A half century ago, several New Orleans lovers decided to present performances of some of the living masters of traditional New Orleans Jazz in a setting removed from the hucksterism that was part of the Bourbon Street scene at the time. It was an opportunity to present such artists as George Lewis, Jim Robinson, Billie and DeDe Pierce, Sweet Emma Barrett, Alton Purnell, Kid Howard, Percy Humphrey and so many others in a setting that gave them a respect their artistry merited. These concerts evolved in what we know as Preservation Hall, and while these artists became legendary in traditional jazz and have all passed on, Preservation Hall and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band have become iconic and institutions.
Celebrating a half century is a new box set on Columbia/Legacy by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The 50th Anniversary Collection. It is taken from several sources including three of the albums Atlantic issued in a series of Jazz at Preservation Hall along with recordings made by Preservation Hall itself and some of those issued on CBS (later Sony). From recordings documenting the bands that played at Preservation Hall to the contemporary editions of the Preservation Hall, one has a richness of music and performances. Also included are some of collaborations with artists from outside Preservation Hall that were on some of the more recent recordings of the Hall. There are some previously unissued recordings among the 57 tracks that are spread across the 4 CDs in this box.
Old and new are intermixed throughout. For example, the first disc opens with the late Allan Jaffe introducing the band on tour followed by a rollicking Eh La Bas by Billie and DeDe Pierce from 1966, followed by the 1986 Band with Percy and Willie Humphrey on Oh Didn’t He Ramble. Then we hear from the same 1986 session Narvin Kimball singing I Get the Blues When It Rains, which is followed by a 2008 recording of St. James Infirmary, with Clint Maedgen with a hyperactive vocal and a hot latin-infused groove. Then there is a 2009 rendition of Ice Cream, a perennial of the George Lewis and other bands half a century ago and then we go back to 1967 for a marvelous rendition of the Humphrey Brothers led band doing the Leroy Carr classic In the Evening (When the Sun Goes Down), with pianist James ‘Sing’ Miller handling the vocal, and George Lewis’ 1962 recording of Down By the Riverside.
Here is the Preservation hall Jazz Band performing at Wolf Trap National Park in Virginia
There is such a richness of material here that I will only reference some of the gems that include the marvelous rendition of In the Evening, referred to above; I’m Alone Because I Love You, featuring the irascible Sweet Emma Barrett; a wonderful Do Lord from 1994 featuring Wendell Brunious singing and on trumpet and a band that included Ellis Marsalis on piano, and Dr. Michael White on clarinet; Billie and DeDe Pierce’s St. James Infirmary, with Billie’s vocal, and George Lewis’ clarinet; Pete Seeger and friends joining for a spirited We Shall Overcome; Tuba Fats’ vocal on His Eye Is On The Sparrow; Nellie Gray, a marvelous vocal by Percy Humphrey on a previously unissued 1986 recording; a rendition of Lil Liza Jane, with Louis Jones on trumpet and benefiting from Shannon Powell’s R&B tinged drums and vocal; Kid Howard’s vocal on the George Lewis Band’s rendition of In the Sweet Bye and Bye; and I’ll Fly Away, from the 2010 collaboration with the Del McCoury Band.
Other gems include Blue Yodel #9, a revival of the Jimmie Rodgers country recording that Louis Armstrong played on the original; George Lewis’ hauntingly beautiful Burgundy Blues; Sweet Emma leading the group on Chimes Blues, originally recorded by King Oliver’s at a historic 1923 session for Gennett; a marvelous take on “Sing On,” a staple of the Brass Bands repertoire; the spirited 1976 take of Joe Avery; Shake That Thing, a revival of a late twenties Sam Morgan recording with a vocal by Clint Maedgen and nice interplay between Charlie Gabriel on clarinet, Freddie Lonzo on trombone and Mark Braud on trumpet; the lovely 1966 Freight Train Blues, with Billie Pierce’s heartfelt vocal and clarinet by George Lewis; and Punch Miller’s 1962 rendition of the languid Nobody Knows The Way I Fell This Morning.
More gems include the bluesy collaboration with Tom Waits of an old Mardi Gras chant Tootie Ma Is a Big Fine Thing; a nice rendition of Paul Barbarin’s Bourbon Street Parade; Ralph Johnson’s clarinet rendition of Sidney Bechet’s Le Petit Fleur; One More ‘Fore I Die, another collaboration with the Del McCoury Band with lovely clarinet by Clarinet Gabriel and mandolin by Ronnie McCoury; Percy Humphrey vocal on the spirited Shake It and Break It; the beautiful funeral march Westward Dirge that is played straight with little improvisation; and Richie Haven’s moving vocal on Trouble on Mind, with considerable restraint shown in the Band’s backing. In addition to the music, Bruce Boyd Raeburn provides an overview of Preservation Hall’s history. Current Hall Creative Director, Ben Jaffe whose father Allan had a similar role with the Hall for several decades, provides his own commentary on each of the selections contained in this box set. My advance copy only had the booklet's text, so I cannot comment of any photos or other graphic material included in the accompanying booklet. I trust these will complement the excellent music.
This is a joy and soulfulness of all of the performances here (not simply the ones I have highlighted) on this celebration of 50 years of what is truly a cornerstone of American culture, not simply music. I was provided an advance copy to review from Legacy Media Relations. It is scheduled to be in stores today, which is when this review is posted. Here are the Preservation hall Jazz Band and the Del McCoury Band from the David Letterman Show.
