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.

Charlie Parker In Washington DC

Uptown Records, who not to long ago issued a legendary Town Hall (NYC) concert by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, have another surprise that will be welcomed by jazz lovers. Washington D.C., 1948 is a release of Charlie Parker’s contribution to a May 23, 1948 concert produced by Willis Conover entitled ‘Dixieland v. Bebop,’ held at a long-closed venue, The Music Hall that was in Northwest Washington, near Howard University.

The booklet that accompanies this CD, has extensive notes that chronicle the history of this event, the performers and the music. As indicated from the concert title, Parker came to Washington as part of a concert that presented Dixieland musicians in addition to a bebop group. The Dixieland musicians included Wild Bill Davidson, clarinetist Tony Parenti and trombonist Benny Morton who are only held on one of the tracks on this disc, which is devoted to the surviving bebop oriented tracks. In addition to Parker, the best known musician here was the great drummer Buddy Rich. Others heard here include drummer Joe Theimer (who had been in the Navy band that included John Coltrane) on the opening number, tenor saxophonist Ben Lary, pianist Sam Krupit, bassist Al Phipps and trombonist Rob Swope.

The opening number here is Tiny’s Blues, before Rich, Phipps and Parker are brought up for Bernie’s Tune, and the ballad These Foolish Things, before a lengthy Scrapple From the Apple. After these three numbers, the band becomes simply a quartet for Ornithology and KoKo (Bird’s legendary transformation of Cherokee). Parker is clearly at the forefront, with Rich swinging things along. Krupit takes an extended, slightly frantic piano solo on KoKo after which Bird and Rich trade fours before Rich takes a solo. These two performances stand out with Bird’s brilliant playing and Rich’s charismatic percussion.

After this is an abbreviated C Jam Blues on which the three Dixieland horns joined the full band, but cut short when Davidson got angry at Parker’s very audible laughter offstage during a fine solo by Parenti. An unfortunate end to what sounded like a very promising performance that would have given more a chance to display the common ground between alleged musical adversaries. Sound quality is adequate given the circumstances and one can certainly hear what was played without difficulty if not in highest fidelity.

The accompanying booklet includes insights and the evening’s history from Ron Fritts, Ira Gitler and Ross Firestone and adds to this valuable restoration of a piece of jazz history that will be essential to Charlie Parker aficionado as those who love classic bebop, especially given the unusual backing band for Bird heard here.

This review originally appeared in the November 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 310). I likely received my review copy from that publication.