SAMMY PRICE — Barrelhouse And Blues (1969-1991) APE (image+.cue), lossless

After being largely off records (at least as a leader) since 1961, pianist Sammy Price recorded four sets in Europe for Black & Blue and Black Lion before disappearing from records again until 1975. This CD reissues a surprisingly Dixieland-ish outing with a British sextet that includes trumpeter Keith Smith, trombonist Roy Williams and clarinetist Sandy Brown. Since Price loved to play boogie-woogie and blues, there is a fair sampling of that music on the date (including "West End Boogie" and "Boogie Woogie Minuet"), and such Dixieland favorites as "Rosetta," "Keeping Out of Mischief Now" and "Royal Garden Blues." An exuberant, spirited set with all of the musicians playing in fine form. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Honey Grove Blues 3:45
Written-By – Price
2    Rosetta 4:29
Written-By – Hines, Woode
3    St. James Infirmary 3:01
Written-By – Primrose
4    West End Boogie 6:32
Written-By – Price
5    In The Evening (Take 2) 5:20
Written-By – Carr
6    Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now 2:50
Written-By – Razaf, Waller
7    Struttin' With Georgia 9:43
Written-By – Price
8    Royal Garden Blues 5:04
Written-By – Williams, Williams
9    Jelly On My Mind 4:05
Written-By – Price
10    Boogie Woogie Minuet 2:52
Written-By – Price
11    How Long Blues 3:51
Written-By – Carr
12    Hungarian Rhapsody 3:14
Arranged By – Price
Written-By [Incorrectly Attributed] – Traditional
Written-By [Uncredited] – Franz Liszt
13    In The Evening (Take 1) 5:34
Written-By – Carr
14    Blues For The Bluesicians 3:07
Written-By – Price
15    Just A Lonesome Babe In The Wood 9:11
Written-By – Price
Credits :
Bass – Harvey Weston
Clarinet – Sandy Brown
Drums – Lennie Hastings
Guitar – Ruan O'Lochlainn
Piano, Vocals – Sammy Price
Trombone – Roy Williams
Trumpet – Keith Smith

