DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1924-1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 539 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD contains the first 23 recordings released under Duke Ellington's name. The initial ten selections, dating from November 1924 to June 1926, are quite intriguing because, with the exception of the very first date (resulting in "Choo Choo" and "Rainy Nights"), the primitive band does not sound like Ellington's. While the first date has cornetist Bubber Miley, trombonist Charlie Irvis (Tricky Sam Nanton's predecessor), and altoist Otto Hardwick as the front line, the following eight numbers have shifting personnel and, despite the occasional presence of trombonist Jimmy Harrison (who takes two vocals) and clarinetist Don Redman, the music is under-rehearsed and rough. But on "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" (the band's theme) and "Birmingham Breakdown" from November 29, 1926, the Ellington sound was finally together and from then on the band's output was often classic. Other highlights of this historic disc are "Hop Head" and the initial version of "Black and Tan Fantasy," with such soloists as Miley, Nanton, and Hardwick, and with Duke himself on piano. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 985 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There is a lot of intriguing music on this CD, which features Duke Ellington's postwar orchestra. "Dancers in Love" (from "Perfume Suite") and "Carnegie Blues" (from "Black, Brown and Beige") managed to catch on as individual pieces, "I'm Just a Lucky So and So" and "Just Squeeze Me" were hits, and both "Tonk" and "Drawing Room Blues" showcased the piano duo of Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. A few numbers are V-Discs, including a brief version of "C Jam Blues" that features the combined orchestras of Duke Ellington and Woody Herman (his First Herd). Among the changes in personnel were Russell Procope taking over for the retiring Otto Hardwick on alto and clarinet and Oscar Pettiford succeeding Junior Raglin on bass. This underrated music ranks with some of Duke's best work. Scott Yanow   Tracklist :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1051 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This installment of the Classics label document of the Duke Ellington story highlights recordings for the Musicraft label in November and December 1946, four V-discs recorded in New York on May 10, 1947, and the first sessions for Columbia in August and September 1947. Considering the financial challenges of keeping a large ensemble performing in the late '40s (which would have an almost devastating effect in the early '50s,) Ellington not only managed to continue creating intriguing music but he maintained a legendary horn section. These dates feature Ray Nance, Taft Jordan, Shorty Baker, Cat Anderson, Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Tyree Glenn, Wilbur De Paris, Al Sears, and Harry Carney. Six vocal pieces are also included: one each from Kay Davis and Chester Crumpler, two featuring Al Hibbler, and Ray Nance clowns around on "Tulip or Turnip" and "Women (They'll Get You). Al Campbell   Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947-1948 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1119 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 With the exception of "The Tattooed Bride," an extensive work from Duke Ellington's 1948 Carnegie Hall concert that was originally released on V-Disc, all of the music on this CD is taken from November-December 1947. Ellington was quite busy in the recording studios during this period (as were many bands), since it was known that a recording strike would most likely be taking place the following year. In addition to fine remakes of "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me" and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and an atmospheric vehicle for Kay Davis' voice on "On a Turquoise Cloud," the year-end work included the memorable six-part "Liberian Suite" (one of Ellington's best extended pieces) and his nearly atonal piano exploration on the intriguing "The Clothed Woman." While much of this music is available elsewhere, the performances are of high quality and well worth acquiring one way or another. Scott Yanow   Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1949-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1191 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With the end of the 1948 recording strike, Duke Ellington's orchestra appeared on record for the first time in 22 months on November 1, 1949. The classic band was still largely intact (although Al Sears had departed and the trumpet section was a bit weaker than earlier), but its label (Columbia) was clearly hoping for some new hits. This collection has some unusual pieces along the way, including "Joog, Joog" and "The Piano Roll Blues," but there is an excellent four-song date featuring former Ellington sideman Oscar Pettiford on cello. Oddest of all is a September 21, 1950, date that mixes together Ellington, altoist Johnny Hodges, baritonist Harry Carney, and bassist Wendell Marshall with boppish trumpeter Red Rodney, drummer Max Roach, and a variety of vocalists (Chubby Kemp, Sarah Ford, and Al Hibbler). Some of this material was formerly quite rare and, although it is not essential, Ellington completists may be particularly interested in this CD. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1282 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume 41 in the complete chronological recordings of Duke Ellington as reissued by the Classics label contains 16 master takes that came together during the second half of 1951, the year that saw the release of Duke's marvelous Uptown album. Although big bands were struggling to stay together during this period and Johnny Hodges was off making records with producer Norman Granz, the Ellington Orchestra sounds exceptionally fine throughout. Billy Strayhorn had a lot to do with the elegance that characterizes the 1951 recordings, and the soloists are in extraordinarily good form. "Deep Night" features trombonists Juan Tizol, Quentin "Butter" Jackson, and Britt Woodman. "Please Be Kind" belongs to alto saxophonist Willie Smith, an alumnus of the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. The "Duet" between bassist Wendell Marshall and clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton is mostly an orchestral number that ends as a duo. Hamilton also plays tenor sax on "Bensonality." "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid," a tune rarely associated with Ellington, here becomes a solid steady groove that you'll want to slip into more than once. "Before My Time" from the "Controversial Suite" was Duke's whimsical response to the language of music critics who used up a lot of energy defining Tradition and Modernity; the Suite's title also referred to the flashy progressivism of Stan Kenton. The vocalist on "Blues at Sundown" is Jimmy Grissom, a steady customer who also handles Strayhorn's "Something to Live For" and "Azalea," a love song that Ellington claimed to have designed for Louis Armstrong, who subsequently recorded it with Duke about ten years later on that utterly essential Roulette album, The Great Summit. arwulf arwulf       Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1350 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