Many will be aware of my appreciation of the New Orleans Jazz Clarinetist, George Lewis, who was a central figure of the New Orleans revival in the forties and then a major part of the traditional New Orleans jazz scene of the fifties, sixties and beyond. An older release on George Buck’s American Music imprint is Municipal Auditorium, Congo Square 1951 and 1952 by George Lewis’ Ragtime Jazz Band. Included are two performances that were part of charity concerts organized for the National Society for Crippled Children sponsored by the New Orleans Jazz Club.
Lewis’ Band on both occasions included Percy Humphrey on trumpet, Jim Robinson on trombone, Alton Purnell on piano, Alcide ‘Slow Drag’ Pavageau on bass and Lawrence Marrero on banjo. In 1951, Louis Barbarin subbed for Lewis’ regular drummer, Joe Watkins, while in 1952, Albert Walters joined Humphrey on trumpet. Included are five performances from 1951 and six from 1952, although “Bugle Boy Boy March” from 1951 has limited fidelity because of its source material.
The 1951 selections open with a terrific Panama Rag with Lewis clarinet snaking around Humphrey’s lead and Robinson’s potent tailgate style. Just a Little While To Stay Here is a spirited treatment of the hymn where Lewis takes off on his solo with Purnell’s honky tonk piano pushing him along before his own break accented by Lewis with Marrero’s banjo adding to the percussiveness of the playing here. Louis Armstrong’s influence is evident from Humphrey’s sizzling trumpet and Purnell’s vocal on Heebee Jeebies.
The 1952 concert opens with The Star Spangled Banner, played fairly straightly before they launch into a dynamic rendition of the staples of Lewis’ repertoire, Climax Rag, with the two trumpets adding perhaps more sizzle than usual and Lewis taking a highly energetic solo. The is a little raggedness between the two trumpets for the head of the exciting Bugle Call Rag. Perhaps the highpoint is Lewis’ rendition of his classic, Burgundy Blues, with just rhythm backing (Marrero’s chords being effective) Lewis on this superb piece of instrumental blues that was a signature number for him. After his pensive playing, the group ends its performance with a spirited Down in Honky Tonk Town.
A decade later, when Preservation Hall opened, the Lewis Band was the model for the type of music presented, and these musicians were the foundation for the Hall’s own bands as it became the institution it is today. George Lewis at Municipal Auditorium, Congo Square 1951 and 1952 is another excellent release of Lewis’ music that George Buck has issued on American Music and other labels. With so many excellent Lewis recordings available, the music on this one still stands out as among the better ones. This is available directly from www.jazzology.com as well as finer retailers like the Louisiana Music Factory (www.louisianamusicfactory.com).
This was a purchase and here is the George Lewis Band in performance with Kid Howard on trumpet I believe.
Preservation Hall has in its years achieved iconic status, but alas today the musicians for who it was established have passed on being replaced by musicians whose musical backgrounds are perhaps a bit more modern and while they may pay homage with their performances, it is not quite the same. Preservation Hall though has plenty of musical memories that have been archived from a variety of performances. A typical one is the double CD, “Sweet Emma and Her Preservation Hall Jazz Band” (Preservation Hall Recordings) that was remastered in 2004 from a 1964 Minnesota concert with a band that included Sweet Emma Barrett on piano and vocals; Alcide ‘Slow Drag’ Pavageau on bass; Emanuel Sayles on banjo; Joseph ‘Cie’ Frazier; Jim Robinson on trombone; Willie Humphrey on clarinet; and Percy Humphrey on trumpet. Despite the crediting of Sweet Emma, a case could be made for Percy Humphrey as leader as he makes some of the introductions and chats with the audience (he was also leader of the legendary Eureka Brass Band at the time). But that isn’t a significant issue as annotator William Russell notes Bunk Johnson’s observation, “That all real New Orleans musicians know this style, and at a moment’s notice can play with one another anywhere they meet. Yet most New Orleans Bands also have their own unique style.”
In any event the music on this CD is a pretty solid and representative sample of traditional New Orleans jazz as would have been heard during the sixties and seventies. The repertoire is standard even including “The Saints,” but there is a spirited “Chimes Blues” that King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band recorded in 1923 taken at a nice relaxed tempo along with the spiritual “Closer Walk With Thee,” with a vocal from Sweet Emma, followed by a spirited “Didn’t He Ramble,” with the Humphrey Brothers handling the vocals on a song that would be played coming back from the cemetery after a funeral. Throughout Sweet Emma plays her rollicking, percussive piano style reinforced by Sayles clipped banjo with Willie Humphey’s serpentine clarinet lines contrasting with Jim Robinson’s gruff tailgate trombone and Humphrey’s growling trumpet (especially on “Panama”). Even when the tempo is quick, there is a relaxed rhythmic feel to the performances even during the most frantic and frenzied ensemble sections such as with the rendition of “Little LIza Jane,” with its second line rhythms. In contrast, St. James Infirmary,” taken at a slow parade tempo. Of course “When The Saints Come Marching In,” drew an enthusiastic audience response.
This is not cerebral music, but music of the heart. There are sour notes heard and the ensemble portions have a sweet and sour flavor, and the vocals may sound amateurish. This does not detract from the soulfulness and feeling in the performances coming through and one’s feet are tapping the floor throughout This is music that will lift your spirits if you are in a funk. I purchased this CD several years ago and I happily note that it still is in print. Among other sources, it is available from amazon and Preservation Hall’s own website.
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