NAT "KING" COLE – 1943-1944 | The Chronogical Classics – 804 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume Four in the Classics Nat King Cole chronology opens with his very first recordings for Capitol, a small West Coast record company established in April 1942 by Johnny Mercer. Although at the time Capitol must have seemed like yet another two-bit enterprise, it was destined to become a major label with which Cole would be associated for the rest of his life. This segment of the chronology, covering a timeline from November 30, 1943 to March 6, 1944, mingles relatively obscure recordings with some of the King Cole Trio's early hits. Certainly Cole's own "Straighten Up and Fly Right" and Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's "It's Only a Paper Moon" are still among the most famous performances ever recorded by this group. "Straighten Up" placed them in the same league with Slim Gaillard & His Flat Foot Floogee Boys and The Cats and the Fiddle. It's hard to fathom why Capitol initially rejected Cole's updated treatment of Irving Berlin's amusing opus, "After You Get What You Want You Don't Want It"; this number dates back to the '20s and was originally interpreted by vaudeville acts such as Van and Schenck. The version of "Sweet Lorraine" heard here compares favorably with Cole's initial rendition of December 1940. Those who wish to concentrate upon his amazing abilities as a pianist will appreciate a half-dozen excellent Capitol instrumentals including "Jumpin' at Capitol" (an extension of Fats Waller's frantic stride piano opus "Zonky") and four rare selections recorded for the Disc label in February 1944 by the King Cole Quintette, a one-time-only ensemble comprised of bassist Gene Englund, drummer J.C. Heard, trumpeter Shad Collins and tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet. These extended jams, which were issued on 12" 78 rpm platters allowing for playback time between four and five minutes, are exceptionally satisfying. On the level, this compilation is one of the better installments in the complete recordings of Nat King Cole. It is highly recommended for newcomers and seasoned jazz heads alike. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :

COZY COLE – 1944 | The Chronogical Classics – 819 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Check this out -- probably the best overall Cozy Cole collection, and possibly one of the top picks for mid-'40s small-group swing. There are distinct reasons for such a strongly stated claim. They are, specifically: Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Budd Johnson, and Don Byas. Got that? Three additional reasons are Teddy Wilson, Johnny Guarnieri, and Earl Hines. This is no offhand list of incidental participants, but a pantheon of indispensable figures in mid-20th century jazz. Their combined experience and influence add up to direct involvement with the heart and soul of this music, from Armstrong and Ellington to Bird and Diz. Glance at the rest of the collective personnel and you're confronted with a stunning lineup containing some of the most accomplished jazz musicians on the scene during the year 1944. The Cozy Cole All Stars session recorded for Keynote on the 22nd of February still stands near the apex of that label's best achievements, especially because of the electromagnetic field created by putting Hawkins and Hines into the same room at the same time. These Keynotes sound better than ever presented, with 17 vivid sides issued on the Savoy label, which like Commodore and Keynote granted the musicians absolute artistic control. This is precisely why the music holds up so well regardless of the passage of time. Johnny Guarnieri is particularly well represented, as is Teddy Wilson, who sparkles during the Buck Ram All Stars session. There are a couple of percussion feature numbers where attention is deliberately focused upon Cole, but generally speaking every selection is defined, supported, and shaken to its roots by the energetic presence of this indefatigable drummer. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

TEDDY HILL AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 645 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Saxophonist, bandleader and entrepreneur Teddy Hill is often remembered mainly as the organizer of informal after-hours jam sessions at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem during the early '40s. Those who delve a bit more assiduously into the history of jazz eventually learn that Teddy Hill led an excellent big band during the '30s. He started out playing drums and trumpet, then took up clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophones. Hill developed his chops during the '20s accompanying the Whitman Sisters then worked with George Howe, Frank Bunch & His Fuzzy Wuzzies and the Luis Russell orchestra, a fine band in which he nevertheless found few opportunities to solo (this almost certainly inspired his later decision to organize open-ended blowing sessions at Minton's). Hill put together his own band in 1934; this group secured steady employment broadcasting over the NBC radio network. All of their 1935 and 1936 recordings were derived from their radio work; they began making records in the Victor studios in 1937. Some of the singing may seem quaint or even saccharine; "Big Boy Blue," however, is full of pep and the stylized group vocal on "The Love Bug Will Bite You if You Don't Watch Out" is a bubbly delight. Note the inclusion of several Hill originals and a perfectly matched pair of atmospheric novelties: Larry Clinton's "Study in Brown" and Raymond Scott's "Twilight in Turkey." Some of Hill's players have become jazz legends -- Roy Eldridge, Bill Coleman, Frankie Newton, Shad Collins, Dicky Wells, Russell Procope and Chu Berry. Yet some folks will consider the presence of young Dizzy Gillespie on the session of May 17, 1937 as the main attraction; "King Porter Stomp" contains his very first recorded solo. Teddy Hill's entire recorded output fits neatly onto one compact disc. While this exact body of work has also been reissued on the Hep and Jazz Archives labels, the easy-to-consult layout of the Classics discography speaks strongly in its favor. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

