FrancoisD

1365 : SY OLIVER 1949-52 1366 : BENNY GOODMAN 1945 (vol. 2) 1367 : GENE AMMONS 1950-51 1368 : ARTIE SHAW 1946-50 1369 : RED NICHOLS 1929-30 5101 : BIG BILL BROONZY 1951 5102 : JOHNNY OTIS 1950 5103 : T.J. FOWLER 1948-53 5104 : PAULA WATSON 1948-53 5105 : BULL MOOSE JACKSON 1947-50

Available July 20 in France : 1370 : ERROLL GARNER 1952-53 1371 : GEORGIE AULD 1946-51 1372 : DON BYAS 1952 1373 : BUD POWELL 1951-53 1374 : LOUIS PRIMA 1945 Blues & Rhythm Series : 5106 : TINY GRIMES 1949-51 5107 : MABEL SCOTT 1951-55 5108 : JOE LIGGINS 1948-50 5109 : MUDDY WATERS 1950-52

This box set was issued in Germany in 1986 as a limited edition only. It has 60 tracks from Dorsey's tenure with RCA Victor, 1935-50. This was my very first CD box purchase. The sound is extremely uneven, with little or no remastering.

There were several omissions and errors in my listing for the August 1960 sessions. This is corrected below : (KK) same personnel as (II) : Chicago, August 24, 1960 15319-4 Travelin' Light-vJW/aFF 52054 15320-1 Mean Old World-vJW/aFF 52054 15321-7 Confessin' The Blues-vJW/aFF (LL) same personnel as (II) : Chicago, August 25, 1960 15322-4 Night Time Is The Right Time-vJW/aFF 52054 15323-6 Keep Your Hand On Your Heart (-1)-vJW/aFF 52054, 52093 (-1) Basie plays organ (MM) same personnel as (II) Chicago, August 26, 1960 15324-7 Chains Of Love-vJW/aFF 52054, 52093 15325-1 Mean Mistreater-vJW/aFF 52054, 52093 15326 Tomorrow Night -vJW/aFF rejected (NN) same personnel as (II) Chicago, August 27, 1960 15327-2 Key To The Highway-vJW/aFF 52054, 52093 15328-5 Lyin' Woman-vJW/aFF 52054, 52093 15326-R3 Tomorrow Night (remake)-vJW/aFF 52054 Roulette 52054 : Count Basie/Joe Williams : JUST THE BLUES Roulette 52093 : Count Basie/Joe Williams BACK TO BASIE AND THE BLUES

Bassist was Jud DeNaut, drummer was Nick Fatool. The only non-studio tracks by that edition of the Gramercy 5 I have been able to locate are : Billy Butterfield (tp), Artie Shaw (cl), Johnny Guarnieri (harpsichord), Al Hendrickson (g), Jud DeNaut (bass), Nick Fatool (d). Hollywood Palladium January 22, 1941 Dr Livingstone I Presume Hep 19 (LP), Hep CD-19 Hep CD-19 and CD 55 contain a fascinating documentation of what the Shaw 1940-41 band was playing on the Burns and Allen Show in 1940 (most of this material had never been previously listed in standard discographies) and at the Hollywood Palladium and Atlantic City's Marine Pier Ballroom in Sept. 1941. The second non-studio Gramercy 5 is from an unknown location : Same personnel as above. Listed in Vladimir Simosko's discography as "c. September 1940-March 1941" No Name Blues ASG5 ("Artie Shaw Club issue")

I LOVE Artie Shaw's music! I have often wondered why he has been so much neglected in jazz histories. Maybe that's just because he happened to be too popular in his heyday. All his orchestras have always been the epitome of taste, musicality and intonation (his sax section, in particular, was really something to hear!). As for his clarinet playing, it was simply unique. The tone he got from his instrument has never been equalled IMHO, especially in the middle phase of his career (1938-46). Later, he adopted a thinner, colder tone that was a far cry from what he'd played before, but still retained a unique quality. He also pioneered integration of Negro musicians in white bands, by hiring Billie Holiday in 1938, and then Hot Lips Page, Roy Eldridge and others... I have gathered a near-complete collection of his records, and listen to them often, thirty-five years after discovering this wonderful musician on a BBC programme.

