Wild Bill Davison & The Jazz Giants

 

The Jazz Giants was a group assembled for a performance at Toronto's Colonial Tavern. The nominal leader of this group was cornetist Wild Bill Davison although pianist Claude Hopkins was the musical director. Others in the group included clarinetist Herb Hall, who like Davison was a mainstay of Eddie Condon's New York club; veteran trombonist Benny Morton whose career stretched back to Fletcher Henderson in the 1920s; bassist Arvell Shaw of Louis Armstrong's All Stars; and drummer Buzzy Drootin. This group was recorded following the gig at the Colonial and "The Jazz Giants" was the initial release on Sackville. Delmark has re-released it under that title but under Wild Bill Davison's name.

Davison was a highly energetic cornet player who like others of his generation was inspired by Louis Armstrong and his brash, driving attack and complemented by a fine band that on the surface is similar to Armstrong's All Stars (trumpet or cornet, clarinet, trombone, piano, bass and drums), a fact that the group's repertoire is grounded in a number of songs that are associated with Armstrong starting with the bustling swing of "Struttin' With Some Barbecue,"on which Hall contributes serpentine clarinet lines against the swinging rhythm section prior to Davison taking off with his marvelous attack, with Morton, Shaw and Hopkins all spotlighted with a short drum break at the end. The warmth Hall was able to convey convey is exhibited on the bouncy "Darnanella." "Black and Blue" (which is also presented in an alternate), was one of Armstrong's seminal recordings and receives a wonderful interpretation here (and Hopkins piano accompaniment merits notice). Listening to the performance here, one has a sense of the spirit of Pops' music.

Hopkins was one of the writers of "I Would Do Anything For You," which was first recorded by Hopkins and his Orchestra in 1932. The ensemble provides a nice small ensemble rendition with Davison's vibrato and use of tonal effects quite enjoyable while Morton adds a gruff lyricism, and followed by a relaxed groove for the trad staple "I Found a New Baby." One of the surprises of repertoire on this date is "Blue Again," revisiting another of Armstrong's classic performances from the late twenties and early thirties. If Pops had heard this performance, it would likely have made him smile. Davison displays a bit of his own lyricism on a lovely "I Surrender Dear" while "Yesterdays" is a feature for Shaw's Arco bass playing.

"The Jazz Giants" were a marvelous ensemble brought together for one gig and we are fortunate that John Norris and others collaborated on financing the recording of this group. This is swinging music of energy and high spirit that gets one toes dancing and one's spirits lifted.

I received my review copy from Delmark. This review originally appeared in the July-August 2015 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 361). Here is Wild Bill Davison performing.

Satchmo at Symphony Hall - 65th Anniversary: The Complete Recordings

It was 65 odd years ago that the great Louis Armstrong in May, 1947 did his first small group performance in many years at New York City’s Town Hall. The performance was such a success and combined with the fact that Armstrong’s Big Band was struggling, he disbanded his band band a month later. After performing with his new small group at Billy Berg’s in Hollywood, he came to Boston’s Symphony Hall in November, 1947 for a performance that would be recorded and be celebrated when it was initially issued on two LPs a few years later. Hip-O-Select has just released Satchmo at Symphony Hall - 65th Anniversary: The Complete Recordings, which includes several previously unissued performances and several performances unedited for the first time.

Armstrong and the All Stars included in addition to the leaders’ trumpet and singing, Jack Teagarden on trombone and vocals, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Dick Cary on piano, Arvell Shaw on bass and Big Sid Catlett on drums. Velma Middleton was also on vocals. The music here was in the format that Armstrong would employ leading groups for the rest of his life and while personnel would change (Catlett would pass away around the time of the original release of this material in 1951). 

Included are two sets of music totaling about two hours. Both sets open with abbreviated renditions of Armstrong’s theme, When It’s Sleepy Time Down South, and close with short treatments of I Got a Right to Sing the Blues, associated with Teagarden. Listening to the first CD, one is treated to a rousing Muskrat Ramble, followed by the poignant song about racism (What Did I Do To Be So) Black & Blues. After taking us to Chicago on Royal Garden Blues, Teagarden is showcased for Lover and Stars Fell on Alabama with a nice vocal from Mr. T. A couple vocals from Velma Middleton include a take on Buddy Johnson’s Since I Fell For You, followed by Bigard features on Tea For Two and Body and Soul. Armstrong then takes a traditional blues Back O’Town Blues, a staple still of New Orleans bands today that is followed by a showcase for Catlett’s spectacular stick work, Steak Face.