BLUE LU BARKER – 1946-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1130 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Singer Blue Lu Barker's second Classics release has all of her recordings from 1946-1949 and, combined with the earlier release (1938-1939), all of her sessions as a leader are now available. Barker was a pleasant if limited singer and one might want to hear these 25 selections in small doses. Blu Lu is joined by combos (usually five to seven pieces) led by her husband guitarist Danny Barker, who also contributed the majority of the tunes. The backup groups include such notables as trumpeter Shad Collins, tenors Teddy McRae and Jerry Jerome, and pianist Gerald Wiggins. The music, released originally by Apollo and Capitol (except for three cuts originally rejected), include a remake of "Don't You Feel My Leg" and such tunes as "You Gotta Show It to Me Baby," "I Feel Like Laying in Another Woman's Husband's Arms," "Now You're Down in the Alley," "Loan Me Your Husband," and "Bow-Legged Daddy." Scott Yanow  
Tracklist + Credits :

BUDDY JOHNSON AND HIS BAND – 1939-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 884 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pianist Buddy Johnson is best-known for leading a swinging, R&B-oriented big band in the late 1940s and '50s that, with his sister Ella Johnson as the main star, introduced "Since I Fell for You." On this CD from the European Classics label, Johnson's first 24 numbers recorded as a leader are reissued and most of the tracks were previously quite hard to come by. At the time Buddy Johnson was an Earl Hines-influenced pianist who was searching for his own sound. A few numbers feature vocals by the so-so Mack Sisters and various bandmembers including the leader himself, but it is the songs with Ella Johnson (particularly "Please, Mister Johnson" and "It's the Gold") that stand out. During the two-year period covered by this CD, Johnson's band grew from a septet to a nonet, but the glory years were still in the future. Scott Yanow
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 :

UNA MAE CARLISLE – 1938-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1209 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A native of Xenia, Ohio, 17-year-old Una Mae Carlisle was performing in Cincinnati when Fats Waller heard her in 1932 and decided to give the young lady a boost into show business. It's not surprising then that she emulated Waller in style and repertoire. Her first recording date as a leader occurred in London on May 20th 1938. Una Mae takes "Don't Try Your Jive on Me" at a faster clip than the famous version by Fats Waller and His Continental Rhythm. Her piano is solid, the band swings and she has a pleasantly smooth voice. These qualities blossom during "I Would Do Anything for You" and especially throughout George Gershwin's "Love Walked In." Leonard Feather, composer of "My Fightin' Gal" and several other abject blues numbers based on unsavory topics, collaborated with Carlisle on "Hangover Blues." Una's hot and humorous handling of "Mean to Me" is light years away from the original weepy pop hit by Ruth Etting. Fats Waller had many imitators over the years, and Una Mae was one of the very best. When she urges the band on with a stream of friendly comments, even using authentic Waller phrases like "swing it on out there," the results are usually excellent. When she sinks her teeth into Waller's "Crazy 'Bout My Baby" she is a healthy off-shoot seeking out arable turf, ready to put down some original roots of her own. Legend has it the two of them became entangled in a tempestuous love affair, during which Una Mae's mother threatened Fats with violent retaliation after her daughter came home with a blackened eye! This adds a layer of subtext to Una Mae's duet with Waller, backed by His Rhythm on November 3 1939. It is one of the best recordings either of them ever made. Listen to the sultry texture of this woman's velvety voice, Waller's perfectly timed salty commentary, and his gleeful dismembering of the lyrics during his own vocal chorus. This was more than enough to secure steady work for Carlisle as a Bluebird recording artist. A quartet of Waller's best players supported her on four sides cut in August of 1940. "Papa's in Bed" is a bit silly but she makes it work. The gorgeous delicacy of "You Made Me Love You" and "If I Had You" make these two performances more substantial and timeless than the cute stuff. "Walkin' by the River" is Carlisle's best composition, and her little band renders it up delicately, Benny Carter's muted trumpet mingling nicely with her voice. Shad Collins and Lester Young showed up on her session of March 10 1941, during which Clyde Hart handled the piano. "There'll Be Some Changes Made" was made famous by Fats Waller in 1935. For her own rendition Una sings the often-deleted verse. Aside from being an almost high camp example of hip WWII topicality, "Blitzkrieg Baby (You Can't Bomb Me)" has a very relaxed solo by Lester Young. Compare these sides with the many records Pres made in the company of Billie Holiday. Volume one of the Carlisle chronology finishes up with four examples of what Carlisle sounded like when backed by the John Kirby Sextet. "Booglie Wooglie Piggy" with its incidental chorus of "Oink! Oink!" makes one wish that this Ohio native would have recorded "Cincinnati Dancing Pig" instead. "Oh I'm Evil" is very catchy and a bit nasty as Una Mae brandishes a "brand new shotgun" declaring that she's "got to do it now!"  arwulf arwulf   

Tracklist :
1 Don't Try Your Jive on Me 2:52
Leonard Feather / Edgar Sampson
2 I Would Do Anything for You 2:56
Alexander Hill / Claude Hopkins / Bobby Williams
 3 Hangover Blues  2:51
Una Mae Carlisle / Leonard Feather
4 Love Walked In 2:38
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
 5 Mean to Me 2:40
Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk
 6 I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby 2:40
Alex Hill / Fats Waller
 7 I Can't Give You Anything but Love 2:57
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
 8 Now I Lay Me Down to Dream 3:04
Eddie Howard, Jr.
