Count
Basie and His Orchestra.
Recorded New York and Los Angeles 1947-51
- Mine, Too
- Walking Slow Behind
You
- Normania
- Rocky Mountain Blues
- Rat Race
- Solid As A Rock
- Sweets
- Nails
- Beaver Junction
- Just An Old Manuscript
- Katy
- She’s A Wine-O
- Did You Ever See
Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?
- Shoutin’ Blues
- After You’ve Gone
- St. Louis Baby
- Wonderful Thing
- The Slider
The Basie
disc covers the immediate period following the last war and encompasses
several recordings by his first post war big band until its dissolution
c1950 and a few tracks introducing the leader’s return to smaller
groups in 1951.
Most
of the usual Basie luminaries are present however it is surprising
that Walter Page is absent to be replaced in the ‘engine room’ by
either Singleton Palmer, Al McKibbon or Jimmy Lewis. Other irregulars
include Gerald Wilson, Melba Liston, Paul Gonsalves and vocalists
are heavy.
From
track 1 we are aware of that tight distinctive Basie sound coupled
with arrangements from Don Redman. This is no more evident than on
‘Rat Race’ where two piano notes are sufficient to set a swinging
tempo gradually building up the tension to superb tenor exchanges.
On the 1951 ‘Nails’ numerous changes had taken place and Al Porcino,
Booty Wood, Wardell Grey and Lucky Thompson were with the small group.
‘Beaver Junction’ shows that later ‘Atomic’ sound beginning to break
through with Marshall Royal’s alto to the fore. During this period
I feel that Basie should have abandoned some of the ‘middle of the
road’ singers and especially the vocal groups – no Mills Brothers
here. Thankfully ‘Mr. Five-by-Five’ keeps things on an even keel.
Similarly after the ‘Take Me To The Ball Game’ intro quote the massed
band is featured singingon ‘Did You Ever See Jackie Robinson Hit That
Ball’ – what a title – not my cup of tea!
Overall
this is an interesting cross-section of Basie’s work over five years
and the small group features make it for me.
Duke
Ellington and His Orchestra. Recorded Hollywood and Chicago 1941-2
- Chelsea Bridge
- Perdido
- The’C’ Jam Blues
- Moon Mist
- What Am I Here For?
- I Don’t Mind
- Someone
- My Little Brown
Book
- Main Stem
- Johnny Come Lately
- Haywood, Strawfoot
- Jump For Joy
- Moon Over Cuba
- Five O’Clock Drag
- Rocks In My Bed
- Blip-Blip
- Chelsea Bridge
- Raincheck
- What Good Would
It Do?
- I Don’t Know What
Kind Of Blues I Got
This
CD covers only two years of a masterful band’s history – two years
that are not considered to include any Ellington milestones. However
the line-up is considered by many to be the best Ellington ever had.
Although the Cotton Club days were long gone only a couple of years
previous to these recordings Ellington had captured a massive following
with such masterpieces as ‘Concerto for Cootie.’ To come in 1943 was
the first Carnegie Hall concert. Having said that in 1941-2 Ellington
was still fronting a band full of significant and long serving musicians
and the arrangements are as fresh as ever – Billy Strayhorn began
writing for the Duke in 1939.
The
Ellington specialist may feel that there is nothing new on this disc
especially as it includes two recordings of Chelsea Bridge. But in
the context of being part of a big band boxed set most listeners will
be more than satisfied with this CD by a bandleader whose music over
the years involved so many facets of jazz.
Harry
James and His Orchestra. Recorded mainly in New York 1938-46
- Concerto For Trumpet
- Music makers
- Don’t Be That Way
- September Song
- I’ve Heard That
Song Before
- Autumn Serenade
- Trumpet Blues and
Cantabile
- These Foolish Things
- Melancholy Rhapsody
- James Session
- The Flight Of The
Bumble Bee
- The Carnival Of
Venice
- Trumpet Rhapsody
– Part I
- Trumpet Rhapsody
– Pat II
- I Want To Be Happy
- Flatbush Flanagan
- I Don’t Want To
Walk Without You
- Strictly Instrumental
- Im Beginning To
See The Light
Anyone
who wants an ‘essential’ Harry James this is the CD for you. From
a very early age it was obvious that James was something special and
by the time he was nineteen was in Benny Pollack’s band. In 1937 he
joined Benny Goodman and formed his own band in 1939.
