Fletcher Henderson Bio Well Worth Spending Time WIth

The following review of James Magee’s marvelous Fletcher Henderson’s biography originally appeared in the September 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue329) which can be downloaded at jazz-blues.com.

The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz
Jeffrey Magee
Oxford University Press
Despite his importance in the history of Big Band Jazz, Fletcher Henderson has not been the subject of as much discussion as his stature warrants. Musicologist James Magee helps address this shortcoming with an overview of Henderson’s life, training to be a school teacher, musical career, and, most importantly, detailed analysis and discussion of his music, ranging from his early blues accompaniments, the legendary big band and then his career arranging for Benny Goodman’s Big Band, alluded to by the book’s title. At the same time, Magee challenges some of the simplified interpretations of jazz history in analyzing Henderson’s importance, brushing aside the simple dichotomies between dance music and art music to have a more realistic and accurate discussion of Henderson’s music.


Fletcher Henderson’s musical career coincided with the shift in the music industry from sheet music sales to phonograph record sales. Instead of furthering his science education, he became a song plugger for Pace and Handy Music Company and then music director for Pace’s Black Swan label, a label striving for cultural respectability as well as blues, where he played a significant role in the rise of Ethel Waters, and later toured with the Black Swan Troubadours.


The would be chemist had arrived in the forefront of black musical life and was leading an orchestra when he applied for an opening at the Roseland Ballroom in 1924, then looking for versatile non-jazz bands. His band was a disciplined band whose members were able to read and handle a wide repertoire, and Magee notes how the band evolved with any number of celebrated musicians such as Coleman Hawkins joining him. Like the white orchestras he competed against, Magee notes the wide variety of new arrangements of songs from Tin Pan Alley that dominated the band’s repertoire, which also included a fair amount of material from the race records.


Two figures would help Henderson emerge as one of the leading jazz big bands. One was Don Redman, who built upon innovations by such arrangers for Paul Whiteman as Ferde Grofé. McGee uses musical examples from the band’s early recordings to show how Redman imaginatively rearranged stock arrangements of the time, employing stop-time, cymbal punctuation and other devices. The other major individual was Louis Armstrong who left King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band in Chicago to join Henderson, and whose year and a half would help accelerate the band’s growth and maturation.


While much has been made about how Armstrong transformed the Henderson Orchestra into a jazz’ band, Magee’s analysis is far more sophisticated and also shows how Redman’s arrangements help feature Armstrong’s trumpet and showcase the star as he doctored existing stock arrangements. Magee provides detailed analysis of the rendition of “Wolverine Blues” to illustrate this point. Included are some musical examples, some of which are more descriptive and others more fully notational.


The framework is set and Magee continues to trace the band’s history after Armstrong and Redman leave, as the repertoire goes beyond that for ballroom dancing. The triumphs and pitfalls of the band’s history are detailed from their successful residency at Connie’s Inn to the band’s dissolution. Henderson’s own emergence as an arranger after Redman’s departure is chronicled, and after the dissolution how Henderson became one of the foremost arrangers of the Swing era and the crucial role he played for Benny Goodman’s Kingdom of Swing.


To demonstrate this point, detailed musical examples are provided of some of the seminal recordings Goodman made using Henderson’s arrangements. Henderson died in 1952 and there is some discussion of his legacy. Included is a list of Henderson’s arrangements for Goodman, an extensive bibliography and a discography that is frustrating because so many of the reissues are hard to find. While the detailed musical analysis may deter casual readers, Magee’s cogent analysis is well worth spending time with.


