Jazz Focus

Paul Ricci - unheard clarinet of the Swing Era!  Centered around six virtually unknown trio (clarinet and piano with Carl Kress on guitar) recordings from 1938, this salute to Ricci includes sides he did with Joe Haymes (featuring Joe Venuti), Dean Kincaide (with Yank Lawson, Cutty Cutshall and Peanuts Hucko), Brad Gowans (Billy Butterfield and Joe Dixon), Bob Howard (Bunny Berigan and Frank Signorelli), Miff Mole (Harry James) and two rare and very original recordings by the Carl Kress Quintet

Juba Dance - Omer Simeon in the 1940's and 50's.  Great mainstream and dixieland recordings by the legendary Simeon who recreates and even excels his 1926 recording of "Shreveport Stomp" with Jelly Roll Morton in 1956 with the Wilbur De Paris New New Orleans Jazz Band (several other tunes with them featuring Sidney DeParis, Sonny White, Wilbert Kirk and Rudy Rutherford).  Also in trios with James P. Johnson and Pops Foster and Sammy Price and Zutty Singleton as well as a Blue Note date with Art Hodes.

Sidney Bechet live - the John Reid recordings...private recordings made by Bechet's Boswell from 1939-44.  Some were rehearsals for his upcoming Victor recording sessions (Reid was the producer) and some were casual dance or party dates.  Featuring Henry Goodwin, Sandy Williams, Don Donaldson, Sonny White, Don Frye, Max Miller, Wilson Myers, Manzie Johnson, Sid Catlett, Kenny Clarke and Freddie Moore

WETF Show - For Dancers Only - The Sy Oliver arrangements for Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for Decca (1934-38) featuring Willie Smith, Eddie Tompkins, Trummy Young, Dan Grissom, Eddie Durham, Al Norris, Jimmy Crawford, Paul Webster, Eddie Wilcox and Joe Thomas!   Listen to my earlier podcast for the first volume of the Lunceford recordings, featuring arrangements by Eddie Wilcox, Willie Smith and Eddie Durham

WETF Show Here's Your Change - Toots Mondello!  Hardly anyone knows his name anymore, but Toots was one of the great lead alto players of the Swing Era . . he was also an excellent soloist on alto and clarinet - hear his work with his own group (including two tunes of the Rudy Wiedoeft variety with a trio), Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton (with Ziggy Elman, Ben Webster, Jerry Jerome, and Clyde Hart), Dick McDonough (with Bunny Berigan and Adrian Rollini), Bob Haggart (Chris Griffin, Peanuts Hucko and Paul Ricci), and Deane Kinkaide (Peanuts Hucko, Yank Lawson and Cutty Cutshall)

Business in Q -  Archie Bleyer 2 ..  more arrangements by the prolific Mr. Bleyer, played by Frank Trumbauer, Cab Calloway, Ben Pollack, Gene Kardos, Joe Haymes, Red Nichols, Noble Sissle, Ambrose and His Orchestra, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Clarence Williams, Fletcher Henderson, Bubber Miley and His Mileage Makers, Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy, Jack Teagarden, Dave Nelson and the King's Men, George Olsen

Ragtime to Stride:  James P. Johnson Piano Rolls . . recorded between 1917 and 1924, these rolls were made for a variety of companies including QRS and Universal - mostly before Johnson was recording commercially.  Here are versions of "Carolina Shout" and many of his showpieces, including a long medley of tunes from Runnin' Wild in 1922

Django and American Friends . .recordings made in Paris between 1934 and 1940 featuring the great Gypsy guitarist with American and European jazz players  . . Bill Coleman, Frank "Big Boy" Goudie, Christian Wagner, Andre Ekyan, Alix Combelle, June Cole, Garnett Clark, Joe Turner, George Johnson, Larry Adler, and Stephane Grappelli

WETF Show - Business in F - the arrangements of Archie Bleyer.  Dance band records from 1928-32 featuring stock arrangements by the prolific, accomplished and virtually unknown Bleyer . . versions by King Oliver, Bubber Miley, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong, Ben Pollack, Joe Haymes, Ben Bernie, Gene Kardos, Ted Lewis, Fess Williams, Thelma Terry and Noble Sissle

Peter Ecklund - Horn of Plenty.  Originally recorded for Stomp Off, this album features cornetist Ecklund's arrangements and band leading skills as well has his immaculate playing.  Also featured are Marty Grosz, Ken Peplowski, Joe Muranyi, Vince Giordano and Dan Barrett - great chamber jazz from the 1980's recreating and reanimating tunes from the 1920's and 30's.