JACK TEAGARDEN — Father Of Jazz Trombone (2004) 3CD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jack Teagarden made the trombone sexy, and his pliant, lazy tone made the instrument swing like a trumpet. He was also a remarkable singer, with a warm, Texas drawl that gave everything he sang a marvelous intimacy. Such talents did not go unnoticed in the jazz world, and he worked with such notables as Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Red Nichols, Joe Venuti, Eddie Condon and Louis Armstrong, among others, throughout his long career. This three- disc box spans the years 1928 to 1947, and its 72 tracks show an amazingly consistent performer, giving the whole set a cohesiveness that makes it indispensable. Included are Teagarden's near-definitive versions of "Basin Street Blues," "Beale Street Blues," "Blue River," "Jack Armstrong Blues," "St. Louis Blues" and a couple runs at "St. James Infirmary." With his offhand, nuanced singing style, Teagarden raises songs like "Aunt Hagar's Blues" to the level of vital Americana, and no one in jazz has ever gotten more out of the trombone at any level. Combined with his early-'60s gems for Verve Records (Mis'ry and the Blues and Think Well of Me), this collection provides an overview and a wonderful introduction to an American treasure. Steve Leggett
CD One - Makin' Friends (Recordings 1928-1938)
CD Two - Jack Hits The Road (Recordings 1928-1943)
CD Three - Too Marvelous For Words (Recordings 1943-1947)

FRANKIE TRUMBAUER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1927-1928 | The Chronogical Classics – 1188 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

C-melody saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer is best remembered for the recordings he made in the late '20s with cornetist Bix Beiderbecke. Trumbauer's other lasting accomplishment was to inadvertently inspire Lester Young to develop an unusually subtle manner of handling the tenor saxophone. While most of this material may be found on various Beiderbecke-oriented compilations (the JSP box Bix & Tram is thriftily priced), there's nothing quite like having a Classics discography to organize one's cognition while following the trail of old records in precise chronological sequence. Informational details such as record labels, arranger credits, and recording dates are neatly presented for maximum clarity and comprehension. This first volume in the complete works of Frankie Trumbauer consists entirely of recordings made for the Okeh label between February 4, 1927, and January 20, 1928. The material ranges from archetypal masterpieces ("Singin' the Blues," "Ostrich Walk," "I'm Coming, Virginia," and "A Good Man Is Hard to Find") to marvelously stodgy milestones of timeworn pop music. "Sugar" -- not Maceo Pinkard's tune but a long-gone opus credited to Yellen & Ager -- is sung by a positively silly trio of comedians whereas "Just an Hour of Love" and "I'm Wonderin' Who" feature vaudeville-trained vocalist Irving Kaufman. Instrumentally speaking, there's never a dull moment. Adrian Rollini appears and disappears like a bass sax-toting will o' the wisp; Joe Venuti brandishes a fiddle and Eddie Lang plays both banjo and guitar, even appearing in a trio with Bix and Tram on "For No Reason at All in C" and Fats Waller's "Wringin' and Twistin'." Pee Wee Russell and Jimmy Dorsey each show up long enough to contribute their two bits, someone's sax whinnies like a horse at the end of "There'll Come a Time," and Bing Crosby merrily mouths the racist lyrics to "Mississippi Mud." Throughout all of this, Beiderbecke sounds like an angel playing hooky from heaven. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :

FRANKIE TRUMBAUER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1928-1929 | The Chronogical Classics – 1216 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracks one through 19 of this second volume in the complete works of Frankie Trumbauer represent the last recordings that "Tram" made in the company of his friend Bix Beiderbecke. For generations each of these performances has been studied and savored primarily for the cornet passages (check that intro to "Borneo"!) and for Trumbauer's gentle handling of the C melody saxophone. During this period, most of Trumbauer's records were decorated with vocal passages of sometimes laughably puerile quality, as heard here on "Lila" and "Our Bungalow of Dreams." This anonymous vocalist, a staunch advocate of the "gee-whiz" style of singing, hid behind the pseudonym of Noel Taylor, used by the OKeh company to camouflage their sometimes questionable talent. Other singers include Scrappy Lambert, a cottony specimen by the name of Charles Gaylord, Smith Ballew, and Trumbauer himself. Be advised that "Bless You! Sister," "Dusky Stevedore," and "Take Your Tomorrow" are each thickly larded with Jim Crow racial stereotyping, as white men in audio-blackface carry on in minstrel show fashion. Ethically speaking, together with Lambert's assessment of "bamboo babies" on "Borneo," this is a low point in the Trumbauer story, even if "Take Your Tomorrow" does contain some measure of humorous theatrical timing. What endears lovers of early jazz to this spotty body of works is the presence of Bix Beiderbecke and guitarist Eddie Lang. Recorded on April 30, 1929, "I Like That," Bix and Tram's last recorded collaboration, is rosy and uplifting. Despite the absence of Bix on the remaining tracks, the positive vibrations continue and before you know it violinist Matty Malneck has been replaced by the inventive Joe Venuti. "What a Day!," "Alabamy Snow," and the zany "Shivery Stomp" are tasty instrumental foxtrots that bear repeated listening. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :

