Coppin' A Plea

Anita! Oh, Anita! Ever since I heard Let Me Off Uptown, I was a fan of Krupa, Eldridge and O'Day. What a combination. I suppose this means I need to post some Gene Krupa now to complete the trilogy. For those who are interested, you can watch a video of the aforementioned song on youtube. The MOJ series often includes several alternate takes, and sometimes this can be a bit too much. Do we really need four takes of one song on the same cd? Anyway ...  After Krupa was busted for marijuana possession 1943, O'Day did a month-long stint with Woody Herman, and later a year with Stan Kenton. "Few female singers matched the hard-swinging and equally hard-living Anita O'Day for sheer exuberance and talent in all areas of jazz vocals. Though three or four outshone her in pure quality of voice, her splendid improvising, wide dynamic tone, and innate sense of rhythm made her the most enjoyable singer of the age. O'Day's first appearances in a big band shattered the traditional image of a demure female vocalist by swinging just as hard as the other musicians on the bandstand, best heard on her vocal trading with Roy Eldridge on the Gene Krupa recording "Let Me Off Uptown." After making her solo debut in the mid-'40s, she incorporated bop modernism into her vocals and recorded over a dozen of the best vocal LPs of the era for Verve during the 1950s and '60s. Though hampered during her peak period by heavy drinking and later, drug addiction, she made a comeback and continued singing into the new millennium." (Allmusic.com). Complete scans are included. Enjoy! +


Tracks

01. Two In Love
02. Stop! The Red Light's On
03. How Do
04. Coppin' A Plea
05. Bolero at the Savoy
06. Let Me Off Uptown
07. Thanks For The Boogie Ride
08. Skylark
09. Bolero At The Savoy
10. Thanks For The Boogie Ride
11. Thanks For The Boogie Ride
12. Pass The Bounce
13. Thanks For The Boogie Ride
14. Side By Side
15. Side By Side
16. Harlem On Parade
17. Harlem On Parade
18. Fightin' Doug MacArthur
19. That's What You Think
20. Barrelhouse Bessie From Basin Street
21. Deliver Me To Tennessee
22. That's What You Think

Mutiny In The Parlour

One of my favorite musicians of the era. "One of the most exciting trumpeters to emerge during the swing era, Roy Eldridge's combative approach, chance-taking style and strong musicianship were an inspiration (and an influence) to the next musical generation, most notably Dizzy Gillespie. Although he sometimes pushed himself farther than he could go, Eldridge never played a dull solo.
Roy Eldridge started out playing trumpet and drums in carnival and circus bands. With the Nighthawk Syncopators he received a bit of attention by playing a note-for-note re-creation of Coleman Hawkins' tenor solo on "The Stampede." Inspired by the dynamic playing of Jabbo Smith (Eldridge would not discover Louis Armstrong for a few years), Eldridge played with some territory bands including Zack Whyte and Speed Webb and in New York (where he arrive in 1931) he worked with Elmer Snowden (who nicknamed him "Little Jazz"), McKinney's Cotton Pickers, and most importantly Teddy Hill (1935). Eldridge's recorded solos with Hill, backing Billie Holiday and with Fletcher Henderson (including his 1936 hit "Christopher Columbus") gained a great deal of attention. In 1937 he appeared with his octet (which included brother Joe on alto) at the Three Deuces Club in Chicago and recorded some outstanding selections as a leader including "Heckler's Hop" and "Wabash Stomp." By 1939 Eldridge had a larger group playing at the Arcadia Ballroom in New York. With the decline of Bunny Berigan and the increasing predictability of Louis Armstrong, Eldridge was arguably the top trumpeter in jazz during this era.

During 1941-1942 Eldridge sparked Gene Krupa's Orchestra, recording classic versions of "Rockin' Chair" and "After You've Gone" and interacting with Anita O'Day on "Let Me Off Uptown." The difficulties of traveling with a White band during a racist period hurt him, as did some of the incidents that occurred during his stay with Artie Shaw (1944-1945) but the music during both stints was quite memorable. Eldridge can be seen in several "soundies" (short promotional film devoted to single songs) of this era by the Krupa band, often in association with O'Day, including "Let Me Off Uptown" and "Thanks for the Boogie Ride." He is also very prominent in the band's appearance in Howard Hawks' Ball of Fire, in an extended performance of "Drum Boogie" mimed by Barbara Stanwyck, taking a long trumpet solo -- the clip was filmed soon after Eldridge joined the band in late April of 1941, and "Drum Boogie" was a song that Eldridge co-wrote with Krupa.

