Danny Barker New Orleans Jazz Man and Raconteur

Danny Barker
New Orleans Jazz Man and Raconteur
GHB Records

As Trevor Richards observes in his opening comments to this two-disc retrospective of Danny Barker's recordings, "Danny Barker was a Renaissance man, a man of many unexpected facets."He was a rhythm guitarist or banjo player, musical entertainer or vocalist, composer of notable songs, a raconteur, and even a movie actor. Barker was also a jazz researcher and historian, and even a university lecturer.

He left his native New Orleans for New York, where he made an initial switch to guitar from banjo, and his fat chords made him in demand as he worked for Lucky Millinder, Benny Carter, and most famously Cab Calloway. He was on numerous Calloway recordings. He also recorded with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Bostic, and bunk Johnson as well as helped launch the recording career of his wife, Bu Lu Barker. Barker would serve as the guitarist for Rudi Blesh's weekly radio broadcasts, "This Is Jazz." It was around this time resumed playing the banjo, buy playing a 6-string guitar-banjo.

Barker formed a record label King Zulu to make recordings of Mardi Gras music to sell to bars, but his timing was unfortunate as recordings issued on 78s came out with the transition to 45s in full force. In the mid-sixties, he returned to the Crescent City to become assistant curator of the New Orleans Jazz Museum. He would also write extensively, including his own "A Life in Jazz," written with Alan Shipton, and available in a superb new edition from the New Orleans Historic Collection. Barker would also form the Fairview Baptist Church Christian Band that linked the Brass Bands' heritage, such as that of his uncle Paul Barbarin's Onward Brass Band. It served as a launching pad for many celebrated New Orleans musicians of today and such Brass Bands as The Dirty dozen and Rebirth.

While the two CDs contain a generous sampling of 34 songs and two interviews, they do not cover the entire spectrum of recordings Barker was on. In fact, on many of these, he is often a band member contributing his percussive guitar and/or banjo along with an occasional vocal. The music spans a Jonah Jones session with members of Calloway's orchestra to "Palm Court Strut" with an unidentified New Orleans band that he sang on. There are two selections with Nick and His Creole Serenaders, a group led by clarinetist Albert Nicholas, with pianist James P. Johnson, that Barker sang in Creole French. There are 13 selections from the "This Is Jazz" radio program, including a guitar-bass duet with Pops Foster. Other tracks include him as part of a band that included Muggsy Spanier, Wild bill Davidson, Albert Nicholas, George Brunies, James P. Johnson, Art Hodes, Ralph Sutton, Pops Foster, and Baby Dodds. Selections of note include "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans," with Louis Armstrong, "Sweet Lorraine" with Sidney Bechet, and "Some of These Days" with vocalist Chippier Hill.

Barker is more prominent as a vocalist on the second disc, including the exuberant Mardi Gras number, "Tootie Ma Is a Big Fine Thing" that he issued on his King Zulu label. There are boisterous performances by Paul Barbarin's Jazz Band of "The Second Line" and "Royal Garden Blues." Barker's humorous songwriting is evident on "Save the Bones For Henry Jones," while he leads the backing behind Blue Lu Barker's rendition of "Gulf Coast Blues." He provides a delightful performance of 'Eh La Bas" and charming interpretations of "Heart of My Heart" and "Hard Hearted Hannah." Even more outstanding is a rendition of "Saint James Infirmary," full of his vibrant personality that displays his storytelling ability.

The two interview tracks provide insights into the differences between white and black New Orleans jazz as well as his early days and his moving to New York. There are several previously unissued performances included as well. These two discs make available several excellent traditional jazz performances. While this might not be an essential release, for fans of traditional (especially New Orleans) jazz, this is a very welcome collection.

I purchased this. Here is Danny Barker in performance.

Take 5 With Barney Bigard

New Orleans clarinetist Barney Bigard is best known for his tenure with Duke Elllington, and later with Louis Armstrong. Today’s Take 5 will showcase several gems of his silky bluesy clarinet style.

First we have him in a small Ellington group with the original recording of “Caravan.”

Next is another recording from his Ellington days, “Clarinet Lament.”

