Lucky Millinder

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

OK - one New Year's resolution for me was to explore Lucky Millinder's recordings. So, getting off on the right foot today, I've ordered three Chronological Classics CDs from Amazon Germany at a pretty good price. They are

1941-1942

1943-1947

1947-1950

There are a further 24 tracks the band cut between 1951 and 1955. Is there another Chronological Classics CD, which I couldn't find on any of the European Amazons, covering this period? Or what is the best way to get the recordings of this period?

MG

[Swinging Swede]

Excellent decision! Lucky Millinder had a great band. I'm particulary fond of the 1941-42 recordings. Some of those tracks are among the best big band sides ever laid down, for example Apollo Jump, Savoy and two tracks featuring Dizzy Gillespie: Mason Flyer and Little John Special, the latter using the 'Salt Peanuts' riff just three days before the regrettable recording ban started. There are also gospelish tracks, some featuring Sister Rosetta Tharpe. As the 40s went on the band became more R&B-ish of course.

As for the 1951-55 King recordings no Classics CD exists, yet anyway. The latest volume, from 2001, says "To be continued..." so one was probably planned, but the release pace is very slow these days, and the label's future uncertain, so who knows whether the fourth volume ever will materialize? If Jaffa were here, he might be able to say something about it.

There is however an OOP Charly CD, which shouldn't be too hard to find, called Ram-Bunk-Shush, that has 16 of the 20 1951-55 tunes, although some of them are alternate takes of the originally released versions. When you say 24 tracks, you are counting alternate takes also, right? The Charly CD is in any case currently the best choice I'm aware of for the 1951-55 recordings.

[Swinging Swede]

Update: I looked around and there is a Collectables CD from 2005, which has all King recordings except four. The good news is that those four tunes are different from the four tunes missing from the Charly CD. This means that if you buy both CDs you will have all the King tunes. If the Collectables CD has the master takes, it also means that the only thing you will be missing is the master take of Old Spice (the Charly CD has an alternate).

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Gorblesher young master! I hadn't tried to work out what was on these CDs. I'm most grateful for your knowledge of this underrated band.

MG

[mikeweil]

I have quite a bit of Millinder on LP - should dig 'em out over Christmas. Very groovy band, good players, and I dig Bullmoose Jackson a lot.

[Chuck Nessa]

I would say it is time for Goldie to work backwards to the roots of the Millinder band and check out the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. This group along with Ellington and Calloway bands was the backbone of the Mills organization.

[AllenLowe]

who put the whiskey in the well?

[BruceH]

Excellent decision! Lucky Millinder had a great band. I'm particulary fond of the 1941-42 recordings. Some of those tracks are among the best big band sides ever laid down, for example Apollo Jump, Savoy and two tracks featuring Dizzy Gillespie: Mason Flyer and Little John Special, the latter using the 'Salt Peanuts' riff just three days before the regrettable recording ban started. There are also gospelish tracks, some featuring Sister Rosetta Tharpe. As the 40s went on the band became more R&B-ish of course.

As for the 1951-55 King recordings no Classics CD exists, yet anyway. The latest volume, from 2001, says "To be continued..." so one was probably planned, but the release pace is very slow these days, and the label's future uncertain, so who knows whether the fourth volume ever will materialize? If Jaffa were here, he might be able to say something about it.

There is however an OOP Charly CD, which shouldn't be too hard to find, called Ram-Bunk-Shush, that has 16 of the 20 1951-55 tunes, although some of them are alternate takes of the originally released versions. When you say 24 tracks, you are counting alternate takes also, right? The Charly CD is in any case currently the best choice I'm aware of for the 1951-55 recordings.

Hey, I've got that Charly CD! As I recall, it's good listening.

[Big Beat Steve]

Here's another one who's picked up all the vinyl featuring the Lucky Millinder band that he has been able to get. :D This is one band that really stands out in the swing/R&B scene of the 40s with some seriously jumping music!

And I agree with Chuck Nessa - if you are into Lucky, check out his roots with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band too!

But I feel the "Ram-Bunk-Shush" material from the 50s (I have 16 tracks of it on an Official LP and assume this doubles most of the Charly CD) is not quite on the level of his 40s recordings. Nice enough but lacking a bit in originality and punch here and there; as if Lucky was increasingly playing it safe. But if the price is right and you are in a completist mood ... grab it anyway!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I would say it is time for Goldie to work backwards to the roots of the Millinder band and check out the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. This group along with Ellington and Calloway bands was the backbone of the Mills organization.

