DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 867 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The first 13 selections on this CD complete the reissue of the studio recordings of the classic 1939-1942 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra. Among the more notable selections are "Perdido," "The 'C' Jam Blues," "What Am I Here For," "Main Stem," and "Johnny Come Lately." The other nine numbers are much rarer than those Victor records, for they are V-discs cut during the recording strike of 1942-1944, primarily remakes of earlier Ellington hits. Although not quite essential (the Victors are easily available domestically), this set nevertheless has plenty of memorable performances by Ellington's World War II band. Scott Yanow   Tracklist :

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 :

MARY LOU WILLIAMS – 1949-1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1260 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Always in sync with progressive developments in jazz music, pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader Mary Lou Williams turns out to have made more records during the 1940s and '50s than most people ever realized. Thanks to the Classics Chronological Series, listeners are now able to follow her career session by session throughout these eventful and transitional years. The fifth installment of her complete recorded works in chronological order opens with a fascinating pair of angular studies in chamber bop. Recorded for the King label on March 18, 1949, these tracks feature the most dramatically modern-sounding band that Mary Lou Williams had ever assembled. With a front line of trumpeter Idrees Sulieman, Alan Feldman on clarinet and alto sax, and pre-Eric Dolphy bass clarinetist Martin Glaser backed by Williams, guitarist Mundell Lowe, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Denzil de Costa Best, "Tisherome" and "Knowledge" are bracing examples of a bop logic that is strikingly adventuresome. The flip sides are topical bop scat novelties featuring vocalist Kenny "Pancho" Hagood. On January 3, 1950, the rhythm section met again to wax four more sides for King. Here the material consisted of jazz standards with Williams at times playing organ or piano or both instruments simultaneously -- during "Bye Bye Blues" she operates the organ with her left hand, piano with her right. On March 7, 1951, the Mary Lou Williams Trio cut ten sides for the Atlantic record company for release on the new LP format. This session turned out to be decidedly cool and nonchalant -- even old "Pagliacci" becomes irresistibly hip. This excellent survey of vintage early modern jazz concludes with five sides cut for the Circle label in June of 1951. The first of these, a carefully devised bop love song sung by the Dave Lambert Singers, features Elbert "Skippy" Williams on bass clarinet. The remaining tracks, recorded four days later, are delightfully cool studies for Billy Taylor's string bass, Willie "Bobo" Correa's conga drums, and the creatively inspired piano of Mary Lou Williams. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1    Mary Lou Williams With Orchestra–    Tisherome    2:49
2    Mary Lou Williams With Orchestra–    Knowledge    2:26
3    Mary Lou Williams With Orchestra–    Oo-Bla-Dee    2:44
Vocals – Kenny Hagood
4    Mary Lou Williams With Orchestra–    Shorty Boo    2:53
Vocals – Kenny Hagood
5    Mary Lou Williams–    Bye Bye Blues    2:48
6    Mary Lou Williams–    Moonglow    2:29
7    Mary Lou Williams–    Willow Weep For Me    2:56
8    Mary Lou Williams–    I'm In The Mood For Love    2:33
9    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Opus Z    2:54
10    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    The Surrey With The Fringe On Top    2:28
11    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    My First Date With You    3:12
12    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Pagliacci    2:44
13    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    'S Wonderful    2:51
14    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    From This Moment On    3:39
15    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    You're The Cream In My Coffee    2:52
16    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Mary's Waltz    3:25
17    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Would I Love You    3:04
18    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    In The Purple Grotto    3:04
19    Mary Lou Williams–    Walking 2:37
Vocals – Dave Lambert Singers
20    Mary Lou Williams And Her Modern Music–    The Sheik Of Araby    2:45
21    Mary Lou Williams–    When Dreams Come True    2:51
22    Mary Lou Williams–    Bobo    2:50
23    Mary Lou Williams–    Kool    2:24
Credits :    
Bass – Billy Taylor Sr. (tracks: 19 to 23), Carl Pruitt (tracks: 9 to 18), George Duvivier (tracks: 1 to 8)
Bass Clarinet – Elbert "Skippy" Williams (tracks: 19), Martin Glaser (tracks: 1 to 4)
Bongos – Willie "Bobo" Correa (tracks: 20 to 23)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Allan Feldman (tracks: 1 to 4)
Drums – Al Walker (tracks: 19), Bill Clark (tracks: 9 to 18), Denzil Best (tracks: 1 to 8)
Guitar – Mundell Lowe (tracks: 1 to 8)
Organ – Mary Lou Williams (tracks: 5, 6)
Piano – Mary Lou Williams (tracks: 1 to 4, 7 to 23)
Trumpet – Idrees Sulieman (tracks: 1 to 4)