Eight of the selections on this interesting CD feature Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on pianos, with backup work by either Wendell Marshall or Joe Shulman on bass plus an unidentified drummer on a few numbers. Among the more notable selections are "Cotton Tail," "C Jam Blues," "Johnny Come Lately," and particularly a wild version of "Tonk." These performances are easily available on Prestige, while the other numbers have mostly been put out by Columbia. The latter's big-band selections include the initial studio recording of "The Tattooed Bride" and a lengthy exploration (utilizing Yvonne Lanauze's wordless vocals) of "Mood Indigo." This is rewarding music, but one might want to acquire these numbers through Prestige and Sony/Columbia instead, where they fit more into specific concepts. Scott Yanow Tracklist + Credits :
Although Louis Jordan's greatest hits are continually reissued, this Classics CD (the fourth in the series) gives listeners an opportunity to hear many of his lesser-known recordings, quite a few of which sound as if they could have been hits too. Jordan, a fine R&Bish altoist who was an underrated singer and a brilliant comedic talent who knew a good line when he heard one (there are many memorable ones throughout this program), is heard in peak form. The 23 performances are Decca sides (including five not originally released), some V-Discs and the privately recorded "Louis' Oldsmbile Song." Bing Crosby sings duets with Jordan on "My Baby Said Yes" and "Your Socks Don't Match," there are two major hits ("G.I. Jive" and "Caldonia") and among the sidemen are the fine trumpeter Eddie Roane, the forgotten but talented pianist Tommy Thomas, trumpeter Idrees Sulieman (on the January 19, 1945 session) and (for the final two songs) pianist Wild Bill Davis. Other highlights include "You Can't Get That No More," "I Like 'Em Fat like That," "Deacon Jones" and "They Raided the House." Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :
Louis Jordan was at the top of his fame when the 23 recordings reissued on this Classics CD were cut. The influential altoist/singer/entertainer during this era led a version of his Tympany Five that also featured trumpeter Aaron Izenhall, Josh Jackson on tenor and pianist Wild Bill Davis (years before he switched to organ). Among the hits included on the set are "Beware," "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'," "Choo-Choo Ch'Boogie," "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens," "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Jack You're Dead," but even the lesser-known tracks are entertaining. In addition, a couple of unlikely duets with Ella Fitzgerald ("Stone Cold Dead In the Market" and "Petootie Pie") are quite fun. Recommended to listeners not satisfied with owning only Louis Jordan's hits. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :
This guy had a smooth voice, played stunning alto sax, and was very, very funny without ever seriously compromising his dignity. Popular for years among Afro-American audiences, Louis Jordan also appealed to a hip substratum of the white record-buying public. Jordan inadvertently provided white pop musicians with interesting material that often showed up in emulsified Wonder Bread renditions, "safe" for consumption by wholesome young Caucasians. This process was essential if cultural segregation were to continue in North America during the late '40s and throughout the '50s. "Open the Door, Richard," based on an old vaudeville routine by Dusty Fletcher, is a case in point. Dizzy Gillespie, familiar with Fletcher's shtick, uttered the phrase during "Slim's Jam," an extra-cool all-star get-together narrated by Slim Gaillard, in 1945 (see Classics 888). Jack McVea, who sat in with Bird and Diz on that same session, soon recorded his own adaptation of "Open the Door, Richard." This seems to have initiated a trend. In 1947 "Open the Door, Richard" exploded into mass popularity, eventually finding its way into one of Jimmy Durante's radio scripts. Probably the best version was recorded on January 3, 1947, by Victor recording artists Count Basie & His Orchestra with Harry "Sweets" Edison cast in the role of the locked-out juicehead. Apparently anticipating his song's popularity, Dusty Fletcher recorded his own version -- the very next day -- for Savoy. Louis Jordan, who worked for Decca, couldn't resist a song with such strong theatrical possibilities. On January 11, one week after the Basie version was committed to wax, Jordan experimented with the routine, speaking roughly and crying out the famous words in a high-pitched voice. Decca did not issue this recording. The master take was finalized on January the 23rd, and would make it to number six on the Top Ten. Basie's version was deservedly rated number one, and a shrieky take by the Three Flames also landed in first place for a little while. Others who horned in on the song's popularity included the less hip