BEN WEBSTER – 1944-1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 1017 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Most Ben Webster albums on the market today seem to be reissues from his magnificent autumnal years, majestically lush or bearishly brusque. It's good to have a chronological sampling of Webster's work from the mid-'40s, in order to appreciate exactly how he developed into the Ben Webster of 1959 and 1969. After popping up on early big band swing records by Bennie Moten and Willie Bryant, Webster came into his own as the first really exceptional tenor saxophonist to be featured with Duke Ellington's Orchestra. What we have here is the post-Ellington Ben Webster. His tone has gotten bigger and wider, grittily sensuous and invariably warm like a pulse in the jugular. The first eight tracks were made for radio broadcast purposes in February of 1944. The combination of Hot Lips Page and Ben Webster is a bitch. There are strolling romps with titles like "Woke Up Clipped," "Dirty Deal" and "'Nuff Said," lively stomps built on to the changes of "Tea for Two" and "I Got Rhythm," and two choice examples of Webster developing his ballad chops. "Perdido," from a quartet session recorded near the end of March 1944, is positively stunning. Webster has definitely tapped into something primal, and no one can hear him without being at least partially transformed by the sounds of his saxophone. April Fool's day, 1944 found Webster in the company of tenors Budd Johnson and Walter "Foots" Thomas, with trumpeter Emmett Berry and a modern rhythm section. "Broke but Happy" is a sweet jaunt, real solid, especially when the saxes take over in unison. But the main reason to get your own copy of Classics 1017 is to have the Savoy session of April 17th, 1944. Gracefully accompanied by Johnny Guarnieri, Oscar Pettiford and David Booth, Webster blows four of the greatest three-minute recordings of his entire career. "Kat's Fur" is a goosed up, improved version of "'Nuff Said." "I Surrender Dear" runs even deeper than the two other versions included on this disc. "Honeysuckle Rose" and especially "Blue Skies" each represent Ben Webster at his toughest and truest. This is a rare blend of musk, and it's not synthetic. It's the real thing. arwulf arwulf  
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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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HOT LIPS PAGE – 1940-1944 | The Chronogical Classics – 809 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For fans of small-combo jazz from the '40s (pre-bebop, that is), Hot Lips Page's many sides offer that perfect marriage of jazz licks and blues atmospherics. And although Page wasn't necessarily a trumpet ace in the league of Armstrong or Cootie Williams, his irrepressible style and raspy-to-bright tone usually enlivened most every date he graced (just check out his early work on Bennie Moten's epochal 1932 recordings). Page also could have made a handsome living just as a blues singer; his was a gruff and driving voice equally at home on both the serious and novelty end of the form. This Classics release brings together a fetching mix from Page's 1940-1944 freelancing prime, with a large dose of his vocal work getting nicely framed by the day's top jazz players. Two highlights from the first part here include "Evil Man Blues" and "Just Another Woman," two of Page's best vocals featuring Leonard Feather on piano and Teddy Bunn on guitar. The majority of the remaining tracks are ones Page and his band cut in 1944. Amidst the prevailing after-hours mood, there's a wealth of fine soloing by the likes of Don Byas, Chu Berry, Lucky Thompson, and Vic Dickenson. This disc might not make it into any jazz polls, but it's a solid collection for those who love Page's infectious style and sophisticated jump grooves. Stephen Cook
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HOT LIPS PAGE – 1944-1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 950 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Always to be found smack in the middle of the hottest developments in jazz, Oran Thaddeus "Hot Lips" Page worked comfortably with both old-fashioned and modern young musicians during the mid-'40s. On November 30, 1944, Page's band included busy-fingered tenor man Lucky Thompson and a brilliant young pianist from Pontiac, MI, named Hank Jones. One week later, Page cut a couple of sides for V-Discs with an ensemble that sounded a lot like one of Eddie Condon's Town Hall traditional jam bands. "Sheik of Araby" is notable for Gordon "Specs" Powell's exceptional drumming. Page seems not to have recorded again until September 1945, once again in the company of younger guys with progressive ideas. "Happy Medium" and "Bloodhound" are full of modern moves. How interesting to hear Hank Jones as a young innovator. Saxophonists Dave Matthews and Earle Warren demonstrate how the art of swing stood at the crossroads of modernity in 