You've got to hand it to the folks at Classics. This is Vol. 43 in their meticulous chronological survey of the recorded works of Duke Ellington. Opening with eight and a half glorious minutes of Juan Tizol's "Perdido," this disc provides a glimpse of Duke's orchestra at a time when the music industry was allowing a lot of big bands to dry up and blow away. How sweet -- and hot -- it is to hear this particular ensemble, bristling with a brass menagerie including Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Butter Jackson, and Britt Woodman. Drummer Louie Bellson is prominently featured on his nearly seven-minute percussion showcase, "Skin Deep." These two extended LP tracks are followed by a series of lesser-known three-minute recordings. "Ballin' the Blues," with shout vocal by Jimmy Grissom, sounds almost like Wynonie Harris. A second version from 1953 provides a rare example of Ellington the boogie-woogie pianist. "Body and Soul," eloquently sung by Betty Roche, comes across majestically cool. "Primpin' for the Prom" turns on the magical Ellington light show, evoking a breathtaking sunset over any large city's skyline. Grissom grinds out a rather neurotic-sounding "Vulture Song," most memorable for Jimmy Hamilton's clarinet runs. "Satin Doll" is charming in this early incarnation. Grissom keeps returning with fairly gruesome existential offerings that make one wish for the stylistic exaggerations of Al Hibbler. But the instrumentals are exquisitely rendered. "Cocktails for Two" unfolds beautifully, and Paul Gonsalves shares "My Old Flame" with Hamilton's clarinet. Duke lays down a few delightfully eccentric chords at the piano during the opening of a marvelous rendition of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." "Three Little Words" is particularly handsome. "Orson," apparently a portrait of a certain Hollywood director, has an appropriately film noir flavor. "Boo-Dah" features Billy Strayhorn at the piano. "Blossom," an Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration, breathes with beatific calm. The disc ends with an updated "Warm Valley," featuring the milky tenor saxophone of Paul Gonsalves. arwulf arwulf    Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1398 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1953, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1434 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During the month of December 1953, Duke Ellington made records for the Capitol label in Chicago and New York with a trio, a quartet, and the full-sized orchestra. Volume 45 in the Ellington stratum of the Classics Chronological Series makes available 21 selections from this wonderfully creative chapter in the lives of the Duke and his men. Seldom, if ever, have the big band and small group recordings from this segment of Ellington's career been reissued in chronological sequence. Over the years, for some reason, the titles "Montevideo" and "Night Time" have both been applied to the thrilling piece of work heard on track two. Inspired by the largest city in the country of Uruguay, this passionate Latin jazz workout is enlivened by the conga drumming of Ralph Collier. Track 20, accurately titled "Night Time," is a gorgeous nocturne written in collaboration with Billy Strayhorn. Tracks four, five, six, eleven and sixteen feature vocals by Jimmy Grissom, and trumpeter/violinist Ray Nance sings "Just A-Settin' and A-Rockin'." Those who desire the complete 1953 trio recordings of Duke Ellington (including the conga-driven quartet recording of "Montevideo") should most definitely seek out the Capitol album Piano Reflections. arwulf arwulf     Tracklist + Credits :

