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 :

MIDGE WILLIAMS AND HER JAZZ JESTERS – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 745 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist + Credits :

THE RED HEADS – 1925-1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1267 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Red Heads was a pseudonym for Red Nichols & His Five Pennies whenever their recordings were released on the Melotone, Oriole, or Perfect labels during the years 1925-1927. Following in the wake of EPM Musique's 25-track Complete edition of 1998, Jazz Oracle's 74-track, three-CD set of 2004 augmented the main body of their work with a surprisingly large number of sides by pop vocalists Jay C. Flippen and Cliff Edwards with sweet and jazzy accompaniments by the Red Heads. Edwards, also known as Ukulele Ike, eventually achieved international fame as the voice of Jiminy Cricket. This exhaustively thorough chronological survey also features vocals by Frank Gould and Arthur Fields. Having all of these charming period pop vocals in the package should be regarded as a confectionary bonus rather than a distracting disadvantage. The producers have placed the instrumentals in full context by including harmless pleasantries like "You Should See My Tootsie" and "I'm 'Gonna' Hang Around My Sugar," with the word "gonna" in quotes. Instrumentalists of note in the Red Heads discography are trumpeters Red Nichols and Wingy Manone; cornetist Brad Gowans, trombonist Miff Mole, reed players Jimmy Dorsey and Fud Livingston; pianists Arthur Schutt and Rube Bloom; guitarists Dick McDonough and Eddie Lang, and ace percussionist Vic Berton. This amazing anthology is not exclusively intended or recommended for historians, specialists, or recluses. It is a thrilling magnum dose of great historic jazz, dance, and pop recordings from smack in the middle of the '20s. No one should be put off by the quantity of tracks, the modest helping of alternate takes, or the marvelously old-fashioned nature of the music within. It is perhaps most important that it be heard by people who do not specialize in music and culture from this period. The Red Heads can and will speak to anyone. arwulf arwulf

Tracklist + Credits :

MUGGSY SPANIER – 1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 907 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Three high-powered Commodore sessions and a V-Disc blowout make this an exceptionally satisfying packet of Chicago-styled traditional jazz. Without a doubt, this music should be rated alongside Muggsy's all-time greatest recordings. Pee Wee Russell, gloriously soulful and inventive, is present throughout. Rock-solid trombonist Miff Mole made it onto two of the three Commodore dates. No matter how hard the band swung, nothing could shake the Mole. Saxophonists Ernie Caceres and Boomie Richmond were variously brought in to augment or replace the trombone. Muggsy demonstrates his full range of wails, growls, and muted shimmies. Some of these tunes run for more than four minutes, which in 1944 meant big beautiful 12" 78-rpm records. The overall mood is positive, spirited, and even optimistic. Caceres accomplished with his baritone what Adrian Rollini had achieved with a bass sax during the mid- to late '20s. A reed horn with a voice that deep has a way of nudging the whole band along with firm but friendly persuasion. Boomie sounded a lot like Bud Freeman, a good role model for a tenor sax operating within this kind of an ensemble. George Wettling pounds his drums with unusual fervor during "Sweet Sue," inciting a perfect riot of joyous jamming. Pee Wee's first chorus on "Memphis Blues" is so gritty and deep it's frightening! Every tune is rendered with passion. That's where all that satisfaction comes from. Comparing these sides with the highly revered 1939 "Ragtime Band" recordings, these seem just a bit more free and genuine, closer to what these guys must have sounded like in person. The V-Discs are each more than four minutes in duration. "Pee Wee Speaks" has Muggsy introducing the clarinetist as "our new vocalist." Russell grumbles the blues, referencing Muggsy's work ethic and tossing in references to butter and lard. As with every other existing example of Pee Wee Russell the Singer, our man sounds weirdly glib and a little bit sloshed. "Pat's Blues" begins with someone, apparently bassist Bob Haggart, whistling a full chorus of the blues through his teeth. It is a perfectly frowsy finale to this invigorating collection of hot records made by Muggsy Spanier at the height of his powers. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

