McKINNEY'S COTTON PICKERS – 1928-1929 | The Chronogical Classics – 609 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This is the first of three Classics CDs featuring all of the master takes by McKinney's Cotton Pickers, one of the finest big bands of the late '20s. The inventive arrangements of leader Don Redman (who also plays alto and clarinet in addition to taking some vocals) are even better than the individual solos. Highlighted by such numbers as "Four or Five Times," "Milenberg Joys," "Cherry," "Don't Be Like That," "There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder," and a surprisingly hard-swinging version of "It's a Precious Little Thing Called Love," the Cotton Pickers feature tight ensembles, spirited vocals, and concise, hot solos. All three of their Classics CD's are well worth picking up. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

CLARENCE WILLIAMS – 1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 791 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The seventh volume in the European Classics label's complete reissue of bandleader Clarence Williams' very valuable recordings documents his music during a four-month period. Included are two Williams piano solos; his sessions leading the Barrelhouse Five Orchestra, Jazz Kings, and the Memphis Jazzers; and quite a bit of superior small-group jazz. Among the sidemen are cornetist Ed Allen, trombonist Ed Cuffee, Arville Harris and Albert Socarras on reeds, banjoist Leroy Harris, pianist James P. Johnson (on two songs), the exuberant tuba of Cyrus St. Clair, Floyd Casey on drums and washboard, and Williams himself on piano and occasional vocals. Highlights include "Endurance Stomp," "If You Like Me Like I Like You," "Steamboat Days," "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home," "In Our Cottage of Love," and the original version of "Breeze." All of the CDs in this enjoyable series are easily recommended to 1920s collectors. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Hot Lovin’ 3:00
Written-By – Charles Warfield
2    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Mama Stayed Out 3:05
Vocals – Clarence Williams, Ed Allen
Written-By – Razaf, Wilson
3    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Nobody’s Business (How I Love That Man) 2:51
Written-By – Glady Rodgers
4    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Endurance Stomp 2:50
Written-By – Angelo Fernandez
5    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Some Do And Some Don’t 2:59
Written-By – Unknown Artist
6    Barrel House Five Orchestra–    Scufflin’ Blues 3:01
Written-By – Garrison, Jefferson
7    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    If You Like Me Like I Like You 2:51
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Clarence Williams
8    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Have You Ever Felt That Way? 2:59
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Castleton, Williams
9    Clarence Williams–    A Pane In The Glass 3:01
Written-By – Clarence Williams
10    Clarence Williams–    Too Low 2:54
Written-By – Clarence Williams
11    Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band–    Mississippi Blues (Home Town Toddle) 3:07
Written-By – Williams, Hegamin
12    Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band–    Steamboat Days 3:14
Written-By – Clarence Williams
13    Memphis Jazzers–    Close Fit Blues 3:07
Written-By – Clarence Williams
14    Memphis Jazzers–    Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home? 3:34
Written-By – Warfield, Williams
15    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Breeze (Blow My Baby Back To Me) 2:57
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – MacDonald, Hanley, Goodwin
16    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Mountain City Blues 2:58
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Charlie Troutt
17    Clarence Williams And His Band–    I’m Not Worryin’ 3:27
Written-By – Williams, Waller
18    Clarence Williams And His Band–    Touch-Down 2:51
Written-By – Fats Waller
19    Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band–    In Our Cottage Of Love 3:17
Written-By – Shafer, Milne
20    Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band–    Lazy Mama 2:57
Written-By – Gifford, Jr., Gray
21    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    In Our Cottage Of Love 2:49
Written-By – Shafer, Milne
22    Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings–    Them Things Got Me 2:58
Written-By – Williams, Jackson
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Unknown Artist (tracks: 21, 22)
Banjo – Leroy Harris (tracks: 13 to 16), Unknown Artist
Banjo [?] – Leroy Harris (tracks: 7, 8)
Brass Bass – Cyrus St. Clair (tracks: 13 to 16, 21, 22), Unknown Artist
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 15, 16), Arville Harris (tracks: 1 to 6, 11 to 14), Russell Procope (tracks: 15, 16), Unknown Artist (tracks: 17 to 20)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone [?] – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 17, 18)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Flute – Alberto Socarras (tracks: 7, 8)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Arville Harris (tracks: 7, 8, 19 to 22), Prince Robinson (tracks: 15, 16)
Cornet – Ed Allen (tracks: 1 to 8, 11 to 20)
Cornet [Either/Or] – Ed Allen (tracks: 21, 22), King Oliver (tracks: 21, 22)
Drums – Floyd Casey (tracks: 21, 22)
Piano – Clarence Williams (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 16, 19 to 22), James P. Johnson (tracks: 7, 8)
Piano [?] – J.C. Johnson (tracks: 17, 18)
Trombone – Ed Cuffee (tracks: 13 to 18), Unknown Artist (tracks: 21, 22)
Washboard – Floyd Casey (tracks: 1 to 6, 11, 12, 19, 20)