HELEN HUMES – 1927-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 892 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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

TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 620 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This segment of the Teddy Wilson chronology contains 23 recordings made for the Columbia label in New York and Chicago between December 11, 1939 and September 16, 1941. The first eight tracks showcase Wilson's 12-piece big band, using arrangements by Wilson, Edgar Sampson and Buster Harding. This unusually upsized version of the Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra had Doc Cheatham and Harold "Shorty" Baker in the trumpet section, Ben Webster and Rudy Powell among the reeds, and Al Casey and J.C. Heard playing rhythm. Those who are accustomed to Wilson's customary small group sound will find this material pleasantly, perhaps surprisingly different from the norm. In December of 1940 Wilson led an octet with Bill Coleman, Benny Morton and Jimmy Hamilton in the front line. Four piano solos and four trio sides with Al Hall and J.C. Heard were cut in Chicago during April of 1941. Teddy Wilson's sextet (Emmett Berry, Morton, Hamilton, bassist Johnny Williams and Heard) made three recordings on September 16, 1941; only "Out of Nowhere" was originally issued, although "Prisoner of Love" was drafted into service as a V-Disc during the Second World War. This excellent compilation includes vocals by Lena Horne, Jean Eldridge, Helen Ward and J.C. Heard, whose expert drumming and call-and-response interaction with the band place "Wham (Re Bop Boom Bam)" among the hottest and hippest selections in the entire Teddy Wilson discography. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

