HARRY JAMES AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1939 | The Chronogical Classics – 903 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trumpeter Harry James was very consistent in his musical tastes throughout his career. This CD, which has the first 22 selections that James recorded as a leader, starts off with eight numbers in which the trumpeter (still a Benny Goodman sideman at the time) uses many of Count Basie's top sidemen (including trombonist-arranger Eddie Durham, tenor saxophonist Herschel Evans and singer Helen Humes) for swinging performances highlighted by "Life Goes to a Party" and "One O'Clock Jump"; James' bands (particularly from the 1950s on) would often sound like a duplicate of Basie's. In addition, this CD has four tunes from 1938 in which James mostly uses Goodman players (plus baritonist Harry Carney), and he is also heard on the first six numbers by his big band (including "Two O'Clock Jump" and his earliest recording of his theme "Ciribiribin"). However, the hottest performances are four numbers in which James is backed by a boogie-woogie trio featuring either Pete Johnson or Albert Ammons on piano. This enjoyable CD is full of many examples of James' hot swing trumpet and is easily recommended to swing fans. Scott Yanow  
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HELEN HUMES – 1927-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 892 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When she was just 13 and 14 years old, Helen Humes made her recording debut, cutting ten risque, double entendre-filled blues, naughty tunes that she later claimed to understand at the time. Until the release of this Classics CD in 1996, those numbers (which have backup in various settings by either De Loise Searcy or J.C. Johnson on piano, and Lonnie Johnson or the guitar duo team of Sylvester Weaver and Walter Beasley) had never been reissued on the same set before. Humes sounds fairly mature on the enjoyable blues sides. Her next session as a leader would not take place until 15 years later, when she was 28 and a veteran of Count Basie's Orchestra. The singer is heard here with groups in 1942 and 1944-1945, performing three numbers with altoist Pete Brown's sextet (a band including trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who unfortunately does not solo), Leonard Feather's Hiptet (which has some rare solos from trumpeter Bobby Stark), and Bill Doggett's spirited octet. The latter date is highlighted by classic renditions of "He May Be Your Man" and "Be-Baba-Leba." Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
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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  
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HELEN HUMES – 1948-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1333 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The last two years of the '40s saw Helen Humes growing considerably as a performer. While still showing her mastery of classic blues ("Married Man Blues") and high-octane swing (a frenetic live version of her previous hit, "Be-Baba-Leba"), she continued refining the type of blue-and-sentimental ballads she'd made famous during her Count Basie years (also the type of song that would carry her through the '50s). "Time Out for Tears" and "Don't Fall in Love With Me" find Humes reaching out to the trad-pop audience, and her version of "Somebody Loves Me" shows her finding the blues even in a Gershwin standard. As if her range wasn't stunning already, 1948-1950 also includes a splendid one-shot, a title called "I Ain't in the Mood" that sounds like it came straight from the Sun studio. John Bush
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HELEN HUMES - On The Sunny Side of the Street (1974-1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Several major jazz personalities are heard on this Black Lion reissue CD, recorded live at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival. The fine singer Helen Humes sticks to standards and blues while accompanied by either Earl Hines or Jay McShann on piano, tenor-saxophonist Buddy Tate, bassist Jimmy Woode and drummer Ed Thigpen. Although Hines and McShann are not the ideal accompanists, Humes fares quite well, winning the audience over with her enthusiasm and sincerity. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Alright, Okay, You Win    5:08
Mayme Watts / Sidney Wyche
2    If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight    4:30
Henry Creamer / James P. Johnson
3    Ain't Nobody's Business    6:35
Porter Grainger / Everett Robbins
4    Kansas City    4:52
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
5    I'm Satisfied    3:43
Duke Ellington / Mitchell Parish
6    Blue Because Of You    4:55
Charles Carpenter / Louis Dunlap / Quinn Wilson
7    On The Sunny Side Of The Street    3:58
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
8    I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good    6:02
Duke Ellington / Paul Francis Webster
Credits:
Bass – Jimmy Woode
Drums – Ed Thigpen
Lead Vocals – Helen Humes
Piano – Earl Hines (tracks: 5-8), Jay McShann (tracks: 1-4)
Producer – Alan Bates
Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Tate

