BENNY CARTER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 552 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The fourth CD in Classics' complete chronological reissue of Benny Carter's early recordings as a leader finds Carter (on alto, trumpet, clarinet, tenor and even one vocal) leading orchestras in London, Laren, the Hague, Paris and (for the final three selections) New York. Highpoints include "Nagasaki," "I'm in the Mood for Swing," "Blues in My Heart," "I'm Coming Virginia" (from a three-song session that also features Django Reinhardt) and "Melancholy Lullaby." In addition, the great tenor Coleman Hawkins plays a prominent role on four of the performances. Carter is in top form throughout these often formerly rare but very vital swing recordings. His fans should quickly acquire all of these invaluable Classics releases. Scott Yanow     Tracklist + Credits :

COLEMAN HAWKINS - 1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 926 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Covering in detail a timeline from January 1944 to October 1945, this chapter in the Classics Coleman Hawkins chronology presents recordings he made for the Asch, Selmer, Capitol, Super Disc and V-Disc labels during what was an exciting and transitional period in the evolution of jazz. During the '40s Hawkins was deliberately aligning himself with young and innovative players; four of the sessions feature trumpeter Howard McGhee and pianist Sir Charles Thompson; bassist Oscar Pettiford was also an integral part of Hawk's mid-'40s West Coast band. Lush ballads and upbeat jam structures make for excellent listening throughout. Hawk is also heard sitting in with drummer Sid Catlett's all-stars, leading a quintet with the great Art Tatum at the piano, and working up his own extended set of "Variations" for solo tenor saxophone. While some commentators have focused unnecessary attention upon all-too-human drawbacks like Howard McGhee's addictions and occasional bouts of quarreling between Pettiford and Sir Charles, the music contained in this compilation stands squarely in its own light, unsullied by gossip or untoward circumstances.  arwulf arwulf     Tracklist + Credits :

BLANCHE CALLOWAY AND HER JOY BOYS – 1925-1935 | The Classics Chronological Series – 783 (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Cab Calloway's big sister was born in Baltimore, Maryland back in 1902. "Little Cabell" was born in 1907. Eventually the family moved west to Illinois. Blanche was the first to pursue a musical career, singing at clubs in both Chicago and New York. Brother and sister appeared together in the Plantation Days show, live on-stage at Chicago's Loop Theater. Theirs must have been a dynamite act. Blanche sounded like Cab only stronger and more visceral, which is to say: female. Blanche's recording career was brief but brilliantly successful. Her earlier recordings with Reuben Reeves and Andy Kirk have been issued under those artists' names on the Classics Chronological series. Blanche's own chronology as presented here begins with two musty old blues records from November of 1925. Accompanied by Louis Armstrong and Richard M. Jones, Blanche sings her heart out, but some listeners will probably find these two sides most interesting on account of the cornet player. A little over five years later, Blanche is belting it out in front of her own 11-piece orchestra. The "Joy Boys" included several young men who were destined to have quite an impact on jazz. Their names were Cozy Cole, Clyde Hart, Vic Dickenson and Ben Webster. "Just a Crazy Song" might be familiar to some jazz collectors as it was issued on one of many topical collections by the Stash label back in the 1970s. Blanche sounds a bit like Lil Hardin Armstrong as she hollers her way through this novelty exercise in scat. Rather than emulating her brother, Blanche seems to be strutting her own stuff, and one cannot help but wonder how much of his famous style was developed in emulation of hers. The exact dynamics of their relationship have not been explained or understood, and probably never will be. What is known is that even though Cab was headed for relative superstardom, Blanche made a lot more money at first than her brother did. She would always sound like a boisterous vaudevillian, with a rambunctious, burlesque quality that is bracing. Audiences loved her but her unconventional vocals might very well have frightened off recording executives, for this was not your typical "girl singer" but a rowdy woman who sang however the hell she felt like singing. The repertoire is excellent. "It's Right Here for You" is magnificent, and "Make Me Know It" compares nicely with Evelyn Preer's lovely 1926 recording, backed by the great Thomas Morris. Blanche's band picks up the tempo and makes it trot like the pop tune "Just Because You're You," as premiered in 1921 by Yerkes S.S. Flotilla Orchestra. Blanche really works each song for everything it's worth. "I've Got What It Takes" is as tough as