TRIXIE SMITH — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 1 (1922-1924) DOCD-5332 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Part of the European Document label's giant prewar blues reissue series includes two Trixie Smith CDs that repackage all of her recordings. The second disc is the preferred acquisition, but Vol. 1 is not without interest. The majority of Smith's recordings (particularly in the early days) were vaudeville and pop songs, but on the relatively rare occasions when she sang a lowdown blues, she fared quite well. The first volume starts out with four numbers that are dated either January or March 1922 here, but are probably from September and November 1921. Trixie Smith improved on records as time went on; her first few numbers have rather dated accompaniment. In fact, despite the presence of pianist James P. Johnson (who is well buried on two numbers), her musicians do not get very stimulating until after the first 20 of the 25 numbers. Most notable among the selections are "He May Be Your Man" (which has some familiar lyrics), "My Man Rocks Me" (a song that would be among Trixie's most famous), the heated "Ride Jockey Ride," and a couple of train songs ("Freight Train Blues" and "Choo Choo Blues"), which would become one of her specialties. This is historic music that set the stage for Trixie's later, generally superior performances.  Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Trixie Smith–    Desperate Blues (take 2) 3:13
2    Trixie Smith–    Trixies Blues 3:09
3    Trixie Smith–    You Missed A Good Woman When You Picked All Over Me (take 2) 3:09
Orchestra – James P. Johnson's Harmony Eight
4    Trixie Smith–    Long Lost, Weary Blues (take 3) 3:03
Orchestra – James P. Johnson's Harmony Eight
5    Trixie Smith–    He May Be Your Man    2:46
6    Trixie Smith–    Pensacola Blues    3:08
7    Trixie Smith–    Give Me That Old Slow Drag 2:51
Orchestra – The Jazz Masters
8    Trixie Smith–    My Man Rocks Me 2:52
Orchestra – The Jazz Masters
9    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    "I'm Through" With You (As I Can Be) 3:22
10    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Take It Daddy, Its All Yours 2:45
11    Trixie Smith–    I'm Gonna Get You 3:06
12    Trixie Smith–    2 A.M. Blues 3:16
13    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Log Cabin Blues    3:15
14    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Voo Doo Blues    3:03
15    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Tired Of Waitin' Blues    3:06
16    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Triflin' Blues    2:53
17    Trixie Smith–    I Don't Know And I Don't Care Blues (take 1) 2:49
Orchestra – Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
18    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators*–    Freight Train Blues    3:05
19    Trixie Smith–    Sorrowful Blues 3:00
Orchestra – Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
20    Trixie Smith–    Don't Shake It No More (take 2)    3:00
21    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Praying Blues (take 2) 3:10
22    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Ada Jane's Blues 3:06
23    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Ride Jockey Ride 2:55
24    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Choo Choo Blues (take 2) 3:08
25    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators–    Choo Choo Blues (take 3) 3:04
Credits :
Banjo – Charlie Dixon (tracks: 17 to 19, 21 to 25)
Banjo [Prob.] – Charlie Dixon (tracks: 15, 16)
Clarinet – Buster Bailey (tracks: 23 to 25), Don Redman (tracks: 17 to 19, 21, 22)
Clarinet [Prob.] – Edgar Campbell (3) (tracks: 15, 16)
Cornet [Poss./Or] – Howard Scott (2) (tracks: 21, 22)
Cornet [Prob./Or] – Elmer Chambers (tracks: 21, 22)
Cornet [Prob.] – Elmer Chambers (tracks: 15, 16), Howard Scott (2) (tracks: 17 to 19)
Effects – Unknown Artist (tracks: 18, 24, 25)
Percussion – Unknown Artist (tracks: 22)
Piano – Fletcher Henderson (tracks: 17 to 19, 23 to 25), James P. Johnson (tracks: 3, 4), Unknown Artist (tracks: 20)
Piano [Presumably] – Fletcher Henderson (tracks: 7, 8)
Piano [Prob.] – Fletcher Henderson (tracks: 15, 16, 21, 22)
Tenor Saxophone [Prob.] – Walter Watkins (tracks: 3, 4)
Trombone – Charlie Green (tracks: 21 to 25)
Trombone [Poss.] – Ted Nixon* (tracks: 17 to 19)
Trombone [Prob.] – George Brashear (tracks: 15, 16)
Trumpet – Elmer Chambers (tracks: 23 to 25)
Trumpet [Poss.] – Russell Smith (tracks: 9, 10)
Violin – Unknown Artist (tracks: 20)
Vocals – Trixie Smith

KING OLIVER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1928-1930 | The Chronogical Classics – 607 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After a couple of fine sides from 1928, the saga of King Oliver turns another corner, heading into 1929 armed with little more than a Victor recording contract. There are plenty of strong performances here. Charlie Holmes puts his personality on the front line, and Fats Pichon sings "I've Got That Thing" with plenty of mustard as usual. But things are definitely changing. On "I'm Watching the Clock," a relaxed recording made in September of 1928, King Oliver expressed himself beautifully, but his chops were on the wane. By the beginning of 1929, Louis Metcalf is the featured cornet soloist in front of King Oliver's Orchestra, using the mute a lot like Joe had brandished it years earlier. "Call of the Freaks," "The Trumpet's Prayer" and "Freakish Light Blues" are beautiful vignettes. Punch Miller appeared briefly on a date that featured the flashy piano of Cass Simpson. For the remainder of 1929 Oliver's nephew Dave Nelson took on the task of trumpeting and occasionally composing for the band. He even sang for a minute but someone must have begged him to knock it off. Teddy Hill played tenor sax for Oliver's orchestra in 1928 and 1929. He worked in a lot of big bands that couldn't give him enough solo space, which is probably why he eventually formed his own progressive swing band where Dizzy Gillespie would take his first solos on record in 1937. Teddy would go on to create an open environment that was conducive to extended improvisation during the early 1940s. On this CD you get to hear him paying his dues. The best of Oliver's solid components still make for good listening. Clinton Walker, for example, would operate the tuba with energetic precision all the way through to May of 1930. James P. Johnson and Hilton Jefferson showed up. That's serious business! So is Roy Smeck's steel guitar solo on "Everybody Does It in Hawaii," although jazz purists wrinkle their noses and roll their eyes at such stuff. Smeck also plays harmonica on "Frankie and Johnny." The combination of tuba and mouth harp is a remarkable sonic blend, for those who aren't too proud to have a wild adventure in the company of crusty old records like these. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

