OLIVER NELSON — The Argo, Verve And Impulse Big Band Studio Sessions (2006) RM | 6xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Oliver Nelson was one of the more distinctive arrangers to be active in jazz, the studios, and popular music of the '60s. While most Nelson reissues focus on his always-excellent saxophone playing (whether on tenor or alto), this six-CD set, Argo, Verve and Impulse Big Band Studio Sessions, focuses on Oliver Nelson the arranger-composer-bandleader. He does take solos on some of these dates on tenor, alto,and soprano (his only recorded solos on that instrument), but it his writing that takes center stage. Included are his albums Full Nelson, Fantabulous, Jazzhattan Suite (which finds the ensemble called the Jazz Interactions Orchestra), Sound Pieces, and his unusual and reverent tribute set Musical Tribute to JFK: The Kennedy Dream. In addition, Nelson's writing for Leonard Feather's Encyclopedia of Jazz All Stars is here, plus his contributions (usually just part of each record) for sets by organist Shirley Scott (Roll 'Em), a group co-led by Ray Brown and Milt Jackson, and clarinetist Pee Wee Russell (The Spirit of '67). Topping off this well-conceived box are all of the music for organist Jimmy Smith's Hobo Flats, Peter and the Wolf (a classic jazz version), and Smith's first collaboration with guitarist Wes Montgomery, plus a few numbers from Smith's Bashin', Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and Hootchie Coochie Man. In addition to the playing of Jimmy Smith (who was really at his peak during this period), Wes Montgomery, Shirley Scott, and Pee Wee Russell, the most memorable soloists are altoist Phil Woods, cornetist Nat Adderley (on the Feather date), and flugelhornist Clark Terry plus Nelson himself. There is plenty of classic material here (such as the Smith/Montgomery blues jamming on "Down by the Riverside") which, even when the big-band writing is secondary, serves as a superior tribute to the underrated Oliver Nelson. Scott Yanow   Tracklist & Credits :

LOUIS PRIMA AND HIS NEW ORLEANS GANG – 1934-1935 | The Chronogical Classics – 1048 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Born and raised in New Orleans, Louis Prima came up in his hometown gigging steadily in the clubs and doing his best to emulate Afro-American musicians. His number one role model was Louis Armstrong. After playing Cleveland with Red Nichols in 1932, Prima began recording in 1934 and thoroughly established himself on 52nd Street in New York City the following year. Prima was good looking and sang in a pleasantly hoarse voice. His humor was often heavy-handed, and his bands pushed hard to generate excitement among live audiences and the record-buying public. Prima's 1934 bands had strong players in George Brunies, Claude Thornhill, and Eddie Miller. "Jamaica Shout" is a rare example of instrumental Louis Prima: hot jazz with nobody yelling. "Breakin' the Ice" was the first in a series of Prima interpretations of songs made popular by Fats Waller. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson performed a lively version of "I'm Living in a Great Big Way" with Waller during the last reel of the 1935 RKO motion picture Hooray for Love. Waller never managed to make an actual phonograph recording of this song. Prima had fun with it and with every tune he grabbed onto, sometimes maybe too much fun. During "Let's Have a Jubilee," which was recorded twice during November of 1934, Prima spits out weird nicknames for each bandmember, including "Baboon Face" and "Liver Lips." This sort of talk was not uncommon among Afro-Americans, but it is particularly unsettling coming out of the (big) mouth of a (Southern) white musician. The real gold on this CD lies in the last six tracks, ground out by a band that had Pee Wee Russell as its artistic nucleus. Prima was the handsome leader, Prima sang and blew his trumpet, but Pee Wee was the light, the emulsion, and the pigment in this picture. "The Lady in Red" just might be the very best record that Louis Prima ever made, largely because of the magical presence of a gifted clarinetist with poetic sensibilities and a tone like nobody else. arwulf arwulf  
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LOUIS PRIMA AND HIS NEW ORLEANS GANG – 1935-1936 | The Chronogical Classics – 1077 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here's Louis from his first flush of success at the Famous Door in New York City. Backed by his New Orleans gang, Prima's distinctive style was already emerging on material like "How'm I Doin'," "Plain Old Me," "Sweet Sue," "Lazy River," "Dinah," and the original version of "Sing Sing Sing." Although the backing is strictly New Orleans (and thus a long way stylistically from his later Capitol sides with Sam Butera & the Witnesses), most of the tunes boast the highly inventive clarinet work of Pee Wee Russell, and Prima's horn is well to the fore on these sides. One for hardcore Prima fans. Cub Koda