OSCAR PETTIFORD – 1954-1955 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1454 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During his short, prolific, and equally tempestuous career, bassist Oscar Pettiford made potent modern jazz that stands the test of time, and is equal to or as brilliant as any you can name. These reissues, mainly from Bethlehem label recordings, showcase large ensembles and are a prelude to the orchestra Pettiford would lead before his untimely death in a European bicycle accident in 1960. There is an octet and a nonet from the Bethlehem dates, quite different and very strong. With trumpeters Clark Terry and Joe Wilder, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, alto saxophonist Dave Schildkraut, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, and baritone saxophonist Danny Bank, Pettiford is able to use these members of Duke Ellington's orchestra in a manner much like Duke. There's a jam for Hamilton on Ellington's "Jack the Bear," Pettiford's reverent Jewish-sounding theme "Tamalpais," Terry's hard bopper "Chuckles" with Bank taking the lead, a typical "Mood Indigo" with Pettiford's walking bass up front in the mix, and a darker, moodier "Time on My Hands." The effortlessness of the ensemble is easy to hear, but does not really tell what Pettiford and his big band would do in the not-too-distant future. The next nine tracks, with considerable help from alto saxophonist and arranger Gigi Gryce, give definitive foreshadowing as to the charts that set Pettiford's music in an advanced stance. With trumpeters Donald Byrd and Ernie Royal, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, multi-instrumentalist Jerome Richardson, and Gryce, a higher bar is set from a harmonic standpoint. "Titoro" is an outstanding merging of post-bop, Latin spice, and emerging progressive modernism, topped off by a scintillating solo from pianist Don Abney. The trend continues on the predatory ambush sounds of "Scorpio," the wild bird flute of Richardson on "Oscalypso," the bluesy "Don't Squawk" (a change of pace and a feature for Richardson again on flute), the happy chart "Kamman's A-Coming," Pettiford's cello feature "Another Seventh Heaven," and the famous bass-led "Bohemia After Dark." All are stellar examples of things to come in the late '50s. There are six quintet tracks with just French horn icon Julius Watkins and tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse in the front line, ranging from the galloping bop of Gerry Mulligan's "Sextette" to the well-known tuneful melody "Tricotism" with horns comping over Pettiford's lead bassline, and the solid bop of "Cable Car" and "Rides Again," both tunes that should be standards. The CD kicks off with two tracks originally on the Swing label out of France, featuring pianist Henri Renaud and a sextet with Max Roach on drums, guitarist Tal Farlow, tenor saxophonist Al Cohn, and trombonist Kai Winding. These two tunes are from a session documented on the previous Classics Pettiford reissue, 1951-1954: another happy Mulligan bopper ("E Lag") and the Charlie Parker-like "Rhumblues" (similar to "My Little Suede Shoes"). 1954-1955 is a must-have for mainstream jazz fans, and a fully representative document of what Pettiford was capable of as a player and leader. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist + Credits :

JIMMY MUNDY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1200 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jimmy Mundy was a valuable arranger during the swing era, contributing important charts to many big bands, particularly those of Earl Hines, Benny Goodman, and Count Basie. He had a short-lived orchestra of his own in 1939, but it did not make much of an impression. This CD has all of the sessions that Mundy led during the period. He is heard on two numbers with a septet that is mostly taken from Earl Hines' 1937 band, including trumpeter Walter Fuller on vocals, trombonist Trummy Young, guest drummer Chick Webb, and Mundy himself on tenor. His four selections with his 1939 orchestra are here (clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, pianist Bill Doggett, and drummer Shadow Wilson are the only future names in the band), plus selections from three other ensembles from 1945-1947. Four numbers feature a novelty vocal group called the Ginger Snaps, one ensemble has trumpeter Ray Linn and Lucky Thompson on tenor, and four V-discs feature an all-star Los Angeles band with trumpeter Clyde Hurley, altoist Willie Smith, and Thompson. This formerly rare music should please swing fans. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

BILL COLEMAN – 1940-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1256 (2002) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This second volume of the complete recordings of Bill Coleman presented in chronological order opens with ten vocal tracks of surprising warmth and intimacy. Remember those marvelous records that Coleman made with Fats Waller & His Rhythm in the mid-'30s? These rare and pleasant performances from 1940 and 1941 are faintly reminiscent of those Rhythm sides, although naturally neither of the vocalists heard here comes anywhere near Waller's candid charm and effervescence. Eddy Howard does sound remarkably cozy with his two little love songs, and Chick Bullock -- said to have been the most heavily recorded vocalist of the 1930s -- turns in what might well be his best performances on record. What really makes these pretty pop tunes sparkle and glow is the combination of great instrumentalists. Collectively speaking, trombonist Benny Morton, clarinetists Edmond Hall and Jimmy Hamilton, saxophonists Bud Freeman and George James, electric guitarist Charlie Christian, and pianist Teddy Wilson turn each of these songs into relatively substantial jazz. Even "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning" -- once Irving Berlin's famous kvetching lyrics are out of the way -- swings with abandon largely thanks to the presence of master percussionist J.C. Heard. The Bill Coleman chronology leaps rather abruptly to a pair of swing-to-bop blowing sessions involving tenor saxophonist Don Byas recorded in Paris on January 4 and 5, 1949. Coleman sings his own "Bill's Brother's Blues" and wields his horn magnificently alongside Byas, particularly on "Liza," "What Is This Thing Called Love?," and "St. Louis Blues." This portion of the Bill Coleman story ends with a session led by pianist Jack Dieval and featuring smoky tenor saxophonist Paul Vernon. Coleman sings again, this time on "I Can't Get Started" and a briskly rendered "Tea for Two." arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