EDDIE CONDON – 1942-1943 | The Chronogical Classics – 772 (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Commodore was the perfect label for small group swing, and a natural choice for Eddie Condon at a time when major labels were often more interested in maintaining cash flow by sticking with trendier categories of musical entertainment like big name vocalists or imitation hep cat stuff for teenagers. At Commodore, the fact that Joe Sullivan was playing piano actually meant something. Milt Gabler really believed in Max Kaminsky. Anyone curious about Maxie's trumpet style should study these recordings as well as the many sides he made with Art Hodes for Blue Note. Here in Commodore territory, Kaminsky mingles nicely with Pee Wee Russell and Brad Gowans. It would be nice to be able to hear where Condon's instincts would have taken him next, but a recording ban made a big hole in the chronology. Condon's next date as a leader was for Bob Thiele's very hip Signature label on November 20, 1943. Present at the piano was Fats Waller's idol James P. Johnson, who steered the band through a lazy rendition of Waller's "Squeeze Me." Having honored the 'Harlem stride piano' component, the band dove into "That's a Plenty" as if saluting their drummer who just happened to be Tony Spargo (nee Sbarbaro) of Original Dixieland Jazz Band fame. This disc is crawling with historical heroes. On December 2, 1943 trombonist Benny Morton sat in for a couple of hot numbers and two marvelous extended sides: "Basin Street Blues" emerged as a languid meditation, while the ancient "Oh, Katherina!" received its hottest interpretation since Sam Wooding & His Chocolate Dandies performed it for the citizens of Berlin back in 1925. What makes this 1943 version kick is the drumming of Big Sid Catlett. The remaining sides from December 1943 are nothing less than charming. Some of these titles first appeared during the early 1920s, which is actually good incentive for historical research if you're into that sort of thing. The other strategy is simply to enjoy the old melodies as played by these wonderfully integrated ensembles. Even just grooving on Pee Wee Russell's individuality -- his eccentricity -- that might be as far as anybody needs to go with these fine old recordings. Maybe just listen to the music for Pee Wee's sake. Listen to that clarinet. Maybe that'll fix you right up. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :

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 – 1936-1939 | The Chronogical Classics – 694 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Considering the collective personnel and an unusually close communication between these players, this disc is a serious contender for the "Best of Mezz" award. By 1936, Mezz Mezzrow had developed into an able clarinetist and an expert at putting together strong traditional jazz ensembles. There are five sessions' worth of material gathered together to form this segment of the Mezzrow chronology. Each date produced top-notch small band swing, played by some of the best jazz musicians in the world at that time. None of this is exaggeration. On the opening session, for example, the clarinetist is flanked by trumpeter Frankie Newton and tenor sax man Bud Freeman, backed by a rhythm section including Al Casey, Wellman Braud, and Willie "The Lion" Smith! This group's two-part rendition of Stuff Smith's "I'se a-Muggin'" is a very close cover of the somewhat smoother version cut two days earlier by Jack Teagarden with the Three T's, a leisure service of Paul Whiteman. While Teagarden's timing and tone was impeccable, part one of Mezz's take has a rather gruff vocal by the Lion, who sounded like a friendly cigar-gnawing gangster whenever engaging in theatrical patter. In his liner notes, Anatol Schenker accuses these musicians of being stoned or at least under-rehearsed. According to that criterion, most of the records made by Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Lester Young would be in artistic jeopardy simply on account of cannabis and spontaneity. Criticism of this sort is inaccurate, unfair, and misleading. Mezzrow's only 1937 session as a leader used three fine jam tunes that he composed in collaboration with arranger Edgar Sampson, and a formulaic stomp based on a simple but effective idea by Larry Clinton. This band swung hard with a front line of Sy Oliver, J.C. Higginbotham, Mezzrow, and tenor saxophonist Happy Caldwell, who expresses himself marvelously on these recordings. Like all the rhythm sections on this collection, the combination of Sonny White, Bernard Addison, Pops Foster, and Jimmy Crawford is first rate. Mezzrow was lucky, savvy, and well connected in lining himself up with Tommy Ladnier, Sidney de Paris, James P. Johnson, Teddy Bunn, Elmer James, and Zutty Singleton. Anyone familiar with this kind of music should be somewhat awed by that lineup. These were to be some of Ladnier's last recording dates, and should be savored along with the Bluebird sides he made with Mezzrow and Sidney Bechet during this same time period. "Comin' on with the Come On" is laid out in the classic Mezzrow two-part configuration of slow blues/fast blues. Sidney de Paris growls through his horn, mingling wonderfully with Ladnier. A second Bluebird session about one month later scaled the band down to a quintet with Ladnier and Mezzrow backed by Pops Foster, Teddy Bunn, and the no-nonsense drumming of Manzie Johnson. Bunn played guitar exquisitely and his vocal on "If You See Me Comin'" is a gem. The last four titles feature vocalist Rosetta Crawford in front of a band chosen from several of the previous sessions. Rosetta resurrects three old-time blues masterpieces by Perry Bradford and "Stop It Joe," a little-known novelty by the great James P. Johnson -- who is sitting in at the piano. arwulf arwulf  