FRANKIE TRUMBAUER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1929-1931 | The Chronogical Classics – 1245 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

C-melody saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer will always be most famous for the recordings that he made with cornetist Bix Beiderbecke but he also led a series of fine sessions after Bix had departed the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. This CD features Trumbauer leading a large combo filled with Paul Whiteman sidemen during 1929-30 and a nonet in 1931. While some of the numbers are a bit commercial and there are vocals by Smith Ballew, Art Jarrett and Trumbauer himself, there are also some fine jazz solos from the leader, cornetist Andy Secrest, violinist Joe Venuti and trombonist Bill Rank. Among the better tracks are "Manhattan Rag" (which has Hoagy Carmichael on piano), "Happy Feet," "Get Happy" and "Honeysuckle Rose." Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :

JOE VENUTI – 1926-1928 | The Chronogical Classics – 1211 (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This particular slice of the Joe Venuti & Eddie Lang chronology presents some of their all-time best instrumental performances garnished with a small bouquet of precious novelties and sugary love songs with delightfully naïve vocals by Scrappy Lambert, Billy Hillpot, and Rube Bloom. The sweetest of these are sung in a manner so euphoric as to be almost nonsensically charming. This is true even of a suspiciously idyllic paean to the pleasures of "Pickin' Cotton," a faintly onerous song representing a tenebrous subgenre of Tin Pan Alley tunes that wistfully glorified the gallant bygone days of slave or cheap "emancipated" labor. Venuti's lyrically inspired handling of the violin and Lang's virtuosic guitar still sound surprisingly fresh and imaginative. These earliest Venuti and Lang collaborations exude a special sort of positive energy that is unique in all of classic jazz. Some of the instrumental tracks feel like well-organized, improvised hot chamber music. Fortunately, Venuti's "Kickin' the Cat" and "Beatin' the Dog" are presented without any nasty lyrics or cruel sound effects. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :

JOE VENUTI – 1928-1930 | The Chronogical Classics – 1246 (2002) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Even as the Joe Venuti/Eddie Lang instrumentals from the late '20s are worth their weight in gold, more than half of the fun in listening to an overview of this section of their complete recorded works is derivable from the often silly vocalists. Pianist Rube Bloom had a charmingly wobbly voice, preferable perhaps to the too-perfect, painfully innocent, but nevertheless endearing efforts of Smith Ballew. "Sensation," in addition to proving that Jimmy Dorsey could play the hell out of the baritone sax, contains Bloom's wildest vocal, consisting of bursts of scat singing mingled with dramatic moans and pleas for medical/musical assistance in what was apparently intended as a steamy sequel to "Hello Central Give Me Doctor Jazz." The delightful wordless vocal on the marvelous "I Must Have That Man" has often been attributed to Venuti himself. This CD's discography assigns it to drummer Chauncey Morehouse. Everyone agrees that the tuba solo is by the mighty Joe Tarto. Scrappy Lambert squeezes out two hilariously enigmatic love songs, "I Am Only Human After All" and "Out of Breath and Scared to Death of You." The last three tracks on this volume of the Classics Joe Venuti chronology are not so well known, probably because of the comparatively glib vocalists. Back to the instrumentals -- there are only five, but each one is a masterpiece. A 1928 remake of "Doin' Things," recorded with a smaller group the previous year, is refreshing. "Runnin' Ragged," recorded in October of 1929, features Frankie Trumbauer on bassoon. The idyllic "Apple Blossoms," a collectively composed serenade, is a study in perfect peace. Adrian Rollini, armed with bass sax, goofus, and hot fountain pen, enlivened the next Blue Four session, which took place during the spring of the following year. The musicianship on this collection is often astonishing, and the effect upon the central nervous system is known to be beneficial. Everything heard here is priceless for the fact that it is possible to derive from each performance a completely unfounded sense of well-being. In a jaded, postmodern world, that is a precious thing. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

JOE VENUTI – 1930-1933 | The Chronogical Classics – 1276 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