PETE BROWN – 1942-1945 (1998) The Classics Chronological Series – 1029 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Alto saxophonist Pete Brown has been showing up on Keynote and Savoy reissues for years, but seldom if ever has there been an entire package devoted to recordings made under his name. The Classics Chronological series has accomplished many impressive feats, but this disc deserves special attention. Brown brought excitement and sonic ballast to nearly every band he ever sat in with. His works with John Kirby and especially Frankie Newton are satisfying, but this CD contains the very heart of Brown's artistry. It opens with "Cannon Ball," a boogie-woogie from 1942 sung by Nora Lee King. This relatively rare Decca recording features Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Hamilton, and Sammy Price, the pianist with whom Brown would make outstanding music a bit further on down the road. Similarly rare and even more captivating are two extended jams recorded in Chicago in April of 1944. Brown's quartet on this date consisted of electrically amplified guitarist Jim Daddy Walker, bassist John Levy, and drummer Eddie Nicholson. "Jim's Idea" and "Pete's Idea" are groove exercises, vamping struts built on hot riffs. Brown's sax tone usually had an attractive bite to it. His facility was comparable to that of Earl Bostic, even bordering at times on the gritty intensity of Charlie Parker. Pete Brown was first and foremost a relentless straight-ahead jammer who made his most stunning moves in a series of Kansas City-style blues and boogie jams. The Savoy session of July 11, 1944, epitomizes this "Mr. Hyde" aspect of the saxophonist. Four Keynote sides recorded eight days later are just as lively. "That's My Weakness Now" is light years away from the Paul Whiteman/Bix Beiderbecke version (with silly vocal trio) recorded in June of 1928. Trumpeter Joe Thomas was a perfect accomplice on this date, and the rhythm section of Kenny Kersey, Milt Hinton, and J.C. Heard made this the most artistically accomplished band that Brown ever led. Beginning with the exciting "Boot Zoot," the remaining 11 tracks are all mid-'40s swing-to-bop jams with steady R&B overtones. Guitarists Herman Mitchell, Al Casey, and Bill Moore keep things sounding contemporary for the mid-'40s. "That's the Curfew" has a melodic line similar to Fats Waller's "Dry Bones." Brown actually sings on his own laid-back "Sunshine Blues," an offshoot of "Trouble in Mind" using that famous line "The sun's gonna shine in my back door someday." arwulf arwulf
Tracklist
1    Pete Brown And His Band–    Cannon Ball 2:46
 Nora Lee King / Clarence Williams
Vocals – Nora Lee King
2    Pete Brown Quartet–    Jim's Idea    4:07
3    Pete Brown Quartet–    Pete's Idea    4:24
 Pete Brown
4    Pete Brown Quintette–    Ooh-Wee    2:44
5    Pete Brown Quintette–    Bellevue For You    2:43
 Pete Brown
6    Pete Brown Quintette–    Pete Brown's Boogie (P.B. Boogie)    2:56
 Pete Brown
7    Pete Brown Quintette–    Moppin' The Blues    2:59
 Pete Brown
8    Pete Brown All Star Quintet–    It All Depends On You    4:24
Lew Brown / Buddy DeSylva / Ray Henderson
9    Pete Brown All Star Quintet–    That's My Weakness Now    4:06
 Bud Green / Sam H. Stept
10    Pete Brown All Star Quintet–    It's The Talk Of The Town    4:33
 Jerry Livingston / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes
11    Pete Brown All Star Quintet–    I May Be Wrong    4:00
 Harry Ruskin / Henry Sullivan
12    Pete Brown's Band–    Boot Zoot    2:59
 Pete Brown
13    Pete Brown's Band–    It's Great    3:03
 Pete Brown
14    Pete Brown's Band–    Lazy Day    3:06
 Pete Brown
15    Pete Brown's Band–    Sunshine Blues 3:07
 Pete Brown
Vocals – Pete Brown
16    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Fat Man's Boogie (Big Boy Boogie)    2:53
 Pete Brown
17    Pete Brown's Sextette–    That's The Curfew    2:42
 Pete Brown
18    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Midnite Blues    2:57
 Pete Brown
19    Pete Brown's Sextette–    That's It    2:43
 Pete Brown
20    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Just Plain Shuffle    2:56
 Pete Brown
21    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Pushin' The Mop    2:47
 Pete Brown
22    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Back Talk Boogie    2:38
 Pete Brown
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Bass – Al Hall (tracks: 12 to 15), Al Matthews (tracks: 4 to 7, 16 to 22), Charlie Drayton (tracks: 1), John Levy (tracks: 2, 3), Milt Hinton (tracks: 8 to 11)
Clarinet – Jimmy Hamilton (tracks: 1)
Drums – Eddie Nicholson (tracks: 2 to 7, 12 to 15), J.C. Heard (tracks: 8 to 11), Ray Nathan (tracks: 1, 16 to 22)
Guitar – Al Casey (tracks: 4 to 7, 16 to 19), Bill Moore (tracks: 20 to 22), Herman Mitchell (tracks: 12 to 15), Jim Daddy Walker (tracks: 2, 3)
Piano – Kenny Kersey (tracks: 8 to 11), Kenny Watts (tracks: 4 to 7, 12 to 15), Ray Parker (5) (tracks: 16 to 22), Sam Price* (tracks: 1)
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie (tracks: 1), Ed Lewis (tracks: 16 to 22), Joe Thomas (4) (tracks: 8 to 11)