Here is Bigard leading a group on the swing era classic, “Rose Room.”

With pianist Art Hodes he recorded “Hesitating Blues.”

Finally he lead a group, with singer Etta Jones, performing Dinah Washington’s hit “Blow Top Blues.”

Art Hodes Remembered Bessie

Born in Russia, but having emigrated to the US as a young boy, Art Hodes established himself as a blues and jazz pianist of note as well as a chronicler of the music. He produced an extensive discography over his life and now Delmark has reissued Hodes' 1970s Euphonic album I Remember Bessie with five additional selections. Hodes grew up in Chicago and had the opportunity as a young person to see King Oliver, Louis Armstrong and Jelly roll Morton as well as Bessie Smith. The Empress of the Blues left a particularly deep impression on his music and the present album is comprised of solo piano interpretations of songs associated with Ms. Smith and also Ma Rainey as the cover of the original Euphonic LP noted.

As is noted in the liner booklet (which reproduces the original liner notes), Hodes plays in a two handed orchestral approach mixed with some ragtime and stride elements. He displayed a hard touch, but also restraint. He takes from the low-key Baby Won’t You Go Home to the stomp attack on Alexander’s Ragtime Band. There is a wistfulness to his rendition of Ma Rainey’s Yonder Comes The Blues, along with the tempered enthusiasm on Cake Walkin’ Babies From Home, which is also heard here on an alternate take. The restraint shown on blues like You’ve Been a Gold Ole Wagon, and Yellow Dog Blues is a substantial reason for the appeal of these performances. There is also a lovely performance of St. Louis Blues here, a number he would record on a number of occasions. This specific recording is intriguing in its own manner, starting wistfully before Hodes gets to barrel housing. 

Listening to these decades old recordings is a chance to listen to a master of blues and jazz piano whose playing is rooted in the early days of jazz, yet remains fresh and accessible to contemporary listeners. Art Hodes' I Remember Bessie is a delight.

I received a review copy from Delmark.  

The Classic Jazz Piano Of Art Hodes and Don Ewell

A new release on Audiophile, one of the George Buck Foundation family of labels is a CD split between the groups of pianists Art Hodes and Don Ewell Art Hodes Quintet/ Don Ewell Quartette. The Hodes session reissues Some Legendary Art and dates from a 1957 session with Eddie Burleton on Clarinet, Marty Grosz on guitar, Truck Parham on bass and Freddie Kohlman on drums. The Ewell 1959 session reissues Yellow Dog Blues which also had Grosz on guitar, along with Nappy Trottier on trumpet and Earl Murphy on bass. Both sessions were produced and supervised by Ewing D. Nunn.

Hodes was certainly a fine pianist well versed in the blues and the classic New Orleans and Chicago jazz traditions with the songs from the 20s and 30s starting with After You’ve Gone, and including Apex Blues, I Found a New Baby and Chimes Blues. Clarinetist Burleton is a new name to these ears but certainly plays well whether on Ain’t She Sweet, or B-Flat Blues with its three in the morning feel. Grosz acoustic 4-string guitar mostly provides chords to help propel the groove. On Apex Blues where Burleton and Kohlman sit out, takes a brief solo as he does on Ain’t She Sweet. The spare trio setting of Apex Blues” and also Chimes Blues, provides a setting in which Hodes displays his blues playing with a light touch. He conjures up more of a weary, late night feel as opposed to more of a stomping barrelhouse style. He does swing a bit harder on Angry. I have never heard a poor recording from Hodes, and this session with Grosz’s guitar is no exception.

