WOODY HERMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1163 (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This second installment in the Classics Charlie Parker chronology contains quite a number of Bird's best-loved and most respected recordings. The first 12 tracks, recorded in New York for the Dial label in October and November of 1947, are all masterpieces of modern music, with the ballads, especially "Embraceable You," constituting some of Parker's very best recorded work. This is the classic 1947 quintet with Miles Davis, Duke Jordan, Tommy Potter, and Max Roach. Even if his personal life was characteristically chaotic, 1947 was a good year for Charlie Parker's music. It was in November 1947 that this band hit the road to play the El Sino Club on St. Antoine Boulevard in Detroit. Unfortunately, Bird got really snockered and couldn't perform, so the El Sino management canceled the gig. Bird ultimately destroyed his saxophone by throwing it out of a hotel window onto the street below. (A tragic and disturbing image!) Back in New York, the band -- now a sextet with the addition of trombonist J.J. Johnson -- made six more sides for Dial on December 17, 1947. Once again the quintet visited Detroit to make good on its broken contract with the El Sino, and this time the band's return engagement was a success. Miles Davis later remembered: "Bird played his ass off." Vocalist Betty Carter even sat in. While they were still in Detroit, producer Teddy Reig had "the Charlie Parker Quintette" make more records for the Savoy label. The four master takes heard here contain music that is still studied and cherished by musicians, poets, lovers, cultural historians, and devout listeners everywhere. arwulf arwulf        Tracklist :

MUGGSY SPANIER – 1939-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 709 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Well, let's put it this way. If you were to choose one Muggsy Spanier collection out of his portion of the Classics Chronological Series (or any edition on any other label for that matter), let it be Classics 709, which contains all of the essential material from every session he led between July 7, 1939 and June 1, 1942. This includes the master takes from Spanier's Bluebird "Ragtime Band" sessions of 1939, which are generally considered to have been the apex of his entire career. Participants in these joyous and staunchly traditional proceedings included singing trombonist George Brunies, master clarinetist Rod Cless, tenor saxophonists Ray McKinstry, Bernie Billings and Nick Caiazza, and pianists Joe Bushkin and George Zack. From the languid reflectivity of "Relaxin' at the Touro" to the punchy rowdiness of "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate," this is the very best of the music Muggsy Spanier left to posterity, and it virtually defines the entire genre of Chicago-style New Orleans-inspired traditional jazz. What makes this collection even finer and more useful is the addition of eight lesser-known Decca recordings cut in January and June 1942, with Caiazza joined at times by clarinetist Irving Fazola and someone named Benny Goodman operating both the black stick and the alto sax. Vocals throughout this delightful collection are as follows: George Brunies sings "Big Butter and Egg Man," "Dinah," and "Sister Kate"; trombonist Ford Leary arm wrestles Vernon Dalhart, as it were, in "The Wreck of the Old 97," and Dottie Reid croons "More Than You Know." The most important ingredient, of course, is the wonderful cornet of Muggsy Spanier, who Lester Young gently christened "Muddy Spaniels." arwulf arwulf
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BOBBY HACKETT AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1943-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1047 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When Bobby Hackett's band is in the house and presents a pretty tune at a relaxed tempo, the spirit within the song has a chance to climb out of its shell and perch for a few minutes over the front door like one of William Blake's pigmented angels. Hackett's sensitivity turns every ballad into a magical daydream. When the band turns on the heat, you're getting Chicago-style, Eddie Condon-approved traditional jazz, right straight out of the bottle. Condon in fact played guitar on the session of December 23, 1943, along with a swell tenor saxophonist named Nick Caiazza and no-nonsense trombonist Ray Conniff. Pianist Frank Signorelli, composer of "Serenade in Blue" and cardinal member of the Original Memphis Five, takes an occasional break during some of the stomps but really gets to shine with a full-length solo during his magnum opus, "I'll Never Be the Same." Some may feel that this one track is reason enough to seek out the entire album. It all depends on how much respect you have for Signorelli, and for the Art of Melody. The Commodore session of 1944, presented in part as "Jam Session at Commodore No. 6," makes lots of room for Ernie Caceres' magnificent baritone saxophone, with a few diversions supplied by Pee Wee Russell. Lou McGarity was a trombonist comparable to George Brunies. Jess Stacy's piano chemistry worked exceptionally well when combined with Hackett's dignified persona. These excellent jams also perfectly illustrate the artistry of George Wettling, Eddie Condon's preferred percussionist. Wettling drove a substantially different band through four sides for the Melrose label in May of 1945. The ballads are gorgeous; the hot numbers really rip. Both of the sessions from February 1946 utilize a big-band sound intended for slow dancing, with sentimental arrangements by ex-Paul Whiteman anesthesiologist Bill Challis. Lush reeds hover behind Hackett's romantic horn with brief spotlights on clarinetist Hank d'Amico and guitarist Carl Kress. Johnny Guarnieri noodles gently on a celeste, sweetening up an already honey-drenched confection. A nice four-minute V-Disc trio performance is provided to clear the palette. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist

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
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