Jazz Focus

The great trumpeter and blues singer's records for Commodore - with Chu Berry's Jazz Ensemble in 1941 (Chu Berry, Clyde Hart, Al Lucas, Jack Parker), Albert Ammons' Rhythm Kings in 1944 with Vic Dickenson, Don Byas, Ammons, Israel Crosby and Sid Catlett) and his own bands in 1944 (Earl Bostic, Byas, Lucky Thompson, Lem Johnson, Hart, Ace Harris, Catlett, John Simmons and others)

Great sessions for Keynote led by drummers - Cozy Cole (Earl Hines, Trummy Young, Coleman Hawkins, Teddy Walters, Billy Taylor), Cozy with Don Byas (Byas, Aaron Sachs, Shorty Rogers, Vernon Brown), George Wettling (Jack Teagarden, Joe Thomas, Coleman Hawkins, Hank D'Amico, Herman Chittison), and J.C. Heard (Buck Clayton, Flip Phillips, Milt Hinton) . .

Great sessions organized and led by the underrated trombonist George Masso featuring his superb playing and arrangements as well as his friends reed players Dick Johnson and Al Klink, trumpeter Lou Columbo, pianists Dave McKenna and John Bunch, guitarist Jon Wheatley and others - 1981, 96 and 99.

Allan Reuss was the student of George Van Eps and he was an important part of the rhythm sections of Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Paul Whiteman, Harry James and Jimmy Dorsey as well as playing casual sessions with Benny Carter, Charlie Ventura, Peck's Bad Boys, Barney Bigard, Vic Dickenson, Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton and others . .

The English pianist Keith Ingham is a treasure trove of American Popular Song and these two dates also show off his arranging and playing abilities. The Hal Smith Trio with Ingham, drummer Smith and clarinetist Bobby Gordon play music of the early 1900's while the swingtet with trumpeter Peter Ecklund, Gordon, guitarist Chris Flory, bass player Murray Wall and drummer Steve Little explore the 1930's.

Joe Turner (not blues singer Big Joe Turner) was an influential stride pianist of the 1930's who wasn't known to many outside of the piano fraternity. By the late 1940's he had relocated to Europe and made his living playing solo engagements all around the continent. These sides are studio and live tracks done in 1960 in Zurich.

Artie Shaw and His Orchestra - live broadcasts in the fall of 1938, probably from the Lincoln Hotel in NYC . .featuring John Best, George Arus, Tony Pastor, Georgie Auld, Les Burness, Cliff Leeman and Helen Forrest . .but the focus is on the great clarinet playing!

Hot Lips Page was a matchless blues singer and trumpet player from Texas who played with many southwestern groups before coming to New York inthe middle 1930's. Here are recordings with Chu Berry (and Clyde Hart, Al Lucas and Jack Parker), Pete Johnson (Albert Nicholas, JC Higginbotham, Ben Webster), Joe Bushkin and Al Morgan and his own trio with Teddy Bunn, Leonard Feather and Bass Hill

Basie's "New Testament" band of the early 1950's was a classic group that recorded for Clef.  At the same time he did several Nonet, Sextet and Quintet sides featuring some of his prime soloists (Joe Newman, Paul Quinichette, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis) and guests (Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich).  Great mainstream jazz!

Johnny Dunn was the first great jazz star in the African American community in New York and was the primary cornet influence on the music before Louis Armstrong appeared in the fall of 1924. These records were made in 1921, 22, and 23 with a cast of early jazz players including Herschel Brassfield, Ernest Elliott, Herb Flemming, Earl Granstaff, John Mitchell, Sam Speed, Harry Hull and Jesse Baltimore who were all part of Johnny Dunn's Original Jazz Hounds.