Jazz Focus

Bob Wallis was a good trumpet player who played in Acker Bilk's first groups before founding his own. These 1957-61 recordings sample the first part of his bandleading career featuring Bilk, Keith "Avo" Avison on trombone, Doug Richmond on clarinet, Hugh Rainey on banjo, Dick Heckstall-Smith on soprano sax, a very young, pre-Cream Ginger Baker on drums and others . . all playing in a solid four beat New Orleans style

The legendary New Orleans clarinetist returned home in the early 1940's and led bands there until he died in 1949. This group was a regular eight piece group modeled after the Bob Cats and featuring Whimpy Miller, Julian Lane, Steve Giarratano, Pete Laudeman, Bunny Franks and Charlie Dukes.

Garner was known primarily as a solo pianist or by working in a trio, but early in his career he played as a sideman with several groups (strange, given that he didn't read music). Here we hear him small groups led by Wardell Gray, Don Byas, Charlie Parker and Lucky Thompson (also with Stuff Smith) and a big band led by Georgie Auld (with Dizzy Gillespie, Trummy Young, Al Cohn and Al Killian).

Mezzrow was never a great clarinet player, but certainly was a great character and excelled at surrounding himself with very good musicians. These versions of the Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra and Swing band include Teddy Wilson, Willie The Lion Smith, Sonny White, Frankie Newton, Max Kaminsky, Sy Oliver, J.C. Higginbotham, Floyd O'Brien, Bud Freeman, Benny Carter, Johnny Russell, Happy Caldwell, Pops Foster, Wellman Braud and others

The buoyant alto player known for his 1930's recordings is here presented leading bands in the 1940's that go from swing to bop to rhythm and blues . . records for Savoy and World Transcriptions featuring Jonah Jones and Ed Lewis on trumpets, Zed Jackson and Ray Parker on piano, Al Casey and Bill Moore on electric guitar, Dallas Bartley on bass, Ed Nicholson on drums and others.

The amazingly progressive tenor saxophonist Byas in four quartet sessions featuring slightly different personnel - Erroll Garner, Johnny Guarnieri, Slam Stewart, Al Hall, Eddie Safranski, Sid Catlett, Doc West and J.C. Heard - doing a varied program of standards, blues and originals

The great Harlem stride pianist Johnson recorded many piano rolls for various companies including QRS, Universal and Perfection, creating an early prototype of the stride style. Here he is featured playing his own compositions as well as interpretations of other tunes from Tin Pan Alley and the black theatre, including one duet with his erstwhile student Fats Waller

Johnny Windhurst was born in 1926 and by the time he was in his late teens was playing with Eddie Condon and Sidney Bechet. Here is a sampling of his work - informed in equal parts by Bobby Hackett and Louis Armstrong. Sidney Bechet's New Orleans Rhythm Kings (with Pops Foster), Eddie Condon and His Band (with Cutty Cutshall, Ed Hall and Gene Schroeder), Barbara Lea and the Billy Taylor Quintet, Walt Gifford's New Yorkers (with Condon, Eddie Hubble, Dick Cary and Bob Mitchell) and his own quartet in Boston.

Sidney Bechet's New Orleans Rhythm Kings live from the Savoy Cafe in Boston, May 1945. For three weeks following the disastrous run with Bechet and Bunk Johnson, the New Orleans trumpet player Peter Bocage was brought in and he is featured on about six broadcasts, which are sampled here! Also featuring Ray Parker on piano, Pops Foster on bass, George Thompson on drums and on two tunes Brad Gowans on valve trombone

Studio band led by the New Orleans trumpeter Wingy Manone for Vocalion, OKeh and Banner in 1934 and 1935. Using members of the Ben Pollack Orchestra (Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller, Gil Bowers, Nappy Lamare, Harry Goodman, Ray Bauduc) Manone recorded a mix of original jazz tunes and Tin Pan Alley pops with a driving rhythm and outstanding solos.