Eldridge had a short-lived big band of his own, toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic, and then had a bit of an identity crisis when he realized that his playing was not as modern as the beboppers. A successful stay in France during 1950-1951 restored his confidence when he realized that being original was more important than being up-to-date. Eldridge recorded steadily for Norman Granz in the '50s, was one of the stars of JATP (where he battled Charlie Shavers and Dizzy Gillespie), and by 1956, was often teamed with Coleman Hawkins in a quintet; their 1957 appearance at Newport was quite memorable. The '60s were tougher as recording opportunities and work became rarer. Eldridge had brief and unhappy stints with Count Basie's Orchestra and Ella Fitzgerald (feeling unnecessary in both contexts) but was leading his own group by the end of the decade. He spent much of the '70s playing regularly at Ryan's and recording for Pablo and, although his range had shrunk a bit, Eldridge's competitive spirit was still very much intact. Only a serious stroke in 1980 was able to halt his horn. Roy Eldridge recorded throughout his career for virtually every label." (Allmusic.com). Enjoy! +

Tracks

01. I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music
02. Mutiny In The Parlour
03. I'm Gonna Clap My Hands
04. Swing Is Here
05. Wabash Stomp
06. Florida Stomp
07. Heckler's Hop
08. Where The Lazy River Goes By
09. That Thing
10. After You've Gone
11. Sittin' In
12. Stardust
13. Body And Soul
14. Forty Six, West Fifty Two
15. It's My Turn Now
16. You're A Lucky Guy
17. Pluckin' The Bass
18. I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
19. High Society
20. Muskrat Ramble
21. Who Told You I Cared
22. Does Your Heart Beat For Me

Breakin' The Ice

This set covers Louis Prima and His New Orleans Gang from September 27, 1934 through June 27, 1935, and includes some alternative tracks in the fun that was Louis Prima. Pee Wee Russell, Claude Thornhill and George van Eps are among those in the sessions (see the scan below). "A tireless showman and an underrated musical talent, Louis Prima swung his way to icon status thanks to an irresistible, infectious sound whose appeal translated across generations. Nominally a swing artist, Prima's distinctive sound also encompassed New Orleans-style jazz, boogie-woogie, jump blues, R&B, early rock & roll, and even the occasional Italian tarantella. Regardless of what form his music took, it swung hard and fast, with a rolling, up-tempo shuffle beat that helped some of his earlier material cross over to R&B audiences (his songs were also covered by jump blues artists from time to time). His greatest period of popularity coincided with his marriage to singer Keely Smith, whose coolly sophisticated vocals and detached stage manner made a perfect counterpoint to Prima's boisterous presence: mugging, clowning, and cavorting around the stage with the boundless enthusiasm of a hyperactive boy. Prima's band during this time was anchored by tenor saxophonist Sam Butera, whose grounding in jump blues and New Orleans R&B was a perfect match. Perhaps because Prima refused to take his music too seriously, sober-minded jazz critics often dismissed him as a mere entertainer, overlooking his very real talent as a jazzman. He was a capable, gravelly-voiced singer modeled on Louis Armstrong, boasting a surprising range, and was also a fine trumpet player, again in the irrepressible mold of Armstrong; what was more, he wrote Benny Goodman's perennial swing smash "Sing, Sing, Sing." Prima's impact on popular culture was also significant; his pronounced ethnicity made it safe for other Italian-American singers to acknowledge their roots, and he was the first high-profile musical act to take up regular residence in the lounges and casinos of Las Vegas, helping to start the city's transformation into a broader-based entertainment capital. His musical legacy proved long-lasting, as covers of his classics became modern-day hits for David Lee Roth and Brian Setzer; additionally, the '90s swing revival, which sought to re-emphasize the danceability and sense of fun that had largely disappeared from jazz, brought Prima's music back into the limelight (as well as the good graces of critics)." [Allmusic.com] Enjoy! +

Tracks

01. That's Where The South Begins
02. Jamaica Shout
03. Long About Midnight
04. Stardust
05. Sing It Way Down Low. Take C
06. Sing It Way Down Low. Take D
07. Let's Have A Jubilee. Take B

08. I Still Want You
09. Breakin' The Ice
10. Sing It Way Down Low. Take E
11. Let Have A Jubilee. Take C
12. House Rent Party Day
13. It's The Rhythm In Me
14. Worry Blues
15. Bright Eyes
16. Put On An Old Pair Of Shoes
17. Sugar Is Sweet And So Are You
18. I'm Living In A Great Big Way
19. Swing Me With Rhythm
20. The Lady In Red
21. Chinatown, My Chinatown
22. Chasing Shadows
23. Basin Street Blues
24. In A Little Gypsy Tea Room
25. Let's Swing It

Let's Swing It

On the second of four discs in this box set, Condon performs on some pretty good tunes. The first six tunes are with Billy Banks and Jack Bland (see the post for their Classics cd), but best of all. the vocalist on track 5 is none other than Chick Bullock. Thus proving that ... they both did a lot of session work. Also in these first April. October 1932 sessions, we can hear Henry "Red" Allen, Gene Krupa, Fats Waller, Tommy Dorsey and Pee Wee Russell among others. Tracks 7-10 and 11-12 are by Eddie Condon and His Orchestra, recorded October 21 and November 17, 1933, respectively. Check out Russell, Bud Freeman and Max Kaminsky take turns on The Eel (both takes), while Condon and the others keep things shuffling and swinging along. Madame Dynamite is another good one. Murder in The Moonlight starts off five tracks recorded with Condon's buddy Red McKenzie, who proves that even a pocket comb is a jazz instrument when used right. Next up brings in Bunny Berigan, and his signature tune I Can't Get Started. Filling out the disc are tunes performed with the bands of Jonah Jones, Putney Dandridge, Sharkey Bonano and Joe Marsala. This set covers April, 1932 thru April, 1937. See the scans for the complete information. In the meantime... Enjoy! +