Bessie Smith and swings really hard. "Growlin' Dan" was Blanche's theme song, more or less. It is obviously patterned after her brother's biggest hit record, and she even mentions "Minnie the Moocher" in passing. Blanche does wonderful things with Fats Waller's forgotten masterpiece, "Concentratin' on You," allowing us to enjoy Andy Razaf's funny lyrics. This is Blanche at her very best, peppered with enthusiastic shouts from her band. Other highlights are the call-and-response stomp "Catch On," a frantic music hall number called "I Need Some Lovin'" and "What's A Poor Girl Gonna Do?." This last tune could pass for Sophie Tucker material. Lonesome, Blanche is confronted with a bloodless mechanical man, one who is "neither Democrat nor Republican." In the midst of this socio-psycho-sexual dilemma, the band sizzles away with the gas turned all the way up arwulf arwulf

GERALD WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945-1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 976 (1997) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

These are the first recordings to appear under the name of Gerald Wilson. Schooled at Cass Technical College in Detroit and seasoned on the road with Jimmie Lunceford, Wilson started leading his own excellent big band in 1944, employing many of the most promising young musicians in the Los Angeles area at that time. Wilson may be heard blowing his trumpet along with Hobart Dotson, Emmett Berry, Fred Trainor, and Snooky Young. During a lovely version of Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday," trombonist Melba Liston takes her very first solo on record. Saxophone soloists include Eddie Davis (not "Lockjaw"), Floyd Turnham, and beefy-toned tenor Vernon Slater. All nine instrumentals are exceptionally fine big-band swing performances. Note that "Puerto Rican Breakdown" is exciting but contains no discernible Caribbean characteristics. As for vocalists, Wilson made some interesting choices. Pat Kay, who sings "Moonrise," sounded substantial, as did Estelle Edson and Betty Roche. Dick Gray was at his best when he wasn't trying to out-vibrate Billy Eckstine. "I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues" contains his strongest moments. The Thrasher Sisters were a better act than a lot of other harmonizing vocal trios on the scene during the 1940s. They were without a doubt considerably hipper -- less corny -- than the Andrews Sisters. Even so, after all of those vocals the last four tracks -- instrumentals -- are especially satisfying. For here listeners get to enjoy the 1946 Gerald Wilson Orchestra at its very finest, swinging hard on themes borrowed from the Basie and Calloway bands, and glowing with the beauty of Melba Liston's original composition "Warm Mood." One cannot help but consider the impact of this band and the L.A. jazz scene of the mid-'40s upon two creative musicians who would so radically alter the course of modern music -- Charles Mingus and Eric Dolphy. 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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RED NORVO AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1944-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1356 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Anyone who listens through the previous six volumes of Red Norvo on Classics will likely experience a visceral sense of excitement from 1943 onward as Norvo switches from xylophone to vibraphone and adopts a noticeably modern attitude toward the music. Norvo underwent a profound artistic transformation in 1944-1945, his many years of experience enabling him to settle into a new role as established recording artist and bandleader with an open-minded respect for young artists bearing new ideas. Norvo's remarkable skills as an improviser coupled with a willingness to participate in what music critics call the bop revolution often placed him squarely within the eye of the rapidly evolving cultural hurricane of modern music. This seventh album in the Norvo chronology delivers an unprecedented dosage of top-notch jazz, documenting the historical swing-to-bop phenomenon in 16 wonderful tracks. With five Keynote sides, two V-Discs, and an epochal meeting with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, topped off by Norvo's Nonet/Quintet set at the fabulous 1945 Town Hall Jazz Concert, this is by far the best volume in the Classics chronology of his recorded works, and might very well be the greatest all-purpose Red Norvo album ever released to the public. arwulf arwulf  