 9 Papa's in Bed With His Britches On 2:42
J. Stone
 10 If I Had You 3:27
Jimmy Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Ted Shapiro
 11 You Made Me Love You 2:54
Joseph McCarthy / James V. Monaco
 12 Walkin' by the River 3:04
Una Mae Carlisle / Robert Sour
13 I Met You Then, I Know You Now 2:53
Una Mae Carlisle
14 Blitzkrieg Baby (You Can't Bomb Me) 3:21
Una Mae Carlisle
15 Beautiful Eyes 3:03
Ted Snyder / George A. Whiting
16 There'll Be Some Changes Made 2:45
Billy Higgins / W. Benton Overstreet
17 It's Sad But True 3:31
Martin Block
18 I See a Million People 3:03
Una Mae Carlisle / Robert Sour
19 Oh I'm Evil 2:25
Una Mae Carlisle
20 You Mean So Much to Me 2:51
Una Mae Carlisle
21 The Booglie Wooglie Piggy 2:42
Roy Jacobs

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1934-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 554 (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Cab Calloway, who first became popular in 1930, retained his popularity (despite a lot of competition) throughout the swing era. On this excellent CD (the fifth of 12 in the European label Classics' Complete Calloway series), highlights include "Keep That Hi-De-Hi in Your Soul," "Nagasaki," "Copper Colored Gal," "Frisco Flo" and a crazy "That Man Is Here Again." With fine soloists in trumpeters Lammar Wright and Shad Collins, trombonist Claude Jones and (by 1936) the great tenor Ben Webster (along with a top-notch rhythm section that includes bassist Milt Hinton), this was a much better swing orchestra than it is generally rated in jazz history books. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Weakness 3:09
Edwin Swayzee
2     Good Sauce from the Gravy Bowl 3:06
Cab Calloway / Irving Mills / Edwin Swayzee    
3     Keep That Hi-De-Hi in Your Soul 2:56
Cab Calloway / Irving Mills / Morris White    
4     Miss Otis Regrets 3:01
Cole Porter    
5     I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares for Me) 3:01
Roger Graham / Dave Peyton / Spencer Williams
6     Nagasaki 2:54
Mort Dixon / Harry Warren
7     Baby Won't You Please Come Home 3:14
Charles Warfield / Clarence Williams
8     I Love to Sing-A 3:06
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg    
9     You're the Cure for What Ails Me 3:02
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
10     Save Me, Sister
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg 3:02
11     Love Is the Reason 3:13
Otis Rene / Leon René
12     When You're Smiling 3:17
Mark Fisher / Joe Goodwin / Larry Shay
13     Jess's Natu'lly Lazy 3:09
Stone / Scharpe / Bishop
14     Are You in Love With Me Again? 3:08
Unknown
15     Copper Colored Gal 2:44
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis    
16     Frisco Flo 3:25
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis    
17     The Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Swing 3:17
J. Fred Coots / Benny Davis
18     The Hi-De-Ho Miracle Man 3:14
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis
19     Don't Know If I'm Comin' or Goin' 2:42
Lupin Fein / Lee Wainer    
20     My Gal Mezzanine 2:40
Ben Ellison / Otis Rene / Leon René    
21     That Man Is Here Again 3:35    
22     Peckin' 2:55
Harry James / Ben Pollack
23     Congo 2:33
Morris White

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 568 (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The swing era may have been at its height during the time covered by this CD (the sixth of 12 put out by the Classics label that reissue all of Cab Calloway's 1930-42 recordings) but the colorful vocalist held onto his audience and remained a household name. With such soloists as Ben Webster or Chu Berry on tenor, trumpeters Shad Collins and Lammar Wright and a rhythm section including guitarist Danny Barker and bassist Milt Hinton, Calloway had a particularly strong (if generally overlooked) orchestra. Among the more memorable selections of the 24 included on this CD are "Swing, Swing, Swing," "She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific," "Bugle Blues" and "Hi-De-Ho Romeo." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Swing, Swing, Swing 2:43
Morris White
2     Wake up and Live 2:30
Mack Gordon / Harry Revel
3     Manhattan Jam 2:39
Cab Calloway    
4     Moon at Sea 3:00
Harry Pease / Vincent Rose / Larry Stock
5     I'm Always in the Mood for You 2:58
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis
6     She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific 2:35
J. Fred Coots / Benny Davis
7     Go South, Young Man 2:13
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis
8     Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm 3:05