JOE VENUTI – 1933 | The Chronogical Classics – 1348 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The recordings made under Joe Venuti's name during the years immediately following the sudden and premature death of Eddie Lang on March 26, 1933, often have a somewhat strange quality to them. Venuti was crushed by this personal loss and must have still been mourning the death of his friend and musical companion when the two opening tracks -- concluding the session that produced the thrilling "Vibraphonia" -- were recorded on May 8th. Six sides waxed in September of 1933 for the Banner label feature vocalist Don Elton, infinitely better on the upbeat novelties than as a crooner suspended in syrup. This smooth band had a young Max Kaminsky in the brass section and Bud Freeman in the reeds. The creamy, beautiful "Moon Glow" is one of Venuti's best-known sides from this period, and with good reason. The band on the completely instrumental Columbia session from one week later is the best group on the entire package, with Benny Goodman, Bud Freeman, and Adrian Rollini on the front line. It is worth noting that the great Dick McDonough was now established as Eddie Lang's replacement. His work on this session demonstrates exactly why. "In de Ruff" turns out to be King Oliver's "Dipper Mouth Blues," later known as "Sugar Foot Stomp." A Bluebird session from October 13th yielded four more instrumentals -- three of them by Will Hudson -- beginning with a rousing "Fiddlesticks." On "Phantom Rhapsody" and Benny Carter's "Everybody Shuffle," this band sounds a bit like Fletcher Henderson's, except of course for the fiddle. Venuti spent the rest of the year recording for Banner. Dolores Reade, presenting a couple of melodies by Irving Berlin, had more charm and substance than Howard Phillips and Slim Fortier put together. Even the least of these sides are fascinating for those who enjoy studying jazz and popular music from the early '30s. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

BIX BEIDERBECKE – 1924-1927 | The Chronogical Classics – 778 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bix Beiderbecke's earliest recordings open this first volume of his complete works as presented by the Classics chronological reissue label. While some other compilations actually skip the marvelous Gennett recordings that 21-year-old Beiderbecke made with the Wolverine Orchestra between February 18 and October 7, 1924, this wonderful edition presents these precious artifacts as a prelude to his first recordings as a leader. The Wolverine Orchestra stood for primal Chicago-styled New Orleans polyphony. One may turn to these old records again and again for solace, comfort and inspiration. "Jazz Me Blues," lovingly described by historian Ralph Berton as "an X-rated title," is a fundamental cornerstone of traditional jazz. "Royal Garden Blues" is a miracle of collective cooperation, and "Lazy Daddy" is prized for trombonist George Brunies' throaty kazoo solo. Beiderbecke's last Gennett recordings were made in October 1924 with a band, billed as the Sioux City Six, that included trombonist Miff Mole and C Melody saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer; then in January 1925 as Beiderbecke led his own Rhythm Jugglers with slip-horn sheik Tommy Dorsey close by. Some folks would pinpoint this little group's rendering of Beiderbecke's "Davenport Blues" as a high point of his career and maybe even of 20th century human endeavor. On September 9, 1927 Bix Beiderbecke recorded for the Okeh label a Debussy-inspired set of harmonic variations for solo piano titled "In a Mist" (later issued as "Bixology"). During September and October 1927 Beiderbecke sat in with a band identified on the Harmony record label as the Broadway Bell-Hops, and assisted the Chicago Loopers in the creation of two sides issued by Pathe Actuelle. A collective personnel inventory for these two groups is exciting for those who know their early jazz history. Highlights include violinist Joe Venuti, tuba titan Joe Tarto, guitarist Carl Kress, pianists Arthur Schutt and Frank Signorelli, as well as creative percussionist Vic Berton. Some jazz purists might get rankled hearing vaudevillian vocals by Irving Kaufman or the loopy Deep River Quartet, but these historical performances are well worth experiencing, particularly the Quartet's charming rendition of Fats Waller's catchy "I'm More Than Satisfied." Beiderbecke's best collaborations with Frankie Trumbauer appear in the Classics Trumbauer chronology because they were originally issued under Trumbauer's name. Most of the rest of the Beiderbecke story is documented under his name on four Classics compilations, beginning with this excellent first installment. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