TRIXIE SMITH — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 2 (1925-1939) DOCD-5333 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trixie Smith was a fine vaudeville-style singer who could also do a powerful job on the blues when called for. The second of two Document CDs that contain all of her recordings starts out with 13 selections from 1925. Smith is joined by her "Down Home Syncopators" (actually the Original Memphis Five) on the first two songs, "Everybody Loves My Baby" and "How Come You Do Me Like You Do." She is heard on two sets in which she is joined by a quintet that includes trombonist Charlie Green, clarinetist Buster Bailey and most notably Louis Armstrong, and is featured later in the year with several top Fletcher Henderson sidemen. On these dates, the more memorable selections include the masochistic "You've Got to Beat Me to Keep Me," "He Likes It Slow" and her classic train song "Railroad Blues." There are also two takes of "Messin' Around" from 1926 in which Trixie is heard as part of Jimmy Blythe's Ragamuffins, a band including clarinetist Johnny Dodds and the legendary cornetist Freddie Keppard. The final eight selections on this 23-cut CD are taken from Smith's May 26, 1938 session, with one number, "No Good Man," dating from the following year and finding her assisted by a band that includes trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen and clarinetist Barney Bigard. The 1938 set matches Trixie with the fiery young trumpeter Charlie Shavers, a restrained Sidney Bechet on soprano, and a four-piece rhythm section. Although she had not recorded in a dozen years, Trixie Smith is in prime form on such numbers as "Freight Train Blues," two versions of "My Daddy Rocks Me" and "He May Be Your Man (But He Comes to See Me Sometime)." Apparently an alcohol problem shortened both Smith's career and life, but one does not hear any decline during these excellent performances. Highly recommended, while the less essential Vol. 1 is worth picking up too. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Trixie's Down Home Syncopators – Everybody Loves My Baby (Take 6) 2:49
2    Trixie's Down Home Syncopators – How Come You Do Me Like You Do (Take 6) 3:00
3    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators – You've Got To Beat Me To Keep Me    3:02
4    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators –    Mining Camp Blues (Take 1) 3:00
5    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators –    Mining Camp Blues (Take 2) 2:53
6    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators –    The World's Jazz Crazy And So Am I (Take 1)    3:00
7    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators –    The World's Jazz Crazy And So Am I (Take 2)    3:00
8    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators –    Railroad Blues (Take 1)    2:56
9    Trixie Smith, Acc. Her Down Home Syncopators –    Railroad Blues (Take 2)    2:52
10    Trixie Smith–    Everybody's Doing That Charleston Now (Take 1) 3:07
Orchestra – Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
11    Trixie Smith–    He Likes It Slow (Take 2) 2:51
Orchestra – Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
12    Trixie Smith–    Black Bottom Hop 2:52
Orchestra – Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
13    Trixie Smith–    Love Me Like You Used To Do 2:47
Orchestra – Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
14    Jimmy Blythe And His Ragamuffins–    Messin' Around (Take 1)    2:55
15    Jimmy Blythe And His Ragamuffins–    Messin' Around (Take 2)    2:51
16    Trixie Smith–    Freight Train Blues    3:13
17    Trixie Smith–    Trixie Blues    3:09
18    Trixie Smith–    My Daddy Rocks Me    2:50
19    Trixie Smith–    My Daddy Rocks Me No. 2    2:47
20    Trixie Smith–    He May Be Your Man (But He Comes To See Me Sometime)    2:40
21    Trixie Smith–    Jack I'm Mellow    2:39
22    Trixie Smith–    My Unusual Man    2:43
23    Trixie Smith–    No Good Man    2:46
Credits :
Banjo – Charlie Dixon (tracks: 3 to 13)
Bass – Richard Fullbright (tracks: 16 to 22), Unknown Artist (tracks: 23)
Brass Bass – Ralph Escudero (tracks: 10 to 13)
Clarinet – Barney Bigard (tracks: 23), Buster Bailey (tracks: 3 to 13)
Clarinet [Prob.] – Jimmy Lytell (tracks: 1, 2)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Johnny Dodds (tracks: 14, 15)
Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone – Sidney Bechet (tracks: 16 to 22)
Cornet – Freddie Keppard (tracks: 14, 15), Joe Smith (tracks: 10 to 13), Louis Armstrong (tracks: 3 to 9)
Drums – O'Neill Spencer (tracks: 16 to 22)
Drums [Prob.] – Jack Roth (tracks: 1, 2), Sidney Catlett (tracks: 23)
Guitar – Teddy Bunn (tracks: 16 to 22), Unknown Artist (tracks: 23)
Percussion [Tapping] – Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Piano – Fletcher Henderson (tracks: 3 to 13), Jimmy Blythe (tracks: 14, 15), Sammy Price (tracks: 16 to 22), Unknown Artist (tracks: 23)
Piano [Prob.] – Frank Signorelli (tracks: 1, 2)
Trombone – Charlie Green (tracks: 3 to 13), Miff Mole (tracks: 1, 2)
Trombone [Poss.] – Roy Palmer (tracks: 14, 15)
Trumpet – Charlie Shavers (tracks: 16 to 22)
Trumpet [Prob.] – Henry "Red" Allen (tracks: 23), Phil Napoleon (tracks: 1, 2)
Vocals – Trixie Smith
Wood Block – Jasper Taylor (tracks: 14, 15)