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LOUIS JORDAN AND HIS TYMPANY FIVE – 1934-1940 | The Chronogical Classics – 636 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There's a lot more to Louis Jordan than "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie." Here is an opportunity to check out the man's very earliest recordings, beginning with a series of rare treats that fill in the blank spots at the beginning of his story. It's worth having the entire disc just for the sake of "I Can't Dance (I Got Ants in My Pants)." This 1934 Clarence Williams record clearly demonstrates where Jordan would soon be heading as a performer, and what would distinguish him for the rest of his career. Jordan's exacting delivery and sense of timing are already evident, and Williams sounds delighted to be able to interact with someone with a distinct knack for humorous bantering. It's a shame they didn't knock off another dozen tunes together! Jordan's work with Chick Webb is represented here by three vocals from 1937. He sings very sweetly on "Gee But You're Swell" and "It's Swell of You," sounding so sugary that a lot of folks probably wouldn't even recognize him. "Rusty Hinge" is a bit livelier, and Jordan puts a tiny bit of cayenne in his honeyed vocal as the band swings out. Chick Webb's orchestra helped to define the big-band sound of the '30s, and "Hinge" is a good example of that archetypal style. The first records that Jordan made as a leader were cut in December of 1938. His band at that time was named after their regular jam spot, the Elk's Rendezvous Club, located at 484 Lenox Avenue in beautiful Harlem, U.S.A. It seems as though having recorded with Webb for Decca must have enabled Jordan to continue working for that label as a leader in his own right. Rodney Sturgis sings three pleasant tunes in a warm, smooth voice -- "So Good" is the catchiest -- then Jordan takes over as vocalist. "Honey in the Bee Ball" is much lighter fare than the punchy stuff Jordan would later become famous for. A very silly "Barnacle Bill the Sailor" has ridiculous falsetto vocals from both Jordan and the band. But then things start to coalesce. Did you ever wonder who put the "Tympany" in the Tympany Five? Well, here's the answer. On the session of March 29, 1939, Walter Martin augmented his regular drum kit with a kettledrum. The instrumental "Flat Face" has a whole lot of ascending and descending runs on the tympanum, and the instrument is marginally audible throughout the rest of the material on this disc. Even when you think it isn't there, Martin uses it like an enormous tom-tom to add ballast to the band. The pedal drum with variable pitch would gradually disappear but the band was to be called the Tympany Five for years to come. Ballsy tenor man Lemuel Fowler was eventually replaced by the equally tough Stafford "Pazuzza" Simon. Both of these saxophonists made good use of their lower registers. Courtney Williams plays smudge-pot trumpet and Jordan demonstrates what a kick-ass alto player he was. By 1940 all the ingredients are there, anticipating the well-known hit records this little band would soon be churning out in rapid succession. arwulf arwulf  
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McKINNEY'S COTTON PICKERS – 1929-1930 | The Chronogical Classics – 625 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On the second of three Classics CD's that releases the complete output of McKinney's Cotton Pickers (but without the alternate takes), there are many classic performances including "Wherever There's A Will There's A Way," "If I Could Be With You," "Honeysuckle Rose," "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" and "I Want A Little Girl." In addition to the band's regular soloists (trumpeters John Nesbitt, Joe Smith and Langston Curl, trombonist Ed Cuffee and tenorman George Thomas), some tunes also feature guests Coleman Hawkins on tenor, altoist Benny Carter and pianist Fats Waller. Timeless classic jazz. Scott Yanow
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FATS WALLER – 1927-1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 689 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Now this will give you an idea of how versatile Thomas "Fats" Waller had to be during the late 1920s. Classics 689 must be counted among the most stylistically diverse assortments of Waller recordings ever assembled on one collection. Most people who look for Fats Waller's music want to hear "Your Feets Too Big" "Ain't Misbehavin'" or "The Joint Is Jumpin'," and would be terribly confused or put off by the first four selections on this album. These are essentially Harlem lieder elegies, composed and recorded in memory of Florence Mills, a singing actress whose sudden death stunned the Afro-American population. "Bye Bye Florence" is the prettiest of these sad melodies, and its lyrics are very moving: "Little blackbird, all your friends are grieving for you." Two of the three vocalists trill their 'r's as if aspiring to be admitted into operatic society, while Carroll C. Tate sounds a bit more natural. We should be grateful to hear these very rare recordings, which sound a lot like European art songs. On December 1, 1927 Waller made two solo pipe organ records, one hot, one blue. On that day he also sat in with Morris' Hot Babies, alternating between hot pipe organ and Harlem stride piano. "He's Gone Away" is full of pepper, "Geechee" has a great "ooh-wacka-ooh" chorus, "Please Take Me Out Of Jail" is riotous fun, and "Red Hot Dan" contains Waller's very first recorded vocal, which he agreed to perform only after being urged on by Morris. We also get to experience the only two accompaniments that Fats ever performed on record behind his lyricist Andy Razaf. The next two sessions are chamber music of the most unusual sort: as a member of Shilkret's Rhyth-melodists, Waller the pipe organist is teamed with piano, violin, harp and sweetly muffled trombone. As one quarter of an