Here's the discography (with a few typos left, sorry for that): DISC I (A) Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell (tbs), Frank Wess (as, fl), Marshall Royal (as), Eddie Lockjaw Davis (ts), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). NYC, September 19, 1957 12419-6 Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You vJW 4039, 52033 12421-1 Love Me Baby a/cJM unissued 12420-5 Confessin' The Blues vJW unissued 12422-5 J and B a/cJM unissued (B) Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Frank Wess (as, fl), Marshall Royal (as), Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). NYC, October 21, 1957 12468-4 Flight Of The Foo Birds a/cNH 52003 12469-6 Double-O a/cNH 52003 12470-8 L'il Darlin' a/cNH 52003, 52050, 52111 12471-2 Whirly-Birds a/cNH 52003, 52111 12472-14 Duet a/cNH 52003 12473-7 The Kid From Red Bank a/cNH 52003, 52111 12474-4 Midnight Blue a/cNH 52003 12475-6 Teddy The Toad a/cNH 52003 ___________________________________________________________________ © same personnel as (B) : NYC, October 22, 1957 12476-10 The Late Late Show vJW unissued 12477-4 Silks And Satins a/cJM unissued 12478-4 Sleepwalker's Serenade a/cJM CDP7-97772-2 12478-6 Sleepwalker's Serenade unissued 12479-4 The Late Late Show 4109 12480-6 Splanky a/cNH 52003 DISC II 12481-5 Fan Tail a/cN12482-6 After Supper a/cNH 52003 (D) Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Frank Wess (as, fl), Marshall Royal (as), Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). Chicago, March 4, 1958 12792-9 Blues In Hoss' Flat a/cFF 52032, 52050, 52111 12793-9 H.R.H. (Her Royal Highness) a/cTJ 52032, 52111 12794-11 How Can You Lose vJW 4061 12795-2 Five O'Clock In The Morning vJW 4061 __________________________________________________________________ (E) same personnel as (D) : NYC, April 3, 1958 12840 Pensive Miss a/cNH 52011 12841 Bag A' Bones a/cNH 52011 12842 Has Anyone Here Seen Basie? A/cNH 52011 12843 Scoot a/cNH 52011 __________________________________________________________________ (F) same personnel as (D) : NYC, April 4, 1958 12844-7 Sloo Foot a/cNH 52011 12845-6 Pony Tail a/cNH 52011 12846-11 Late Date a/cNH 52011 12847 You're A Memory vJW aNP unissued 12848-5 Tell Me Your Troubles vJW aNP rejected 12849-3 Hallelujah I Love Her So vJW aNP unissued 12849-4 Hallelujah I Love Her So vJW aNP 4103 Note: Master 12847 is YOU'RE A MEMORY by Joe Williams and the band. No tape exists of this unissued performance or the master take of 12849. The only source disc we could find was a worn 78 pressed off-center! So we've sustituted the mono master of the preceding take for the purposes of this set. On these numbers, Nat Pierce replaces Basie on piano. (G) same personnel as (D) : NYC, April 14, 1958 12897-5 A Little Tempo Please a/cNH 52011 12898-6 Count Down a/cNH 52011 12899 It's Awf'ly Nice To Be With You a/cNH 52011 12900 Cute a/cNH 52011 ____________________________________________________________________ (H) same personnel as (D) NYC, April 28, 1958 12820-3 Moten Swing aEW unissued DISC III ____________________________________________________________________ (H) Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Frank Wess (as, fl), Marshall Royal (as), Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). NYC, April 28, 1958 (continued from Disc II) 12821-2 Half Moon Street a/cFW 52032 12822-2 Who Me a/cFF 52032 12823-4 Ol' Man River aJM unissued ____________________________________________________________________ (I) same personnel as (H) : NYC, April 29, 1958 12936-9 Kansas City Shout a/cEW 52032 12937-8 Mutt & Jeff a/cTJ 52032, 52111 Tk 3 Fair And Warmer a/cEW unissued 12938 Can't Leave That Woman Alone vJW unissued 12939 Pigalle Love vJW unissued Note: The original Roulette log lists the last two items. However, no tapes of these unissued performances exist. ____________________________________________________________________ (J) same personnel as (H) : NYC, September 9, 1958 13068-10 M-Squad Theme a/cBC 4109 Note: The rest of this session is devoted to selections with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. ____________________________________________________________________ (K) same personnel as (H) : NYC, October 15, 1958 12848-R8 Tell Me Your Troubles vJW 4103 Note: The rest of this session is devoted to selections with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. ____________________________________________________________________ (L) same personnel as (H) : NYC, December 10, 1958 Tk. 5 Imagination unissued 13410-4 The Deacon a/cTJ 52032 13411-4 Speaking Of Sounds a/cTJ 52032 ____________________________________________________________________ (M) same personnel as (H) : NYC, December 12, 1958 13412-4 Segue In C a/cFF 52032, 52111 13413-6 T.V. Time a/cFF 52032 ____________________________________________________________________ (N) same personnel as (H) : NYC, December 18, 1958 13442-4 Rat Race a/cQJ 52024, 52117 13443 For Lena And Lennie a/cQJ 52024 ____________________________________________________________________ (O) same personnel as (H) : NYC, December 19, 1958 13444-8 The Big Walk a/cQJ 52024, 52117 13445-13 The Midnite Sun Never Sets a/cQJ 52024 DISC IV ____________________________________________________________________ (P) same personnel as (H) : NYC, December 20, 1958 13446-7 Meet B.B. A/cQJ 52024 13447 A Square At The Roundtable a/cQJ 52024 DISC IV (cont.) (Q) same personnel as (H) : NYC, January 24, 1959 13513-6 Muttnik a/cQJ 52024 13514-14 Jessica's Day a/cQJ 52024 13515-9 Quince a/cQJ 52024 13516-5 I Needs To Be Bee'd With a/cQJ 52024 ____________________________________________________________________ ® John Anderson, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as), Frank Wess (as, fl), Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari, fl), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). Chicago, September 