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EDDIE CONDON – 1927-1938 | The Chronogical Classics – 742 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here's a package that defines traditional Chicago-styled jazz from the roots on up. Closely patterned after the style of Bix Beiderbecke, four hot stomps recorded for the OKeh label in December of 1927 form a handsome keystone to the Eddie Condon chronology. It's the Austin High Gang, appearing on record as McKenzie & Condon's Chicagoans, and they swing hard. What a great front line: Frank Teschemacher, Jimmy McPartland, and Bud Freeman. Gene Krupa kicks like a mule. Legend has it Mezz Mezzrow played cymbals, although Condon claimed all Mezz did was hold on to the bass drum so Krupa wouldn't knock it across the room. In July of 1928, Condon, Krupa, and Tesch made a pair of records with pianist Joe Sullivan. "Oh Baby (Rain or Shine)" begins with a group scat vocal and cooks to a gravy. Teschemacher plays both clarinet and alto sax on this date. Shortly before his death in 1973, a mature Eddie Condon made this wry statement regarding both "Indiana," recorded for Parlophone on July 28, 1928, and the art of singing in general: "This record paid the rent at the Cumberland Hotel for one month; for all four guys in the band. I sing here. I was young and didn't know any better. I do now." Condon also sang on "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry," chirping the lyrics over Art Miller's delightful bowed bass. These innocent vocals are endearing and do not detract in any way from the musical entertainment. "Makin' Friends" has a vocal by Texas trombonist Jack Teagarden with whiny spoken interjections by Mezz Mezzrow. Was this the inspiration for Nappy Lamare's incessant chattering on Wingy Manone's records of the mid-'30s? Alarming thought. Great insights into the socioeconomic reality of jazz musicians can be found in Condon's autobiography, We Called It Music. It is there that Condon claims that the Victor session of February 8, 1929, was considered an "experiment" in racially mixed recording, possibly the first integrated date for a major label. The next "experiment" that Condon would put together for Victor was the notorious "Fats Waller & His Buddies" adventure, another racially mixed session that came together haphazardly one month later. Those sides appear as part of the Fats Waller chronology on Classics 689. The Condon story continues here on Classics 742 with a series of excellent recordings made for Brunswick in 1933 and Commodore in 1938. What's documented here is the flowering of Condon's career and those of the men who collaborated with him. The Brunswick sides are relatively rare. Here are Max Kaminsky, Pee Wee Russell, Bud Freeman, Floyd O'Brien, Artie Bernstein, Sid Catlett, and the great pianist Alex Hill, who really comes across beautifully. The Commodore material brings on George Brunies, Jess Stacy, Artie Shapiro, George Wettling, and Bobby Hackett, who renders up his famously gorgeous treatment of "Embraceable You." It is fitting that this disc ends with "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland," an ancient saloon song gassed up into a perfect riot of joyous energy. It is the perfect closer for this cardinal Condon collection. 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 – 1944-1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 1033 (1998) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This is how traditional Chicago-style jazz sounded in New York during the mid-1940s. When he wasn't brusquely emceeing these bands on-stage at Town Hall, guitarist and organizer Eddie Condon presented this music on the air and in the recording studio. The phonographic evidence, chronologically arranged and carefully documented, makes for enjoyable listening. Three V-Disc sides for the armed forces have Hot Lips Page lined up next to Sterling Bose, Miff Mole and Pee Wee Russell. This interesting blend of musicians from radically different social and ethnic backgrounds is typical of Condon. Lips sings on a nearly four-and-a-half-minute version of the "Uncle Sam Blues," a wry ode to military conscription. The old "Tin Roof" is summed up in a mere 126 seconds, followed by a slightly longer "Ballin' the Jack." It seems as though V-Disc encouraged short takes so as to be able to squeeze as many tracks as possible on to their newly devised 'unbreakable' lightweight 12" 78rpm records. The Decca session of December 12, 1944 sounds a lot like the Town Hall mixture of pressure cookers and attractive love songs. Bobby Hackett turns "When Your Lover Has Gone" into a prayer. Lee Wiley (who was Eddie Condon's idea of the Perfect Woman) sings a couple of sweet numbers, and the band kicks the stuffing out of a theme only identified as "Impromptu Ensemble." Here Jack Teagarden