1945. Contrary to what the discography says, there are no vocals on these two tracks. Dave Matthews sounds like Chu Berry and Don Byas. He shushes down to Ben Webster's level of suavity on "You Come In Here Woman," a misogynistic blues containing the line "Like the butcher told the goat, you've had your fun, now I'm cuttin' your throat." Just in case we don't get the picture, Lips puts his horn to his lips and quotes Chopin's funeral march for a nasty coda. Leonard Feather's "The Lady in Debt," a distant relative of "The Lady in Red," is also apparently a cousin to Page's 1944 enigma, "The Lady in Bed," which was yet another creation of Feather, who seems to have enjoyed writing topical blues novelties for Page. More material from September of 1945 places Page at the front of a larger band, fortified with Buck Clayton, three outstanding trombonists (Benny Morton, Sandy Williams, and J.C. Higginbotham), and three of the toughest saxophonists on the scene at that time (Don Byas, Ben Webster, and Earl Bostic). "Corsicana" cooks itself to a gravy. "They Raided the Joint" is funny if you like songs about alcohol poisoning and police raids. This CD's hottest sides from 1946 are without question "Kansas City Jive" and the rockin' "Birmingham Boogie," featuring Earl Bostic and a solid tenor player by the name of John Hartzfield. "Open the Door Richard" is very funny, beginning with Page's imitation of a drunken person being forcibly ejected from a party. The scenario eventually develops into a rowdy group vocal as Page's band eggs him on into a violent trumpet solo. In a premonition of later developments, Hot Lips distorts his voice into a higher-pitched version of what would eventually become a sandblasted contrabasso, lower than that of Louis Armstrong, closer in fact to Popeye's tonalities. By the early '50s, Hot Lips Page's voice could curdle milk and frighten pigeons. arwulf arwulf  
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HOT LIPS PAGE – 1946-1950 | The Chronogical Classics – 1199 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 The bebop era may have been raging during the period covered by this CD, but trumpeter-singer Hot Lips Page stuck to his swing/Dixieland/blues style. Although commercial success would largely elude him, Page is heard in prime form on the 23 formerly rare performances included on this valuable CD. Other than one cut from 1946, the music is from 1947 and 1949-1950. Page (whose voice had become a bit raspier through the years) digs into four instrumentals and four vocals with a medium-size group in 1947; four of the titles were previously unreleased. He is also heard with slightly later combos, on two numbers with strings and a choir, and on a very successful four-song session in which he interacts vocally with Pearl Bailey; their version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is classic. Other highlights include "St. James Infirmary," "Fat Stuff," "Don't Tell a Man About His Woman," "The Hucklebuck," and "Ain't No Flies on Me." Recommended. Scott Yanow  
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HOT LIPS PAGE – 1950-1953 | The Chronogical Classics – 1342 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Hopping from label to label and from style to style, in July of 1950 Hot Lips Page found himself on a Columbia R&B date with Little Sylvia Vanderpool, who sounds just a bit like a young Dinah Washington. A smooth doo wop group called the Magichords harmonize neatly on cue, Seldon Powell and Haywood Henry blow beefy sax solos, and Page barks back at Vanderpool in a voice as corroded as hers is young and perky. Powell liked to squeal his tenor like Illinois Jacquet. Henry illustrates why the baritone sax became increasingly popular as a tool to be used for rocking and rolling. A burlesque duet with Mildred Anderson pales when compared with its flip side, the amazing "Let Me In," one of Page's best routines from this period. There's a party going on but they won't let him in, even as he pleads with someone named Zebedee to open up the door. Page's voice is crispy in its upper register and elephantine in the bass clef. That's Paul Quinichette back there with the tenor sax. None of this stuff is profound. It's straight up rowdy entertainment, and in 1951 that meant rocking and rolling, preferably with a singalong arrangement as in "I Want to Ride Like the Cowboys Do." Lips had a voice that could plunge as deep as Louis Armstrong's, but his middle range was more intact. When he dips to the bottom of his voice, as he does on "Strike While the Iron's Hot," the effect is bracing. Whereas after a certain point Armstrong pretty well stayed in the same octave for the rest of his life, Page's larynx was able to produce quite a range of sandblasted tonalities. This issue became more complex when he teamed up with a tin whistler! It's the most bizarre chapter in Page's entire career: not only is the tin whistle heavily featured, but the lyrics are about tin whistles exclusively.

