TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935-1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 854 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This second volume in the Tommy Dorsey chronology contains nine performances by Tommy Dorsey & His Clambake Seven, an ensemble that feels at times like the antidote to the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The Clambake Seven, you see, was more of a real jazz ensemble, while the big band often served mainly as a jazz-inflected vehicle for backing up pop vocalists. Edythe Wright was generally more energetic, substantial, and interesting than Dorsey's drawling drones Jack Leonard and Buddy Gately, both standard-issue crooners with about as much personal warmth as catsup and gelatin. Edythe Wright could spice up most any pop tune, and interjected lots of clever remarks in the manner of Fats Waller, Cab Calloway, or Louis Armstrong. Sounding at times merely like a white girl trying to be hip, she nevertheless interacted quite well with the soloists and helped to loosen up a potentially uptight atmosphere even when engaging in formulaic behavior such as carefully exclaiming "my, my!" at the end of a song. She was at her best during "The Music Goes 'Round and Around," which offers a rare opportunity to hear the rather squeaky speaking voice of Sterling Bose, a magnificent trumpeter who appeared steadily with Dorsey's large and small groups until he was more or less replaced by Max Kaminsky in March of 1936, which is when Dave Tough came aboard. Tommy Dorsey was adept at taking other peoples' musical ideas and turning them into lucrative hits. Case in point: "The Music Goes 'Round and Around" was composed by Mike Riley and Eddie Farley, who recorded it with their own orchestra only six weeks prior to the version heard here. Tommy Dorsey made the real money off of this cute little novelty tune. arwulf arwulf      Tracklist + Credits :

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 878 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Fans of legendary Chicago drummer Dave Tough will want to listen in on this third installment in the complete recordings of Tommy Dorsey presented in chronological order by Classics. Occurring between sentimental and novelty vocals by sugary Jack Leonard or snappy Edythe Wright, the Dorsey instrumentals of 1936 positively glow with a traditional jazz infusion worthy of Eddie Condon. Indeed, with Dave Tough, trumpeter Max Kaminsky, and tenor sax troubadour Bud Freeman in both the big band and the Clambake Seven, Dorsey was wise to record nice instrumental versions of "Ja-Da," "Royal Garden Blues," "That's a Plenty," "After You've Gone," "Maple Leaf Rag," and "Sleep," a sugary, soporific waltz from the 1920s that by 1936 was taking on new life as an upbeat jazz standard. Spunky Edythe Wright could sing just about anything, even material commonly associated with Shirley Temple. After cordially introducing Bud Freeman, she launches "At the Codfish Ball," a melody lifted directly from an earlier opus, Sam Coslow's "When Erastus Plays His Old Kazoo." As for "You've Gotta Eat Your Spinach, Baby," Wright sings the lyrics with gusto and the band cooks the tune to perfection. arwulf arwulf     Tracklist :

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 916 (1996) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The fourth installment in the Classics Tommy Dorsey chronology opens with the Dorsey Orchestra's last seven recordings of 1936. Fortified with trumpeter Max Kaminsky, tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman, guitarist Carmen Mastren, and master percussionist Dave Tough, this was a particularly fine band. Their instrumental rendition of Fats Waller's "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" is one of Dorsey's all-time greatest recorded achievements. At her best, Edythe Wright sang a bit like Lee Wiley, and therefore her voice might grow on you if you sit still for it. This is more than can be said for either Jack Leonard or the goofy trio billed as the Three Esquires. Beginning on January 7, 1937, Dorsey hit the jackpot when he hired trumpeter Bunny Berigan, a man who had spent most of the first half of the 1930s backing up pop vocalists like Chick Bullock. The pleasant instrumentals on this disc all went over well with the record-buying public. Will Hudson's "Mr. Ghost Goes to Town" and something called "Who'll Buy My Violets?" are catchy tunes that benefit from the absence of vocalists. "Melody in F" receives a bouncy treatment that would certainly have startled its composer, Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Song of India" was a smash hit for Dorsey, who was now commercially clambering to the top of the heap. Yet his really big hit of 1937 was gleaned not from classical Russian composers but was filched from musicians of color in Philadelphia. Dorsey's famous version of Irving Berlin's "Marie" was based on a group vocal arrangement that originated in the mind of a banjoist, guitarist, vocalist, and arranger by the name of Steve Washington, a remarkable individual who had risen to prominence in the jazz world as a member of the Washboard Rhythm Kings. Washington died of pneumonia in January 1936. A few months later his arrangement of "Marie" was being performed at Nixon's Grand Theater in Philadelphia by the Sunset Royal Serenaders, an Afro-American jazz orchestra led at that time by trombonist Doc Wheeler. Dorsey was in the audience one night. He memorized the routine and used it in January 1937 to make a record that ended up earning him enormous quantities of money. This sort of racially informed cultural larceny would soon occur again as Glenn Miller scored his all-time biggest cash money hit by swiping "In the Mood" from Edgar Hayes. arwulf arwulf      Tracklist + Credits :