The second set displays a similar variety of material as Armstrong opens with old favorites of his including Mahogany Hall Stomp, On the Sunny Side of the Street and the parade classic High Society. Teagarden was always at home with the blues and does a nice version on St. James Infirmary, while Velma Middleton’s Velma Blues is a mix of traditional lyrics. Its followed by her taking the initial vocal on That’s My Desire before Armstrong joins in for some fun. Bigard is featured on C Jam Blues, while bassist Shaw is spotlighted on How High the Moon. Catlett again gets to display his showmanship and deft drumming on Mop Mop although one can hear him failing to catch one of his sticks as it crashes into the stage. The last number of the performance (before the closing theme) is the previously unissued Jack Armstrong Blues that the two had recorded originally on a V-Disc. In addition to the two swapping lyrics, there was some spectacular playing by both here.

While there is occasional noise from the source material, sound is generally quite good. This is packaged in a small hardback with the accompanying booklet including the original 1951 notes as well as the more recent observations (including how this reissue came about) from Ricky Riccardi who is the Archivist for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. This is one of the classic traditional jazz recordings and one of the most legendary performances of Armstrong’s career which thankfully is finally available in a complete issue.

The record company sent me the review copy. Here is video of a later edition of Louis Armstrong and the All Stars.

Louis Armstrong and the Allstars in Zurich

TCOB Music calls itself The Montreux Jazz Label ™ and has several different series which can be distinguished by the color of the CD spine. Red is devoted to bebop, hardbop and postbop, green is devoted to the Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series and has vintage jazz concerts recorded by Swiss radio (I have heard an excellent live Art Blakey set), while blue is devoted to the music of the forties and fifties in general.One of its recent productions in the blue series presents Louis Armstrong’s All Stars.

Armstrong’s Live in Zurich, Switzerland, dates from October, 1949 and features (I believe) the original All Stars lineup of Armstrong, trumpet and vocals; Jack Teagarden, trombone and vocals; Barney Bigard, clarinet; Earl Hines, piano; Arvell Shaw, bass, Cozy Cole, drums; and Velma Middleton on vocals.

There is nothing too fancy or surprising with the repertoire. These tunes and this band helped define the ‘Dixieland’ repertoire such as That’s A Plenty, Basin Street Blues (a feature for Teagarden’s relaxed singing and trombone before Armstrong adds his magic); Royal Garden Blues; Armstrong’s classic Struttin’ With Some Barbecue; Fats Waller’s (What Did I Do To Be So) Black & Blue and Honeysuckle Rose; High Society and Do You Know What it Means (to Miss New Orleans).

Plenty of high points here as Armstrong is particularly poignant on Black and Blue, with some brilliant piano from Earl Hines behind the horns and Armstrong’s vocal. Velma’s Blues is a mid-tempo blues that features Ms. Middleton trading a variety of traditional blues stanzas, while Fatha Hines is featured with his unique piano style on Honeysuckle Rose, and more rollicking playing on Fine and Dandy, whose melody is so familiar but which I can’t identify. Body and Soul opens with some very nice playing from Bigard for the first two and a half minutes before the All Stars kick up the tempo a notch, which is typical for many renditions of this standard that are not modeled on Coleman Hawkins’ classic rendition.

Back ‘O’ Town Blues is a vocal feature for Louis with Teagarden adding some verbal comments as well as his bluesy trombone solo before Louis takes off in flight which he follows with a spirited High Society, with marvelous clarinet by Bigard, although the tempo may be a bit too fast. Teagarden and Armstrong handle the vocals on Do You Know What It Means, before the All Stars close on The Huckle-Buck, with Ms. Middleton taking the mike.

A very enjoyable collection of performances and valuable for documenting a live performance of the Armstrong’s early Allstars.

This review appeared in slightly different form in the April 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 303). I believe I received my review copy from that publication. This is still available.