COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 988 (1998) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Here's a crash course in the flashy post-WWII big band sound of Count Basie's Orchestra. This was a much different act from the Basie band of 1944-45. The entire presentation had changed considerably in just a couple of years. Arrangers had a lot to do with such rapid transformation, along with creative young players like J.J. Johnson, Paul Gonsalves and Illinois Jacquet. Basie himself was maturing already into that famously glib, tinkling pianist who could and did occasionally play his ass off. A number of stylistic modes are clearly at work during the summer of 1946. Two sentimental pop vocals, one lightweight novelty tune and a solid Jimmy Rushing blues are interspersed with several exciting instrumentals. Buster Harding cooked up a few heavy-handed boogies, Tadd Dameron contributed the stimulating, modern composition "Stay On It," and Harry "Sweets" Edison composed and arranged "Mutton Leg," a sizzling feature for Illinois Jacquet. This would be the saxophonist's last extroverted studio recording with this band, and the eight selections from 1946 were the last of Basie's mid-'40s Columbia sides. Signing up with Victor for the next three years, Basie continued to move in step with rapidly evolving developments in pop, bebop and rhythm and blues. The Victor sides have not been reissued very often, and have proved much more difficult to obtain than Basie's earlier recordings from the Columbia and Decca catalogs. The people in charge of the Classics chronological series are to be commended for making these historical recordings available. The Victor material is markedly varied, revealing an orchestra searching for its next stylistic identity. "Open the Door, Richard" is one of the coolest versions of this silly piece of neo-vaudeville ever recorded, mainly because of Harry "Sweets" Edison's very hip, high-voiced spoken delivery. "One O'Clock Boogie" is recognizable Basie, but two lush ballads, arranged by Hugo Winterhalter, of all people, are atypical for this band. "Futile Frustration," though nominally co-composed by Basie, is a jaggedly futuristic Raymond Scott-styled experiment by Jimmy Mundy. Two live V-Disc jams, each exceeding the four-minute mark, feature Basie and rhythm with a snappy front line of Roy Eldridge and Illinois Jacquet. Art Ford, square peg in a round universe, introduces "Lady Be Good." "Jammin' on a V-Disc," which has a line that sounds uncannily like Sun Ra's "Space is the Place," runs at a brisk clip with wonderful solos from both of the horns. Illinois bites the reed to make his sax squeal and everybody rocks. Buddy Rich is in his element here, as the assignment calls for furious drumming. This segment of the chronology ends with three excellent instrumentals including smart remakes of "St. Louis Boogie" and "Swingin' the Blues." The pianist switches over to Hammond organ in the middle of "Basie's Basement," an authentically low-down blues graced with echoes of Fats Waller's personality. The rest of the fine music recorded by Basie and his men during the month of May 1947 appears at the beginning of the next volume of the complete recordings of Count Basie in chronological order. arwulf arwulf   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE – 1953-1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1424 (2006) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Volume ten in the Classics Dizzy Gillespie chronology documents this trumpeter's recording activities from December 9, 1953 to June 8, 1954. As one of producer Norman Granz's many star players, Diz was able to organize both hard bop and Cuban-styled bop bands comprised of able improvisers. The opening track, "Impromptu," is a nearly-eight-minute jam taken at 75mph by the "Dizzy Gillespie-Stan Getz Sextet" with lightning-fingered pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis (heard here in an unusually rambunctious mood); bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Max Roach. The 20-piece big band assembled on May 24, 1954 recorded a piquant 16-and-a-half-minute "Manteca" suite in five movements using arrangements by Chico O'Farrill. The personnel listing is extraordinary, with J.J. Johnson, Ernie Royal and Quincy Jones in the brass section with Diz; Hilton Jefferson, Hank Mobley, Lucky Thompson and Danny Bank in the reed department, as well as two bassists and four expert Latin American percussionists augmenting the kit drumming of Charlie Persip. On the following day, four members of this mammoth ensemble returned to form a quintet; in addition to pianist Wade Legge and bassist Lou Hackney, Hank Mobley was the designated saxophonist for this assignment, a relaxed blowing session with two vocals by the leader. Gillespie put together an octet for the next date, which took place on June 3, 1954, using flautist Gilbert Valdez and a lively Latino rhythm section including conga master Candido Camero. Four titles cut on June 8, 1954 by the Dizzy Gillespie Sextet featured trombonist Jimmy Cleveland in addition to the five men who comprised the Quintet from two weeks earlier. (Although a note in the enclosed discography claims that Cleveland is omitted on "Rumbola," he is clearly audible throughout). This last session, and indeed this entire segment of Gillespie's career, resulted in substantial music of great passion and depth. "Blue Mood" is particularly satisfying because Gillespie, like Charlie Parker, was an adept bluesman. arwulf arwulf    Tracklist :