There's no telling what Page will do to listeners next. Reverb makes his voice almost alarming on "The Devil's Kiss," while the horns scream like a noir B-movie soundtrack. Following in the tin whistle's footsteps, a weird "chirping" sound effect competes with Page's hoarse voice as he sings the tale of a cricket. Visiting Paris in the autumn of 1952, he howled and wailed in front of a band that rocked like a steam shovel. Every conceivable topic is up for grabs. There are novelties dealing with marital infidelity, fancy cars, and French vocabulary. A calypso singalong transforms the word "bongo" into a verb. "Jungle King" cuts Cab Calloway's version, hands down. "Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That, Baby" was almost certainly the inspiration for Al Hibbler's hit record of 1958. After this variety show spanning three labels, three years, and two continents, it's a treat to end up at a live gig in Fort Monmouth, NJ, with Marian McPartland holding down the piano. The audience eats up every note, thrilling to Page's neighing horn during "St. James Infirmary" and cracking up during "On the Sunny Side of the Street" when he makes a reference to "drinking beer for lemonade." After all of that R&B mingled with wildly novel notions, 18 minutes of solid traditional jazz really hits the spot. arwulf arwulf  
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EDDIE CONDON – 1944-1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 1033 (1998) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This is how traditional Chicago-style jazz sounded in New York during the mid-1940s. When he wasn't brusquely emceeing these bands on-stage at Town Hall, guitarist and organizer Eddie Condon presented this music on the air and in the recording studio. The phonographic evidence, chronologically arranged and carefully documented, makes for enjoyable listening. Three V-Disc sides for the armed forces have Hot Lips Page lined up next to Sterling Bose, Miff Mole and Pee Wee Russell. This interesting blend of musicians from radically different social and ethnic backgrounds is typical of Condon. Lips sings on a nearly four-and-a-half-minute version of the "Uncle Sam Blues," a wry ode to military conscription. The old "Tin Roof" is summed up in a mere 126 seconds, followed by a slightly longer "Ballin' the Jack." It seems as though V-Disc encouraged short takes so as to be able to squeeze as many tracks as possible on to their newly devised 'unbreakable' lightweight 12" 78rpm records. The Decca session of December 12, 1944 sounds a lot like the Town Hall mixture of pressure cookers and attractive love songs. Bobby Hackett turns "When Your Lover Has Gone" into a prayer. Lee Wiley (who was Eddie Condon's idea of the Perfect Woman) sings a couple of sweet numbers, and the band kicks the stuffing out of a theme only identified as "Impromptu Ensemble." Here Jack Teagarden blows hot trombone and sings up a parcel of lyrics he first used on a "Chicagoans" session back in 1929. Special mention should be made of baritone saxophonist Ernie Caceres who blows mellow for Lee and very hot during the stomps. Two days later the band emitted 59 seconds of "jump" music and 33 seconds of "blues" for radio broadcast purposes. Lee sang two more ballads and Teagarden hammed up the "Sheik of Araby" with strange new novelty lyrics before they swung it to pieces. Jack also sings and plays handsomely on "Somebody Loves Me." Speaking of melodies composed by George Gershwin, the 1945 sessions include what might be the loveliest version of "My One And Only" ever recorded, starring Bobby Hackett. "Lady Be Good" and "Swanee" take on an almost Dixieland flavor. On March 27, 1946 Wild Bill Davison, Gene Schroeder and Davey Tough incited a grand "Farewell Blues" with the bridge from "Weary Blues" grafted on to its midsection. "Improvisation for the March of Time" was built across the familiar slow blues/fast blues formula, and a couple of very attractive pop songs were magically transformed into honest instrumental jazz before the band knocked off for the day. The session of July 17th, 1946 is memorable for the presence of pianist James P. Johnson, who sends out sparks during "Just You, Just Me," and the voice of John "Bubbles" Sublett, one-time musical cohort of Buck Washington. Sublett is heard singing W.C. Handy's "Atlanta Blues," also known as "Make Me a Pallet on the Floor." That's the great thing about an Eddie Condon date: you never know who's going to show for the gig. arwulf arwulf  
