OLIVER NELSON — Sound Pieces (1966-1991) RM | GRP Presents The Legendary Masters Of Jazz | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Sound Pieces features Oliver Nelson in two very different settings. Although best-known as an altoist and a tenor saxophonist, Nelson sticks exclusively to soprano throughout the set. He leads a 20-piece big band on three of his compositions which, although interesting, are not overly memorable. Best are five other numbers (two of which were originally issued on the record Three Dimensions) that showcase Nelson's soprano playing with a quartet that includes pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate. Although one would not think of Nelson as a soprano stylist, his strong playing actually put him near the top of his field on such numbers as "The Shadow of Your Smile," "Straight No Chaser," and his own "Patterns."  Scott Yanow
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ART TATUM — The Complete Pablo Group Masterpieces (1990) RM | 6CD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tatum spent most of his career as a solo pianist; in fact, it was often said that he was such an unpredictable virtuoso that it would be difficult for other musicians to play with him. Producer Norman Granz sought to prove that the theory was false, so between 1954 and 1956 he extensively recorded Tatum with a variety of other classic jazzmen, resulting originally in nine LPs of material that is now available separately as eight CDs and on this very full six-CD box set. In contrast to the massive solo Tatum sessions that Granz also recorded during this period, the group sides have plenty of variety and exciting moments, which is not too surprising when one considers that Tatum was teamed in a trio with altoist Benny Carter and drummer Louie Bellson; with trumpeter Roy Eldridge, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster in separate quartets; in an explosive trio with vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and drummer Buddy Rich; with a sextet including Hampton, Rich, and trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison; and on a standard trio session. Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

THE SPIRITS OF RHYTHM – 1933-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1028 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Spirits of Rhythm were to the 1930s what the Cats & the Fiddle were to the 1940s. Both groups relied upon well-organized, carefully harmonized scat singing and a flurry of adroitly picked tiples and guitar. What the Spirits had going for them was the great Leo "Scat" Watson (1898-1950), drummer, tiple tickler, and one of the most interesting scat singers of all time. Teddy Bunn was their guitarist, and may be heard playing and singing throughout the entire CD. The recordings made in 1933 are exceptionally fine. Two delightful versions of "I Got Rhythm" are matched with "Rhythm," an original by Wilbur Daniels. "I've Got the World on a String" cuts off abruptly during a reprise of the vocal chorus, as they ran out of room on the recording platter. The session of December 6, 1933, introduces bassist Wilson Myers. "I'll Be Ready When the Great Day Comes" is something like a spiritual with humorous overtones: "Didn't the good book say that Cain slew Abel? Hit him in the head with the leg of a table!" Johnny Mercer's "My Old Man" belongs in a special category of cruel songs poking fun at fathers. This picturesque ditty predicts that the parent in question will end up in a garbage can: "Put a bottle of gin there and he'll get in there." The first seven tracks are so satisfying that it's a bit of a jolt when Red McKenzie is featured as lead vocalist on the session of September 11, 1934. Whose idea was it to foist this character onto the Spirits? His wobbly chortling sounds a bit incongruous with such hip backing. The expert picking and scatting come as a relief, after which McKenzie's reprise sounds foolish. He should have confined himself to his famous paper and comb, which would have sounded wonderfully weird with this band. As it is, he sounds about as hip as, say, Nelson Eddy. Three days later, the Spirits were back without McKenzie but with the addition of percussionist and vocalist Virgil Scroggins. "Junk Man" is good fun, and Watson sings a snatch of the old vaudeville number "Horses, Horses," a riff he'd quoted on tiple during a solo on "I Got Rhythm" the previous year. Mercer's lightweight Sherlock Holmes routine is peculiar enough for entertainment purposes, but "That's What I Hate About You" is too closely modeled after a record made several years earlier by Jack Teagarden and Fats Waller. Waller fans who are aware of the original might actually resent the close cover. Now the chronology leaps ahead seven years. Ella Logan's piping vocal with the Spirits on "Tipperary" and "From Monday On" are cute enough, but the two instrumentals from the same session allow us to concentrate on the presence of bassist Wellman Braud and the fine drumming of Watson. "We've Got the Blues" contains a premonition of "Caldonia," and we learn that cement is the reason her head is so hard. The final six sides to appear under this band's name involved only Watson and Bunn from the original group. This 1945 ensemble contains no tiples whatsoever. Leonard Feather is sitting in on piano, Ulysses Livingstone operates a second guitar, and Red Callender is the bassist, while Georgie Vann sings the blues and plays the drums. Here we get a fine dose of Watson's fully developed singing style. No doubt Waller would have approved of "Honey-Sock-Me-on-the-Nose." Watson's throaty interjections on "She Ain't No Saint" sound slightly deranged. Irving Berlin's "Coquette" becomes a smorgasbord centering on "Chicken Croquette." Watson was working with Slim Gaillard during these years, and this last number sounds a lot like something Slim would have dished up. arwulf arwulf  