TYREE GLENN – 1947-1952 (2006) The Classics Chronological Series – 1420 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tyree Glenn, who had the unusual double of trombone and vibes, was an important asset at various times to both Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. Glenn started out working in territory bands in Virginia, then moved to the West Coast, playing with groups headed by Charlie Echols (1936) and Eddie Barefield. After playing with Ethel Waters and Benny Carter, he became a longtime member of the Cab Calloway Orchestra (1939-1946). Glenn visited Europe with Don Redman's big band (1946). During his association with Ellington (1947-1951), he was an effective wah-wah trombonist in the Tricky Sam Nanton tradition and Ellington's only vibraphonist, being well-featured on the "Liberian Suite." During the 1950s, Glenn worked in the studios, led his quartet at the Embers, and freelanced in swing and Dixieland settings. Other than some European dates in 1947, Glenn's only extensive opportunity to record was for Roulette (1957-1958 and 1961-1962). During 1965-1968, he toured the world with Louis Armstrong's All-Stars. After leaving Armstrong, Tyree Glenn led his own group during his last few years. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Mad Monk    2:41
2    Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone    2:50
3    The Hour Of Parting    3:26
4    I Can't Get Started    2:38
5    Billie's Bounce    2:52
6    I Surrender, Dear    3:12
7    Humoresque    3:14
8    Always    3:14
9    Poor Butterfly    3:07
10    My Melancholy Baby    3:00
11    My Melancholy Baby    2:59
12    Sweet Lorraine    3:03
13    Limehouse Blues    2:43
14    Always    2:44
15    Sultry Serenade    3:07
16    Dusty Serenade    2:46
17    Tell Me Why    2:43
18    The Little White Cloud That Cried    2:31
19    Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams    2:28
20    Sugar    2:39
21    Sidewalks Of New York    2:59
22    How Could You Do A Thing Like That    2:30