ensemble calling themselves the Louisiana Sugar Babes, Waller's pneumatic pipe organ interacts magically with James P. Johnson's piano, Jabbo Smith's cornet and Garvin Bushell's clarinet, alto sax and bassoon. As one-tenth of an ensemble backing up Gene Austin, Waller gently operates piano and celeste. Participating for the very first time as the named leader of his own hot jazz band, Fats Waller spontaneously concocts a slow drag and a hot stomp. These are two of the best three-minute records made by anybody during the 1920s. For a humorous and detailed eye-and-ear-witness account of how this session almost didn't happen, consult Eddie Condon's autobiography We Called It Music. These musicians had never worked together as a unit, and had no idea what they were going to play when they entered the recording studio. Listen to Waller's piano and you can hear him demonstrating to the band exactly what to do next. After presiding over the creation of two entirely improvised masterpieces, Waller remained seated at the piano to record "Numb Fumblin'" and "Handful of Keys." Seldom has music of this potency and enduring value been recorded in single takes with so little preparation. That's what jazz, and Fats Waller, are all about. arwulf arwulf  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1925-1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 843 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Empress of the Blues is heard here in all her prime from 1925-1927. While also touring the country in the Harlem Frolics tent show during this time, Smith laid down hundreds of tracks in New York studios. These 24 performances feature such jazz luminaries of the day as pianist Fletcher Henderson, trumpeter Joe Smith, trombonist Charlie Green, and clarinetist Buster Bailey (the latter three men all played in Henderson's groundbreaking band of the day). Also on hand are Gotham legend and pianist James P. Johnson and songwriter extraordinaire Clarence Williams (along with such '20s classics as "Royal Garden Blues," "'Taint Nobobdy's Business if I Do," and "Everybody Loves My Baby," Williams penned a handful of the tracks covered here, including his collaboration with Fats Waller, "Just Squeeze Me"). Smith is powerful and in total command throughout, churning out her jazz-tinged blues on such standouts as "Backwater Blues," "The Gin House Blues," and "Hard Driving Papa." A must for all Smith devotees. Stephen Cook  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1927-1928 | The Classics Chronological Series – 870 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

By the spring of 1927 Bessie Smith was making some of the toughest records of her entire career. Whoever lined her up with a sextet led by Fletcher Henderson did the world a great service, for here we get to enjoy Smith's handling of selections directly from the heart of the jazz repertoire. "After You've Gone" takes on all the majesty of Smith's best blues, and she seems to relish providing us with the verse in addition to the familiar chorus. "Alexander's Ragtime Band" is suddenly more substantial than ever before. This woman could sing anything. Even "Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)" completely transcends its Tin Pan Alley origins, becoming a fine slow drag without any vestiges of kitsch. "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" has been described by military historians as the theme song for the Spanish-American War. Hearing Smith sing it is one of the cardinal experiences in all of traditional music. She made every song into something peculiarly her own. That's Coleman Hawkins back there with a clarinet. On the following day, March 3 1927, Smith teamed up with her tried-and-true Blue Boys. "Trombone Cholly" is a tribute to Charlie Green, also known as "Big Green." His well-timed interactions with the singer's powerful voice, supported by the cornet of Joe "Fox" Smith and Fletcher Henderson's piano, are a wonder to behold. Green lovingly nudges her along through the verses of "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair," a harrowing tale of knife-inflicted double homicide. "Them's Graveyard Words" carries a similar murderous current, something Smith was always happy to convey. Few vocalists have ever been able to express honestly troubled feelings with this blend of gravity and humor. April 1, 1927 found the singer once again in the distinguished company of pianist James P. Johnson. Bessie Smith specialized in the artful portrayal of the pissed-off woman archetype. "Lock and Key," a hilarious indictment of a cheater, has Smith stripping her unfaithful man of nearly every article of clothing she bought him. At one point the scenario is garnished with a colorful threat: "I'll shoot them off if I hear you cough!" This is one of Smith's very best pieces of theatrical entertainment, especially on account of her excellent working relationship with James P. Johnson. "Mean Old Bed Bug Blues" takes things down to a funkier texture of piano and glib blues guitar. Smith's reading of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" might be the most soulful version ever caught on record. "Homeless Blues," dealing specifically with Mississippi floodwater disaster, is an extension of "Back Water Blues." Even as her accompaniments change from date to date, Smith's blues are consistently fine, as when Tommy Ladnier's trumpet finds common ground with the tuba of June Cole. It simply doesn't get much better than this. arwulf arwulf  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1928-1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 897 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One of the greatest partnerships in all of recorded blues was the teaming up of Bessie Smith and champion trombone man Big Charlie Green. Their collaboration is well represented by the opening tracks on this volume of the chronologically reissued recordings of Bessie Smith. "Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 2" opens with a lurching, grinding trombone ostinato that matches perfectly the spirit and texture of Smith's testimonial. "Put It Right Here" could serve as the best example on record of this singer's irresistible way of presenting a song. The