BIX BEIDERBECKE – 1927-1930 | The Chronogical Classics – 788 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is the second volume in the all-too-brief Classics Bix Beiderbecke chronology. It presents all 13 Okeh Records cut by Beiderbecke & His Gang between October 5, 1927 and September 21, 1928, followed by Beiderbecke's very last recordings, made between May 21 and September 15, 1930 for the Victor, Vocalion and Brunswick labels. He is heard leading his own band and sitting in with Hoagy Carmichael's orchestra as well as Irving Mills & His Hotsy Totsy Gang. Three years into his brief recording career, Beiderbecke was already beginning to feel confined by the artistic limitations of the entertainment industry. In his excellent and insightful novel-length tribute "Remembering Bix," Ralph Berton recalled his final encounter with Beiderbecke, which took place during the autumn of 1927 shortly before Bix began working for Paul Whiteman. Berton describes their conversation as they listened to the recently waxed Bix & His Gang sides. Although Berton rightfully perceived that some of these were among the hottest and best of Beiderbecke's recordings, Bix was not entirely happy with the results, and even threatened to destroy the master of "Goose Pimples" which was soon issued as Okeh 8544. During this performance he momentarily intruded upon the opening of Frank Signorelli's piano solo, became frustrated and tossed off what he later called a "phony Charleston lick," then responded to gesticulations made by an engineer urging him to finish up before they ran out of room on the disc by letting loose with a couple of very atypical high notes, sharp and fortissimo. Beiderbecke was horrified, incredulous and ultimately contemptuous when the session's producers went ahead and issued what is demonstrably a botched take. Yet in retrospect the excitement of hot jazz transforms even these obvious flaws into personable idiosyncrasies. All 13 sides are anchored with beefy bass saxophones, handled expertly by Adrian Rollini or ably by Min Leibrook. Like the turning of a page, the '30s began for Beiderbecke with a series of collaborations hinting at potential developments that either blossomed or withered away. With names like Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Bud Freeman, Gene Krupa, Hoagy Carmichael and violinist Joe Venuti (who can be heard bawdily intoning the words "Barnacle Bill the Shit-head" in a raspy voice), this home stretch of the Beiderbecke discography reads like a "most likely to succeed" roster. Yet three gifted participants would soon be taken out 'way ahead of schedule; guitarist Eddie Lang was soon to die from complications following a tonsillectomy, Ellington's ex-trumpeter Bubber Miley was already in the process of drinking himself into an early grave, and Bix Beiderbecke's days were numbered. On August 6, 1931 he succumbed to alcoholism and pneumonia at the age of 28. The music on this compilation is an essential portion of his legacy. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

JACK TEAGARDEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1930-1934 | The Classics Chronological Series – 698 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Classics CD has the first 23 titles ever issued under the leadership of trombonist Jack Teagarden. Many of these selections were formerly rare, particularly the earlier titles on Domino, Banner and Crown. Best is the session that co-starred pianist/vocalist Fats Waller and, while some of the titles are a bit commercial, Teagarden's playing (and that of his better sidemen) uplift the music; "A Hundred Years from Today" is a classic. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Son of the Sun 2:25
Rudolf Friml
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
2     You're Simply Delish 2:42
Arthur Freed / Joseph Meyer
Vocals – Eddie Gale
3     Just a Little Dance, Mam'selle 3:02
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
Ben Gordon / Chas OFlynn / Pete Wendling
4     Rockin' Chair 3:00
Hoagy Carmichael
Vocals – Eddie Miller, Nappy Lamare
5     Loveless Love 2:49
W.C. Handy
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
6     You Rascal You 3:12
Sam Theard    
Vocals – Fats Waller, Jack Teagarden
7     That's What I Like About You 3:24
Walter Donaldson
Vocals – Fats Waller, Jack Teagarden
8    Chances Are 3:13
Gus Arnheim / Harry Barris / Arthur Freed
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
9     I Got the Ritz from the One I Love 3:25
Harry Barris / J.C. Lewis
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
10     China Boy 3:06
Phil Boutelje / Dick Winfree
11     Lies 3:10
Harry Barris / George E. Springer
Vocals – Gene Austin
12     I'm Sorry Dear 3:00
Raymond Scott / Charles Tobias / Harold Weeks
Vocals – Gene Austin
13     Tiger Rag 3:06
Harry Da Costa / Eddie Edwards / Nick LaRocca / Henry W. Ragas / Tony Sbarbaro / Larry Shields
14     I've Got It 3:08
David Rose / Jack Teagarden
15     Plantation Moods 3:24
Fred Rose / Jack Teagarden
16     Shake Your Hips 3:23
Fred Rose / Jack Teagarden
17     Someone Stole Gabriel's Horn 3:00
Edgar Hayes / Irving Mills / Ned Washington
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
18     Love Me 3:03
Ned Washington / Victor Young
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
19     Blue River 2:57
Ned Washington / Victor Young
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
20     A Hundred Years from Today 3:07
Ned Washington / Victor Young
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
21     I Just Couldn't Take It, Baby 2:55
Mann Holiner / Alberta Nichols
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
22     Fare-Thee-Well to Harlem 3:06
Bernie Hanighen / Johnny Mercer
Vocals – Jack Teagarden, Nappy Lamare
23     Ol' Pappy 3:03
Jerry Levinson / Marty Symes
Vocals – Jack Teagarden, Nappy Lamare
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Buddy Fisk (tracks: 14 to 17)
Banjo, Guitar – Nappy Lamare (tracks: 1 to 13)
Bass Saxophone – Adrian Rollini (tracks: 6 to 9)
Bass [String Bass] – Artie Bernstein (tracks: 6 to 9, 18 to 23), Eddie Gilbert (tracks: 14 to 17)
Bass [String Bass], Brass Bass – Harry Goodman (tracks: 1 to 5, 10 to 13)
Clarinet – Benny Goodman (tracks: 4, 5), Pee Wee Russell (tracks: 6 to 9)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Chester Hazlett (tracks: 18 to 23), Gil Rodin (tracks: 1 to 5, 10 to 13), Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 18 to 23), Matty Matlock (tracks: 1 to 3, 10 to 13), Rod Cless (tracks: 14 to 17)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Dale Skinner (tracks: 14 to 17), Eddie Miller (2) (tracks: 1 to 5, 10 to 13), Joe Catalyne (tracks: 6 to 9), Max Farley (tracks: 6 to 9), Mutt Hayes (tracks: 18 to 23)
Directed By – Victor Young (tracks: 18 to 23)
Drums – Bob Consolman (tracks: 14 to 17), Larry Gomar (tracks: 18 to 23), Ray Bauduc (tracks: 1 to 5, 10 to 13), Stan King (tracks: 6 to 9)
Guitar – Dick McPartland (tracks: 14 to 17), Frank Worrell (tracks: 22, 23), Perry Botkin (tracks: 18 to 21)
Piano – Charles LaVere (tracks: 14 to 17), Fats Waller (tracks: 6 to 10, 13), Gil Bowers (tracks: 1 to 5, 11, 12), Joe Meresco (tracks: 18 to 23)
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman (tracks: 14 to 17)
Trombone – Jack Teagarden, Tom Moore (tracks: 14 to 17)
Trumpet – Charlie Spivak (tracks: 1 to 5), Charlie Teagarden (tracks: 6 to 17), Claude Whiteman (tracks: 14 to 17), Frank Guarente (tracks: 18 to 23), Sterling Bose (tracks: 4 to 13, 18 to 23), Tommy Thunen (tracks: 1 to 3)
Violin – Joe Venuti (tracks: 22, 23), Lou Kosloff (tracks: 22, 23), Walt Edelstein (tracks: 18 to 23)