24, 1959 14369-8 What Did You Win vJW 52033, 52093 14370-3 Cherry Red vJW aFF 52033 14371-5 Baby Won't You Please Come Home vJW aBM 52033 14372-5 Everyday I Have The Blues vJW 52033, 52093, 52111 ____________________________________________________________________ (S) same personnel as (H) or ® : Exact date and location unknown 14471 It's A Low Down Dirty Shame vJW 52033 ______________________________________________________________________ (U) same personnel as ® : NYC, December 16, 1959 14679-13 It Had To Be You aTJ 52036 14680-4 Back To The Apple a/cFF unissued DISC V ____________________________________________________________________ (V) John Anderson, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as), Frank Wess (as, fl), Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari, fl), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass) Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). NYC, December 18, 1959 14681-8 Give Me The Simple Life aTJ 52036 14682-18 It's A Pity To Say Goodnight aTJ 52036 ____________________________________________________________________ (W) same personnel as (V) : NYC, December 28, 1959 14683-21 Fools Rush In aTJ 52036 14684-5 Makin' Whoopee aTJ 52036 ____________________________________________________________________ (X) same personnel as (V) : NYC, December 30, 1959 14685-9 Easy Living aTJ 52036 14686-8 (Once I Had A) Secret Love aFF 52036 14687-9 Can't We Be Friends? aTJ 52036 ____________________________________________________________________ (Y) same personnel as (V) : NYC, prob. December 31, 1959 14688-11 Misty aFF 52036 14689-9 How Am I To Know? aTJ 52036 (Z) Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Al Grey,Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Billy Mitchell (ts, cl),Frank Foster (ts), Charlie Fowlkes (bari, bcl, fl), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). NYC, June 7, 1960 15060-4 The Daly Jump aCB & FG 52044 15061-4 Out The Window aFF RB-1, 52089, 52111 15062-8 Texas Shuffle aFF RB-1, 52089 ____________________________________________________________________ (AA) same personnel as (Z) : NYC, June 8, 1960 15063-7 Topsy aFF RB-1, 52089 15064-1 Swinging The Blues aFF RB-1, 52089, 52111 15065 Mama's Talkin' Soft aTJ rejected ____________________________________________________________________ (BB) same personnel as (Z) : NYC, June 9, 1960 15065-11 Mama's Talkin' Soft aTJ 52044, 52057 15066-2 Tickle Toe aFF RB-1, 52089 15067-1 Back To The Apple a/cFF 52044, 52053 15068-5 Jumpin' At The Woodside RB-1, 52081, 52111 DISC VI 15069-6 Lester Leaps In RB-1, 52081 ____________________________________________________________________ (CC) same personnel as (Z) NYC, June 14, 1960 15070-8 Shorty George aFF RB-1, 52081 15071-5 Blue And Sentimental aFF RB-1, 52081 15089-4 Doggin' Around aFF RB-1, 52089 (DD) same personnel as (Z) : NYC, June 15, 1960 15090 Not Now, I'll Tell You When rejected 15091-6 Down For Double aFF RB-1, 52081 ____________________________________________________________________ (EE) same personnel as (Z) : NYC, June 16, 1960 15092-8 Rare Butterfly a/cFF 52044, 52053 15093-7 Blue On Blue a/cFF 52044 15090-16 Not Now, I'll Tell You When a/cTJ 52044 15094-12 9:20 Special aFF RB-1, 52089 ____________________________________________________________________ (FF) same personnel as (Z) : NYC, June 22, 1960 15095-5 Taps Miller aFF RB-1, 52081 15096-6 Avenue C aFF RB-1, 52089 15097-14 Red Bank Boogie aFF RB-1, 52111 ____________________________________________________________________ (GG) same personnel as (Z) except that Gus Johnson (d) replaces Payne : NYC, June 23, 1960 15098-9 Boogie Woogie vJW RB-1, 52081 15099-10 Sent For You Yesterday vJW RB-1, 52081 15100-1 Broadway aFF RB-1, 52089, 52111 ____________________________________________________________________ (HH) same personnel as (Z) : NYC, June 24, 1960 15152-12 Swinging At The Waldorf a/cFF 52044 15153-9 Sweet nd Purty a/cTJ 52044 15154-1 Ol' Man River aJM 52044 (II) same personnel as (Z) NYC, July 12, 1960 15155-5 Dickie's Dream aFF RB-1, 52089 Session continues on Disc VII DISC VII (II) Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Billy Mitchell (ts, cl),Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari, bcl, fl), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). NYC, July 12, 1960 (continued from disc VI) 15156-5 Rock-a-bye-Basie aFF RB-1, 52081 15157-10 Every Tub aFF RB-1, 52081 ____________________________________________________________________ (JJ) same personnel as (II) except Jimmy Nottingham (tp) and Seldon Powell (ts) replace Thad Jones and Frank Foster. NYC, July 13, 1960 15158-10 Jive At Five aFF RB-1, 52081 15159-4 Time Out aFF RB-1, 52089 ____________________________________________________________________ (KK) same personnel as (II) : Chicago, August 24, 1960 15319-4 Travelin' Light vJW aFF 52054 15320-1 Mean Old World vJW aFF 52054 15321-7 Confessin' The Blues vJW aFF 52054 ____________________________________________________________________ (LL) same personnel as (II) : Chicago, August 26, 1960 15324-7 Chains Of Love vJW aFF 52054, 52093 15325-1 Mean Mistreater vJW aFF 52054, 52093 15326 Tomorrow Night vJW aFF rejected (MM) same personnel as (II) : Chicago, August 27, 1960 15327-2 Key To The Highway vJW aFF 52054, 52093 15328-5 Lyin' Woman vJW aFF 52054, 52093 15326-R3 Tomorrow Night (remake) vJW aFF 52054 ____________________________________________________________________ (OO) same personnel as (II) : LA, September 6, 1960 15339 The Wiggle Walk a/cBC (15451) 52056, 52075 15340 Katy Do a/cBC 52056 15341 Meetin' Time a/cBC 52056 DISC VIII 15342 Jackson County Jubilee a/cBC 52056 Note: Thad Jones plays cornet on 15339. ____________________________________________________________________ (PP) same personnel as (II) : LA? September 7, 