ERSKINE HAWKINS AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1950-1951 | The Chronogical Classics – 1257 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Having survived and adapted to changing popular tastes throughout the 1940s, the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra eased into the next decade with six of the most traditionally oriented titles in its entire discography. Sammy Lowe's arrangements, however, were anything but old-fashioned. There's more than a bit of bop in the blaring trumpets, vamping reeds, and whiplash rhythms. "St. Louis Blues" may have been published in 1914, but Hawkins' band has it sounding positively contemporary. With the leader's salty trumpet and a stable of young toughs like Idrees Sulieman, Booty Wood, Haywood Henry, and Julian Dash, there's nary a dull moment. Except for Jimmy Mitchell's tidy vocal on "Careless Love," the first six tracks are thrilling instrumentals. They were issued as an album of three 78-rpm platters bearing the title W.C. Handy for Dancing. This brings listeners to the very last recordings Erskine Hawkins would make for RCA Victor. Efforts were being made to update the band's sound, and the results are different from anything previously recorded by this organization. "Hey Pretty Baby" and "Opportunity" boast Caribbean percussion; both tunes are sung with exceptional charm by Ace Harris. Although the Classics discography seems reluctant to divulge their identity, a retooled ride through "Tuxedo Junction" features the Deep River Boys, who exercise their collective ability to exaggerate a song until it stands taller than a house. Why Classics failed to specify Harris or even mention the Deep River Boys is puzzling, as the original 78s had the vocal credits printed clearly on the labels, right under the song titles. Bongos return during a fortified, updated treatment of Irving Berlin's "Always." Jimmy Mitchell's sweet vocal is spiced with vocal interjections from the band in a style originated by Steve Washington, premiered with Doc Wheeler, and exploited by Tommy Dorsey. Two months later Hawkins was working for Coral Records. On "So Long, Goodbye Blues," this group suddenly sounds a lot like Jay McShann's mid-'40s Kansas City big band. "Skippin' and Hoppin'" clearly resembles the Hawkins orchestra's earlier hit record, "Tippin' In." Continuing to shoot for the jukebox, Hawkins ground out a greasy "Downbeat" and the sugary "Tennessee Waltz." Solid remakes of two hardcore slow blues -- "After Hours" and "Bear Mash Blues" -- closed out 1950, and were followed by yet another pass at "Tuxedo Junction." When they weren't making easy sentimental records, these guys really cooked for the dancing crowd. Here, then, is another fascinating chapter in the life of the mighty Erskine Hawkins. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

ELLA FITZGERALD – 1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 525 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Unlike GRP, which has merely reissued the "best" of early Ella Fitzgerald domestically, the European Classics label has released all of the great singer's early recordings (from the 1935-41 period) on six CDs. This, the fourth volume, has her final recordings with Chick Webb's Orchestra (before the legendary drummer's premature death) and her first after she took control of his big band. Fitzgerald is best on "'Tain't What You Do" and the ballads (particularly "Don't Worry About Me," "Little White Lies," "Stairway to the Stars" and "Out of Nowhere") although she is less memorable on such uptempo novelties as "Chew-Chew-Chew Your Bubble Gum" and "I Want the Waiter with the Water." This CD is well worth acquiring along with the other entries in this definitive series. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

ELLA FITZGERALD – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 566 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This fifth in the six-CD series by the European Classics label documents Fitzgerald's recordings during a nine-month period starting shortly after she took over the late Chick Webb's Orchestra. During this era she was much better on the ballads than on the uptempo novelties, many of which (such as "My Wubba Dolly") were not worth saving. Fortunately this CD has a good sampling of ballads (such as "My Last Goodbye," "Moon Ray," "Sugar Blues" and "Imagination") along with two rare instrumentals by her big band. The music is not essential but fans will enjoy this look at her early days. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :

ELLA FITZGERALD – 1940-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 644 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The sixth in Classics' six-CD series that completely reissues all of Ella Fitzgerald's early recordings has her final 23 performances as the head of what was formerly the Chick Webb Orchestra. Just 22 during most of this period, she is generally in superb voice and the ballads (highlighted by "Shake Down the Stars," "Taking a Chance on Love," "The One I Love" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man") are frequently exquisite; her expertise at scatting would come a few years later. It's recommended as are all of the entries in this valuable series (which is superior to GRP's Decca program). Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