Richard Byron / Jerome Jerome / Walter Kent
9     Hi De Ho Romeo 2:50
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis
10     Queen Isabella 2:46
Joe Davis / Paul Denniker
11     Savage Rhythm 2:35
J. Fred Coots / Benny Davis
12     Every Day's a Holiday 2:29
Sam Coslow / Barry Trivers
13     Jubilee 2:33
Stanley Adams / Hoagy Carmichael
14     In an Old English Village 3:12
Edward Pola / Albert Sendrey    
15     (Just an) Error in the News 2:51
Will Hudson / Irving Mills / Henry Nemo
16     A Minor Breakdown (Rustle of Swing) 2:28
Unknown
17     Bugle Blues  2:28
Irving Mills / Jack Pettis / Elmer Schoebel
18     One Big Union for Two 2:56
Harold Rome
19     Doing the Reactionary 2:42
Harold Rome
20     Rustle of Swing 3:00
Cab Calloway / Ralph Yaw
21     Three Swings and Out 2:16
Cab Calloway / Ralph Yaw
22     I Like Music (Played With a Swing Like This) 2:37
Cab Calloway / Ralph Yaw
23     Foolin' With You 2:34
Morris White
24     Azure 2:48
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
Credits :    
Directed By – Cab Calloway
Orchestra – Cab Calloway And His Orchestra
Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 24), Chu Berry (tracks: 4 to 6)
Vocals – Cab Calloway (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 9, 12 to 15, 18, 19, 22 to 24)

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1947 (1998) The Classics Chronological Series – 996 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The final CD of the Classic label's complete reissuance of Cab Calloway's 1930-47 recordings also includes the last recordings of Cab with his regularly working big band. This 1998 CD starts out with a couple of superior but originally rejected numbers ("What's Buzzin', Cousin?" and "Chant of the Jungle") from 1942, followed by a couple of rare V-disc numbers from 1944. Otherwise, the material dates from 1945 or 1947 with just two selections from 1946. During this era, the still-popular Calloway was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his orchestra together, as were all the other bandleaders, but the quality of his music remained fairly high, even touched slightly by bop in some of the arranged passages. Some of the vocals are a bit silly, particularly "Dawn Time and "Afternoon Moon," but there are also a few near-classic jive numbers. Highlights include the snobbish "A Blue Serge Suit With a Belt in the Back," "Don't Falter at the Altar" (released here for the first time), "The Jungle King" (one of two numbers done with a septet called the Cab-Jivers), "Give Me Twenty Nickels for a Dollar," "Two Blocks Down, Turn to the Left," "The Calloway Boogie," "Everybody Eats When They Come To My House," and the somewhat bizarre "The San Francisco Fan." Although Calloway dominates the music, there are scattered and consistently worthwhile solos by trumpeter Jonah Jones and tenors Ike Quebec and Sam "The Man" Taylor. Virtually all of these recordings are obscure, making the release of this music quite noteworthy both for swing collectors and Calloway fans. Recommended, as are all of the CDs in Classics' perfectly done Cab Calloway series. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist  :
1    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    What's Buzzin', Cousin? 2:38
Mack Gordon / Harry Owens
Vocals – The Cabaliers
2    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Chant Of The Jungle    3:18
 Nacio Herb Brown / Arthur Freed
3    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    I'm Making Believe 1:50
Vocals – Dotty Salters
 Mack Gordon / James V. Monaco
4    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Foo A Little Ballyhoo    3:01
 Cab Calloway / Buster Harding / Jack Palmer
5    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Let's Take The Long Way Home    2:36
 Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
6    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Foo A Little Bally-hoo    3:01
 Cab Calloway / Buster Harding / Jack Palmer
7    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    All At Once    2:50
 Ira Gershwin / Kurt Weill
8    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Dawn Time    3:01
 Eddie DeLange / Buster Harding
9    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    If This Isn't Love    2:57
 Cab Calloway
10    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    A Blue Serge Suit With A Belt In The Back    2:26
 John Fortis / Max Spickol
11    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Here I Go Just Dreamin' Away    2:47
 Al J. Neiburg / William Henri Woode
12    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    The Honeydripper    2:55