A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher

Robert Lockwood's Complete Trix Recordings Is Blues Reissue Blues Gem

Continuing my retrospective of the music of the late Robert Lockwood, Jr., here is a review that appeared in May-April 2004 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 267). The drummer on the Contrasts session, George Cook, had been a member of an organ trio that included Rashaan Roland Kirk. The cover illustrated was from an earlier reissue of this material. This CD is out-of-print, but worth checking out on ebay and other sources for out-of-print CDs. The word legend is overused, but it is an appropriate one when discussing Robert Lockwood, Jr. Perhaps best known for his relationship to Robert Johnson, Lockwood was a pioneering electric blues guitarist in the Mississippi delta who played with such legends as Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Eddie Boyd, and Roosevelt Sykes, and was a session guitarist in demand in Chicago. Living in Cleveland since the sixties, an appearance at the second Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1970 led to his reemergence in the National blues scene, although this time as the leading figure of his group. Savoy Jazz has just reissued The Complete Trix Recordings which makes available his 1973 album Contrasts and his 1975 session, Does 12. This was previously issued on Muse-Trix around 1978 and it’s great to have this back in print. Contrasts included 14 tracks, some with just bassist Gene Schwartz and others with a full band which included tenor saxophonist Maurice Reedus and drummer George Cook. Opening with the stunning slide guitar of Little Boy Blue, the album includes a remake of Robert Johnson’s Dust My Broom (which Lockwood initially recorded prior to Elmore James, although his recording was not issued until after James’) along with St. Louis Jimmy’s Come Day, Go Day, his uptown Hold Everything, and the wistful Forever on My Mind. The progressive boppish tinge to the music is evident on the instrumental Majors, Minors and Ninths, which is a feature for saxophonist Reedus. Does 12 refers to the fact that Lockwood had started using a twelve-string guitar that his wife Annie gave him. Guitarist Mark Hahn is added and Jimmy Jones replaces George Cook on a session that swings and drives hard. From the opening funky reworking of Rosco Gordon’s Just a Little Bit to the cooking reworking of the radio theme from the King Biscuit radio show, King Biscuit Time, the album again shows the breadth of the musical reach of Lockwood and band. There are band reworkings of several Robert Johnson numbers including Terraplane Blues and Walkin’ Blues, a nice feature for Reedus on the Gene Ammons derived, Red Top and a choice blues ballad, Selfish Ways.   Listening to the subtle nuances in Lockwood’s tone and his mix of chord and single note runs is are a refreshing break from the dime a dozen Stevie Ray clones out there. This is very nice stuff indeed. I was likely provided a review copy of this CD by Jazz & Blues Report.

Joe Pitts Brings Us Ten Shades of Blues

Singer-guitarist Joe Pitts is a name new to these ears, but this Arkansas native has put together a hard hitting self-issued release Ten Shades of Blues, that looks at him covering some of his inspirations and others he just likes. With his rhythm of Jimmy Lynnon bass guitar and assorted drummers, keyboards and harp, he handles ten songs that display his gravelly, unforced songs and his fluent guitar. Initially hearing the blues-rock of the British invasion, he discovered Albert, B.B. and Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Robert Johnson and others on the blues highway.

Interesting opener is Breaking Up Somebody’s Home, with his guitar centered performance derived more from Albert King’s recording than other renditions, and he takes a solo that displays his own style. There is loose accompaniment for his take on Muddy Waters’ Cross-Eyed Cat, with some nice harp playing, slide guitar and more modern-styled guitar on the coda. His vocal is pretty solid here but his vocal is a bit over the top on Walter Trout’s Clouds on the Horizon, on which he plays some screaming guitar. With an insistent groove, his vocal is more restrained in delivery and he does a nice take on Luther Allison’s Pain in the Streets. The organ playing adds a nice touch to the backing on this track.

Eric Gales'  Freedom For My Demons brings blistering blues-rock guitar over a melodic line that evokes Stormy Monday, as he fervently delivers the lyric about the demons are dealing and what he’s selling sure looks fine but give Joe some freedom from his demons and some peace of mind. Put the Shoe on the Other Foot, is a nice rendition of an Albert Collins recording with some nice playing that suggest Collins without trying to be a sound-alike, while Pitts’ rendition of I’m Worried, is a bit more in the vein of Allman Brothers than Elmore James with a bit of distortion on his vocal.The jazzy, low-key No Stranger to the Blues, features some atmospheric rhythm guitar and biting single note chicken scratching runs with a nice vocal.

