Jazz Focus

Some of the first recordings made by the great Afro-Canadian pianist.  Done for Victor in Montreal, the groups feature local guitar, bass and drums but the focus is on the already developed virtuosity of Peterson in a program of Tin Pan Alley standards and American Pop Songbook tunes.

Almost Avant-Garde group led by clarinetist Russell and valve trombonist Marshall Brown in their two albums.  Bass player Russell George and drummers Ronnie Bedford or Ron Lundberg negotiate tunes by Coltrane, Monk, Ornette Coleman and Tadd Dameron as well as a few standards, giving Pee Wee wide scope to develop his ideas and show off his tone.

Live recordings by the Duke Ellington Orchestra and three small groups from the Cotton Club (and one from a Saturday Night Swing Club broadcast) - all in 1938 and featuring Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Wallace Jones, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Harry Carney, Duke Ellington, Fred Guy, Hayes Alvis, Billy Taylor, Sonny Greer and Ivy Anderson

The 1970's was a fallow decade for classic jazz, but Grappelli made quite a few excellent recordings - including duets with Earl Hines and Alan Clare, a quintet with George Shearing and a tribute to Django album with Larry Coryell, Philip Catherine and Niels Henning Orsted-Pederson.

Basically a studio band made up of the best white jazz players in New York, this version of the Dorsey Brothers band is heard backing Johnny Mercer, Bing Crosby and Mildred Bailey in addition to doing several great pre-swing instrumentals.  Featuring Bunny Berigan, Mannie Klein, Benny Goodman, Larry Binyon, Fulton McGrath, Eddie Lang, Dick McDonough, Artie Bernstein and Stan King in addition to Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey.

The great Ellington trumpeter Cootie Williams led a series of dates for Vocalion in the late 1930's featuring his bandmates - Joe Nanton, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Harry Carney, Billy Taylor, Jimmy Blanton, Sonny Greer, Billy Strayhorn and the Duke himself along with vocalists Scat Powell and Jerry Kruger

The underrated Jazz singer June Christy here at the beginning of her career with Stan Kenton recording for Capitol Transcriptions with Ray Wetzel and John Anderson on trumpet, Kai Winding and Gene Roland on trombone, Boots Mussulli on alto, Bob Cooper on tenor, Freddie Zito and Arnold Ross on piano, Dave Barbour on guitar, Eddie Safranski on bass, Eddie Spanier and Shelly Manne on drums.  Arrangements by Roland and Tommy Todd!

The unique clarinetist Russell is here featured on quartet and quintet sessions for Counterpoint (with Nat Pierce, Steve Jordan, Charles Potter, Walter Page, Karl Kiffe and George Wettling), a trio with Art Hodes, a quartet with Dave Frishberg, George Tucker and Oliver Jackson and a quartet with Jimmy Giuffre, Danny Barker and Jo Jones.

One of the great Ellington small groups recording in the 1930's - led by the great (yet still underrated) trumpeter Cootie Williams, the various groups include Juan Tizol, Joe Nanton, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Otto Hardwick, Duke Ellington, Fred Guy, Hayes Alvis, Billy Taylor and Sonny Greer with most of the arrangements by Ellington.

1966 and 1967 sessions featuring Burrell and Woods in tribute to Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman . .great guitar and alto (and a little clarinet) with Matt Manieri on vibes, Richard Wyands on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Grady Tate on drums

The first recordings of the the classic Barnet band - the leader plays solos on tenor and alto, backed by Bob Burnett on trumpet (one special guest appearance by Charlie Shavers), Don Ruppersburg on trombone, either Don McCook or Skippy Martin on clarinet, Nat Jaffe, Phil Moore or Bill Miller on piano and Cliff Leeman on drums.  Excellent jazz!

The band that recorded the soundtrack to the film "Pete Kelly's Blues" was the cream of West Coast Dixieland - Dick Cathcart, Moe Schneider, Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller, Ray Sherman, George Van Eps, Jud De Naut and Nick Fatool.  Almost the same group (with Abe Lincoln, Phil Stephens, Al Hendrikson and Stanley Wrightsman) also recorded as Matty Matlock's Dixie Men . . great jazz!