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DEXTER GORDON – 1943-1947 | The Chronogical Classics – 999 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This magnificent album of progressive jazz from the mid-'40s contains the earliest recordings released under Dexter Gordon's name. The opening session finds him in the company of Nat King Cole and Harry "Sweets" Edison. While Cole based much of his piano style on the creative accomplishments of Earl Hines, Gordon named Roy Eldridge and Lester Young as primary influences. The inspiration to emulate Prez, said Dex, "...came like a bolt out of the blue to me...I readily identified with his ideas and concepts...." This is superbly demonstrated in the relaxed jamming atmosphere of the first four tracks, particularly "I Blowed and Gone." Gordon said that by the time he joined the Lionel Hampton band in December of 1940, he'd been listening carefully to Prez "for three or four years." By 1943 Gordon's saxophone voice had ripened under that influence to the point where he was beginning to tell his own story. Then one night in 1944 at Minton's Playhouse, Gordon sat in literally between Lester Young and Ben Webster. Recording for Savoy in October of 1945, Gordon was teamed with adventurous pianist Sadik Hakim, backed by Gene Ramey and Ed Nicholson. These performances resemble Lester Young's Aladdin and early Clef recordings. The second Savoy session from January 1946 has Leonard Hawkins blowing trumpet and a wicked rhythm section in Bud Powell, Curly Russell, and Max Roach. As is the case with most of the groups heard on this collection, the combination of creative minds is stunning. And here Gordon establishes his wonderful personal regimen of delivering slow, full-feature tenor ballads. Back in 1943, "Sweet Lorraine" was shared with Nat Cole, who soon became closely identified with that melody. "I Can't Escape from You" is the first real example listeners have of Gordon the three-minute balladeer. Other forthcoming offerings in this vein are "Talk of the Town" and "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You." His next session as a leader took place in Hollywood on June 5, 1947, with trombonist Melba Liston, who was soloing with and writing arrangements for Gerald Wilson's orchestra during this period (see Classics 976, the 1945-1946 volume of the label's Wilson chronology). "Mischievous Lady" and "Lullabye in Rhythm" contain what seem to be Liston's first solos recorded in a small-band environment. It's a shame that this group didn't cut a dozen more sides together. One week later, Gordon and Wardell Gray cut their famous two-part tenor blowout, "The Chase." Since Charlie Parker's "Klactoveedsedstene," with its distinctive opening clause, was recorded on October 28, 1947, it is interesting to hear the same lick used to open and close "The Chase," recorded nearly five months earlier. Which came first, the Bird or the egg? As "The Chase" proceeds, another riff emerges, forming the basis for the theme and the beginning of the first solo. It is based on Alphonse Picou's famous clarinet passage from "High Society," the old New Orleans jazz anthem. Here is the great multi-generational span dance, the new thing firmly grounded in the old. Every single record reissued here is worth its weight in gold. Gordon's Dial recordings, especially "Chromatic Aberration" and "Bikini," are full-blooded mature statements from a 24-year-old master improviser wise beyond his years. Even in the face of all the great records he would make in the years to come, this stash of Dexter Gordon's early work should be cherished among his very best. arwulf arwulf               Tracklist + Credits :

DEXTER GORDON – 1947-1952 | The Chronogical Classics – 1295 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A Classics collection of tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, 1947-1952 features some of the mellow jazzman's most identifiable recordings from that period. Beginning with an extended version of "The Duel," the disc also includes Gordon's epic tenor battle with Wardell Gray on "The Chase." Matt Collar
