DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1933-1935 | The Classics Chronological Series – 646 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Decades after these recordings were made, an LP appeared as part of RCA Victor's superb Vintage series bearing the title Daybreak Express. Focusing on much of his best work from the mid-'30s, that album was a perfect introduction to the music of Duke Ellington. Number 646 in the Classics Chronological series serves this purpose just as effectively, shifting the frame of reference to include the autumn and winter of 1933, a broad sweep through 1934, and two originally unissued tidbits from January of 1935. From the first few bars of "Harlem Speaks," you know you are in front of what Fats Waller always swore was the greatest jazz orchestra in the world. Wellman Braud pushes the band around the room, his bass fiddle chugging along in fourth gear. Joe Nanton blows "ya-ya" smoke rings through the trombone. The trumpets are a bitch. And the reed section is the very bloodstream of Duke's orchestra. This band could play anything. Even "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" becomes radiantly hip under such conditions. Legend has it that "Rude Interlude" got its title in honor of a request for "Rude Indigo." As for that "Daybreak Express," a life-sized steam locomotive is conjured with almost aggressive clarity. You can practically smell the oil and feel the tracks vibrating as the band roars by with horns in the air. "Solitude" appears in two lovely takes recorded eight months apart. Number two is fleshier. "Stompy Jones," named for a courier and valet who traveled with the band, is the definitive hot jam. While Louis Bacon and Ivie Anderson were both fine vocalists, the toy surprise inside of this package is the first version of "My Old Flame," recorded in Hollywood on April 23, 1934, and issued on the world-renowned Biltmore label. The vocalist is none other than Mae West! Whoever thought of putting her and Duke together on the same record should have ordered up a dozen more sides, as this is one fascinating combination of personalities. Both were notably sensual individuals, incredibly dignified and strong-willed. Having carefully made way for Mae, Ellington's instrumentalists are able to play more expressively on Ivie's turf. Interesting comparisons could be made between Mae's and Ivie's takes and Billie Holiday's stunning Commodore rendition of 1944. "Admiration" introduces cornetist Rex Stewart, a brand-new addition to the Ellington troupe. "Farewell Blues," so beautifully rendered in 1934 by the Claude Hopkins Orchestra, receives the full Ellington treatment. arwulf arwulf   Tracklist + Credits :

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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COOTIE WILLIAMS AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 827 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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FREDDY JOHNSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1933-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 829 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Freddy Johnson was a talented swing-oriented pianist who spent the 1930s playing in Europe. This Classics CD contains all five of his sessions, a song ("Wo Ist Der Mann?") on which his band accompanies Marlene Dietrich, plus a date with trumpeter Louis Bacon's septet. In addition to Johnson's many piano solos, the top players are trumpeter Arthur Briggs, Frank "Big Boy" Goudie on tenor, trombonist Herb Flemming, tenorman Alix Combelle, and Bacon. Four songs recorded in 1934 with a Dutch band have delightful vocals from the completely obscure Rosie Poindexter. This CD is a must for collectors of small-group swing. Scott Yanow
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WILLIE LEWIS AND HIS NEGRO BAND – 1941 (1996) The Classics Chronological Series – 880 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Willie Lewis led impressive bands in Europe during the 1930s which frequently featured trumpeter Bill Coleman and, on some occasions, altoist Benny Carter. His last and least-known recordings are issued in full on this 1996 Classics CD. Recorded in Switzerland in 1941, the 24 selections feature what was certainly the last American-dominated orchestra to record in Europe before Pearl Harbor. The two extensive big-band sessions, which resulted in 16 performances, feature an excellent swing orchestra boasting fine solos from trumpeter Louis Bacon, trombonist Billy Burns and Johnny Russell on tenor and clarinet; Jelly Roll Morton's 1920s drummer, Tommy Benford, also plays well. The swing charts on such numbers as "Happy Feet," "Ti-Pi-Tin," "Roses of Picardy" and "Christopher Columbus" are surprisingly up to date. In addition, there are eight numbers featuring a combo from the orchestra, most notably Alfred Siegrist on piano and effective accordion, Johnny Russell's tenor on a few tracks, and vocals from June Cole and the talented Florence Mason. This is the type of CD reissue that waters the mouths of veteran collectors, for little if any of this music has been available since the 1940s. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    What Will I Do? 2:38
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Berlin
2    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Happy Feet 3:01
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Yellen, Ager
3    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Baby Ain't You Satisfied 3:02
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Louis Bacon
Trumpet, Written-By – Henry Mason
4    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Ti-Pi-Tin 3:07
Alto Saxophone, Vocals, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Grever, Leveen
5    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Les Bateliers De La Volga 2:42
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Traditional
6    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Bacon's Blues 3:08
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason
Trumpet, Written-By – Louis Bacon
7    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Lover, Come Back To Me 2:59
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Romberg
8    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Roses Of Picardy 2:03
Alto Saxophone, Vocals, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Haydn-Wood
9    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    I Ain't Got Nobody 2:53
Alto Saxophone, Vocals, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Graham, Williams
10    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Swingin' At The Chez Florence 3:06
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written By – Hellmann
11    Willie Lewis Presents–    Lady Be Good 2:32
Double Bass [String Bass], Vocals – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Heyo Scholl
Piano Accordion – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Written-By – Gershwin-Gershwin
12    Willie Lewis Presents–    Chinatown 2:10
Double Bass [String Bass], Vocals – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Heyo Scholl
Piano Accordion – Alfred Siegrist
Written-By – Schwartz
13    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Christmas Night In Harlem 2:15
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Scott
14    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Ol' Man River 2:16
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Kern
15    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Christopher Columbus 2:26
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Razaf, Berry
16    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    I've Found A New Baby 2:57
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Williams
17    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    After You've Gone 3:09
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass], Vocals – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Creamer, Layton
18    Willie Lewis And His Negro Band–    Body And Soul 3:08
Alto Saxophone, Leader – Willie Lewis
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ernst Höllerhagen
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Denis Chappelet
Trombone – Billy Burns
Trumpet – Henry Mason, Louis Bacon
Written-By – Heyman, Eyton, Green, Sour
19    Willie Lewis Presents–    Margie (as Maggie) 2:06
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Russell
Written-By – Davis, Conrad, Robinson
20    Willie Lewis Presents–    Some Of These Days 2:36
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Vocals – Florence Mason
Written-By – Brooks
21    Willie Lewis Presents–    Blue Skies (as Blue Skyes) 2:34
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Trumpet – Henry Mason
Written-By – Berlin
22    Willie Lewis Presents–    My Blue Heaven (as Blue Heaven) 2:23
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Vocals – Florence Mason
Written-By – Whiting, Donaldson
23    Willie Lewis Presents–    Avalon 2:33
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Written-By – Johnson, Rose
24    Willie Lewis Presents–    You Can't Stop Me 2:20
Double Bass [String Bass] – June Cole
Drums – Tommy Benford
Guitar – Peter Angst
Piano – Alfred Siegrist
Written-By – Unknown Artist