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MEZZ MEZZROW – 1944-1945 | The Chronogical Classics – 1074 (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 Mezz Mezzrow was a fascinating and driven character, very involved during the mid-'40s with dynamic elements like Integration, Socialism, Sidney Bechet, Afro-American culture in general, and most emphatically his personal religion, The Blues. Mezz always returned to this idiom, this way of thinking and playing, as if it were home. The trio session that opens this disc is composed of four variations on blues changes. "Feather's Lament," a searching sequel to "Really the Blues," trails off suddenly at the three-and-a-half-minute mark. It is obvious that Mezz was absorbed in his reverie, probably playing with his eyes closed, and lost track of the time. This is a precious little segment of the Mezzrow chronology. Intimate communication between three friends resulted in music of incredible honesty and depth, particularly at slow tempos. When they picked up steam, Mezz had a way of hammering out shrill tones with very human but also rather taxing insistence. He wheedles and whittles with his woodwind, keening like a locked-out feline as every ounce of his private emotions sincerely splatter all over the room. It's downright cathartic. Mezz probably should not be compared to other reed players. There's just no point, and it's not fair. Pee Wee Russell had a more advanced musical mind, and better chops. So what? Like Pee Wee and a number of peculiarly gifted jazz musicians, Mezz existed in his own alternative reality. He was a poet who adored his Afro-American inspirations. Mezz believed in a hip, integrated society where everybody is on the level. His musical adventures demonstrate terrific courage. Aligning himself with a formidable musician like Sidney Bechet was more than brash hubris or foolish bravado. Mezz had chutzpah and should be respectfully remembered for it. One thing about Bechet's leonine intensity and gravitational pull -- it allowed Mezz to noodle creatively without having to carry the full weight of an embellished melodic line. "House Party" is a beautiful example of a slow drag played by the Mezzrow/Bechet duo fortified with rhythm and a third horn, in this case Hot Lips Page. "Perdido Street Stomp" takes this energy out into the street. "Revolutionary Blues" follows the established pattern of a relaxed blues that heats up to a stomp for the flip side. "Blood on the Moon" is as scary as its title, with Page threatening and complaining in ways that are inseparable from the blues tradition. A whole stack of blues was concocted the next day by this same band, with vocals by an often unpleasant fellow named Pleasant Joe. There is also one vocal by Douglas Daniels, former member of the Spirits of Rhythm. "Ole Miss" demonstrates the precise discipline that Bechet could bring to any ensemble. The remaining tracks, which include a couple of reinterpretations of tunes that had been waxed earlier in the season, are about as solid as anything that this odd couple ever recorded together. arwulf arwulf  
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PETE JOHNSON – 1938-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 656 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This superlative CD reissue features boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson on two classic numbers with singer Big Joe Turner (the original versions of "Goin' Away Blues" and "Roll 'Em Pete"), with inspiring trumpeter Harry James ("Boo Woo" and "Home James"), with his Boogie Woogie Boys (a sextet that includes Turner and trumpeter Hot Lips Page), interacting with fellow pianists Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis (joining Big Joe on "Café Society Rag"), and on a pair of trio numbers. However, it is Johnson's ten unaccompanied piano solos (mostly released previously by Solo Art) that are the rarest and most notable. Taken as a whole, this is Pete Johnson's definitive release, showing that he was much more than just a one-dimensional (although powerful) boogie-woogie specialist. Scott Yanow