MEZZ MEZZROW – 1944-1945 | The Chronogical Classics – 1074 (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 Mezz Mezzrow was a fascinating and driven character, very involved during the mid-'40s with dynamic elements like Integration, Socialism, Sidney Bechet, Afro-American culture in general, and most emphatically his personal religion, The Blues. Mezz always returned to this idiom, this way of thinking and playing, as if it were home. The trio session that opens this disc is composed of four variations on blues changes. "Feather's Lament," a searching sequel to "Really the Blues," trails off suddenly at the three-and-a-half-minute mark. It is obvious that Mezz was absorbed in his reverie, probably playing with his eyes closed, and lost track of the time. This is a precious little segment of the Mezzrow chronology. Intimate communication between three friends resulted in music of incredible honesty and depth, particularly at slow tempos. When they picked up steam, Mezz had a way of hammering out shrill tones with very human but also rather taxing insistence. He wheedles and whittles with his woodwind, keening like a locked-out feline as every ounce of his private emotions sincerely splatter all over the room. It's downright cathartic. Mezz probably should not be compared to other reed players. There's just no point, and it's not fair. Pee Wee Russell had a more advanced musical mind, and better chops. So what? Like Pee Wee and a number of peculiarly gifted jazz musicians, Mezz existed in his own alternative reality. He was a poet who adored his Afro-American inspirations. Mezz believed in a hip, integrated society where everybody is on the level. His musical adventures demonstrate terrific courage. Aligning himself with a formidable musician like Sidney Bechet was more than brash hubris or foolish bravado. Mezz had chutzpah and should be respectfully remembered for it. One thing about Bechet's leonine intensity and gravitational pull -- it allowed Mezz to noodle creatively without having to carry the full weight of an embellished melodic line. "House Party" is a beautiful example of a slow drag played by the Mezzrow/Bechet duo fortified with rhythm and a third horn, in this case Hot Lips Page. "Perdido Street Stomp" takes this energy out into the street. "Revolutionary Blues" follows the established pattern of a relaxed blues that heats up to a stomp for the flip side. "Blood on the Moon" is as scary as its title, with Page threatening and complaining in ways that are inseparable from the blues tradition. A whole stack of blues was concocted the next day by this same band, with vocals by an often unpleasant fellow named Pleasant Joe. There is also one vocal by Douglas Daniels, former member of the Spirits of Rhythm. "Ole Miss" demonstrates the precise discipline that Bechet could bring to any ensemble. The remaining tracks, which include a couple of reinterpretations of tunes that had been waxed earlier in the season, are about as solid as anything that this odd couple ever recorded together. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits : 

MEZZ MEZZROW – 1947 | The Chronogical Classics – 1095 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Mezz Mezzrow was a jazz musician better known for writing his exaggerated autobiography Really the Blues in 1946 than for his clarinet playing. This Classics disc highlights the year 1947 when Mezzrow was recording for his own King Jazz label. Even on up-tempo hot numbers, a hazy laid back approach was consistently maintained, which may have had something to do with Mezzrow's fondness for marijuana. However, these are highly enjoyable recordings that feature vocalist Coot Grant on six of the discs 20 tracks along with top New Orleans jazzmen including Sidney Bechet, Pops Foster, and Baby Dodds. Al Campbell
Tracklist + Credits :

MEZZ MEZZROW – 1947-1951 | The Chronogical Classics – 1302 (2003) FLAC (tracks), lossless

So strong was Mezz Mezzrow's passion for old-style jazz and blues that in 1945 he created his own record label -- King Jazz -- specializing in these traditions. The four tracks that open this volume of the Chronological Mezzrow series were to be the last of the King Jazz recordings. Joined by Sidney Bechet, Sammy Price, Pops Foster, and Kaiser Marshall, Mezz had once again aligned himself with players whose collective experience harked back to the dawn of recorded jazz. These selections roll at relaxed tempi. "Delta Mood" is a slow meditation, "Funky Butt" walks easy, and even "Blues of the Roaring Twenties" strolls peacefully. The discography reads like a diary in that "I'm Going Away from Here" prefaces the clarinetist's Parisian years, a period of overseas activity that would continue until his death in 1972. Mezz toured Europe in 1948. After scuffling to get by in the U.S. for a couple of years he boomeranged back to Paris, where he began recording for the Vogue label. Eight titles from October of 1951 find Mezz surrounded by Claude Luter's jazz band. While Luter's collaborations with Sidney Bechet sometimes highlight the yawning chasm between Bechet's formidable powers and the merely well-schooled proficiency of the Parisian New Orleans revivalists, the combination of Luter and Mezzrow makes sense to the ear, as if they'd been jamming together for years. "Four or Five Times" comes across like a tribute to Jimmie Noone, with the two clarinets harmonizing as they do again on "Blues As We Like 'Em." "Black and Blue" is served up solemnly and "If I Had You" unfolds sad and slow. "Jingle Bells" is full-throttle jolly Dixieland and the three remaining tracks swing steadily. "Old Fashioned Love" is a particularly grand processional. Two blowing sessions from the middle of November 1951 resulted in eight outstanding performances that rate among the best recordings either Mezzrow or old-time trumpeter Lee Collins ever participated in. Here is a golden opportunity to study the artistry of Collins. Pianist André Persiany sets up a fine "Boogie Parisien" and master drummer Zutty Singleton takes an extended solo on "The Sheik." A thoroughly enjoyable album of 20 marvelous exercises in old-fashioned entertainment. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

