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