Tracks

01. Bugle Call Rag
02. Oh! Peter
03. Yes Suh!
04. Who Stole The Lock
05. A Shine On Your Shoes
06. Somebody Stole Gabriel's Horn
07. The Eel
08. Tennessee Twilight
09. Madame Dynamite
10. Home Cooking
11. The Eel
12. Home Cooking
13. Murder In The Moonlight
14. Let's Swing It
15. Double Trouble
16. That's What You Think
17. Every Now And Then
18. What Is There To Say
19. Keep Smilin' At Trouble
20. I Can't Get Started
21. Sweet Thing
22. Easy To Love
23. Old Fashioned Swing
24. Wolverine Blues
25. Jazz Me Blues

Makin' Friends

Darned Blogger! This (and the next volume) were scheduled to go last week, but .... Albert "Eddie" Condon was one of the gang of young white Chicago jazz musicians in the 1920s. He started out playing banjo with Hollis Peavey's Jazz Bandits when he was 17. He worked with several members of the famed Austin High School Gang in the 1920s. In 1927 he co-led (with Red McKenzie) the McKenzie-Condon Chicagoans on a record date that helped define Chicago jazz (and featured Jimmy McPartland, Jimmy Teschemacher, Joe Sullivan, and Gene Krupa). After organizing some other record sessions, Condon switched to guitar, moved to New York in 1929, worked with Red Nichols' Five Pennies and Red McKenzie's Blue Blowers, and recorded in several settings, including with Louis Armstrong (1929) and the Rhythm Makers (1932). During 1936-1937, he co-led a band with Joe Marsala. In 1938 he led some sessions for the Commodore label and he became a star. He had a nightly gig at Nick's in New York City from 1937 to 1944. From 1944 to 1945 he led a series of recordings at Town Hall that were broadcast weekly on the radio, many of which are in circulation. This first cd from the box set covers December, 1927 through June, 1930. Condon's discography is really a Who's Who of the era, and he was known for getting people together (info available on the scans). Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Sugar
02. China Boy
03. Nobody's Sweetheart
04. Liza
05. Friars Point Shuffle
06. Darktown Strutters Ball
07. There'll Be Some Changes Made
08. I've Found A New Baby
09. Jazz Me Blues
10. Oh! Baby
11. Indiana
12. Makin' Friends
13. I'm Gonna Stomp, Mr. Henry Lee
14. That's A Serious Thing
15. Minor Drag
16. Indiana
17. Tailspin Blues
18. I Need Someone Like You
19. Hello Lola
20. One Hour
21. Girls Like You Were Meant For Boys Like Me
22. Georgia On My Mind
23. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
24. Darktown Strutters Ball
25. You Rascal You

Bouncing Around

Depending on your hemispheric location, here's some more Django Reinhardt to get either your summer or winter swinging in the right direction. From the liner notes of volume two, these 23 tracks were recorded between September 9 and December 28, 1937. The opening sides illustrate the Louis Armstrong influence on Philippe Brun. Django then plays two tremendous solos, discretely accompanied by guitar and bass. The next few sides by the Quintette are not particularly well-known, but swing incredibly. On December 14th, Django and his friends recorded two very ambitious sides. Their experiment with Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" proves not entirely successful, whereas "Mabel" includes several highly exciting passages. Violinist Michel Warlop then turns in two attractive sides with mostly obscure musicians, the group anchored by Reinhardt's solid guitar. Even better are the trio sides recorded just before Christmas. A few days later, Django cut another pair of unforgettable solos, "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Tea For Two." The last four cuts again belong to Philippe Brun: his studio band includes the top French swing musicians of the late thirties on two of Brun's most remarkable recordings. Enjoy. +

Tracks

Philippe Brun
01. Whoa Babe
02. P.B. Flat Blues

Django Reinhardt
03. Saint-Louis Blues
04. Bouncing Around

Django Reinhardt et le Quintette du Hot Club de France
05. Minor Swing
06. Viper's Dream
07. Swinging with DJango
08. Paramount Stomp

Quintette du Hot Club de France
09. Bolero
10. Mabel
11. My Serenade

Michel Warlop et son Orchestre
12. Serenade for a Wealthy Widow
13. Taj Mahal
14. Organ Grinder's Swing

Django Reinhardt
15. You Rascal, You

Michel Warlop et son Orchestre
16. Tea for Two
17. Chirstmas Swing

Django Reinhardt
18. Sweet Georgia Brown
19. Tea for Two

Philippe Brun
20. Blues

Philippe Brun et son Swing Band
21. Easy Going
22. College Stomp
23. Harlem Swing