DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1929-1930 | The Classics Chronological Series – 577 (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Trying to make sense of Duke Ellington's massive catalog is one of the more daunting tasks facing jazz lovers. His early output alone includes scores of songs, often with several different versions and a variety of record labels to consider. For completists, the Classics label offers a chronological route covering the mid-'20s through the mid-'40s (without a lot in the way of alternate takes). And while not as strong in content as roundups on Bluebird or Columbia, these discs offer one the thrilling opportunity of witnessing Ellington go from novelty jungle material to sophisticated early swing and on into the annals of jazz legend with those stellar early-'40s sides. This Classics title takes in Duke's 1929-1930 period, and is squarely one for die-hard fans: It mostly includes minor cuts, many bearing the residue of the band's Cotton Club set pieces (hence the presence of washboard player Bruce Johnson and the Whoopee Makers). On the more serious side, there are a good number of cuts showing off Ellington's burgeoning writing talents, like "Flaming Youth," "Saturday Night Function," and "Jazz Lips," and loads of fine playing by Joe Nanton, Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, and the newly arrived Cootie Williams. All in all, a fairly solid collection, but one that's best heard after checking out a few early Ellington retrospectives first. Stephen Cook       Tracklist :

THE SPIRITS OF RHYTHM – 1933-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1028 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Spirits of Rhythm were to the 1930s what the Cats & the Fiddle were to the 1940s. Both groups relied upon well-organized, carefully harmonized scat singing and a flurry of adroitly picked tiples and guitar. What the Spirits had going for them was the great Leo "Scat" Watson (1898-1950), drummer, tiple tickler, and one of the most interesting scat singers of all time. Teddy Bunn was their guitarist, and may be heard playing and singing throughout the entire CD. The recordings made in 1933 are exceptionally fine. Two delightful versions of "I Got Rhythm" are matched with "Rhythm," an original by Wilbur Daniels. "I've Got the World on a String" cuts off abruptly during a reprise of the vocal chorus, as they ran out of room on the recording platter. The session of December 6, 1933, introduces bassist Wilson Myers. "I'll Be Ready When the Great Day Comes" is something like a spiritual with humorous overtones: "Didn't the good book say that Cain slew Abel? Hit him in the head with the leg of a table!" Johnny Mercer's "My Old Man" belongs in a special category of cruel songs poking fun at fathers. This picturesque ditty predicts that the parent in question will end up in a garbage can: "Put a bottle of gin there and he'll get in there." The first seven tracks are so satisfying that it's a bit of a jolt when Red McKenzie is featured as lead vocalist on the session of September 11, 1934. Whose idea was it to foist this character onto the Spirits? His wobbly chortling sounds a bit incongruous with such hip backing. The expert picking and scatting come as a relief, after which McKenzie's reprise sounds foolish. He should have confined himself to his famous paper and comb, which would have sounded wonderfully weird with this band. As it is, he sounds about as hip as, say, Nelson Eddy. Three days later, the Spirits were back without McKenzie but with the addition of percussionist and vocalist Virgil Scroggins. "Junk Man" is good fun, and Watson sings a snatch of the old vaudeville number "Horses, Horses," a riff he'd quoted on tiple during a solo on "I Got Rhythm" the previous year. Mercer's lightweight Sherlock Holmes routine is peculiar enough for entertainment purposes, but "That's What I Hate About You" is too closely modeled after a record made several years earlier by Jack Teagarden and Fats Waller. Waller fans who are aware of the original might actually resent the close cover. Now the chronology leaps ahead seven years. Ella Logan's piping vocal with the Spirits on "Tipperary" and "From Monday On" are cute enough, but the two instrumentals from the same session allow us to concentrate on the presence of bassist Wellman Braud and the fine drumming of Watson. "We've Got the Blues" contains a premonition of "Caldonia," and we learn that cement is the reason her head is so hard. The final six sides to appear under this band's name involved only Watson and Bunn from the original group. This 1945 ensemble contains no tiples whatsoever. Leonard Feather is sitting in on piano, Ulysses Livingstone operates a second guitar, and Red Callender is the bassist, while Georgie Vann sings the blues and plays the drums. Here we get a fine dose of Watson's fully developed singing style. No doubt Waller would have approved of "Honey-Sock-Me-on-the-Nose." Watson's throaty interjections on "She Ain't No Saint" sound slightly deranged. Irving Berlin's "Coquette" becomes a smorgasbord centering on "Chicken Croquette." Watson was working with Slim Gaillard during these years, and this last number sounds a lot like something Slim would have dished up. arwulf arwulf  