JOHNNY HODGES - The Complete Verve Johnny Hodges Small Group Sessions - 1956-1961 (2000) 6xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Johnny Hodges was Duke Ellington's most important soloist, so when the alto saxophonist returned to his former employer in the fall of 1955 after leading his own band for just over four and a half years, he had Ellington's approval to record under his own name for Verve on a steady basis. This limited-edition box set collects all of Hodges' small-group sessions recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1961 (excepting some selections whose masters were lost), often with a number of sidemen on loan from Ellington. The leader's chops are best exhibited in the ballads and blues features, though his originals merit attention, too. Hodges hardly hogs the spotlight; he obviously takes his share of solos but generously features his guests and associates from the Ellington band. A nonet with Clark Terry, Ray Nance, Quentin Jackson, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, Billy Strayhorn, Jimmy Woode, and Sam Woodyard is easily the best all-around session within this compilation, with many fine tracks. The humorous "Just Squeeze Me," with Nance's hip vocals complemented by Terry's talkative horn in the background, as well as a surprising extended workout of "Take the 'A' Train," with Terry taking over the famous solo spotlight that Nance first recorded in 1941 (heard on flügelhorn) and followed by Nance on his swinging violin, are among its highlights. Some of the other veterans appearing in this collection include Roy Eldridge, Vic Dickenson, Ben Webster, and Herb Ellis. The atmosphere of each session is friendly and swinging, with the feeling that each take came together quickly, whether or not that was actually the case. While Johnny Hodges' recordings as a leader from this period never rivaled Duke Ellington's in either sales or critical acclaim, they proved to be consistently enjoyable and able to stand the test of time. The set includes 30 previously unissued tracks. The detailed liner notes and discography, along with the numerous photos, also help to make The Complete Verve Johnny Hodges Small Group Sessions 1956-1961 an essential purchase for swing fans, though it is a limited edition of just 7,500, so it is guaranteed to soar in value. It is available exclusively from www.mosaicrecords.com.
Ken Dryden  
All Tracks & Credits

JOHNNY HODGES - The Jeep Is Jumpin' (2003) 4xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With or without Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges was always an elemental Ellingtonian, for Hodges' tone and technique were essential components of the Ellington sound and style. Released in 2003 as Proper Box 58, The Jeep Is Jumpin' samples the saxophonist's studio output during the years 1937-1956. After a tour of Hodges' first sessions as a leader and a well-rounded sampling of his best recordings from the '40s, Proper samples his Parisian Vogue sessions of 1950, and closes the set with 20 neatly executed studies in early modern mainstream jazz overseen by producer Norman Granz. 14 of the 95 tracks feature vocalists from the late '30s, and most of these occur on the first disc.

While the period pop tunes sung by Buddy Clark, Mary McHugh, Leon La Fell, and Jean Eldridge constitute valuable evidence of the saxophonist's skill as an accompanist, this collection's instrumental tracks really illuminate his unparalleled genius as composer, interpreter, balladeer and improviser. Beginning with "Wanderlust" (December 1938), Hodges' personality begins to manifest ever more profoundly, and the plot thickens during the 1939 stratum at the beginning of Disc Two, with the arrival of Billy Strayhorn and bassist Jimmy Blanton. "Finesse (Night Wind)" and "You're Driving Me Crazy" are fairly uncommon instances of Hodges accompanied only by bass and piano. "Good Queen Bess" and "That's the Blues, Old Man" are distillations of his personality and temperament, while "Passion Flower" and "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" epitomize the kind of lushly sensuous music that Strayhorn wrote with him in mind. In 1947, Hodges cut a series of excellent records for the Sunrise and Mercer labels, including his masterpiece "A Little Taste" and "Let the Zoomers Drool," a zoomer being postwar slang for a mooch.

