BILL COLEMAN – 1951-1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1339 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bill Coleman is woefully unsung in jazz circles, probably because he spent half his professional career as an expatriate American jazz musician living in Europe. An excellent swing trumpeter, Coleman had an affinity for the blues as well, and this collection of sides from 1951 and 1952 shows a wonderfully lyric player on such tracks as the opener, "Bing Bang Blues," and such classic standards as "Lester Leaps In," "Pennies From Heaven," and the two-part "St. Louis Blues." Coleman shows an affable and comfortable vocal style (although its good that he never set aside his horn) as well on a couple cuts here, the telling "The Blues Jumped and Got Me" and the set closer, the immortal "St. James Infirmary." Steve Leggett
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BILL COLEMAN – 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1381 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In addition to the friendliest photograph of Bill Coleman ever published, this fourth installment in the Classics Coleman chronology presents material performed live in Paris, France. The first 11 tracks were recorded on October 18, 1952, with Coleman as MC in front of a wildly appreciative audience at the Salle Pleyel, 252 Rue de Faubourg St-Honore. The opening number is an extended duet on "Out of Nowhere" played by pianist Randy Downes and bassist Alvin "Buddy" Banks. A brief crowd-pleasing take of "The Sheik" consists mostly of Zutty Singleton beating the hell out of a cymbal. Guy Lafitte is heard on clarinet and tenor sax (very nicely handled on "Ghost of a Chance") and Dicky Wells blows his trombone with either laconic eccentricity or a boisterous if somewhat dog-eared abandon. Coleman, as always, sounds like a trumpeter who was inspired by Louis Armstrong and gradually developed his own sound without ever deviating very far from the Armstrong influence. "Knuckle Head," composed by Coleman and Wells, is a solid example of what in 1945 was often referred to as "rebop." Coleman uses a mute most beautifully on Duke Ellington's "Solitude" and Lafitte demonstrates a Barney Bigard-like approach to the clarinet. "Perdido" heavily features bassist Buddy Banks. The author of the liner notes assumed that Wells was loaded and needed to be "rescued" by Coleman. This is debatable; on the excellent "Red Top" the trombonist sounds like he's fully in command of himself. Given the tastes of the average Parisian jazz head in 1952, it is not surprising that this band ended its gig with a singalong version of "When the Saints Go Marching In." Lafitte's very modern tenor solo on this historical New Orleans street stomp perfectly addresses the European fascination with the entire history of jazz. The rest of the material issued here was recorded at the Cluny Palace in the Cluny de Luxe Hotel on October 23, 1953, with trombonist Bill Tamper, veteran reedman Benny Waters, and a tight rhythm section propelled by percussionist Wallace Bishop. Coleman exercises his vocal chords on the last three tracks. Benny Waters takes one of the toughest solos of his career on Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's rocking "Old Maid Blues," a facetious tune addressed to a 35-year-old woman. arwulf arwulf  
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