Jazz Focus

Dick Cathcart - 1950's and 60's West Coast Dixieland

Little known but dependable and highly original cornet player on the "Pete Kelly's Blues" soundtracks here featured with the Kings of Dixie, Russ Morgan's Wolverines, Ben Pollack's Pic-A-Rib Boys and others . . with Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller, Heinie Beau, Moe Schneider, Ray Sherman, Dick Cary, Nick Fatool, Red Callendar, Walt Yoder and lots of great guitar by George Van Eps!

Show- John Kirby 1943-46

Very late period recordings of the renowned John Kirby Sextet for V-Disc, Crown, Asch, Disc, Apollo and live broadcasts.  Featuring the original members Charlie Shavers, Buster Bailey, Russell Procope, Billy Kyle and Kirby, there are also guest appearances by Hot Lips Page, Emmett Berry, George Taitt, Clarence Brereton (trumpet), George Johnson, Hilton Jefferson (alto sax), Budd Johnson, Ben Webster (tenor sax), Clyde Hart, Hank Jones, Ram Ramirez (piano) and Bill Beason (drums).

Buddy DeFranco Quartet 1954

Recordings for Verve with DeFranco, Sonny Clark, Gene Wright and Bobby White.  Terrific swing to bop standards and originals.

Show - Red Allen and the small groups . .1934-39

New Orleans trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen featured with Buster Bailey's Chocolate Dandies (with Benny Carter, J.C. Higginbotham, Danny Barker, Walter Johnson), Benny Morton and His Orchestra (Jerry Blake, Ed Inge, Teddy McRae), Jimmy (James P.) Johnson and His Orchestra (Higginbotham, Gene Sedric, Sid Catlett, Pops Foster) and Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra (Higginbotham, Charlie Christian, Clyde Hart, Earl Bostic)

Putney Dandridge with Red Allen

Great 1935-36 sessions for Vocalion featuring the singer and entertainer with a band led by the New Orleans trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen - also featuring Buster Bailey, Joe Marsala, Teddy Wilson, James Sherman, Clyde Hart, Eddie Condon, Wilson Myers, John Kirby and Cozy Cole

Show- Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five

Superb chamber jazz featuring Shaw on clarinet with either Billy Butterfield or Roy Eldridge on trumpets, Johnny Guarnieri on harpischord (!), Dodo Marmarosa on piano, Al Hendrickson or Barney Kessel on guitar, Jud DeNaut or Morrie Rayman on bass, Morey Feld or Lou Fromm on durms.  Two bonus (live) tracks with Shaw soloing with Count Basie's band and rhythm section

Wilbur DeParis' New New Orleans Jazz 1950, 51

The early version of the DeParis Brothers' band live from Jimmy Ryan's and featuring Wilbur on trombone, Sidney on trumpet, Omer Simeon on clarinet, Don Kirkpatrick and Norman Lester on piano, Eddie Gibbs and Danny Barker on banjo and Freddie Moore on drums.

Show - Roy Eldridge and His Orchestra 1944-46

Excellent big band led by trumpeter Eldridge in the middle 1940's before and after his tenure with Artie Shaw.  Arrangements by Elton Hill, Buster Harding and others featuring him with Sandy Williams on trombone, Porter Kilbert, Joe Eldridge and Edmond Gregory (Sahib Shihab) on alto, Franz Jackson and Tom Archia on tenors, Duke Jordan on piano, Sam Allen on guitar, Cozy Cole on drums and others

Bebop Clarinet - Stan Hasselgard 1947-8

A protege of Benny Goodman's at the end of his life, Hasselgard had a short but eventful career.  After coming to the US in 1946 or so, he played with many big names, including Teddy Wilson, Red Norvo, Barbara Carroll, Barney Kessel, Wardell Gray and Goodman himself.  These are three sessions issued under Hasselgard's name as well as four airchecks from the Click with the Benny Goodman Septet.

Show - Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra 1941-43

Millinder went from fronting the Mills Blue Rhythm Band in the 1930's to leading his own, more blues-based group in the 1940's and 50's.  This first edition recorded for Decca and included musicians like Stafford Simon and Sam "The Man" Taylor on tenors, Ernest Purce on baritone, Tab Smith and Ted Barnett on altos with a cameo from Buster Bailey on clarinet.  Trumpets included William "Chiefie" Scott, Archie Johnston and modernists Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Guy and Freddie Webster along with Bill Doggett on piano, George Duvivier or Abe Bolar on bass and Panama Francis on drums.  The real star was Sister Rosetta Tharpe both singing and playing a very early version of rock and roll electric guitar.