timing is perfect and the humorous lyrics are accentuated by the trombone with great precision. Somebody ought to put out a CD consisting of every record these two people ever made together. The next session in Smith's story took place on August 23, 1928. "Yes Indeed He Do" would be closely imitated four years later in the group singalong "Yes Suh!" as performed by Billy Banks and Jack Bland's Rhythmakers. Five records cut on August 24th handle the topics of social inequality, interpersonal relationships, and alcoholism. On "Poor Man's Blues" Smith speaks directly to the wealthy, and during "Washerwoman's Blues" she discusses the combined problems of race and class. "Me and My Gin" paints a grim portrait of the addict and her mental condition. Cornered and besotted, Smith vows to take on the Army and the Navy armed only with her bottle of fermented spirits. On May 8, 1929, guitarist Eddie Lang and pianist Clarence Williams assisted in the creation of three delightfully smutty sides dwelling on Smith's sexual appetite. The sound of Lang's guitar percolating along with her voice makes these selections especially nice. "I've Got What It Takes" and "Nobody Knows You" are two of Smith's toughest performances on record. Having what amounted to Clarence Williams' Blue Five backing her up seems to have given the singer solid support for self-expression. Anyone who has seen the motion picture St. Louis Blues will cherish the film soundtrack included in this chronology. The singer stands at the bar in a saloon, crying -- and singing -- into a mug of beer. The drama of a strong woman at the mercy of a man without any conscience is played out on the screen and can be envisioned by the listener. The 40-voice Hall Johnson Choir roars away behind Smith as she sways miserably. A hot band led by James P. Johnson wails with abandon as acrobatic waiters spin and tumble through the crowd without upsetting their trays full of drinks. Smith's no-good man shows up, appears to reconcile with her, and does a slow dance in her arms, but then pushes her away and laughs derisively while brandishing a wad of cash he has snatched from her purse! Everyone ought to see this film at least once. There are distortion problems with the soundtrack as presented here, and the nearly 11-minute sequence has been unnecessarily portioned into four segments -- a too-faithful reproduction of the Circle Records issue -- even though the uninterrupted soundtrack is available elsewhere. The disc closes with "Take It Right Back" -- featuring one of Clarence Williams' best piano accompaniments -- and a pair of lusty tunes with even finer piano by James P. Johnson. arwulf arwulf  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1929-1933 | The Classics Chronological Series – 977 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

These 24 tracks represent the last phase of Bessie Smith's recording career. Over the course of ten years and 160 great songs, Smith had without a doubt earned her place as the Empress of the Blues. Unfortunately, until her passing in 1937, she spent most of her time on the show circuit. For fans hungry for a healthy dose of her legacy, though, generous discs such as this provide a chance to revel in the classic female blues singing queen's lusty power. As usual, Smith is helped out by the day's jazz royalty. Featured over the course of the cuts here -- many penned by both Smith and pianist Clarence Williams -- are such top soloists as Benny Goodman, Chu Berry, James P. Johnson, and Frankie Newton. Of course, Smith grabs most of the attention, especially on definitive sides like "Gimme a Pigfoot" and "Black Mountain Blues," not to mention the ribald gem "Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl." And as far as sound quality goes, this and many other of the discs in the Classics chronological series provide a viable alternative to Columbia's celebrated Complete Recordings line. Stephen Cook  
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SIDNEY BECHET – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1112 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Classics label has treated the Sidney Bechet canon with trademark thoroughness, with superb chronological sets chronicling his entire career. For many fans, however, it's Bechet's immediate postwar output that ranks above all else, and 1947-1949 compiles what is arguably the greatest period in Bechet's recording career. Masterpieces abound, from the devastating "Royal Garden Blues" to the wonderful "Buddy Bolden Stomp." Classics has done a fine job at improving the sonic fidelity, and the liner notes are very informative. A truly wonderful disc that should appeal to longtime fans of Bechet and neophytes alike. Thomas Ward
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SIDNEY BECHET – 1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1140 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For some reason, many jazz historians seem to consider Sidney Bechet's collaborations with Wild Bill Davison as somehow flawed. Apparently, they expect the feisty, cornet-toting rascal to lie down and allow Sidney to walk all over him. If Bill were so compliant and non-assertive, he never would have earned his moniker. Sure, the two horns jostle each other during hot numbers, but that's what's supposed to happen. This is, after all, based in the traditions of competitive/cooperative New Orleans polyphony. Maybe a baritone sax would have added some ballast to the overall mix, but it didn't happen that way. Instead, on the session of January 21, 1949, we get bassist Walter Page, who was no slouch, and the magnificent piano of Art Hodes. "Tin Roof Blues" and "Down and Out" are both studies in eloquence, and "I've Found A New Baby" roars like a steam locomotive heading round the southern rim of Lake Michigan for Chicago. Hodes begins "Saints" with a lovely passage from "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" before drummer Freddie Moore kicks it into high gear. The big treat in this package is a relatively rare blowing session that yielded four tasty selections issued on the Circle Record label. The front line of Bechet, trumpeter Albert Snaer, trombonist Wilbur DeParis and clarinetist Buster Bailey execute