 Joe Liggins
13    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Afternoon Moon    3:09
 Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington
14    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Hey Now, Hey Now    2:55
 Cab Calloway / Stanley Hill
15    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    I Got A Gal Named Nettie    3:06
 Cab Calloway
16    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Hi-De-Ho Man    2:59
 Cab Calloway / Buster Harding / Jack Palmer
17    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Necessity    2:52
 E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / Burton Lane
18    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Oh Grandpa    2:59
 Cab Calloway / Stanley Hill / Bill Tennyson
19    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Don't Falter At The Alter    2:40
 Cab Calloway
20    Cab Calloway And His Cab-Jivers–    Give Me Twenty Nickels For A Dollar    3:01
Wolf / Brandt
21    Cab Calloway And His Cab-Jivers–    The Jungle King    3:14
 Mort Dixon
22    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Two Blocks Down, Turn To The Left    3:10
 Teddy Powell / Alex Rogers
23    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    San Francisco Fan    3:17
 Sammy Mysels / Dick Sanford
24    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    The Calloway Boogie    3:00
 Cab Calloway
25    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Everybody Eats When They Come To My House    2:43
 Jeanne Burns / Cab Calloway
Credits
Alto Saxophone – Hilton Jefferson
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Andrew Brown (tracks: 1, 2), Charles Frazier (tracks: 16 to 19, 22 to 25), Rudy Powell (tracks: 7 to 15)
Baritone Saxophone – Greely Walton (tracks: 3 to 6)
Bass – Milt Hinton
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Alfred Gibson (tracks: 2 to 15), Jerry Blake (tracks: 1)
Directed By – Cab Calloway
Drums – Buford Oliver (tracks: 12, 13), Cozy Cole (tracks: 1, 2, 14, 15), J.C. Heard (tracks: 3 to 11), Panama Francis (tracks: 16 to 25)
Guitar – Danny Barker (tracks: 1 to 13), John Smith (tracks: 14 to 25)
Piano – Bennie Payne (tracks: 1, 2, 14, 15), Dave Rivera (tracks: 3 to 13, 16 to 25)
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Dorsey (tracks: 7 to 15), Ike Quebec (tracks: 3 to 15), Irving "Skinny" Brown (tracks: 2 to 6), Sam Taylor (tracks: 16 to 25), Ted McRae (tracks: 1), Walter "Foots" Thomas (tracks: 1, 2)
Trombone – Earl Hardy (tracks: 14 to 19, 22 to 25), Fred Robinson (tracks: 3 to 13), James Buxton (2) (tracks: 16 to 19, 22 to 25), John Haughton (tracks: 9 to 11), Keg Johnson (tracks: 1 to 8, 12 to 19, 22 to 25), Quentin Jackson (tracks: 1 to 19, 22 to 25)
Trombone, Vibraphone – Tyree Glenn (tracks: 1 to 15)
Trumpet – Johnny Letman (tracks: 16 to 19, 22 to 25), Jonah Jones, Lammar Wright (tracks: 1, 2, 16 to 19, 22 to 25), Paul Webster (tracks: 3 to 13, 16 to 19,to 25), Roger Jones (tracks: 5 to 15), Russell Smith (tracks: 1 to 15), Shad Collins (tracks: 1 to 15)
Vocals – Cab Calloway (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 25)

DICKIE WELLS – 1927-1943 (1997) The Classics Chronological Series – 937 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

This is the definitive Dickie Wells collection, presenting three very distinct periods in his remarkable career. As an appetizer for five sessions led by this fine trombonist, listeners get to hear his very first recordings, with Springfield, OH, native Lloyd Scott's orchestra in 1927 and Lloyd's brother Cecil Scott's Bright Boys -- featuring trumpeters Frankie Newton and Bill Coleman -- in 1929. This shot of seven outstanding old-fashioned numbers is a perfect example of great music from the late '20s, all but forgotten by the public today but available to dedicated early jazz addicts as part of the Classics Chronological Series. Dickie Wells spent the first half of the 1930s working in bands led by Elmer Snowden, Benny Carter, Chick Webb, and Fletcher Henderson. He joined Teddy Hill's band in 1934 and it was with Hill that Wells traveled to Paris during the summer of 1937. At the heart of this collection lie 12 marvelous recordings waxed during that tour, with the great Django Reinhardt and a few of his French friends sitting in with Wells (billed here as "Dicky") and a small team of seasoned North American swing musicians. Bill Coleman made himself at home, scat singing with gutsy nonchalance on "Hangin' Around Boudon." Additional trumpeters were Bill Dillard and Shad Collins, with further U.S. input from alto saxophonist Howard Johnson, pianist Sam Allen, bassist