SYLVESTER WEAVER — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 2 • 1927 | DOCD-5113 (1992) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Document's second volume devoted to the (nearly) complete recordings of blues guitarist Sylvester Weaver covers the second half of his brief recording career, beginning with three titles waxed on August 31, 1927 and filling the rest of the picture with 18 sides cut three months later on November 26, 27, and 30. Opening with the last two solo records he is known to have made, this tasty collection gathers in all of Weaver's collaborations with guitarist Walter Beasley, blended with five titles featuring a young vocalist by the name of Helen Humes. Like Weaver a native of Louisville KY, Humes was only 14 years old when she recorded these salty sides with titles like "Cross Eyed Blues," "Garlic Blues," and "Nappy Headed Blues." Although Weaver is said to have "discovered" her, Humes' recording debut actually took place more than half a year earlier in April at the age of 13! The Weaver/Beasley duo was a fine unit that compares and contrasts nicely with that of Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang, who would begin making records together in November 1928 with Lang billed as Blind Willie Dunn in an attempt by the record company to mask his whiteness. Many of the Weaver/Beasley duets were issued under Weaver's name, and in fact the only titles released as by Walter Beasley were "Georgia Skin" and "Southern Man Blues." Four titles were recorded as by Weaver and Beasley: "Soft Steel Piston," "St. Louis Blues," "Bottleneck Blues," and the delectable "Me and My Tapeworm," subtitled "Hungry Blues," which the squeamish management at OKeh left unissued for some unaccountable reason. Taken at face value, a song about an intestinal parasite occupies a special niche in musical history alongside the "Mean Old Bedbug Blues," Memphis Minnie's report on her bout with meningitis and other bracingly honest testimonials describing problems that make the usual interpersonal relationship woes pale by comparison. Think about it. What could bring on the blues more viscerally than discovering that you are playing host to your very own tapeworm? Years later, Alan "Duke of Ook" Seidler made a valiant effort to explore this thorny issue with his "Oozing Cyst Blues," and dozens of equally gross examples have probably surfaced since then in the blues and other fecund genres. arwulf arwulf   

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. Document’s second volume devoted to the (nearly) complete recordings of blues guitarist Sylvester Weaver covers the second half of his brief recording career, beginning with three titles waxed on August 31, 1927 and filling the rest of the picture with 18 sides cut three months later on November 26, 27, and 30. Opening with the last two solo records he is known to have made, this tasty collection gathers in all of Weaver’s collaborations with guitarist Walter Beasley, blended with five titles featuring a young vocalist by the name of Helen Humes. Like Weaver a native of Louisville KY, Humes was only 14 years old when she recorded these salty sides with titles like Cross Eyed Blues, Garlic Blues, and Nappy Headed Blues. Although Weaver is said to have “discovered” her, Helen Humes‘ recording debut actually took place more than half a year earlier in April at the age of 13! The Weaver/Beasley duo was a fine unit that compares and contrasts nicely with that of Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang, who would begin making records together in November 1928 with Lang billed as Blind Willie Dunn in an attempt by the record company to mask his whiteness. Many of the Weaver/Beasley duets were issued under Weaver’s name, and in fact the only titles released as by Walter Beasley were Georgia Skin and Southern Man Blues. Four titles were recorded as by Weaver and Beasley: Soft Steel Piston, St. Louis Blues, Bottleneck Blues, and the delectable Me And My Tapeworm, subtitled Hungry Blues, which the squeamish management at OKeh left unissued for some unaccountable reason. Taken at face value, a song about an intestinal parasite occupies a special niche in musical history alongside the Mean Old Bedbug Blues, Memphis Minnie‘s report on her bout with meningitis and other bracingly honest testimonials describing problems that make the usual interpersonal relationship woes pale by comparison. DOCD-5113

Tracklist :
1 Can’t Be Trusted Blues
2 Penitentiary Bound Blues
3 Soft Steel Piston
4 Chittlin Rag Blues
5 Cross-Eyed Blues
6 Garlic Blues
7 Railroad Porter Blues
8 Me And My Tapeworm
9 Rock Pile Blues
10 Devil Blues
11 Polecat Blues
12 Alligator Blues
13 Nappy Headed Blues
14 Race Horse Blues
15 Bottleneck Blues
16 St. Louis Blues
17 Georgia Skin
18 Southern Man Blues
19 Toad Frog Blues
20 Sore Feet Blues
21 Black Spider Blues
Credits :
Guitar – Sylvester Weaver, Walter Beasley (tracks: 3 to 21)
Vocals – Helen Humes (tracks: 5, 6, 12 to 14), Sylvester Weaver (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7 to 11, 21), Walter Beasley  (tracks: 17 to 20)

COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 504 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second Count Basie release on the Classics label, 1938-1939 offers a generous helping of the prime, groundbreaking swing the group brought to the national limelight from 1936-1942. These original Decca sides include everything from full-band charts by arranger Eddie Durham and fine vocals by Jimmy Rushing and Helen Humes to rare cuts of Basie accompanied only by his rhythm section. And, of course, there are many fine solos by star instrumentalist and jazz legend Lester Young, who came up with Basie between 1936-1940. In addition to Young's fine tenor saxophone statement on "Every Tub," other stellar contributions are made by trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, trombonist Dickie Wells, and unsung reed player Herschel Evans, whose tenor solos on "Blue and Sentimental," "Doggin' Around," and his own composition "Texas Shuffle" especially stand out. Throughout the set, rhythm section members drummer Jo Jones, bassist Walter Page, and guitarist Freddie Green provide the kind of streamlined swing that not only became manna for dancers during the late '30s, but also garnered the admiration of jazz musicians all over the world. This is a nicely varied and highly gratifying set of Basie tunes. The sound is great too. [For those who want to get all of Basie's Decca sides on one collection instead of spread out over individual discs, there's MCA's 3-CD set Original American Decca Recordings.] Stephen Cook  

COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939 Vol.2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 533 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Count Basie Orchestra may not have been the number one band popularity-wise in 1939 (Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw were ahead of Basie), but it was certainly the most swinging ensemble. With Buck Clayton, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Dicky Wells, Lester Young, and Buddy Tate as major soloists, Jimmy Rushing and Helen Humes providing vocals, and the Basie rhythm section saying so much with so little, few bands were in Basie's league. This set has a variety of Columbia/Vocalion recordings from 1939, including the two-part "Miss Thing," "You Can Count on Me," "Song of the Islands," "I Left My Baby," and two numbers from a small-group date ("Dickie's Dream" and "Lester Leaps In"); there are plenty of gems to choose from, although one does regret the lack of any alternate takes, as is Classics' custom. Scott Yanow

COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 563 (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The Count Basie Orchestra continued to grow in strength during the period covered by this CD, with Vic Dickenson replacing Benny Morton in the trombone section, high-note trumpeter Al Killian taking over for Ed Lewis, and Tab Smith being added as an alto soloist. Among the classics recorded by the definitive swing band are "I Never Knew," "Tickle Toe," "Louisiana," "Easy Does It," "Somebody Stole My Gal," "Super Chief," and a remake of "Moten Swing." This set would be well worth acquiring if only for the Lester Young solos, and there is much more to savor including spots for Buck Clayton, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Dicky Wells, Buddy Tate, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, and Basie himself. Scott Yanow

LONNIE JOHNSON — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 2 • 1926-1927 | DOCD-5064 (1991) RM | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Lonnie Johnson came into his own during the period of time covered by this CD. A brilliant blues-oriented guitarist, Johnson is heard on such instrumentals as "To Do This, You Got to Know How," "I Done Tole You," "Steppin' on the Blues," "Four Hands Are Better Than Two," and "Woke Up With the Blues in My Fingers." He is also heard backing blues singers Helen Humes (who was 13 at the time), Joe Brown, and Raymond Boyd and singing his own variety of low-down blues. Recommended.  Scott Yanow

