Hell's Bells

The fourth entry in the Classics' series, this set shows the Lunceford orchestra in fine form. It's easy to see why they were regarded as one of the top bands of the era. Looking at the title, Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet seems to promise something dreary from days gone by. Au contraire, Lunceford et al give another jumping performance. Dan Grissom does a fine job on vocals (track 18) that reminds me of Pha Terrell of Andy Kirk's 12 Clouds Of Joy, only much better. Trummy Young does a fair job as well on the title of this post. From Allmusic.com, "For this entry in Classics' complete reissuance of Jimmie Lunceford's recordings, the biggest news for the band was the addition of trombonist Trummy Young who, in addition to being a major soloist, had vocal hits in "Margie" and "'Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It)." Other highlights of this well-rounded CD include "Annie Laurie," "Sweet Sue" and "By the River Saint-Marie." Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Hell's Bells
02. For Dancers Only
03. Posin'
04. The First Time I Saw You
05. Honey, Keep Your Mind On Me
06. Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet
07. Pigeon Walk
08. Like A Ship At Sea
09. Teasin' Tessie Brown
10. Annie Laurie
11. Frisco Fog
12. Margie
13. The Love Nest
14. I'm Laughing Up My Sleeve
15. Down By The Old Mill Stream
16. My Melancholy Baby
17. Sweet Sue, Just You
18. By The River Sainte Marie
19. Rainin'
20. 'Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It)
21. Cheatin' On Me
22. Le Jazz Hot
23. Time's A-Wastin'

Hittin' The Bottle

The second in this series, with some good performances. From Allmusic.com, "The second of Classics' reissuance of all the master takes of Jimmie Lunceford's recordings finds the orchestra gaining in popularity and in power. Among the highlights (most of the songs were arranged by Sy Oliver or Ed Wilcox) are "Since My Beat Gal Turned Me Down," "Rhythm Is Our Business," "Shake Your Head," "Sleepy-Time Gal," "Four or Five Times" and "Swanee River." The high musicianship and clean ensembles (along with the showmanship) are most impressive and the concise solos (particularly from altoist Willie Smith, tenor saxophonist Joe Thomas and trumpeter Sy Oliver) are enjoyable and fit in logically as part of the arrangements." Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Chillun, Get Up
02. Solitude
03. Rain
04. Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down
05. Jealous
06. Rhythm Is Our Business
07. I'm Walking Through Heaven With You
08. Shake Your Head (From Side To Side)
09. Sleepy Time Gal
10. Bird Of Paradise
11. Rhapsody Junior
12. Runnin' Wild
13. Four Or Five Times
14. (If I Had) Rhythm In My Nursery Rhymes
15. Babs
16. Swanee River
17. Thunder
18. Oh Boy
19. I'll Take The South
20. Avalon
21. Charmaine
22. Hittin' The Bottle

Stomp It Off

Stomp it off, indeed. This orchestra could get syncopate. I'm getting lazier on writing my own notes, so here's from Wiki. "Comedy and vaudeville played a distinct part in Lunceford's presentation. Songs such as "Rhythm Is Our Business", "I'm Nuts about Screwy Music", "I Want the Waiter (With the Water)", and "Four or Five Times" displayed a playful sense of swing, often through clever arrangements by trumpeter Sy Oliver and bizarre lyrics. Lunceford's stage shows often included costumes, skits, and obvious jabs at mainstream white jazz bands, such as Paul Whiteman's and Guy Lombardo's. Despite the band's comic veneer, Lunceford always maintained professionalism in the music befitting a former teacher; this professionalism paid off and during the apex of swing in the 1930s, the Orchestra was considered the equal of Duke Ellington's, Earl Hines' or Count Basie's. This precision can be heard in such pieces as "Wham (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam)", "Lunceford Special", "For Dancers Only", "Uptown Blues", and "Stratosphere". The band's noted saxophone section was led by alto sax player Willie Smith. Lunceford often used a conducting baton to lead his band."

And from Allmusic.com, "The first in Classics' "complete" Jimmie Lunceford series has two titles apiece from 1930 (when the band was based in Tennessee) and 1933 along with its first six sessions for Decca in 1934. Lunceford's band had an immediately recognizable sound by 1934 and, despite the presence of such top soloists as altoist Willie Smith, tenor-saxophonist Joe Thomas and high-note trumpeter Tommy Stevenson, it was its arranged ensembles (particularly those of Sy Oliver) that gave the orchestra its musical identity. Among the better selections on this CD are "Flaming Reeds And Screaming Brass," "White Heat," "Swinging' Uptown," "Rose Room," "Miss Otis Regrets" and the band's fresh interpretations of Duke Ellington's "Black And Tan Fantasy" and "Mood Indigo." Tracks 1 and 2 are by Jimmie Lunceford and His Chickasaw Syncopators. Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. In Dat Mornin'
02. Sweet Rhythm
03. Flaming Reeds And Screaming Brass
04. While Love Lasts
05. White Heat
06. Jazznocracy
07. Chillun Get Up
08. Leavin' Me
09. Swingin' Uptown
10. Breakfast Ball
11. Here Goes (A Fool)
12. Remember When
13. Sophisticated Lady
14. Mood Indigo
15. Rose Room
16. Black And Tan Fantasy
17. Stratosphere
18. Nana
19. Miss Otis Regrets
20. Unsophisticated Sue
21. Stardust
22. Dream Of You
23. Stomp It Off
24. Call It Anything (It Wasn't Love)
25. Because You're You

I'm Nuts About Screwy Music

Lunceford is another I picked up solely because I like the Classics series, and I wasn't disappointed. His swing band rivaled those of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Count Basie and was known for professionalism and showmanship and a sound that made a dance hall jump. Swing, gate. +

Tracks

1. My Blue Heaven
2. I'm Nuts About Screwy Music
3. The Best Things in Life Are Free
4. The Melody Man
5. Organ Grinder's Swing
6. On the Beach at Bali-Bali
7. Me and the Moon
8. Living from Day to Day
9. Tain't Good (Like a Nickel Made of Wood)
10. Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)
11. I Can't Escape from You
12. Harlem Shout
13. (This Is) My Last Affair
14. Running a Temperature
15. Count Me Out
16. I'll See You in My Dreams
17. He Ain't Got Rhythm
18. Linger Awhile
19. Honest & Truly
20. Slumming on Park Avenue
21. Coquette
22. The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
23. Ragging the Scale