RED NICHOLS – 1925-1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1212 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This anthology collects sides released between 1925 and 1927 by Red Nichols under the usual assortment of monikers, including, this time around, Lanin's Red Heads, the Hottentots, Red & Miff's Stompers, and Red Nichols & His 5 Pennies. These combos usually included longtime associates Miff Mole on trombone and Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet and alto sax. As a cornet player, Nichols often gets dismissed as a version of Bix Beiderbecke lite, an assessment that isn't exactly fair, and he tackles Beiderbecke's own "Davenport Blues" here in his own easy style, showing allegiance more than competition. Other highlights here include the stripped-down "Jimtown Blues" and the intricate "Boneyard Shuffle." Nichols tackled more innovative and complicated arrangements a couple of years down the road from these recordings, and while this might not be the place to start to sample Nichols' massive 1920s output (he is rumored to have appeared on over 4,000 recordings during that decade alone), it is nonetheless a warm, bright, and pleasant listen. Steve Leggett 
Tracklist :
1    Lanin's Red Heads–    Jimtown Blues    3:08
2    Lanin's Red Heads–    King Porter Stomp    3:08
3    Lanin's Red Heads–    I Wouldn't Be Where I Am If You Hadn't Gone Away    2:55
4    Lanin's Red Heads–    Flag That Train    3:05
5    Lanin's Red Heads–    I'm Gonna Hang Around My Sugar    3:21
6    Lanin's Red Heads–    Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue 3:11
Vocals – Art Gillham
7    The Hottentots–    Down And Out Blues    2:59
8    The Hottentots–    The Camel Walk    2:54
9    The Hottentots–    Pensacola    2:36
10    The Hottentots–    Nobody's Rose    2:49
11    The Hottentots–    Lots O'Mama    2:40
12    Red And Miff's Stompers–    Alabama Stomp    3:47
13    Red And Miff's Stompers–    Stampede    4:38
14    Red And Miff's Stompers–    Hurricane    4:28
15    Red And Miff's Stompers–    Black Bottom Stomp    3:50
16    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Washboard Blues    3:06
17    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    That's No Bargain    2:43
18    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Buddy's Habits    2:51
19    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Boneyard Shuffle    3:10
20    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Alabama Stomp    2:55
21    Red Nichols And His Five Pennies–    Hurricane    2:56
22    Red And Miff's Stompers–    Delirium    3:04
23    Red And Miff's Stompers–    Davenport Blues    3:02
Credits :
Banjo – Tony Colucci (tracks: 1 to 6, 9, 10, 22, 23), Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Bass – Joe Tarto (tracks: 1 to 6, 12 to 15)
Clarinet – Dick Johnson (tracks: 7 to 10), Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 12 to 23)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Alfie Evans (tracks: 1 to 6, 12 to 15), Clarence Heidke (tracks: 1 to 6)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – George Slater (tracks: 1 to 6)
Cornet – Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Directed By – Sam Lanin (tracks: 1 to 6)
Drums – Unknown Artist (tracks: 11), Vic Berton (tracks: 1 to 10, 12 to 23)
Guitar – Eddie Lang (tracks: 16 to 21)
Piano – Art Gillham (tracks: 5, 6), Arthur Schutt (tracks: 12 to 23), Bill Krenz (tracks: 1 to 4), Rube Bloom (tracks: 7 to 10), Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Saxophone [C-Melody] – Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Trombone – Miff Mole (tracks: 1 to 10, 12 to 15, 18 to 23), Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Trumpet – Hymie Farberman (tracks: 1 to 6), Red Nichols (tracks: 1 to 10, 12 to 23)
Violin – Unknown Artist (tracks: 5, 6)

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)