HELEN HUMES – 1945-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1036 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This second installment in the excellent Classics Helen Humes chronology covers the exciting material she recorded for the Philo (soon to become Aladdin), Black & White, and Mercury labels, first with her All-Stars in Los Angeles during 1945-1946 and then with Buck Clayton's band in New York in 1946 and 1947. Alternating between ballads, blues, and boogie-woogie, the singer exudes a wonderful passionate glow that sometimes borders on the sensual. The front lines of her West Coast bands were richly staffed with excellent players in trumpeter Snooky Young and saxophonists Willie Smith, Tom Archia, Corky Corcoran, Maxwell Davis, Wild Bill Moore, and -- fresh out of the Army -- Lester Young! Dig his beautiful solo on "Pleasing Man Blues." Note also the presence of some of the top rhythm section men in the Los Angeles area at that time: guitarists Allan Reuss, Dave Barbour, and Irving Ashby; bassist Red Callender; drummers Chico Hamilton and Henry Tucker Green; and pianists Arnold Ross, Eddie Beal, and the great Meade "Lux" Lewis, who adds a little mustard to the singer's sequel to her earlier hit record, "Be-Baba-Leba." Over on the East Coast, the Buck Clayton-led ensembles had equally strong support in tenor saxophonist John Hardee (his velvety introduction to "Blue and Sentimental" is nothing less than a tribute to Herschel Evans), pianists Ram Ramirez and Teddy Wilson, and the winning Kansas City combination of bassist Walter Page and drummer Jo Jones. Is this the best of Helen Humes? Pretty close to it; she's in the prime of her early maturity and the musicians are uniformly excellent. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :

CHU BERRY – 1937-1941 (1994) The Chronogical Classics – 784 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One has to invest in a few discs to track down most of Chu Berry's recordings as a leader. And while some of his best sides are available from Commodore, there are still many cuts from throughout his career that have been hard to come by. Now, Classics has collected a good chunk of the tenor luminary's solo sides on this welcome collection -- in lieu of a badly needed and thorough retrospective that should include both solo material and tracks from Berry's numerous dates with Cab Calloway, Fletcher Henderson, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, and scores of other bandleaders and vocalists, this remains the best roundup available. Bookended by a 1937 session with his Stompy Stevedores and four 1941 sides featuring Charlie Ventura (including two alternate takes), this disc's main attraction has to be the eight numbers from Berry's respective 1938 and 1941 sessions with Roy Eldridge and Hot Lips Page. A solid collection that's perfect for newcomers. Now all we need is for the Smithsonian's music arm to resurrect its invaluable, multi-label reissue series, so Berry can finally get his due. Stephen Cook  
Tracklist 
1 –Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores - Now You're Talking My Language 2:55
Bass – Israel Crosby
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Lawrence Lucie
Piano – Horace Henderson
Trombone – George Matthews
Trumpet, Vocals – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Stept, Mitchell, Koehler
2 –Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores - Indiana 2:46
Bass – Israel Crosby
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Lawrence Lucie
Piano – Horace Henderson
Trombone – George Matthews
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – MacDonald, Hanley
3 –Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores - Too Marvelous For Words 2:54
Bass – Israel Crosby
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Lawrence Lucie
Piano – Horace Henderson
Trombone – George Matthews
Trumpet, Vocals – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Mercer, Whiting
4 –Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores - Limehouse Blues 2:52
Bass – Israel Crosby
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Lawrence Lucie
Piano – Horace Henderson
Trombone – George Matthews
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Farber, Braham
5 –Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores - Chuberry Jam 2:17
Bass – Milton Hinton
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Benny Payne
Trombone – Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Irving Randolph
Written-By – Berry
6 –Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores - Maelstrom 2:47
Bass – Milton Hinton
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Benny Payne
Trombone – Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Irving Randolph
Written-By – Berry
7 –Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores - My Secret Love Affair 2:50
Bass – Milton Hinton
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano, Vocals – Benny Payne
Trombone – Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Irving Randolph
Written-By – Pollack, Mitchell
8 –Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores - Ebb Tide 2:45
Bass – Milton Hinton
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Benny Payne
Trombone – Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Irving Randolph
Written-By – Robin, Rainger
9 –Chu Berry And His "Little Jazz" Ensemble - Sittin' In 2:09
Bass – Artie Shapiro
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Written-By – Milt Gabler
10 –Chu Berry And His "Little Jazz" Ensemble - Stardust 3:52
Bass – Artie Shapiro
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Written-By – Carmichael, Parish
11 –Chu Berry And His "Little Jazz" Ensemble - Body And Soul 3:49
Bass – Artie Shapiro
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Written-By – Heyman, Eyton, Green, Sour
12 –Chu Berry And His "Little Jazz" Ensemble - Forty-Six West Fifty-Two 2:28
Bass – Artie Shapiro
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Written-By – Berry, Gabler
13 –Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble - Blowing Up A Breeze 2:38
Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Harry Jaeger
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Page, Berry, Gabler
14 –Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble - On The Sunny SIde Of The Street 3:50
Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Harry Jaeger
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – Clyde Hart
Written-By – Fields, McHugh
15 –Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble - Monday At Minton's (What's It To You?) 2:53
Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Harry Jaeger
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Page, Berry, Gabler
16 –Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble - Gee, Ain't I Good To You? 4:05
Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Harry Jaeger
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet, Vocals – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Redman
17 –Chu Berry And Charlie Ventura Dream Girl - Part 1 2:00
Traditional
18 –Chu Berry And Charlie Ventura Dream Girl - Part 2 2:25
Written-By – Redman
17 –Chu Berry And Charlie Ventura Dream Girl - Part 1 2:00
Traditional
19 –Chu Berry And Charlie Ventura Get Lost - Part 1 2:01
Written-By – Redman
17 –Chu Berry And Charlie Ventura Dream Girl - Part 1 2:00
Traditional
20 –Chu Berry And Charlie Ventura Get Lost - Part 2 2:02
Traditional
Credits :
Bass – Unknown Artist (tracks: 17 to 20)
Drums – Unknown Artist (tracks: 17 to 20)
Piano – Unknown Artist (tracks: 17 to 20)
Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Ventura (tracks: 17 to 20),
Chu Berry, Unknown Artist (tracks: 17 to 20)

COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1018 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Keeping a big band together became increasingly challenging during the late 1940s. Stylistic adjustments were crucial as promoters and audiences alike became infatuated with star vocalists, an obsession from which the entertainment industry has yet to recover. Having helped to define big band jazz over the course of his first ten years as a leader, the diminutive pianist from Red Bank, New Jersey continued to modify the sound of his full-sized orchestra with arrangements that were smooth, garish, rowdy or sweet. He also experimented regularly with smaller groups. A pared down ensemble presented as "Count Basie, His Instrumentalists and Rhythm" allowed for intimate interactions between the players that would have been difficult under the influence of big band arrangements. Emmett Berry is sharp as a tack during "Backstage at Stuff's" and Paul Gonsalves rocks hard when necessary but expresses himself most gently during Maceo Pinkard's "Sugar." Ex-Bennie Moten reedman Jack Washington is positively pulverizing when he solos all over the baritone sax during "Lopin''. This tune is also a showcase for percussionist Jo Jones at his very rowdiest. The full-sized big band session of May 22, 1947 had its share of corn, beginning with "The Jungle King," a fairly ponderous incursion into Cab Calloway territory. "Take a Little Off the Top" is an extremely corny barbershop skit, garnished with the appropriate "shave and a haircut -- two bits" lick. Taps Miller scats his way through "I Ain't Mad at You," but by this time we're getting an awful lot of ensemble vocals from the band. It's enough to wear you down. There is a potently cool treatment of Bennie Moten's 1924 hit, "South." Back in 1937, "Blue and Sentimental" was the designated feature ballad for Herschel Evans' Coleman Hawkins-inspired tenor saxophone. Ten years later, the sax serves as a sort of pimp for Bob Bailey's gushy crooning. We do get two blues and two ballads by Jimmy Rushing. Properly wired for sound, Mr. 5 x 5 sounds as though he's enjoying the fact that he no longer has to bellow in order to be heard over a 17-piece band. Even amidst sweetened sips of vintage mood music like Will Hudson's "Sophisticated Swing" and a couple of gruesome heartbreak ballads sung by Jeanne Taylor, some of the material begins to sound downright progressive. "7th Avenue Express" is a typical Buck Clayton pressure cooker, while "Mister Roberts' Roost" rocks at medium hot. "Guest in a Nest" hints at the formula Basie would use so effectively during the next decade: elegant, flashy big band with a decidedly cool aspect that allows for brief understated vamps from the pianist. arwulf arwulf