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HOT LIPS PAGE – 1940-1944 | The Chronogical Classics – 809 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For fans of small-combo jazz from the '40s (pre-bebop, that is), Hot Lips Page's many sides offer that perfect marriage of jazz licks and blues atmospherics. And although Page wasn't necessarily a trumpet ace in the league of Armstrong or Cootie Williams, his irrepressible style and raspy-to-bright tone usually enlivened most every date he graced (just check out his early work on Bennie Moten's epochal 1932 recordings). Page also could have made a handsome living just as a blues singer; his was a gruff and driving voice equally at home on both the serious and novelty end of the form. This Classics release brings together a fetching mix from Page's 1940-1944 freelancing prime, with a large dose of his vocal work getting nicely framed by the day's top jazz players. Two highlights from the first part here include "Evil Man Blues" and "Just Another Woman," two of Page's best vocals featuring Leonard Feather on piano and Teddy Bunn on guitar. The majority of the remaining tracks are ones Page and his band cut in 1944. Amidst the prevailing after-hours mood, there's a wealth of fine soloing by the likes of Don Byas, Chu Berry, Lucky Thompson, and Vic Dickenson. This disc might not make it into any jazz polls, but it's a solid collection for those who love Page's infectious style and sophisticated jump grooves. Stephen Cook
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JELLY-ROLL MORTON – 1929-1930 | The Chronogical Classics – 642 (1992) FLAC (tracks), lossless

With the exception of two dates as a leader and the remainder of the Wilton Crawley set that closes this album, this disc has the final Jelly Roll Morton recordings before the Great Depression temporarily halted his recording career. The pianist-composer is heard backing singers Lizzie Miles and Billie Young on two songs apiece and interacting with the wild vaudevillian clarinetist Wilton Crawley on "Big Time Woman" and "I'm Her Papa, She's My Mama." The best all-round session has four numbers performed by the trio of Morton, clarinetist Barney Bigard, and drummer Zutty Singleton. Of the band sides (some of which are a bit undisciplined), highlights include "Little Lawrence," "Load of Coal" (with Cozy Cole on drums), and "Fussy Mabel," which has a classic solo from trumpeter Bubber Miley. Whether acquired in this series or on a five-CD Bluebird set, this music is highly enjoyable and often quite essential in appreciating 1920s jazz and the musical genius Jelly Roll Morton Scott Yanow  
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JELLY-ROLL MORTON – 1930-1939 | The Chronogical Classics – 654 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There are a lot of Jelly Roll Morton reissues kicking around, but few of them span the 1930s the way this one does. Mr. Jelly's chronology generally gets lopped off after the last Red Hot Peppers session, often entirely omitting the rest of his remarkable story. This, then, is a valuable bundle of ensemble stomps and slow drags garnished with a few piano solos. The first session is a whopper. Wilton Crawley was a peculiar vaudevillian who played laughing hyena clarinet. During the opening track he removes the mouthpiece from the instrument and cups his hands around it, generating a series of wah-wah-wah whinnies. This makes perfect sense in a twisted sort of way. Bruce Johnson plays the washboard with great precision, adding lots of little "dings" wherever he pleases. Most of the guys in the band knew each other from having worked in the Luis Russell Orchestra. There are fine solos from Red Allen, Charlie Holmes, and that marvelous guitarist Teddy Bunn. Contrary to what the discography says, Crawley does not vocalize on this date, and Pops Foster sternly puffs away at a tuba rather than using the string bass as listed. Jelly's Red Hot Peppers were on their last couple of go-rounds during the second half of 1930, but this was still a hot band, notable for Ward Pinkett's punchy trumpet, Morton's fabulous piano, and the agility of guitarists Howard Hill and Bernard Addison. "Strokin' Away" contains a wonderful tuba solo by the mighty Pete Briggs. "Blue Blood Blues" begins and finishes with glorious tones in both registers from clarinetist Albert Nicholas.
Years passed before Jelly was able to record again. When he sat down to record piano solos in 1938, his overdeveloped showmanship was bottled up and ready to come pouring out. According to Morton, the lightning-quick "Finger Buster" was supposed to be one of the most difficult pieces ever written for the piano. What it amounts to is a flashy display of technical dexterity. "Creepy Feeling" is a beautiful example of the Caribbean influence that Jelly was fond of demonstrating. "Honky Tonk Music" also breathes with a bit of the "Spanish tinge," along with a deliberate walking bassline, soon to be known as boogie-woogie. The first "New Orleans Jazzmen" session bristles with Sidney Bechet, Albert Nicholas, and Sidney DeParis. "High Society" sounds like they're taking it right down the middle of the street, which is where "Oh, Didn't He Ramble?" would also have taken place. Jelly then sings cleaned-up lyrics to a couple of slow drags, giving listeners a chance to savor the tenor saxophone of Happy Caldwell. While "Buddy Bolden" was originally a song about farting, the notorious "Winin' Boy" dates from Morton's tenure as a Storyville cathouse piano player. Jelly's Library of Congress recording of his erstwhile theme song contains some of the most sexually explicit lyrics ever sung into a recording microphone. "Winding Boy" was a term used to describe a "tireless stud." While we're on the subject, James Scott's "Climax Rag" is pleasantly stimulating, as are all eight selections from September of 1939. This wonderful disc ends with two delightful solos including "Original Rags," Scott Joplin's masterpiece of 1899. arwulf arwulf  
