BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1025 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD traces Benny Goodman & His Orchestra during their final Victor recordings and their first sessions for the Columbia label. The band did not change all that much during this time style-wise, although such fixtures as trumpeter Chris Griffin, pianist Jess Stacy, drummer Buddy Schutz, and singer Martha Tilton departed. Along the way the key soloists are trumpeter Ziggy Elman, Jerry Jerome on tenor, and Goodman, while Fletcher Henderson spent a period filling in on piano. There are no small-group performances on this CD, but such fine killer-dillers as "The Kingdom of Swing," "There'll Be Some Changes Made," "Jumpin' at the Woodside," "Stealin' Apples," and "Spring Song." Scott Yanow  
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BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1098 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Despite competition from Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Count Basie, and Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman largely held on to his popularity during the 1939-1940 period. The personnel was changing in his big band, but it was still a strong outfit with trumpeters Ziggy Elman and Jimmy Maxwell, trombonist Vernon Brown, Jerry Jerome on tenor, pianist Johnny Guarnieri, and singer Helen Forrest being significant voices. Among the better big band selections on this consistently swinging CD are "Zaggin' With Zig," "The Fable of the Rose," "Shake Down the Stars," and "I'm Nobody's Baby"; however, it is the three sextet numbers that take honors. "Till Tom Special," "The Sheik of Araby," and "Poor Butterfly" feature Goodman with guitarist Charlie Christian, Lionel Hampton, and either Count Basie or Guarnieri on piano. All of the Benny Goodman recordings from this era are well worth acquiring by swing fans. Scott Yanow  
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SIDNEY BECHET – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1112 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Classics label has treated the Sidney Bechet canon with trademark thoroughness, with superb chronological sets chronicling his entire career. For many fans, however, it's Bechet's immediate postwar output that ranks above all else, and 1947-1949 compiles what is arguably the greatest period in Bechet's recording career. Masterpieces abound, from the devastating "Royal Garden Blues" to the wonderful "Buddy Bolden Stomp." Classics has done a fine job at improving the sonic fidelity, and the liner notes are very informative. A truly wonderful disc that should appeal to longtime fans of Bechet and neophytes alike. Thomas Ward
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MUGGSY SPANIER – 1939-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 709 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Well, let's put it this way. If you were to choose one Muggsy Spanier collection out of his portion of the Classics Chronological Series (or any edition on any other label for that matter), let it be Classics 709, which contains all of the essential material from every session he led between July 7, 1939 and June 1, 1942. This includes the master takes from Spanier's Bluebird "Ragtime Band" sessions of 1939, which are generally considered to have been the apex of his entire career. Participants in these joyous and staunchly traditional proceedings included singing trombonist George Brunies, master clarinetist Rod Cless, tenor saxophonists Ray McKinstry, Bernie Billings and Nick Caiazza, and pianists Joe Bushkin and George Zack. From the languid reflectivity of "Relaxin' at the Touro" to the punchy rowdiness of "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate," this is the very best of the music Muggsy Spanier left to posterity, and it virtually defines the entire genre of Chicago-style New Orleans-inspired traditional jazz. What makes this collection even finer and more useful is the addition of eight lesser-known Decca recordings cut in January and June 1942, with Caiazza joined at times by clarinetist Irving Fazola and someone named Benny Goodman operating both the black stick and the alto sax. Vocals throughout this delightful collection are as follows: George Brunies sings "Big Butter and Egg Man," "Dinah," and "Sister Kate"; trombonist Ford Leary arm wrestles Vernon Dalhart, as it were, in "The Wreck of the Old 97," and Dottie Reid croons "More Than You Know." The most important ingredient, of course, is the wonderful cornet of Muggsy Spanier, who Lester Young gently christened "Muddy Spaniels." arwulf arwulf
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MUGGSY SPANIER – 1944-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 967 (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless

If you're looking for a straight, unfiltered shot of full-strength Chicago-style traditional jazz, this disc pulls no punches. Three of the four opening tracks are incendiary Commodore blowouts. Bob Haggart whistles during the opening and closing choruses of his own "Whistlin' the Blues," which comes as a bit of a breather after all that stomping. The next six selections were released on the Manhattan record label, available to the public as souvenirs to be purchased at Nick's Tavern, a hot spot for old-fashioned jazz in Greenwich Village. Four of these tracks feature the exciting baritone saxophone of Ernie Caceres, who exchanges a few words with Muggsy Spanier at the beginning of yet another whistling tune, "Feather Brain Blues." As Haggart whistles in the background, Caceres, speaking in a husky theatrical voice similar to that used by Harry "The Hipster" Gibson, exclaims that he hears a mockingbird. Spanier insists that the creature in question is "a feather brain bird," and vows to "blow him right away" with his trusty cornet. This results in a grand, easygoing blues with a big juicy finale, during which whistler and bassist Haggart gets the last word. The V-Disc session is solid and satisfying, right from the first few bars of a smooth walking treatment of the old "Tin Roof Blues." Creamy tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman is the star of this ensemble, as he transforms good music into something truly wonderful. Loudmouth comedian Phil Harris introduces a five-minute jam on "China Boy," counting it off in a tempo that is far slower than the one used by the band. This was a noticeable feature of V-Discs -- the spoken introductions were almost invariably recorded separate from the songs themselves, and usually sounded that way. Identifying his music as "Dixieland," Muggsy speaks at the beginning of "You Took Advantage of Me," a feature for Freeman, who had made a wonderful recording of this Rodgers & Hart dance tune for the Commodore label back in 1938. This 1945 "update" version is guaranteed to please all fans of Bud Freeman. This fine CD closes with six delightful sides originally released on the innocuous Disc record label. On "Pee Wee Squawks," Pee Wee Russell, who is heard on every session except the V-Discs, sings about how he needs a break: "My horn ain't in tune and my chops are hangin' low." The producers of the Classics Chronological Series are to be commended for periodically dredging up recorded examples of Pee Wee Russell singing in his own weirdly stilted, slightly sloshed manner. arwulf arwulf
