Back Home Again In Indiana

While the last post included some of the first Chick Bullock tunes I managed to find on CD, Bullock had been recording for nearly two years by then (August, 1931). The Bill Coleman collection here (which really jumps about for something "chronological") includes the final two recording sessions by Chick Bullock. Both listed as Chick Bullock and His All Star Orchestra, these were recorded on December 6, 1940 (tracks 3-6) and February 12, 1941 (tracks 7-10). "All star" is an understatement, as that was the norm with Bullock recordings. On these tracks we hear Benny Morton, Bud Freeman, Teddy Wilson and of course, Bill Coleman - each a legend in their own right. My favorite tune from this set is the title of the post. Oh, How I Hate To Get Up in the Morning strikes a chord because I hate to get up in the morning, and because yesterday was Veteran's Day TCM ran a film in which Irving Berlin sang his own song on stage. The review below suggests these cuts may have been Bullock's best recordings, yet I suggest that the reviewer hasn't heard many of his other fine sides. His sides with Mezz Mezzrow (with Arte Karle & His Boys), as well as some of his bluesier tunes from earlier in the 1930s. Lastly, it wouldn't be fair to suggest than the Bill Coleman sides sans Bullock are anything less than very good listening. Enjoy. +

From All Music Guide

This second volume of the complete recordings of Bill Coleman presented in chronological order opens with ten vocal tracks of surprising warmth and intimacy. Remember those marvelous records that Coleman made with Fats Waller and his Rhythm in the middle 1930s? These rare and pleasant performances from 1940 and '41 are faintly reminiscent of those "Rhythm" sides, although naturally neither of the vocalists heard here comes anywhere near Waller's candid charm and effervescence. Eddy Howard does sound remarkably cozy with his two little love songs, and Chick Bullock (said to have been the most heavily recorded vocalist of the 1930s) turns in what might well be his best performances on record. What really makes these pretty pop tunes sparkle and glow is the combination of great instrumentalists. Collectively speaking, trombonist Benny Morton, clarinetists Edmond Hall and Jimmy Hamilton, saxophonists Bud Freeman and George James, electric guitarist Charlie Christian and pianist Teddy Wilson tu...rn each of these songs into relatively substantial jazz. Even "Oh How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning"once Irving Berlin's famous kvetching lyrics are out of the wayswings with abandon largely thanks to the presence of master percussionist J.C. Heard. The Bill Coleman chronology leaps rather abruptly to a pair of swingtobop blowing sessions involving tenor saxophonist Don Byas recorded in Paris on January 4th and 5th 1949. Coleman sings his own "Bill's Brother's Blues" and wields his horn magnificently alongside Byas, particularly on "Liza", "What Is This Thing Called Love" and the "St. Louis Blues". This portion of the Bill Coleman story ends with a session led by pianist Jack Dieval and featuring smoky tenor saxophonist Paul Vernon. Coleman sings again, this time on "I Can't Get Started" and a briskly rendered "Tea For Two". - arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide

Tracks

1. Old Fashioned Love
2. Exactly Like You
3. Smiles
4. It Had to Be You
5. My Melancholy Baby
6. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
7. Dolores
8. Amapola
9. Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning
10. There'll Be Some Changes Made
11. Just You, Just Me
12. Bill's Brothers Blues
13. Idaho
14. B.C. Blues
15. What Is This Thing Called Love?
16. St. Louis Blues
17. Lover Man
18. Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)
19. Blues at Noon
20. I Can't Get Started
21. Jumpin' in C
22. Man I Love
23. Tea for Two
24. Blue Skies