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ILLINOIS JACQUET – 1951-1952 | The Chronogical Classics – 1376 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This fourth installment in the Classics Illinois Jacquet chronology contains some of his very best recordings from the early '50s, originally released on the Mercury and Clef labels. The first three tracks were recorded in Los Angeles on January 18, 1951, with excellent support from pianist Carl Perkins, guitarist Oscar Moore, bassist Red Callender, and master percussionist J.C. Heard. The next session took place in New York four months later with an equally outstanding group composed of Hank Jones on piano and celeste, guitarist John Collins, bassist Gene Ramey, and the mighty Art Blakey inside of the drums. The ballads are superb, the ambling grooves irresistible, and "Cotton Tail" is taken to the verge of a nice rolling boil. "Weary Blues" is not the famous old-time stomp by Artie Matthews but rather a relaxed original ambulation in blue, quite soulful and dignified. Its flip side, simply entitled "Groovin'," is a case study in jamming with all five burners lit. The next three tracks were recorded on March 21, 1952, using what was essentially the Count Basie Orchestra with John Acea at the 88s. Jacquet rolls along in front of this steamy 14-piece band, sounding completely at home and in command. This outstanding compilation closes with eight tracks recorded in July and December of 1952. On the July date, Jacquet's remarkable rhythm section consisted of Hank Jones, Freddie Green, Ray Brown, and Jimmy Crawford, augmented with Count Basie himself at the organ. The December band was an amazing variation on the previous ensemble: Hank Jones now played the organ with Sir Charles Thompson sitting in on piano along with guitarist Joe Sinacore, bassist Al Lucas, and ace drummer Shadow Wilson. Given the excellence of each and every performance, the jaw-dropping collective personnel, and the overall striking artistic integrity of the featured tenor saxophonist, this CD belongs among the very best recordings by this artist or anyone else who had a hand in the development of early modern jazz. arwulf arwulf       Tracklist + Credits :

GERALD WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1946-1954 | The Chronogical Classics – 1444 (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

After leaving Detroit and arriving in Los Angeles, Gerald Wilson formed his first big band in 1944. By 1946 he was firmly established as a fine trumpet player, arranger, and composer, and was developing a style fit not only for modern jazz, but also eventually film scores. The dramatics apropos for both formats is evident on this second installment of Wilson's chronological recordings for the Classics reissue label, culled from recordings originally on the Black & White, United Artists, Excelsior, Federal, King, and Audio Lab labels. There are five different mid-sized orchestras with musicians from L.A., all quite literate and displaying different areas of expertise, and Wilson writes with each player's individual sound in mind. Of course they work as a unified whole, and you get to hear a lot of Wilson's trumpet work. The Black & White sessions from 1946 have the band swinging very hard on the happy bop-bop "Et-ta," while hoppin' and barkin' for "The Saint." The opposite slow side is shown on "Pensive Mood" and the sad, dreary "The Moors." These tracks feature then-young trombonist, composer, and arranger Melba Liston, who of course would go on to great acclaim. Recordings from 1947 for United Artists and Excelsior feature vocalist Dan Grissom and there's a finger-snappin' group vocal with Grissom, Liston, and Trummy Young, "Va-ance," that approaches the territory of the Modernaires. Four more for Excelsior in 1949 reveal Wilson moving into film noir, hinted at by the spy movie piece "Dissonance in Blues" from the 1947 cuts, but more pronounced here. Wilson is assertive on his horn, and ramps up the dramatic tension on the stairstep motif of "The Black Rose" while also offering an expanded version of "Guarachi-Guaro," the second section infusing expansive oboe and flute. Here the outstanding West Coast alto saxophonist Buddy Collette also enters the fray. Jumping up to 1954, Wilson offers up three two-part pieces all prominently showcasing the exotic vibrato flute sound of Bill Green -- the hot and spicy "Mambo Mexicano," dynamic up-and-down desert dune caravan-ish "Algerian Fantasy," and slow-as-sunset "Lotus Land." These are much more provocative, but in addition, the band is loaded with all-stars like trumpeter Clark Terry, trombonist Britt Woodman, tenor saxophonists Paul Gonsalves and Teddy Edwards, and a very young Jerry Dodgion on alto sax. These cuts use pronounced world music elements in a way that Duke Ellington hinted at, and all are exuberant and levitating. The remaining pieces are the contradictory titled hard bopper "Romance," Khachaturian's famous Spanish classical ballad "Bull Fighter," and a different "Black Rose" (unknown author) than the one written by Wilson heard earlier on the CD. This collection really drives home how this group, unique unto itself, was able to stretch stereotypical big-band jazz and take it into a new arena, fueled by the vast imagination of Gerald Wilson. The only unsolved mystery: unattributed credits about various clearly audible Latin percussionists who are never identified. Michael G. Nastos  
