Neal Pomea Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Jelly Roll Morton, Chronological Classics, 1939-40. Not as early as you might be thinking, but some very good solo piano and the sound is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted August 5, 2011 Report Share Posted August 5, 2011 (edited) One I bought recently and which has surprised me pleasantly as a prime example of some more pre-Swing era big band music (the music might well have fitted into the Jazz Oracle catalog, not only for its cleanly restored sound where John R.T. Davies had a hand again): TEXAS & TENNESSEE TERRITORY BANDS 1928-1931 (Retrieval RTR 79006) featuring Blue Steele & His Orchestra, Slim Lamar & His Southerners, Mart Britt & His Orchestra, Sunny Clapp & His Band O'Sunshine, Phil Baxter & His Orchestra (also known as Phil Baxter's Texas Tommies, according to a mention in the "Black Beauty, White Heat" book). Outside the big metropolitan centers, those Texas bands sure were among those who really had their act together. Got this last week - it's a great CD! The various lineups sound a lot more like some of the New Orleans bands of the era, with a funkier, looser thing going than some of their more buttoned-down contemporaries from the north. As well, the bass players have a much more audible, supple and swinging feel than a lot of jazz from this era. Hearing these guys, Blanton doesn't seem like such a stretch, sound-wise anyway. Could be down to the sounds guys who did the CD, I guess, but still ... Of course, putting all the "hot" tracks by these bands on a single CD isn't necessarily an accurate summation of what they were about, but these are all winners. And yes, while it may be a tick of the mind, some of it also put me in mind of western swingers like Roy Newman And His Boys, so much so that I checked lineups to see if there was any overlap. Not that I could see, but it sounds that way! Edited August 5, 2011 by kenny weir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAL Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 What's the opinion on the Armand J. Piron band. Sounds like excellent music, based on the the review of the Retrieval CD at cduniverse.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcrom Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 What's the opinion on the Armand J. Piron band. Sounds like excellent music, based on the the review of the Retrieval CD at cduniverse.com. Some of my favorite New Orleans music. Some folks might not share my enthusiasm - Piron's band was "polite" and restrained rather than hot. But there's something going on rhythmically with them that just gets under my skin. They swing in a way that only New Orleans musicians could at the time. There's plenty of improvisation going on, even if it takes the form of melodic variations rather than hot solos. And the musicians! These are the only recordings of the great Creole trumpeter Peter Bocage in his youth, and practically the only recordings at all of a couple of legendary figures: clarinetist Lorenzo Tio and pianist Steve Lewis. Don't expect this to sound like King Oliver. But on its own terms, it's great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAL Posted August 15, 2011 Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 What's the opinion on the Armand J. Piron band. Sounds like excellent music, based on the the review of the Retrieval CD at cduniverse.com. Some of my favorite New Orleans music. Some folks might not share my enthusiasm - Piron's band was "polite" and restrained rather than hot. But there's something going on rhythmically with them that just gets under my skin. They swing in a way that only New Orleans musicians could at the time. There's plenty of improvisation going on, even if it takes the form of melodic variations rather than hot solos. And the musicians! These are the only recordings of the great Creole trumpeter Peter Bocage in his youth, and practically the only recordings at all of a couple of legendary figures: clarinetist Lorenzo Tio and pianist Steve Lewis. Don't expect this to sound like King Oliver. But on its own terms, it's great. Many thanks for the review! Sounds like music to savour many times over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted August 15, 2011 Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 Got my George Lewis Mosaic today (the Bechet and Satchmo All Stars, too)... hell, why could no one tell me I didn't need the two "George Lewis & His New Orleans Stompers" volumes, then? Or do I need them because they sound considerably better than the Mosaic? Duplicates have become more and more frequent here, so I will likely just keep both versions, but I'd be interested in opinions regarding sound issued (Mosaic: 1990, American Music: 1994). Anyway, I've had the music on disc 3 of the Lewis Mosaic before, too (on that disc that came out for the 60th b-day of Blue Note... how times have changed since then, holy holy!) so it's just two thirds of disc 2 that are really new to me, but hey, there's the booklet, too, and I'm a fan of Mosaic's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted August 16, 2011 Report Share Posted August 16, 2011 The Charleston Chasers Vol 1 1925-1930 (Timeless) The Charleston Chasers Vol. 2 & New York Studio Groups 1928-1930 (Timeless) I know or have heard very little Red Nichols, so am in no position to think about buying the multi-disc multi sets just released by Jazz Oracle and discussed on the thread devoted to that label. However, I bought the above two CDs and have been enjoying them hugely. Bought on impulse on the basis of Amazon samples that sounded loose ans swinging, and so it proved to be. Nichols is heard extensively on the first; sparingly on the second. The sound on both is incredible. A couple of lame-o vocals aside, the first is more small band swinging, jamming jazz with excellent work from major players such as Pee Wee Russell, pianist Arthur Schutt and trombonist Miff Mole, who is fabulous. The liner notes would have it that "nothing much happens" on Moanin' Low, with Eva Taylor on vocals, but I love the beautiful dirge arrangement anyway. The second volume features the Chasers plus a variety of other bands. More pop vocals with some really cool jazz playing and fine arrangements here. I particularly like the Hot Air Men with Phil Napolean. These two are destined to be esteemed among my fave 20s/30s jazz compilations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted August 20, 2011 Report Share Posted August 20, 2011 that stuff's too new - we want the REAL old stuff - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles65 Posted August 20, 2011 Report Share Posted August 20, 2011 that stuff's too new - we want the REAL old stuff - Well how about the 4 Ragtime to jazz volumes on Timeless. I find this stuff fascinating. I am looking forward to the Jazz Oracle collecting all early Jelly Roll Morton Band recordings. The Retrieval solo piano disc and the JSP Victor set are not to be missed either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted August 20, 2011 Report Share Posted August 20, 2011 I have - and play regularly - the four Timeless CDs. that stuff's too new - we want the REAL old stuff - Hmmm, how to square that admonishment with interest in purchasing your new release? (Hard to buy, BTW, when shipping options dictate a choice between US and Europe.) Yours in fossildom, Kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted August 20, 2011 Report Share Posted August 20, 2011 All my interest in early stuff is now focused on the Jazz Oracle JRM release. Nice price from Amazon but I have to wait for the "official release date" in October. Thought of buying it from Worlds Records (they claim to have it now) but the price/shipping combo put me out of the box. I think the retail music business is cutting their own throats. BTW, the Jazz Oracle site doesn't even mention this issue - all their time is spent touting the Red Nichols box sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 wait, what's the Oracle Morton release? (assuming that's what we;re talking about) -just found it - so how is this Eekhoff guy, sound -wise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Don't know but as far as I know he hasn't worked for Uptown yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 damn, chuck, I was about to say that!actually that Morton is making my mouth water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Quite a bit of that Jelly was on a Milestone(?) Riverside twofer in the 70s. I was never fond of Riverside's remastering of vintage material so the bar isn't too high for the Jazz Oracle to be an improvement. I'm getting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles65 Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 wait, what's the Oracle Morton release? (assuming that's what we;re talking about) - just found it - so how is this Eekhoff guy, sound -wise? I think he's one of the best with Ted Kendall and Nick Dellow to name a few of the great sound restorers. For a partial list of Hans Eekhoff's work I refer to post 43 in the Jazz Oracle tread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 just had a long talk last night with Larry Gushee (about Buddy Bolden; about whom Larry's guesses and intuitive musical estimation make more sense than anyone else in the world, I think); he'll be very interested in the Morton, which I think I'll pick up and send to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.