Jazz Focus

Goodman was on a fishing trip to Florida in August, 1959 when he heard a little group led by trombonist Bill Harris and tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips and decided to record with them . . this led to several tours and long engagements with a combination of Harris and Phillips with members of the Red Norvo orchestra, including Norvo himself, trumpeter Jack Sheldon, alto and flutist Jerry Dodgion, pianists Gene DiNovi and Russ Freeman, guitarist Jimmy Wyble, bassist Red Wooten and drummer John Markham.  Using arrangements by Harris, Phillips, Norvo, Al Cohn and Mel Powell, this group sounded like a progressive big band and Goodman's playing was never better!

The bandleader Barnet's greatest influence was Duke Ellington - as an  alto and soprano saxophone player he channeled Johnny Hodges and his trumpet player Bobby Burnet was a devotee of Cootie Williams.  These 1939-42 records (mostly for Bluebird) feature the arrangements of Billy May, who had a unique way of recreating the Ellington sound.  Also heard are Bill Miller on piano, Don McCook on clarinet, Peanuts Holland, Bernie Privin and Roy Eldridge on trumpets and Bus Etri on guitar

After leaving Benny Goodman's band in 1942, Williams put a driving big band together that explored both the new Bebop sounds as well as early rhythm and blues.  These recordings featuring the leader playing at the top of his game, assisted by Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson on vocals and alto, John Jackson and Rupert Cole on alto, Sam The Man Taylor, Edwin Johnson and Lee Pope on tenors, Arnold Jarvis on piano, Gene Redd on vibraphone, Robert Horton and Ed Johnson on trombone and Bob Merrill on vocals.

The band that recorded the soundtrack to the film "Pete Kelly's Blues" was the cream of West Coast Dixieland - Dick Cathcart, Moe Schneider, Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller, Ray Sherman, George Van Eps, Jud De Naut and Nick Fatool.  Almost the same group (with Abe Lincoln, Phil Stephens, Al Hendrikson and Stanley Wrightsman) also recorded as Matty Matlock's Dixie Men . . great jazz!

Great 1955 sessions by one of Condon's best bands (Wild Bill Davison, Bobby Hackett, Cutty Cutshall, Ed Hall, Gene Schroeder, Dick Cary, Walter Page, George Wettling) recording Bix Beiderbecke-related tunes for Columbia . . a few from other sessions featuring Pee Wee Russell, Bob Wilber, Billy Butterfield, Peanuts Hucko, Jack Lesberg, and Leonard Gaskin round out the program.

One of the few true Bebop clarinet players, DeFranco is here featured in his own quintets and sextets recording for Capitol and MGM with Teddy Charles, Jimmy Raney, Kenny Drew, Max Roach and others playing standards and a few originals.

At the dawn of the Swing Era, Ellington was in a bit of a funk . . his recording opportunities were less and the Depression had limited opportunities.  Fortunately, his creativity came back quickly, mostly in answer to the swing style beginning to establish itself.  With a band including Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Otto Hardwick, Wellman Braud (replaced by both Hayes Alvis and Billy Taylor), Sonny Greer and Ivy Anderson, he always sounded like himself.

Great 1940's and 50's sessions by the Chicago stride pianist doing solos and trios (with Walter Page, Bob Casey and George Wettling) of unpublished Fats Waller compositions!

The legendary cornetist at the halfway point in his tenure with Duke Ellington, featured on four small group sessions.  Two sessions are his own group of Ellingtonians recording for RCA Victor (including Lawrence Brown, Ben Webster, Harry Carney, Ellington, Jimmy Blanton and Sonny Greer) and two for the Hot Record Society . . one of those by Rex Stewart's Big Seven (with Brown, Barney Bigard, Billy Kyle, Brick Fleagle, Wellman Braud, Dave Tough) and one by Jack Teagarden's Big Eight (Bigard, Webster, Kyle, Fleagle, Billy Taylor and Tough).

Great band featured on V Disc and a live concert at Town Hall . . with Remo Palmieri, Teddy Wilson, Aaron Sachs, Shorty Rogers, Eddie Bert, Slam Stewart, Specs Powell and others, but the real focus is the leader's vibraphone and xylophone.