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NAT "KING" COLE – 1941-1943 | The Chronogical Classics – 786 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The King Cole Trio cut a total of 16 sides for the Decca label beginning in December of 1940 (see Nat King Cole 1940-1941 -- Classics 773). Volume Three in the Classics Nat King Cole chronology gathers together perhaps for the first time all of the recordings he made between July 16, 1941 and November 2, 1943. The first eight tracks constitute the second half of Cole's Decca discography. "Hit the Ramp" is a finely crafted instrumental; the trio sings several hip novelties: "Call the Police," "Stop, the Red Light's On," "Are You Fer It?" and a soon-to-be-famous rendition of Skeets Tolbert's "Hit That Jive, Jack." Cole handled the sentimental "This Will Make You Laugh" and his own original blues, "That Ain't Right," soon to be smoothly covered by Slim Gaillard after being transformed into a boisterous duet by Fats Waller and Ada Brown in the 1943 motion picture Stormy Weather. Nathaniel Coles would not record again until July 15, 1942, when he collaborated with bassist Red Callender and tenor saxophonist Lester Young. The recordings that resulted from this unparalleled combination of musical minds were each around five minutes in length; on both the original 12" Philo 78 rpm double-disc album and the subsequent 10" Aladdin LP, the covers read "King Cole Lester Young Red Callender Trio" while the labels on the records identified the group as the "Lester Young Trio." This session resulted in music that belongs among the best jazz that any of the three participants ever performed in a recording studio. It is a prelude to Prez's excellent 1946 trio session with Cole and Buddy Rich. The remainder of this compilation makes available to the public the King Cole trio's little-known recordings made in October 1942 and March and November 1943 for the Excelsior and Premier labels. The next volume in the series opens with this group's very first Capitol recordings, cut at the end of November 1943. arwulf arwulf  
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NAT "KING" COLE – 1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 938 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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HELEN HUMES – 1945-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1036 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This second installment in the excellent Classics Helen Humes chronology covers the exciting material she recorded for the Philo (soon to become Aladdin), Black & White, and Mercury labels, first with her All-Stars in Los Angeles during 1945-1946 and then with Buck Clayton's band in New York in 1946 and 1947. Alternating between ballads, blues, and boogie-woogie, the singer exudes a wonderful passionate glow that sometimes borders on the sensual. The front lines of her West Coast bands were richly staffed with excellent players in trumpeter Snooky Young and saxophonists Willie Smith, Tom Archia, Corky Corcoran, Maxwell Davis, Wild Bill Moore, and -- fresh out of the Army -- Lester Young! Dig his beautiful solo on "Pleasing Man Blues." Note also the presence of some of the top rhythm section men in the Los Angeles area at that time: guitarists Allan Reuss, Dave Barbour, and Irving Ashby; bassist Red Callender; drummers Chico Hamilton and Henry Tucker Green; and pianists Arnold Ross, Eddie Beal, and the great Meade "Lux" Lewis, who adds a little mustard to the singer's sequel to her earlier hit record, "Be-Baba-Leba." Over on the East Coast, the Buck Clayton-led ensembles had equally strong support in tenor saxophonist John Hardee (his velvety introduction to "Blue and Sentimental" is nothing less than a tribute to Herschel Evans), pianists Ram Ramirez and Teddy Wilson, and the winning Kansas City combination of bassist Walter Page and drummer Jo Jones. Is this the best of Helen Humes? Pretty close to it; she's in the prime of her early maturity and the musicians are uniformly excellent. arwulf arwulf  
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ERROLL GARNER – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1004 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This sixth volume of the complete recordings of Erroll Garner reissued in chronological order opens with eight sides recorded in Los Angeles for the Mercury label during the spring and summer of 1946. Only about two years into his recording career, Garner had developed into a master interpreter of ballads both soft and piquant. His own slightly eccentric "Frantonality" is a classic manifestation of Garner's habit of strutting his stuff using quirky twists and rambunctious turns of phrase. While drummers Nick Fatool and Lou Singer each interacted wonderfully with the pianist, bassist Red Callender's resonant tonalities really enhance the atmosphere, adding an extra dimension to each performance. On February 19, 1947, Garner made five beautiful records with Charlie Parker for the Dial label. "Trio" and "Pastel" -- which includes a fine bass solo by Callender -- were waxed at that same session with support from percussionist supreme Harold "Doc" West. In April of 1947 Garner dished out four solo recordings for the Victor label, beginning with two originals, "Erroll's Bounce" and a very attractive "Erroll's Blues." A few weeks later, Garner was invited back to the Dial studio to record eight tracks all by himself. This was to be the only solo piano session ever presented on Dial by that label's owner, Ross Russell. arwulf arwulf  
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BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1396 (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