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1156 (2000) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The tenth installment of the Classics Tommy Dorsey chronology presents a series of Victor recordings he made during midsummer and early autumn 1938 in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. Edythe Wright was Dorsey's primary vocalist from 1935 to 1939. While some of her recorded performances are pleasantly zippy and entertaining, she sometimes had to participate in Dorsey's tightly scripted mechanical cornball routines, rhythmically chanting rhymed verse in an atmosphere almost entirely devoid of spontaneity, not to mention dignity. The stupidest, most painfully contrived Clambake Seven recording of all was "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," and Wright's duets with Skeets Herfurt are almost as obnoxious. Instrumental tracks therefore take on a comparative aspect of richly rewarding artistic merit. A high-stepping rendition of "Panama" by William H. Tyers, Hoagy Carmichael's wistful "Washboard Blues," the catchy "Copenhagen," and the soon to be famous "Boogie Woogie" were each arranged by tenor saxophonist Deane Kincaide. Other rewarding instrumentals heard here are "Carolina Moon," a bouncing oddity with eccentric modulations and a dash of boogie flavoring called "Lightly and Politely," Benny Carter's "Symphony in Riffs," and "Chinatown, My Chinatown," expertly swung by the Clambake Seven, a tight little group that sounds for all the world like a contingent from the Eddie Condon mob as they tear through a sizzling salute to "The Sheik of Araby." arwulf arwulf     Tracklist :

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1197 (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

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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  
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EDDIE CONDON – 1938-1940 | The Chronogical Classics – 759 (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Here is a particularly tasty portion of old-fashioned Chicago-style jazz, calmly dished out by some of Condon's very best bands. "Jackson Teagarden and his trombone" deliver the nicest portrait of "Diane" ever painted. "Serenade to a Shylock" slowly ambles through Mr. T's vocal and suddenly kicks up into a stomp, sharpened at the edges by Pee Wee Russell's gloriously filthy clarinet. Bud Freeman glides effortlessly into "Sunday" and "California." Bud's relaxing influence bathes the entire band in rosy light even during upbeat finales. On August 11, 1939, Davey Tough actually made it into a recording studio. While George Wettling and Lionel Hampton had each served ably on the preceding tracks, it's invigorating to hear Mr. Tough driving the band the way he did. The same could be said for Joe Sullivan, with all due respect for Jess Stacy and Joe Bushkin. The chemistry on this little Decca date is really magical. "Friar's Point" gets low-down and dirty, a funky collective discourse on the human condition. Back with Commodore Records on November 30, 1939, Condon retained Max Kaminsky, Brad Gowans, and Pee Wee Russell for a real blowing session. While "Jelly Roll" bakes itself brown, during "Strut Miss Lizzie" the band sounds almost possessed. "It's Right Here for You" is just plain gorgeous. These really are among the best records Condon ever produced, and everybody ought to get a chance to hear them on a regular basis. On March 24, 1940, about 17 minutes' worth of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" was spread over four 12" 78-rpm platters, with 11 musicians taking turns ritualistically hammering out every possible angle of the song. While conventional criticism regards this as a bit too much of a good thing, seasoned jazz heads are surely capable of enjoying dramatically extended solos without undue concern for "normal" parameters. Rules and preconceptions are made to be broken and dispelled. With this precept in mind, the session of November 11, 1940, is particularly tasty. Invading the Commodore studios, popular Victor recording artist Thomas "Fats" Waller cheerfully broke his contract by making records with Condon's band under the pseudonym "Maurice," a name borrowed from one of his sons. This music is exquisite. The combination of Pee Wee and Fats should have occurred much more often than it ever did. Waller and Condon first made records together in 1929 -- in the very same studio, by the way: the wonderful Liederkranz Hall. This, then, was a sort of reunion, bittersweet in retrospect, as Fats died in December of 1943, making this Commodore jam the last time the two men would get to play music together in front of the same microphone. arwulf arwulf  
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EDDIE CONDON – 1942-1943 | The Chronogical Classics – 772 (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Commodore was the perfect label for small group swing, and a natural choice for Eddie Condon at a time when major labels were often more interested in maintaining cash flow by sticking with trendier categories of musical entertainment like big name vocalists or imitation hep cat stuff for teenagers. At Commodore, the fact that Joe Sullivan was playing piano actually meant something. Milt Gabler really believed in Max Kaminsky. Anyone curious about Maxie's trumpet style should study these recordings as well as the many sides he made with Art Hodes for Blue Note. Here in Commodore territory, Kaminsky mingles nicely with Pee Wee Russell and Brad Gowans. It would be nice to be able to hear where Condon's instincts would have taken him next, but a recording ban made a big hole in the chronology. Condon's next date as a leader was for Bob Thiele's very hip Signature label on November 20, 1943. Present at the piano was Fats Waller's idol James P. Johnson, who steered the band through a lazy rendition of Waller's "Squeeze Me." Having honored the 'Harlem stride piano' component, the band dove into "That's a Plenty" as if saluting their drummer who just happened to be Tony Spargo (nee Sbarbaro) of Original Dixieland Jazz Band fame. This disc is crawling with historical heroes. On December 2, 1943 trombonist Benny Morton sat in for a couple of hot numbers and two marvelous extended sides: "Basin Street Blues" emerged as a languid meditation, while the ancient "Oh, Katherina!" received its hottest interpretation since Sam Wooding & His Chocolate Dandies performed it for the citizens of Berlin back in 1925. What makes this 1943 version kick is the drumming of Big Sid Catlett. The remaining sides from December 1943 are nothing less than charming. Some of these titles first appeared during the early 1920s, which is actually good incentive for historical research if you're into that sort of thing. The other strategy is simply to enjoy the old melodies as played by these wonderfully integrated ensembles. Even just grooving on Pee Wee Russell's individuality -- his eccentricity -- that might be as far as anybody needs to go with these fine old recordings. Maybe just listen to the music for Pee Wee's sake. Listen to that clarinet. Maybe that'll fix you right up. arwulf arwulf  