MIFF MOLE – 1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1269 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trombonist Miff Mole gained some fame in the 1920s for his many recordings with cornetist Red Nichols. At a time when many other trombonists had a much more percussive approach, Mole had an unusual style full of staccato runs, unpredictable interval jumps and impressive technique. Mole led a series of sessions during the 1927-30 period with his Molers, which overlapped personnel with Nichols' bands, utilizing some of the top white studio players of the era. This superior British LP contains all 12 numbers cut at the trombonist's sessions of 1927, plus four tunes on which the band backs the popular singer Sophie Tucker. With Nichols, either Jimmy Dorsey or Pee Wee Russell on clarinet, usually pianist Arthur Schutt, guitarist Dick McDonough and drummer Vic Berton being among the key sidemen (bass saxophonist Adrian Rollini is an asset on the final six numbers), the music is quite advanced for the time, particularly in its arrangements. Highlights include "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Hurricane," "Davenport Blues," Tucker's "After You've Gone," "Imagination" and "Original Dixieland One-Step." Scott Yanow  
Tracklist
1    The Arkansas Travellers–    Washboard Blues    2:42
2    The Arkansas Travellers–    That's No Bargain    2:52
3    The Arkansas Travellers–    Boneyard Shuffle    2:50
4    Miff Mole's Molers–    Alexander's Ragtime Band    2:47
5    Miff Mole's Molers–    Some Sweet Day    3:02
6    Miff Mole's Molers–    Hurricane    2:44
7    Miff Mole's Molers–    Davenport Blues    3:04
8    Miff Mole's Molers–    The Darktown Strutter's Ball    2:50
9    Miff Mole's Molers–    A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight    2:49
10    Sophie Tucker Acc. By Miff Mole's Molers–    After You've Gone    2:45
11    Sophie Tucker Acc. By Miff Mole's Molers–    I Ain't Got Nobody    2:25
12    Sophie Tucker Acc. By Miff Mole's Molers–    One Sweet Letter From You    2:38
13    Sophie Tucker Acc. By Miff Mole's Molers–    Fifty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong    2:45
14    The Arkansas Travellers–    Ja Da    3:04
15    The Arkansas Travellers–    Sensation    2:35
16    The Arkansas Travellers–    Stompin' Fool    3:03
17    Miff Mole's Molers–    Imagination    2:53
18    Miff Mole's Molers–    Feelin' No Pain    2:52
19    Miff Mole's Molers–    Original Dixieland One Step    2:47
20    Miff Mole's Molers–    My Gal Sal    3:05
21    Miff Mole's Molers–    Honolulu Blues    2:48
22    Miff Mole's Molers–    The New Twister    3:01
23    The Arkansas Travellers–    Birmingham Breakdown    2:44
24    The Arkansas Travellers–    Red Head Blues    2:37
25    The Arkansas Travellers–    I Ain't Got Nobody    2:41
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Fred Morrow (tracks: 1 to 3, 14 to 16, 23 to 25)
Banjo, Guitar – Dick McDonough (tracks: 4 to 9, 17 to 22)
Bass Saxophone – Adrian Rollini (tracks: 17 to 22)
Brass Bass – Joe Tarto (tracks: 7 to 13)
Clarinet – Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 16), Pee Wee Russell (tracks: 17 to 25)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Fud Livingston (tracks: 17 to 25)
Drums – Ray Bauduc (tracks: 7 to 9), Vic Berton (tracks: 1 to 6, 10 to 25)
Guitar – Eddie Lang (tracks: 10 to 13, 17 to 22)
Piano – Arthur Schutt (tracks: 1 to 9, 14 to 22), Rube Bloom (tracks: 23 to 25), Ted Shapiro (tracks: 10 to 13)
Trombone – Miff Mole
Trumpet – Red Nichols
Vocals – Sophie Tucker (tracks: 10 to 13)

