MEZZ MEZZROW – 1951-1953 | The Chronogical Classics – 1393 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This seventh volume in the Chronological Classics series documenting the wildly flamboyant personality Mezz Mezzrow is finally nearing the end, focusing in on the last decade of his life as a recording artist; he lived for another 14 years after he stopped. This set features Mezzrow in the company of Claude Bolling, Red Richards, Buck Clayton, Red Richards, Mowgli Jospin, Big Chief Russell Moore, Zutty Singleton and others. The program is all the old tunes, played and played again, from Mezzrow's own minor classic "Really the Blues" (the title of his memoir as well), to "Royal Garden Blues," "When the Saints Go Marching In," "Honeysuckle Rose" and many more; the feel is relaxed and easy. There is little real innovation going on here, but the sound is terrific and the tunes themselves are timeless. Mezzrow collectors will want this addition to the catalog.
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Tracklist + Credits :

MEZZ MEZZROW – 1953-1954 | The Chronogical Classics – 1449 (2007) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Volume eight in the Mezz Mezzrow department of the Classics Chronological Series contains selected recordings cut for the Vogue label between March 1, 1953 and November 21, 1954 in Paris, France. Mezz sounds entirely at home as leader and participant in 17 relaxed rituals of old-fashioned jazz, including ten minutes of the "Basin Street Blues" and a nine-minute romp through the changes of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." Like volume seven, this is an exciting and entertaining if technically incomplete representation of the artist's professional activity during the designated time period. The first two tracks are excerpts from matinee and evening concerts given at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees on March 1, 1953. Although other excerpts appeared at the end of volume seven, the omission of numerous titles from these gigs leaves a gap in the Mezzrow discographical timeline that is uncharacteristic of the Classics reissue label. Tracks three-nine were recorded in Paris on April 2, 1953, ten-fourteen from a little known session featuring Fats Waller's chief saxophonist Eugene "Honeybear" Sedric (without a doubt some of the best Sedric ever preserved on record!) and the final three jams were taped at the Salle Pleyel concert hall on November 21, 1954 with pianist Claude Bolling, drummer man Freddie Moore, trombonist Jimmy Archey, and one of the first trumpeters ever to make records with Jelly Roll Morton, the great Lee Collins. Other key participants in this excellent collection of traditional New Orleans/Chicago styled jazz and swing are trumpeter Buck Clayton, trombonist Big Chief Russell Moore, pianist Red Richards, bassist Pierre Michelot, tap dancer Taps Miller, and primal jazz and blues drummer Kansas Fields. Once again, Mezzrow's amazing homegrown ability to surround himself with legendary jazzmen yields honest and intimate good-time music that comes across friendly and for real. arwulf arwulf  
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LOUIS ARMSTRONG – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 992 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In September of 1946 Louis Armstrong was in Los Angeles, making a series of recordings for the Swing label, a French enterprise notable for its devotion to both traditional jazz and progressive swing. Calling his group the Hot Seven as if to invoke his phenomenal band from 20 years earlier and now flanked by trombonist Vic Dickenson and clarinetist Barney Bigard, Armstrong sang the blues beautifully and served up a spicy, caramelized rendition of "Sugar," Maceo Pinkard's amorous hit from the 1920s. Five sides cut for Victor on October 17, 1946, clearly illustrate what a transitional time this was for Armstrong. First he knocked off a pair of tunes backed by a 17-piece big band that included in its ranks bassist Arvell Shaw and trombonist "Big Chief" Russell Moore as well as tenor saxophonists Joe Garland and Johnny Sparrow. Then on the same day three additional recordings were made by Louis Armstrong's Dixieland Seven, a hot little outfit including Bigard, Kid Ory, Red Callender, and Minor "Ram" Hall. Their update of the old "Mahogany Hall Stomp" is a pure delight, with Ory growling like a camel through his trombone. On February 8, 1947, Armstrong was back in New York doing up V-Discs, first with Edmond Hall's Cafe Society Band and then in front of a 16-piece ensemble similar to the orchestra he had used during the previous autumn, with Lucky Thompson added to the reed section. A projected six-and-a-half-minute rendition of "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" turns out to be two versions of this song performed first by Louis Armstrong and then by Billie Holiday. Two separate live performances were edited together for their initial release but do not constitute a duet. This might come as a bit of a disappointment to anyone expecting a preview of the famous Armstrong/Holiday pairing of 1949, "My Sweet Hunk o' Trash." Five punchy big-band tunes from March of 1947 feature Armstrong as endearing pop vocalist who blows his horn nicely between raucous blasts from the brass section. This portion of the Armstrong chronology ends with two more V-Disc recordings. A feisty version of Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'" is followed by "Reminiscin' with Louis," an interview conducted by Art Ford with lots of laughter and enthusiastic responses from the live audience. The only music heard on this final track is a brief chorus of "High Society" at the outset. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1 - I Want a Little Girl 3:00
(Mencher, Moll)
2 - Sugar 3:23
(Alexander, Mitchell, Pinkard)
3 - Blues for Yesterday 2:34
(Carr)
4 - Blues in the South 3:01
(Johnstone)
5 - Endie 2:49
(Alter, DeLange)
6 - The Blues Are Brewin' 2:54
(Alter, DeLange)
7 - Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? 2:58
(Alter, DeLange)
8 - Where the Blues Were Born in New Orleans 3:05
(Capleton, Dixon)
9 - Mahogany Hall Stomp 2:54
(Williams)
10 - Black and Blue 4:23
(Brooks, Razaf, Waller)
11 - Old Rockin' Chair 5:03
(Carmichael)
12 - Save It, Pretty Mama 2:54
(Davis, Denniker, Redman)
13 - Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? 6:30
(Alter, DeLange)
14 - I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder 2:33
(Hutchinson)
15 - I Believe 2:56
(Cahn, Styne)
16 - Why Doubt My Love? 3:19
(Armstrong, Mercer)
17 - It Takes Time 2:36
(Korb)
18 - You Don't Learn That in School 2:41
(Alfred, Fisher)
19 - Ain't Misbehavin' 3:17
(Brooks, Razaf, Waller)
20 - Reminiscin' with Louis 4:33
(Armstrong)