1960 CAL 001 Vine Street Rumble a/cBC (15445) 52056 CAL 002 Paseo Promenade a/cBC (15448) 52056 CAL 003 Blue Five Jive a/cBC (15449) 52056 CAL 004 Miss Missouri a/cBC (15446) 52056 CAL 005 Rompin' At The Reno a/cBC (15450) 52056 CAL 006 Sunset Glow a/cBC (15447) 52056 Note: The master numbers in parentheses on these two LA sessions were assigned after the fact and reflect sequencing, not recording order. (QQ) same personnel as (II) : NYC, December 13, 1960 15632-14 Miss Lovely a/cFF unissued 15633-15 Loneliness a/cFF 52117 ____________________________________________________________________ (RR) same personnel as (II) : NYC, December 14, 1960 15634-7 Blues For Daddy-O a/cFF 52106 ____________________________________________________________________ (SS) same personnel as (II) : NYC, December 15, 1960 15635-6 Discommotion a/cFF unissued 15636-9 Unbeknownst a/cFF 52117 15637-10 Easin' It -1 a/cFF 52106 15638-12 Brotherly Shove a/cFF 52106 15639 Red Hot Mama a/cEW 52113 -1 add Clark Terry (tp), who may also appear in the trumpet section on other titles from this session. ____________________________________________________________________ (TT) Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young (tps), Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell (tbs), Benny Carter (as), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Budd Johnson,Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Sam Herman (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Irene Reid, O.C. Smith (vcl). NYC, October 30, 1961 16354-4 Goin' On a/cBC 52086 Session continues on Disc IX. DISC IX ____________________________________________________________________ (TT) Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young (tps), Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell (tbs), Benny Carter (as), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Budd Johnson, Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Sam Herman (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Irene Reid, O.C. Smith (vcl). NYC, October 30, 1961 (continued from Disc VIII) 16355-6 The Legend a/cBC 52086 16356 The Basie Twist a/cBC rejected 16357-7 The Trot a/cBC 52086 ____________________________________________________________________ (UU) same personnel as (TT) : NYC, October 31, 1961 16356 The Basie Twist a/cBC 4403, 25176 Rompin' At The Reno a/cBC unissued Note: No tape exists of this version of ROMPIN' AT THE RENO. ____________________________________________________________________ (VV) same personnel as (TT) NYC, November 1, 1961 16358-14 The Swizzle a/cBC 52086 Don't Push, Don't Pull vOCS aEW unissued Don't Worry 'Bout Me vOCS aES unissued 16360-5 Who's Blue a/cBC 52086 Note: No tape exists of the O. C. Smith vocals. Live versions from Sweden appear on MR12/MD8-135. (WW) same personnel as (TT) NYC, November 2, 1961 16364-9 Turnabout -1 a/cBC 52086 16365-6 Amoroso -2 a/cBC 52086 16366-4 Easy Money a/cBC 52086 Easy Living vIR aEW unissued Alexander's Ragtime Band vIR aEW rejected -1 Cozy Cole replaces Payne on this tune only. -2 Thad Jones (cymbal), Snooky Young (derby drum), Charles Fowlkes (claves), Basie (cowbell). Note : The Reid vocals and another take of AMOROSO with Dizzy Gillespie playing cowbell no longer exist. ____________________________________________________________________ (XX) Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young (tps), Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Eric Dixon (ts, fl), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Irene Reid (vcl). NYC, January 13, 1962 16515-14 Yes Sir, That's My Baby vIR unissued 16516-7 Untouchable vIR aEW 4411 16517-2 Alexander's Ragtime Band vIR aEW 4411 16518-4 Backwater Blues vIR unissued (YY) Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Fip Ricard (tps), Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Eric Dixon (ts, fl), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bcl, bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Art Davis (bass), Sonny Payne (d), Irene Reid (vcl). NYC, July 1, 1962 16825-6 The Elder a/cTJ 52113 16826-3 Four-Five-Six a/cFF 52106 16827-7 Toot Sweet a/cTJ 52117 16828-4 Summer Frost a/cFW 52113 16829 The Song Is You rejected ____________________________________________________________________ (ZZ) same personnel as (YY) except Gus Johnson (d) replaces Payne: NYC, July 3, 1962 16829-8 The Song Is You unissued 16830-4 I Got It Bad 52113 DISC X 16831-5 Them's That Got vIR unissued 16832-2 It Won't Be Long vIR unissued ____________________________________________________________________ (AAA) same personnel as (YY) except Major Holley (bass) replaces Art Davis, and Gus Johnson (d) replaces Sonny Payne : NYC, July 5, 1962 16849-7 Matte Jersey a/cFF 52113 16850-4 Molasses a/cJN 52117 16851-8 Thanks For The Ride 52113 ____________________________________________________________________ (BBB) same personnel as (YY) except Ike Isaacs (bass) replaces Art Davis : 16867-9 The Third Stage a/cEW unissued 16868-10 I Gotcha a/cEW unissued (CCC) same personnel as (YY) except Ike Isaacs replaces Art Davis, and Louis Bellson (d) replaces Sonny Payne : NYC, July 25, 1962 16881-8 The Touch Of Your Lips 52113 16882-7 Bluish Grey a/cTJ 52113 16883-1 It's About That Time a/cFF 52106 16884-10 Mama Dev Blues a/cFF 52106 ____________________________________________________________________ (DDD) same personnel as (CCC) : NYC, July 26, 1962 16895-5 Peppermint Pipes a/cFW 52113 16896-5 One Note Samba aLS 52113 16897-2 Basie's Jingle Bells 52111 16898-21 Lullaby Of Birdland aEW -1 52111 (edited) 16899-4 Misunderstood Blues a/cFF 52106 -1 The full version of LULLABY OF BIRDLAND is issued here for the first time. Note : Buddy Catlett is listed on bass on Roulette 52113, but he did not join the Basie band until September 1962 and is not present on these July, 1962 sessions.