CLARENCE WILLIAMS – 1934-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 918 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Classics' 13th Clarence Williams CD has his final studio recordings with the exception of five slightly later numbers. Although not quite on the same level as Williams' earlier sides, there are some spirited performances to be heard on these five sessions. Cornetist Ed Allen, Cecil Scott (on clarinet and tenor) and clarinetist Buster Bailey (on the six selections from 1937) are the key soloists; most numbers have a washboard in the ensembles, and vocals are taken by Chick Bullock (forgettable in his three appearances), Eva Taylor, William Cooley and Williams himself. Classics deserves congratulations for persevering with this important series, for Clarence Williams led some of the hottest small groups dates of the '20s and '30s; all of the discs are recommended to pre-bop collectors. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    'Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness If I Do 2:23
Vocals – Chick Bullock
Written-By – Robbins, Grainger
2    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    I Can't Think Of Anything But You 2:44
Vocals – Chick Bullock
Written-By – Williams
3    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Sugar Blues 2:32
Vocals – Chick Bullock
Written-By – Williams, Fletcher
4    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Jungle Crawl 2:27
Written-By – Williams, Williams
5    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    I Can See You All Over The Place 2:43
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Williams
6    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Savin' Up My Baby 2:38
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Golden
7    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Milk Cow Blues 2:55
Written-By – Arnold
8    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Black Gal 2:43
Written-By – Washington
9    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    A Foolish Little Girl Like You 2:53
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Amshel, Little, Bibo
10    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    There's Gonna Be The Devil To Pay 2:44
Vocals – Clarence Williams
Written-By – Hueston, Emmerich
11    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    This Is My Sunday Off 2:48
Written-By – Brooks Jr.
12    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Yama Yama Blues 2:56
Written-By – Williams, Williams
13    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Let Every Day Be Mother's Day 2:57
Written-By – Williams, Hammed, Smith
14    Clarence Williams And His Orchestra–    Lady Luck Blues 2:55
Written-By – Williams, Weber
15    Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band–    Cryin' Blues 2:16
Vocals – Williams Cooley
Written-By – Razaf, Webb
16    Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band–    Top Of The Town 2:47
Vocals – Eva Taylor
Written-By – Adamson, McHugh
17    Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band–    Turn Off The Moon 2:52
Vocals – Williams Cooley
Written-By – Coslow
18    Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band–    More Than That 2:53
Vocals – Eva Taylor
Written-By – Barnett, Williams
19    Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band–    Jammin' 2:49
Vocals – Williams Cooley
Written-By – Coslow
20    Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band–    Wanted 2:24
Vocals – Eva Taylor
Written-By – Lawrence, Tinturin
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone [?] – Louis Jordan (tracks: 1 to 4)
Alto Saxophone [Second] – Unknown Artist (tracks: 1 to 4)
Banjo – Unknown Artist (tracks: 1 to 4)
Bass [Stringbass] – Richard Fullbright* (tracks: 1 to 4)
Brass Bass – Cyrus St. Clair (tracks: 11 to 20), Unknown Artist (tracks: 7 to 10)
Brass Bass [?] – Cyrus St. Clair (tracks: 5, 6)
Clarinet – Buster Bailey (tracks: 15 to 20), Cecil Scott (tracks: 1 to 14)
Cornet – Ed Allen
Drums – Floyd Casey (tracks: 1 to 4)
Guitar [?] – Jimmy McLin (tracks: 11 to 14), Roy Smeck (tracks: 5 to 10)
Piano – Clarence Williams (tracks: 5 to 20)
Tenor Saxophone – Cecil Scott (tracks: 1 to 4, 7 to 14), Prince Robinson (tracks: 15 to 20)
Trombone [?] – Wilbur De Paris (tracks: 7 to 9)
Trumpet – Unknown Artist (tracks: 7 to 10)
Washboard – Floyd Casey (tracks: 15 to 20)
Washboard [?] – Bruce Johnson (tracks: 7 to 10), Willie Williams (tracks: 11 to 14)

LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series –685 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

While MCA continues to release incomplete samplers of his Decca recordings, the European Classics series has reissued the great trumpeter's performances the best possible way: complete and in chronological order. This final CD has 18 mostly rare big band selections from 1940-42 (highlighted by "I Cover the Waterfront," a remake of "When It's Sleepy Time down South," "Coquette" and "I Never Knew"), along with the four songs recorded by Armstrong during a reunion session with the great soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet (including a heated "Down in Honky Tonk Town"). Ignore the better publicized MCA Louis Armstrong reissues, and get this series instead. Scott Yanow   
Tracklist :
1     Cut off My Legs and Call Me "Shorty" 2:33
Edna Alexander / Don Raye
2     Cain and Abel 3:01
Fensteck / Loman   
3     Perdido Street Blues 3:04
Lil Hardin
4     2:19 Blues 2:52
Mamie Desdume
5     Down in Honky Tonk Town 3:03
Chris Smith / Trixie Smith
6     Coal Cart Blues 2:55
Louis Armstrong / Lil Hardin
7     Ev'rything's Been Done Before 3:04
Harold Adamson / Charles E. King / Edwin Knopf
8     I Cover the Waterfront 3:12
Johnny Green / Edward Heyman
9     In the Gloaming 2:56
Annie Fortescue Harrison / Meta Orred
10     Long, Long Ago 2:51
Thomas Haynes Bayly
11     Hey, Lawdy Mama 2:57
Jim Eaton / Terry Shand
12     I'll Get Mine Bye and Bye 3:03
Jimmie Davis
13     Now, Do You Call That a Buddy? 3:18
W. Wilson
14     Yes, Suh! 2:19
Edgar Dowell / Andy Razaf
15     When It's Sleepy Time Down South 3:09
Clarence Muse / Otis Rene / Leon René
16     Leap Frog 2:57
Leo Corday / Joe Garland
17     I Used to Love You (But It's All over Now) 2:57
Lew Brown / Albert Von Tilzer
18     You Rascal You 2:58
Sam Theard
19     (Get Some) Cash for Your Trash 3:01
Ed Kirkeby / Fats Waller
20     Among My Souvenirs 2:44
Edgar Leslie / Horatio Nicholls
21     Coquette 2:34
Irving Berlin
22     I Never Knew 2:44
Gus Kahn / Ted Fio Rito