RED NICHOLS – 1927-1928 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1241 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Loring "Red" Nichols was an expert cornet player, a solid improviser, and apparently a workaholic, since he is rumored to have appeared on over 4,000 recordings during the 1920s alone. One of the ways he managed this feat was by appearing under countless different names, and in the case of this collection covering the years 1927 and 1928, he made recordings as Red Nichols & His 5 Pennies, the Six Hottentots, Red & Mill's Stompers, and Red Nichols' Stompers. Pay no attention to whether there were five Pennies or six Hottentots, since Nichols' groups tended to be eight or ten pieces or more, no matter what the moniker read, and usually featured longtime associates Miff Mole on trombone, Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet or alto sax, and the marvelous Dudley Fosdick on mellophonium. This collection features one of the biggest hits of Nichols' career, "Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider," and like "Cornfed," also collected here, it effortlessly combines a sophisticated arrangement with a kind of easy, down-home feel that masks its complexities. Although critics often brush right by him, Nichols was always a fresh and innovative arranger and bandleader. Steve Leggett  
Tracklist :
1    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Bugle Call Rag    2:51
2    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Back Beats    2:50
3    The Six Hottentots–    I'm In Love Again    2:48
4    The Six Hottentots–    Sometimes I'm Happy    3:05
5    The Six Hottentots–    Rosy Cheeks    2:55
6    The Six Hottentots–    The Memphis Blues    3:09
7    The Six Hottentots–    Melancholy Charlie    2:57
8    The Six Hottentots–    Hurricane    3:01
9    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Cornfed    2:50
10    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Five Pennies    2:48
11    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Mean Dog Blues    3:11
12    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Riverboat Shuffle 3:01
Arranged By – Fud Livingston
13    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Eccentric 2:58
Arranged By – Fud Livingston
14    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider 2:47
Arranged By – Lennie Hayton
15    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Feelin' No Pain 2:54
Arranged By – Fud Livingston
16    Red And Miff's Stompers–    Slippin' Around    2:45
17    Red And Miff's Stompers–    Feelin' No Pain    3:04
18    Red Nichols' Stompers–    Sugar    3:17
19    Red Nichols' Stompers–    Make My Cot Where The Cot-Cot-Cotton Grows    3:18
20    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Nobody's Sweetheart    3:05
21    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    My Gal Sal    3:08
22    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Avalon    3:07
23    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Japanese Sandman    3:16
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Max Farley (tracks: 18, 19)
Bass Saxophone, Instruments [Goofus] – Adrian Rollini (tracks: 9 to 15, 18, 19)
Brass Bass – Jack Hanson (tracks: 16 to 19), Joe Tarto (tracks: 3 to 8)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 1 to 11)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Fud Livingston (tracks: 11 to 17, 20 to 23), Pee Wee Russell (tracks: 11 to 23)
Drums – Chauncey Morehouse (tracks: 18, 19), Vic Berton (tracks: 1 to 17, 20 to 23)
Guitar – Carl Kress (tracks: 16 to 23), Dick McDonough (tracks: 12 to 15), Eddie Lang (tracks: 1, 2, 9 to 11)
Mellophone – Dudley Fosdick (tracks: 20 to 23)
Piano – Arthur Schutt (tracks: 1 to 11)
Piano [Either/Or] – Arthur Schutt (tracks: 18, 19), Lennie Hayton (tracks: 18, 19)
Piano, Celesta – Lennie Hayton (tracks: 12 to 17, 20 to 21)
Saxophone [C-Melody] – Frank Trumbauer (tracks: 18, 19)
Trombone – Bill Rank (tracks: 18, 19), Miff Mole (tracks: 1 to 15, 18 to 23), Unknown Artist (tracks: 18, 19)
Trumpet – Bo Ashford (tracks: 18, 19), Leo McConville (tracks: 12 to 15), Manny Klein (tracks: 12 to 15), Red Nichols
Violin – Joe Venuti (tracks: 1, 2, 9 to 11)
Vocals – Charlie Farrell (tracks: 18, 19), Irving Kaufman (tracks: 3 to 5), Jim Miller (17) (tracks: 18, 19)