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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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PEARL BAILEY – 1947-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1293 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second volume in Classics' welcome wrap-up of Pearl Bailey's early career begins at the end of 1947, with Bailey fresh from the success of her film debut, Variety Girl, and its career-making song, "Tired." During the next two years, she would refine her approach to jive rhythm and sweet singing, a relaxed sense of vocal cool that fused the exquisite phrasing of Billie Holiday to the hip majesty of Cab Calloway. The first two sessions include her usual studio orchestra of the time, led by Mitchell Ayres and featuring great work from Peanuts Hucko on clarinet and the Charioteers on vocal backing. Most of the rest are small-group dates, during which she recorded some of her finest material; present are two of her best performances, the gloriously swinging, exuberant duets "Baby, It's Cold Outside" featuring Hot Lips Page and "Saturday Night Fish Fry" featuring Moms Mabley. Even the obscure songs from this period are filled with great moments, as on the solos "Johnson Rag" and "Not Tonight," as well as her appearance with Tony Pastor on "Mamie Is Mimi." Fans looking to find more excellent material after enjoying a collection like Ain't She Sweet! will find much to love here on these sides, originally recorded for Columbia and Harmony. John Bush
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TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 548 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Classics CD traces pianist Teddy Wilson's recordings during a seven-month period. He backs singer Billie Holiday on eight memorable performances (including "My Man," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," "When You're Smiling," and "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me"), is showcased on a pair of piano solos, accompanies singer Sally Gooding on four songs that were not initially released until the 1980s, and is heard on four almost-as-rare numbers with vocalist Nan Wynn. Most significant among the occasional instrumentals are a few tunes (including the two-part "Just a Mood" and "Honeysuckle Rose") that Wilson performs in an exquisite quartet with trumpeter Harry James, xylophonist Red Norvo, and bassist John Simmons. Among the other sidemen heard on this valuable CD are trumpeters Buck Clayton, Hot Lips Page, and Bobby Hackett, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, the tenors of Chu Berry and Lester Young, and altoist Tab Smith.  Scott Yanow
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JOE BUSHKIN – 1940-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1434 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Joe Bushkin (1916-2004) was a fine swing pianist who operated in a groove similar to that of Teddy Wilson, Jess Stacy or Joe Sullivan. He worked with Bunny Berigan, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw and Eddie Condon, then with Tommy Dorsey and young Frank Sinatra until 1942 whereupon he transferred most of his energies to the war effort by blowing trumpet in the United States Army Air Corps Band until 1946. Bushkin's postwar career would involve him briefly with Benny Goodman's band, in an excursion to Brazil with tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman and subsequently in New York's theater and nightclub scene. In 2007, the Classics Chronological Series took on the Joe Bushkin discography, beginning with his first solo Commodore session of May 17, 1940 (tracks one through five); lining up master takes from three subsequent Commodore dates and rounding off the album with four solid Savoy sides cut in Los Angeles at some undetermined point during the year 1946. Some of these recordings are uncommon and have been sought after for years by jazz lovers. Bushkin's harmonic sensibilities make his "Serenade in Thirds" the most attractive of the 1940 solos. An inspired threesome, Joe Bushkin's Blue Boys waxed five titles on March 28, 1941. "Morgan's Blues" spotlights string bassist Al Morgan and trumpeter Hot Lips Page is featured on the other four tunes. On May 23, 1944 Joe Bushkin waxed another five sides for Commodore, this time with