thrilling runs with collective precision. The rhythm section of James P. Johnson, Walter Page and George Wettling is richly supportive. Bechet's beautiful "Song of the Medina" is pure wonderment, carrying a fragrance similar to that of his famous "Petite Fleur." Three titles for the Jazz Ltd. label illustrate the expanse of Papa Bechet's stylistic wealth: "Maryland" is traditional New Orleans parade music at its very finest. "Careless Love" is the choicest of blues, and "Egyptian Fantasy" resembles Duke Ellington's "Black and Tan." For their second 1949 Blue Note get-together, Bechet and Wild Bill are back with Hodes and Page, now accompanied by ex-Fats Waller percussionist Wilmore "Slick" Jones. Trombonist Ray Diehl blows solid, sensible lines, his every hoot funkily cohesive as the two lead horns carve a large swath through the middle of half-a-dozen staples of the Dixieland repertoire. Their nice update on "Cake Walking Babies From Home" is more than invigorating, and "Jericho" gets hammered out with rowdy insistence. By May of '49, Bechet had invaded Paris and was leading a team of eager, ambitious Frenchmen in creating a torrent of old-fashioned jazz records. It was the beginning of his career as le Grand Bechet, revered émigré, living with dignity in a city where they eventually had the good sense to name a street after him. arwulf arwulf  
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EDMOND HALL – 1937-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 830 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Those who missed out on Mosaic's limited-edition reissue of Edmond Hall's superb Blue Note recordings may want to pounce on this segment of the clarinetist's chronology. Everything there is to love about small-group swing is present at full potency in these remarkably solid performances. For the session of February 5, 1941 Meade "Lux" Lewis put all of his best blues and boogie energies into a celeste, that tinkling little keyboard instrument that sounds like a glockenspiel. The combination of a celestial Lewis and the soulful Hall with guitarist Charlie Christian and bassist Israel Crosby resulted in music unlike anything heard before or since. On November 29, 1943 the Edmond Hall Blue Note Jazzmen had Vic Dickenson and a very inspired Sidney DeParis on the front line. The humbly majestic James P. Johnson makes the music feel like ritual. Three hot numbers are fountains of joy, but the real magic develops during two collectively improvised blues taken at relaxed tempos. Nothing could be finer or more pleasing than this confluence of master improvisers, drawing upon the highly evolved traditions of New York and New Orleans as they listened ever so carefully to each other while inventing their own grammar of straightforward blues, swing and boogie-woogie. The Edmond Hall Sextet recorded four sides for Commodore on December 18, 1943. Guitarist Al Casey sat in on this occasion, only three days after the passing of his mentor, Fats Waller. Eddie Heywood was a great pianist, much less humble than James P. Johnson but formidable enough to rock the hell out of the "Downtown Café Boogie." The piano introduction to a very relaxed "Uptown Café Blues" sounds similar to the beginning of Heywood's blues collaborations with Billie Holiday. Edmond Hall's way of handling the blues is unforgettably immediate and sincere. Both of the 1943 dates are towed into port by the exceptionally fine drumming of Big Sid Catlett. Back with Blue Note on January 25, Edmond Hall leads his All Star Quintet in developing four of his own original compositions. While "Rompin' in '44," the band moves with gently pronounced modernity, rooted in tradition but responding to new ideas and updated styles. Red Norvo, always aware of fresh influences, had something to do with this development. "Blue Interval" is something like a course in organic gardening; "Smooth Sailin'" is a solid upbeat piece of blues, as is the rocking restless jam called "Seein' Red." As a gesture of chronological completeness, Classics tacked on a pair of sides from 1937 with vocals by Henry Nemo. These would be more enjoyable if he didn't closely imitate Fats Waller's singing style, right down to the expostulations and tag lines. Considering the wealth of outstanding jazz on this one CD, these two oddities are a neat bonus. They do not detract in any way from the masterpieces gathered together in memory of the great Edmond Hall. arwulf arwulf  

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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1921-1928 | The Classics Chronological Series – 658 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Oh man, this is it. The very earliest phonograph records ever made by the guy who taught Fats Waller how to stride with a piano. How much really great jazz is there on record dating from 1921? Not a hell of a lot, by anybody's estimation. Classics 658 opens up with three 1921 piano solos, one originally issued on the Black Swan label and two bearing the trademark OKeh. Johnson was already famous for his player piano rolls, which he'd begun to produce back in 1916. Getting to hear an audio recording of him at the keyboard so early in the game is an experience not to be missed by anyone who truly loves this part of our cultural heritage. Yet if the solo piano version of "Carolina Shout" makes for nearly three minutes of joyous listening, the impossibly rare eight-piece band rendition might cause vertigo among those who take this kind of historical material personally. Jimmie Johnson's Jazz Boys and James P. Johnson's Harmony Eight sound a bit like Eubie Blake's early-'20s ensembles, with that precious sort of pit orchestra ambience belonging to those distant days. Contemporary ensembles may reinterpret the material, but nobody will ever be able to re-create the sound of jazz in 1921 as heard on these historical recordings. Spread across three different recording labels, the six piano solos from 1923 provide a fascinating glimpse at where Johnson was at in his musical evolution during this important year. A quick jump to 1927 yields gorgeous solo readings of "Snowy Morning Blues" and Perry Bradford's "All That I Had Is Gone." Bradford himself makes a bit of noise kicking