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EDDIE CONDON – 1947-1950 | The Chronogical Classics – 1177 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Eddie was one hard-boiled character. Dour, opinionated, set in his ways, and frankly suspicious of anything that deviated too wildly from the music he knew and loved. Critics and journalists invented a stylistic war between the 'Be Boppers' and the 'Moldy Figs', as progressive innovators and traditional jazz-heads were respectively dubbed. Condon was the archetypal Fig, deeply devoted to old-fashioned ideas of what music was supposed to sound like: melodies you could whistle and rhythms anybody could dance to. We Called It Music is the name of Eddie's excellent, hilarious, insightful, poetic, informative autobiography. It's also the title of a rather burlesque tune recorded in August 1947 by one of Condon's fine traditional jazz bands. While the book contains wonderful eyewitness accounts of hanging out with Bix Beiderbecke and Fats Waller, the song makes fun of musical categories, sneers briefly at "...something called Bleep Bloop," then demonstrates the individual and collective strengths of an authentic Chicago-style jazz band. What makes it work is Jack Teagarden, who could sing anything and make it good. His Texas drawl during the opening 'court room' dialogue might sound like Amos & Andy to those who are not accustomed to hearing this big exaggerated southern fellow acting the clown. Teagarden's other vocals are lovely; who else could sing so convincingly of tulips or sheltering palms? Ruby Braff once referred to 'The Adoration of the Melody'. That's where all of this music is at: each song is cherished and passed around the room. Eddie Condon's NBC Television Orchestra made two recordings for Atlantic in 1949. "Seems Like Old Times" is as beautiful as being alive. "Time Carries On," composed by Condon and arranged by Dick Cary, has a bit of the modernized Benny Goodman about it, particularly during those passages where Peanuts Hucko rides the current. Ralph Sutton is brought in for a couple of whole grain ragtime episodes. If the Dixieland revival wasn't full-blown yet, these records certainly must have helped to jack it up in a hurry. Cherry pie vocalist Jimmy Atkins should have gone on to work for Lawrence Welk after horning in over three otherwise perfectly good Dixieland tunes. Johnny Mercer's golly-gee lyrics to "At the Jazz Band Ball" might make you yearn to compose your own marginally obscene libretto. While we're on that subject: "Jazz Me Blues", which has been called the first X-rated song title to appear on a record (the Wolverines' version of 1924), didn't need lyrics anyway. Moreover: Peggy Ann Ellis sounds like one of them peroxide, lipstick and powder big band vocalists. What a relief when "Yellow Dog Blues" signals a blessed return to instrumental stomps. The band really pounds on it, with Gene Schroeder leading the way. Ralph Sutton assists in the execution of two wonderful relics: "Raggin' the Scale" and James Scott's aptly named "Grace and Beauty Rag." Then Cutty Cutshall takes the trombone out of his mouth and sings "Everybody Loves My Baby." Of course Cutty was no Teagarden but he's easier to take than 'powder and pie' were. And the band swings the hell out of the tune, which is what really matters. arwulf arwulf  
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MEZZ MEZZROW – 1928-1936 | The Chronogical Classics – 713 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Mezz Mezzrow was never that strong a player. His technique was weak and although he played with enthusiasm and was decent on the blues, he fumbled a lot. However, Mezz did appear on a lot of significant recordings through the years, and some are on this Classics CD. Playing tenor, Mezzrow is heard in 1928 with the Chicago Rhythm Kings, the Jungle Kings (the same group under a different name), Frank Teschemacher's Chicagoans, and the Louisiana Rhythm Kings. Those six titles by overlapping bands feature such major players early in their careers as cornetist Muggsy Spanier, clarinetist Frank Teschemacher, pianist Joe Sullivan, Eddie Condon (on banjo), and drummer Gene Krupa; Red McKenzie takes a vocal on "There'll Be Some Changes Made." Also on this CD are eight swing-oriented numbers from 1933-1934 by a big band headed by Mezzrow and including such top musicians as trumpeter Max Kaminsky, trombonist Floyd O'Brien, altoist Benny Carter, Bud Freeman on tenor, and either Teddy Wilson or Willie "The Lion" Smith on piano. Despite the inclusion of such titles as "Free Love" and "Dissonance," the music is essentially no-nonsense swing. This CD is rounded off by four selections from Art Karle and His Boys (mainly showcases for the dated vocals of Chick Bullock, although trumpeter Frankie Newton is in the backup band) and two songs from Mezz's first 1936 session as a leader. The excellent and often essential music is obviously of greatest interest for the contributions of the many all-stars. Scott Yanow  