Charioteers and, squarest of all, the Pied Pipers. Jordan, meanwhile, continued hatching swingy jazz and R&B numbers goosed up with attractive instrumentation, danceable rhythms, and funny lyrics. As rowdy as "Barnyard Boogie" gets, there was another, gutsier level of excitement, bursting with honest Afro-American vernacular, that Jordan kept returning to. During both "Friendship" and "Look Out" -- a sequel to the outrageously funny "Beware, Brother Beware" -- Jordan talks fast over a constant stream of interjections and exclamations from the band. These performances, electrified with Jordan's rapid-fire spoken rhymes, should be seen as authentic precedents for the postmodern phenomenon of rap. One senses that, like black music in general and rap in particular, at first this stuff was not necessarily intended for white audiences, who were nevertheless welcome to listen in, and of course to invest their money in the recordings. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :
The eighth in Classics' chronological study of the recordings of Louis Jordan covers the last period in which he had hits. Best known among the 21 recordings on this set are the two-part "Blue Light Boogie" and the catchy "Chartreuse." Ella Fitzgerald duets with Jordan on "'Ain't Nobody's Business My Own" and "I'll Never Be Free" while Louis Armstrong drops by for memorable versions of "Life Is So Peculiar" and "You Rascal You." Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five during this period had either pianist Bill Doggett or Wild Bill Davison on organ or piano, plus the underrated trumpeter Aaron Izenhall and tenor-saxophonist Josh Jackson. Even the lesser-known selections all have their moments of joy. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :
When the Lone Hill Jazz reissue label took on most of the many collaborative albums by alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis, the project extended over several volumes, including Mess of Blues, Blue Hodge, and Joe's Blues. Released in 2007, Con-Soul & Jazz/Wild Bill Is the Boss! is the only double-disc set in the series. This hefty helping of groove-oriented mainstream organ combo jazz combines the albums Con-Soul & Jazz, In Atlantic City, and Blue Pyramid, which date from the years 1965 and 1966. The compilation is rounded off with selections from the albums Blue Notes and Sandy's Gone, bringing the scope of the time line back to 1963. The Atlantic City recordings were made at a club called Grace's Little Belmont, and the Blue Notes album was taped about a week later in mid-August 1966. These would be the last of the Davis/Hodges collaborations, a fortuitous meeting of minds which began in August 1961 with the album Blue Hodge and ended almost exactly five years later. arwulf arwulf
Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges
"Con-Soul And Sax"
1.1 On the Sunny Side of the Street 3'51
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
1.2 On Green Dolphin Street 3'17
Washington / Kaper
1.3 Lil' Darlin' 4'13
Neal Hefti
1.4 Con Soul and Sax 4'56
Wild Bill Davis
1.5 The Jeep Is Jumpin' 2'29
Duke Ellington
1.6 I'm Beginning to See the Light 3'29
D. Ellington / Hodges / George
1.7 Sophisticated Lady 4'05
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
1.8 Drop Me off in Harlem 4'25
Duke Ellington
1.9 No One 3'24
Mercer Ellington / Johnny Hodges
1.10 Johnny Come Lately 3'07
Billy Strayhorn
Wild Bill Davis And Johnny Hodges - In Atlantic City
1.11 Just Squeeze Me 4'46
Duke Ellington / Lee Gaines
1.12 It's Only a Paper Moon 2'59
Arlen / Harburg / Rose
1.13 Taffy 5'43
Wild Bill Davis / Johnny Hodges
1.14 Good Queen Bess 3'22
Johnny Hodges
1.15 L.B. Blues 5'40
Johnny Hodges
1.16 In a Mellow Tone 3'52
Duke Ellington
1.17 Rockville 6'36
Johnny Hodges
2.1 I'll Always Love You 3'51
Wild Bill Davis
2.2 It Don't Mean a Thing 5'43
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
2.3 Belle of the Belmont 4'56
Mercer Ellington / Johnny Hodges
Johnny Hodges & Wild Bill Davis - Blue Pyramid
2.4 Blues for Madeleine 4'53
Johnny Hodges
2.5 When I'm Feeling Kinda Blue 2'30
Duke Ellington
2.6 Pyramid 2'21
Duke Ellington / Juan Tizol
2.7 Nonchalance 4'46
Johnny Hodges
2.8 At Dawn 3'11
Johnny Hodges / Tom Whaley
2.9 The Brown-Skin Gal in the Calico Gown 2'43
Duke Ellington / Paul Francis Webster
2.10 Stormy Weather 3'59
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
2.11 Rabbit out of the Hat 5'15
Mercer Ellington / Johnny Hodges
2.12 Hash Brown 4'00
Johnny Hodges
Johnny Hodges – Blue Notes
2.13 Blue Notes 2'52
Johnny Hodges
2.14 Say It Again 3'29
Johnny Hodges
2.15 I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me 3'23
Clarence Gaskill / Jimmy McHugh
2.16 Broad Walk 3'38
Johnny Hodges
2.17 L.B. Blues 4'01
Johnny Hodges
Johnny Hodges - Sandy's Gone
2.18 Sandy's Gone 2'11
Claus Ogerman
2.19 Candy's Theme 2'10
Nelson
2.20 The Caretakers Theme 2'03
Elmer Bernstein
2.21 Again 1'52
Dorcas Cochran / Lionel Newman
All Credits :
Notas.
