GENE SEDRIC – 1938-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1181 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Most people who are hip to Eugene "Honeybear" Sedric know him as the man who was Fats Waller's chosen handler of clarinet and tenor saxophone, usually paired with trumpeter Herman Autrey as the front line of the little "Rhythm" band, between the years 1934 and 1943. To be able to savor an entire CD containing virtually everything that Sedric recorded as a leader is a musical treat beyond belief. Any true Waller devotee would jump on this without hesitation. The first four tracks, recorded in November 1938, feature Waller's touring band, heard here with Hank Duncan at the piano and featuring spunky vocalist Myra Johnson, who livened up several of Waller's three-minute movies, including "The Joint Is Jumpin'." Sedric's version is fun enough, but Waller fans will get extra kicks from "Off Time," as it's rare to hear anybody singing this delightful tune, one of many great songs that the pianist composed but didn't live long enough to record for posterity. Also included in that category would be "Choo-Choo," co-written by Waller, Sedric, and Andy Razaf. It is a tight shuffle dolled up with toots from a small train whistle by Slick Jones, Waller's trusty percussionist and sound effects man. Gene sings pleasantly, seeming not at all ashamed to voice what others might have felt were foolish lyrics. "The Wail of the Scromph," a slow and easy blues by Sedric, opens with clarinet. Autrey is warm as always, Al Casey dexterous and cool. Now here's the curious part of the package: in August of 1946 Sedric's band accompanied vocalist Ruby Smith, who based her career on the fact that she was Bessie Smith's husband's niece. Sounding tough and somewhat brittle on "Chicago Woman Blues," Ruby's presence with Sedric seems surprising at first. "Baby, Baby, Baby Blues" is more subtle as Sedric talks back at her in the same way that Fats usually enjoyed cajoling his guest vocalists, particularly Una Mae Carlisle. Ruby in fact sounds more than a little like Una Mae on the moody "Sedric's Blues." Four more sides were cut on that same day without Ruby, giving this excellent band a chance to strut its stuff. "Forget It" and "Bootin' and Swingin'" are solid extensions of Fats Waller's early-1940 instrumental jam style. Eight sides recorded in New York for the Swing and Keynote labels represent Sedric's band at the apex of its creative success. Each instrumental track is outstanding, while the carefully rehearsed theatrically hip group vocals are dazzling in their complex fluidity. Sedric's last stand as a leader occurred in January of 1947, when his band once again found itself supporting Ruby Smith. Who wrote these tunes, and why? Never mind. It doesn't matter. What's important is that Al Casey seized upon the opportunity to play electrically amplified guitar behind the vocal on "You Satisfy," and "Hot Sauce Susie" enabled Sedric to yell about chops and corn bread, drawing once again upon the training he received throughout nine years of dedicated service as Thomas "Fats" Waller's right-hand man. 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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