There are 14 examples on this collection of music recorded in Paris during the spring and early summer of 1950 by Hodges and a group of Ellingtonians, with tenor saxophonist Don Byas sitting in on "Jump That's All," "Last Leg Blues," "Nix It Mix It," and "Time on My Hands." The other tenor who pops up throughout the second half of the set is Al Sears, who is featured on "Searsy's Blues" and the punchy "Castle Rock." The last 20 tracks in this collection were cut in New York during 1951-1956 under the supervision of Norman Granz, and in many cases feature the trumpet of Emmett Berry. Here Hodges had a chance to stretch out and do his own thing at some distance from Ellington's immediate orbit. The combination of late-‘30s material, strong choices from the '40s, highlights from Hodges' visit to Paris in 1950, and the cream of his early Norman Granz sessions places this set among the best of the Johnny Hodges collections, and well among the strongest entries in the Proper catalog. arwulf arwulf
Disc One: Hodge Podge
Disc Two: Day Dream
Disc Three: A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
Disc Four: Castle Rock
All Tracks & Credits :

JOHNNY HODGES - Three Classic Albums Plus (Second Set) : The Blues | More Of Johnny Hodges | In A Tender Mood | Johnny Hodges And His Strings Play The Prettiest Gershwin (2011) 2xCD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Blues
1-1    Rosanne 3'09
1-2    Hodge-Podge 3'35
1-3    Jappa 3'52
1-4    Through For The Night 3'17
1-5    Sheik Of Araby 3'14
1-6    Latino 2'54
1-7    Johnny's Blues 7'02
1-8    Indiana 3'51
1-9    Easy Going Bounce 3'32
1-10    Burgundy Walk 7'08
More to Johnny Hodges
1-11    Ballad Medley: Autumn In New York / Sweet Lorraine / Time On My Hands / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes / If You Were Mine / Poor Butterfly / All Of Me 18'01
1-12    On The Sunny Side Of The Street 2'56
1-13    Warm Valley 3'21
1-14    Madam Butterfly 3'14
1-15    Skokiaan 2'32
1-16    Used To Be Duke 7'23
In a Tender Mood
2-1    Who's Excited 3'02
2-2    Sweepin' The Blues Away 3'18
2-3    Standing Room Only 2'46
2-4    Below The Azores 3'03
2-5    Sweet Georgia Brown 6'00
2-6    Duke's Blues 6'05
2-7    Tenderly 3'18
2-8    Tea For Two 2'59
2-9    What's I'm Gotchere 3'23
2-10    Nothin' Yet 2'39
2-11    Sweet As Bear Meat 3'19
Johnny Hodges And His Strings Play The Prettiest Gershwin
2-12    Love Is Here To Stay 2'41
2-13    Nice Work If You Can Get It 3'09
2-14    'S Wonderful 2'47
2-15    Summertime 2'55
2-16    Soon 2'55
2-17    But Not For Me 2'39
2-18    Somebody Loves Me 2'28
2-19    They Can't Take That Away From Me 3'13
2-20    Someone To Watch Over Me 3'11
2-21    They All Laughed 2'50
2-22    The Man I Love 2'54
2-23    Oh, Lady Be Good 2'36

JOHNNY HODGES AND HIS ORCHESTRA - Not So Dukish (1958) lp | FLAC (tracks), lossless

SIDE A
1    M.H.R. 5'56
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Hodges
2    Broadway Babe 2'40
Written-By – Johnny Hodges, Mercer Ellington
3    Three And Six 2'18
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn
4    Not So Dukish 7'48
Written-By – Jimmy Woode
SIDE B
1    Central Park Swing 3'22
Written-By – Jimmy Hamilton
2    Preacher Blues    8:20
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
3    Jeep Bounced Back    3:30
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
4    The Last Time I Saw Paris 2'45
Written-By – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Jimmy Woode
Clarinet – Jimmy Hamilton
Drums – Sam Woodyard
Liner Notes – Leonard Feather
Piano – Billy Strayhorn
Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Trumpet – Ray Nance, Roy Eldridge