BLUE LU BARKER – 1938-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 704 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is one of the lesser entries put out by the European Classics label. Blue Lou Barker was a so-so singer who had the novelty hit "Don't You Make Me High"; all 21 of her prewar recordings are included on this CD. The more memorable moments are provided by the sidemen, which include trumpeters Red Allen and Charlie Shavers, clarinetist Buster Bailey, tenor saxophonist Chu Berry, and her husband, guitarist Danny Barker. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist + Credits :

HELEN HUMES – 1927-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 892 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When she was just 13 and 14 years old, Helen Humes made her recording debut, cutting ten risque, double entendre-filled blues, naughty tunes that she later claimed to understand at the time. Until the release of this Classics CD in 1996, those numbers (which have backup in various settings by either De Loise Searcy or J.C. Johnson on piano, and Lonnie Johnson or the guitar duo team of Sylvester Weaver and Walter Beasley) had never been reissued on the same set before. Humes sounds fairly mature on the enjoyable blues sides. Her next session as a leader would not take place until 15 years later, when she was 28 and a veteran of Count Basie's Orchestra. The singer is heard here with groups in 1942 and 1944-1945, performing three numbers with altoist Pete Brown's sextet (a band including trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who unfortunately does not solo), Leonard Feather's Hiptet (which has some rare solos from trumpeter Bobby Stark), and Bill Doggett's spirited octet. The latter date is highlighted by classic renditions of "He May Be Your Man" and "Be-Baba-Leba." Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

SIDNEY BECHET – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 593 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second in a series of CD reissues featuring Sidney Bechet has quite a bit of variety. The unique soprano-saxophonist is heard with Noble Sissle's showband, dominating a small group sponsored by Sissle, backing blues singer Trixie Smith and the team of Grant & Wilson, and leading his own session with a sextet that includes baritonist Ernie Caceres, and on "Hold Tight," a vocal by "The Two Fish Mongers." Enjoyable if not quite essential music. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

DON BYAS – 1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 910 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bookended by several pleasant yet minor blues and pop vocals by Albina Jones and Ruble Blakey, this Classics Don Byas disc finds the unsung tenor great on the eve of his indefinite stay in Europe. Having cut his teeth in the bands of Lionel Hampton, Andy Kirk, and Count Basie, among others, Byas marked the end of the war with several fine combo recordings spotlighting his boppish swing blowing style. Here is a generous chunk from 1945, featuring a few different lineups and the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Buck Clayton, Errol Garner, Slam Stewart, and Sid Catlett. Byas is in top form throughout, plying his smoky and slightly tart tone on ballads like "Laura," while showing off a lithe brand of swing on an up-tempo "The Sheik of Araby." Not as solid as Classics' 1944-1945 volume, but still a fine selection for Byas completists. Stephen Cook
Tracklist + Credits :