blows hot trombone and sings up a parcel of lyrics he first used on a "Chicagoans" session back in 1929. Special mention should be made of baritone saxophonist Ernie Caceres who blows mellow for Lee and very hot during the stomps. Two days later the band emitted 59 seconds of "jump" music and 33 seconds of "blues" for radio broadcast purposes. Lee sang two more ballads and Teagarden hammed up the "Sheik of Araby" with strange new novelty lyrics before they swung it to pieces. Jack also sings and plays handsomely on "Somebody Loves Me." Speaking of melodies composed by George Gershwin, the 1945 sessions include what might be the loveliest version of "My One And Only" ever recorded, starring Bobby Hackett. "Lady Be Good" and "Swanee" take on an almost Dixieland flavor. On March 27, 1946 Wild Bill Davison, Gene Schroeder and Davey Tough incited a grand "Farewell Blues" with the bridge from "Weary Blues" grafted on to its midsection. "Improvisation for the March of Time" was built across the familiar slow blues/fast blues formula, and a couple of very attractive pop songs were magically transformed into honest instrumental jazz before the band knocked off for the day. The session of July 17th, 1946 is memorable for the presence of pianist James P. Johnson, who sends out sparks during "Just You, Just Me," and the voice of John "Bubbles" Sublett, one-time musical cohort of Buck Washington. Sublett is heard singing W.C. Handy's "Atlanta Blues," also known as "Make Me a Pallet on the Floor." That's the great thing about an Eddie Condon date: you never know who's going to show for the gig. arwulf arwulf  
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BILLY BANKS AND HIS ORCHESTRA + JACK BLAND AND HIS RHYTHMAKERS – 1932 | The Chronogical Classics – 969 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The real spark behind the Rhythmakers can be summed up in three words: Henry "Red" Allen. Teamed with surrealistic reedman Pee Wee Russell (who plays a lot of tenor sax in addition to his famously wry clarinet), Red stirred up the Rhythmakers in the same way that he completely transformed every band he ever worked with. In addition to the dynamic front line, these snappy sides from 1932 are worthwhile mainly for the presence of pianists Joe Sullivan and Fats Waller, bassists Al Morgan and Pops Foster, and drummers Gene Krupa and Zutty Singleton. What about the nominal leader? Well, Billy Banks sounded more than a little like Cab Calloway in 1932, even singing some of the same topical hits. Billy seems to have gotten waylaid en route to the studio on April 18th. The band cooked up a steaming "Bugle Call Rag" while waiting for the singer to arrive. This is the only instrumental track on the entire album. It is followed by "Oh Peter (You're So Nice)" which has a vocal by Red Allen. Finally Banks showed and sang "Margie" in his rather shrill voice, sounding almost goofy after the wonderfully husky tones of Allen. The session of May 10th uses an unidentified band. Banks tried hard to be clever, scatting up a storm on "The Scat Song," but there are less kicks to be had with this group. As if to make up for a missed opportunity, Banks sang "Oh Peter" on May 23rd with the original ensemble except for Krupa, who was replaced by the mighty Zutty. Billy scats nicely on "Who's Sorry Now?" and "Take It Slow and Easy." These are strong performances, tough stomps played by a band that gradually works Billy down to a hipper delivery. "Bald Headed Mama" focuses on a theme revived years later by Professor Longhair ("Bald Head") and Lou Donaldson ("Wig Blues"). The epicenter of this album is the session of July 26th, 1932. Fats Waller and Pops Foster gas up the band so solidly that Banks sounds vicariously hipper than ever. Red Allen wails while Pee Wee plays only tenor sax, the clarinet being handled by Jimmy Lord. Strum support from simultaneous banjo and guitar certainly doesn't hurt. The most exciting track is "Mean Old Bed Bug Blues" with a very funny falsetto vocal chorus by Fats. W.C. Handy's "Yellow Dog Blues" bumps along at a good clip, with a marvelous piano solo after the perky vocal. "Yes Suh!" is pure vaudeville call-and-response. There's no telling who was in the band on August 18th 1932. About half of this material is quite rare, and it's good to have all of Banks' work on one disc. The album closes with Jack Bland and His Rhythmakers, a racially mixed band that blows the roof off of the "Hen House Door." This is one of Red Allen's wildest vocals on record. "Shine on Your Shoes," popularized by Fred Astaire, features unnervingly wholesome vocalist Chick Bullock, who advises everyone to face each dawn with polished footwear, either literally or metaphorically. The band cooks so hard it doesn't matter who the vocalist is! Bullock was the most heavily recorded vocalist of the 1930s, and this track is, without question, the best side he ever piped in on.