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CHARLIE VENTURA – 1945-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1044 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Philadelphia native Charlie Ventura was born Charles Venturo in 1916. Following in his father's footsteps, he worked at first for the Stetson hat company. Inspired by tenor saxophonist Leon "Chu" Berry, he took up the sax on his own and eventually made his first appearance on records as a member of Berry's ensemble. After extensive nocturnal gigging while working at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Venturo sat in with Roy Eldridge and soon began recording with Gene Krupa's orchestra. It was Krupa who first brought Venturo to Los Angeles. This wonderful compilation presents a wealth of precious material recorded between March 1945 and March 1946 in both L.A. and New York. These are the first records that Venturo issued under his own name, and they all used the original spelling. He wasn't presented on records as "Charlie Ventura" until September of 1946. Teamed at first with Howard McGhee and then with Buck Clayton, Venturo cut eight sides for the small-time Sunset and Black & White labels. These were followed by five episodes for tenor and rhythm section recorded in New York for the rapidly rising Savoy label. While Chu Berry was his prime influence, Venturo's progress paralleled that of Coleman Hawkins as swing evolved rapidly into bop. Here Venturo demonstrates his remarkable prowess as both balladeer and front burner. The drumming of Gordon "Specs" Powell enhances and fortifies the two sessions from August of 1945. A loose-limbed live "Jam Session Honoring Charlie Venturo" resulted in extended versions of "The Man I Love" and "Stompin' at the Savoy," and were brought out on the Lamplighter and Crystalette labels by producer Ted Yerxa. The omission of Ventura's famous performance at Town Hall in 1945 -- issued on Commodore and reissued by Atlantic -- is puzzling and somewhat disappointing, but the rest of the material is so rare and excellent as to compensate for the gap. Back with Black & White in March of 1946, Venturo led a sextet including trumpeter Red Rodney and Jimmie Lunceford's star alto saxophonist, Willie Smith. There are several contenders for "best Charlie Ventura compilation," but this one, documenting his first year as leader of his own recording ensembles, rates among the very best. arwulf arwulf  
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CHARLIE VENTURA – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1111 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tenor saxophonist Charlie Ventura (born Charles Venturo) was a byproduct of the Chu Berry/Coleman Hawkins methodology of gutsy swing and early bop improvisation. The Classics Chronological Series did the world an enormous favor when they reissued Ventura's earliest recordings as a leader and followed suit with this fascinating second volume of rare material. Back in Los Angeles during the spring of 1946, Ventura -- still billed on record as "Charlie Venturo" -- paired up with master clarinetist Barney Bigard in front of a rhythm quartet anchored by bassist Red Callender. Two of the four sides waxed on this occasion feature an unidentified male vocalist who sings wistful ballads without doing too much damage. Four sides recorded for the Black & White label in May of 1946 are particularly satisfying for the exchange of ideas between "Venturo," alto saxophonist Charlie Kennedy, trumpeter Red Rodney, pianist Teddy Napoleon, guitarist Allan Reuss, drummer Nick Fatool, and once again bassist Red Callender, who is sometimes called upon to introduce the melody by himself. On September 6, 1946, "Venturo" began a 13-month engagement with the National record label in New York. This was a turning point in several ways: the spelling of the leader's name was altered for the first time to read "Ventura"; the ensemble was expanded to an unprecedented 18 pieces; and Lily Ann Carol, a smooth vocalist with bop touches, was added on two ballads, "Either It's Love or It Isn't" and "Please Be Kind," backed by two instrumentals, a captivating "Misirlou" and a brassy treatment of "How High the Moon." On Ventura's next session for National, more vocals, both cute and romantic and decorated with little bits of bop-flavored scat, were inserted. The rest of the material from this second big-band date features the leader's mellifluous saxophone and, on "Annie, Annie Over," trombonist Bennie Green and the marvelous bop clarinet of Aaron Sachs. This segment of the Ventura chronology closes with a smart bop session featuring Charlie Ventura's American Sextet. After Buddy Stewart sings a sweet ballad and executes a briskly bopped scat routine very closely patterned after the records being made at that time by Babs Gonzales, Ventura slowly pours out "Blue Champagne" and tears into a fiery jam called "Stop and Go." This one track is worth the cost of the entire CD, as Ventura wails along with trumpeter Charlie Shavers, trombonist Bill Harris, and an explosive rhythm section driven by bassist Chubby Jackson and drummer Dave Tough, who was living out the final months of a very turbulent life. It's worth having the entire album just to hear how Tough handles his cymbals on this last cut. arwulf arwulf  