Tracks 1-1 to 1-10 recorded in New York on January 7, 1965, and issued as Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges - Con-Soul And Sax.
Tracks 1-11 to 2-3 recorded in Atlantic City on August 10 and 11, 1966, and issued as Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges - In Atlantic City.
Track 2-12 recorded on November 19, 1965, tracks 2-5, 2-6, 2-8 and 2-9 recorded on December 27, 1965, and tracks 2-4, 2-7, 2-10 and 2-11 recorded on January 17, 1966, and issued as Johnny Hodges, Wild Bill Davis - Blue Pyramid.
Tracks 2-13 and 2-14 recorded on August 15, 1966, and tracks 2-15 to 2-17 recorded on August 19, 1966, and issued as part of Johnny Hodges - Blue Notes.
Tracks 2-18 to 2-21 recorded on September 3, 1963, and issued as part of Johnny Hodges - Sandy's Gone.
In the 1960s altoist Johnny Hodges took a brief time off from Duke Ellington's orchestra to record eight albums with organist Wild Bill Davis. For this, their third collaboration, the duo welcome guitarist Kenny Burrell, trumpeter Joe Wilder and either Osie Johnson or Ed Shaughnessy on drums. Hodges plays typically beautifully on such numbers as "I Cried for You," "Lost in Meditation" and "Stolen Sweets" and, although no real surprises occur (and the playing time at around a half-hour is quite brief), the performances are up to par. However, the music on this long out-of-print LP has yet to appear on CD. Scott Yanow
"Mess Of Blues"
1 Jones 4:43
Johnny Hodges
2 I Cried for You 3:02
Gus Arnheim
3 Love You Madly 3:51
Duke Ellington
4 Little John, Little John 4:03
Wild Bill Davis / Johnny Hodges
5 Stolen Sweets 3:14
Wild Bill Davis
6 A& R Blues 6:07
Wild Bill Davis / Johnny Hodges
7 Lost in Meditation 3:17
Duke Ellington
Credits
Johnny Hodges - Alto Sax
Wild Bill Davis - Organ
Kenny Burrell - Guitar
On all tracks except where otherwise indicated, with :
Credits 1-7
Drums – Ed Shaughnessy, Osie Johnson
Trumpet – Joe Wilder
New York, September 3 & 4, 1963.
From "Blue Rabbit"
8 I Let a Song Go out of My Heart 2:40
Duke Ellington / Redmond
9 Tangerine 3:20
Victor Schertzinger
10 Creole Love Call 5:34
Duke Ellington
Credits 8-10
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Organ – Ray Jackson (replaces Wild Bill Davis)
Bass - Jack Lesberg (#8-9), Wendell Marshall (#10)
New York, May 15 (8-9) & May 17 (10), 1963.
