sounds vicariously hipper than ever. Red Allen wails while Pee Wee plays only tenor sax, the clarinet being handled by Jimmy Lord. Strum support from simultaneous banjo and guitar certainly doesn't hurt. The most exciting track is "Mean Old Bed Bug Blues" with a very funny falsetto vocal chorus by Fats. W.C. Handy's "Yellow Dog Blues" bumps along at a good clip, with a marvelous piano solo after the perky vocal. "Yes Suh!" is pure vaudeville call-and-response. There's no telling who was in the band on August 18th 1932. About half of this material is quite rare, and it's good to have all of Banks' work on one disc. The album closes with Jack Bland and His Rhythmakers, a racially mixed band that blows the roof off of the "Hen House Door." This is one of Red Allen's wildest vocals on record. "Shine on Your Shoes," popularized by Fred Astaire, features unnervingly wholesome vocalist Chick Bullock, who advises everyone to face each dawn with polished footwear, either literally or metaphorically. The band cooks so hard it doesn't matter who the vocalist is! Bullock was the most heavily recorded vocalist of the 1930s, and this track is, without question, the best side he ever piped in on.
"Buddy Bolden" was originally a song about farting, the notorious "Winin' Boy" dates from Morton's tenure as a Storyville cathouse piano player. Jelly's Library of Congress recording of his erstwhile theme song contains some of the most sexually explicit lyrics ever sung into a recording microphone. "Winding Boy" was a term used to describe a "tireless stud." While we're on the subject, James Scott's "Climax Rag" is pleasantly stimulating, as are all eight selections from September of 1939. This wonderful disc ends with two delightful solos including "Original Rags," Scott Joplin's masterpiece of 1899. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935 | The Classics Chronological Series – 769 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD traces the evolution of Benny Goodman's orchestra from the beginning of 1935 when they were comparatively unknown to the beginning of July when they were on the brink of success, even though Benny Goodman was no longer appearing on the Let's Dance radio series and was about to embark on a risky cross-country trip. Singer Helen Ward, drummer Gene Krupa, and trumpeter Pee Wee Erwin were the key voices (along with the clarinetist/leader) at the beginning of the year, but by the time the band recorded the last eight numbers on this disc, Bunny Berigan was Benny Goodman's star trumpeter. His solos on "King Porter Stomp" and "Sometimes I'm Happy" (along with Fletcher Henderson's swinging arrangements) would make Goodman a major star. Berigan also has hot spots on "Blue Skies" and "Jingle Bells." Swing was almost ready to catch on big. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

BUNNY BERIGAN AND HIS BOYS – 1935-1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 734 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bunny Berigan began his prime stretch of solo recordings with this collection of songs cut between 1935-1936. Berigan still worked as a sideman for the likes of Benny Goodman during this period, and he even did some session and film work, but it is his own material which has solidified his reputation as a top figure of the big band era. And while later sides from 1937-1939 would trump some of the ones included here, this collection still brims over with exciting and tight material from a variety of Berigan contingents. In addition to his first stab at "I Can't Get Started" (somewhat inferior to the classic version from 1937), Berigan is featured on a bevy of small group and a large ensemble highlights, like "Chicken and Waffles" and "Blues." There's also a clutch of songs cut under pianist and Goodman-alum Frank Froeba's leadership, which spotlight the pleasant-enough vocal talents of Midge Williams and Chris Bullock. Also on hand, jazz royalty like Artie Shaw, Cozy Cole, Eddie Condon, and Bud Freeman. A fine mix from Berigan's early heyday. Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1    Bunny Berigan And His Blue Boys–    You Took Advantage Of Me 3:24
Written-By – Rodgers - Hart
2    Bunny Berigan And His Blue Boys–    Chicken And Waffles 3:00
Written-By – Berigan
3    Bunny Berigan And His Blue Boys–    I'm Coming Virginia 2:44