lyrics around on two sides by a seven-piece mob called the Original Jazz Hounds and two more by Johnson's Jazzers, consisting only of Johnson and cornet man Louis Metcalf. Four sides from 1928 round off this wonderful retrospective. Cornet ace Johnny Dunn leads his Original Jazz Hounds with reedman Garvin Bushell backed by both James P. Johnson and Fats Waller at the piano. "What's the Use of Being Alone?" is late-'20s New York jazz at its very finest. Two slow drags by Jimmy Johnson's Orchestra feature Fats Waller, Cootie Williams, and Charlie Holmes, along with train conductor impersonations by Perry Bradford. The entire ensemble sobs its way through "Mournful Tho'ts" without divulging the name of the trombonist, who momentarily does a marvelous job of submerging the mood under several inches of murky water. A staggering assortment of rare recordings covering seven years out of a decade that never ceases to amaze those who take the time to listen back on those recordings that have managed to survive. arwulf arwulf
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1928-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 671 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Welcome to a dizzying tour of one man's adventures in the recording studios of New York over the span of ten very eventful years. This segment of the James P. Johnson chronology begins with the "Daylight Savin' Blues," a magnificent instrumental recorded in October of 1928. The Gulf Coast Seven were essentially an Ellington quintet with Perry Bradford and James P. Johnson. The most stunning component here is the soprano saxophone of Johnny Hodges, who had come up under the direct influence of Sidney Bechet. Perry Bradford does his share of singing, sounding particularly mellifluous in duet with Gus Horsley on "Put Your Mind Right on It." The key phrase in that song is the immortal refrain: "let's misbehave." There is something about these 1929 ensembles that tickles the brain. Two sides recorded for Victor on November 18 bear a strange resemblance to recordings made under the heading of Fats Waller & His Buddies nearly two months earlier, on September 24. For vocalists, Waller used three reed players and the banjoist from his band to form a sort of barbershop quartet, billed as the Four Wanderers. Johnson's orchestra featured King Oliver, had Waller sitting in with James P. at the piano, and crackled with frantic vocals by an unidentified group calling themselves the Keep Shufflin' Trio. Both singing groups are fairly outrageous and corny to almost bizarre extremes. The word "Modernistic" had exciting connotations in 1929, as culture and technology raced headlong into the unknown. Both the solo piano rendition and the almost ridiculous vocal version convey some measure of that excitement. This collection contains no less than six outstanding piano solos, including the first recording ever made by anyone of Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?." Recycling a discarded melody from the Clarence Williams publishing catalog, "How Could I Be Blue?" is a priceless vaudevillian piano duet with comical cuckold dialogue between JPJ and Clarence Williams himself. While this precious recording has recently found its way on to various James P. Johnson reissues, seldom has the flip side been heard. "I've Found a New Baby" focuses upon Clarence's indigestion. James appears to have a half-pint of liquor in his hip pocket but after administering the "cure" he informs Clarence that he's been given a shot of foot medicine! This disc includes three vocals by Fats Waller's lyricist Andy Razaf, and then concludes with five smoky sides from 1938 under the banner of Pee Wee Russell's Rhythmakers. Convening on behalf of the Hot Record Society, this magnificent ensemble had elements of Eddie Condon, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, which is to say Chicago, New York and Kansas City. You'd also need to include New Orleans in the schematic, as Wellman Braud and Zutty Singleton represented everything that was strongest and best about the Crescent City. "Horn of Plenty Blues" is a majestic slow drag with vocal by the drummer. "There'll Be Some Changes Made" received such an in-depth treatment that it was recorded in two parts, allowing extra solo space for the more expressive members. Pee Wee's group swings like the dickens, finishing off this amazing retrospective with crowing vigor and collective enthusiasm. arwulf arwulf
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1938-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 711 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Each volume in the James P. Johnson chronology is packed with music of great poetic depth. This particular installment opens with a pair of trio sides by "Pee Wee, Zutty and James P.," a vestigial core left over from Pee Wee Russell's Rhythmakers as heard on Classics 671. These intimate interactions make for exceptionally fine listening. Then there's the amazing JPJ Orchestra of 1939, resounding with an unforgettable front line of Red Allen, J.C. Higginbotham, and Gene Sedric, who with Al Casey was borrowed from the Fats Waller & His Rhythm band. Anna Robinson's vocal on "Harlem Woogie" is gloriously rowdy, with a scat that was all her own. "Hungry Blues," a selection from a politically charged stage show with words by Langston Hughes, is a beautiful statement against segregation and inequity, invoking "...a brand new world, so clean and fine, nobody's hungry and there ain't no color line...." The show was called De Organizer. It dealt with the plight of Afro-American workers as they attempted to unionize. Anna Robinson was remembered by Milt Hinton as a merry libertine who partied hard. Strung out on narcotics, she was brutally murdered in an alley. These are the only recordings Robinson ever made. An alternate version of "Hungry Blues" is historically valuable, although it's little more than a footnote to the other take. Ruby Smith, the niece of Bessie Smith's husband, tackles two helpings of the blues. "Backwater" was Bessie's eyewitness response after experiencing firsthand the devastation caused by floodwaters in the lowlands. James P. Johnson was Bessie's collaborator when the song was first