The folllowing batch has just been released in France : 1345 : Benny Goodman 1944-45 1346 : Mary Lou Williams 1951-53 1347 : Dizzy Gillespie 1952-53 1348 : Joe Venuti 1933 1349 : Willie "The Lion" Smith 1950 Blues & Rhythm Series : 5086 : John Brim 1950-53 5087 : Ace Harris 1937-52 5088 : Big Mama Thornton 1950-53 5089 : Big Maybelle 1944-53 Available ca. March 20 : 1350 : Duke Ellington 1952-53 1351 : Georgie Auld 1945-46 1352 : Louis Armstrong 1952-53 1353 : Joe Sullivan 1945-52 1354 : Eddie Condon 1951-53 Blues & Rhythm Series : 5090 : Roy Brown 1951-53 5091 : Little Walter 1947-53 5092 : Terry Timmons 1950-53 5093 : Earl Bostic 1952-53

You can find all the Shorty Rogers releases on RCA, plus many other great albums from the same period on the Fresh Sound/Blue Moon website. The RCA Spain label is shown in the "Distribution Labels" column on the left ("RCA Records : Jazz and Other").

The Teddy Hill CD "Uptown Rhapsody" is apparently still available from the Hep Jazz 1000 Series webpage. In case it should be OOP, Classics 645 has exactly the same 26 tracks (the complete Hill output).