Written-By – Heywood
4    Bunny Berigan And His Blue Boys–    Blues 3:00
Written-By – Berigan
5    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    It's Been So Long 2:45
Written-By – Adamson, Donaldson
6    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    I'd Rather Lead A Band 2:00
Written-By – Berlin
7    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    Let Yourself Go 2:00
Written-By – Berlin
8    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    Swing, Mister Charlie 3:06
Vocals – Chick Bullock
Written By – Robinson - Taylor - Brooks
9    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    A Melody From The Sky 1:58
Vocals – Chick Bullock
Written-By – Alter, Mitchell
10    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    I Can't Get Started 3:22
Vocals – Bunny Berigan
Written-By – Ira Gershwin, Vernon Duke
11    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    A Little Bit Later On 2:50
Vocals – Chick Bullock
Written-By – Neiburg, Levinson
12    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    Rhythm Saved The World 1:50
Vocals – Chick Bullock
Written-By – Cahn, Chaplin
13    Frank Froeba And His Swing Band–    Just To Be In Caroline 2:59
Vocals – Tempo King
Written By – Hines - Carpenter - Dunlap
Written-By – Carpenter, Hines
14    Frank Froeba And His Swing Band–    'Tain't Nobody's Biz'ness What I Do 2:29
Vocals – Tempo King
Written By – Brown - Sampsel - Markowitz
15    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    I Nearly Let Love Go Slipping Thru' My Fingers 1:47
Written-By – Woods
16    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    But Definitely 2:09
Written-By – Revel, Gordon
17    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    If I Had My Way 2:03
Written-By – Kendis, Klein
18    Bunny Berigan And His Boys–    When I'm With You 2:45
Vocals – Chick Bullock
Written-By – Revel, Gordon
19    Frank Froeba And His Swing Band–    Whatcha Gonna Do When There Ain't No Swing? 3:16
Vocals – Midge Williams
Written-By – Neiburg, Levinson
20    Frank Froeba And His Swing Band–    Organ Grinder's Swing 3:08
Vocals – Midge Williams
Written-By – De Lange, Hudson
21    Frank Froeba And His Swing Band–    Rhythm Lullaby 2:59
Vocals – Midge Williams
Written By – Jenkins
22    Frank Froeba And His Swing Band–    It All Begins And Ends With You 3:12
Vocals – Midge Williams
Written By – Klages - Froeba - Palmer
Written-By – Froeba, Klages
Credits :    
Bass – Artie Bernstein (tracks: 13, 14), Artie Shapiro (tracks: 19 to 22), Grachan Moncur (tracks: 1 to 4), Mort Stuhlmaker (tracks: 5 to 12, 15 to 18)
Clarinet – Artie Shaw (tracks: 9, 10), Joe Marsala (tracks: 5 to 8, 13, 14, 19 to 22), Paul Ricci (tracks: 11, 12), Slats Long (tracks: 15 to 18)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Edgar Sampson (tracks: 1 to 4)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Eddie Miller (tracks: 1 to 4)
Drums – Cozy Cole (tracks: 9 to 12, 15 to 22), Dave Tough (tracks: 5 to 8), Maurice Purtill (tracks: 13, 14), Ray Bauduc (tracks: 1 to 4)
Guitar – Bobby Bennett (tracks: 19 to 22), Clayton Duerr (tracks: 13, 14), Dave Barbour (tracks: 5 to 8), Eddie Condon (tracks: 9 to 12, 15 to 18)
Piano – Cliff Jackson (tracks: 1 to 4), Frank Froeba (tracks: 13, 14, 19 to 22), Joe Bushkin (tracks: 5 to 12, 15 to 18)
Tenor Saxophone – Art Drelinger (tracks: 19 to 22), Bud Freeman (tracks: 5 to 8), Forrest Crawford (tracks: 5 to 12), Herbie Haymer (tracks: 13, 14)
Trombone – Jack Lacey (tracks: 15 to 18)
Trumpet – Bunny Berigan

BOB HOWARD AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935-1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1121 (2000) | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bob Howard recorded frequently for Decca during 1935-1938. The Decca label was hoping that his jivey vocal records would duplicate the commercial success of Fats Waller's Rhythm sides for Victor, but Howard remained comparatively obscure. For this classics chronological study, Howard leads six band dates which find his vocals accompanied by such notable swing players as trumpeter Bunny Berigan (who is on eight songs), clarinetists Cecil Scott and Artie Shaw, trombonist Benny Morton, pianists Frank Froeba and Frank Signorelli, and the team of trumpeter Eddie Farley and trombonist Mike Riley. Among the tunes are "Lost My Rhythm, Lost My Music, Lost My Girl," "It's Written in the Stars," "You Hit the Spot," "Spreadin' Rhythm Around," and "Wake Up and Sing." Concluding this CD are four medleys (two or three songs apiece) featuring Howard as a pianist (accompanied by drummer Ronnie Gubertini) recorded in London. Overall, this is one of the best of the Bob Howard collections. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1     Lost My Rhythm, Lost My Music, Lost My Girl 3:07