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MEZZ MEZZROW – 1936-1939 | The Chronogical Classics – 694 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Considering the collective personnel and an unusually close communication between these players, this disc is a serious contender for the "Best of Mezz" award. By 1936, Mezz Mezzrow had developed into an able clarinetist and an expert at putting together strong traditional jazz ensembles. There are five sessions' worth of material gathered together to form this segment of the Mezzrow chronology. Each date produced top-notch small band swing, played by some of the best jazz musicians in the world at that time. None of this is exaggeration. On the opening session, for example, the clarinetist is flanked by trumpeter Frankie Newton and tenor sax man Bud Freeman, backed by a rhythm section including Al Casey, Wellman Braud, and Willie "The Lion" Smith! This group's two-part rendition of Stuff Smith's "I'se a-Muggin'" is a very close cover of the somewhat smoother version cut two days earlier by Jack Teagarden with the Three T's, a leisure service of Paul Whiteman. While Teagarden's timing and tone was impeccable, part one of Mezz's take has a rather gruff vocal by the Lion, who sounded like a friendly cigar-gnawing gangster whenever engaging in theatrical patter. In his liner notes, Anatol Schenker accuses these musicians of being stoned or at least under-rehearsed. According to that criterion, most of the records made by Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Lester Young would be in artistic jeopardy simply on account of cannabis and spontaneity. Criticism of this sort is inaccurate, unfair, and misleading. Mezzrow's only 1937 session as a leader used three fine jam tunes that he composed in collaboration with arranger Edgar Sampson, and a formulaic stomp based on a simple but effective idea by Larry Clinton. This band swung hard with a front line of Sy Oliver, J.C. Higginbotham, Mezzrow, and tenor saxophonist Happy Caldwell, who expresses himself marvelously on these recordings. Like all the rhythm sections on this collection, the combination of Sonny White, Bernard Addison, Pops Foster, and Jimmy Crawford is first rate. Mezzrow was lucky, savvy, and well connected in lining himself up with Tommy Ladnier, Sidney de Paris, James P. Johnson, Teddy Bunn, Elmer James, and Zutty Singleton. Anyone familiar with this kind of music should be somewhat awed by that lineup. These were to be some of Ladnier's last recording dates, and should be savored along with the Bluebird sides he made with Mezzrow and Sidney Bechet during this same time period. "Comin' on with the Come On" is laid out in the classic Mezzrow two-part configuration of slow blues/fast blues. Sidney de Paris growls through his horn, mingling wonderfully with Ladnier. A second Bluebird session about one month later scaled the band down to a quintet with Ladnier and Mezzrow backed by Pops Foster, Teddy Bunn, and the no-nonsense drumming of Manzie Johnson. Bunn played guitar exquisitely and his vocal on "If You See Me Comin'" is a gem. The last four titles feature vocalist Rosetta Crawford in front of a band chosen from several of the previous sessions. Rosetta resurrects three old-time blues masterpieces by Perry Bradford and "Stop It Joe," a little-known novelty by the great James P. Johnson -- who is sitting in at the piano. arwulf arwulf  
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LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940-1941 | The Chronogical Classics – 624 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the period covered by this disc, Lionel Hampton led the last of his swing-era all-star sessions, left Benny Goodman's orchestra, and formed his own exciting big band. "Flying Home" was still in the near future, but there are a fair number of exciting selections on this transitional disc. Hampton's vibes are heard featured with the Nat King Cole Trio on four numbers (two of which also have the Hampton River Boys taking vocals) and the vibraphonist also jams with the 1941 version of the Spirits of Rhythm. After leaving Goodman, Hampton at first led a few small-group dates that included musicians drawn from his orchestra, including altoist/clarinetist Marshall Royal, pianist Sir Charles Thompson, and trumpeter Karl George. The big band's first, mostly uneventful session concludes this interesting disc. Scott Yanow
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WILLIE "THE LION" SMITH – 1937-1938 | The Chronogical Classics – 677 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second Classics CD in their Willie "The Lion" Smith series is surprisingly weak. Of the 25 selections, 21 actually feature the dated organ of Milt Herth. Smith's presence in the trio (with drummer-vocalist O'Neil Spencer) fails to uplift the music (Herth's wheezing organ mostly drowns him out) although guitarist Teddy Bunn helps a bit on the last seven numbers. Easily the best selections on the CD are two songs performed by Willie "The Lion" Smith and His Cubs (a septet with trumpeter Frankie Newton and clarinetist Buster Bailey) and a pair of duets with drummer Spencer on Smith's own "Passionette" and "Morning Air." But the preceding and following volumes in this program are much more valuable. Scott Yanow