The remastering on the Metronome series is either by John R.T. Davies or Ted Kendall. I haven't had time to check the entire series, though. It must also be noted that on some of the non-studio material (airchecks, etc, such as on the Buddy Rich or Jimmy Dorsey CDs), or those sessions originally recorded for small labels (on the Nat Pierce "Boston Bust-Out" CD, for instance), the sound is naturally a bit inferior, though the results are invariably cleaner than on other issues (I have had time to compare, having been an avid collector for 35 years!). These, however, remain exceptions, and there are many instances of excellent sound on sessions not intended for commercial release (check the great Sam Donahue Navy Band CDs--an absolute must!--or the fine Boyd Raeburn discs, among others). P.S. Other labels to consider (if you are into classic jazz, of course) : Jazz Oracle, Frog, Retrieval, Sensation, Cygnet : all of their reissue albums are remastered by John R. T. Davies. Also most of the albums on Timeless Historical. If yo are interested, here is a link to the John R.T. Davies website

All seven discs have really GREAT sound, vastly superior to any previous editions, and some feature test pressings of unissued recordings not heard anywhere before. Volume 8 will soon complete the series.

They are definitely worth buying, even if you already own some of these sessions. All the material on the Wilson discs is also available on Classics (and has also been issued on the now-defunct Masters of Jazz label), but the Hep albums have a vastly superior sound, as they have all been remastered by John R.T. Davies, IMHO the best restoration engineer in the field of vintage reissues (along with Ted Kendall, who did some wonderful work on many other Heps, such as the great Artie Shaw 1944-45 3-CD set).

I have the CAPITOL JAZZ CLASSICS Japanese box (TOCJ 5621-28) from 1991. There is quite a bit of overlapping with the Mosaic CAPITOL JAZZ SESSIONS 12-CD set, except that the latter box does not include any modern jazz recordings. The Japanese CAPITOL JAZZ CLASSICS box has a few recordings that have not been available anywhere, such as the complete Buddy DeFranco 1949 Capitol sessions on Disc 8. From the same series, I also have a 5-CD box entitled THE CREATIVE WORLD OF STAN KENTON (Toshiba 5651-55), which I readily purchased in 1991 when so little Kenton material was available on CD. The five discs are arranged chronologically : -vol. 1 : Artistry In Rhythm (1940-46--includes some of the 40-41 McGregor transcriptions) -vol. 2 : Into Progressive Jazz (1946-47) These tracks were all reissued in the now OOP Mosaic Kenton CD set -vol. 3 : Innovations In Modern Music (1950-51): tracks reissued later in the (also OOP) Capitol double CD "The Innovations Orchestra". -vol. 4 : New Concepts of Artistry In Rhythm (1952-53) : also includes Mulligan's arrangement of "Swing House" which has not appeared elsewhere on CD, plus two excerpts of "City Of Glass". -vol. 5 : Standards by Kenton (1953-55): Various excerpts of "Contemporary Concepts", "Kenton Showcase", "Portraits on Standards", "Sketches On Standards", though I don't believe that Mulligan's "Limelight" has appeared elsewhere.

I have been a faithful follower of Hep since its inception in the 1970s. This label offers a rare combination of intelligent programming and topnotch remastering (usually done by John R.T. Davies or Ted Kendall, two of the greatest wizards of sound restoration). Though I am also a follower of the Classics label (being an inveterate completist), I have acquired all of Hep's issues over the years. My favourites are the two Chick Webbs (1023 and 1063), the Teddy Wilson big band album (1064), the two volumes of Claude Hopkins, the Earl Hines and Don Redman CDs, and the wonderful Artie Shaw and Thornhill material (The Thornhill series is actually a complete collection of the Columbia master takes from 1940-47, with one volume still to come). There is also an extraordinary four-volume retrospective of Ted Heath's first studio sessions (plus some airchecks), from 1944-51 in the Metronome Series. The SOUNDS OF HARLEM CD includes six wonderful dates : -The Benny Morton session from 1934 with Henry Allen, Edward Inge, Jerry Blake, Don Kirkpatrick and Manzie Johnson -The rare Buster Bailey and His Chocolate Dandies date from 1934 with Allen, Higginbotham, Benny Carter and Walter Johnson -Taft Jordan and His Mob (1935) with Teddy Wilson and John Kirby. -Freddy Jenkins and His Harlem Seven (1935) : a really fine date with Albert Nicholas, Joe Turner (piano) and Adrian Rollini (drums). -The Delta Four session from 1935 with Roy Eldridge and Joe Marsala. -The very rare date (the only one by that band to my knowledge) by Ace Harris and His Sunset Royals (1937). All of this is highly recommended.