SAM PRICE AN HIS TEXAS BLUSICIAN – 1929-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 696 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This single CD from the European Classics label collects all of pianist Sammy Price's prewar recordings as a leader. Despite its title, only two titles preceded the 1940-41 period: "Blue Rhythm Stomp" by Price's Four Quarters in 1929, and "Nasty But Nice," which finds Price on the same day accompanying trombonist Bert Johnson. Otherwise, the music features Price's Texas Blusicians, New York-based septets and octets put together especially for recordings. The emphasis is on blues, with Price taking several vocals, but such notable guests as altoist Don Stovall, trumpeters Shad Collins and Emmett Berry and (on four songs) tenor great Lester Young uplift the music. Recommended to small-group swing collectors. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

SAM PRICE – 1942-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1083 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A nice collection of Price's 1942-1945 recordings that spotlights this highly undervalued boogie pianist. Kicking off with four sides backing Mabel Robinson, the set also includes ten sides that Price's small groups cut for the Decca label, as well as ten piano solos recorded in New York but originally issued in France. A stray duo track with drummer Big Sid Catlett rounds out the collection. A hidden treasure. Cub Koda
Tracklist + Credits : 

PETE BROWN – 1942-1945 (1998) The Classics Chronological Series – 1029 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Alto saxophonist Pete Brown has been showing up on Keynote and Savoy reissues for years, but seldom if ever has there been an entire package devoted to recordings made under his name. The Classics Chronological series has accomplished many impressive feats, but this disc deserves special attention. Brown brought excitement and sonic ballast to nearly every band he ever sat in with. His works with John Kirby and especially Frankie Newton are satisfying, but this CD contains the very heart of Brown's artistry. It opens with "Cannon Ball," a boogie-woogie from 1942 sung by Nora Lee King. This relatively rare Decca recording features Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Hamilton, and Sammy Price, the pianist with whom Brown would make outstanding music a bit further on down the road. Similarly rare and even more captivating are two extended jams recorded in Chicago in April of 1944. Brown's quartet on this date consisted of electrically amplified guitarist Jim Daddy Walker, bassist John Levy, and drummer Eddie Nicholson. "Jim's Idea" and "Pete's Idea" are groove exercises, vamping struts built on hot riffs. Brown's sax tone usually had an attractive bite to it. His facility was comparable to that of Earl Bostic, even bordering at times on the gritty intensity of Charlie Parker. Pete Brown was first and foremost a relentless straight-ahead jammer who made his most stunning moves in a series of Kansas City-style blues and boogie jams. The Savoy session of July 11, 1944, epitomizes this "Mr. Hyde" aspect of the saxophonist. Four Keynote sides recorded eight days later are just as lively. "That's My Weakness Now" is light years away from the Paul Whiteman/Bix Beiderbecke version (with silly vocal trio) recorded in June of 1928. Trumpeter Joe Thomas was a perfect accomplice on this date, and the rhythm section of Kenny Kersey, Milt Hinton, and J.C. Heard made this the most artistically accomplished band that Brown ever led. Beginning with the exciting "Boot Zoot," the remaining 11 tracks are all mid-'40s swing-to-bop jams with steady R&B overtones. Guitarists Herman Mitchell, Al Casey, and Bill Moore keep things sounding contemporary for the mid-'40s. "That's the Curfew" has a melodic line similar to Fats Waller's "Dry Bones." Brown actually sings on his own laid-back "Sunshine Blues," an offshoot of "Trouble in Mind" using that famous line "The sun's gonna shine in my back door someday." arwulf arwulf
Tracklist
1    Pete Brown And His Band–    Cannon Ball 2:46
 Nora Lee King / Clarence Williams
Vocals – Nora Lee King
2    Pete Brown Quartet–    Jim's Idea    4:07
3    Pete Brown Quartet–    Pete's Idea    4:24
 Pete Brown
4    Pete Brown Quintette–    Ooh-Wee    2:44
5    Pete Brown Quintette–    Bellevue For You    2:43
 Pete Brown
6    Pete Brown Quintette–    Pete Brown's Boogie (P.B. Boogie)    2:56
 Pete Brown
7    Pete Brown Quintette–    Moppin' The Blues    2:59
 Pete Brown
8    Pete Brown All Star Quintet–    It All Depends On You    4:24
Lew Brown / Buddy DeSylva / Ray Henderson
9    Pete Brown All Star Quintet–    That's My Weakness Now    4:06
 Bud Green / Sam H. Stept
10    Pete Brown All Star Quintet–    It's The Talk Of The Town    4:33
 Jerry Livingston / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes
11    Pete Brown All Star Quintet–    I May Be Wrong    4:00
 Harry Ruskin / Henry Sullivan
12    Pete Brown's Band–    Boot Zoot    2:59
 Pete Brown
13    Pete Brown's Band–    It's Great    3:03
 Pete Brown
14    Pete Brown's Band–    Lazy Day    3:06
 Pete Brown
15    Pete Brown's Band–    Sunshine Blues 3:07
 Pete Brown
Vocals – Pete Brown
16    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Fat Man's Boogie (Big Boy Boogie)    2:53
 Pete Brown
17    Pete Brown's Sextette–    That's The Curfew    2:42
 Pete Brown
18    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Midnite Blues    2:57
 Pete Brown
19    Pete Brown's Sextette–    That's It    2:43
 Pete Brown
20    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Just Plain Shuffle    2:56
 Pete Brown
21    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Pushin' The Mop    2:47
 Pete Brown
22    Pete Brown's Sextette–    Back Talk Boogie    2:38
 Pete Brown
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Pete Brown
Bass – Al Hall (tracks: 12 to 15), Al Matthews (tracks: 4 to 7, 16 to 22), Charlie Drayton (tracks: 1), John Levy (tracks: 2, 3), Milt Hinton (tracks: 8 to 11)
Clarinet – Jimmy Hamilton (tracks: 1)
Drums – Eddie Nicholson (tracks: 2 to 7, 12 to 15), J.C. Heard (tracks: 8 to 11), Ray Nathan (tracks: 1, 16 to 22)
Guitar – Al Casey (tracks: 4 to 7, 16 to 19), Bill Moore (tracks: 20 to 22), Herman Mitchell (tracks: 12 to 15), Jim Daddy Walker (tracks: 2, 3)
Piano – Kenny Kersey (tracks: 8 to 11), Kenny Watts (tracks: 4 to 7, 12 to 15), Ray Parker (5) (tracks: 16 to 22), Sam Price* (tracks: 1)
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie (tracks: 1), Ed Lewis (tracks: 16 to 22), Joe Thomas (4) (tracks: 8 to 11)

RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK - Simmer, Reduce, Garnish & Serve / The Warner Bros. Recordings (1995) APE (tracks+.cue), lossless

This single CD has selections from Rahsaan Roland Kirk's final three albums. His work on his last record Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real was quite heroic and miraculous because he had suffered a major stroke that greatly limited his abilities; in fact Kirk had the use of only one of his hands so his playing was sadly restricted. There is a remarkable amount of variety plus a liberal dose of Kirk's humor on this retrospective, ranging from a "Bagpipe Medley" and "Sweet Georgia Brown" (complete with a whistler and Freddie Moore's washboard) to a warm "I'll Be Seeing You" and a tribute to Johnny Griffin, the main influence on Rahssan's tenor sound. For those listeners who do not already have the three LPs, this is a strong best-of sampler of the saxophonist's final period although his earlier recordings are recommended first. This CD concludes with an emotional and rather touching collage that pays tribute to Kirk's genius and mourns his premature death. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Lunatic Danza 5'24
Traditional
2     Theme for the Eulipions 9'44
Rahsaan Roland Kirk / Betty Neals
3     Sweet Georgia Brown 4'45
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
4     I'll Be Seeing You 6'08
Sammy Fain / Irving Kahal
5     Los Angeles Negro Chorus 0'27
6     Serenade to a Cuckoo 3'37
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
7     Bagpipe Medley 2'15
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
8     J. Griff's Blues 7'32
Traditional
9     Mary McLeod Bethune 0'24
10     I Loves You, Porgy 1'49
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
11     Hey Babebips 5'09
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
12     In a Mellow Tone 6'16
Duke Ellington / Milt Gabler
13     Dorthaan's Walk 7'12
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
14     Watergate Blues 6'35
Percy Heath
15     Summertime 1'40
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
16     Thunder and Lightning Goodbye 4'10
All Credits

RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK - Kirkatron + Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real (2005) 2xCD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This issue combines two late-period Rahsaan Roland Kirk albums: Kirkatron, begun shortly before the major stroke that debilitated him and shortened his life, and Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real, his first attempt at a comeback and his final recording. Kirkatron hosts three tunes recorded for it, and nine more that were outtakes from the preceding 5000 Lb. Man sessions, and a few from the Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival concert. As such it does contain a number of tunes that define the man at the height of his powers including a cover of Leon Russell's "This Masquerade," the live "Serenade to a Cuckoo," and a fine "Bright Moments." His bandmates on the date include a young Hilton Ruiz on piano and Steve Turre. Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real does stand in contrast to Kirkatron. The intensity and intention is there, but it's more subtle, informed no doubt by the fact that Kirk had taught himself to play with only his left hand because his right had been rendered unusable by the accident. He also employed a full string section, taking his music into a new direction. But there are beautiful and deeply soulful moments here, as well, including "Summertime," the wonderfully up "Dorthaan's Walk," the deep blues of "Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor," and the barrelhouse title track which opens the set.
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Kirkatron    
1    Serenade To A Cuckoo    3:38
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2    This Masquerade    5:29
 Leon Russell
3    Sugar    3:27
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk
4    Los Angeles Negro Blues    1:27
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk / Stanley Turrentine
5    Steppin' Into Beauty    6:42
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk
6    Christmas Song    3:34
 Mel Tormé / Robert Wells
7    Bagpipe Medley    2:15
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk
8    Mary McLeod Bethune    2:23
9    Bright Moments    4:11
 Todd Barkan / Rahsaan Roland Kirk
10    Lyriconon    4:10
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk
11    Night In Tunisia    4:58
 Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
12    J. Griff's Blues    7:43
Traditional
Credits :
Boogie-Woogie String Along For Real    
1    Boogie-Woogie String Along For Real    8:53
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2    I Loves You, Porgy    1:48
 Ira Gershwin
3    Make Me A Pallet On The Floor    7:18
 Traditional
4    Hey Babebips    5:06
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk
5    In A Mellow Tone    6:15
 Duke Ellington
6    Summertime    1:39
 George Gershwin
7    Dorthaan's Walk    7:12
 Rahsaan Roland Kirk
8        Watergate Blues    6:34
 Percy Heath
Credits :

IDA COX WITH THE COLEMAN HAWKINS QUINTET - Blues for Rampart Street (1961-1990) RM | Original Jazz Classics Limited Edition Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Classic blues singer Ida Cox had not recorded since 1940 nor performed regularly since the mid-'40s when she was coaxed out of retirement to record a date for Riverside in 1961. At 65 years old (some books list her as being 72), Cox's voice was a bit rusty and past its prime, but she still had the feeling, phrasing, and enough tricks to perform a strong program. With assistance from trumpeter Roy Eldridge, tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, pianist Sammy Price, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Jo Jones (swing-era veterans who came up after Cox was already a major name), the singer does her best on such numbers as "Wild Women Don't Have the Blues," "Blues for Rampart Street," "St. Louis Blues," and "Death Letter Blues." Since she passed away in 1967, this final effort (reissued on CD) was made just in time and is well worth acquiring by 1920s jazz and blues collectors. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Blues for Rampart Street 3:00
Ida Cox
2 St. Louis Blues 3:24
W.C. Handy
3 Fogyism 4:32
Ida Cox
4 Wild Women (Don't Have the Blues) 3:19
Ida Cox
5 Hard Times Blues 4:16
Ida Cox
6 Cherry Pickin' Blues 3:32
Ida Cox
7 Hard, Oh Lord 3:49
Ida Cox
8 Lawdy Lawdy Blues 5:55
Ida Cox
9 Death Letter Blues 3:41
Ida Cox
10 Mama Goes Where Papa Goes 3:24
Milton Ager / Jack Yellen
Credits :
Bass – Milt Hinton
Drums – Jo Jones
Piano – Sammy Price
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Vocals – Ida Cox