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ERROLL GARNER – 1944-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 873 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The fourth in Classics' reissuance of all of the early recordings by the great pianist Erroll Garner has some unusual performances. The first eight numbers were private recordings cut during a jam session at Timme Rosenkrantz's apartment. Garner (who at that point in time only hinted at his emerging distinctive style and showed the influence of Fats Waller) and trumpeter Charlie Shavers constantly inspire each other and are assisted by trombonist Vic Dickenson, altoist Lem Davis, bassist Slam Stewart (in top form), drummer Cliff Leeman and on one song clarinetist Hank D'Amico. Those selections are quite extended (two songs exceed ten minutes) and sometimes a little loose but filled with excitement; the ad-lib ending of "Red Cross" is pretty humorous. Wrapping up this CD are Garner's first studio recordings: four selections cut with a trio for the Black & White label and four piano solos made for Signature. Although performed only a short time after the earlier jam session, Garner was already starting to play in his own familiar style. Recommended. Scott Yanow
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ERROLL GARNER – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1109 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here's one package that demonstrates the piano artistry of Erroll Garner in several settings -- as a solo act, with trio and quartet, and as an integral part of a jumpin' sextet caught live in concert. The Just Jazz series was producer Gene Norman's answer to Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic. Beginning with a jam on Edgar Sampson's "Blue Lou," the main attraction here is tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray. "One O'Clock Jump" and its three sequels bring on trumpeter Howard McGhee, trombonist Vic Dickenson, and Benny Carter on alto sax. (Neither the bassist nor the excellent guitarist are even mentioned let alone identified in the enclosed discography.) In a tasty example of resourceful editing, tracks three through six have been seamlessly linked into one more or less continuous performance. The same trick was accomplished with both halves of "Lover" (tracks seven and eight), which was performed by the rhythm section only. Garner's next recordings were made almost exactly one year later in front of a live audience with guitarist Ulysses Livingston and bassist John Simmons. Four beautiful, superbly crafted studies for solo piano were recorded for the Vogue label in Paris on May 15, 1948. These tracks, which might be new to some U.S. listeners, are a real treat for the Garner connoisseur. Garner was back in California two months later, punching out a version of "Just You, Just Me" at another Just Jazz concert with guitarist Oscar Moore, bassist Nelson Boyd, and drummer Teddy Stewart. This excellent compilation concludes with seven relaxed ballads and one feisty take of "Stompin' at the Savoy" recorded for the Savoy label in February and March 1949. Alvin Stoller and John Simmons interact marvelously with Garner, who was now developing into a purveyor of what has been accurately described as the "rhapsodic ballad." The wide range of styles and instrumentation on this disc mark it as an excellent choice for those who wish to experience the art of Erroll Garner from a variety of musical perspectives. arwulf arwulf  
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SIDNEY BECHET – 1941-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 860 (1996) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This collection covers Sidney Bechet's recordings during most of the World War II years. Music from his final two Victor dates begins the CD, highlighted by memorable versions of "The Mooche" and "What Is This Thing Called Love?" Three extended V-Disc performances (all between four and five minutes long) match Bechet's soprano with trombonist Vic Dickenson in exciting fashion. Also included is a Blue Note date that has the classic "Blue Horizon" and four numbers on which Bechet is a sideman with pianist Cliff Jackson's Village Cats. While Bechet is the main star, there are also hot solos from Dickenson, trumpeters Charlie Shavers and Sidney DeParis, and pianists Willie "The Lion" Smith and Cliff Jackson. Sidney Bechet always sounds enthusiastic, and listeners not already owning a complete collection of his Victor dates will find this collection quite enjoyable. Scott Yanow
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EDMOND HALL – 1937-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 830 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Those who missed out on Mosaic's limited-edition reissue of Edmond Hall's superb Blue Note recordings may want to pounce on this segment of the clarinetist's chronology. Everything there is to love about small-group swing is present at full potency in these remarkably solid performances. For the session of February 5, 1941 Meade "Lux" Lewis put all of his best blues and boogie energies into a celeste, that tinkling little keyboard instrument that sounds like a glockenspiel. The combination of a celestial Lewis and the soulful Hall with guitarist Charlie Christian and bassist Israel Crosby resulted in music unlike anything heard before or since. On November 29, 1943 the Edmond Hall Blue Note Jazzmen had Vic