Moanin' In The Mornin'

Taking a side trip from the hotter music (which we'll get right back to), here's another set of simply one of the best singers ever, in my opinion. This LP put together Lee Wiley's recordings of Rodgers & Hart and Harold Arlen compositions. Tracks 1, 3, 4, and 6 are with Joe Bushkin and His Orchestra. Tracks 2, 5, 7 and 8 are with Max Kaminsky and His Orchestra. Tracks 9-16 are with Eddie Condon, either with his Orchestra, the Quintet or the Sextet. As often happens, when LPs and CDs are rereleased by another distributor they felt compelled to change the cover, so I included both (the white one didn't scan too well apparently). Anyway, Enjoy! +

Tracks

01 - Baby's Awake Now (1940)
02 - Here In My Arms (1940)
03 - You Took Advantage Of Me (1940)
04 - A Little Birdie Told Me So (1940)
05 - A Ship Without A Sail (1940)
06 - I've Got Five Dollars (1940)
07 - Glad To Be Unhappy (1940)
08 - As Though You Were There (1940)
09 - Let's Fall In Love (1943)
10 - Moanin' In The Mornin' (1943)
11 - Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (1943)
12 - Stormy Weather (1943)
13 - Down With Love (1943)
14 - I've Got The World On A String (1943)
15 - Fun To Be Fooled (1943)
16 - You Said It (1943)

We Called It Music

It's been a busy time of late, so apologies for not getting this out sooner. Here we have the fourth and final volume of this Eddie Condon collection. This volume covers January 21, 1942 through August 1949, and includes more of the fantastic lineup: Max Kaminsky, Pee Wee Russell, Joe Bushkin, George Wettling, Zutty Singleton, Benny Morton, Hot Lips Page, Miff Mole (tracks 8 & 13), Billie Holiday, Bobby Hackett, as well as Jack Teagarden, Louis Armstrong and James P. Johnson. If this isn't all-star, then the term is meaningless. On top of that, there is one of the sexiest voices ever, Lee Wiley. Tracks that stand out for me are Cherry, Peg O' My Heart, Ballin' The Jack, and Georgia Cake Walk. But feel free to choose your own. Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Don't Leave Me Daddy
02. Georgia Cake Walk
03. Liberty Inn Drag
04. Indiana
05. Get Happy
06. Oh, Katharina
07. Uncle Sam's Blues
08. How Come You Do Me Like You Do
09. Clarinet Marmalade
10. Joe's Blues
11. Village Blues
12. Tiger Rag
13. Peg O' My Heart
14. Cherry
15. Ballin' The Jack
16. Jada
17. When Your Lover Has Gone
18. Wherever There's Love
19. Improvisation For March Of Time
20. Just You, Just Me
21. Atlanta Blues
22. Keeps On A-Rainin'
23. We Called It Music

Tappin' The Commodor Till

Good things come to those who wait. After taking a brief detour, here is volume three from the Eddie Condon box set. Recorded between January 17, 1938 and April 24, 1940, it starts off with Buddy Hackett & Pee Wee Russell sharing the melody of Embraceable You. One almost expects the band to bust loose, but they hold their energy for the next couple of tracks before mellowing out again with the mournful What's The Use (listen for the solitary vocal shout out during the piano bit). Generally, this is a solid set of popular tunes with the perhaps the weakest being the lone vocal track Let There Be Love sung by Doris Rhodes (who?). Regardless, the combination of Bud Freeman, Pee Wee Russell, Jack Teagarden with Eddie Condon keeping rhythm could never rightfully be called boring. These guys know how to make the joint jump. The last four tracks are a jam session at the Commodore which includes Jess Stacy on the piano. Full track information is in the scans.

Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Embraceable You
02. Tappin' The Commodore Till
03. Life Spears A Jitterbug
04. What's The Use
05. I've Found A New Baby
06. Easy To Get
07. China Boy
08. As Long As I Live
09. The Sail Fish
10. Sunday
11. Satanic Blues
12. Oh! Baby
13. I Need Some Pettin'
14. Susie
15. Big Boy
16. Let There Be Love
17. Sensation
18. Fidgety Feet
19. Tijuana
20. Copenhagen
21. Prince Of Wails
22. A Good Man Is Hard To Find, Part 1
23. A Good Man Is Hard To Find, Part 2
24. A Good Man Is Hard To Find, Part 3
25. A Good Man Is Hard To Find, Part 4