FATS WALLER – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1002 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Back in the 1920s and early '30s, Fats Waller sold a lot of songs for next to nothing. Much to his consternation, some of these melodies turned up later as hugely successful hits with other peoples' names attached. He adamantly insisted that he'd written both "On the Sunny Side of the Street" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," gorgeous tunes that do seem to be cut from the same fabric as "Honeysuckle Rose," "My Fate Is in Your Hands," and "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now." Bearing this in mind, Waller's magnificently cynical duet with Una Mae Carlisle is not only one of the most skillfully humorous records he ever made, but might also have served as a sort of artistic vengeance upon Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields. In any case, Una Mae has a wonderfully sultry voice and Fats is remarkably funny. "The Darktown Strutters' Ball" features a non-electric taxi cab horn and a very hot band, goaded by Waller's shouting and piano plunking. "Swinga-Dilla Street" demonstrates his mature bouncing Hammond organ style. "At Twilight" was composed by Thomas and Anita Waller. It is romantic, soft, and lovely, like something from Duke Ellington. "Black Maria," that cheerful ode to a paddy wagon, swings hard. Rosy and idyllic, "Mighty Fine" is most memorable for its interesting punch line: "Exuberance is the spontaneity of life." Waller's band had already recorded two excellent versions of "The Moon Is Low" in 1939. The first 1940 take is a nice hasty jam, but nothing could top what they'd done with it a few months earlier. Unissued until the 1970s, "The Moon Is Low, Pt. 2" uses the Hammond organ in place of piano. Fats slips into in a strange key at one point, which is probably why this take was rejected. "Fat and Greasy" is a remake of a nasty tune recorded in 1935 by Waller's big band. This version actually includes the verse, for what it's worth. It's kind of strange to hear Fats making fun of obesity. "You Run Your Mouth" is famous for its prickly assertiveness. This is much better than the sloppy, apparently inebriated second take. Fats makes all kinds of weird noises with his lips during "Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie," a very funny song for children or twisted adults. "My Mommie Sent Me to the Store" is even better, with a hilarious vocal exchange between the bandmembers and their fearless leader. Does the word "rye" refer to bread or liquids? Only mother knows for sure. "Dry Bones," cast in a minor mode, is wonderfully spooky and expertly timed. It's much better than anyone else's version of this old song. Deep in the throes of his own theater of the absurd, Fats invokes "fine neck bones and rice" with almost religious fervor. arwulf arwulf  
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

UNA MAE CARLISLE – 1941-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1230 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For the best introduction to the music of Una Mae Carlisle, consult her 1938-1941 recordings (Classics 1209). Thrust into the limelight by her friend Fats Waller, Carlisle established herself as an able pianist, vocalist and leader of small swing bands, relinquishing her place at the piano in 1941 and '42 in order to concentrate on presenting herself as a singer. Backed by pianist Billy Kyle and the John Kirby Sextet, she delivered quite a number of sentimental songs and a handful of upbeat novelties. It's important to bear in mind the fact that during this time she was grappling with the debilitating effects of mastoiditis, a painful malady brought on by an infection of the inner ear. This may account for the fact that on many of these sides the singer sounds somewhat tentative, less focused and lacking the full power of her earlier recordings. "Don't Tetch It!" turned out spunky because it was a spunky number to begin with. "It Ain't Like That" is an upbeat bounce, loosely garnished with "hep-talk" lyrics. "So Long, Shorty" is addressed to a soldier who is headed for Tokyo. After the end of the notoriously inconvenient and historically frustrating recording ban that began in 1942, Una Mae Carlisle found herself eliminated from the roster of Bluebird recording artists. Securing work with the tiny Joe Davis label, she went back to singing from the piano. The material seems stronger than what she'd been trying to pull off with Bluebird. "'Tain't Yours" is based in a solid groove, and swings accordingly. Ray Nance shines and Budd Johnson blows his tenor sax lustily. Both men spruce up "I'm A Good, Good Woman" with notably expressive solos. Even the slow numbers from 1944 are substantial, more soulful and less flimsy than before. Una sounds healthier and more mature. Operating the piano obviously kept her in touch with the band's collective thought processes. "Take Your Time" works well, "Best Little Yankee" fulfills a wartime thematic obligation, and "I Speak So Much" holds its own largely because of the amazing trumpet and sax solos. This volume of the chronological Carlisle closes with a session from the end of August 1944. The band is said to be comprised of Bob Crosby bandmembers, which is another way of saying that Una fell in with the Eddie Condon Mob. From here her career led to radio and television appearances, in addition to further phonograph recordings. These may be heard on the final volume of Carlisle 's recordings (Classics 1265), covering the years 1944 through 1950. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man    2:44