Dickenson and a very inspired Sidney DeParis on the front line. The humbly majestic James P. Johnson makes the music feel like ritual. Three hot numbers are fountains of joy, but the real magic develops during two collectively improvised blues taken at relaxed tempos. Nothing could be finer or more pleasing than this confluence of master improvisers, drawing upon the highly evolved traditions of New York and New Orleans as they listened ever so carefully to each other while inventing their own grammar of straightforward blues, swing and boogie-woogie. The Edmond Hall Sextet recorded four sides for Commodore on December 18, 1943. Guitarist Al Casey sat in on this occasion, only three days after the passing of his mentor, Fats Waller. Eddie Heywood was a great pianist, much less humble than James P. Johnson but formidable enough to rock the hell out of the "Downtown Café Boogie." The piano introduction to a very relaxed "Uptown Café Blues" sounds similar to the beginning of Heywood's blues collaborations with Billie Holiday. Edmond Hall's way of handling the blues is unforgettably immediate and sincere. Both of the 1943 dates are towed into port by the exceptionally fine drumming of Big Sid Catlett. Back with Blue Note on January 25, Edmond Hall leads his All Star Quintet in developing four of his own original compositions. While "Rompin' in '44," the band moves with gently pronounced modernity, rooted in tradition but responding to new ideas and updated styles. Red Norvo, always aware of fresh influences, had something to do with this development. "Blue Interval" is something like a course in organic gardening; "Smooth Sailin'" is a solid upbeat piece of blues, as is the rocking restless jam called "Seein' Red." As a gesture of chronological completeness, Classics tacked on a pair of sides from 1937 with vocals by Henry Nemo. These would be more enjoyable if he didn't closely imitate Fats Waller's singing style, right down to the expostulations and tag lines. Considering the wealth of outstanding jazz on this one CD, these two oddities are a neat bonus. They do not detract in any way from the masterpieces gathered together in memory of the great Edmond Hall. arwulf arwulf  

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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1943-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 824 (1995) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Rich and rewarding, this collection contains one powerful Blue Note blowing session and 16 beautiful solos recorded for four different labels. Two sides waxed for Moses Asch during the summer of 1943 were unavailable for many years. This interpretation of "Snowy Morning Blues" is more relaxed and inventive than the familiar Decca version. "J.P. Boogie" takes the barrelhouse tradition by the tail, redefining an entire idiom. Moving into November, "Backwater Blues" revisits a duet that Johnson recorded with Bessie Smith back in 1927. Running at an accelerated tempo, "Carolina Balmoral" is the essence of what critics came to call stride piano. "Gut Stomp" is less frantic but just as tight. Johnson appears to have been deliberately engaged in setting down a compendium of fundamental jazz piano works for Blue Note. The session of December 15th is a perfect match for the preceding installments. "Mule Walk Stomp" is particularly joyous and the haltingly slow "Arkansas Blues" dates back to piano-roll days. "Caprice Rag," played at an insanely accelerated tempo, was published back in 1914. "Improvisations on Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" is Johnson's creative response to a popular trend. By coincidence, these four sides were recorded on the very day that Fats Waller passed away at the age of 39. Two solos recorded three days later convey Johnson's emotional state as he grieved over the loss of his good friend. "Blueberry Rhyme" is an unparalleled masterpiece of private reverie. First recorded in 1939, its reappearance on this occasion seems to indicate the intense personal nature of this delicate opus. "Blues for Fats" is like a prayer uttered in a state of numbness. James was still in shock. Beginning in April of the following year, he set out to record an extended series of piano tributes in the form of songs composed or made popular by Fats Waller. Another very constructive way to cope with such a crushing personal loss was to get busy and lead a few ensembles. The Blue Note session of March 4, 1944, resulted in four of the very best group recordings ever made by this pianist. There's no topping the front line of Ben Webster, Vic Dickenson, and Sidney DeParis, and Big Sid Catlett was exceptionally solid on that day. The slow drag "Blue Mizz" is followed by a shower of adrenaline called "Victory Stride." "Joy Mentin'" is a relaxed stroll through the blues and "After You've Gone" cooks at a rolling boil. arwulf arwulf
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 835 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

