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August 11, 2001

"Up Jumped the Devil" and so did the Earl Hines Orchestra to open the show with that Jimmy Mundy original from April 1941; it's been released on Classics 621. "Ninety In the Shade," by Doc Daugherty and his Orchestra, and Smith Ballew's recording of "Lady Luck" both appeared on Harrison LP-H (LP), a wonderful reissue label produced by Ed Reynolds of Massachusetts, but long retired. Harry James' Varsity label recording of "Come And Get It" from 1940 is on Classics 970. (We played it from a 78.) "Peaches In the Springtime" came from the first of three volumes on the Frog label comprising a complete reissue of the recordings of the Memphis Jug Band. Volume 1 is Frog DGF 15. Duke Ellington's broadcast version of rendering came from one of Duke's broadcasts on behalf of the Treasury Department during World War II. These are being reissued on Storyville; three volumes are out at this writing, and this title came from Volume 2, Storyville DETS 903 9002.

We heard four selections by pianist Andy Fielding from the Arbors label Piano series. Andy, as we mentioned, is the son of Zeke Zarchy, a well-known big band sidemen who spent many years in the Los Angeles studios. Andy Fielding himself is interested in stride and ragtime piano, but that doesn't mean that he shies away from more modern repertoire. We heard him play Johnny Guarnieri's "The Gospel Truth;" "A Night in Tunisia," an original and lovely rag, "A Ride On the River;" and "One Note Samba." It's on Arbors ARCD 19180.

We returned for a few moments to Mosaic's ten-CD box set devoted to Mildred Bailey - Mosaic MD10-204 - to hear some titles from 1938, "Born To Swing," "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart," and "I've Been Saving Myself For You." We also heard the same arrangement in a March 1958 recording made by Red Norvo for RCA Victor [LPM 1711] featuring Helen Humes taking Mildred's place. The album was titled "Red Norvo in Hi-Fi."

Artie Shaw's 1945 recording of "Bedford Drive" (with Barney Kessel and Ray Conniff) is from a brand new three-CD set on the Hep label, bringing together the Victor recordings, and some related radio and Musicraft recordings by Artie's mid-forties big band. The release is Hep 70, and we'll feature it at later date.

"There's Too Many Eyes That Wanna Make Eyes At Two Pretty Eyes I Love" is a title that certainly crammed the label on Victor 22157, the 78 RPM disc that we played by Ted Weems and his Orchestra, with Art Jarrett ("Arthur" in those days!) on the vocal. "You Weren't True," from 1936 featuring Victor Spivey's sister Addie - better known as Sweet Pease Spivey - is on RST Jazz Perspectives JPCD-1506, titled "The Spivey Sisters, Sweet Pease and the Za Zu Girl (1929-1937). The label is available from Allegro Music.

Singer Barbara Lea's remembrance of Lee Wiley is Audiophile ACD-125, from which we heard "Wherever There's Love," recorded in 1976 with pianist Loonis McGlohon. "'Nuff Said," recorded for World Broadcasting by Ben Webster in 1944, with trumpeter Hot Lips Page, is included in a two-CD collection on the Soundies label featuring some other small-group ensembles that recorded for World during this period. It's on Soundies SCD 4127. The recording, "Skee," by the Kansas City band of Harlan Leonard and his Rockets, from 1940, is on Classics 670.

We heard some selections by the late Larry Adler, credited with raising the harmonica to virtuosity and respectability. In a first set, we heard some of the "popular" titles he recorded in Europe during the mid-and late 1930s, with small group or orchestral accompaniments, "The Continental," "Creole Love Call," "Stormy Weather," and a medley of "I Won't Dance/Lovely To Look At." These and many other nice selections (including some light classics) are on a reissue devoted to Adler, Empress RAJCD 835, available from Qualiton Imports.

With Stephanne Grappelly at the piano and Django Reinhardt on his customary guitar, we heard Adler recording with a somewhat anonymous Quintette of the Hot Club Of France - titles from a session of May 31, 1938, "I Got Rhythm," "Lover Come Back To Me," "Body and Soul," and "My Melancholy Baby," all included on EMI 7806642, part of a ten-CD set devoted to Django that may no longer be available. These titles are also available on Classics 777.

We also heard Django, pianist Joe Turner, Frank "Big Boy" Goudie playing trumpet, and Tommy Benford on drums, on some titles released under the name of French alto saxophonist Andre Ekyan. The titles were "The Sheik of Araby;" "Blues Of Yesterday; "I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me;" and "Darktown Strutter's Ball." These are on Classsics 813.

We heard selections from a recent release on the American Music devoted to Muggsy Spanier. Among the astonishing discoveries is an acetate of four selections recorded by Muggsy in late 1938 as he completed recovery from a perforated ulcer and complications. Joining Muggsy on some informal titles recorded by Joe Mares were clarinetist Bujie Centobie, trombonist Julian Lane, pianist Armand Hug, Chink Martin on the string bass and Monk Hazel on the drums. We heard "Dippermouth Blues," and a "Blues." From some 1955 selections recorded by Dr. Edmond Souchon (who is on guitar), we sampled "The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else," and the "C Blues." It's all on American Music AMCD-109.

We heard some titles from another release in the catalogue of the Archeophone label, "Real Ragtime." The set opened with a title by the American Quartet, with Billy Murray, recording for Victor in 1915, written by Gus Kahn and his wife, Grace LeBoy, "Come Rag With Me." The Metropolitan Orchestra (probably Prince's Orchestra) played J. Bodewalt Lampe's "Creole Belles," from 1902. From 1912, vocalist Arthur Collins and banjoist Vess Ossman performed "When Uncle Joe Plays A Rag On His Old Banjo." Arthur Pryor's band played "The King Of Rags" from 1907, and 'Gene Greene did a remarkable turn on "Ruff Johnson's Harmony Band" from 1917. "Real Ragtime" is Archeophone 1001.

Closing the program, we heard Annette Hanshaw and "I Get the Blues When It Rains," from 1929, played from Take Two TT408.