Jazz Focus

At the dawn of the Swing Era, Ellington was in a bit of a funk . . his recording opportunities were less and the Depression had limited opportunities.  Fortunately, his creativity came back quickly, mostly in answer to the swing style beginning to establish itself.  With a band including Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Otto Hardwick, Wellman Braud (replaced by both Hayes Alvis and Billy Taylor), Sonny Greer and Ivy Anderson, he always sounded like himself.

Great 1940's and 50's sessions by the Chicago stride pianist doing solos and trios (with Walter Page, Bob Casey and George Wettling) of unpublished Fats Waller compositions!

The legendary cornetist at the halfway point in his tenure with Duke Ellington, featured on four small group sessions.  Two sessions are his own group of Ellingtonians recording for RCA Victor (including Lawrence Brown, Ben Webster, Harry Carney, Ellington, Jimmy Blanton and Sonny Greer) and two for the Hot Record Society . . one of those by Rex Stewart's Big Seven (with Brown, Barney Bigard, Billy Kyle, Brick Fleagle, Wellman Braud, Dave Tough) and one by Jack Teagarden's Big Eight (Bigard, Webster, Kyle, Fleagle, Billy Taylor and Tough).

Great band featured on V Disc and a live concert at Town Hall . . with Remo Palmieri, Teddy Wilson, Aaron Sachs, Shorty Rogers, Eddie Bert, Slam Stewart, Specs Powell and others, but the real focus is the leader's vibraphone and xylophone.

First blush of Barnet's popular Bluebird big band recording here for Thesaurus Transcriptions with two titles for Variety featuring Frankie Newton.  The band features Don McCook on clarinet, Bobby Burnett on trumpet, Don Ruppersberg on trombone, Bus Etri on guitar, Nat Jaffe on piano and James Lamare on baritone sax in addition to the leader playing remarkably well on tenor and especially alto.

Largely forgotten clarinet player in the late swing/bebop style here featured on 1943/44 recordings with Red Norvo (and Teddy Wilson, Slam Stewart and Remo Palmieri) and Eddie Heywood (with Don Byas, Ray Nance and others)

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!

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).

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

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)