Part of the King Jazz catalog is still available at Blue Moon

Walter Bruyninckx's discography also lists Kersey's recordings under the "Swing" heading.

None of his dates as a leader seem to have been reissued on CD, but he can be heard on the following : Henry "Red" Allen and his orchestra : Henry Allen-tp/v, J.C Higginbotham-tb,Edmond Hall-cl, Kenny Kersey-p, Billy Taylor-b, Jimmy Hoskins-d. NYC, April 17, 1941 30270- K.K. Boogie Okeh rejected Collectors' Classics 23 30270-1 K.K. Boogie Okeh 6281 Collectors' Classics 23 30270-2 K.K. Boogie Okeh rejected Collectors' Classics 23 30271-1 Sometimes I'm Happy, Part 1 Okeh rejected Collectors' Classics 23 30271- Sometimes I'm Happy, Part 1 - - 30271-2 Sometimes I'm Happy, Part 1 - - 30272- Sometimes I'm Happy, Part 2 - - 30272-1 Sometimes I'm Happy, Part 2 - - 30272-2 Sometimes I'm Happy, Part 2 - - 30273- Ol' Man River - - 30273- Ol' Man River - - 30273-1 Ol' Man River - - 30273- Ol' Man River - - 30273-2 Ol' Man River Okeh 6281, Collectors' Classics 23 NYC, July 22, 1941 30894- A Sheridan "Square" Okeh rejected, Collectors' Classics 23 30894-1 A Sheridan "Square" Okeh 6357, Collectors' Classics 23 30894- A Sheridan " Square" Okeh rejected, Collectors' Classics 23 30894- A Sheridan "Square" - - 30894-2 A Sheridan "Square" - - 30895- Siesta At The Fiesta - , Collectors' Classics 24 30895-1 Siesta At The Fiesta - - 30896-1 Indiana Okeh 6357, Collectors' Classics 24 30896-2 Indiana Okeh rejected, - 30897-1 Jack The Bellboy Okeh rejected, Collectors' Classics 24 30897- Jack The Bellboy - - 30897-2 Jack The Bellboy - - Cootie Williams and his orchestra : Cootie Williams, Milton Fraser, Joe Guy-tp, Louis Bacon-tp/v, Jonas Walker, R.H. Horton, Sandy Williams-tb, Charlie Holmes-as, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson-as/v, Bob Dorsey, Greely Walton-ts, John Wiliams-bar, Kenny Kersey-p, Norman Keenan-b, "Butch" Ballard-d. Chicago, April 1, 1942 C4205-1 Sleepy Valley Okeh rejected, Classics 827 C4206-1 Marcheta-vLB Okeh rejected, Classics 827 C4207-1 When My Baby Left Me-v EV Columbia KG 30788 (LP), Classics 827 C4208-1 Fly Right (Epistrophy) Columbia C3L-38, CBS 65392, Classics 827 Kersey's solo on "Fly Right" is one of the earliest instances of "proto-bop" piano playing, and serves as a reminder of how much the poorly documented period of 1942-44 blurred the perception of the genesis of the "new music". The same can be said of Joe Guy's "advanced" solo on the same title. Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy : Andy Kirk dir. Johnny Burris, Harry "Big Jim" Lawson-tp, Howard McGhee-tp/arr, Ted Donnelly, Milt Robinson-tb, John Harrington-cl/as/bar, Ben Smith-as, Edward Inge-cl/ts, Al Sears-ts, Kenny Kersey-p/arr, Floyd Smith-g, Booker Collins-b, Ben Thigpen-d, June Richmond-v. NYC, July 14, 1942 71050-A Hey Lawdy Mama-vJR Decca 4405, Classics 681 71051-A Boogie Woogie Cocktail-aKK Decca 4381, Classics 681 71052-A Ride On-vJR Decca 4436 71053-A McGhee Special-aHMG Decca 4405 "Boogie Woogie Cocktail" is a piano showcase for Kersey. Though the boogie format does not generally allow for much innovation, several "runs" and harmonic turns sound extremely progressive for the period. This solo was adapted from the earlier "K.K. Boogie" on the Allen session. Benny Goodman also used Kersey on the well-known "Gilly"/ "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" Charlie Christian session on December 19, 1940. Listening to the later material, the JATP sessions for instance, it seems that Kersey did not actually join the ranks of the boppers, but reverted to a much more conservative swing style. I have not heard any of the dates he made as a leader, but the choice of material and selection of sidemen suggest they were "swing" recordings.