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LUCKY THOMPSON – 1944-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1113 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tenor saxophonist Eli "Lucky" Thompson came up in Detroit but made all of his earliest recordings in the Los Angeles area during the 1940s. This fascinating album of rare jazz opens with a mind-blowing Timme Rosenkrantz-sponsored jam session recorded on December 26, 1944. Thompson leads an ensemble combining violinist Stuff Smith, trombonist Bobby Pratt, pianist Erroll Garner, and drummer George Wettling. "Test Pilots" appears to be a collective improvisation during which, like many Stuff Smith dates, the mood is wonderfully relaxed and informal. Recording for the Excelsior label in September of 1945, Lucky Thompson's All-Stars consisted of trumpeter Karl George, trombonist J.J. Johnson, bop clarinetist Rudy Rutherford and a tough rhythm section in Bill Doggett, Freddie Green, Rodney Richardson, and Shadow Wilson. In August, 1946, Thompson appeared in a live performance with fellow tenor Jack McVea and trumpeter Howard McGhee, along with pianist Jimmy Bunn, guitarist Irving Ashby, bassist Red Callender and drummer Jackie Mills. The proceedings were recorded and issued on the Black and White label under the heading of "Ralph Bass' Junior Jazz Series." The five-minute "Oodle Coo Bop" is really "Ornithology." It is followed by a gutsy jam titled "Bopin' Bop," and a 12-minute blowout simply called "Big Noise." This begins with a detailed introduction by producer Ralph Bass, who speaks like a 1940s high school principal or camp counselor. "Body and Soul," a feature for Hilton Jefferson-styled alto saxophonist Les Robinson, was included for the sake of completeness even though Thompson is not heard on this track. His next date as a leader occurred on September 13, 1946 and is noteworthy for the presence of piano genius Dodo Marmarosa. Red Callender and Jackie Mills acted as the perfect "other half" of this smart little quartet. Dodo and Red were present at the "Lucky Moments" session on April 22, 1947, where Thompson delivered a masterpiece in tenor sax ballad artistry, "Just One More Chance." This inventive octet included Benny Carter, Neal Hefti, baritone saxophonist Bob Lawson, guitarist Barney Kessel, and Lester Young's brother Lee on the drums. It forms one rousing conclusion for this excellent collection of Lucky Thompson's earliest recordings. arwulf arwulf  
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BARNEY BIGARD – 1944-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 930 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

1944-1945 collects Bigard's output after the clarinetist left the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Although his brief time with a band fronted by Joe Thomas is not as consistently rewarding as his stint with Ellington (what could be?), it's still historically valuable and enjoyable for fans of the clarinetist. Bigard had certainly lost none of the virtuosity of his earlier years, but the material is patchier. Nevertheless, this release will be appealing to Bigard's fans, and the Classics label has done an admirable job with the remastering and liner notes. Thomas Ward
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WARDELL GRAY – 1946-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1264 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here you have the first installment in the Classics Wardell Gray chronology. His earliest appearances on record can be found on this label's surveys of Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine. Having this brilliant saxophonist's recordings laid out in exact chronological order is both a treat for the connoisseur and a perfect introduction for those who haven't yet had the pleasure. Wardell Gray's first session as a leader took place in Los Angeles on November 23, 1946, in the excellent company of pianist Dodo Marmarosa, bassist Red Callender, and alternate drummers Harold "Doc" West and Chuck Thompson. These Sunset recordings were not issued commercially and languished for years in obscurity. Here the Lester Young influence is palpable, and Gray was gracious enough to acknowledge his idol with "One for Prez." The next step of the chronology lands listeners in New York during April and May of 1948, whereupon the saxophonist made four brilliant sides for the Sittin' in With record label backed by a rhythm trio featuring pianist Al Haig, and then sat in as a member of a septet led by virtuoso percussionist J.C. Heard. While the quartet date spotlights Gray and Haig, the Heard band glows with a front line of trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist Benny Green, baritone saxophonist Tate Houston, and Wardell Gray. (Anyone who really loves this kind of music will feel better just contemplating that lineup.) After a smart little study in bop scat singing by Buddy Stewart, the next installment is the justifiably famous New Jazz session of November 11, 1949. Securely supported by Al Haig, Tommy Potter, and Roy Haynes, on that day Wardell Gray blew some of the best jazz of his entire all-too-brief career. The producers of the Classics Chronological Series wisely opted to present only the master takes, although interested parties are encouraged to tap into Wardell Gray Memorial, Vol. 1 on Prestige for multiple takes of both "Southside" and especially "Twisted" for audible proof of this man's wealth of creativity and imagination. Speaking of Prestige, this mind-blowing treasure trove of great vintage bop closes with four sides recorded for that label in Detroit, MI, on April 25, 1950. It's the perfect closer for this potent little package of essential early modern jazz. Every track is strong and solid, tight and righ arwulf arwulf t.
