BERYL BOOKER – 1946-1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1415 (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During a recording career that only spanned about 15 years, Philadelphia-born pianist and vocalizer Beryl Booker recorded some 45 titles. These fit nicely into two volumes released by the Classics label in 2006 and 2007. Recorded between October 8, 1946 and March 13, 1952, the 26 tracks that comprise the first installment elucidate Booker's stylistic solidarity with Erroll Garner. That similarity can clearly be heard in her upbeat playing on "I Wished on the Moon" and "Stay as Sweet as You Are," and on any of this compilation's 12 slow instrumental ballads. Also like Garner, Booker read no music and was almost entirely self-taught. Note that this compilation contains no less than seven examples of Beryl Booker the ballad singer. During the '50s she worked as an accompanist for Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington; their combined influences certainly colored her delivery, although Booker had her own earthily intimate style, which mingles beautifully with the mature Lady Day vibe on "You Better Go Now." As far as instrumentalists went, Booker almost invariably worked with some of the best on the scene. Tracks one through four -- her first session as a leader -- feature Booker in the company of guitarist Mary Osborne and bassist June Rotenberg. Recorded sometime during the year 1948, tracks five through ten bring on guitarist John Collins and bassist Slam Stewart, whose combo Booker joined in 1946 and with whom she would work on a semi-regular basis through 1952. Tracks eleven through fourteen represent recordings so rare as to be entirely absent from several standard discographical session indexes. Fifteen through eighteen showcase tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson and also feature Don Elliott, who blew the mellophonium and doubled on vibraphone. Only two of the last eight selections on this disc are upbeat; the rest are languid examples of Booker's dreamily lyrical approach to the art of the instrumental ballad, which again has a lot in common with the whimsicality of Garner. Perhaps the high point of her entire recording career was to take place in Paris in February 1954 when she had the opportunity to collaborate with tenor saxophonist Don Byas. Those recordings -- and what appears to be the rest of this woman's recorded legacy -- can be found on volume two of her complete works on the Classics Chronological Series. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist & Credits :

MARY LOU WILLIAMS – 1945-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1050 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Most of the musicians heard on this fourth installment in the Classics Mary Lou Williams chronology are women. During the second half of the 1940s, this was considered unusual and innovative. Female musicians, with the exception of carefully coiffed vocalists and the occasional pianist, were generally regarded by the public, by the entertainment industry, and by most male musicians as curious anomalies and were not taken very seriously. Mary Lou Williams always preferred to surround herself with musical minds possessing artistic acumen commensurate with her own highly developed musical intellect. The first four tracks were recorded for the Continental label in 1945 with guitarist Mary Osborne, bassist Bea Taylor, and percussionists Margie Hyams and Bridget O'Flynn, a fascinating duo who took turns either handling the vibraphone or the drums. This little group sounds perfectly up to date, pleasantly newfangled on "Rumba Rebop," a reference to that new style that in 1945 was already becoming known instead as bebop. "D.D.T." fairly bristles with angular modern changes. There is also a sweet vocal by Mary Osborne on "He's Funny That Way." Mary Lou Williams recorded six delightful piano solos for the Disc label on February 16, 1946. Taken in sequential order, they form a sort of self-portrait containing most every aspect of this artist's musical identity: her background as an indispensable component in Kansas City's thriving jazz scene; her genius as arranger for Andy Kirk, Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington; her vital participation in the emergence of early modern jazz -- all of this is reflected in her