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JAZZ,
DANCE BANDS, VOCALISTS
Oscar Celestin ->
Nat King Cole
| OSCAR
"PAPA" CELESTIN & SAM MORGAN |
Jazz Oracle 8002 |
Recorded In New Orleans, 1925-28 |
● CD $16.98 |
25 tracks, 76 min., recommended Two of the original 1920's
jazz band leaders from New Orleans, Papa Celestin and Sam Morgan produced
nicely arranged, yet virtually unrecorded music. In fact, black bands from
the period are so poorly represented on wax today, this disc has 23 of the
35 recordings made by these two groups between '25 and '28. The music is
fairly old-timey, with period vocals and the ever-popular swanee whistle,
but Celestin's Original Jazz Orchestra and Morgan's Jazz Band were two of
the better syncopated brass bands of the day. The OJO shines on Black
Rag/ Station Calls/ It's Jam Up and As You Like It, while
Morgan's bluesier, rhythmically oriented music is best represented by toe-tappers
such as Steppin' On The Gas/ Everybody's Talking About Sammy/ Mobile
Stomp and Bogalousa Strut. As always, an excellent remastering
job by J.R. T. Davies. (PL)
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| OSCAR
"PAPA" CELESTIN'S TUXEDO JAZZ BAND |
Arhoolie-Folklyric CD 7024 |
1950 Radio Broadcasts |
● CD $12.98 |
23 tracks, 77 minutes, recommended. All those trips that
Chris Strachwitz made in the early 60's to see George Lewis in the
Beverley Caverns made him an addict to New Orleans jazz for life. When it
came to music from New Orleans, he soon became an expert in finding
"the really good stuff." This recording documents the trumpeter
Celestin, who was one of the pioneer New Orleans jazz musicians making
recordings as early as 1925. He enjoyed a remarkable comeback in the
1950's with this superb band. These recordings come from the weekly
"Dixieland Jambake" radio broadcasts which were aired nationally
over the ABC radio network. I love the radio introductions and
back-and-forth patter between Celestin and his band members. This is the
real thing--I guaaaarrrranteeeee it. (SM)
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| TEDDY CHARLES
QUINTET/ QUARTET |
Original Jazz Classics 1731 |
Evolution |
● CD $16.98 |
Fine set drawn from two different mid-'50s sessions led by
this free-thinking vibist. The first six selections offer the New
Directions Quartet, featuring Charles Mingus and hard driving tenorist J.R.
Monterose. Mingus of course shines throughout, taking what may be one of
his greatest recorded solos on side two's I Can't Get Started. Two
additional tracks spotlight a 1953 session with Jimmy Giuffre, Shorty
Rogers, Curtis Counce and Shelly Manne, the remainder of which can be
found on Teddy's equally good "Collaboration West" (OJC 122).
Cerebral but swinging. (RS)
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| MAURICE CHEVALIER |
ASV CDAJA 5016 |
Encore, Maurice! |
● CD $11.98 |
19 of Maurice's best, from 1928-31, most sung in French.
Inc. his 1st (I guess, no info given) recording from 1925, Savez-Vous
, with The Pathe Studio Orch., with the majority of the rest backed by
Leonard Joy Orch. Inc. a 6 1/2 minute Maurice Chevalier Medley from
1930 with The Jack Hylton Orch. that inc. Louise/ You Brought A New
Kind Of Love To Me . Also Hello Beautiful/ Mama Inez/ Paris, Je
T'aime D'Amour/ Right Now! 55 minutes. (GM)
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| CHARLIE CHRISTIAN |
Columbia CK 40846 |
The Genius Of The Electric Guitar |
● CD $13.98 |
16 of Christian's most brilliant recordings with various
Benny Goodman groups recorded between 1939 and 1941.
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| JUNE CHRISTY |
Capitol 98452-2 |
The Misty Miss Christy |
● CD $11.98 |
Reissue of Christy's second album, cut in 1956 with a
pantheon of solid jazz accompanists. The follow-up to Something Cool,
this album offers That's All/ Daydream/ Round Midnight/ For All We
Know/ Dearly Beloved and two bonus tracks - You Took Advantage of
Me/ Intrigue. 14 tracks total.