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WILLIE "THE LION" SMITH – 1944-1949 | The Chronogical Classics – 1229 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Willie "The Lion" Smith had a career that was somewhat sporadically documented in phonograph records. Living almost until the age of 80, he waxed a fair number of piano solos over many decades and sat in from time to time here and there, but only occasionally led his own bands. The solos greatly outnumber his ensemble recordings, and so it is always interesting to hear this pianist operating as part of a group. On September 29, 1944, a sextet calling itself the Lion's Band cut four sides for the small-time Black & White label in New York. Trumpeter Max Kaminsky, clarinetist Rod Cless, and trombonist Frank Orchard made for a strong front line, perfect for Kid Ory's "Muskrat Ramble" and "Bugle Call Rag." Smith sang on his own sentimental composition, "How Could You Put Me Down." Sounding a bit plaintive but not unpleasant, he was already ripening into the old man who would be heard singing and playing for the patrons of Blues Alley on two albums brought out by the Chiaroscuro label many years later. The odd tune here is "Let's Mop It," a somewhat forced bit of hipness based on the famous lick from Dizzy Gillespie's "Salt Peanuts." With the exception of "Woodland Fantasy," a pleasant piano solo left over from a Moses Asch recording project, the rest of the material on this disc was recorded in Paris during December of 1949. There are 14 piano solos covering a good sampling of Smith's catalog of original compositions, along with a few standards and a pair of shouts by his old companion James P. Johnson: "Charleston" and "Carolina Shout." Smith's reflective blue reverie "I'm Gonna Ride the Rest of the Way" is particularly satisfying. As a sort of epilogue, listeners are treated to a session featuring the magnificent trumpet of Buck Clayton in the company of a rather reedy-sounding Claude Luter, who does his best to emulate his hero, Sidney Bechet. This little band's version of "Nagasaki" is especially delightful, as Willie strides up and down the piano while chuckling, grumbling, and shouting with joy. arwulf arwulf  
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SIDNEY BECHET – 1945-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 954 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Many uptight critics and jazz historians who analyze Sidney Bechet's Blue Note recordings seem unable to avoid the annoying habit of informed nitpicking. The music deserves a more humble assessment, whereby the ego of the beholder withdraws, allowing breathing space for the true nature of jazz and collective creativity. The recordings made on January 29, 1945, for example, are exceptionally satisfying for anyone who is able to absorb the sound of informal New Orleans polyphony. Max Kaminsky, George Lugg, and Bechet form a strong front line, roundly supported by Art Hodes, Pops Foster, and Freddie Moore, who sings Papa Charlie Jackson's gruff opus "Salty Dog." Kaminsky growls into a mute during Mel Stitzel's definitive slow drag "Jackass Blues," and Artie Matthews' "Weary Blues" rolls at a brisk trot. "High Society" is a wonderful celebration for those who are able to relax and enjoy a good old-fashioned street parade. The next date, involving Bunk Johnson, has attracted quite a bit of contentious commentary. Yet Johnson of all people should not be evaluated using standards usually applied to musicians of other generations or social backgrounds. Here Bechet used only the clarinet, deferring to Johnson, who frankly disliked the soprano saxophone. Jelly Roll Morton's "Milenberg Joys" is a handsome opener, and "Days Beyond Recall" a thoughtful blues. Trombonist Sandy Williams occupies the spotlight during the other slow drag, "Up in Sidney's Flat." In keeping with the diversity of this variegated tradition, the band also delivered up an old-time spiritual and "Porto Rico," a rhumba/stomp that languished in obscurity for 40 years, probably because it didn't fit into someone's preconceived notion of what a traditional jazz band was supposed to sound like. Bechet's next pairing was with clarinet wizard Albert Nicholas. "Quincy Street Stomp" is a spirited strut, and "Old Stack O'Lee" a venerable blues fresh up from the marinade. "Bechet's Fantasy" is full of reflections exquisitely expressed, as if strolling through the Garden District naming each flower and shrub. "Weary Way Blues" was composed and recorded by Lovie Austin and Ida Cox in 1923. Bechet and Nicholas handle the relic gently, almost affectionately. This segment of the Sidney Bechet chronology closes with six sides recorded for the Disc label in May of 1946. Here Bechet is part of a six-piece band, accompanying vocalist Stella Brooks, who at her best sounded as good as Lee Wiley. "St. Louis Blues" is nice and tough, while the sexy "I'm a Little Piece of Leather" feels almost like a backroom burlesque. arwulf arwulf  
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JOE MARSALA – 1936-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 763 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

All 21 of clarinetist Joe Marsala's early recordings as a leader are on this enjoyable CD. An excellent swing clarinetist who was flexible enough to play hot on Dixieland records, Marsala's six sessions reflect his versatile musical tastes. Among his more celebrated sidemen on these formerly rare selections are trumpeters Marty Marsala (his brother), Pee Wee Erwin, Bill Coleman, and Max Kaminsky, trombonist George Brunies, altoist Pete Brown, violinist Ray Biondi, drummers Buddy Rich and Shelly Manne (both making their recording debuts), and several fine rhythm sections. Marsala's wife, Adele Girard, the first great jazz harpist, is notably added on 11 of the numbers. Her hot harp playing on "Bull's Eye" and "I Know That You Know" steals the show. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1928-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 671 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Welcome to a dizzying tour of one man's adventures in the recording studios of New York over the span of ten very eventful years. This segment of the James P. Johnson chronology begins with the "Daylight Savin' Blues," a magnificent instrumental recorded in October of 1928. The Gulf Coast Seven were essentially an Ellington quintet with Perry Bradford and James P. Johnson. The most stunning component here is the soprano saxophone of Johnny Hodges, who had come up under the direct influence of Sidney Bechet. Perry Bradford does his share of singing, sounding particularly mellifluous in duet with Gus Horsley on "Put Your Mind Right on It." The key phrase in that song is the immortal refrain: "let's misbehave." There is something about these 1929 ensembles that tickles the brain. Two sides recorded for Victor on November 18 bear a strange resemblance to recordings made under the heading of Fats Waller & His Buddies nearly two months earlier, on September 24. For vocalists, Waller used three reed players and the banjoist from his band to form a sort of barbershop quartet, billed as the Four Wanderers. Johnson's orchestra featured King Oliver, had Waller sitting in with James P. at the piano, and crackled with frantic vocals by an unidentified group calling themselves the Keep Shufflin' Trio. Both singing groups are fairly outrageous and corny to almost bizarre extremes. The word "Modernistic" had exciting connotations in 1929, as culture and technology raced headlong into the unknown. Both the solo piano rendition and the almost ridiculous vocal version convey some measure of that excitement. This collection contains no less than six outstanding piano solos, including the first recording ever made by anyone of Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?." Recycling a discarded melody from the Clarence Williams publishing catalog, "How Could I Be Blue?" is a priceless vaudevillian piano duet with comical cuckold dialogue between JPJ and Clarence Williams himself. While this precious recording has recently found its way on to various James P. Johnson reissues, seldom has the flip side been heard. "I've Found a New Baby" focuses upon Clarence's indigestion. James appears to have a half-pint of liquor in his hip pocket but after administering the "cure" he informs Clarence that he's been given a shot of foot medicine! This disc includes three vocals by Fats Waller's lyricist Andy Razaf, and then concludes with five smoky sides from 1938 under the banner of Pee Wee Russell's Rhythmakers. Convening on behalf of the Hot Record Society, this magnificent ensemble had elements of Eddie Condon, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, which is to say Chicago, New York and Kansas City. You'd also need to include New Orleans in the schematic, as Wellman Braud and Zutty Singleton represented everything that was strongest and best about the Crescent City. "Horn of Plenty Blues" is a majestic slow drag with vocal by the drummer. "There'll Be Some Changes Made" received such an in-depth treatment that it was recorded in two parts, allowing extra solo space for the more expressive members. Pee Wee's group swings like the dickens, finishing off this amazing retrospective with crowing vigor and collective enthusiasm. arwulf arwulf
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1944, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 856 (1995) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This installment in the James P. Johnson chronology includes no less than eight sides featuring the clarinet of Rod Cless, who didn't live long enough to make very many recordings. The first four selections are played by Max Kaminsky & His Jazz Band, a staunch Eddie Condon group recording for Commodore Records in June of 1944. Their music is warmly reassuring. Next comes a series of gorgeous piano solos, each one precious and iridescent as lapis lazuli. In the months that followed the sudden death of his close friend and protégé Fats Waller, Johnson created a series of interpretations of songs written by Waller ("Squeeze Me") or forever linked with him ("I'm Gonna Sit Right Down"). Johnson also set down on record a marvelous catalog of his own compositions, eight of which appear on this disc. Some of these melodies date back to before the 1920s, like "Carolina Shout," which was published in 1914. The Rod Cless Quartet, a combination of Cless and Johnson with a gifted trumpeter named Sterling Bose and bassist Pops Foster, made four records that rank among the best that any of these guys ever made it onto. Bose needs his own retrospective! Hardly anybody knows anything about him. Cless was a woodwind ace who showed great promise, and would have enjoyed some measure of success during the continuation of what became known as the Dixieland revival. What a pity he fell off a balcony and never woke up. James P. Johnson, who had only three partial years of creative activity ahead of him, sounds exceptionally fine throughout this collection of essential Harlem jazz. arwulf arwulf
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ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1206 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the summer of 1941, Artie Shaw organized yet another big band, his fourth in five years. This particular ensemble was one of his most fun groups, featuring trumpeter/singer Hot Lips Page, trombonist Jack Jenney, tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld, pianist Johnny Guarnieri, drummer Dave Tough, and a full string section with some arrangements by trombonist Ray Conniff. All but the last six recordings of this big band are on this CD, including "Blues in the Night," the adventurous "Nocturne," "Take Your Shoes off, Baby," "Just Kiddin' Around," "Dusk," and the two-part "St. James Infirmary." The music alternates between swing, Hot Lips Page features, and classical-oriented works, succeeding on all levels. But shortly after Pearl Harbor, Artie Shaw called it quits again, enlisting in the navy. Scott Yanow