"Stride Right"
11 Caution Blues (Blues in Thirds) 3:58
Earl Hines
12 Stride Right 2:54
Earl Hines
13 Rosetta 3:37
Earl Hines, Henri Woode
14 Perdido 5:09
Hans Lengsfelder
15 Fantastic, That's You 3:04
George Cates / George Douglas
16 Tale of the Fox 4:30
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges
17 I'm Beginning to See the Light 3:01
Duke Ellington
18 C Jam Blues 5:08
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington
19 Tippin' In 3:10
Marty Symes
Credits 11-19 :
Piano, Organ – Wild Bill Davis out. Earl Hines
Bass – Richard Davis
Drums – Joe Marshall
New Jersey, January 14, 1966 
Harlem 3'21
"Blue Hodge"
1 And Then Some 4:06
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
2 I Wonder Why 4:30
Written-By – Mercer Ellington
3 Azure Te 2:57
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
4 Blue Hodge 6:19
Written-By – Gary McFarland
5 Hodge Podge 4:04
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges
6 It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream 3:10
Written-By – Don George, Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges
7 Why Are You Blue? 3:25
Written-By – Gary McFarland
8 Knuckles 5:11
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
9 Stand By Blues 4:30
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
10 There Is No Greater Love 3:27
Written-By – Isham Jones, Marty Symes
Personnel 1-10 :
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Organ – Wild Bill Davis
Bass – Sam Jones
Drums – Louis Hayes
Guitar, Flute – Les Spann
From "Blue Rabbit"
11 Blues O'Mighty 4:57
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
12 Fiddler's Fancy 2:52
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
13 Things Ain't What They Used To Be 4:18
Written-By – Mercer Ellington, Ted Persons
14 Wisteria 3:14
Written-By – Jimmy Jones, Mercer Ellington
15 Satin Doll 2:32
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer
16 Mud Pie 4:10
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
Personnel 11-16 :
Organ – Wild Bill Davis
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Richard Davis
Guitar – Mundell Lowe
Drums – Osie Johnson
From "Blue Notes"
17 Rent City 3:52
Written-By – Johnny Hodges
18 Sometimes I'm Happy 2:46
Written-By – Clifford Grey, Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
19 The Midnight Sun Will Never Set 3:35
Written-By – Quincy Jones
20 Sneakin' Up On You 5:38
Written-By – Chip Taylor, Ted Daryll
Personnel 17-20 :
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Arranged By, Conductor – Jimmy Jones
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Danny Bank
Bass – George Duvivier
Bass Trombone – Tony Studd
Drums – Grady Tate
Guitar – Eric Gale
Harmonica – Buddy Lucas
Piano – Hank Jones
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Jimmy Hamilton
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Frank Wess, Jerome Richardson
Trumpet – Ernie Royal, Snooky Young
Vibraphone – Joe Venuto
Notas.
Tracks 1 to 10 recorded in New Jersey on August 23 and 24, 1961, and issued as Blue Hodge.
Tracks 11 to 16 recorded in New York on April 28 and 30, 1964, and issued on Blue Rabbit.
Tracks 17 to 20 recorded in New York on October 24, 1966, and issued on Blue Notes.
The CD erroneously credits track 13 to "Ted Parsons" and track 20 to "Creed Taylor."
Tracklist :
1 Don't Worry About Me 5'38
Rube Bloom / Ted Koehler
2 The Man I Love 5'17
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
3 Light and Lovely 8'45
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis / George Duvivier
4 Stompin' at the Savoy 4'30
Benny Goodman / Andy Razaf / Edgar Sampson / Chick Webb
5 When Sunny Gets Blue 4'09
Marvin Fisher / Jack Segal
6 Blue and Sentimental 3'26
Count Basie / Mack David / Jerry Livingston
7 Jumpin' With Symphony Sid 6'09
Lester Young
8 When Your Lover Has Gone 5'31
Einar A. Swan
9 Pennies from Heaven 7'00
Johnny Burke / Arthur Johnston
10 After You've Gone 6'03
Henry Creamer / Turner Layton
11 Candy 7'20
Mack David / Alex Kramer / Joan Whitney
Credits:
Drums – Oliver Jackson
Guitar – Billy Butler
Organ – Wild Bill Davis
Tenor Saxophone – Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Tracklist :
1 Impulsions 8'38
Wild Bill Davis
2 Cubano Chant 6'44
Ray Bryant
3 Avalon 7'15
Al Jolson / Vincent Rose
4 Ghost of a Chance 4'44
Bing Crosby / Ned Washington / Victor Young
5 The Shadow of Your Smile 3'42
Johnny Mandel / Paul Francis Webster
6 Loose Walk 6'47
Johnny Richards / Sonny Stitt
7 Misty 4'42
Johnny Burke / Erroll Garner
8 Lester Leaps In 7'34
Lester Young
9 The Girl from Ipanema 3'35
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
10 Things Ain't What They Used to Be 9'26
Ted Persons
11 Oh! Ah! Dee Dee 4'45
C. Columbo
Credits :
Drums – Oliver Jackson
Guitar – Billy Butler
Organ – Wild Bill Davis
Tenor Saxophone – Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Notas.
#1 to 3, 5, 8 Originally released as Wild Bill Davis / Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Live!
#4, 6, 7, 9 to 11 Originally released as Wild Bill Davis / Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Live! Vol.2
"Live at Birdland New York" is a document of the long-standing and intense collaboration between two masters. It is also a stateme...