What must it have been like for James P. Johnson to have taken young Thomas Waller under his wing, teaching him everything he knew about piano, watching him evolve into a brilliant composer and internationally famous performer, then to have him pass away suddenly at the age of 39? The best answer to this question lies within a series of Waller tribute recordings made by Johnson in late 1943 and early 1944. They are a striking example of grief and shock transformed into relaxed, enjoyable music. The duets with drummer Eddie Dougherty, recorded on June 8, 1944, are particularly satisfying, especially "My Fate Is in Your Hands." What's the best James P. Johnson session of all? Poetically, musically, emotionally, and fundamentally, the "New York Orchestra" session of June 12, 1944, is in fact unparalleled. Frankie Newton never sounded more elegant and sincere than he does during these beautiful sound etchings. Albert Casey, Pops Foster, and once again Eddie Dougherty participate in perfectly balanced communion with the other two men. A precious honesty materializes as Johnson sings the words to W.C. Handy's "Hesitation Blues" in a warm, hoarse voice. For dessert, Johnson ended the session with a marvelous reading of Scott Joplin's masterpiece of 1909, "Euphonic Sounds." All six sides were issued on 12" 78-rpm records in an album bearing the title New York Jazz. They reappeared years later on a cherry-red vinyl LP Stinson reissue, and some of the tracks show up on various compilations. Classics 835 is a gold mine containing the very heart of James P. Johnson's artistry. Note that certain other reissues of this material -- "Euphonic Sounds" in particular -- have suffered from hideous sound quality, even on CD. Here at last Johnson's best material can be properly heard. The Sidney DeParis Blue Note Jazzmen session of June 21, 1944, just happens to be the next leg of Johnson's chronology. After three hot stomps including nearly five minutes of "Ballin' the Jack," the listener is able to reflect upon "The Call of the Blues," possibly the strongest playing that this trumpeter ever blew onto a record. It is a fine finish for one of the best traditional Harlem jazz compilations ever assembled by anyone. arwulf arwulf
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JAMES P. JOHNSON – 1944-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1027 (1998) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This beautifully proportioned sampling of Johnson's late recordings is instrumentally varied and covers a wide range of moods. Four jam tunes from the Blue Note catalog each exceed four minutes in duration, which was a big deal in 1944. There was no stopping a front line composed of Sidney DeParis, Vic Dickenson, and Edmond Hall. Much of the remaining material on this album was recorded by Moses Asch, and issued on LP many years later. Six songs composed by W.C. Handy are sung by his daughter, Katherine Handy, who sounds a bit like Mildred Bailey. Johnson the soloist creates what might be his most intensive improvisations on record: "Blue Moods 1," "Blue Moods 2," and "Blue Moods, Sex," amounting to just a little under 13 minutes of freely inventive piano reflections. A further 12 minutes of solo piano ensues, this time much more programmatically conceived. "Yamekraw," originally put together in 1927, was presented as "A Negro Rhapsody." "Yamecraw," to use the geographically authentic spelling, was the name of the rough-and-tumble waterfront district in Savannah, GA. Here Johnson has carefully painted an entire landscape in sound for posterity. The W.C. Handy songs, together with these nearly 26 minutes of solo piano, existed in a state of phonographic limbo for many years. The people behind the Classics reissue series are to be commended for having restored and presented these rare recordings for public perusal. Now for some finishing touches. Whether you identify them as "the Omer Simeon Trio with James P. Johnson" or as "the Carnival Three," it is entirely possible that Simeon and Johnson, in teaming up with bassist Pops Foster, made four little recordings that might be considered perfect. Perfect? What's perfect? Well, there's perfect symmetry. Simeon wrote an attractive piece of blues with Foster, and another even more haunting blues with Johnson. That makes two immaculate collaborative blues, rendered with collaborative immaculate ease. Balance them out with two lively jams -- piano, bass, and clarinet -- no drums required, no brass need apply. These were three of the greatest jazz musicians who ever lived, and on 1944-1945 they are heard expressing ideas and emotions as a unit comprised of individuals. Yet there must be an imperfection somewhere. Look carefully: "Harlem Hotcha" was composed by Johnson, to whom the discography incorrectly attributes "Bandana Days," which of course was a major hit for Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake. So the discography contains one minor error (very unusual for this label) but the music, like most of James P. Johnson's work, comes very close to perfection. arwulf arwulf  