recorded in February of 1927. This might be Ruby's best recorded performance. She couldn't have found a better backup band -- in fact she never did. Five days later, six solo piano inventions were recorded, using melodies composed by Johnson: "If Dreams Come True" is the very apex of what critics dubbed Harlem stride piano. "A Flat Dream," which is to say "Dream in the Key of A Flat," is one of Johnson's most attractive creations. It is spiritually connected with "The Dream (Slow Drag)" and "The Boogie Dream," both recorded in June of 1944 (see Classics 835). This particular version of "Blueberry Rhyme" is pure magic. The pianist's heart is wide open, and listeners are permitted access to a very personal private sanctum. Only one instrumental was recorded during the session of March 9, 1939. On June 15 the band reconvened with only slight adjustments in personnel, and this time the ratio was inverted. Four solid instrumentals, among the best that Johnson ever presided over, were followed by one vocal. "Havin' a Ball" opens with a rare example of Sidney Catlett operating a timpani drum. This is almost a pun on the title, as if an enormous inflated rubber ball has come bouncing into the room. arwulf arwulf
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1943-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 824 (1995) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Rich and rewarding, this collection contains one powerful Blue Note blowing session and 16 beautiful solos recorded for four different labels. Two sides waxed for Moses Asch during the summer of 1943 were unavailable for many years. This interpretation of "Snowy Morning Blues" is more relaxed and inventive than the familiar Decca version. "J.P. Boogie" takes the barrelhouse tradition by the tail, redefining an entire idiom. Moving into November, "Backwater Blues" revisits a duet that Johnson recorded with Bessie Smith back in 1927. Running at an accelerated tempo, "Carolina Balmoral" is the essence of what critics came to call stride piano. "Gut Stomp" is less frantic but just as tight. Johnson appears to have been deliberately engaged in setting down a compendium of fundamental jazz piano works for Blue Note. The session of December 15th is a perfect match for the preceding installments. "Mule Walk Stomp" is particularly joyous and the haltingly slow "Arkansas Blues" dates back to piano-roll days. "Caprice Rag," played at an insanely accelerated tempo, was published back in 1914. "Improvisations on Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" is Johnson's creative response to a popular trend. By coincidence, these four sides were recorded on the very day that Fats Waller passed away at the age of 39. Two solos recorded three days later convey Johnson's emotional state as he grieved over the loss of his good friend. "Blueberry Rhyme" is an unparalleled masterpiece of private reverie. First recorded in 1939, its reappearance on this occasion seems to indicate the intense personal nature of this delicate opus. "Blues for Fats" is like a prayer uttered in a state of numbness. James was still in shock. Beginning in April of the following year, he set out to record an extended series of piano tributes in the form of songs composed or made popular by Fats Waller. Another very constructive way to cope with such a crushing personal loss was to get busy and lead a few ensembles. The Blue Note session of March 4, 1944, resulted in four of the very best group recordings ever made by this pianist. There's no topping the front line of Ben Webster, Vic Dickenson, and Sidney DeParis, and Big Sid Catlett was exceptionally solid on that day. The slow drag "Blue Mizz" is followed by a shower of adrenaline called "Victory Stride." "Joy Mentin'" is a relaxed stroll through the blues and "After You've Gone" cooks at a rolling boil. arwulf arwulf
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 835 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

What must it have been like for James P. Johnson to have taken young Thomas Waller under his wing, teaching him everything he knew about piano, watching him evolve into a brilliant composer and internationally famous performer, then to have him pass away suddenly at the age of 39? The best answer to this question lies within a series of Waller tribute recordings made by Johnson in late 1943 and early 1944. They are a striking example of grief and shock transformed into relaxed, enjoyable music. The duets with drummer Eddie Dougherty, recorded on June 8, 1944, are particularly satisfying, especially "My Fate Is in Your Hands." What's the best James P. Johnson session of all? Poetically, musically, emotionally, and fundamentally, the "New York Orchestra" session of June 12, 1944, is in fact unparalleled. Frankie Newton never sounded more elegant and sincere than he does during these beautiful sound etchings. Albert Casey, Pops Foster, and once again Eddie Dougherty participate in perfectly balanced communion with the other two men. A precious honesty materializes as Johnson sings the words to W.C. Handy's "Hesitation Blues" in a warm, hoarse voice. For dessert, Johnson ended the session with a marvelous reading of Scott Joplin's masterpiece of 1909, "Euphonic Sounds." All six sides were issued on 12" 78-rpm records in an album bearing the title New York Jazz. They reappeared years later on a cherry-red vinyl LP Stinson reissue, and some of the tracks show up on various compilations. Classics 835 is a gold mine containing the very heart of James P. Johnson's artistry. Note that certain other reissues of this material -- "Euphonic Sounds" in particular -- have suffered from hideous sound quality, even on CD. Here at last Johnson's best material can be properly heard. The Sidney DeParis Blue Note Jazzmen session of June 21, 1944, just happens to be the next leg of Johnson's chronology. After three hot stomps including nearly five minutes of "Ballin' the Jack," the listener is able to reflect upon "The Call of the Blues," possibly the strongest playing that this trumpeter ever blew onto a record. It is a fine finish for one of the best traditional Harlem jazz compilations ever assembled by anyone. arwulf arwulf
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