RED NICHOLS – 1928-1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1270 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This collection, drawn from recordings done by Red Nichols in 1928 and 1929, finds him in transition, struggling to deal with the advent of Dixieland and the coming big-band era. Nichols worked best with midsize bands (six to ten pieces), and his most successful arrangements (the lead track here, "Poor Butterfly," is a good example) feature unusual tonal placements that give each piece an edgy, cinematic feel. Dixieland made such touches far too subtle, and Nichols was unable to play to his strengths as the 1930s progressed. A valuable record of an interesting jazzman at the crossroads, this compilation will find its greatest appeal with serious jazz buffs, historians, and collectors. Steve Leggett
Tracklist :
1    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Poor Butterfly (Vocal)    3:58
2    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Poor Butterfly (Instr.)    4:01
3    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Can't Yo' Hear Me Calling, Caroline? (Vocal)    4:05
4    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Can't Yo' Hear Me Calling, Caroline? (Instr.)    4:04
5    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Panama    3:02
6    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    There'll Come A Time    3:14
7    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Dear Old Southland (Vocal)    4:27
8    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Dear Old Southland (Instr.)    4:31
9    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Limehouse Blues (Vocal)    4:38
10    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Limehouse Blues (Instr.)    4:32
11    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Whispering    3:03
12    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    I Can't Give You Anything But Love    2:49
13    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Margie    2:56
14    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Imagination    2:57
15    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Original Dixieland One-Step    2:46
16    Red Nichols And His Orchestra–    Harlem Twist 2:51
Vocals – Chauncey Morehouse
17    Red Nichols And His Orchestra–    Five Pennies    3:25
18    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody    3:03
19    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    I Never Knew    2:58
20    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Who's Sorry Now?    3:01
21    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Chinatown, My Chinatown    3:13
Credits :
Bass – Art Miller (tracks: 1 to 15)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Benny Goodman (tracks: 19 to 21), Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 5, 6, 18)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Fud Livingston (tracks: 1 to 18, 21)
Drums – Vic Berton (tracks: 1 to 12, 18)
Drums, Vibraphone – Chauncey Morehouse (tracks: 13 to 17, 19 to 21)
Guitar – Carl Kress (tracks: 1 to 6, 13 to 21), Eddie Lang (tracks: 7 to 10)
Mellophone – Dudley Fosdick
Piano – Arthur Schutt (tracks: 1 to 20)
Piano, Celesta – Lennie Hayton (tracks: 21)
Trombone – Miff Mole
Trumpet – Leo McConville (tracks: 1 to 11, 13 to 17), Manny Klein (tracks: 1 to 10, 13 to 15, 18 to 21), Red Nichols
Violin – Joe Venuti (tracks: 11, 12), Murray Kellner (tracks: 1 to 10, 13 to 15)
Vocals – Scrappy Lambert (tracks: 1, 3, 7, 9)

