Jazz Focus

Louis Jordan was a fine jazz player, but his fame lay more in the direction of novelty and entertainment with a healthy dose of blues and what came to be known as Rhythm and Blues (and early Rock and Roll).  Here, he is at the start of his bandleading career with some great arrangements of blues and old standards featuring himself on alto and baritone saxes along with Courtney Williams, Lem Johnson, Stafford Simon, Clarence Johnson, Arnold Thomas and others.

Great meetings of like instruments - Trombone Choir with Benny Morton, Bill Harris, Vic Dickenson and Claude Jones; Trumpet Ensemble with Roy Eldridge, Joe Thomas and Emmett Berry; Sax Ensemble with Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas, Tab Smith and Harry Carney . . great rhythm sections all featuring Johnny Guarnieri!

Claude Thornhill led several of the most innovative bands of the Swing Era.  With french horns, tubas and a clarinet section he created arrangements like "Snowfall" that were almost impressionistic . . by 1947 he was using arrangers like Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan and Rusty Dedrick who incorporated bebop and soon to be "Cool" influences into his style as well . . great soloists such as Lee Konitz, Danny Polo, Red Rodney, Barry Galbraith and Mickey Folus are also featured on these studio recordings for Columbia and electric radio transcriptions.

Hawkins at the peak of his ability - his tenor sax is here featured with quartets including Teddy Wilson, Eddie Heywood, Jr., Israel Crosby, Oscar Pettiford, Cozy Cole and Sid Catlett

A studio version of the Gene Krupa Orchestra from the 1950's featuring re-arrangements of his hits from the 1940's - with Anita O'Day, Roy Eldridge, Dave McKenna, Barry Galbraith Eddie Shu, Aaron Sachs, Jimmy Cleveland, Ernie Royal, Kai Winding, Urbie Green, Phil Woods, Eddie Wasserman and Hank Jones!

Sidney Bechet unfettered, with just rhythm sections recording for Blue Note and Victor 1939-41 . .great sides including "Summertime," "Strange Fruit," and "Blues in Thirds"

Great Harlem band playing between Atlantic City and the Paradise club in NYC . . pianist Johnson is heard with Benny Waters (who did most of the arrangements), Ben Whitted, Benny Carter, Edgar Sampson, Jabbo Smith, Sidny DeParis, Leonard Davis, Thomas Morris, Gus Aiken, Charlie Irvis, Jimmy Harrison, George Stafford, Cyrus St. Clair and Bobby Johnson, with vocals by Monette Moore!

Earl Hines was in Paris in November, 1949 with the Louis Armstrong All Stars and Vogue Records used his presence on two recording sessions- one of solos and one with a trio, quartet and quintet including his fellow All Stars Barney Bigard and Arvell Shaw.  Rounding out the group was trumpeter Buck Clayton, who was touring France at the same time with his own group, featuring drummer Wallace Bishop (who had played with Hines' big band in the 1930's).

How'm I Doin?  The Capitol recording of Sharkey Bonano - New Orleans trumpeter's recording from 1949-53 featuring Santo Pecora, Jack Delaney, Lester Bouchon, Harry Shields, Bujie Centobie, Jeff Riddick, Arthur Pons, Monk Hazel, Lizzie Miles and Buglin' Sam Dekemel.

Freddie Keppard was king before King Oliver and he fortunately recorded quite a bit in Chicago in the 1920's, although many items are up for debate . . Here he is definitely with his own Jazz Cardinals, Cookie's Gingersnaps and Jimmy Bertrand.  Somewhat less certain are the records with Jimmy Blythe, Sarah Martin and the Kansas City Stompers, although all have great jazz regardless!