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MEADE "LUX" LEWIS - Cat House Piano (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This single CD from 1998 has all of the music from boogie-woogie pianist Meade Lux Lewis' two Verve LPs of 1954-1955. The earlier date is a set of duets with drummer Louie Bellson, while the later session finds Lewis accompanied by bassist Red Callender and drummer Jo Jones. The packaging is perfect, and with 76-and-a-half minutes of playing, the amount of music is generous. The only problem is that there is a definite sameness to the 14 selections (which mostly clock in between four and seven minutes), the majority of which are medium-tempo blues romps. None of the melodies (all Lewis originals) are at all memorable. The romping momentum of the music overall is difficult to resist, but it is advisable to listen to this set in small doses. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     The Pittsburgh Flyer 5:00
Meade "Lux" Lewis
2     Dragon Blues 4:54
Meade "Lux" Lewis
3     Jabouti 6:07
Meade "Lux" Lewis    
4     Torpedo Juice 5:14
Meade "Lux" Lewis
5     Joe Prein's Boogie 5:35
Meade "Lux" Lewis
6     620 Boogie 6:33
Meade "Lux" Lewis
7    Meade's Mambo 5:46
Meade "Lux" Lewis
8     San Francisco Shuffle 6:12
Meade "Lux" Lewis
9     Spoony Sam 3:57
Meade "Lux" Lewis
10     Mama's Bounce 5:48
Meade "Lux" Lewis
11     Shooboody 5:18
Meade "Lux" Lewis
12     Hangover Boogie 6:10
Meade "Lux" Lewis
13     Yancey's Last Ride 3:44
Meade "Lux" Lewis
14     Bush Street Boogie 5:26
Meade "Lux" Lewis
Credits :    
Artwork [Series Art Designed And Directed By] – Patricia Lie, Sung Lee
Bass – Red Callender (tracks: 1 to 8)
Drums – Jo Jones (tracks: 1 to 8), Louie Bellson (tracks: 9 to 14)
Piano – Meade Lux Lewis
Producer [Original Recordings] – Norman Granz
Notas.
Recorded June 28, 1954 at Radio Recorders, Hollywood (tracks 9 to 14), original LP issue: Boogie Woogie Piano And Drums
Recorded January 16, 1955 in Los Angeles (tracks 1 to 8), original LP issue: Cat House Piano

JOHNNY HODGES AN HIS ORCHESTRA - 1951-1952 {CC, 1389} (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Between January 1951 and August 1955, alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges took an extended vacation from Duke Ellington and led his own ensembles in a remarkably fruitful series of recording sessions produced by Norman Granz. Volume three in the Classics Johnny Hodges chronology opens with four outstanding tracks cut on February 28, 1951. Since Hodges was still drawing a salary from Ellington during the session that took place on January 15, these are the first recordings he made as an independent artist after severing the professional umbilicus that had tethered him to Duke's orchestra since the late '20s. Johnny Hodges was one of Ellington's cardinal voices, and musically, they more or less grew up together; even when technically separated, both men continued to make music that reflected a glowing spectrum of shared sensibilities. Most of the Hodges/Granz bands were peppered with Ellingtonians, and several are in evidence here; trombonist Lawrence Brown, drummer Sonny Greer, Billy Strayhorn sitting in at the piano on "Globe Trotter" and tenor man Al Sears serving as "musical director" and booking agent. The session of March 3, 1951 opened with "Castle Rock," Searsy's gutsy self-portrait in R&B that made it onto entertainment industry charts and into jukeboxes for a little while as a "hit." The rest of these recordings were fated to exist as they do today -- as excellent music suspended in an amorphous category stamped with the word "jazz"; marginalized by a mainstream pop culture obsessed with star vocalists, specious spectacle and anything pasted over with the meaningless word "new." These recordings made by a series of septets under the leadership of Johnny Hodges in New York and San Francisco during 1951 and 1952, feature (in addition to the artists already mentioned) such able practitioners as trumpeter Emmett Berry, saxophonist Flip Phillips, bassist Red Callender, drummer J.C. Heard and Ellington vocalist Al Hibbler -- and these timeless performances still await wider recognition. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1     Good Queen Bass 3:05     
Johnny Hodges
2     Jeep's Blues 2:59
Ellington, Hodges
3     Solitude 2:56
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
4     The Jeep Is Jumping 2:50
Ellington, Hodges    
5     Castle Rock 2:53
Al Sears    
6     Sophisticated Lady 3:11
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Mitchell Parish
7     Globe Trotter 3:05
Hodges
8     Gentle Breeze 3:16
Sears    
9     Sideways 3:04
Lovett    
10     A Pound of Blues 3:11
Lovett    
11     Wham 3:04
Hodges    
12     Who's Excited 3:05
Mercer / Hodges
13     Sweeping the Blues Away 3:19
Ellington, Hodges    
14     Day Dream 3:21
Ellington, Latouche, Strayhorn
15     Standing Room Only  2:50
Hodges
16     Below the Azores 3:06
Lovett
17     Tenderly 3:21
Walter Gross / Jack Lawrence
18     Sweet Georgia Brown 6:01
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
19     Duke's Blues 6:09
Hodges    
20     Tea for Two 3:02
Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans
21     This Is My Night to Love 3:04
Ford
22     What I'm Gotchere 3:23
The Cue
Credits :
Billy Strayhorn  Piano
Lloyd Trotman  Bass
Anatol Schenker  Liner Notes
Barney Richmond  Bass
Lawrence D. Brown  Trombone
Sonny Greer  Drums
Emmett Berry  Trumpet
Red Callender  Bass
J.C. Heard  Drums
Leroy Lovett  Piano, Celeste
Al Hibbler  Violin, Vocals
Johnny Hodges  Sax (Alto)
Flip Phillips  Sax (Tenor)
Al Sears  Sax (Tenor)

JOHNNY HODGES - Three Classic Albums Plus (Second Set) : The Blues | More Of Johnny Hodges | In A Tender Mood | Johnny Hodges And His Strings Play The Prettiest Gershwin (2011) 2xCD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Blues
1-1    Rosanne 3'09
1-2    Hodge-Podge 3'35
1-3    Jappa 3'52
1-4    Through For The Night 3'17
1-5    Sheik Of Araby 3'14
1-6    Latino 2'54
1-7    Johnny's Blues 7'02
1-8    Indiana 3'51
1-9    Easy Going Bounce 3'32
1-10    Burgundy Walk 7'08
More to Johnny Hodges
1-11    Ballad Medley: Autumn In New York / Sweet Lorraine / Time On My Hands / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes / If You Were Mine / Poor Butterfly / All Of Me 18'01
1-12    On The Sunny Side Of The Street 2'56
1-13    Warm Valley 3'21
1-14    Madam Butterfly 3'14
1-15    Skokiaan 2'32
1-16    Used To Be Duke 7'23
In a Tender Mood
2-1    Who's Excited 3'02
2-2    Sweepin' The Blues Away 3'18
2-3    Standing Room Only 2'46
2-4    Below The Azores 3'03
2-5    Sweet Georgia Brown 6'00
2-6    Duke's Blues 6'05
2-7    Tenderly 3'18
2-8    Tea For Two 2'59
2-9    What's I'm Gotchere 3'23
2-10    Nothin' Yet 2'39
2-11    Sweet As Bear Meat 3'19
Johnny Hodges And His Strings Play The Prettiest Gershwin
2-12    Love Is Here To Stay 2'41
2-13    Nice Work If You Can Get It 3'09
2-14    'S Wonderful 2'47
2-15    Summertime 2'55
2-16    Soon 2'55
2-17    But Not For Me 2'39
2-18    Somebody Loves Me 2'28
2-19    They Can't Take That Away From Me 3'13
2-20    Someone To Watch Over Me 3'11
2-21    They All Laughed 2'50
2-22    The Man I Love 2'54
2-23    Oh, Lady Be Good 2'36