Jazz Focus

There were several jazz players named Joe Thomas - this one was perhaps the best!   A trumpeter who worked with Fletcher Henderson and a number of other big bands, he really came to prominence during the 1940's in assorted small group swing recordings.  This podcast features some of the great sessions he made for the Keynote label with players such as Jack Teagarden, Earl Hines, Trummy Young, Red Norvo, Hilton Jefferson, Coleman Hawkins and Vic Dickenson as well as some lesser known but superb players such as Ted Nash and Hank D'Amico.

This episode of the Jazz Focus focuses on the 1937 sessions done by trombonist Dicky Wells when he was with Teddy Hill's band on a tour of Europe . . recorded for Swing in July, 1937 these feature Wells with Bill Coleman, Shad Collins, Bill Dillard, Howard Johnson, Django Reinhardt, Roger Chaput, Sam Allen, Dick Fullbright and Bill Beason . . all instrumental!

A great English band from 1931-34 also featuring jazz players like Nat Gonella, Lew Davis, Freddy Gardner, Laurie Payne, Max Goldberg.  Noble's arrangements were very much ahead of their time and influenced later big band writers like Glenn Miller and Claude Thornhill.  In addition to that, Bowlly was one of the most underrated singers of the period - very much in Bing Crosby's class.

Hoagy's first records with territory bands and also member of the Paul Whiteman Orchestra.  Songs like "March of The Hoodlums" should really be revived!  Hoagy sings, arranges, composes and plays piano (and cornet) on these records.

The great, if somewhat forgotten Bebop trumpet player who was really the only rival to Dizzy Gillespie in terms of range, power and sound.  This program features his recordings for the Savoy label - under his own name and with Dexter Gordon, Eddie "LockJaw" Davis and Tadd Dameron.  In addition to these musicians, listen also to Ernie Henry, Leo Parker, Charlie Rouse and Art Blakey.

These are the twelve sides recorded by, I would argue, the greatest edition of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra.  In effect a swan song, these were recorded in the fall of 1934 for the brand new Decca label just before the band broke up in November, with Henderson moving on to begin his association with Benny Goodman before reforming his band in 1936.  This group features solos from just about everyone except lead trumpet Russell Smith .  .Irving Randolph and Red Allen on trumpets, Keg Johnson and Claude Jones on trombone, Hilton Jefferson, Russell Procope and for one number Benny Carter on alto sax, Ben Webster on tenor sax, Buster Bailey on clarinet, Fletcher and Horace Henderson on piano, Lawrence Lucie on guitar, Elmer James on bass and Walter Johnson on drums, with arrangements by the Hendersons, Carter, Russ Morgan and Will Hudson.  The first recordings of the Swing Era were these!

This program is devoted to the recordings made under Clarence Williams' name that featured his fellow New Orleans native, King Oliver.  Made between May and December of 1928, most of these recordings feature the 1920's version of a big band with solos by Oliver, Buster Bailey, Arville Harris, Ed Cuffee and Benny Waters with a cameo by Eddie Lang.

The first of the jazz albums presented  George Avakian when he was still a college student!  This one was devoted to the white musicians active on the Chicago Jazz scene in the 1920's who were still playing in 1940.  These were players who were teenagers in the 1920's and who haunted places like the Lincoln Gardens to hear the music played by great New Orleans players.  Sessions led by Eddie Condon, Jimmy McPartland and George Wettling and featuring Max Kaminsky, Pee Wee Russell, Bud Freeman, Boyce Brown, Dave Tough and Joe Marsala demonstrate how the style grew.

Another idea of George Avakian's, this 1940 album celebrates some of the New Orleans jazz pioneers still active at the time in new recordings,  Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Jimmie Noone, Johnny Dodds, Red Allen and Zutty Singleton lead the sessions featuring Wellman Braud, Ed Hall, Natty Dominique, Baby Dodds, Lonnie Johnson and Lil Hardin Armstrong among others.

From the mind of George Avakian, this series of record dates was made in 1940 (with one exception) and released as an album celebrating the music of Kansas City of the late 1920's and 30's.  Count Basie and Andy Kirk are the featured bands, with small group sessions by Mary Lou Williams, Hot Lips Page, Eddie Durham, Pete Johnson and Joe Turner as well.