Jazz Focus

John Hardee - Texas Tenor !

John Hardee was in the classic line of Texas tenor players - here are just about all the recordings made under his name during the 1940's - sessions for Blue Note and other companies, featuring him with Tiny Grimes, Sid Catlett and many other great players of the day

The California Ramblers, 1924-1930

Incredibly hot dance band of the 1920's - the California Ramblers recorded hundreds of sides under their proper name as well as pseudonyms such as the Vagabonds, Golden Gate Orchestra, Goofus Five, University Six, Varsity Seven and others.  This is a selection of the records made by the larger band (for the most part) featuring jazz players like Adrian Rollini, Chelsea Quealey, Bill Moore, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Bobby Davis and others.

Irving Fazola - sideman recordings

The great New Orleans clarinetist known as Faz played with a bewildering variety of bands during the 1930’s and recorded with many - here is a sample of his work with Glenn Miller, Seger Elllis, Claude Thornhill, Bob Crosby (live), Billie Holiday, and Sharkey Bonano.

Show - Irving Fazola with Bob Crosby's Bobcats

The New Orleans clarinetist Fazola was a mainstay with the Bob Crosby Orchestra for almost two years in the late 1930's and recorded frequently with them.  His sides with the eight piece Bob Cats in the New Orleans style are classics - featuring trumpets Yank Lawson and Billy Butterfield, trombonist Warren Smith, tenor sax Eddie Miller and a rhythm section of Bob Zurke or Jess Stacy on piano, Nappy Lamare on guitar, Bob Haggart on bass and Ray Bauduc on drums

Show - Muggsy Spanier big band 1941-42

The Chicago cornetist Spanier was known primarily for small group records, but his early 1940's big band was in the mold of the Bob Crosby Orchestra . . .featuring clarinetist Irving Fazola, tenor saxophonist Nick Caiazza and pianist Dave Bowman, the band played respectable swing and firey Jazz - both on studio and live dates.

Show - Lester Young . .sides for Aladdin, 1940's

Great tenor player at the end of his greatest period.  These were sessions done on the West Coast in the middle 1940's for Aladdin records featuring Howard McGhee, Vic Dickenson, Willie Smith, Don Albany, Chico Hamilton and others.

The Whoopee Makers - Ben Pollack sidemen 1929-

The Whoopee Makers was a catch-all name for a series of recording dates made by mostly white jazz musicians in New York in  the late 1920's and early 30's.  These recordings feature mostly members of the Ben Pollack Orchestra of the period, including Jimmy McPartland, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Fud Livingston, Bud Freeman, Ray Bauduc and Pollack himself, with a few appearances by the Dorsey Brothers and others.

New Orleans Rhythm Kings 1922-23

The first series of recordings by the influential, mostly New Orleans band based in Chicago in the early 1920's.  Featuring leader Paul Mares on cornet, George Brunies on trombone, Leon Roppolo on clarinet, Steve Brown on bass with Chicago musicians Ben Pollack on drums, Mel Stitzel on piano and others, these Gennett records were important sources of inspiration for the next generation of Jazz players.

Muggsy Spanier - The Great 16, 1939

The Chicago cornetist Spanier had been playing with Ted Lewis for almost a decade before returning to the small group jazz fold with " . . His Ragtime Band" which played briefly in New York and made four sessions for Victor.  With George Brunies on trombone, Rod Cless on clarinet, George Zack or Joe Bushkin on piano, Pat Pattison on bass, Bob Casey on guitar, Marty Greenberg, Don Carter or Al Sidell on drums and Nick Caiazza, Ray McKinstry or Bernie Billings on tenor sax.

Show - Eddie Miller and The Big Bands

Tenor sax player from New Orleans was most identified with Bob Crosby's Orchestra - here are a few transcriptions and live tracks of that group (including Muggsy Spanier) as well as some others with the Metronome All Stars (with Benny Goodman, Harry James, Bunny Berigan, Jack Teagarden, Ray Bauduc and Jess Stacy) and several of his own, WWII era big band that recorded for Capitol.