Jazz Focus

Johnny Dodds and Jimmy Blythe

Chamber Jazz from New Orleans via Chicago . .Dodds along with pianist Blythe, trumpeter Natty Dominique and drummer Baby Dodds are featured on most of the tracks, calling to mind the band the Dodds brothers had at Kelly's Stables during this period - also with R.Q. Dickerson on trumpet, Bud Scott on banjo, Jimmy Bertrand and Jasper Taylor on washboard and Julia Davis on vocals

Adrian Rollini - Chamber Jazz, 1927

Rollini was primarily known for his work on bass saxophone, but he was adept on piano, goofus and hot fountain pen, all of which are heard on these sides, made in the spring and fall of 1927.  He is here with Red Nichols' Five Pennies (with Miff Mole, Jimmy Dorsey, Pee Wee Russell, Art Schutt, Vic Berton), Joe Venuti's Blue Four (with Eddie Lang) and Annette Hanshaw (with Venuti, Lang and Schutt). 

Lester Young on Savoy- 1944, 45, 46, 49

Legendary tenor sax player Young had just left Basie's band when he recorded a session with Johnny Guarnieri for Savoy (with Billy Butterfield, Hank D'Amico and Cozy Cole), starting a short but fruitful partnership with the label - later sessions featured him with the Count Basie rhythm section (Basie, Freddie Green, Rodney Richardson and Shadow Wilson), the Count Basie Orchestra without Basie (led by alto player Earl Warren, with Dickie Wells, Harry Edison, Jo Jones, Freddie Green and Clyde Hart) and his own touring band (with Jesse Drakes, Jerry Elliott, Junior Mance and Roy Haynes)

Show- Clyde Hart .. Dixieland to Bebop

Clyde Hart . . unheralded pianist who recorded with everyone from Red Allen and Eddie Condon to Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.  A transitional figure from swing to bop, Hart died of TB at the very moment he was being embraced by the modernists.  This is a selection of recordings made during 1944 and 45 (he died in March, 1945) featuring Hart with Eddie Condon, Dizzy Gillespie, Tiny Grimes, Trummy Young, Charlie Parker, Don Byas, Hot Lips Page, Ben Webster, Lester Young and Charlie Shavers

Show - Dizzy Gillespie at the Spotlite - 1946

WETF show - Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra live from the Spotlite in NY, May 1946.  Great big band Bebop featuring Dave Burns, James Moody, Ray Abrams, Howard Johnson, Milt Jackson, Kenny Clarke and a rare (maybe unique) appearance by Thelonious Monk as a band pianist

Show- Fats Navarro on Savoy

The great, if somewhat forgotten Bebop trumpet player who was really the only rival to Dizzy Gillespie in terms of range, power and sound.  This program features his recordings for the Savoy label - under his own name and with Dexter Gordon, Eddie "LockJaw" Davis and Tadd Dameron.  In addition to these musicians, listen also to Ernie Henry, Leo Parker, Charlie Rouse and Art Blakey.

Show - Fletcher Henderson 1933

Great 1933 sessions by the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra featuring Red Allen, Bobby Stark, Dicky Wells, Hilton Jefferson, Russell Procope, Coleman Hawkins, John Kirby, Horace Henderson and Walter Johnson. Great arrangements by both Hendersons and Will Hudson and some of Hawkins' first ballad performances.

Show - Frankie Newton and Pete Brown

WETF show - Frankie Newton and Pete Brown - a great tandem of trumpet and alto sax who appeared together on numerous sessions in the 1930's . . Newton's Uptown Serenaders, Midge Williams, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Buster Bailey, Jimmy Noone and Jimmie Gordon.  In addition to Newton, Brown, Noone, Bailey and Smith, hear Sammy Price, Edmund Hall, Cecil Scott, Don Frye, O'Neil Spencer and Teddy Bunn . ..some of my favorite small group sides of the Swing Era.

Show - Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt

Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt with the seven and eight piece bands they led c. 1950 - bop, rhythm and blues and pop songs featuring Junior Mance, Benny Green and Art Blakey among others.

Show - Herman Chittison . . Harlem stride and more

Herman Chittison . .the great African American pianist who recorded solos and accompaniments in France as well as piano trios (a la Art Tatum) in the US . . also some vocal accompaniments for Ethel Waters and Thelma Carpenter.