Richard Fullbright, and ace drummer Bill Beason. Dickie Wells was an accomplished trombonist, capable of expressing a full range of human emotions using growls, smears, glissandi, and honest, straight-up melodic candor. "Oh, Lady Be Good" and "Dicky Wells Blues" feature the trombone backed by a rhythm trio, highlighting his musical personality in living color. A veritable chasm lies between these 1937 recordings and the next session, recorded in December 1943 for Bob Thiele's Signature label. By this time, Wells had come through the fire of the Count Basie Orchestra, bringing with him several key players from that formidable swing machine. Most importantly, listeners get to hear Lester Young only months before his ill-fated encounter with the U.S. Army. Prez, Dickie, and Bill Coleman are each in fine form, jamming hard with solid support from a fine rhythm section in pianist Ellis Larkins, guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Al Hall, and master drummer Jo Jones. Because of Wells' nominal leadership and the fact that it was originally issued by a small independent label, this session is less well-known than Young's work with Basie and his Aladdin and Verve recordings. It is essential listening for all Lester Young fans, and should be digested along with Young's remarkable Keynote Quartet session that took place one week later. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1 Harlem Shuffle 3:03    
Kenneth Roane
Dicky Wells / feat: Lloyd Scott & His Orchestra
2 Symphonic Screach (Symphonic Scronch) 2:50    
Don Frye / Hubert Mann / Lloyd Scott
Dicky Wells / feat: Lloyd Scott & His Orchestra
3 Happy Hour Blues 2:40    
Don Frye / Lloyd Scott
Dicky Wells feat: Lloyd Scott & His Orchestra
4 Lawd, Lawd 3:07    
Cecil Scott
Dicky Wells feat: Cecil Scott & His Bright Boys
5 In a Corner 2:54    
Cecil Scott
Dicky Wells feat: Cecil Scott & His Bright Boys
6 Bright Boy Blues 3:06    
Don Frye / Cecil Scott
Dicky Wells feat: Cecil Scott & His Bright Boys
7 Springfield Stomp 3:07    
Don Frye / Cecil Scott
Dicky Wells feat: Cecil Scott & His Bright Boys
8 Bugle Call Rag 2:40    
Billy Meyers / Jack Pettis / Elmer Schoebel
 9 Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 2:45    
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
 10 I Got Rhythm 2:11    
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
 11 Sweet Sue 3:03    
Will J. Harris / Victor Young
 12 Hangin' Around Boudon 2:52    
Dicky Wells
13 Japanese Sandman 2:56    
Richard A. Whiting / Albert Willemetz
 14 I've Found a New Baby 2:50    
Jack Palmer / Spencer Williams
 15 Dinah 2:46    
Harry Akst / Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young
 16 Nobody's Blues But My Own 3:00    
Dicky Wells
 17 Hot Club Blues 3:06    
Dicky Wells
 18 Oh, Lady Be Good 2:55    
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
 19 Dicky Wells Blues 3:18    
Dicky Wells
 20 I Got Rhythm 4:13    
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
21 I'm Fer It, Too 4:10    
Dicky Wells
22 Linger Awhile 3:05    
Harry Owens / Vincent Rose
23 Hello Babe 3:06
Dicky Wells

EDDIE 'LOCKJAW' DAVIS – 1948-1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1382 (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The Classics Chronological Series presents the second installment in the complete recordings of Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. This grab bag of historical rarities opens with a slightly giddy jump version of "Happy Birthday," punctuated with periodic birthday wishes shrieked by the band. Lockjaw prefaces the tune with a bit of nonchalant patter and ends it with a kiss! This rowdy novelty and three subsequent blowing tracks from the same 1948 session were originally released on the Sittin' in With record label. Supported by a solid ensemble including trumpet, trombone, and alto and baritone saxophones, Jaws turns in some of his best toothy playing, most satisfyingly on the gutsy "Randy's Boogie." The next four tracks, recorded March 17, 1949, for the Regent record label, feature somewhat sloppy rasping R&B vocals by "Chicago" Carl Davis, billed here as King Karl. Two gutbucket King recordings made six months later have ensemble vocals praising the virtues of boogie-woogie and braised hog testicles. This hot little group had Bill Doggett at the piano and Kansas City Jo Jones behind the drums. Four sides recorded for the Domino label before the end of 1949 signal a welcome return to honest early modern jazz. Although the enclosed discography fails to identify the composer, there's little doubt that "Intermission Riff" was written by trumpeter Ray Wetzel. The version heard