ETHEL WATERS – 1929-1931 | The Classics Chronological Series – 721 (1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

During the period covered in this CD from Classics' Complete Ethel Waters series, the singer was quickly developing into a top musical comedy and Broadway star. Although her backup was not as jazz-oriented as previously (despite the presence of such players as clarinetist Benny Goodman, trombonist Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet and alto and trumpeter Manny Klein), Waters's renditions of many of these future standards are definitive, particularly "True Blue Lou," "Waiting at the End of the Road," "Porgy," "You're Lucky to Me" and "When Your Lover Has Gone." Superior jazz-oriented singing from one of the very best. Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1     Second-Handed Man    2:46    

Sidney Easton / Ethel Waters
2     True Blue Lou    2:58    
Sam Coslow / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting
3     Do I Know What I'm Doing?    2:47    
Sam Coslow / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting
4     Shoo Shoo Boogie Boo    2:47    
Sam Coslow / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting
5     Georgia Blues    3:21   
Billy Higgins / W. Benton Overstreet
6     I Like the Way He Does It    2:31
7     Waiting at the End of the Road    3:18    
Irving Berlin
8     Trav'lin' All Alone    2:56    
J.C. Johnson
9     Long Lean Lanky Mama    2:48 
10     Better Keep Your Eye on Your Man    2:54    
11     Porgy    3:30    
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
12     Black and Blue    2:55    
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
13     My Kind of Man    2:58    
14     You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me    3:20    
Sammy Fain / Irving Kahal / Peter Norman
15     You're Lucky to Me    3:07    
Eubie Blake / Andy Razaf
16     Memories of You    3:07    
Eubie Blake / Andy Razaf
17     I Got Rhythm    3:05    
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
18     Three Little Words 3:05   
Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby  
19     When Your Lover Has Gone    3:07    
Einar A. Swan
20     Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone    3:13    
Sidney Clare / Sam H. Stept
21     You Can't Stop Me from Loving You    3:19    
Mann Holiner / Alberta Nichols
22     Without That Gal!    2:51
Walter Donaldson
Credits :    
Bass Saxophone – Adrian Rollini (tracks: 13, 14)
Bass [String Bass] – Joe Tarto (tracks: 2 to 4, 11, 12), Unknown Artist (tracks: 15, 16)
Clarinet – Benny Goodman (tracks: 13, 14, 19 to 22)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 2 to 4, 17, 18)
Drums – Stan King (tracks: 2 to 4)
Guitar – Dick McDonough (tracks: 21, 22), Eddie Lang (tracks: 19, 20), Tony Colucci (tracks: 2 to 4, 11, 12), Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8, 17, 18)
Organ – Unknown Artist (tracks: 15, 16)
Piano – Frank Signorelli (tracks: 2 to 4, 11, 12), Pearl Wright (tracks: 1, 5 to 10), Rube Bloom (tracks: 13, 14, 19 to 22), Unknown Artist (tracks: 15 to 18)
Trombone – Tommy Dorsey (tracks: 2 to 4, 13, 14, 17 to 22)
Trumpet – Bob Effros (tracks: 2 to 4, 7, 8), Manny Klein (tracks: 13, 14, 17 to 22)
Trumpet [And/Or] – Manny Klein (tracks: 11, 12), Muggsy Spanier (tracks: 11, 12)
Violin – Ben Selvin (tracks: 2 to 4, 11 to 14, 17, 18), Joe Venuti (tracks: 19, 20), Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8, 15, 16)
Violoncello – Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8)
Vocals – Ethel Waters