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ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1242 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lenny Bruce was a devoted fan of the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five. He also went out of his way to make fun of Georgia Gibbs, the vocalist on Artie Shaw's January 20, 1942 recording of "Absent-Minded Moon." Lenny was playing up his preference for the hipper side of Shaw, as demonstrated on "Hindustan" and every track recorded at the session which took place the following day. These remarkable sides, which sound better every time they are played back, were the last studio recordings Shaw would make before joining the navy. Composer and arranger Paul Jordan crafted a number of transitionally modern-sounding charts for this band. There are several heavies in the lineup: Dave Tough and Johnny Guarnieri worked well together under any circumstances. Georgie Auld, Ray Conniff and Max Kaminsky were fortunate to be blowing their horns alongside Hot Lips Page, a seasoned trumpeter who conveyed the lyrical potency of ten ordinary musicians. The string section provides just the right amount of lilt without injecting too much fluff. There is a gorgeous rendition of "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," with Shaw's clarinet in full blue cry and a gutsy vocal by Page. The Shaw discography, interrupted by a world war, resumes nearly three years later with Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's famous "Accentuate the Positive." Vocalist Imogene Lynn, dutifully intoning Mercer's imitation Afro-American revival lyrics, sounds a bit affected after the soulful gravity of Hot Lips Page. But it is important to place this popular hit record within historical context. By November of 1944 America needed a straight shot of optimism, and this catchy, morale-boosting number did more for the war against fascism than any number of giddy or poker-faced exercises in rhetorical patriotism. This is Artie Shaw & His Orchestra at their finest. Roy Eldridge gave the band extra punch, and the records he made with Shaw are uniformly solid, melodious and attractive. Billie Holiday, who had worked with Shaw in 1938, is invoked in Jimmy Mundy's "Lady Day." Poetically, its chord progressions seem to reference Billie's difficult life and maybe even the abusive racism she encountered while touring with Shaw at a time when black women simply did not appear with white bands. Buster Harding's "Little Jazz" is the definitive portrait of Eldridge. "Summertime" is exceptionally fine, with magical tonalities provided by Dodo Marmarosa and Barney Kessel. This special chemistry is all the more evident on two sides by the Gramercy Five. Certainly one of the best Artie Shaw reissues, and well-worth seeking out. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

JACK TEAGARDEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1944-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1032 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Minute by minute and track for track, this disc contains an invigoratingly high concentration of Jack Teagarden's best music. Nearly half of the performances are instrumental and, with the exception of a pretty torch song sung by Christine Martin and a gruffly cheerful duet with Wingy Manone, the primary vocalist is Big Tea. After three marvelous V-Discs, including a six-minute version of "If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)," a Commodore session erupts with a smokin' run through "Chinatown, My Chinatown" and a deeply steeped "Big T Blues," introduced by Jack's sister Norma Teagarden at the piano. While singing his homespun lyrics to this bluesy slow drag, Jack introduces Norma by name, then pays tribute to trumpeter Max Kaminsky. Norma proves that she was an exceptionally fine stride pianist as she sets up "Pitchin' a Bit Short" and Detroiter Bob Zurke's lively theme song, "Hobson Street Blues," which sounds a bit like a Broadway show tune. Back in Chicago on April 11, 1946, Mr. T's orchestra waxed half a dozen sides for the Teagarden Presents record label. Bobby Fischer delivers some Gene Krupa-styled drumming during the quirky "Martian Madness," the band smokes the tar out of "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," and there is a grandiose rendition -- minus Rudyard Kipling's lyrics -- of "On the Road to Mandalay." On the first day of March 1947, Teagarden created one of his all-time greatest vocal and trombone ballad testimonials in the form of an intoxicating version of "Body and Soul." This precious live V-Disc recording begins with a spoken introduction by Bob Bach of Metronome magazine. Nine days later, master percussionist Davey Tough provided propulsive persuasion for Jack Teagarden's Big Eight, an ensemble including Max Kaminsky, clarinetist Peanuts Hucko, butter-toned tenor saxman Cliff Strickland, and one of Eddie Condon's most trusted pianists, Gene Schroeder. After a couple of expertly rendered blues, a tasty stomp with modern overtones simply called "Jam Session at Victor" sails in like a steam locomotive. As a surprise for dessert, the producers of this series have tacked on a pair of leftover big-band sides dating from November of 1939, issued in 1947 on V-Disc. This provides an example of how Dave Tough sounded as part of Teagarden's 16-piece big band. Their two-minute version of Jelly Roll Morton's "Wolverine Blues" is the perfect coda for this solidly satisfying album of rare and exciting traditional jazz. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist
1    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Beale Street Blues     3:53
2    Jack Teagarden And Band–    I Swung The Election     2:13
3    Jack Teagarden And The V-Disc All Stars–    If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight     5:50
4    Jack Teagarden And His Swingin' Gates–    Chinatown My Chinatown     2:49
5    Jack Teagarden And His Swingin' Gates–    Big "T" Blues     3:13
6    Jack Teagarden And His Swingin' Gates–    Rockin' Chair     4:09
7    Jack Teagarden And His Swingin' Gates–    Pitchin' A Bit Short     4:09
8    Jack Teagarden And Band–    Hobson Street Blues     1:58
9    Jack Teagarden And His Dixieland Jazz Orchestra–    Muskrat Ramble    2:56