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ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1127 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD starts out with the last three titles that Shaw cut on May 13, 1940, with a studio orchestra (including "April in Paris") and then moves on to his third big band, a magnificent string orchestra that included trumpeter Billy Butterfield, trombonist Jack Jenney, and pianist Johnny Guarnieri as key soloists. They perform one of the greatest versions ever of "Stardust," along with memorable renditions of "Temptation," Shaw's "Love of My Life," and the two-part "Blues." In addition, Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five (a sextet that included Butterfield with Guarnieri on celeste) is heard on four catchy numbers, highlighted by their hit record of "Summit Ridge Drive." There are many wonderful performances on this disc and Artie Shaw is heard in consistently inspired form. Scott Yanow
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BUD FREEMAN – 1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 975 (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless

How pleasant to know Bud Freeman. His warm tone on the tenor sax (and occasionally the clarinet) could best be described as "friendly." Here are all of the sides he recorded for the Keynote label in 1946, presented chronologically, as if the listener were sitting in the studio watching the sessions unfold. For this material to make it onto compact disc is a cause for celebration. "Town Hall Blues" refers to Eddie Condon's famous Town Hall Jazz Concerts, where all of these musicians appeared in every sort of instrumental combination, as Condon loved to constantly rearrange the lineups of his jam session groups. This served to create and maintain an almost Brecht-like "work in progress" atmosphere. The common root language of those public performances was always a blues played in the style of a traditional jazz ensemble. What's presented here on the first track is standard-issue, collectively improvised blues, exactly the way they did it at Town Hall. All that's missing is Eddie Condon's narration, which sounded a lot like gangster banter from a Jimmy Cagney movie. Peanuts Hucko radiates positive energy during "Honeysuckle Rose." Freeman and Joe Sullivan illuminate "Room with a View" most graciously. "You Took Advantage of Me" gets the hot treatment -- this was one of Freeman's favorite jam tunes. There are a couple of very pleasant love songs, then a fine visit to "The Blue Room" with clarinetist Edmond Hall. Now the mood changes along with the personnel. In addition to Hall, formidable percussionist Davey Tough and a very spunky Charlie Shavers glide easily through the relatively modern chord progressions of "Inside at the Southside." "I've Found a New Baby" leads a charge back into fundamentally traditional modes. "Blues for Peanuts" is almost like something from Lester Young. "Taking a Chance on Love" really bubbles up as Freeman's tenor is snugly backed by Bill Dohler's alto sax. There are very few extant recordings of pianist Tut Soper. Rejoice then in his presence on "The Man I Love." At the bottom of this mixed bag are two rather overbearing vocals by Marilyn Ross, most interesting for Freeman's clarinet accompaniment, and a silly song (urging everyone not to put bananas in the refrigerator) sung by the DeMarco Sisters (very close imitators of the Andrews Sisters). The real jazz on this disc is so excellent that only a spoilsport would object to the inclusion of these odds and ends. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Town Hall Blues    3:12
 Traditional
2    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Tea For Two    2:48
 Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans
3    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Honeysuckle Rose    2:47
 Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
4    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Room With A View    3:14
 Noël Coward
5    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    You Took Advantage Of Me    2:51
 Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
6    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Sentimental Baby    2:53
 Jack Palmer
7    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    You're My Everything    2:54
 Mort Dixon / Harry Warren / Joe Young
8    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Blue Room    2:56
 Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
9    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Inside At The Southside    2:42
 Bud Freeman / Jack Palmer
10    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    I've Found A New Baby    2:53
 Jack Palmer / Bert Williams
11    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Royal Garden Blues    2:42
 Clarence Williams / Spencer Williams
12    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Midnight At Eddie Condon's    2:52
 Bud Freeman
13    Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Time On My Hands    3:07
 Harold Adamson / Mack Gordon / Vincent Youmans
14    Bud Freeman And The Chicagoans–    Blop Boose    2:25
 Bud Freeman
15    Bud Freeman And The Chicagoans–    Blue Lou    2:59
 Irving Mills / Edgar Sampson
16    Paul Jordan Quartet, Bud Freeman–    Goin' Far Away    3:07
Unknown
17    Paul Jordan Quartet, Bud Freeman–    Blues For Peanuts    2:51
Unknown
18    Freeman Five–    Taking A Chance Of Love    2:50
 Vernon Duke / Ted Fetter / John Latouche
19    Freeman Five–    You Took Advantage Of Me    2:30
 Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
20    Freeman Five–    Ribald Rythym    3:02
Unknown
21    Freeman Four–    The Man I Love    3:16
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
22    Freeman Four–    Ontario Barrel House    2:33
Unknown
23    Marilyn Ross–    Hard Hearted Hannah    2:56
 Milton Ager / Charles Bates / Bob Bigelow / Jack Yellen
24    Marilyn Ross–    I'm One Of God's Children    2:48
 Louis Alter / Oscar Hammerstein II / Harry Ruskin
25    Five DeMarco Sisters Acc. By Bud Freeman And His Orchestra–    Chiquita Banana (The Banana Song)    2:44
 Leonard MacKenzie / Gary Montgomery / William Wirges