Jazz Focus

The records Louis Armstrong made with Maggie Jones in 1924 were ones he singled out as favorites of his later in his life.  Here she is featured on four numbers with him (including the very special "Does Anyone Here Want to Try My Cabbage?") one with Charlie Green, and several with Fletcher Henderson units, members of the Original Indiana Five, and an Elmer Snowden group.

The 1976-78 recordings by the Anachronic Jazz Band were both traditional and innovative.  By taking tunes by Bebop and later composers (Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane) and filtering them through a 1920's sensibility they showed the continuity of the Jazz tradition with great arrangements of and solos on tunes like "Round Midnight," "Yardbird Suite," "Giant Steps" and "Joy Spring."

Mary Lou Williams was one of the finest pianists of the 1920's and 30's  . . . she was also a very under-appreciated arranger and composer.  Her work here on the early Andy Kirk and His Clouds Of Joy recordings as well as a couple of earlier sides with her then-husband, reedman John Williams show a fine combination of playing, composing and arranging.  Kirk's band was also one of the hottest and most interesting groups in Kansas City at that point.

This is a look at the sessions Dizzy Gillespie led in 1945 -46 without Charlie Parker.  The Diz and Bird sides have received a lot of attention, but the recording dates that Parker wasn't hired (or just didn't show up) for are fascinating as well.  Gillespie leads and is heavily featured on tunes with Don Byas, Lucky Thompson, Dexter Gordon, Trummy Young, Clyde Hart, Al Haig and someone who may or may not be Thelonious Monk.

An examination of the duet recordings made by Classic Blues singer Bessie Smith and stride pianist James P. Johnson in October 1929.

A reunion of the stars of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra in 1956 - Rex Stewart, Dick Vance, Taft Jordan, Joe Thomas, Emmett Berry, Dickie Wells, Benny Morton, JC Higginbotham, Buster Bailey, Hilton Jefferson, Garvin Bushell, Ben Websters, Coleman Hawkins, Rudy Rutherford, Red Richards, Al Casey, Bill Pemberton, Jimmy Crawford . . Henderson arrangements and a few new things.

The roots of Western Swing  - Roy Newman and His Boys - string band with piano and clarinet playing Jazz 

A look at the Gold Coast Jazz Band of Chicago, circa 1960 featuring Ted Butterman, Kim Cusack, John Cooper, Art Gronwall, Peter Niegaard, Bob Sundstrom, Mike Walbridge, Ransom Knowling, Wayne Jones and Booker T Washington