SAMMY PRICE AND LUCKY THOMPSON - Paris Blues (1957-2000) Jazz In Paris 37 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     I Want a Little Girl 3:41
Murray Mencher / Billy Moll
2     Paris Blues 7:20
Sammy Price
3     Up Above My Head 2:56
Traditional
4     Minor Blues 4:22
Sammy Price / Lucky Thompson
5     Sweet Georgia Brown 5:08
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
6     How Long Blues 4:24
Leroy Carr / Andrew Enberg
7     Lucky T. 4:49
Sammy Price / Lucky Thompson
8     Embassy Boogie 3:13
Sammy Price
Credits :
Double Bass – Pierre Michelot
Drums – Gérard Pochonet
Guitar – Jean-Pierre Sasson
Piano, Vocals – Sammy Price
Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson
Nota :
Recorded July 6, 1957 at the Pigalle theatre, Paris
Reissue of the Polydor LP 46 103

JOE TURNER – 1941-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 940 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The original blues shouter found a way to meld some of Jimmy Rushing's rambling jazz phrasing with the low-down tone he naturally bellowed out to Kansas City audiences -- sometimes while behind the bar serving drinks. And before hitting the charts with several early rock & roll hits, Big Joe Turner did bedrock work with such fine stride and boogie-woogie pianists as Pete Johnson, Freddie Slack, and Willie "The Lion" Smith. On Classics' 1941-1946 chronological sampler of Turner's early prime, these and other luminaries of the after-hours fraternity sympathetically back Turner over the course of 22 gems. A good chunk of the material finds Turner ideally framed by just a piano trio, with highlights including "Nobody in Mind" (Sammy Price is at the keys for this cut), "Little Bittie Gal's Blues," and "Blues on Central Avenue." As the last title indicates, this and several other numbers were recorded during Turner's wartime stay in L.A., where many blues and R&B performers first made it big. Piano trios and geographical considerations aside, there are also fine cameos from tenor great Don Byas and trumpeter Frankie Newton to expand the sonic landscape. A fine collection for listeners wanting to check out Turner's early work before the Atlantic party that was "Shake, Rattle & Roll." Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1     Nobody in Mind 2:52
J. Mayo Williams
2     Somebody's Got to Go 2:53
Lonnie Johnson
3     Ice Man 2:53
Louis Jordan
4     Chewed up Grass 2:32
J. Mayo Williams
5     Rocks in My Bed 3:12
Duke Ellington
6     Blues on Central Avenue 2:36
Joe Turner
7     Goin' to Chicago Blues 2:58
Count Basie / Jimmy Rushing
8     Sun Risin' Blues 2:47
Joe Turner
9     Blues in the Night 2:26
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
10     Cry Baby Blues 2:51
Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young
11     It's the Same Old Story 2:56
Joe Turner
12     Rebecca 2:40
Big Joe Turner
13     Little Bitty Gal's Blues 3:19
Joe Turner
14     I Got a Gal (For Every Day in the Week) 3:00
Joe Turner
15     S.K. Blues, Pt. 1 2:58
Saunders King
16     S.K. Blues, Pt. 2 2:55
Saunders King
17     Johnson and Turner Blues 2:59
Joe Turner
18     Watch That Jive 2:56
Joe Turner
19     Howlin' Winds 2:50
Joe Turner
20     Doggin' the Blues (Low Dog Blues) 3:04
Joe Turner
21     Miss Brown Blues 3:02
Joe Turner
22     I Got My Discharge Papers 2:40
Joe Turner