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SIDNEY BECHET – 1938-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 608 (1991) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This entry in Classics' chronological reissue of the master takes of Bechet's early recordings finds the soprano great playing with trumpeter Tommy Ladnier and Mezz Mezzrow on the famous "Really the Blues" session, performing a hit version of "Summertime," overshadowing the other members of the all-star Port of Harlem Seven and recording "Indian Summer" and a hot version of "One O'Clock Jump" in a 1940 session for Victor. However, half of this CD is taken up by an odd and surprisingly restrained marathon date with pianist Willie The Lion Smith in which they perform Haitian folk songs. Scott Yanow
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SIDNEY BECHET – 1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 619 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Classics' chronological reissue of Bechet's recordings (at least the regular takes) continues with a pair of songs made with blues singer Josh White, eight very enjoyable performances cut with a quartet consisting of cornetist Muggsy Spanier, guitarist Carmen Mastren and bassist Wellman Braud, and a pair of Bechet's Victor sessions. This is one of the strongest entries in this valuable series. Scott Yanow
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EDGAR HAYES AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938-1948 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1053 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The recordings of Edgar Hayes have long been scattered to the winds, tucked away in compilations and all but lost in obscure anthologies. The producers of the Classics Chronological Series have done the world a favor by gathering these rare sides together in two volumes for all to study and enjoy. The Edgar Hayes Orchestra sounds smooth and hot on the recordings made for Decca in February of 1938. On "Help Me," Eddie Gibbs contributes a "Hawaiian" guitar intro and Kenny Clarke plays the vibes but sounds like he's working over a xylophone. Clyde Bernhardt, sounding a bit like Jimmy Rushing, sings his own composition, "Without You." James Clay Anderson was a fluttery vocalist similar to Pha Terrell, and sounds silly coming after Bernhardt's soulful take. Hayes plays piano beautifully on this band's excellent instrumental renditions of Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" and Will Hudson's "Sophisticated Swing." Joe Garland's "In the Mood" really changed the face of popular music during the 1930s and early '40s. Based on a lick borrowed from Wingy Manone, the tune became an international hit after Glenn Miller came out with a close cover using the same arrangement about a year and a half after this version was recorded. It was Miller's big break. Meanwhile, Edgar Hayes took some of his band to Sweden, making four records in Stockholm on March 8, 1938, under the heading of Kenny Clarke's Kvintett. Clarke plays vibraphone wonderfully. There are hot solos from trumpeter Henry Goodwin and reedman Rudy Powell. Three of these records are awash with milky vocals by James Clay Anderson and the fourth is a stimulating jam version of "Sweet Sue." It's amazing how much stylistic ground can be covered by a chronological survey of one person's musical career. For a man who began by working with Fess Williams in 1924, led various bands under the names of the Blue Grass Buddies, the Eight Black Pirates, and the Symphonic Harmonists, who played piano and wrote arrangements for the Mills Blue Rhythm Band and led his own jazz orchestra in 1937 and 1938, it must have been frustrating for Hayes to have had to dissolve his band in 1941. According to this discography, eight years transpired before he was able to record again. Leading an intimate rhythm section billed as Edgar Hayes & His Stardusters, the pianist cut a version of "Stardust" for V-Disc in May of 1946 with a vocal by drummer Bryant Allen. The rest of the story took place in Los Angeles, where in 1948 Hayes laid down eight superb tracks with Allen, amplified guitarist Teddy Bunn, and legendary West Coast bassist Curtis Counce. Just as "In the Mood" had an enormous impact on popular music before and during the Second World War, "Fat Meat 'n Greens" would prove to be resoundingly influential throughout the 1950s. "Edgar's Boogie" and five additional groove tunes form a very hip finale to the Edgar Hayes story, with a strong shot of R&B and several unidentified horn players adding their sauce to the mix. arwulf arwulf  
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1928-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 671 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Welcome to a dizzying tour of one man's adventures in the recording studios of New York over the span of ten very eventful years. This segment of the James P. Johnson chronology begins with the "Daylight Savin' Blues," a magnificent instrumental recorded in October of 1928. The Gulf Coast Seven were essentially an Ellington quintet with Perry Bradford and James P. Johnson. The most stunning component here is the soprano saxophone of Johnny Hodges, who had come up under the direct influence of Sidney Bechet. Perry Bradford does his share of singing, sounding particularly mellifluous in duet with Gus Horsley on "Put Your Mind Right on It." The key phrase in that song is the immortal refrain: "let's misbehave." There is something about these 1929 ensembles that tickles the brain. Two sides recorded for Victor on November 18 bear a strange resemblance to recordings made under the heading of Fats Waller & His Buddies nearly two months earlier, on September 24. For vocalists, Waller used three reed players and the banjoist from his band to form a sort of barbershop quartet, billed