Jazz Focus

Bob Howard and His Orchestra

Singer and pianist (born Howard Joyner) had a long series of recordings for Decca in the 1930's - these feature Manny Klein, Benny Carter, Rex Stewart, Buster Bailey, Barney Bigard, Russell Procope, Ben Webster, Teddy Wilson, Clarence Holiday, Elmer James, Billy Taylor and Cozy Cole

Show- Frank Newton's Cafe Society Orchestra with Billie Holiday

Great small swing band led by trumpeter Newton with alto and soprano sax player Tab Smith as music director and arranger -in 1939 it recorded six instrumental sides for Vocalion and backed Billie Holiday on three sessions (two for Vocalion and one for Commodore) although Hot Lips Page and Charlie Shavers replaced Newton on the Vocalion Holiday sides.  Also featuring either Kenny Kersey or Sonny White on piano, Johnny Williams on bass, Eddie Dougherty on drums, Kenneth Hollon on tenor sax and Stanley Payne on alto.

Blue Lu Barker - Lil Hardin Armstrong

Several Decca sessions from the mid to late 1930's featuring Barker and Armstrong leading bands performing their own tunes - Chu Berry, Robert Carroll, Buster Bailey, Joe Thomas, Charlie Shavers, Teddy Cole, Ulysses Livingston, Danny Barker, Wellman Braud, O'Neil Spencer and others!  

Show - Casa Loma Orchestra, 1939-40

The Casa Loma Orchestra (a collective organization led by Glen Gray) was one of the most influential and imitated white dance bands of the early 1930's. By 1939 the band was largely the same, but they had transitioned to a more conventional swing style featuring soloists Grady Watts and Sonny Dunham on trumpet, Billy Rauch and Pee Wee Hunt on trombone, Murray McEachern on trombone and alto sax, Clarence Hutchenrider on clarinet, Pat Davis on tenor sax, Joe Hall on drums and, driving the whole group, Tony Briglia on drums.

Show - Johnny Dodds 1926-1928

Great Chicago sessions featuring the New Orleans clarinetist leading the New Orleans Wanderers, New Orleans Bootblacks and Chicago Footwarmers . . with George Mitchell, Natty Dominique, Kid Ory, Honore Dutrey, Joe Clark/Walker, Lil Armstrong, Jimmy Blythe, Baby Dodds, Bill Johnson, Johnny St. Cyr and others.

Scatman Crothers!

Great jazz sessions featuring the singer, drummer, guitarist and comic Benjamin Sherman Crothers  . . ranging from 1944-77, these bands feature Vic Dickenson, Babe Russin, Paul Smith, Al Hendrickson, Marshall Royal, Snooky Young, Freddie Green, Ray Brown, Ray Bryant and Louis Bellson.

Show - Adrian Rollini and the big bands

Rollini playing bass sax in both solo and bass line with a variety of late 1920's big bands - Ted Wallace (the California Ramblers), Fred Elizalde, The Dorsey Brothers, Ben Selvin, Rube Bloom, Cornell Smelser . .with the Dorsey Brothers, Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Stan King, Babe Russin, Chelsea Quealy, Bobby Davis and many others

Red Nichols - jazz sides, 1929, 30

Focus on the jazzier records done by the prolific cornetist Red Nichols, who by the late 1920's was concentrating on more commercial music.  Sides released as by the Louisiana Rhythm Kings (Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Miff Mole, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Pee Wee Russell, Fud Livingston, Joe Sullivan, Gene Krupa) and on radio transcriptions (Miller, Goodman, Charlie Teagarden, Sullivan, Adrian Rollini, Bud Freeman), these are some of the best "hot jazz" recorded by white bands of the period.

Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra - live at the Village Vanguard 1967 and 68

Two dates featuring the classic band - featuring the leaders along with Richard Williams and Snooky Young on trumpet, Bob Brookmeyer and Garnett Brown on trombones, Eddie Daniels on clarinet and tenor sax, Joe Farrell on tenor and flute, Jerome Richardson on soprano, alto and flute, Jerry Dodgion on alto, Pepper Adams on bar, Hank Jones and Roland Hanna on piano, and Richard Davis on bass . . the stars are the arrangements by Jones (and two by Brookmeyer)

Charlie Parker - Swing! 1940, 44

Two sessions firmly based in the Swing Era featuring the great bebop alto player Charlie Parker - first are the "Wichita Transcriptions" of 1940, featuring members of the Jay McShann band, including Parker, Bob Mabane and William Scott on tenors, Orville Minor and Bob Anderson on trumpets, McShann on piano, Gene Ramey on bass and Gus Johnson on drums. Second is the January 28, 1944 concert at Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles featuring Parker and Willie Smith on altos, Lester Young and Charlie Ventura on tenors, Howard McGhee, Dizzy Gillespie and Al Killian on trumpets, Arnold Ross or Mel Powell on piano, Billy Hadnott on bass and Lee Young on drums.