2    It Ain't Like That    2:27
3    Anything    2:38
4    City Called Heaven    2:54
5    I'm The One Who Loves You    3:02
6    My Wish    3:03
7    Coffee And Cakes    2:53
8    Moonlight Masquerade    2:32
9    Don't Tetch It!    2:18
10    So Long, Shorty    2:26
11    I'm Tryin'    2:53
12    Sweet Talk    3:00
13    'Tain't Yours    2:50
14    Without You Baby    3:09
15    I'm A Good, Good, Woman    2:46
16    Ain't Nothin' Much    2:57
17    I Like It, 'Cause I Love It    3:03
18    You Gotta Take Your Time    2:49
19    He's The Best Little Yankee To Me    2:34
20    I Speak So Much About You    2:58
21    Teasin' Me    2:35
22    You And Your Heart Of Stone    3:06
23    You're Gonna Change Your Mind    3:06
24    I've Got A Crying Need For You    2:54

UNA MAE CARLISLE – 1944-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1265 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Una Mae Carlisle, who gained a bit of recognition in the 1930s for being a protégée of Fats Waller, was a talented pianist and a personable vocalist. Unfortunately, ill health resulted in her having to take several periods off of the music scene, retiring prematurely in 1954, and passing away in 1956 at the age of 50. All of her recordings as a leader are now available on three Classics CDs, of which this is the final one. These 25 selections were all formerly quite rare. Carlisle is featured with a Fats Waller-type combo on a four-song session, backed by one group that includes both organ and accordion, purely as a singer in units organized by Bob Chester and Don Redman, and on six three-song medleys from 1950 that put more of an emphasis on her piano playing. Despite the diversity, this program holds one's interest throughout and has its share of high points, displaying the musical talents of the nearly forgotten Una Mae Carlisle. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Una Mae Carlisle–    The Rest Of My Life    2:44
2    Una Mae Carlisle–    That Glory Day    2:42
3    Una Mae Carlisle With Orchestra–    That's My Man    2:56
4    Una Mae Carlisle With Orchestra–    If It Ain't Mine    2:38
5    Una Mae Carlisle With Orchestra–    I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby    2:33
6    Una Mae Carlisle With Orchestra–    Throw It Out Your Mind    2:40
7    Una Mae Carlisle–    Stop Goin' Through The Motions    2:52
8    Una Mae Carlisle With Alan Holmes And His New Tones–    Tonight Be Tender To Me    2:40
9    Una Mae Carlisle With Alan Holmes And His New Tones–    Ohi-Ohio Boogie    2:55
10    Una Mae Carlisle With Bob Chester And His Orchestra–    Frenzy    3:09
11    Una Mae Carlisle With Bob Chester And His Orchestra–    I Bought Myself A Book    2:26
12    Una Mae Carlisle With Bob Chester And His Orchestra–    The Best Idea You Had    2:14
13    Una Mae Carlisle With Bob Chester And His Orchestra–    Mad About Love    2:06
14    Una Mae Carlisle With Bob Chester And His Orchestra–    We've All Got A Lesson To Learn    2:37
15    Una Mae Carlisle With Bob Chester And His Orchestra–    Three Little Bugs    2:35
16    Una Mae Carlisle Orchestra Under The Direction Of Don Redman–    Tired Hands    2:46
17    Una Mae Carlisle Orchestra Under The Direction Of Don Redman–    Strange    3:00
18    Una Mae Carlisle Orchestra Under The Direction Of Don Redman–    Long    2:51
19    Una Mae Carlisle Orchestra Under The Direction Of Don Redman–    Gone    3:08
Una Mae Carlisle And Her Piano    Medley    (3:13)
20.1    –    There's Something About The Boogie    
20.2    –    A One Minute Journey To Boogieland    
20.3    –    Una's Boogie    
Una Mae Carlisle And Her Piano    Medley    (2:44)
21.1    –    A Rhythm Mood    
21.2    –    Escape To Nowhere    
21.3    –    Jumpin' With The Stars    
Una Mae Carlisle And Her Piano    Medley    (2:31)
22.1    –    Trouble Waters    
22.2    –    War    
22.3    –    Democracy Triumphant    
Una Mae Carlisle And Her Piano    Medley    (2:28)
23.1    –    The Great Mesmer    
23.2    –    Hypnotized    
23.3    –    Piano Magic    
Una Mae Carlisle And Her Piano    Medley    (2:37)
24.1    –    Forgive Me For Getting Forgetful    
24.2    –    Good Better Best    
24.3    –    Baby Please Be Good To Me    
Una Mae Carlisle And Her Piano    Medley    (3:05)
25.1    –    Do    
25.2    –    Doodle Doo    
25.3    –    Perfectly
Credits :    
Accordion – Dominic Cortese (tracks: 8, 9)
Alto Saxophone – George Dorsey (tracks: 16 to 19)
Band – Unknown Artist (tracks: 7)
Baritone Saxophone – Leo Balandyl (tracks: 14, 15)
Bass – Billy Taylor Sr. (tracks: 16 to 19), Cedric Hardwick (tracks: 1, 2), Cedric Wallace (tracks: 3 to 6), Johnny Chance (tracks: 10 to 15), Michael Storme (tracks: 8, 9)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Saul Pace (tracks: 10 to 15)
Drums – Harold Marquess (tracks: 8, 9), Jo Jones (tracks: 16 to 19), Nat Ray (tracks: 10 to 15), Wilmore "Slick" Jones (tracks: 3 to 6), Wallace Bishop (tracks: 1, 2)
Guitar – Jimmy Shirley (tracks: 3 to 6)
Organ – Peter Sacripanti (tracks: 8, 9)
Piano – Gene DiNovi (tracks: 10 to 15), Herbert Sweet (2) (tracks: 8, 9), Linton Garner (tracks: 16 to 19), Una Mae Carlisle (tracks: 1 to 9, 20 to 25)
Rhythm Section – Unknown Artist (tracks: 20 to 25)
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Sedric (tracks: 3 to 6), George Nicholas (3) (tracks: 16 to 19), Walter "Foots" Thomas (tracks: 1, 2)
Trombone – Herbert Wingfield (tracks: 10 to 15), Trummy Young (tracks: 1, 2)
Trumpet – Alec Fila (tracks: 14, 15), Dick Vance (tracks: 16 to 19), Doc Cheatham (tracks: 1, 2), Johnny Letman (tracks: 3 to 6), Riley Norris (tracks: 10 to 13)
Vocals – Una Mae Carlisle