Thanks Chuck - never come across them, though I've heard the name. Gimme a chance to get better acquainted with Millinder, though

MG

[Big Beat Steve]

Speaking of Lucky Millinder reissues, I assume the Classics CD's contain only (or mostly) the commercially issued studio recordings.

With a romping band like Millinder's, it's a clear extra treat catching it on live/non-commercial recordings so if you come across the following LP's in secondhand bins at a good price you could do worse than grab these:

- Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra 1941-43 - Alamac QSR 2425 (broadcasts, probably from the Savoy Ballroom)

- Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra Featuring Sistes Rosetta Tharpe 1943-44 - Kaydee 6 (same contents also on Bandstand BS 7134) (Jubilee broadcasts and transcriptions)

- Lucky Millinder & HOs Orchestra 1942 - Hindsight HSR 233 (transcriptions, actually some of them from 1945, duplicates some of the Kaydee/Bandstand contents)

No idea if much of this has been reissued since on CD (don't think so).

Enjoy!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Ah, those sound interesting. Thanks Steve.

MG

[JSngry]

- Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra 1941-43 - Alamac QSR 2425 (broadcasts, probably from the Savoy Ballroom)

Alamac!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Was Alamac one of those labels you were referring to in that thread about Don Byas sessions?

MG

[JSngry]

Alamac was a bootleg label of the late 70s. Very hit-and-run, now you see 'em, now you don't, but the stuff they were putting out was mostly...deeply rare.

[Swinging Swede]

There are a further 24 tracks the band cut between 1951 and 1955. Is there another Chronological Classics CD, which I couldn't find on any of the European Amazons, covering this period?

Pulling up this thread to mention that the next batch will include the final Millinder volume!

Classics 1460: Lucky Millinder 1951-1960

Perhaps someone was reading this thread?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

There are a further 24 tracks the band cut between 1951 and 1955. Is there another Chronological Classics CD, which I couldn't find on any of the European Amazons, covering this period?

Pulling up this thread to mention that the next batch will include the final Millinder volume!

Classics 1460: Lucky Millinder 1951-1960

Perhaps someone was reading this thread?

Great news! Thanks SS. Do you have an idea when?

MG

[Swinging Swede]

I don't know, but there have been several months between recent batches, unlike in the old days when a new batch was released monthly. I'm just hoping it will come out at all. The future for the label is very uncertain as you can see in the thread about it. I fear that each batch can be the last, although I hope that the label will continue for a long time to come. There are so many artists left to complete.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Cross fingers then.

By the way, 1960 is a funny date to end the compilation on. Are they going to wait until the 1960 material becomes copyright free?

MG

[Swinging Swede]

The only material on the CD that isn't yet in the public domain is a couple of Warwick tracks that are thought to be from 1960. I guess they figure that noone is going to sue them for their inclusion. Without them Millinder's discography wouldn't be complete on Classics. Perhaps they even had intended to release it later but the interest expressed in this thread urged them to release it sooner?

It has actually happened on a few occasions before that Classics CDs have included material not quite yet 50 years old. In 2003 they released Cab Calloway 1949-1955 which ended with two Bell tracks that were listed as "c. 1955" and before that two tracks for the same label listed as "c. 1954". In the Blues & Rhythm series there is also a release titled Jim Wynn 1947-1959. I don't have it, but probably it ends with something that is a lot later than the rest.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

The only material on the CD that isn't yet in the public domain is a couple of Warwick tracks that are thought to be from 1960. I guess they figure that noone is going to sue them for their inclusion. Without them Millinder's discography wouldn't be complete on Classics. Perhaps they even had intended to release it later but the interest expressed in this thread urged them to release it sooner?

It has actually happened on a few occasions before that Classics CDs have included material not quite yet 50 years old. In 2003 they released Cab Calloway 1949-1955 which ended with two Bell tracks that were listed as "c. 1955" and before that two tracks for the same label listed as "c. 1954". In the Blues & Rhythm series there is also a release titled Jim Wynn 1947-1959. I don't have it, but probably it ends with something that is a lot later than the rest.

Thanks - that's interesting.

MG