as the Four Wanderers. Johnson's orchestra featured King Oliver, had Waller sitting in with James P. at the piano, and crackled with frantic vocals by an unidentified group calling themselves the Keep Shufflin' Trio. Both singing groups are fairly outrageous and corny to almost bizarre extremes. The word "Modernistic" had exciting connotations in 1929, as culture and technology raced headlong into the unknown. Both the solo piano rendition and the almost ridiculous vocal version convey some measure of that excitement. This collection contains no less than six outstanding piano solos, including the first recording ever made by anyone of Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?." Recycling a discarded melody from the Clarence Williams publishing catalog, "How Could I Be Blue?" is a priceless vaudevillian piano duet with comical cuckold dialogue between JPJ and Clarence Williams himself. While this precious recording has recently found its way on to various James P. Johnson reissues, seldom has the flip side been heard. "I've Found a New Baby" focuses upon Clarence's indigestion. James appears to have a half-pint of liquor in his hip pocket but after administering the "cure" he informs Clarence that he's been given a shot of foot medicine! This disc includes three vocals by Fats Waller's lyricist Andy Razaf, and then concludes with five smoky sides from 1938 under the banner of Pee Wee Russell's Rhythmakers. Convening on behalf of the Hot Record Society, this magnificent ensemble had elements of Eddie Condon, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, which is to say Chicago, New York and Kansas City. You'd also need to include New Orleans in the schematic, as Wellman Braud and Zutty Singleton represented everything that was strongest and best about the Crescent City. "Horn of Plenty Blues" is a majestic slow drag with vocal by the drummer. "There'll Be Some Changes Made" received such an in-depth treatment that it was recorded in two parts, allowing extra solo space for the more expressive members. Pee Wee's group swings like the dickens, finishing off this amazing retrospective with crowing vigor and collective enthusiasm. arwulf arwulf
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BOB HOWARD AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1055 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

By September of 1937, Bob Howard had begun to outgrow his annoying habit of imitating Fats Waller's every nuance. Think of it -- as a Decca recording artist Howard was placed in the uncomfortable position of competing with Waller, Victor's hugely successful vocalist, pianist, and master of small-group swing. Earlier Howard recordings possess the power to drive Waller fans up the wall with irritation. Here, happily, the problem seems to have been (mostly) resolved, as Howard sounds more or less like himself, even when covering songs that were and still are almost entirely associated with Thomas Waller ("Beat It Out," "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry," and "She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific"). When forging ahead into songs that seemed ripe for the Waller treatment (although, sadly, Waller never lived long enough to record them), Howard delivers the goods in a perfect combination of his own and Waller's styles. Most of the material packed into this portion of the Bob Howard chronology features the singer standing well away from the piano so as to be able to concentrate on singing his little heart out. Decca lined him up with consistently excellent players like trumpeter Eddie Farley, tenor saxophonist Babe Russin, guitarist Teddy Bunn, drummers O'Neill Spencer and Stan King, and pianists Frank Froeba and Billy Kyle. The winning combination of Kyle and Spencer makes some of this stuff sound a bit like a bracing preview of the John Kirby Sextet. There is a delightful treatment of "Casey Jones" and a perfectly reasonable rendering of Waller's "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now," constituting a rare example of Bob Howard/Decca paying composer royalties to Fats Waller/Victor. A reference to marijuana usage during "There Ain't Gonna Be No Doggone Afterwhile" seems to presage Howard's version of Stuff Smith's full-blown hymn to cannabis indulgence, "If You're a Viper." Legend has it that Fats Waller & His Rhythm also waxed a version of this happy opus in 1938, but the master recording was actually destroyed by a naïve and apparently brainwashed record company employee who panicked after apparently overdosing on Harry J. Anslinger/J. Edgar Hoover-inspired vice squad propaganda. Waller had his revenge when he cut a particularly lascivious rendition of the song for the Armed Forces' V-Disc label shortly before his early demise in 1943. This fascinating bundle of rare novelty swing closes with two rather scratchy sides recorded for the Atlantic label in 1947. Howard, back at the piano in the company of Everett Barksdale, John Simmons, and Cozy Cole, rendered up a delightful paean to "Mo'lasses" and a version of "Button Up Your Overcoat" that Ruth Etting certainly never dreamt of. This excellent disc is packed with tasty performances that are far superior to Bob Howard's earlier work. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1    Beat It Out    2:49
2    I'm Sorry I Made You Cry    2:44
3    What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For    2:31
4    She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific    2:38
5    There Ain't Gonna Be No Doggone Afterwhile    2:30
6    If You're A Viper    2:22
7    Baby And It Must Be Love    2:46
