Take 5 With Jimmy Noone

New Clarinetist Jimmy Noone was a pioneer of early jazz. His Wikipedia entry summarizes his career - 'Jimmie Noone (April 23, 1895 – April 19, 1944) was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. After beginning his career in New Orleans he led Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra, an influential Chicago band that recorded for Vocalion and Decca Records. Maurice Ravel acknowledged basing his Boléro on a Jimmie Noone improvisation. At the time of his death, Noone had his own quartet in Los Angeles and was part of an all-star band that was an important force in reviving interest in traditional New Orleans jazz in the 1940s."

For this Take 5 we look at his somewhat brief but influential career. he led a group at the Apex Club whose personnel also included Joe Poston (alto saxophone), Earl Hines (piano), Bud Scott (banjo and guitar) and Johnny Wells (drums). Later an Alex Hill would take over the piano chair. We start with what is likely his most famous recording, 'Sweet Lorraine."

Next up is a recording of "A Monday Date," that Earl Hines also recorded with Louis Armstrong.

Tampa Red and Georgia Tom as The Hokum Boys made "It's Tight Like That," a popular number of the era. Here is Jimmy Noone's recording.

He continued to lead groups in Chicago into the 1930s. Here he is heard with a group that included Gus Kelly on trumpet and Preston Jackson on trombone performing "Sweet Georgia Brown."

By the 194s he moved to California, leading a quartet as well as playing in an All-Star group that included Kid Ory that was broadcast over the air and hosted by Orson Welles. Here they perform, 'High Society."

Benny Goodman and countless other clarinet players were inspired and influenced by Noone. Noone was supposed to continue as part of the band on Orson Welles' broadcast, but his sudden passing was noted by Welles and memorialized by the band on the broadcast by "Blues For Jimmy." I add as a bonus the 1944 recording by Kid Ory to this playlist.

Evan Christopher and Django à la Créole

From the London CD release party for Evan Christopher's Django à la Créole (Lejazzetal & Classic Jazz), a tribute to the great Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, performing "I Know That You Know," which Django recorded, but Christopher prefaces the performance by referring to the great Jimmy Noone. This is a marvelous CD, with other songs performed including Django's marvelous "Nuages,"as well as the love closing medley of Tears and Djangology. The empathy of the band and the music comes through in this video which should hopefully lead a few of you to sample more of the music on this recording.

I only have had the good fortune to see Evan perform live a few years back at Donna's on the edge of the French Quarter in a group with Tom McDermott, and have the marvelous duet album that they recorded, Danza (STR Digital). I have been enthralled by his wonderfully warm, fluid playing. He has a marvelous live album, Live At The Meridien (Jazz Club), where does a remarkable medley of Ornette Coleman's Ramblin and Lonely Woman, as well as Scott Joplin's, The Entertainer, and Duke Ellington's Prelude to a Kiss. Nat Hentoff wrote quite an enthusiastic piece in Jazz Times about Delta Bound, with pianist Dick Hyman, on Arbors.

Django à la Créole be obtained from (among other sources) the Louisiana Music Factory and cdbaby.com. The Louisiana Music Factory carries the other referenced recordings and more that Evan can be heard on.