"Buddy Bolden" was originally a song about farting, the notorious "Winin' Boy" dates from Morton's tenure as a Storyville cathouse piano player. Jelly's Library of Congress recording of his erstwhile theme song contains some of the most sexually explicit lyrics ever sung into a recording microphone. "Winding Boy" was a term used to describe a "tireless stud." While we're on the subject, James Scott's "Climax Rag" is pleasantly stimulating, as are all eight selections from September of 1939. This wonderful disc ends with two delightful solos including "Original Rags," Scott Joplin's masterpiece of 1899. arwulf arwulf  
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TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 548 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Classics CD traces pianist Teddy Wilson's recordings during a seven-month period. He backs singer Billie Holiday on eight memorable performances (including "My Man," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," "When You're Smiling," and "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me"), is showcased on a pair of piano solos, accompanies singer Sally Gooding on four songs that were not initially released until the 1980s, and is heard on four almost-as-rare numbers with vocalist Nan Wynn. Most significant among the occasional instrumentals are a few tunes (including the two-part "Just a Mood" and "Honeysuckle Rose") that Wilson performs in an exquisite quartet with trumpeter Harry James, xylophonist Red Norvo, and bassist John Simmons. Among the other sidemen heard on this valuable CD are trumpeters Buck Clayton, Hot Lips Page, and Bobby Hackett, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, the tenors of Chu Berry and Lester Young, and altoist Tab Smith.  Scott Yanow
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TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 556 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In addition to ten Billie Holiday vocals that are easily available elsewhere (best is "They Say"), this CD has some Wilson piano solos, a few rare Nan Wynn vocals and a band instrumental of "Jungle Love" with cornetist Bobby Hackett, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, and altoist Johnny Hodges. Excellent music, but the best tracks have been reissued many times, making this CD of less interest than most of the other Classics. Scott Yanow
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JESS STACY – 1944-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1175 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Real jazz happens when the musicians really listen to one another. You, the listener after the fact, can hear this communication woven into the music itself. "D.A. Blues," played by Pee Wee Russell's Hot 4 with Jess Stacy at the piano, moves slowly enough for this dynamic to be spelled out as big as skywriting. "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" works like a charm. The interplay among the four -- and especially between pianist and clarinetist -- is remarkable. It's emblematic of everything that Commodore Records ever stood for. The next session in the Jess Stacy chronology resulted in a fine crop of piano and drum duets. It is strange that Commodore didn't issue them at the time, but such decisions often seem odd many years later. These are really piano solos with gently percussive accompaniment -- about as gentle as Specs Powell ever played on record, in fact. That is, until the fast-paced "Ridin' Easy" and "Song of the Wanderer," where Stacy runs his hands like lightning over the keys and Powell responds with steamy licks of his own. What a shame it is that Jess Stacy's big band only managed to record enough music to fit on both sides of a single, 10" 78 rpm platter. "Daybreak Serenade" is a very pretty instrumental and Stacy's wife Lee Wiley sings "Paper Moon" splendidly. Just imagine what they could have accomplished given the opportunity to wax a few more sides. Instead what we get are one dozen examples of the Jess Stacy Quartet, recording for Capitol and Columbia during the summer of 1950. These are gorgeous reveries, heavily featuring the guitar of George Van Eps. This makes the second-half of the CD decidedly cool and relaxing, friendly and unobtrusive. Bassist Morty Corb walks briskly through the changes of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," a melody still associated with Fats Waller even though he didn't write it. Waller's "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" reappears, joyously stir-fried to perfection. This handsome collection of top-notch piano jazz ends with a virtuoso realization of Bix Beiderbecke's "In a Mist," something like Chantilly cream over strawberries after four courses. arwulf arwulf
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JOE SULLIVAN – 1933-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 821 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

All of pianist Joe Sullivan's early recordings as a leader are on this definitive CD. Sullivan is heard in a dozen solo performances from 1933, 1935, and 1941 (including the two earliest versions of his hit "Little Rock Getaway" along with memorable renditions of "My Little Pride and Joy" and "Honeysuckle Rose"), four selections with the Three Deuces (a trio with clarinetist Pee Wee Russell and drummer Zutty Singleton), and eight numbers with an octet featuring the underrated trumpeter Ed Anderson, trombonist Benny Morton, clarinetist Edmond Hall, and vocals by Big Joe Turner (who manages to turn "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" into a blues) and Helen Ward. This French import is essential for fans of the great stride pianist. Scott Yanow
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CLIFF JACKSON – 1930-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 979 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

None of this material has ever been easy to find. The selections by Cliff Jackson and his Krazy Kats are exceptionally rare. In addition to Jackson's occasional flourishes of dexterous Harlem piano, highlights include a trombonist named Noisy Richardson, trumpeter and scat vocalist Henry Goodwin and reedman Rudy Powell, who would make a lot of great records with Fats Waller in 1935. Some of these numbers are pleasantly frantic stomps, "Horse Feathers," "Torrid Rhythm" and "The Terror" sounding similar in some ways to recordings made between 1925 and 1930 by other large hot bands, such as Fess Williams, Charlie Johnson or Sam Wooding. Also issued bearing the names of the Tuxedo Syncopators and the Newport Syncopators, most of these early records came out on the Grey Gull record label under the name of Marvin Smolev and His Syncopators. Whoever the hell Smolev was, he had a hand in composing 8 out of 12 songs included here, and quite a number of these are quaint, conventional hotsy totsy stuff. It's a shame that this band didn't get around to making more records. The Krazy Kats (also billed as the Crazy Cats) first came on the scene in 1927 and were considered by other bands to be formidably awesome competition. Major phonograph companies apparently never figured this out. Like many worthy musicians, Jackson had to wait a long time -- March of 1944 -- before he could lead another band in a recording studio. Fortunately the quartet contained clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, bassist Bob Casey and drummer Jack "The Bear" Parker. They emitted a fairly rowdy number called "Quiet Please," Fats Waller's "Squeeze Me," James P. Johnson's "If I Could Be With You" and a wild rip through the "Weary Blues," with blistering runs on the piano and a good example of the Bear's percussive bravado. The eight remaining tracks are piano solos of great potency, allowing the listener to appreciate Jackson's Eastern Seaboard style in all its glory. "Royal Garden Blues" packs in just about everything that needs to be said in only a little over two minutes. "Limehouse Blues" is similarly hot, and places Jackson directly within the realm of what critics and historians call the Harlem Stride Piano tradition. "Who" and "Tea for Two" are dizzyingly executed, bringing on the inevitable question -- why wasn't this man given more opportunities to record? arwulf arwulf
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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 – 1938-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 711 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Each volume in the James P. Johnson chronology is packed with music of great poetic depth. This particular installment opens with a pair of trio sides by "Pee Wee, Zutty and James P.," a vestigial core left over from Pee Wee Russell's Rhythmakers as heard on Classics 671. These intimate interactions make for exceptionally fine listening. Then there's the amazing JPJ Orchestra of 1939, resounding with an unforgettable front line of Red Allen, J.C. Higginbotham, and Gene Sedric, who with Al Casey was borrowed from the Fats Waller & His Rhythm band. Anna Robinson's vocal on "Harlem Woogie" is gloriously rowdy, with a scat that was all her own. "Hungry Blues," a selection from a politically charged stage show with words by Langston Hughes, is a beautiful statement against segregation and inequity, invoking "...a brand new world, so clean and fine, nobody's hungry and there ain't no color line...." The show was called De Organizer. It dealt with the plight of Afro-American workers as they attempted to unionize. Anna Robinson was remembered by Milt Hinton as a merry libertine who partied hard. Strung out on narcotics, she was brutally murdered in an alley. These are the only recordings Robinson ever made. An alternate version of "Hungry Blues" is historically valuable, although it's little more than a footnote to the other take. Ruby Smith, the niece of Bessie Smith's husband, tackles two helpings of the blues. "Backwater" was Bessie's eyewitness response after experiencing firsthand the devastation caused by floodwaters in the lowlands. James P. Johnson was Bessie's collaborator when the song was first recorded in February of 1927. This might be Ruby's best recorded performance. She couldn't have found a better backup band -- in fact she never did. Five days later, six solo piano inventions were recorded, using melodies composed by Johnson: "If Dreams Come True" is the very apex of what critics dubbed Harlem stride piano. "A Flat Dream," which is to say "Dream in the Key of A Flat," is one of Johnson's most attractive creations. It is spiritually connected with "The Dream (Slow Drag)" and "The Boogie Dream," both recorded in June of 1944 (see Classics 835). This particular version of "Blueberry Rhyme" is pure magic. The pianist's heart is wide open, and listeners are permitted access to a very personal private sanctum. Only one instrumental was recorded during the session of March 9, 1939. On June 15 the band reconvened with only slight adjustments in personnel, and this time the ratio was inverted. Four solid instrumentals, among the best that Johnson ever presided over, were followed by one vocal. "Havin' a Ball" opens with a rare example of Sidney Catlett operating a timpani drum. This is almost a pun on the title, as if an enormous inflated rubber ball has come bouncing into the room. arwulf arwulf
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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

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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
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MUGGSY SPANIER – 1944-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 967 (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless

If you're looking for a straight, unfiltered shot of full-strength Chicago-style traditional jazz, this disc pulls no punches. Three of the four opening tracks are incendiary Commodore blowouts. Bob Haggart whistles during the opening and closing choruses of his own "Whistlin' the Blues," which comes as a bit of a breather after all that stomping. The next six selections were released on the Manhattan record label, available to the public as souvenirs to be purchased at Nick's Tavern, a hot spot for old-fashioned jazz in Greenwich Village. Four of these tracks feature the exciting baritone saxophone of Ernie Caceres, who exchanges a few words with Muggsy Spanier at the beginning of yet another whistling tune, "Feather Brain Blues." As Haggart whistles in the background, Caceres, speaking in a husky theatrical voice similar to that used by Harry "The Hipster" Gibson, exclaims that he hears a mockingbird. Spanier insists that the creature in question is "a feather brain bird," and vows to "blow him right away" with his trusty cornet. This results in a grand, easygoing blues with a big juicy finale, during which whistler and bassist Haggart gets the last word. The V-Disc session is solid and satisfying, right from the first few bars of a smooth walking treatment of the old "Tin Roof Blues." Creamy tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman is the star of this ensemble, as he transforms good music into something truly wonderful. Loudmouth comedian Phil Harris introduces a five-minute jam on "China Boy," counting it off in a tempo that is far slower than the one used by the band. This was a noticeable feature of V-Discs -- the spoken introductions were almost invariably recorded separate from the songs themselves, and usually sounded that way. Identifying his music as "Dixieland," Muggsy speaks at the beginning of "You Took Advantage of Me," a feature for Freeman, who had made a wonderful recording of this Rodgers & Hart dance tune for the Commodore label back in 1938. This 1945 "update" version is guaranteed to please all fans of Bud Freeman. This fine CD closes with six delightful sides originally released on the innocuous Disc record label. On "Pee Wee Squawks," Pee Wee Russell, who is heard on every session except the V-Discs, sings about how he needs a break: "My horn ain't in tune and my chops are hangin' low." The producers of the Classics Chronological Series are to be commended for periodically dredging up recorded examples of Pee Wee Russell singing in his own weirdly stilted, slightly sloshed manner. arwulf arwulf
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BOBBY HACKETT AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 890 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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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
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