MIFF MOLE – 1928-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1298 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Less jaunty than Kid Ory and not as funky as Charlie Irvis, Miff Mole's trombone had a sound all its own. His calm, assertive presence transformed any ensemble, and the bands he led were usually dependable and solid. If you're not yet a devoted follower, this excellent package might grab you for keeps. The opening session features an inspired Frank Teschemacher, who really shines on "Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble." The rest of the material from 1928 is delightful, sounding a lot like fully arranged small band swing from the mid-'30s. The piano lineup is marvelous throughout: Joe Sullivan, Arthur Schutt, and Frank Signorelli, composer of "I'll Never Be The Same" and "A Blues Serenade." Tuba legend Joe Tarto anchors three different ensembles and sounds particularly comfortable behind the trombone solos. Because they wisely chose not to feature any vocalists on the 1928-1929 sides, the magical interaction between instrumentalists proceeds without interruption. We get a good taste of Jimmy Dorsey's clarinet while Matt Malneck saws away on a hot violin. Dick McDonough's guitar solo on "Playing the Blues" is dazzling. Eddie Lang, however, plays hardly audible straight rhythm guitar on the April 19, 1929, session, restraining himself while the horns bubble and smoke out front. "That's a Plenty" is a prime example of how hot these guys could blow, and Dorsey is joined by tenor man Babe Russin for a wild version of "After You've Gone."
Those 14 hot sides are followed by a session from 1930. It's amazing how ensembles began to congeal and sweeten once the new decade (and the Great Depression) was on. Mole does some stuffy work with a mute and Scrappy Lambert's vocals are a bit fluffy, but the exciting presence of Adrian Rollini's bass saxophone is consoling, much as it was on the Venuti/Lang recordings from this same period. Luckily, we are given the option of skipping the vocal selections and choosing instrumental alternates, which were originally issued on Odeon instead of Okeh. These are as worthy as any of the other instrumental numbers included here.
The material from 1937 is thicker and more heavily arranged, with vocals by Midge Williams, who could be charming, and Chick Bullock, who wasn't. This is an entirely different world from the earlier sides. The presence of Glenn Miller constitutes a manifestation of mainstream big band music ready at that point to seize the market. Mole sounds great once Bullock runs out of lyrics, and even six marginally appealing vocal episodes cannot detract from the simple majesty of this chronologically stacked retrospective. Mole deserves to be remembered and Classics is to be commended for having the gumption to issue his music in this manner. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Miff Mole's Molers–    One Step To Heaven    2:58
2    Miff Mole's Molers–    Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble    3:00
3    Miff Mole's Molers–    Crazy Rhythm     2:58
4    Miff Mole's Molers–    You Took Advantage Of Me    3:16
5    Miff Mole's Molers–    You're The Cream In My Coffee    2:56
6    Miff Mole's Molers–    Wild Oat Joe    2:58
7    New Orleans Black Birds–    Red Head    3:01
8    New Orleans Black Birds–    Playing The Blues    2:37
9    Miff Mole's Molers–    I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling    2:54
10    Miff Mole's Molers–    That's A Plenty    2:46
11    Miff Mole's Molers–    Birmingham Bertha    3:10
12    Miff Mole's Molers–    Moanin' Low    3:15
13    Miff Mole's Molers–    You Made Me Love You    2:58
14    Miff Mole's Molers–    After You've Gone    3:18
15    Miff Mole's Molers–    Navy Blues (Vocal)    3:26
16    Miff Mole's Molers–    Lucky Little Devil (Vocal)    3:28
17    Miff Mole's Molers–    Navy Blues (Instr.)    3:21
18    Miff Mole's Molers–    Lucky Little Devil (Instr.)    3:28
19    Miff Mole's Molers–    On A Little Bamboo Bridge    2:43
20    Miff Mole's Molers–    How Could You?    2:49
21    Miff Mole's Molers–    I Can't Break The Habit Of You    2:13
22    Miff Mole's Molers–    Love And Learn    2:24
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Toots Mondello (tracks: 19 to 22)
Bass – Sid Weiss (tracks: 19 to 22)
Bass Saxophone – Adrian Rollini (tracks: 15 to 18)
Bass Tuba – Joe Tarto (tracks: 3, 4, 7, 8)
Clarinet – Frank Teschmacher, Paul Ricci (tracks: 19 to 22)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 7 to 16)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Fud Livingston (tracks: 3 to 6)
Drums – Gene Krupa, Sam Weiss (tracks: 19 to 22), Stan King (tracks: 3, 4, 9 to 14), Ted Napoleon (tracks: 7, 8)
Guitar – Carl Kress (tracks: 3, 4, 15 to 22), Dick McDonough (tracks: 7, 8, 13, 14), Eddie Condon (tracks: 1, 2), Eddie Lang (tracks: 9, 10), Tommy Felline (tracks: 11, 12)
Mellophone – Dudley Fosdick (tracks: 3, 4)
Piano – Arthur Schutt (tracks: 3 to 6, 9 to 14), Frank Signorelli (tracks: 7, 8, 19 to 22), Joe Sullivan (tracks: 1, 2), Lenny Hayton (tracks: 15 to 18)
Tenor Saxophone – Babe Russin (tracks: 13, 14)
Trombone – Glenn Miller (tracks: 19 to 22), Miff Mole, Vincent Grande (tracks: 19 to 22)
Trumpet – Gordon Griffin (tracks: 19 to 22), Harry James (tracks: 19 to 22), Leo McConville (tracks: 3, 4, 9 to 12), Manny Klein (tracks: 9, 10), Phil Napoleon (tracks: 11 to 14), Phil Napoleon (tracks: 5 to 8), Red Nichols (tracks: 1 to 4), Tony Tortomas (tracks: 19 to 22)
Violin – Matt Malneck (tracks: 7, 8)
Vocals – Chick Bullock (tracks: 21, 22), Scrappy Lambert (tracks: 15, 16), Midge Williams (tracks: 19, 20)

