Jazz Focus

Small group recordings featuring Woody Herman's First Herd tenor saxophonist - with Earl Hines (Ray Nance, Johnny Hodges, Betty Roche), Red Norvo (Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Teddy Wilson, Slam Stewart) and under his own name with Ralph Burns, Chubby Jackson, Billy Bauer and Don Lamond

The largely forgotten clarinet player Archie Semple was a mainstay in Alex Welsh's great band in the 1950's and 60's before suffering an emotional and physical breakdown that sadly ended his playing days. Here is a sample of the relatively few tracks he recorded under his own name, featuring Welsh, Dickie Hawdon on trumpet, Roy Crimmins on trombone, Fred Hunt on piano and others, but focusing on the leader's clarinet, reflecting the twin influences of Pee Wee Russell and Edmond Hall

Lovie Austin was a busy pianist/arranger/composer in Chicago in the 1920's - as one of the few women in an almost exclusively male business she carved out a niche for herself, influencing other women performers to come, such as Mary Lou Williams. Her instrumental recordings are here from 1924-26 and feature Tommy Ladnier, Natty Dominique, Kid Ory, Johnny Dodds, Jimmy O'Bryant, W.E Burton, Priscilla Stewart and others, with Austin holding it all together as a player, arranger and composer.

Recordings made by one of the greatest versions of the Basie band for Verve in January, 1956. Featuring arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, Neal Hefti, Joe Newman, Frank Wess and Frank Foster and solos by the two Franks, Newman, Thad Jones, Bill Hughes, Henry Coker, Benny Powell, Bill Graham, Marshall Royal and the great rhythm section of Basie, Freddie Green, Eddie Jones and Sonny Payne.

Trumpeter Welsh led one of the most musical yet exciting trad bands of the 1950's and 60's - with Roy Crimmins on trombone, Archie Semple on clarinet, Fred Hunt on piano and Lennie Hastings on drums (and several guitars and bassists), the band mined a wide range of jazz repertoire from ragtime to New Orleans and swing, all within a Chicago Jazz/Eddie Condon perspective.

Great Roulette recordings by the New Testament Basie Band reinterpreting the tunes from his 1930's and 40's band. Featuring great work by Billy Mitchell, Henry Coker, Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Jimmy Nottingham, Seldon Powell, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Marshall Royal, Benny Powell and Basie himself!

Almost forgotten big band that played at the Savoy in NYC at the same time as Chick Webb. Hopkins was among the best stride pianists of the day and a very good arranger as well - his band included Sylvester Lewis and Ovie Alston on trumpets, Fred Norman and Fernando Arbello on trombones, Gene Johnson and Bobby Sands on saxes and most notably Edmond Hall on clarinet and baritone sax.

Alex Welsh was known as a traditional/dixieland trumpet player in the 1950's and mid 1960's. By the late 1960's the band had evolved from a Chicago styled group to a mainstream unit featuring trombonist Roy Williams, reed player Johnny Barnes, pianist Fred Hunt, guitar/banjo player Jim Douglas and drummer Lennie Hastings. Ranging from New Orleans numbers through swing and Gerry Mulligan tunes, this group had a good ten year run.

Series of recordings by Harlem-based big bands, all featuring Ben Webster's emerging tenor sax. . .Benny Carter, Willie Bryant, Fletcher Henderson, Cab Calloway, Teddy Wilson and Duke Ellington all prized Webster . . recordings also feature Shad Collins, Irving Randolph, Emmett Berry, Jerry Blake, Keg Johnson, Jake Wiley, Glyn Paque, Garvin Bushell, Leroy Maxey, Shorty Baker, Karl George, Joe Nanton, Barney Bigard and Ivy Anderson . . .

Bebop meets R&B . . the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet (Dizzy, Bill Graham on baritone sax, Wade Legge, Milt Jackson or Wynton Kelly on piano, Al Jones on drums, Percy Heath on bass) with Milt Jackson on vibes, Joe Caroll and Melvin Moore singing, and Stuff Smith on violin. 1951 recordings for DeeGee and Savoy and live at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, 1953.