here is extraordinarily solid and groovy. It is followed with a gorgeous ballad, a spicy Caribbean jam, and a soaring version of "How High the Moon" with a very funny vocal by an unidentified singer who sounds a lot like Babs Gonzales. Husky-voiced Carl Davis returns to the Lockjaw Davis discography on two of four titles cut for the Birdland record label in February of 1950. The two instrumentals, "Little Rock" and especially "The Lock," are marvelous examples of this saxophonist's early maturity. And get this: the backing band had guitarist Al Casey and 18-year-old Wynton Kelly at the piano. The rest of the material reissued here consists of eight Royal Roost recordings made in New York during the year 1952. Both of these Roost sessions were early examples of the organ combo, a configuration that Lockjaw Davis would help to establish over the years. These tracks are prime examples of early organ groove music with either Bill Doggett or Billy Taylor at the keyboard, Freddie Green sitting in on guitar, and the combined genius of Oscar Pettiford and Shadow Wilson. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Eddie Davis And His Orchestra–    Happy Birthday    2:28
2    Eddie Davis And His Orchestra–    Black Pepper    2:36
3    Eddie Davis And His Orchestra–    Jumpin' With Maxie-Waxie    2:44
4    Eddie Davis And His Orchestra–    Randy's Boogie    2:29
5    King Karl With Eddie Davis And His Orchestra–    In The Dozens    2:41
6    King Karl With Eddie Davis And His Orchestra–    Sure Like To Run    2:24
7    King Karl With Eddie Davis And His Orchestra–    She's My Baby    2:34
8    King Karl With Eddie Davis And His Orchestra–    Notoriety Woman    2:22
9    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis–    Mountain Oysters    2:37
10    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis–    Huckle Boogie    2:43
11    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis And His Band*–    Intermission Riff    3:12
12    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis And His Band*–    This Is Always    3:11
13    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis And His Band*–    Lockjaw Goes Latin    2:38
14    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis And His Band*–    How High The Moon    3:01
15    Chicago Carl Davis With Eddie Davis And His Band–    I'm Gonna Eat You With A Spoon    2:39
16    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis–    Little Rock (Sweet And Lovely)    3:17
17    Chicago Carl Davis With Eddie Davis And His Band–    If The Motif Is Right    3:25
18    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis–    The Lock (Squattin')    3:22
19    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis–    My Blue Heaven    2:30
20    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis–    Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone    2:43
21    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis–    Bewitched    2:47
22    Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis–    Blues In My Heart    2:40
23    Eddie Davis–    There's No You    2:41
24    Eddie Davis–    Slow Squat    2:34
25    Eddie Davis–    Hey Lock    3:08
26    Eddie Davis–    I'm And Old Cowhand From The Rio Grande    3:09

BILLIE HOLIDAY – 1949-1951 (2002) The Classics Chronological Series – 1220 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Lady Day's Decca recordings of 1949 and 1950 find her working in front of loud, rather pushy big bands under the direction of Buster Harding and Sy Oliver, and ultimately performing in weird collusion with white-bread pop entity Gordon Jenkins. Porter Grainger's "'Tain't Nobody's Bizness if I Do" has been closely associated with Fats Waller since he recorded it in 1940. Lady Day sings it sweet and spicy, with showy brass accenting her every phrase. Everyone who has ever sung this number puts a personal spin on the lyrics. Tellingly, Billie Holiday insists that even if she finds herself being battered by her male companion, she will never seek help from the police and that's a personal matter of her own. This has a grim aftertaste if you reflect upon her story up close, but Billie was not alone in taking this sort of a stand -- Victoria Spivey's "Let Him Beat Me" comes to mind, and there's nothing for the listener to do but reflect upon human nature, which is what music -- especially blues and jazz -- is all about. The folks at Decca seem to have had in mind an entire Holiday album of songs associated with Bessie Smith, but unfortunately only three such numbers made it to completion. Just think how nice it would be to have on hand Billie's renditions of "Me and My Gin," "You've Got to Give Me Some," "Backwater Blues," "Wasted Life Blues," "Put It Right Here," and "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair"! Thank goodness she completed the three Bessie Smith covers heard here. Lady Day's handling of "Keeps On A-Rainin'" is exquisite. "Do Your Duty" seems almost like a burlesque because of the brassy arrangement, and this singer substitutes "buck" for Smith's copulative term used on the original recording. Billie sounds delighted to be singing "Gimme a Pigfoot" even if the prevailing social atmosphere did not permit her to echo Bessie's inclusion of the word "reefer," however accurate that might have been coming from the marijuana-reliant Holiday. The players in the bands backing her in August and September of 1949 form a strong contingent from the swing scene of the previous decade, with a couple of Young Lions -- George Duvivier and Shadow Wilson -- thrown in for good measure. On September 30th of that year Billie Holiday recorded two duets with her idol, Louis Armstrong, their two voices mingling more on "My Sweet Hunk o' Trash" than on the flip side. In a way these performances resemble Armstrong's humorous collaborations with Jack Teagarden. Four selections from October 1949 find our Lady backed with a small band augmented with strings under the direction of Gordon Jenkins. While some may regard these sides as too schmaltzy, anyone truly in love with this singer's voice will be able to relax and enjoy the ride. The Gordon Jenkins Singers, on the other hand, are so square-sounding that most jazz fans will struggle with the incongruity of it all. Billie herself manages to sound wonderful even under these circumstances. Finally, four titles recorded in April of 1951 for the Aladdin label provide a much-needed antidote after all that fluff. Here the singer is backed by the Tiny Grimes Sextette, the only identified members being gutsy saxophonist Haywood Henry, pianist Bobby Tucker, and Grimes himself. Two tasty blues are followed by a magnificent version of Fats Waller's "Blue Turning Grey Over You" and the wistful "Detour Ahead." arwulf arwulf   
Tracklist :
1 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness if I Do 3:22
Porter Grainger / Robert Prince / Clarence Williams
2 Baby Get Lost 3:16
Leonard Feather / Billy Moore Jr.
3 Keeps On A-Rainin' 3:17
Max Kortlander / Spencer Williams
4 Them There Eyes 2:51
Maceo Pinkard / Doris Tauber / William Tracey
5 Do Your Duty 3:17
Wesley Wilson
6 Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer) 2:46
Wesley Wilson
7 You Can't Lose a Broken Heart 3:16
James P. Johnson / F.E. Miller
Billie Holiday feat: Louis Armstrong
8 My Sweet Hunk o' Trash 3:21
James P. Johnson / F.E. Miller
Billie Holiday feat: Louis Armstrong
9 Now or Never 3:18
Peter DeRose / Billie Holiday / Curtis Lewis
10 You're My Thrill 3:26
Sidney Clare / Jay Gorney
11 Crazy He Calls Me 3:06
Bob Russell / Carl Sigman
12 Please Tell Me Now 3:15
Arnold Clawson / Toussaint Pope
13 Somebody's On My Mind 2:58
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
14 God Bless the Child 3:11
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
15 This Is Heaven to Me 2:53
Frank Reardon / Ernest Schweikert
16 Be Fair to Me 2:43
Larry Darnell / Ravon Darnell / Johnny Mercer / David Messner
Billie Holiday feat: Tiny Grimes Sextette
17 Rocky Mountain Blues 3:11
Frank Haywood / M. Tucker
Billie Holiday feat: Tiny Grimes Sextette
18 Blue Turning Grey Over You 2:06
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
Billie Holiday feat: Tiny Grimes Sextette
19 Detour Ahead 3:06
Lou Carter / Ron Carter / Herb Ellis / Rev. Walter Ellis / John Freigo / Johnny Frigo
Billie Holiday feat: Tiny Grimes Sextette

COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 513 (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This CD has Count Basie's last three sessions for Decca and his first recordings for the Columbia/Vocalion labels. One of his tenor stars, Herschel Evans, had just passed away and is replaced by Chu Berry on one date before Buddy Tate became his permanent replacement. Otherwise, the band's very strong personnel remained the same. The first four numbers are showcases for the Basie four-piece rhythm section, "You Can Depend on Me" is by a sextet with Lester Young and trumpeter Shad Collins, and there are also four titles by "Basie's Bad Boys," an octet from the band with Basie doubling on organ. Among the other highlights are "Red Wagon," the two-part "Cherokee," the original version of "Jive at Five," "Rock-A-Bye Basie," "Taxi War Dance," and Helen Humes' warm vocal on "Don't Worry 'Bout Me." Scott Yanow