8    Raggedy But Right    2:52
9    In My Miz    2:26
10    Toodle-Oo    2:47
11    Just About The Time    2:26
12    Talk To Me    2:45
13    I Can Tell By Looking In Your Eyes    2:29
14    You Better Come Back    2:42
15    Dapper Dan    2:51
16    Southern Casey Jones    3:10
17    I Used To Love You    2:46
18    Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now    2:44
19    Sweet Emalina, My Gal    2:55
20    Beale Street Mama    2:37
21    You're Lucky In Kentucky Sure As You're Born    2:54
22    Any Rags    2:42
23    On Revival Day    2:37
24    Mo'lasses    2:40
25    Button Up Your Overcoat    2:50
Credits
Bass – Haig Stephens (tracks: 1 to 23), John Simmons (tracks: 24, 25)
Clarinet – Slats Long (tracks: 1 to 4)
Drums – Cozy Cole (tracks: 24, 25), O'Neil Spencer (tracks: 5 to 23), Stan King (tracks: 1 to 4)
Guitar – Everett Barksdale (tracks: 24, 25), Frank Victor (tracks: 1 to 4), Teddy Bunn (tracks: 5 to 23)
Piano – Billy Kyle (tracks: 13 to 23), Bob Howard (tracks: 24, 25), Frank Froeba (tracks: 1 to 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Babe Russin (tracks: 1 to 4)
Trumpet – Eddie Farley (tracks: 1 to 4)
Vocals – Bob Howard

BILLY KYLE – 1939-1946 (1997) The Classics Chronological Series – 941 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

The second of two Classics Billy Kyle CDs has all of the remaining titles the superior swing pianist led during his life (although he lived until 1966). Ten of the 23 numbers are lesser performances, with four featuring the dated organist Bob Hamilton and the vocals of O'Neil Spencer; two are jivey numbers by singer Jack Sneed and his Sneezers, and four others also emphasize O'Neil Spencer's singing along with the organ of Milt Herth. However, the other 13 selections are full of classic swing-oriented performances. The talented British trumpeter Nat Gonella is heard fronting a hot septet also including Kyle, clarinetist Buster Bailey and altoist Benny Carter (their version of "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" is a highlight); Kyle leads a couple of high-quality trio sets from 1939 and 1946, and he also heads a 1946 octet also featuring trumpeter Dick Vance, trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist Bailey and tenor saxophonist John Hardee. The better half of this CD is so strong that it makes the entire set well worth acquiring despite the organists. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Nat Gonella With John Kirby's Orchestra–    You Must Have Been A Beautiful Day    3:03
2    Nat Gonella With John Kirby's Orchestra–    Just A Kid Named Joe    3:15
3    Nat Gonella With John Kirby's Orchestra–    Jeepers Creepers    2:58
4    Nat Gonella With John Kirby's Orchestra–    I Must See Annie Tonight    2:49
5    The Ramblers–    Honey In The Bee Ball    3:11
6    The Ramblers–    'Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That Cha Do It)    2:47
7    The Ramblers–    Money Is Honey    3:10
8    The Ramblers–    Lonesome Railroad    2:36
9    Billy Kyle–    Finishing Up A Date    2:40
10    Billy Kyle–    Between Sets    2:34
11    Jack Sneed And His Sneezers–    Paul Revere    2:48
12    Jack Sneed And His Sneezers–    Ole Chris (Christafo Colombo)    2:58
13    Milt Herth Trio–    Scatter-Brain    2:40
14    Milt Herth Trio–    The Moneys Have No Tails In Pago-Pago    2:42
15    Milt Herth Trio–    Peach Tree Street (Blues Song)    2:41
16    Milt Herth Trio–    Hezekiah (The Handwriting On The Wall)    2:46
17    Billy Kyle–    I Want You I Need You    3:03
18    Billy Kyle–    All The Things You Are    2:42
19    Billy Kyle–    I Got A Right To Sing The Blues    2:51
20    Billy Kyle's Big Eight–    H.R.S. Bounce    3:02
21    Billy Kyle's Big Eight–    Ooh, Baby, You Knock Me Out    2:50
22    Billy Kyle's Big Eight–    Date For Eight    3:00
23    Billy Kyle's Big Eight–    Contemporary Blues    2:58
Credits
Alto Saxophone – Benny Carter (tracks: 1 to 4), Lem Davis (tracks: 20 to 23)
Bass – John Kirby (tracks: 1 to 4, 11, 12, 17 to 19), John Simmons (tracks: 20 to 23), Marty Kaplan (tracks: 9, 10)
Clarinet – Buster Bailey (tracks: 1 to 4, 20 to 23)
Drums – Buddy Rich (tracks: 20 to 23), Jack Maisel (tracks: 1 to 4), O'Neil Spencer (tracks: 5 to 16)
Guitar – Brick Fleagle (tracks: 1 to 4), Dave Barbour (tracks: 9, 10), Jimmy Shirley (tracks: 17 to 19), Teddy Bunn (tracks: 5 to 8)
Organ – Bob Hamilton (tracks: 5 to 8), Milt Herth (tracks: 13 to 16)
Piano – Billy Kyle
Tenor Saxophone – John Hardee (tracks: 20 to 23)
Trombone – Trummy Young (tracks: 20 to 23)
Trumpet – Charlie Shavers (tracks: 11, 12), Dick Vance (tracks: 20 to 23)
Trumpet, Vocals – Nat Gonella (tracks: 1 to 4)
Vocals – O'Neil Spencer (tracks: 5 to 8, 13 to 16), Teddy Bunn (tracks: 6)

MEADE "LUX" LEWIS - 1939-1941 (1994) The Classics Chronological Series – 743 | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Of all the duets recorded by Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, the most exciting is a nearly-six-minute version of "Nagasaki" recorded on January 6 1939, the legendary "first day" of Blue Note Records. Originally left unissued, this amazing performance languished in the shadows for about forty years before being unearthed in the early 1980s, issued on a limited-edition LP by Mosaic Records, and later presented as part of the Classics Chronological Series more than fifty years after being etched on to a recording platter. For some reason, probably due to a labeling error on the original 78 rpm disc, Mosaic identified the melody as "Sheik of Araby." The Classics liner notes echo the Mosaic verbiage in