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EDDIE HEYWOOD – 1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 947 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Tracklist :

EDDIE HEYWOOD – 1944-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1038 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second installment in the Classics Eddie Heywood chronology traces the pianist's progression from a successful Commodore leader and accompanist (see the first installment as well as Billie Holiday's later Commodore material) into a Decca recording artist via a pair of V-Disc performances cut on November 13, 1944. This compendium of amiable, sophisticated, and mature swing music features alto saxophonists Lem Davis and Marshall Royal as well as trombonists Vic Dickenson, Henry Coker, and Young Lion Britt Woodman, who is heavily featured on "Pom Pom." If the artistic high point of the entire album is Heywood's interpretation of Duke Ellington's gorgeous melody "I Didn't Know About You" (a prelude to later renditions by Johnny Hodges, Lee Konitz, Thelonious Monk, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk), the toy surprise in this package is a very hip-sounding Bing Crosby, featured on five tracks recorded in Los Angeles near the end of the summer of 1945. Bing seems unusually comfortable in this company, and for this reason these tracks should be counted among the best jazz recordings he ever participated in. arwulf arwulf
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EDDIE HEYWOOD – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1219 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Eddie Heywood sextet had largely run their course by mid-1946. In fact, his group had expanded to a septet (with two trombones) when the first of the recordings on this CD were made. Six selections feature that melodic group (the best is "Temptation") and they back the Andrews Sisters on three other songs. The remainder of this CD is from 1947, with Heywood mostly being featured in a trio (with Peggy Mann taking vocals on three songs). He is also featured backing organist Roy Ross on "Jitterbug Waltz," leading a sextet on two songs, and accompanying singer Bob Eberly (formerly with Jimmy Dorsey) on two ballads. Overall this is an interesting variety of formerly rare performances by Eddie Heywood, closing in December 1947, right before an ailment knocked him out of action for a couple years. Scott Yanow
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BARNEY BIGARD – 1944-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 930 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

1944-1945 collects Bigard's output after the clarinetist left the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Although his brief time with a band fronted by Joe Thomas is not as consistently rewarding as his stint with Ellington (what could be?), it's still historically valuable and enjoyable for fans of the clarinetist. Bigard had certainly lost none of the virtuosity of his earlier years, but the material is patchier. Nevertheless, this release will be appealing to Bigard's fans, and the Classics label has done an admirable job with the remastering and liner notes. Thomas Ward
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CLAUDE HOPKINS AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 733 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third and final Claude Hopkins Classics CD has some really obscure and diverse music. The 1937 Hopkins big band included trumpeter Jabbo Smith and trombonist Vic Dickenson in its lineup, but of the six titles it cut, five are showcases for singer Beverly White; in all, the legendary Smith gets a single chorus. Better are eight titles by trumpeter Ovie Alston's orchestra, which includes Hopkins on piano in 1938 along with some of his sidemen. This CD concludes with six numbers by the pianist's struggling 1940 big band, decent swing performances that preceded the orchestra's complete breakup. A bit of a collector's item. Scott Yanow  

SLIM GAILLARD – 1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 864 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

These 23 different selections recorded in Los Angeles for the Queen, 20th Century, Bee Bee, and Four Star labels feature Gaillard with partner/bassist/vocalist Bam Brown and a variety of different bands, from the Boogiereeners with Fletcher Smith or a quartet with Dodo Marmarosa on piano. A horn section with saxophonists Teddy Edwards, Wild Bill Moore, and Lucky Thompson and trumpeters Howard McGhee and Karl George back the band on four cuts. Gaillard is heard to good effect whether goofing off, playing boogie harpsichord, singing standards, or jamming hard and swinging steadily. The Smith-Gaillard (on harpsichord) combine gets eight shots. There's the wistful scat of the midtempo "Sighing Blues"; the upbeat, Smith-led "Queen's Boogie" and "Nightmare