Brown / Maxwell / Akst
2     I'm Painting the Town Red 2:35
Charles Newman / Sam H. Stept / Charles Tobias
3     It's Funny What a Kiss Can Do 2:28
Unknown Blues Band
4     Sugar Plum 3:02
Arthur Johnson / Arthur Johnston / Gus Kahn
5     It's Written in the Stars 2:35
Jack Little / Fred Rose
6     Give Me a Break, Baby 2:33
Unknown Blues Band
7     Whose Big Baby Are You? 2:50
Ted Koehler / Jimmy McHugh
8     Much Too Much 3:01
Unknown Blues Band
9     Garbo Green 2:29
Fred Fisher
10     You Hit the Spot 2:35
Mack Gordon / Harry Revel
11     Spreadin' Rhythm Around 2:47
Ted Koehler / Jimmy McHugh
12     Wake Up and Sing 2:32
Unknown Blues Band
13     If Love Is Blind 2:38
Cahn / Chaplin / Raye
14     The Best Things Happen at Night 2:35
Unknown Blues Band
15     Public Weakness No. 1 2:56
Fred Rose
16     Let's Not Fall in Love 2:32
Unknown Blues Band
17     Swing It, Bob, Pt. 1: Intro. I Ain't Got Nobody/I Can't Give You ... 2:53
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
18     Swing It, Bob, Pt. 2: Intro. Some of These Days/Limehouse ... 2:25
Brooks / Braham / Furber     
19     Swing It, Bob, Pt. 3: Intro. Solitude/Nobody's Sweetheart/St. ... 3:01
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
20     Swing It, Bob, Pt. 4: Intro. Chinatown My Chinatown/Tiger Rag 2:52
Schwartz / La Rocca

BOB HOWARD AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1076 (1999) | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bob Howard did a lot of recording in the mid-'30s for Decca, with the hope that his Fats Waller-influenced jive singing would catch on as Waller's records had for Victor. It did not work out, but Howard did record enough material to fill up three CDs. This particular set has the 21 selections that he cut during five sessions in 1936-1937. Howard, who also played piano, sticks here exclusively to singing and is joined by sextets/septets that often include trumpeter Marty Marsalis, Sid Trucker, or Slats Long on clarinet and Zinky Cohn or Frank Froeba on piano. The music (which includes "Bojangles of Harlem," "Copper Colored Gal," "Me, Myself And I," "Penny Wise and Pound Foolish," and "He's a Gypsy From Poughkeepsie") is pleasing in small doses but a bit too derivative for extensive listening. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Bojangles of Harlem 2:42
Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern
2     Mendel's Son's Swing Song 2:53
Erard
3     Sing Baby Sing 2:57
Channing Pollack / Jack Yellen
4     Swinging on the Moon 3:16
Mel Tormé / Joseph Young
5     Copper Colored Gal 2:50
J. Fred Coots / Benny Davis
6     That's What You Mean to Me 3:14
J. Fred Coots / Benny Davis
7     Hop, Skip and Jump 2:36
Bloch / Chancer         
8     You're Giving Me a Song and a Dance 2:52
Milton Ager / Marty Symes
9     Me, Myself and I 3:13
Irving Gordon / Alvin Kaufman / Allan Roberts
10     Spring Cleaning 2:27
Teddy Powell / Walter Samuels / Leonard Whitcup
11     You Can't Take It With You 2:50
Wes Hein
12     You're Just a Little Diff'rent 2:37
Mandell / Littau    
13     Bundle of Love 2:55
Joyner     
14     You're Precious to Me 2:56
Ballard / Pellish / Brusiloff
15     Fan My Brow 2:44
Unknown
16     Formal Night Harlem 3:10
Shuman / Faro / Leman     
17     He's a Gyspy from Poughkeepsie 2:49
Bud Green
18     Easy Living 2:44
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin
19     I'll Take the Key and Lock You Up 2:44
Tinturin /  Lawrence / Howell    
20     Sing and Be Happy 2:36
Akst / Clare
21     Penny Wise and Pound Foolish 2:31
Fred Rose

BOB HOWARD AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1055 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