saying that this "improvisation...never refers to the melody." That is true simply because they're not playing "Sheik of Araby" at all! The tune is readily and steadily recognizable as "Nagasaki." Taken at a brisk clip, the old pop song boils and jumps with rambunctious humor. Squeezing these two men on to one piano bench seems to have pushed Ammons to the very top octaves of the keyboard, where he cheerfully spanked the ivories with wild abandon. Lewis balanced down at the basement end, where he dutifully ground out a steady stream of what might be called bassline "Chicago stride" patterns. A marvelous four-handed strut that turns into a boogie bears the title "Twos and Fews." Also included here is the "Untitled Lewis Original," a solo experiment in free invention. The next leg of the chronology consists of five full-bodied improvisations cut for the Solo Art label in February of 1939. "Blues De Lux" has a bit of "See See Rider" about it and "Far Ago Blues" contains an old riff that Thelonious Monk would later use as the basis for "Blue Monk." Suddenly we get to hear a quintet led by trombonist J.C. Higginbotham. The "Basin Street Blues" heard here was issued briefly by Mosaic as part of an LP bringing together a cluster of ensemble sessions under the heading of "the Port of Harlem Jazzmen." These excellent recordings have since landed all over the place as presented by the producers of the Classics series -- on CDs bearing the names of Frankie Newton, Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, for example. Maybe this wouldn't feel like a disadvantage if Mosaic's limited edition of the complete recordings of the Port of Harlem Jazzmen hadn't become so scarce over the years. Meade's wonderful solo session for Blue Note on October 4 1940 yielded some of his all-time best boogie woogie essays. A stunning version of "Honky Tonk Train Blues" rips along faster than any of his previous renderings. By this time the pianist had mastered the fine art of titling his works. "Bass on Top," "Six Wheel Chaser," "Tell Your Story" and "Rising Tide Blues" each deserve their poetic names. As a fitting coda to this exceptionally satisfying collection of individualistic recordings, two harpsichord solos highlight yet another angle in this man's incredibly varied artistic personality. Lewis pours himself into the experience, creating endless variations using an instrument commonly associated with European notated music from the 18th century. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1    Twos And Fews    4:30
2    Nagasaki    5:44
3    Untitled Lewis Original    3:40
4    Messin' Around    3:28
5    Deep Fives    3:52
6    Blues de Lux    3:58
7    Closing Hour Blues    3:47
8    Far Ago Blues     4:03
9    Basin Street Blues    3:42
10    Honky Tonk Train Blues    4:11
11    Bass On Top    3:38
12    Six Wheel Chaser     3:51
13    Tell Your Story    3:58
14    Tell Your Story No. 2    4:08
15    Rising Tide Blues     3:39
16    Nineteen Ways Of Playing A Chorus    4:00
17    School Of Rhythm    4:14
Credits :    
Bass – Johnny Williams (tracks: 9)
Drums – Sidney Catlett (tracks: 9)
Guitar – Teddy Bunn (tracks: 9)
Harpsichord – Meade "Lux" Lewis (tracks: 16, 17)
Piano – Albert Ammons (tracks: 1-3), Meade "Lux" Lewis (tracks: 1-15)
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham (tracks: 9)

ALBERT AMMONS – 1936-1939 (1993) The Classics Chronological Series – 715 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Albert Ammons, father of Gene Ammons, became so thoroughly associated with boogie-woogie and Blue Note Records that it is thrilling to hear him in 1936 leading a straightforward swing band in a solid stride treatment of "Nagasaki" for the Decca record label. Naturally, the flip side is an authentic, upbeat rendition of "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie," and most of the material on this disc contains five times its weight in danceable blues protein. "Mile-Or-Mo Bird Rag," however, swings like "Nagasaki" did, and once again we get to hear Albert playing genuine stride piano with outstanding support from bassist Israel Crosby and guitarist Ike Perkins. There are refreshing solos from trumpeter Guy Kelly and from a fine alto player by the name of Dalbert Bright. Act two opens in 1939 with ten piano solos, packed with blues and boogie. While some folks disparage the woogie, they are most likely complaining about imitators rather than this archetypal, fundamental body of definitive good-time piano. If you're lucky enough to be able to submerge yourself in this many Albert's solos, you'll most likely succumb to his dignified realism, his gut-level understanding of the blues. The coolest surprise of the whole package is the session of February 1, 1939, whereby Harry James made two sides for Brunswick backed by the "Boogie Woogie Trio." The pure excitement of "Woo-Woo" is worth a million bucks, as muted trumpet wails over a churning rhythm section, egged on by neat little crashes of the cymbal. "Jesse" is a minor stomp on open horn, with Albert back in a Harlem stride piano groove. When James puts the mute back on his horn it becomes clear that these are two of the very best undiluted jazz records that this trumpeter ever made! The CD ends with four sides recorded at the Blue Note "Port of Harlem" session of April 7, 1939. The sound quality is a bit misty, but that seems to be the case with most reissues of this material. On the "Weary Land Blues," trombonist J.C. Higginbotham was designated as leader. Frankie Newton's expressive trumpet was added to this band to form the Port of Harlem Jazzmen, resulting that day in three 12" 78 rpm records, each containing more than four minutes of undiluted blues. The moods are disarmingly intimate and uncontrived. Teddy Bunn's guitar sounds particularly good throughout the entire session. Things begin to solidify during a stern walk through the "Mighty Blues," and everybody cuts loose during "Rocking the Blues," a boogie-woogie for sextet driven at a healthy clip by two powerful engines: the drumming of Sidney Catlett and the double-fisted piano of Albert Ammons. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Nagasaki 2:50
