GENE KRUPA AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947-1949 | The Chronogical Classics – 1319 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After Anita O'Day suddenly quit his band in 1946, Gene Krupa went out looking for a replacement female vocalist. He discovered Carolyn Grey performing with a no-name intermission band and hired her at once. Grey, who also sang with Woody Herman and Sonny Dunham, had a pleasant voice and may be heard at her best on "Old Devil Moon," the opening track of this 14th installment in the complete chronologically reissued works of Gene Krupa on Classics. These recordings, made in New York and Los Angeles between January 1947 and January 1949, all originally appeared on 78-rpm 10" red label Columbia records. During this portion of Krupa's career, stylistic adjustments were made to modernize the overall sound of the band. Gerry Mulligan's arrangement of his and Krupa's collaborative opus "Disc Jockey Jump" meets all the requirements of big-band bop. "By the River St. Marie" was the marvelously solid flip side of Columbia 38590. It's worth noting that some of the best solos on this compilation come from the saxophone section. As popular tastes demanded increasingly large quantities of sentimental vocals, Krupa employed Tom Berry and Buddy Hughes, a couple of standard-issue male crooners. Yet by the end of 1947, Krupa's band was sounding positively progressive, with flashy original compositions and arrangements by Eddie Finckel. Carolyn Grey had been replaced by Delores Hawkins, a comparatively deep-voiced individual who sounds much better here than on a horribly overbearing remake of "Let Me Off Uptown," where she carries on with all the subtlety of Cass Daley. The recordings made on January 26, 1949, feature Hawkins at her best during "Bop Boogie," excellent bop scat vocals from trombonist Frank Rosolino, deep tones from the timpani, and a bongo handler worthy of Machito's Orquesta. On the "exotic" "Similau," Bill Black's conventional crooning is strafed with lightning-quick bop scat runs sung in duet by Rosolino and Hawkins. This music, so emblematic of Krupa's (and Woody Herman's and Charlie Barnet's) passing involvement with bop during the late '40s, adds yet another dimension to the already diverse life and works of Gene Krupa. arwulf arwulf          Tracklist + Credits :

HARRY JAMES AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941 | The Chronogical Classics – 1052 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is the fifth installment in the Classics Harry James chronology. It presents all the studio recordings he made with his orchestra between late January and early May of 1941, beginning with a powerful instrumental jeremiad entitled "Eli Eli." Given the rise of violent anti-Semitism in Europe throughout the 1930s and its subsequent escalation into the Second World War, James was demonstrating admirable solidarity by composing and recording this very Jewish-sounding lament for a major record label. Its title is derived from "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?," a cry of despair from the 22nd Psalm, which Jesus of Nazareth is said to have uttered while being crucified by Italians. The logical segue from this moody piece into The Flight of the Bumblebee, "The Carnival of Venice," "Trumpet Rhapsody," and Chopin Waltz in C sharp minor is a rewarding treat for listeners who enjoy a bit of European classical infusion with their big-band swing. These recordings document an important turning point in the Harry James story; thanks to an idea put forth by producer Morty Palitz, his orchestra was now augmented by a skilled and not-too-sugary string quartet, with results comparable to those achieved by the viol-enhanced ensembles of Freddy Martin and Artie Shaw. The public went for this stuff in a big way, and James was soon enjoying unprecedented commercial success. Crooner Dick Haymes turns in half a dozen sweet vocals, including a cover of Una Mae Carlisle's magnum opus "Walking by the River," but most of these Columbia and V-Disc recordings are tastefully swung instrumentals. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

AL COHN - The Sax Section (1956-2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Al Cohn's writing for small groups is always appealing, and this Epic LP is no exception. Leading three separate groups consisting of various reeds (and no brass) plus a rhythm section, Cohn obtains marvelous results from his groups of all-stars and veteran session musicians. The first session concentrates on saxophones, including Cohn and Eddie Wasserman on tenor saxes, Sam Marowitz and Gene Quill on alto saxes, with Sol Schlinger on the baritone sax. Cohn's swinging "Shazam" brings the swing era to mind, while "Tears by Me Out the Heart" is a warm ballad.
The second meeting is more of a mixed bag, with Boomie Richman, Peanuts Hucko, Romeo Penque, Phil Bodner, Charlie O'Kane, and the leader switching out between various reed instruments from one track to the next. Particularly effective is Cohn's exotic arrangement of "While My Lady Sleeps," featuring two flutes in the lead, backed by oboe, clarinet, and bass clarinet. The final date matches three tenor saxophonists (Zoot Sims and Eddie Wasserman joining the leader) and Sol Schlinger again on baritone. The feeling throughout these tracks touches on the work of the big bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Woody Herman, always swinging, with plenty of hot solos and tight ensembles. This long-unavailable record is worth acquiring, but it will require both a tedious search and a sizable investment. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Reunion 6:54
Hank Mobley    
2     Ultra Marine 6:38
Hank Mobley    
3     Don't Walk 7:48
Hank Mobley    
4     Lower Stratosphere 10:36
Hank Mobley    
5     Mobley's Musings 6:04
Hank Mobley
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Gene Quill (tracks: 1, 4, 9, 12)
Alto Saxophone [Lead] [Alto Sax] – Sam Marowitz (tracks: 1, 4, 9, 12)
Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax] – Sol Schlinger (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12)
Bass – Milt Hinton
Bass Clarinet – Boomie Richman (tracks: 3, 4, 8, 10), Charlie O'Kane (tracks: 8, 10)
Clarinet – Charlie O'Kane (tracks: 3), Peanuts Hucko (tracks: 3, 4, 8, 10), Phil Bodner (tracks: 3), Romeo Penque (tracks: 3)
Drums – Don Lamond (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 11), Osie Johnson (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 8 to 10, 12)
English Horn – Romeo Penque (tracks: 10)
Flute – Charlie O'Kane (tracks: 4), Phil Bodner (tracks: 4, 8, 10)
Oboe – Romeo Penque (tracks: 4, 8)
Piano – Hank Jones (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 11), Johnny Williams (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 8 to 10, 12)
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Al Cohn (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12), Eddie Wasserman (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12), Zoot Sims (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 11)