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| BUDDY CLARK |
Collectables 6047 |
Linda |
● CD $13.98 |
24 tracks from smooth pop vocalist of the 30s and 40s - It's
A Big, Wide, Wonderful, World/ I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You/ Linda/
You're Too Dangerous Cherie/ I'll See You In My Dreams, etc.
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| SONNY CLARK |
Blue Note 46513-2 |
Cool Struttin' |
● CD $11.98 |
| CD issue of Blue Note 1588 from 1958, with extra cuts. This
is the complete
Cool Struttin' sessions from Jan. 5, 1958, with Art Farmer(t), Jack
McLean(as), Clark(p), Paul Chambers(b) and Philly Joe Jones(d). The
original album had the title tunes + Blue Minor/ Sippin' At Bells/ Deep
Night . The CD adds another 16 minutes of music, Royal Flush
& Lover , originally half of the never issued Blue Note 1592.
Liner notes are from the recent reissue of that album, called
Cool Struttin' Vol. 2 , and contains references to tunes not on the CD!
Total playing time is 53 minutes. (GM)
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| JAMES CLAY |
Original Jazz Classics 1790 |
Double Dose Of Soul |
● CD $16.98 |
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| BUCK CLAYTON |
Original Jazz Classics 1709 |
Classic Swing Of |
● CD $16.98 |
Reissue of Riverside 142 from 1960. Buck is heard with 3 groups on these
1946 sessions done for HRS - Buck's Big 4 (6-26-46) has Clayton (t),
Scofield Brown (cl), Tiny Grimes (g) & Sid Weiss (b) - Dawn Dance/ It's
Dizzy/ Well-A-Poppin'/ Basie's Morning Bluesicale - Buck's Big 8 (7-24-46)
- Clayton(t), Trummy Young(tb), Dicky Wells(tb), George Johnson(as), Billy
Taylor (p), Brick Fleagle(g), Al McKibbon(b) & Jimmy Crawford(d) -
Harlem Cradle Song/ I Want A Little Girl + 2. Finally Trummy Young's Big 7
(fall '46) - Clayton(t), Young(tb), Buster Bailey(cl), Johnson(as), Jimmy
Jones(p), John Levy(b), Cozy Cole(d) - Johnson Rock/ Lucky Draw + 2.
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| ARNETT COBB |
Jazz Archives 159 422 |
Arnett Cobb Story, 1943-47 |
● CD $11.98 |
20 tracks from this tough Texas tenor sax blower including
sides with Lionel Hampton & His Orch, his own band and accompanying
Dinah washington and Wynonie Harris.
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| ARNETT COBB |
Original Jazz Classics 794 |
Blow Arnett Blow |
● CD $12.98 |
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| ARNETT COBB
& DINAH WASHINGTON |
Highnote 7068 |
Cobb & His Mob In Concert |
● CD $14.98 |
Live set from 1952 featuring Cobb and his group doing seven
tunes before being joined by Dinah for a set who brings up Cootie Williams
from the audience to join them.
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| JUNIE C. COBB |
Original Jazz Classics 1825 |
Chicago: Living Legends |
● CD $16.98 |
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| AL COHN |
Original Jazz Classics 1812 |
Broadway |
● CD $16.98 |
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| AL COHN |
Timeless 259 |
Rifftide |
● CD $15.98 |
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| NAT "KING"
COLE |
Classics 757 |
1936-40 |
● CD $15.98 |
Essential early recordings.
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| NAT "KING"
COLE |
Curb 77408 |
Greatest Country Songs |
● CD $9.98 |
Original recordings of Cole's pop and country cuts,
including Your Cheatin' Heart/ He'll Have To Go/ Ramblin' Rose/
Goodnight Irene/ Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer/ Miss You - 12
cuts.