10    Jack Teagarden And His Dixieland Jazz Orchestra–    Way Down Yonder In New Orleans     2:57
11    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Basin Street Blues     3:06
12    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Martian Madness     2:38
13    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    On The Road To Mandalay     2:33
14    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Sabino You For Me     2:55
15    Jack Teagarden And His Trombone–    Body And Soul     4:19
16    Jack Teagarden's Big Eight–    St. Louis Blues     3:05
17    Jack Teagarden's Big Eight–    Blues After Hours     3:15
18    Jack Teagarden's Big Eight–    Jam Session At Victor     3:14
19    Jack Teagarden's Big Eight–    Say It Simple     3:11
20    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    On Revival Day     1:40
21    Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra–    Wolverine Blues     2:06
All Credits : 

BUD FREEMAN – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 811 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second Bud Freeman Classics CD has all of the studio sessions (the master takes, but not the alternates) by Freeman's short-lived all-star Summa Cum Laude Orchestra. The Dixieland octet sounds very much like a well-organized Eddie Condon band, and the rhythm guitarist is among the personnel. Teaming up with Freeman (one of the first early tenormen to form a distinctive sound of his own) are such notable players as trumpeter Max Kaminsky, valve trombonist Brad Gowans, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, pianist Dave Bowman and a rhythm section; the final set has the great trombonist Jack Teagarden (who takes a notable vocal on "Jack Hits the Road") in Gowans' place. The music, which includes eight titles originally recorded by Bix Beiderbecke's Wolverines, has more than its share of high points, and this CD is highly recommended to Dixieland fans. All of the musicians (many of whom would be performing a similar repertoire for the next few decades) sound fresh, enthusiastic, young and at the peak of their powers. Scott Yanow
Tracklist  :
1 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra I've Found A New Baby 2:38
Bass [String Bass] – Clyde Newcomb
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Danny Alvin
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
2 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Easy To Get 2:42
Bass [String Bass] – Clyde Newcomb
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Danny Alvin
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
3 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra China Boy 2:36
Bass [String Bass] – Clyde Newcomb
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Danny Alvin
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
4 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra The Eel  2:40
Bass [String Bass] – Clyde Newcomb
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Danny Alvin
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
5 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra As Long As I Live  2:28
Bass [String Bass] – Clyde Newcomb
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Al Sidell
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
6 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra The Sail Fish  2:33
Bass [String Bass] – Clyde Newcomb
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Al Sidell
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
7 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Sunday 2:59
Bass [String Bass] – Clyde Newcomb
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Al Sidell
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
8 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Satanic Blues 3:13
Bass [String Bass] – Clyde Newcomb
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Al Sidell
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
9 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Oh! Baby 2:56
Bass [String Bass] – Pete Peterson
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Morey Feld
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
10 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra I Need Some Pettin' 2:38
Bass [String Bass] – Pete Peterson
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Morey Feld
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
11 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Susie  2:58
Bass [String Bass] – Pete Peterson
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Morey Feld
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
12 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Big Boy  2:43
Bass [String Bass] – Pete Peterson
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Morey Feld
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone, Directed By – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
13 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Sensation  2:48
Bass [String Bass] – Pete Peterson
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Morey Feld
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
14 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Fidgety Feet  2:50
Bass [String Bass] – Pete Peterson
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Morey Feld
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
15 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Tia Juana  2:38
Bass [String Bass] – Pete Peterson
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Morey Feld
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
16 –Bud Freeman And His Summa Cum Laude Orchestra Copenhagen  2:44
Bass [String Bass] – Pete Peterson
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Morey Feld
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
Valve Trombone – Brad Gowans
17 –Bud Freeman And His Famous Chicagoans Jack Hits The Road  2:59
Bass [String Bass] – Mort Stuhlmaker
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Dave Tough
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trombone, Vocals – Jack Teagarden
18 –Bud Freeman And His Famous Chicagoans Forty  Seven And State 2:53
Bass [String Bass] – Mort Stuhlmaker
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Dave Tough
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trombone – Jack Teagarden
19 –Bud Freeman And His Famous Chicagoans   Muskrat Ramble 2:50
Bass [String Bass] – Mort Stuhlmaker
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Dave Tough
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trombone – Jack Teagarden
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
20 –Bud Freeman And His Famous Chicagoans   That Da-Da Strain 2:39
Bass [String Bass] – Mort Stuhlmaker
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Dave Tough
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trombone – Jack Teagarden
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
21 –Bud Freeman And His Famous Chicagoans   Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble  2:53
Bass [String Bass] – Mort Stuhlmaker
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Dave Tough
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trombone – Jack Teagarden
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
22 –Bud Freeman And His Famous Chicagoans   At The Jazz Band Ball 2:50
Bass [String Bass] – Mort Stuhlmaker
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Dave Tough
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trombone – Jack Teagarden
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
23 –Bud Freeman And His Famous Chicagoans   After Awhile  3:01
Bass [String Bass] – Mort Stuhlmaker
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Dave Tough
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trombone – Jack Teagarden
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky
24 –Bud Freeman And His Famous Chicagoans   Prince Of Wails  2:28
Bass [String Bass] – Mort Stuhlmaker
Clarinet – Pee Wee Russell
Drums – Dave Tough
Guitar – Eddie Condon
Piano – Dave Bowman
Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman
Trombone – Jack Teagarden
Trumpet – Max Kaminsky

BENNY CARTER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1933-1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 530 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second volume of the complete early Benny Carter from the European Classics label features Carter on alto, trumpet, clarinet and as arranger (in addition to contributing a bit of piano and even a vocal) on three numbers with Spike Hughes's all-star orchestra, as part of the 1933 edition of The Chocolate Dandies (an interracial outfit put together by Mezz Mezzrow) and with his own big band in 1933-34 and in England two years later. Highlights include "Symphony in Riffs," "Blue Lou" and "Everybody Shuffle." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Firebird 3:18
Spike Hughes    
2     Music at Sunrise 3:05
Spike Hughes    
3     How Come You Do Me Like You Do? 3:05
Gene Austin / Roy Bergere    
4     Blue Interlude 3:26
Benny Carter    
5     I Never Knew 3:05
Gus Kahn / Ted Fio Rito    
6     Once Upon a Time 3:26
Benny Carter    
7     Krazy Kapers 3:29
Benny Carter    
8     Devil's Holiday 3:08
Benny Carter    
9     Lonesome Nights 3:35
Benny Carter / Irving Mills    
10     Symphony in Riffs 3:05
Benny Carter / Irving Mills    
11     Blue Lou 3:09
Irving Mills / Edgar Sampson    
12     Shoot the Works 2:58
Benny Carter / Irving Mills    
13     Dream Lullaby 3:10
Benny Carter / Irving Mills    
14     Everybody Shuffle 3:04
Benny Carter    
15     Synthetic Love  2:51         
Benny Carter / Irving Mills / Ned Washington    
16     Swingin' at Maida Vale 2:48
Benny Carter    
17     Nightfall 3:12
Benny Carter    
18     Big Ben Blues 3:01
Benny Carter    
19     These Foolish Things 3:05
Harry Link / Holt Marvell / Eric Maschwitz / Jack Strachey    
20     When Day Is Done 2:58
Buddy DeSylva / Robert Katscher    
21     I've Got Two Lips 3:00
Leonard Feather    
22     Just a Mood 3:32
Benny Carter    
23     Swingin' the Blues 3:04
Benny Carter
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Ben Smith (pistas: 12 to 15), E. O. Pogson (pistas: 16 to 19), Glyn Paque (pistas: 8 to 11), Russell Procope (pistas: 12 to 15)
Arranged By, Directed By – Spike Hughes (pistas: 1 to 3)
Bass – Al Burke (pistas: 16 to 19), Elmer James (pistas: 12 to 15), Ernest Hill (pistas: 1, 2, 4 to 11)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Andy McDevitt (pistas: 16 to 23), Benny Carter, Howard Johnson (6) (pistas: 1, 2)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Flute – Wayman Carver (pistas: 1 to 3, 8 to 11)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins (pistas: 1 to 3)
Directed By – Benny Carter (pistas: 8 to 25)
Drums – Mezz Mezzrow (pistas: 7), Ronnie Gubertini (pistas: 16 to 23), Sid Catlett* (pistas: 1 to 6, 8 to 11), Walter Johnson (pistas: 12 to 15)
Guitar – Clarence Holiday (pistas: 12 to 15), George Elliott (pistas: 16 to 23), Lawrence Lucie (pistas: 1 to 11)
Piano – Pat Dodd (pistas: 16 to 23), Red Rodriguez (pistas: 1 to 3), Teddy Wilson (pistas: 4 to 15)
Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster (pistas: 12 to 15), Buddy FeatherStonaugh (pistas: 16 to 23), Johnny Russell (pistas: 8 to 11), Chu Berry (pistas: 1 to 7)
Trombone – Benny Morton (pistas: 12 to 15), Bill Mulraney (pistas: 16 to 19), Dicky Wells (pistas: 1 to 3), Floyd O'Brien (pistas: 4 to 7), Fred Robinson (pistas: 8 to 11), George Washington (pistas: 1, 2), J.C. Higginbotham (pistas: 8 to 11), Keg Johnson (pistas: 8 to 15), Ted Heath (pistas: 16 to 19), Wilbur De Paris (pistas: 1, 2)
Trumpet – Benny Carter (pistas: 4 to 7, 19, 20, 23), Bill Dillard (pistas: 8 to 11), Duncan Whyte (pistas: 16 to 23), Eddy Mallory (pistas: 8 to 11), Henry Allen (pistas: 1 to 3), Howard Scott (2) (pistas: 1, 2), Irving Randolph (pistas: 12 to 15), Leonard Davis (pistas: 1, 2), Max Goldberg (pistas: 16 to 19), Max Kaminsky (pistas: 4 to 7), Otis Johnson (pistas: 12 to 15), Dick Clark (pistas: 8 to 11), Russell Smith (pistas: 12 to 15), Tommy McQuater (pistas: 16 to 23)