I am not as familiar with Don Ewell, who grew up in Baltimore, before becoming another prominent pianist who was influenced by Jelly Roll Morton, Earl Hines and similar pianists. Ewell became part of the New Orleans revival working with Bunk Johnson and Baby Dodds, and later with Sidney Bechet, Muggsy Spanier, Miff Mole,Kid Ory, and Jack Teagarden. This drummer-less date opens with Michigan Water Blues which he opens with Grosz joining in with Trottier adding some nice trumpet. On Atlanta Blues there is a similar approach with the pianist's thoughtful bluesy playing followed by a brief guitar solo and then Trottier rides the song out. Trottier opens Tishomingo Blues with wistful playing before some nice bluesy piano. Like Hodes, Ewell plays with restraint yet a crisp attack that generates a bluesy feel. There is a nice mix of material including George Bo Bo (originally recorded by Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five under the name of Lil’s Hot Shots); and New Orleans Hop Scop Blues by George Washington Thomas (Sippie Wallace’s older brother). Trottier does not play on the earlier number, but opens New Orleans Hop Scop Blues, with a hot chorus before Ewell takes the lead, then takes a very nice solo with some nice muted playing that lend a bluesy flavor which Ewell adds some nice piano embellishments to. 

A nice rendition of the W.C. Handy composed Yellow Dog Blues concludes the reissue of the Ewell album. Both Hodes and Ewell are masters of the traditions explored here and approach the material in similar, but distinct styles. With the supporting players (especially Grosz whose four-string guitar enhances both sessions), this album presents some marvelous classic jazz. 

I purchased this. It is available from www.jazzology, louisianamusicfactory.com and other online retailers. Here is Art Hodes performing with Wild Bill Davidson.

Solo Art's Prime Boogie Woogie & Blues Piano

At the tail end of 2009, I posted a review of a Delmark collection “Boogie Woogie Kings,” that was anthology collecting some vintage blues and boogie woogie piano. More recently I purchased from www.jazzology.com a variety of traditional jazz CDs along with one devoted to boogie woogie and blues piano, “The Solo Art Story -— Vol. 1 Piano Blues & Boogie Woogie 1938-1939” (Solo Art). This compilation brings together recordings that were made for the Solo Art label in the late 1930s when a Brooklyn bartender and record collector, Don Qualey, started the label devoted to piano solos. Right after John Hammond had presented the legendary “Spirituals to Swing” concert at Carnegie Hall, Qualey took the legendary Boogie Woogie Trio, Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis into the studio. Furthermore, through Lewis Qualey located Jimmy Yancey and, after being located, Yancey made his initial recordings for Solo Art. Qualey would also record two other artists, Cripple Clarence Lofton, and the Russian born Art Hodes, George Buck acquired the rights to the original Solo Art label and its recordings. Buck reactivated Solo Art as a label to primarily reissue solo piano jazz and blues, as part of the labels he operates through the George H. Buck Jr. Jazz Foundation.

“The Solo Art Story - Vol. 1 Piano Blues & Boogie Woogie 1938-1939” has some overlap of artists with the Delmark release “Boogie Woogie Kings,” with performances by Johnson, Ammons, Lewis and Lofton along with performances by Hides and Yancey. It opens with five performances from Johnson with the opening “Climbin’ and Screamin’,” being a typical Johnson boogie woogie full of his driving left hand and right hand embellishments, while “Pete’s Blues,” is a marvelous late night blues followed by “B&O Blues,” a middle tempo rolling boogie. Two tracks from Hodes follow including the evocative “South Side Shuffle.” “Mecca Flat Blues” by Albert Ammons features his left hand bass and strutting right hand while “Boogie Woogie,” is a reworking of “Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie,” with a bit less of the ragtime flavor but certainly one of the best later renditions of this boogie standard. The three selections from Lewis include a relaxed “Messin’ Around,” along with the jaunty “Deep Fives,” which exhibits some stride roots in Lewis. The two solos built upon “How Long Blues,” by Jimmy Yancey are the Mount Everest on a collection of piano blues and boogie woogie that is like visiting the Himalayan Mountainss of this form. Yancey’s blues and boogie piano is musical poetry. And this is followed by six stunning solos from Cripple Clarence Lofton including a fully instrumental rendition of “Streamline Train,” his own take on “Cow Cow Blues.”

There is a Volume 2 that contains more by these artists and a disc devoted to Jimmy Yancey that the modern Solo Art label has reissued. This is one of those boogie woogie and blues piano collections that merits being called essential. It is available from jazzology.com, and also the Louisiana Music factory (www.louisianamusicfactory.com).