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. Lonnie Johnson closed the eight title session of 13 August 1926 with two blues, one backed by the strange combination of his own harmonium and his brother James’s violin, the other with just his own guitar. This marked the end of the bewildering display of instrument switching to be heard on Volume 1 (DOCD-5063); not for nearly three years was Lonnie to accompany himself on any instrument but guitar. As if to confirm this decision, he dropped into the studio the next day, Saturday, to cut the dazzling guitar solo To Do This, You Got To Know How, based on a lose 12 bar structure, but in practice owing little to the blues. 1927 found the two brothers back in the studio, both playing guitar; I Done Tole You, unissued at the time, hints at the revolutionary series of instrumental duets Lonnie was soon to cut with Eddie Lang. (So, too, had the chromaticisms on Sweet Woman, See For Yourself.) As ever, Johnson’s lyrics were carefully structured, thoughtful essays, often on his favourite subject of the ways of women and men, and sometimes moralising (Treat ‘Em Right) or sentimental (A Broken Heart That Never Smiles). South Bound Water was testimony to his song writing ability, for it was produced even as the 1927 flood was devastating Mississippi. (In May, Johnson recorded a better known song about the flood, Backwater Blues, which had been recorded by Bessie Smith in February and released in March, before the disaster, and which was, not surprisingly, selling well.) As April gave way to May, he accompanied the 13 year old, but very assured, Helen Humes on the first of her many recordings, and backed the amateur-sounding Joe Brown and Raymond Boyd (whom he may have talent-scouted) on what proved to be their only sessions. He was continuing to cut virtuoso instrumentals, too, though Okeh seem to have been reluctant to issue them; nor did they release the ballad I Love You Mary Lou, perhaps dedicated to his wife Mary, whom he had married in 1925. 12-bar blues formed the remainder of Johnson’s recordings in August 1927. Johnson, may have been happy to work in orthodox structures on 11th and 12th August, as a rest from accompanying the wayward Texas Alexander. “He was a very difficult singer to accompany,” Lonnie told Paul Oliver. “He was liable to jump a bar, or five bars, or anything … When you been out there with him, you done nine days work in one!” Irene Higginbotham‘s Mean Old Bed Bug Blues was being hawked around race record producers at this time by publisher Joe Davis; they seem to have liked its witty lyric, for it was cut by Lonnie, Bessie Smith, Furry Lewis, Kitty Waters and Betty Gray between August and October 1927. Roaming Rambler Blues and Stay Out Of Walnut Street Alley are Johnson originals, though, with unmistakably acerbic lyrics. DOCD-5064
Tracklist :
1    Lonnie Johnson–    Oh! Doctor The Blues    2:43
2    Lonnie Johnson–    Sweet Woman, See For Yourself    2:54
3    Lonnie Johnson–    To Do This, You Got To Know How    3:07
4    Lonnie Johnson–    South Bound Water    2:43
5    Lonnie Johnson–    Treat 'Em Right    3:12
6    Lonnie Johnson–    Baby, Will You Please Come Home?    2:45
7    Lonnie Johnson–    I Done Tole You    2:56
8    Lonnie Johnson–    Steppin' On The Blues    2:51
9    Lonnie Johnson–    A Broken Heart That Never Smiles    3:17
10    Helen Humes–    Black Cat Blues    3:08
11    Helen Humes–    A Worried Woman's Blues    2:56
12    Joe Brown–    Superstitious Blues    3:07
13    Joe Brown–    Cotton Patch Blues    3:01
14    Raymond Boyd–    Blackbird Blues    2:38
15    Raymond Boyd–    Unkind Mama    3:01
16    Lonnie Johnson–    Four Hands Are Better Than Two    3:15
17    Lonnie Johnson–    Woke Up With The Blues In My Fingers    3:08
18    Lonnie Johnson–    Back-Water Blues    3:35
19    Lonnie Johnson–    I Love You, Mary Lou    3:03
20    Lonnie Johnson–    Sweet Woman, You Can't Go Wrong    2:49
21    Lonnie Johnson–    Mean Old Bed Bug Blues    2:52
22    Lonnie Johnson–    Lonesome Ghost Blues    3:07
23    Lonnie Johnson–    Fickle Mamma Blues    2:59
24    Lonnie Johnson–    Roaming Rambler Blues    3:02
25    Lonnie Johnson–    Stay Out Of Walnut Street Alley    3:10
Credits :
Guitar – James Johnson (tracks: 4 to 8), Lonnie Johnson (tracks: 2 to 25)
Harmonium – Lonnie Johnson (tracks: 1)
Liner Notes – Chris Smith
Piano – De Loise Searcy (tracks: 12 to 15), John Erby (tracks: 18), Jack Erby (tracks: 9), Lazy Harris (tracks: 16)
Piano [Poss.] – De Loise Searcy (tracks: 10, 11)
Piano [Prob.] – John Erby (tracks: 8)
Speech [Prob.] – Lonnie Johnson (tracks: 8)
Violin – James Johnson (tracks: 1)
Vocals – Helen Humes (tracks: 10, 11), Joe Brown (tracks: 12, 13), Lonnie Johnson (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 6, 9, 18 to 25), Raymond Boyd (tracks: 14, 15)

LESTER YOUNG – The Complete Aladdin Recordings of Lester Young (1995) 2CD | MONO | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although it has often been written that cool-toned tenor saxophonist Lester Young's experiences with racism in the military during 1944-1945 so scarred him that he never played at the same musical level as he had previously, the music on this essential two-CD reissue disproves that theory. It is true that his attitude toward life was affected and Young became somewhat self-destructive, but his postwar solos rank with the greatest work of his career. This two-fer, which has four selections from 1942 in which Young is heard in a trio with pianist Nat King Cole and bassist Red Callender and a rare 1945 session headed by singer Helen Humes (including a previously unknown instrumental "Riffin' Without Helen"), is mostly taken up with Young's very enjoyable 1945-1948 small-group dates. Highlights include "D.B. Blues," "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid" (which was a minor hit), "Sunday," and "New Lester Leaps In," among many others. Minor errors aside (trumpeter Snooky Young is left out of the personnel listing for the Humes date and Young's final Aladdin session is from 1948, not 1947), this is a well-conceived and brilliant set filled with exciting performances by one of the true greats of jazz. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :