PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND - New Orleans, Vol.I [1977]

 In 1961, art dealer Larry Borenstein opened up Preservation Hall in New Orleans. Run by the young tuba player Allan Jaffe, the hall soon became the unofficial home of the city's top veteran musicians. Over time, the the Preservation Hall Jazz Band was formed and went out on constant tours, spreading the joy of New Orleans jazz around the world. Many major players spent time in the group. One of the most famous versions was in the late '70s -- the band heard on this 1977 recording. None of the musicians (trumpeter Percy Humphrey, his brother Willie on clarinet, trombonist Frank Demond (who had replaced the late Jim Robinson), pianist Sing Miller, banjoist/singer Narvin Kimball, drummer Cie Frazier, and Jaffe on tuba) were among the immortals of New Orleans jazz but they fit their roles well. The repertoire on this disc includes Dixieland favorites ("Tiger Rag," "Bill Bailey (Won't You Please Come Home)," and "Panama"); a few spirituals ("Amen," "Over in Gloryland," and "His Eye Is on the Sparrow"); the sentimental "Memories"; and a couple of blues numbers ("Good Blues" and "Joe Avery"). There are no virtuosos in the band, but its ensembles are full of spirit and the music is difficult to listen to without smiling.  by Scott Yanow

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1 Tiger Rag

2 Amen

3 Over In Gloryland

4 Good Blues

5 Bill Bailey (Won't You Please Come Home)

6 Joe Avery

7 His Eye Is On The Sparrow

8 Memories

 9 Panama

CBR320/scan

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Banjo – Narvin Henry Kimball

Clarinet – Willie Humphrey

Drums – Josiah Frazier

Piano – James Edward Miller

Trombone – Frank Demond

Trumpet – Percy G. Humphrey

Tuba – Allan P. Jaffe 

O Púbis da Rosa

NEW ORLEANS: The Living Legends - PERCY HUMPHREY'S Crescent City Joy Makers - [1961] OJC / FLAC / 1994

New Orleans: The Living Legends is part of the series of albums released by Riverside, this one done by Percy Humphrey's Crescent City Joy Makers. This CD released in 1994 was remastered by Phil De Lancie and features a song not on the original 1961 album.

Trumpeter Percy Humphrey's debut as a leader (he was already 56) finds the sincere if limited trumpeter jamming on a variety of traditional New Orleans themes with a group of complementary musicians: trombonist Louis Nelson, clarinetist Albert Burbank, banjoist Emanuel Sayles, bassist Louis James and drummer Cie Frazier. The lack of a piano and a rather predictable rhythm section leave an overly sparse empty feeling in some of the ensembles although the music (which includes "Milenberg Joys," "We Shall Walk Through the Streets of the City" and "Rip 'Em Up Joe") is spirited and generally enjoyable. "Climax Rag" has been added to the original LP program for the CD reissue.

Tracks
1. Milenburg Joys

2. Over In Gloryland

3. Lonesome Road

4. We Shall Walk Through The Streets Of The City

5. Weary Blues

6. Bucket's Got A Hole In It

7. All The Gals Like the Way I Ride

8. Rip 'Em Up Joe

9. Climax Rag (bonus track)
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Percy Humphrey-trumpet

Louis Nelson-trombone

Albert Burbank-clarinet

Emanuel Sayles-banjo, guitar (tracks 3 & 6)

Louis James-bass

Josiah Fraiser-drums

Produced by Chris Albertson

Recording engineer: Dave Jones

Recorded in New Orleans, January 24, 1961

CD digitally remastered in 1994 by Phil De Lancie (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley)

 O Púbis da Rosa