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Dalbert Bright
Double Bass [String Bass] – Israel Crosby
Drums – Jimmy Hoskins
Guitar – Ike Perkins
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Guy Kelly
Written-By – Warren, Dixon
2    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Boogie Woogie Stomp 2:58
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Dalbert Bright
Double Bass [String Bass] – Israel Crosby
Drums – Jimmy Hoskins
Guitar – Ike Perkins
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Guy Kelly
Written-By – Smith
3    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Early Mornin' Blues 3:09
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Dalbert Bright
Double Bass [String Bass] – Israel Crosby
Drums – Jimmy Hoskins
Guitar – Ike Perkins
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Guy Kelly
Written-By – Ammons
4    Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings–    Mile-Or-Mo Bird Rag 3:12
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Dalbert Bright
Double Bass [String Bass] – Israel Crosby
Drums – Jimmy Hoskins
Guitar – Ike Perkins
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Guy Kelly
Written-By – Ammons
5    Albert Ammons–    Shout For Joy 2:23
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
6    Albert Ammons–    Boogie Woogie Stomp 3:35
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
7    Albert Ammons–    Chicago In Mind 3:59
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
8    Albert Ammons–    Suitcase Blues 3:49
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Thomas
9    Albert Ammons–    Boogie Woogie Blues 3:39
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
10    Albert Ammons–    Untitled Ammons Original 4:04
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
11    Albert Ammons–    Bass Goin' Crazy 3:18
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Ammons
12    Albert Ammons–    Backwater Blues 4:02
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Smith
13    Albert Ammons–    Changes In Boogie Woogie 4:04
Piano – Albert Ammons
Written-By – Unknown Artist
14    Albert Ammons–    Easy Rider Blues 4:09
Traditional
Piano – Albert Ammons
15    Harry James And The Boogie Woogie Trio–    Woo-Woo 3:12
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Harry James
Written-By – James
16    Harry James And The Boogie Woogie Trio–    Jesse 2:42
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Eddie Dougherty
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trumpet – Harry James
Written-By – James
17    J.C. Higginbotham Quintet–    Weary Land Blues 2:49
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
18    Port Of Harlem Jazzmen–    Port Of Harlem Blues 4:28
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Frank Newton
19    Port Of Harlem Jazzmen–    Mighty Blues 4:32
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Frank Newton
20    Port Of Harlem Jazzmen–    Rocking The Blues 4:21
Double Bass [String Bass] – Johnny Williams
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Teddy Bunn
Piano – Albert Ammons
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Frank Newton

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

JOE TURNER – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1034 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This fine collection captures Turner in his early prime, out on the West Coast and cutting some of the tightest jump blues of the '40s. Part of Classics' chronological series, the disc features such fine support players as pianists Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons, guitarist Teddy Bunn, and alto saxophonist Tab Smith. Among the 23 tracks are fine remakes of earlier Turner gems like "Roll 'em Pete," "Nobody in Mind," and "Ice Man Blues." Other highlights include Turner's initial R&B chart topper "My Gal's a Jockey" and the salaciously swingin' "Around the Clock Blues." A solid bet for fans of vintage jump blues. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1     My Gal's a Jockey
Joe Turner
2     I'm Still in the Dark 3:20
Joe Turner
3     I Got Love for Sale 2:32
Joe Turner
4     Sunday Morning Blues 2:52
Big Joe Turner
5     Mad Blues 2:25
Joe Turner
6     It's a Low Down Dirty Shame 2:38
Joe Turner
7     I'm Still in the Dark 3:04
Joe Turner
8     Miss Brown Blues 2:52
Joe Turner
9     Sally Zu-Zazz 2:53
Big Joe Turner
10     Rock O' Gibralter 2:36
Joe Turner
11     Milk and Butter Blues 3:06
Joe Turner
12     That's What Really Hurts 2:48
Joe Turner
13     I'm in Sharp When I Hit the Coast 2:54
Joe Turner
14     New Ooh Wee Baby Blues 3:03
Joe Turner
15     Around the Clock Blues, Pt. 1 1:46
Wynonie Harris
16     Around the Clock Blues, Pt. 2 1:39
Wynonie Harris
17     Morning Glory 2:29
Traditional
18     Nobody in Mind 3:09
Big Joe Turner
19     Low Down Dog 2:31
Leroy Carr / Big Joe Turner
20     Back Breaking Blues 3:04
Joe Turner
21     Empty Pocket Blues 2:40
Joe Turner
22     Roll 'Em Pete 2:51
Pete Johnson / Big Joe Turner
23     Ice Man Blues 2:31
Louis Jordan