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| NAT KING COLE |
Blue Note 96693-2 |
Jazz Encounters |
● CD $11.98 |
21 tracks, 61 min., recommended. No Nature Boy or Unforgettable
here - producer Michael Cuscuna has scoured the Capitol vaults for jazz
collaborations that show off Cole's pianistic side in a profusion of
rarely-heard settings. From the top, Nat exhibits distinctive bop phrasing
on two takes of Leap Here, clearly enjoying the company of the 1947
Metronome All-Stars. We meet up with the Stan Kenton Orch. for one number,
and then join the Capitol International Jazzmen for six takes. This 1945
band was simply awesome, with Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, John Kirby,
Buster Bailey, a very young Max Roach and more stirring up a storm of
swing. Cole's accompaniment to Jo Stafford and Nellie Lutcher is in a very
different vein, but he is masterful as always, and makes a sharp singing
partner for Nellie. Small groupings finish up the show, with two versions
of the Cole Trio backing vocal duets with Woody Herman and Johnny Mercer.
A little hokum, but that goes down fine with the more serious encounters
here. (MB)
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| NAT KING COLE |
Capitol 27316 |
Rockin' Boppin' & Blues |
● CD $17.98 |
18 track collection of some of Nat's more up-tempo, jivey
and bluesy numbers. Mostly from his Trio days in the 40s plus a couple of
later cuts recorded live with a big band. Includes I'm An Errand Boy
For Rhyth/ Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You/ (Get Your Kicks) On Route 66/
Baby, Baby All The Time/ I Think You Get What I Mean/ Blues In My Shower/
Walkin'/ Beale Street Blues/ Joe Turner Blues/ Mr. Cole Won't Rock &
Roll and more.
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| NAT KING COLE |
Capitol 48328-2 |
The Complete After Midnight Sessions |
● CD $15.98 |
| The great
After Midnight LP (Capitol 782 from 1958) was one of Nat's last and most
superb jazz LPs, with the Trio with John Collins(g) & Charlie Harris(b)
joined by drummer Lee Young (Lester's bro) who had played a lot with Nat
in the 40's. Added to this 4-some on 4 seperate Aug. & Sept. '56
sessions were guest stars Sweets Edison(t), Willie Smith(as), Juan
Tizol(v.tb) & Stuff Smith(vi). When the LP was digitally remastered, 5
more unissued cuts were found. Now all 17 cuts are available on this
exquisite CD, a must for Cole fans and a great place for the jazz fan to
discover Nat. Route 66/ Caravan/ Sweet Lorraine/ It's Only A Paper Moon
(GM)
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| NAT KING COLE |
Capitol 80595-2 |
Lush Life |
● CD $11.98 |
25 tracks, 72 min., good. A good collection for Cole
fanatics, but the selection of songs leans heavily toward corn with Cole
and wife Maria doing husband- wife vocal sparring on four tunes including Hey,
Not Now! (I'll Tell You When) and It's a Man Every Time. The
big band arrangements are upbeat, just fine, but not very exciting.
Recorded between 1949 and 1952 with producer-bandleader and Stan Kenton
arranger Rugolo in charge, its main selling point is that Cole adds class
to everything he sings. Which is why he consistently outsold the
supposedly more popular Frank Sinatra while both were at Capitol in the
'50s, and continues to do so with CD reissues. (
LK)
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| NAT KING COLE |
Capitol 96259-2 |
Big Band Cole |
● CD $11.98 |
17 selections from the 50's and early 60's - 12 tracks with
the Count Basie band (with Gerald Wiggins on piano), and 5 with Stan
Kenton's orchestra, featuring Cole, Paul Smith and Kenton on the keys.
Solid swingin' sides like Avalon/ The Late Late Show/ The Blues Don't
Care/ Orange Colored Sky/ Steady.
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| NAT KING COLE TRIO |
Capitol Jazz 98288-2 |
The Best Of The Nat King Cole Trio |
● CD $15.98 |
Pretty music from more than just another pretty face. Cole
could sing, yes, but he also played exceptional jazz piano with the same
sense of swing and style he brought to his vocals. Cole lightens his trio
sound by foregoing a drummer in favor of a guitarist (Oscar Moore) so that
the bass (Johnny Miller) supplies the bottom and accents. In turn, his
piano is free to rock and soar as he embellishes and improvises upon a
given melody. Cole even displays a classic touch on Prelude In C Sharp
Minor. Beautiful stuff. (PL)
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