By September of 1937, Bob Howard had begun to outgrow his annoying habit of imitating Fats Waller's every nuance. Think of it -- as a Decca recording artist Howard was placed in the uncomfortable position of competing with Waller, Victor's hugely successful vocalist, pianist, and master of small-group swing. Earlier Howard recordings possess the power to drive Waller fans up the wall with irritation. Here, happily, the problem seems to have been (mostly) resolved, as Howard sounds more or less like himself, even when covering songs that were and still are almost entirely associated with Thomas Waller ("Beat It Out," "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry," and "She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific"). When forging ahead into songs that seemed ripe for the Waller treatment (although, sadly, Waller never lived long enough to record them), Howard delivers the goods in a perfect combination of his own and Waller's styles. Most of the material packed into this portion of the Bob Howard chronology features the singer standing well away from the piano so as to be able to concentrate on singing his little heart out. Decca lined him up with consistently excellent players like trumpeter Eddie Farley, tenor saxophonist Babe Russin, guitarist Teddy Bunn, drummers O'Neill Spencer and Stan King, and pianists Frank Froeba and Billy Kyle. The winning combination of Kyle and Spencer makes some of this stuff sound a bit like a bracing preview of the John Kirby Sextet. There is a delightful treatment of "Casey Jones" and a perfectly reasonable rendering of Waller's "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now," constituting a rare example of Bob Howard/Decca paying composer royalties to Fats Waller/Victor. A reference to marijuana usage during "There Ain't Gonna Be No Doggone Afterwhile" seems to presage Howard's version of Stuff Smith's full-blown hymn to cannabis indulgence, "If You're a Viper." Legend has it that Fats Waller & His Rhythm also waxed a version of this happy opus in 1938, but the master recording was actually destroyed by a naïve and apparently brainwashed record company employee who panicked after apparently overdosing on Harry J. Anslinger/J. Edgar Hoover-inspired vice squad propaganda. Waller had his revenge when he cut a particularly lascivious rendition of the song for the Armed Forces' V-Disc label shortly before his early demise in 1943. This fascinating bundle of rare novelty swing closes with two rather scratchy sides recorded for the Atlantic label in 1947. Howard, back at the piano in the company of Everett Barksdale, John Simmons, and Cozy Cole, rendered up a delightful paean to "Mo'lasses" and a version of "Button Up Your Overcoat" that Ruth Etting certainly never dreamt of. This excellent disc is packed with tasty performances that are far superior to Bob Howard's earlier work. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1    Beat It Out    2:49
2    I'm Sorry I Made You Cry    2:44
3    What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For    2:31
4    She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific    2:38
5    There Ain't Gonna Be No Doggone Afterwhile    2:30
6    If You're A Viper    2:22
7    Baby And It Must Be Love    2:46
8    Raggedy But Right    2:52
9    In My Miz    2:26
10    Toodle-Oo    2:47
11    Just About The Time    2:26
12    Talk To Me    2:45
13    I Can Tell By Looking In Your Eyes    2:29
14    You Better Come Back    2:42
15    Dapper Dan    2:51
16    Southern Casey Jones    3:10
17    I Used To Love You    2:46
18    Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now    2:44
19    Sweet Emalina, My Gal    2:55
20    Beale Street Mama    2:37
21    You're Lucky In Kentucky Sure As You're Born    2:54
22    Any Rags    2:42
23    On Revival Day    2:37
24    Mo'lasses    2:40
25    Button Up Your Overcoat    2:50
Credits
Bass – Haig Stephens (tracks: 1 to 23), John Simmons (tracks: 24, 25)
Clarinet – Slats Long (tracks: 1 to 4)
Drums – Cozy Cole (tracks: 24, 25), O'Neil Spencer (tracks: 5 to 23), Stan King (tracks: 1 to 4)
Guitar – Everett Barksdale (tracks: 24, 25), Frank Victor (tracks: 1 to 4), Teddy Bunn (tracks: 5 to 23)
Piano – Billy Kyle (tracks: 13 to 23), Bob Howard (tracks: 24, 25), Frank Froeba (tracks: 1 to 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Babe Russin (tracks: 1 to 4)
Trumpet – Eddie Farley (tracks: 1 to 4)
Vocals – Bob Howard