Boogie"; or the slower, occasionally shouted "Voot Boogie. "Sightseeing Boogie," a mellow song with a spoken-word reference to "Gates" aka Lionel Hampton; a straight instrumental, "Central Avenue Boogie"; a more interactive, Queen-rejected "Boogie"; and a more patient instrumental, "Slim's Cement Boogie," all speak to the center of Gaillard's unique approach. With the horns loading up on background charts and solos, Thompson cuts loose on both "Slim Gaillard's Boogie" and "Harlem Hunch," and Edwards gets the spotlight on the rootsy "Tutti Frutti." "Travelin' Blues" is the undisputed highlight, as Gaillard, in a hilarious, narcoleptic stupor, tries to decide at which "mellow" train stop to land: his ex-Detroit home, Cleveland, or Toledo, influenced by Moore and Thompson's solos. Two other cuts with trombonist Vic Dickenson and two unidentified horns are a slowed "Voot Orenee" and the standard postwar ballad "Please Wait for Me." Nine selections with the Marmarosa-Gaillard-Brown-Zutty Singleton (drums) tandem has the leader on guitar, vibes (for the hot yet soft instrumental "Ding Dong Orenee"), and piano. Well-known hits are here, such as "Laguna" ("lyin' in the sun and havin' fun"); "Laguna Orenee" (different key, rejected by Bee Bee); the static, food-referenced swinger "Dunkin' Bagel"; and dueling vocals and some crooning from Gaillard on the easy swinger "Buck Dance Rhythm." Dual pianos crop up on the instrumental "Boogin' at Berg's"; Gaillard sings the standard torch song "Don't Blame Me"; "Carne" is done in Gaillard's "Spanglish" dialect; and "Ya Ha Ha" is the ultimate fun tune. This CD is a companion to Classics label issues 1937-1938, 1939-1940, and 1940-1942. Because this is the latter period's music and is better recorded, it's perhaps Gaillard at his zenith and shows his most developed musical powers. Highly recommended. Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Voot Orenee    3:01
2    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Please Wait For Me    2:30
3    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Sighing Boogie    2:52
4    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Queen's Boogie    2:51
5    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Voot Boogie    2:52
6    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Nightmare Boogie    2:47
7    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Slim Gaillard's Boogie    2:43
8    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Harlem Hunch    2:40
9    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Tutti Frutti    2:44
10    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Travelin' Blues    3:03
11    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Sightseeing Boogie    2:44
12    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Central Avenue Boogie    2:40
13    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Boogie    2:52
14    Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeners–    Slim's Cement Boogie    2:40
15    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Laguna    2:42
16    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Dunkin' Bagel    2:47
17    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Boogin' At Berg's    2:49
18    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Don't Blame Me    3:05
19    Slim Gaillard Quartet–    Laguna Oroonee    2:35
20    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Ya Ha Ha    3:11
21    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Carne    2:49
22    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Ding Dong Oreeney    2:51
23    Slim Gaillard Trio–    Buck Dance Rhythm    3:10
Credits :    
Bass – Thomas "Bam" Brown (tracks: 1 to 23)
Drums – Leo Watson (tracks: 1, 2, 7 to 14), Zutty Singleton (tracks: 15 to 23)
Guitar – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 1, 2, 7 to 23)
Harpsichord – Slim Gaillard (tracks: 3)
Piano – Dodo Marmarosa (tracks: 15, 17 to 23), Fletcher Smith (tracks: 1 to 14), Slim Gaillard (tracks: 16)
Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson (tracks: 7, 8, 10 to 14), Teddy Edwards (tracks: 9, 11 to 14), Wild Bill Moore (tracks: 10 to 14)
Trombone, Alto Saxophone – Vic Dickenson (tracks: 1, 2)
Trumpet – Howard McGhee (tracks: 7 to 14), Karl George (tracks: 7 to 14), Unknown Artist (tracks: 1, 2)
Vocals – Slim Gaillard, Thomas "Bam" Brown (tracks: 15 to 23

