Jazz Focus

Sammy Lowe was a trumpet player and arranger with the 'Bama State Collegians and Erskine Hawkins Orchestra.  Initially inspired by the Lunceford sound and Sy Oliver's arrangements, Lowe created a style that set off Hawkins' soloists, including Dud Bascomb on trumpet, baritone sax and clarinetist Haywood Henry, tenor saxophonists Julian Dash and Paul Bascomb, pianist Avery Parrish and the high trumpet notes of the leader.

Great solo piano recordings for ARA (listen to the story of that label - quite a surprise!) and V Disc all done in the second half of 1945 when Tatum was at his absolute peak of technique and invention.

Basie small groups - for Columbia in 1942 with Buck Clayton and Don Byas and Victor in 1947 with Emmett Berry, George Matthews, C.Q. Price, Paul Gonsalves, Jack Washington and all with the classic Basie, Freddy Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones . . .

From solo breaks (James Reese Europe, Wilbur Sweatman, ODJB, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong) to solos on blues (ODJB, NORK, Johnny Dunn, King Oliver, Louis) to real jazz improv (Trumbauer, Bix, Hawkins, Louis) . . the evolution of the solo jazz player in the 1920's . . all leading to Louis Armstrong!

The Harlem Hamfats recorded for Decca from 1936-40 or so, making several hundred sides under their own name as well as backing up singers and other entertainers.  Consisting of the New Orleans trumpeter Herb Morand, Chicago clarinetist Odell Rand, pianist Horace Malcolm, brothers Charlie and Joe McCoy on guitar and vocals (and Charlie on mandolin), John Lindsay on bass and Pearlis Williams on drums, the group combined swing, dixieland and blues in an energetic way that kept their records on jukeboxes for a decade after they stopped recording.

The Harry James Orchestra in 1940 between its contracts with Columbia recorded several sessions for the small Varstiy label - here we have some great jazz sides including work by Vido Musso, Sam Donahue, Dalton Rizzoto, Dave Matthews and Jack Gardner with the best solos from the leader . . also some seldom-heard vocals by Dick Haymes!

Three sessions done for World - two of which were basically copied from or to better known sessions on Commodore with identical bands . . the Davison band has George Brunies, Pee Wee Russell, Gene Schroeder, Eddie Condon, Bob Casey and George Wettling; the second Spanier session has Pee Wee, Condon and Casey with Ernie Caceres, Dick Cary and Joe Grauso and the first Spanier one (done in Chicago) has Warren Smith, Bud Jacobsen, Jack Gardner, Pat Pattison and Frank Rullo

Erskine Hawkins led a great band from 1939-1950, billed as the "Twentieth Century Gabriel" due to his penchant for trumpet histrionics coupled with an excellent band and fine soloists.  His first group was almost the same personnel - a group of students form Alabama Teacher's College including Dud Bascomb, Paul Bascomb, Sammy Lowe, Jimmy Mitchelle, Haywood Henry and Avery Parrish.  Their first recordings (for Vocalion) showed a very capable band with terrific soloists following in the direction of the Jimmie Lunceford band, especially with the lead alto of Bill Johnson and the Sy Oliver-influenced arrangements of Lowe.

Quartet, Quintet and Sextet sessions from the great bebop trumpet player in 1946 and 47 on both coasts . .great originals and innovative takes on standards with Teddy Edwards and James Moody on tenor saxes, Dodo Marmarosa, Hank Jones and Jimmy Bunn on piano, Milt Jackson on vibes and others . . 

Sessions for Commodore and World Transcriptions of a band led by the trend setting trombonist of the 20's, Miff Mole.  Great 1940's dixieland with either Bobby Hackett (Commodore) or Sterling Bose (World) on trumpet, Pee Wee Russell, Ernie Caceres, Gene Schroeder, Eddie Condon, Bob Casey and Joe Grauso