ETHEL WATERS – 1931-1934 | The Classics Chronological Series – 735 (1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Ethel Waters was one of the very few Black performers who was able to keep working in music during the early years of the Depression; in fact her fame grew during the period covered by this excellent CD from Classics' Complete series. Among her backup musicians on these consistently excellent sides are violinist Joe Venuti, the Dorsey Brothers, trumpeter Bunny Berigan, trombonist Jack Teagarden, clarinetist Benny Goodman members of the Chick Webb big band and the entire Duke Ellington orchestra (the latter on "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" and "Porgy"). Highpoints include the Ellington tracks, "St. Louis Blues" (with The Cecil Mack Choir), the original version of "Stormy Weather," "A Hundred Years from Today" and a remake of "Dinah." Highly recommended as are all of the Ethel Waters Classics discs. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 River, Stay 'Way from My Door 3:00 
Mort Dixon / Harry Woods
2 Shine on Harvest Moon 2:58 
Nora Bayes / Jack Norworth
3 I Can't Give You Anything But Love 3:03 
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
4 Porgy 3:09 
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
5 St. Louis Blues 3:24
W.C. Handy
6 Stormy Weather 3:09 
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
7 Love Is the Thing 3:15
Ned Washington / Victor Young
8 Don't Blame Me 3:13 
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh / David Raksin / F. Wess
9 Shadows on the Swanee 2:59 
Johnny Burke / Harold Spina / Joe Young
10 Heat Wave 2:58 
Irving Berlin
11 Harlem on My Mind 3:26 
Irving Berlin
12 I Just Couldn't Take It, Baby 2:54 
Mann Holiner / Alberta Nichols
13 A Hundred Years from Today 2:45 
Ned Washington / Joseph Young / Victor Young
14 Come up and See Me Sometime 3:08 
Louis Alter
15 You've Seen Harlem at Its Best 2:56 
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
16 Miss Otis Regrets 3:02 
Cole Porter
17 Dinah 2:43 
Harry Akst / Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young
18 When It's Sleepy Time Down South 2:43 
Clarence Muse / Otis Rene / Leon René
19 Moonglow 3:19 
Eddie DeLange / Will Hudson / Irving Mills
20 Give Me a Heart to Sing To 3:18 
Ned Washington / Joe Young
21 I Ain't Gonna Sin No More 3:06
Herbert Magidson
22 Trade Mark 3:01 
Sidney Easton
23 You're Going to Leave the Old Home, Jim 3:03
Traditional
Credits :
Larry Binyon – Clarinet, Sax (Tenor)
Jimmy Dorsey – Clarinet, Sax (Alto)
Tommy Dorsey – Drums, Guitar, Piano, Trombone, Violin
 Duke Ellington – Director, Piano
Benny Goodman – Clarinet, Piano, Sax (Tenor), Viola, Violin
Harry Hoffman, Lou Kosloff, Walter Edelstein – Violin
Art Karle – Sax (Tenor)
Stan King, Gene Krupa, Chauncey Morehouse – Drums
John Kirby, Artie Bernstein – Bass
Manny Klein – Clarinet, Trombone, Trumpet
Dick McDonough, John Trueheart – Guitar
Edgar Sampson – Sax (Alto), Violin
Joe Steele, Joe Sullivan, Joe Meresco, Fulton McGrath – Piano
Jack Teagarden, Sandy Williams, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Lawrence Brown – Trombone
Joe Venuti – Guitar, Piano, Violin
Ethel Waters – Vocals
Arthur Whetsol, Cootie Williams, Shirley Clay, Freddie Jenkins, Taft Jordan, Charlie Teagarden, Bunny Berigan, Sterling Bose – Trumpet
Elmer "Skippy" Williams – Sax (Tenor)

JOE VENUTI | ZOOT SIMS - Joe Venuti and Zoot Sims (1975-1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Violinist Joe Venuti's three recordings with tenorman Zoot Sims are all quite joyful and exciting. This Chiaroscuro recording matches the pair with pianist John Bunch, bassist Milt Hinton, drummer Bobby Rosengarden and, on "Don't Take Your Love from Me," trombonist Spiegel Willcox who was then 73. The small-group swing performances have plenty of life and more often than not are hard-swinging. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     My Honey's Lovin' Arms 3:43
Joseph Meyer / Herman Ruby   
2     Deep Night 3:50
Charles Henderson / Rudy Vallée   
3     Remember 5:03
Irving Berlin   
4     I Got Rhythm 3:36
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin   
5     Avalon 3:43
Buddy DeSylva / Al Jolson / Vincent Rose   
6     I Surrender, Dear 5:08
Harry Barris / Gordon Clifford   
7     Wait Till You See Her 4:29
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers   
8     Russian Lullaby 4:23
Irving Berlin   
9     Lady of the Evening 3:58
Irving Berlin   
10     Where or When 4:23
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers   
11     Lover, Come Back to Me 6:37
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg   
12     I'll See You in My Dreams 4:42
Isham Jones / Gus Kahn   
13     Don't Take Your Love from Me 3:04
Henry Nemo   
14     Shine 3:19
Lew Brown / Ford Dabney / Cecil Mack
Credits :
Bass – Milt Hinton (pistas: 5 to 14)
Drums – Bobby Rosengarden (pistas: 5 to 14), Cliff Leeman (pistas: 1 to 4)
Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli (pistas: 1 to 4)
Piano – Dick Hyman (pistas: 1 to 4), John Bunch (pistas: 5 to 14)
Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims (pistas: 1 to 8, 10 to 14)
Trombone – Spiegle Wilcox (pistas: 13)
Violin – Joe Venuti