MARY LOU WILLIAMS – 1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 814 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded at a time when Mary Lou Williams was performing regularly at Café Society downtown and sitting in at Minton's uptown, these two dozen tracks represent the heart of her 1944 artistic output as documented by Moses Asch on the record label bearing his own name. The opening piano solos are exceptionally fine and the Chosen Five sides are exquisitely rendered using a front line of trumpeter Frankie Newton, trombonist Vic Dickenson, and clarinetist Edmond Hall. With Al Lucas and Jack Parker working alongside her, Mary Lou Williams presided over this little band in the creation of a beautiful ballad, two boogies, and "Satchel Mouth Baby," a novelty bounce with group vocal. One additional track from this session, involving only the rhythm section, was issued under the same heading as the Chosen Five. Three more piano solos -- a boogie, a slow drag, and a delicious treatment of "St. Louis Blues" -- were recorded in April of this fruitful year. A few weeks later, Williams accompanied vocalist Nora Lee King as she sang a domestic blues embellished with scat syllables. Four tracks recorded on June 5, 1944, were released by Mary Lou Williams & Her Orchestra. This was a slightly expanded, reconstituted septet now featuring tenor saxophonist Don Byas and trumpeter Dick Vance. The mood established by the Williams/Byas composition "Man o' Mine" exquisitely conveys the sense of a wartime society in transition so peculiar to the mid-'40s. This ethereal tide also flows into an oddly bifurcated version of "Stardust," its halves weirdly separated here by an upbeat swing stomp called "Gjon Mili Jam Session." The only rationale for reissuing the tracks in this order -- with "Pt. 2" placed first and "Gjon Mili" interrupting the mood before "Pt. 1" -- is that the effect is something like a film soundtrack laid over contrasting scenes, with maybe a reprise of the earlier theme bringing the "plot" full circle. In any case, the music is excellent. Williams waxed six sides with bassist Al Hall and trumpeter Bill Coleman in August of 1944, beginning with solid renditions of two of Irving Berlin's most enduring melodies, "Russian Lullaby" and "Blue Skies." Both "Persian Rug" and "Night and Day" are delightful and Coleman sings "You Know Baby," a plea in a minor key for "a kiss and a hug." This wonderful trio session wraps up most inventively with an experimental version of "I Found a New Baby." And the disc itself closes with two comparatively brassy V-Discs (with a much different sound quality than those rusty old Asch sides!) featuring trumpeter Charlie Shavers, trombonist Trummy Young, guitarist Remo Palmieri, bassist Hall, and shuffle/bop drummer Gordon "Specs" Powell. It is an exhilarating finish for this outstanding album of vintage jazz recordings by our lady of the fine piano and solid arrangements, Mary Lou Williams. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Mary Lou Williams–    Blue Skies 2:20
Written-By – Berlin
2    Mary Lou Williams–    Caravan 2:30
Written-By – Tizol
3    Mary Lou Williams–    Yesterdays 2:14
Written-By – Kern, Harbach
4    Mary Lou And Her Chosen Five–    Lullaby Of The Leaves 3:42
Written-By – Petkere
5    Mary Lou And Her Chosen Five–    Little Joe From Chicago 2:51
Written-By – Wells, Williams
6    Mary Lou And Her Chosen Five–    Roll 'Em 2:47
Written-By – Williams
7    Mary Lou And Her Chosen Five–    Satchel Mouth Baby 2:51
Written-By – Williams
8    Mary Lou Williams' Chosen Five–    Yesterday's Kisses 2:43
Written-By – Williams
9    Mary Lou Williams–    Mary's Boogie 2:33
Written-By – Williams
10    Mary Lou Williams–    Drag 'Em 3:45
Written-By – Williams
11    Mary Lou Williams–    St. Louis Blues 3:11
Written-By – Hnady
12    Nora Lee King–    Until My Baby Comes Back Home 2:49
Vocals – Nora Lee King
Written-By – Unknown Artist
13    Mary Lou Williams And Her Orchestra–    Man O' Mine 4:07
Written-By – Byas, Williams
14    Mary Lou Williams And Her Orchestra–    Stardust - Part 2 3:49
Written-By – Carmichael
15    Mary Lou Williams And Her Orchestra–    Gjon Mili Jam Session 3:13
Written-By – Williams
16    Mary Lou Williams And Her Orchestra–    Stardust - Part 1 3:23
Written-By – Carmichael
17    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Russian Lullaby 2:49
Written-By – Berlin
18    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Blue Skies 2:39
Written-By – Berlin
19    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Persian Rug 2:37
Written-By – Moret
20    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    Night And Day 2:44
Written-By – Porter
21    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    You Know Baby 2:38
Written-By – Lewis, Williams
22    Mary Lou Williams Trio–    I Found A New Baby 2:56
Written-By – Palmer, Williams
23    Mary Lou Williams–    Roll 'Em 2:40
Written-By – Williams
24    Mary Lou Williams–    Gjon Mili Jam Session 2:53
Written-By – Williams
Credits :    
Bass – Al Hall (tracks: 17 to 24), Al Lucas (tracks: 4 to 8, 13 to 16)
Clarinet – Claude Greene (tracks: 13 to 16), Edmond Hall (tracks: 4 to 8)
Drums – Jack Parker (tracks: 4 to 7, 13 to 16), Gordon "Specs" Powell (tracks: 23, 24)
Guitar – Remo Palmieri (tracks: 23, 24)
Piano – Mary Lou Williams
Tenor Saxophone – Don Byas (tracks: 13 to 16)
Trombone – Trummy Young (tracks: 23 to 24), Vic Dickenson (tracks: 4 to 7, 13 to 16)
Trumpet – Charlie Shavers (tracks: 23, 24), Dick Vance (tracks: 13 to 16), Frankie Newton (tracks: 4 to 7)
Trumpet, Vocals – Bill Coleman (tracks: 17 to 22)