The tracks
are mainly those that brought him popularity, great commercial success
and worldwide recognition. Sadly he never shook off his ‘pop musician’
identity until he formed small groups later in his career. Two fine
vocalists are featured here Helen Forest and Dick Haymes and they
were both part of the James Orchestra in the 1940s. A couple of the
tracks have strings accompaniment. Fire, dazzling technique, feeling
and sheer mastery of the trumpet are highlighted in the recommended
collection of 1940s favourites.
Stan
Kenton and His Orchestra. Various recording venues 1951-3
- Mambo Rhapsody
- Riff Raff
- Star Dust
- Bags And Baggage
- Bill’s Blues
- Cool Eyes
- Beehive
- Taboo
- Swing House
- Portrait Of A Count
- Invention For Guitar
And Trumpet
- Lover man
- Fascinating Rhythm
- Dynaflow
- What’s New
- Jump For Joe
- Night Watch
- Francesca
- Sambo
- Street Of Dreams
- Soliloquy
- Lazy Daisy
The 1940s
heralded the Kenton Era and the impact was terrific however the tracks
on this CD were recorded in the early 1950s - the days of great names
in the Kenton alumni. Maynard Ferguson, Conti Candoli, Buddy Childers
and Shorty Rogers were in the trumpet section. At one time or another
the trombones included Milt Bernhart, Bill Russo, Bob Fitzpatrick
and sometime saxophonists were Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Bob Cooper and
Lennie Niehaus to name but a few. They are all featured here and individually
most went on to play a part in the various developing jazz forms of
the 1950s and 60s. – especially the West Coast movement.
At one
point between 1950 and 1952 Kenton fronted the progressive Innovation
in Modern Music Orchestra whose performances lost him many of his
former fans. He soon corrected that error and reformed with a more
swinging band similar to his earlier years. The arrangements are not
so ‘technical and experimental’ and the band is better for it. This
was where he added more soloists to already impressive list. Listen
to tracks 5,6 and 10 for evidence of the change of direction.
Jimmie
Lunceford and His Orchestra. Recorded in New York 1937- 41
- Cheatin’ On Me
- The Lonesome Road
- Mandy
- Baby, Won’t You
Please Come Home
- Uptown Blues
- I’m Gonna Move To
The Outskirts Of Town
- Back Door Stuff
- For Dancers Only
- Harlem Shout
- Four Or Five Times
- Organ Grinder’s
Swing
- Margie
- Le Jazz Hot
- Tain’t What You
Do
- Blues In The Night
(Parts I & II)
- Twenty-Four Robbers
Whilst
1934-5 was the time when Jimmy Lunceford launched the ‘teenage’ band
that soon became well established, 1937- 42 were without doubt ‘the
years.’ The band then included such soloist stalwarts as Willie Smith,
Joe Thomas, Trummy Young and Moses Allen. Sy Oliver and Ed Wilcox
were writing many of the arrangements.
Fortunately
here we don’t have to witness the mechanical circus horse antics so
evident in many of Lunceford’s live performances – thankfully sound
and solos remained to high standard. Sadly, through dissatisfaction
caused by money disputes, by 1943 most of the star members of the
band had moved on and there was an overall decline in Lunceford’s
music. It is interesting to see that Omer Simeon was on the 1944 recording
of ‘Back Door Stuff.’
Generally
this boxed-set adequately covers the many variations in big band music
over twenty years and several less well-know numbers are included.
It could be of special interest to someone who wants a broad- brush
introduction to some of the most popular music of that period.
Jack
Ashby
CD Reviews
SabAm-crescendo 2002 JOAN RECORDS 7147