personal piano reveries. Nine titles recorded for Victor during the summer and autumn of 1946 constitute bop-inflected chamber jazz of the highest order. Included here are three fascinating experiments on boogie themes, a structure based on a theme by Dvorák, several original inventions, and another sentimental vocal from Mary Osborne. In 1947, ten males known as the Milton Orent-Frank Roth Orchestra recorded two very boppish sides for the Disc label under the direction of Williams, a big-band arrangement of her "Lonely Moments" and the catchy "Whistle Blues." Another session for Disc featured trumpeter Kenny Dorham, bassist Grachan Moncur II, and guitarist John H. Smith, Jr. On "Mary Lou," the men sing in unison: "Mary Lou -- we love you -- we thank you." The flip side, a harmonically advanced study entitled "Kool," is an example of Williams composing in a marvelously eccentric bop style worthy of Thelonious Monk. What a treat to hear Kenny Dorham in an intimate small-group setting at this stage of his career. This fascinating compilation closes with two sides recorded by an all-female quartet for the Mercury label late in 1947 but left unissued for some reason until many years later. Here, then, is an excellent survey of Mary Lou Williams' innovative musical accomplishments in the years immediately following the Second World War. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    Rumba Rebop 2:49
Written By – Wilson
2    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    Blues At Mary Lou's 2:49
Written-By – Feather
3    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    D.D.T. 2:48
Written-By – Feather
4    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    (She's) He's Funny That Way 2:49
Vocals – Mary Osborne
Written-By – Moret, Whiting
5    Mary Lou Williams–    How High The Moon 2:09
Written-By – Lewis
6    Mary Lou Williams–    The Man I Love 2:20
Written-By – Gershwin
7    Mary Lou Williams–    Cloudy / What's Your Story Morning Glory    2:15
8    Mary Lou Williams–    Blue Skies
Written-By – Berlin
9    Mary Lou Williams–    These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You 2:19
Written-By – Strackey
10    Mary Lou Williams–    Lonely Moments    2:26
11    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    Fifth Dimension    2:49
12    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    Harmony Grits    3:09
13    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    It Must Be True 3:03
Vocals – Mary Osborne
Written-By – Clifford, Arnheim, Barris
14    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    Boogie Misterioso    2:45
15    Mary Lou Williams Girl Stars–    Conversation (Jump Caprice) 2:47
Written-By – Feather
16    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Humoresque 2:38
Written-By – Dvorak
17    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Waltz Boogie    2:35
18    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    All God's Children Got Rhythm 2:42
Written-By – Kaper, Kahn, Jurmann
19    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Hesitation Boogie    2:41
20    Milton Orent-Frank Roth Orchestra–    Lonely Moments    2:53
21    Milton Orent-Frank Roth Orchestra–    Whistle Blues    2:54
22    Mary Lou Williams–    Mary Lou 2:15
Written-By – Lyman, Wagner, Robinson
23    Mary Lou Williams–    Kool    2:41
24    Mary Lou Williams–    Just An Idea    3:05
25    Mary Lou Williams–    Just You, Just Me 3:04
Written-By – Greer, Klages
Credits :    
Bass – Bea Taylor (tracks: 1 to 4), Grachan Moncur (tracks: 22, 23), June Rotenberg (tracks: 11 to 19, 24, 25), Milton Orent (tracks: 20, 21)
Conductor – Mary Lou Williams (tracks: 20, 21)
Drums – Bridget O'Flynn (tracks: 3, 4, 16 to 19, 24, 25), Jack Parker (tracks: 20, 21), Margie Hyams (tracks: 1, 2), Rose Gottesman (tracks: 11 to 15)
Guitar – John H. Smith, Jr. (tracks: 22, 23), Mary Osborne (tracks: 1 to 4, 11 to 15, 24, 25)
Piano – Frank Roth (tracks: 20, 21), Mary Lou Williams (tracks: 1 to 19, 22 to 24)
Saxophone – Allan Feldman (tracks: 20, 21), Martin Glaser (2) (tracks: 20, 21), Maurice Lopez (tracks: 20, 21), Orlando "Musa Kalee" Wright (tracks: 20, 21)
Trumpet – Edward Sadowski (tracks: 20, 21), Irving Kusting (tracks: 20, 21), Kenny Dorham (tracks: 22, 23), Leon Schwartz (tracks: 20, 21)
Written-By – Williams (tracks: 7, 10 to 12, 14, 17, 19 to 21, 23, 24)