October batch : 1325 : Lester Young 1951-52 1326 : Sidney Bechet 1950-51 1327 : Tommy Dorsey 1939 (vol. III) 1328 : Ella Fitzgerald 1952 1329 : Gene Ammons 1949-50 Blues & Rhythm Series : 5073 : Hal Singer 1948-51 5074 : T-Bone Walker 1947-50 5075 : Joe Lutcher 1947

August batch : 1315 : Don Byas 1951-52 1316 : Mildred Bailey 1943-45 1317 : Django Reinhardt 1947-51 1318 : Charlie Barnet 1940 1319 : Gene Krupa 1947-49 R & B Series : 5068 : Mabel Scott 1946-50 5069 : Lloyd Glenn 1951-52

They were issued in 1992 on a 3-CD set : Hindsight HBCD-501.

Proper Box 1 has "Leave Us Leap" and "What's This" on disc 3, plus three "Band That Swing With Strings" tracks from airchecks "Blue Moon", "Leave Us Leap" and "Moontide" on disc 4. The best-sounding edition of "What's This" and "Leave Us Leap" is on Collectables 7490 "Boogie, Ballads and Bebop". That CD also includes the previously unissued "To Be Or Not To Bebop" (not by the Swings with Strings unit), from 1947.

The "Band That Swings With Strings" only recorded twice for Columbia, on November 11, 1944 in Chicago, and January 22, 1945 in Hollywood, waxing seven titles, of which one was rejected (CCO 4295 What Is There To Say -arrEddie Finckel, rec. 11/11/44). The six issued titles were : CCO 4296-1 I Walked In (v Buddy Stewart) Col 36768 CCO 4297-1B I'll Remember Suzanne v G-Noters arr Gray Rains Col 36768 both from 11/11/44 and HCO 1231-1 Leave Us Leap (arr Eddie Finckel) Col 36802 HCO 1232 I Should Care (vLillian Lane & G-Noters, arr George Siravo Col 36784 HCO 1233 Cry And You Cry Alone (v G-Noters arr Eddie Finckel) Col 36784 HCO 1234-1 What's This (v Buddy Stewart & Dave lambert, arr Budd Johnson) Col 36802 from 1/22/45. All are available on Classics 1096, which also has two V-Disc tracks recorded by this band : "The Very Thought Of You", and "Fish Market". Only "Leave Us Leap", "Fish Market" and "What's This" may be of interest jazz-wise. A very small output, to be sure. Fortunately, several CDs featuring this band from airchecks and transcriptions have been released since the 1990s : "Leave Us Leap" Vintage Jazz Classics VJC-1047 (1993) "Live From The Palladium" (1944) Collectors' Choice CCM 1013-2 (2001) "Hollywood Palladium, January 18, 1945" Canby CACD-1003 (far from he best sonicwise!) "Drummer Man" (1944-46) Hindsight HCD-262 (1996) "V-Disc Parties 1944" (half of this CD features Benny Goodman) Notalgia Arts 3020 (2001). Classics have now reached 1946, with a total of thirteen Krupa CDs issued so far.

July batch : 1310 : Erroll Garner 1950-51 1311 : Roy Eldridge 1951 1312 : Louisiana Rhythm Kings 1929-30 (A Red Nichols-led unit featuring Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Pee Wee Russell, Adrian Rollini, Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, et al.) 1313 : Harry James 1945-46 1314 : Charlie Parker 1950-52 Blues & Rhythm Series : 5065 : Chris Powell 1949-52 (includes Clifford Brown's first recordings) 5066 : Little Esther 1951-52 5067 : Johnny Otis 1949-50

Volume II is a great set indeed, and an improvement on previous reissues : remastering was done by Ted Kendall, and most of the selections sound far cleaner than they did when this material first appeared on CD in the 90s. The one (minor) shortcoming is the discographical info, with details of the personnels and dates listed separately from the selections recorded. Similarly, no details are given regarding original issue labels or catalog numbers. Another set has also been released recently (this one remastered by John R.T. Davies with equally fine results): The Chu and Dizzy Years on Hep 1079. Both sets overlap quite a bit (most of Disc IV of the JSP set is repeated on disc I of the Hep issue), but the Hep CD picks up where JSP left off and continues the story until March 5, 1941, after which Diz was fired by Cab. The rest of the Calloway recordings up to 1955 can be found on Classics 629, 682, 996 and 1287.