bassist Sid Weiss and drummer Cozy Cole. The following day Bushkin, Weiss and drummer Specs Powell backed trumpeter Ernie Thomas Figueroa, trombonist Bill Harris and 18-year-old tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims; what a thrill to hear a teenage Zoot riding the swift and straightforward changes of "Pickin' at the Pic." The Savoy session of 1946 (tracks twenty through twenty-three) resulted in four choice cuts, rendered pleasantly cool by the lightly amplified guitar of Barney Kessel with subtle support from bassist Harry Babasin. Bushkin's technique at this point brings to mind the dexterity of Nat King Cole, a master pianist who would soon all but abandon the instrument in order to focus his energies on singing pop tunes for mass consumption. The next leg of Joe Bushkin's career would find him recording for V-Disc, MGM, Atlantic, Columbia and Capitol. Hearing this artist's recordings laid out neatly session by session is a wonderful treat for which many listeners are and will continue to be grateful. arwulf arwulf
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ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1206 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the summer of 1941, Artie Shaw organized yet another big band, his fourth in five years. This particular ensemble was one of his most fun groups, featuring trumpeter/singer Hot Lips Page, trombonist Jack Jenney, tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld, pianist Johnny Guarnieri, drummer Dave Tough, and a full string section with some arrangements by trombonist Ray Conniff. All but the last six recordings of this big band are on this CD, including "Blues in the Night," the adventurous "Nocturne," "Take Your Shoes off, Baby," "Just Kiddin' Around," "Dusk," and the two-part "St. James Infirmary." The music alternates between swing, Hot Lips Page features, and classical-oriented works, succeeding on all levels. But shortly after Pearl Harbor, Artie Shaw called it quits again, enlisting in the navy. Scott Yanow
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ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1242 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lenny Bruce was a devoted fan of the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five. He also went out of his way to make fun of Georgia Gibbs, the vocalist on Artie Shaw's January 20, 1942 recording of "Absent-Minded Moon." Lenny was playing up his preference for the hipper side of Shaw, as demonstrated on "Hindustan" and every track recorded at the session which took place the following day. These remarkable sides, which sound better every time they are played back, were the last studio recordings Shaw would make before joining the navy. Composer and arranger Paul Jordan crafted a number of transitionally modern-sounding charts for this band. There are several heavies in the lineup: Dave Tough and Johnny Guarnieri worked well together under any circumstances. Georgie Auld, Ray Conniff and Max Kaminsky were fortunate to be blowing their horns alongside Hot Lips Page, a seasoned trumpeter who conveyed the lyrical potency of ten ordinary musicians. The string section provides just the right amount of lilt without injecting too much fluff. There is a gorgeous rendition of "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," with Shaw's clarinet in full blue cry and a gutsy vocal by Page. The Shaw discography, interrupted by a world war, resumes nearly three years later with Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's famous "Accentuate the Positive." Vocalist Imogene Lynn, dutifully intoning Mercer's imitation Afro-American revival lyrics, sounds a bit affected after the soulful gravity of Hot Lips Page. But it is important to place this popular hit record within historical context. By November of 1944 America needed a straight shot of optimism, and this catchy, morale-boosting number did more for the war against fascism than any number of giddy or poker-faced exercises in rhetorical patriotism. This is Artie Shaw & His Orchestra at their finest. Roy Eldridge gave the band extra punch, and the records he made with Shaw are uniformly solid, melodious and attractive. Billie Holiday, who had worked with Shaw in 1938, is invoked in Jimmy Mundy's "Lady Day." Poetically, its chord progressions seem to reference Billie's difficult life and maybe even the abusive racism she encountered while touring with Shaw at a time when black women simply did not appear with white bands. Buster Harding's "Little Jazz" is the definitive portrait of Eldridge. "Summertime" is exceptionally fine, with magical tonalities provided by Dodo Marmarosa and Barney Kessel. This special chemistry is all the more evident on two sides by the Gramercy Five. Certainly one of the best Artie Shaw reissues, and well-worth seeking out. arwulf arwulf  