LOUISIANA RHYTHM KINGS – 1929-1930 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1312 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Like the Charleston Chasers, the Louisiana Rhythm Kings existed entirely as a studio recording ensemble. The time frame is even the same; both bands operated during those fascinatingly pivotal years of 1929 and 1930. The Louisiana Rhythm Kings were at first nothing more or less than a variable version of Red Nichols & His 5 Pennies, or in the case of the sessions recorded February 20 and April 23, 1929, the last vestiges of Red & Miff's Stompers. Miff Mole's trombone acted as the gravitational center of most every band he ever worked with, while Red was usually the next best thing to his idol, Bix Beiderbecke. Some of the players on the first three selections are holdovers from the Stompers sessions of several years earlier. Percussionist Vic Berton and pianist Arthur Schutt provide a rhythm background perfectly suited to those arrangements used in 1927 or even earlier. The wonderfully named Dudley Fosdick is heard augmenting the low end of the ensemble with a mellophone, softly and carefully interacting with Miff's trombone. What the first three tracks also offer are clear examples of the soloing abilities of Fud Livingston, who had distinguished himself as an arranger with Joe Venuti's band during the previous year. Fud was less adept at improvising than Benny Goodman, whose clarinet sounds refreshing by comparison during "Ballin' the Jack." But it is the session of June 11, 1929, that really rocks, largely because of Davey Tough's heavy-handed drumming during "That Da Da Strain." This sort of thundering on the drum kit was just beginning to find its way onto records after many years of percussive curtailment necessitated by limited recording technology. Also on "Da Da," Pee Wee Russell delivers one of his most eccentric clarinet solos, reinventing the time signature several times in rapid succession. "Last Cent" features Tough's press rolls and a swell tenor sax solo by Bud Freeman. "Basin Street" provides a nice example of Jack Teagarden's early singing style, although the song is slightly soured by a somewhat misogynistic lyric.
The recordings made on September 10, 1929, are a bit more perfunctory, probably because Davey Tough sounds more subdued. Maybe somebody told him to cool himself. Trombonist Glenn Miller and master clarinetist Jimmy Dorsey have also moved in. They stuck with the band throughout its next two sessions, which took place in January 1930. In addition to the two future big-band leaders already mentioned, Tommy Dorsey and Gene Krupa added their personalities to the proceedings. But some of the juiciest moments in the entire second half of this collection are directly attributable to the saxophonists. Fats Waller's "Squeeze Me" glows with solos by boot-boot-booting tenor man Babe Russin and bass saxophonist Adrian Rollini. These 1930 sides provide lots of kicking room for Russin, who is followed closely by Jimmy Dorsey's alto sax on "Karavan," a melody from out of the mind of early-'20s saxophone superstar Rudy Wiedoeft. Rollini and Glenn Miller both solo beautifully on "The Meanest Kind of Blues," while Tony Jackson's "Pretty Baby" becomes an elegant, majestic ritual for nine sympathetic souls. Outstanding chamber jazz from the end of one era and the beginning of another. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist  :
1     Futuristic Rhythm 3:00
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh    
2     Out Where the Blues Begin 3:01
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh    
3     That's A-Plenty 2:48
Lew Pollack
4     Ballin' the Jack 3:14
Chris Smith
5     I'm Walking Through Clover 2:53
6     That Da Da Strain 3:14
Edgar Dowell / Mamie Medina     
7     Basin Street Blues 3:19
Spencer Williams
8     Last Cent 3:03
9     Waiting at the End of the Road 2:52
Irving Berlin
10     Little By Little 3:18
Robert Emmett Dolan
11     Marianne 2:36
12     Swanee 2:44
Irving Caesar / Ira Gershwin
13     Squeeze Me 3:03
George Gershwin / Fats Waller / Clarence Williams
14     Oh, Lady Be Good 3:22
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / Victor Young    
15     Sweet Sue, Just You 3:11
Will J. Harris / Victor Young    
16     The Meanest Kind of Blues 2:26
Louis Katzman    
17     I Have to Have You 2:49
Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting     
18     O'er the Billowy Sea 3:02
Chris Smith
19     Lazy Daddy 2:45
Henry W. Ragas / Larry Shields    
20     Karavan 3:08
21     Pretty Baby 3:00
Tony Jackson / Gus Kahn
22     Tell Me 3:24
J. Will Callahan / Max Kortlander
23     There's Egypt in Your Dreamy Eyes 2:49
Louisiana Rhythm Kings