Jazz Focus

Several 1940's sessions recorded in New Orleans featuring players who had been active since the first decades of the 20th Century - Kid Rena (with Jim Robinson, Alphonse Picou, Big Eye Louis Nelson, Willie Santiago, Albert Glenny and Joe Rena), The New Orleans Pioneers (with Peter Bocage, Picou, Nelson, Sidney Bechet on piano, Walter Decou, Pops Foster, Louis Keppard and Paul Barbarin) and Wooden Joe Nicholas (with Robinson, Louis Nelson, Albert Burbank, Joe Petit, Lawrence Marrero, Johnny St. Cyr, Austin Young, Baby Dodds, Cie Frazier, Albert Jiles, Slow Drag Pavageau and others)

Great sessions featuring Davison's cornet and Russell's clarinet along with George Brunies, Lou McGarity and Jack Teagarden on trombone, Gene Schroeder and Dick Cary on piano, Bob Casey and Morrie Rayman on bass, George Wettling, Danny Alvin and Johnny Blowers on drums and of course Eddie Condon on guitar . . Commodore and Decca records under Davison's Brunies' and Condon's names.

Longtime sax player with Basie's band, Wess was a dependable sideman and section player who was also one of the first great jazz flute players. Here, he displays his tenor sax and flute on three sessions - one with Kenny Clarke for Riverside (with Henry Coker, Charlie Fowlkes and Milt Jackson - on piano!), one for Jazztone with Urbie Green (strange bedfellows - Ruby Braff, Med Flory, Freddie Green, Sir Charles Thompson) and one track from the Joe Newman session for Vanguard with Frank Foster, Matthew Gee and Johnny Acea.

Brad Gowans was better known as a valve trombonist and arranger, but he was an adept clarinetist who was initially inspired by the first jazz records by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. He brought trombonist Eddie Edwards, pianist Frank Signorelli and drummer/kazoo player Tony Sbarbaro from the original group into the World, Commodore and V Disc studios with contemporary players like Wild Bill Davison, Bobby Hackett, Max Kaminsky, Gene Schroeder, Teddy Roy, Eddie Condon and Bob Casey to recreate some of the original tunes, albeit with a bit more swing.

Under-appreciated baritone sax player Payne played with practically all the bebop originators and had an active career into the 2000's. Here are two sessions featuring him - the first is by the Kenny Clarke-Ernie Wilkins Septet with Wilkins on alto and tenor, George Barrow on tenor and bari, Eddie Bert and others. The second is the Randy Weston Trio with Payne - both recorded for Riverside

Great and influential black New Orleans dance band recorded twice in 1927 featuring the Morgan brothers with Jim Robinson on trombone, Sidney Brown on bass and Earl Fouche on alto sax. Two recreation sessions featured John Handy on alto and Kid Sheik Cola on trumpet with one session done in London with members of the Barry Martyn band and one in New Orleans with Kid Howard, Jim Robinson, Andrew Morgan and George Guesnon.

Classic Condon-styled dixieland led by cornetist Wild Bill Davison and featuring George Brunies, George Lugg, Lou McGarity, Joe Marsala, Ed Hall, Albert Nicholas, Bill Miles, Gene Schroeder, Joe Sullivan, Dick Cary, Eddie Condon, Jack Lesberg, Bob Casey, George Wettling and Dave Tough. All recorded for Commodore, 1943-47.

Great big band led by the pioneer arranger Redman following his tenures with Fletcher Henderson and McKinney's Cotton Pickers. This band features Sidney DeParis, Benny Morton, Ed Inge, Robert Carroll, Horace Henderson, Talcott Reeves, Bob Ysaguirre, Manzie Johnson and Harlan Lattimore in addition to good sax playing and novelty singing by the leader