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WYNONIE HARRIS – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1139 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third in the Classics label's series of the recordings of Wynonie Harris traces the blues/early R&B singer's career from just before the recording strike of 1948 up until the end of 1949. The seven sessions (all originally recorded for King) are not as well-known as Harris' earlier material, but they definitely have their moments of interest. Harris is typically exuberant throughout, and the highlights include "Wynonie's Boogie," "Good Morning Mr. Blues," "Crazy Love," "Good Rockin' Tonight" (a major hit), "Grandma Plays the Numbers," "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee," and "All She Wants to Do Is Rock." Heard from in the impressive backup groups are trumpeters "Hot Lips" Page, Jesse Drakes, Cat Anderson, and Joe Morris, along with tenors Hal Singer, Tom Archia, and Johnny Griffin. Highly recommended, as are the first two Harris Classics CDs. Fun music. Scott Yanow
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BENNIE MOTEN's KANSAS CITY ORCHESTRA – 1929-1930 | The Classics Chronological Series – 578 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

From 1929-30, the Bennie Moten Orchestra could hold its own with fellow big bands like Fletcher Henderson, Paul Whiteman and McKinney's Cotton Pickers, although it was the least known nationally of the four. The third of four Classics CDs completely reissuing Moten's recordings finds the young Count Basie taking over the piano slot and such stars joining the band as singer Jimmy Rushing and (by 1930) trumpeter Hot Lips Page. With cornetist Ed Lewis, Eddie Durham on trombone and guitar, clarinetist Harlan Leonard and Buster Moten (on accordion) also heard from, this was a mighty orchestra, as displayed on such numbers as "New Goofy Dust Rag," "The Jones Law Blues" and "New Vine Street Blues." The four imported Classics sets are certainly more complete than the two CDs put out domestically by Bluebird. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    That Certain Motion    3:00
 Bennie Moten
2    It Won't Be Long    2:47
 Bennie Moten
3    When Life Seems So Blue    2:50
 Bennie Moten
4    Loose Like A Goose    2:54
 Bennie Moten
5    Just Say It's Me    2:52
 Bennie Moten
6    New Goofy Dust Rag    2:38
 Bennie Moten
7    Rumba Negro (Spanish Stomp)    2:47
 Count Basie / Bennie Moten
8    The Jones Law Blues    3:05
 Count Basie / Bennie Moten
9    Band Box Shuffle    2:27
 Count Basie / Bennie Moten
10    Small Black    3:18
 Count Basie / Bennie Moten
11    Every Day Blues (Yo Yo Blues)    3:05
 Eddie Durham / Bennie Moten
12    Boot It    3:13
 Bennie Moten
13    Mary Lee    3:15
 Bennie Moten / Speckled Red
14    Rit-Dit-Ray 2:46
 Count Basie / Bennie Moten
Vocals – Willie McWashington
15    New Vine Street Blues    2:58
 Count Basie / Bennie Moten
16    Sweetheart Of Yesterday    2:37
 Bennie Moten / Carl Sigman
17    Won't You Be My Baby? 3:11
 Bennie Moten / Jimmy Rushing
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
18    I Wish I Could Be Blue    3:08
 Count Basie / Eddie Durham / Bennie Moten
19    h! Eddie    2:54
 Eddie Durham / Bennie Moten
20    That Too, Do 3:18
 Count Basie / Eddie Durham / Bennie Moten
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
21    Mack's Rhythm    3:00
 Count Basie / Bennie Moten
22    You Made Me Happy    3:20
 Eddie Durham / Bennie Moten
23    Here Comes Marjorie    2:53
 Bennie Moten / Henri Woode
Credits :    
Banjo – Leroy Berry (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 23)
Brass Bass – Vernon Page (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 23)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Jack Washington (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 23)
Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Harlan Leonard (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 23)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Woody Walder
Cornet – Booker Washington (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 23), Ed Lewis (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 23)
Directed By – Bennie Moten
Drums – Willie McWashington
Piano – Bennie Moten (tracks: 1 to 6), Count Basie (tracks: 7 to 23)
Piano Accordion, Piano – Buster Moten
Trombone – Thamon Hayes (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 23)
Trombone, Guitar – Eddie Durham (tracks: 7 to 23)
Trumpet – Oran "Hot Lips" Page (tracks: 17 to 23)

BENNIE MOTEN's KANSAS CITY ORCHESTRA – 1930-1932 | The Classics Chronological Series – 591 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The final of the four "complete" Bennie Moten Classics CDs, which contain all of the orchestra's recordings except for a dozen alternate takes, has the band's final selections from 1930 (including some vocals by Jimmy Rushing) and then all of the music from Moten's classic final session of Dec. 13, 1932. With trumpeter Hot Lips Page, trombonist Dan Minor, Eddie Durham (the main arranger) on trombone and guitar, baritonist Jack Washington, Ben Webster on tenor, bassist Walter Page and pianist Count Basie, the orchestra at times almost sounds like the Count Basie big band of 1937. "Toby," the original version of "Moten Swing," "The Blue Room," "Milenberg Joys," "Lafayette" and "Prince of Wails" are among the many memorable selections. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    The Count    3:10
 Tom Gordon
2    Liza Lee 3:01
 Bud Green / Sam H. Stept
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
3    Get Goin' (Get Ready To Love) 3:00
 Tot Seymour
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
4    Professor Hot Stuff    3:21
 Count Basie / Eddie Durham / Bennie Moten
5    When I'm Alone 3:15
 Bennie Moten / Jimmy Rushing
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
6    New Moten Stomp    2:52
 Bennie Moten
7    As Long As I Love You (Jeanette) 3:07
 Bennie Moten / L. Wood
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
8    Somebody Stole My Gal 3:02
 Leo Wood
Vocals – Count Basie
9    Now That I Need You 3:00
 Count Basie / Bennie Moten / Pinetop Smith
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
10    Bouncin' Round    3:08
 Bennie Moten
11    Ya Got Love 3:14
 Al Goodhart / Al Hoffman / Oliver Nelson
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
12    I Wanna Be Around My Baby All The Time 2:55
 George W. Meyer / Joe Young
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
13    Toby    3:24
 Eddie Barefield / Bennie Moten
14    Moten Swing    3:18
 Bennie Moten
15    The Blue Room    3:18
 Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
16    Imagination 3:25
 B. Russell
Vocals – The Sterling Russell Trio
17    New Orleans 2:59
 Hoagy Carmichael
Vocals – Jimmy Rushing
18    The Only Girl I Ever Loved 3:10
 Bobby Ziegler
Vocals – The Sterling Russell Trio
19    Milenberg Joys    2:45
 Walter Melrose / Jelly Roll Morton
20    Lafayette    2:45
 Count Basie / Eddie Durham
21    Prince Of Wails    2:49
 Elmer Schoebel
22    Two Times 3:07
Sauberg
Credits :    
Banjo – Leroy Berry (tracks: 1 to 21)
Bass [String] – Walter Page (tracks: 13 to 22)
Brass Bass – Vernon Page (tracks: 1 to 12)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Eddie Barefield (tracks: 13 to 22)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Jack Washington (tracks: 1 to 21)
Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Harlan Leonard (tracks: 1 to 12)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Woody Walder (tracks: 1 to 12)
Directed By – Bennie Moten
Drums – Willie McWashington
Piano – Count Basie
Piano Accordion, Piano – Ira "Buster" Moten (tracks: 1 to 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster (tracks: 13 to 21)
Trombone – Dan Minor (tracks: 13 to 21), Thamon Hayes (tracks: 1 to 12)
Trombone, Guitar – Eddie Durham
Trumpet – Booker Washington (tracks: 1 to 12), Ed Lewis (tracks: 1 to 12), Oran "Hot Lips" Page, Joe Keyes (tracks: 13 to 21), Dee Stewart (tracks: 13 to 21)

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)