A bit more rock flavoring is heard on the guitar on a nice shuffle take on John Mayall’s Walkin’ on Sunset, with Terry Bradley adding slide guitar here. The disc concludes with Peter Green’s The World Keeps On Turning, on which he takes to an acoustic guitar and his fingerpicking that contrasts nicely with some chording as he sings about nobody sees him crying or knows how feels while his relaxed delivery contributes to a moving vocal performance. Its a nice end to a collection of generally solid, engaging performances. This should be available from cdbaby, itunes and other sources. Weblinks for Joe Pitts include http://joepitts.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joe-Pitts-Band/54309185026.


The review originally appeared in the Dec.15 2010-Febuary 1, 2011 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 332) to which I made a few minor edits. I received a review copy from the publicist for this recording.

Tom Principato's Potent Blues-Roots Mix

For several decades, a mainstay of the blues and roots rock scene around Washington, DC, Tom Principato has been known for his guitar playing with his distinctive mix of swing jazz, rockabilly, blues and rock and roll. He has over several decades mesmerized audiences with his fiery guitar, yet he is also more than a simply capable vocalist and he can play rock and roll, unlike some hard rock players out there. He has shared stages with other legendary guitarists such as Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan, and showed he was their equal. And while his music often shows rock edges, he is capable of conjuring T-Bone mixed with Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson on a straight blues of great originality while adding a dose of Chuck Berry and James Burton when he is in the mood to rock. He plays fluidity with imagination and a searing tone that grabs the listeners attention.

His latest CD on his own Powerhouse label is “A Part of Me,” a release that at least is dedicated to his family as the collage of family photos of a young Tom and his parents makes up the cover. He brings some special guests on this including Sonny Landreth on slide guitar, Chuck Leavell and Brian Auger on keyboards and Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns on drummer. Among DC area musicians assisting Tom here are Tommy Lepson, mostly on backing vocals, and Steve Wolf on bass.

The eight originals by Principato include three instrumental tracks. The opening “Don’t Wanna Do It,” with a simple message about not wanting to but having to let his woman go but she wouldn’t listen, features crying slide guitar from Landreth to support Tom’s gritty vocal. “Sweet Angel” is a celebration of the higher power that helps guide Tom through good and bad times with a lovely melody and some crisp, biting guitar and a very appealing heartfelt vocal with Leavell standing out on the B3 organ. “Part of Me,” is a bluesy ballad with horns as Tom reflects about someone who was part of his life and now is gone with Tommy Lepson on the Hammond here as well as adding a harmony vocal to a real soulful vocal by Principato in addition to some stunning guitar.

Brian Auger is on organ from the instrumental “Down the Road” with its lazy tempo and wonderful guitar from Principato whose fluidity, use of sustain as well as space is noteworthy. One of the numbers that Tom does in performance that is among this writer’s favorites is Sonny Landreth’s “Congo Square.” Tom’s celebration here of New Orleans, Congo Square, the second line and brass bands, “Down in Louisiana,” is a similar exhilarating rock and roll gem that surely will become a staple of his performances although his vocal sounds slightly stilted. Kudos to Steve Wolf on bass and Joe Wells on drums from the crisp groove here. “Back Again & Gone” is a lovely sonic exploration with some swing jazz guitar flavoring while “Stranger’s Eyes,” again with Tommy Lepson on organ is another song about relationships changes as he looks as someone now through “Stranger’s Eyes.” The album ends on an instrumental take of “Stranger’s Eyes,” that cranks things up a notch.

“A Part of Me” is a typically strong album by Tom Principato with a varied collection of material, superbly and imaginatively performed and sung straight from Tom’s heart. For more information on this release and Tom Principato, check out Tom’s website, http://www.tomprincipato.com.


For purposes of FTC regulations, I was sent a review copy by the publicist for this release.

Little Al Thomas' Long Blues Ride

Chicago singer Little Al Thomas has been a fixture around south side Chicago blues clubs for decades prior to recording “South Side Story” for Cannonball just before that label folded. He was born in Chicago and grew up with the music and records of Tampa Red, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Lonnie Johnson and had a long stint singing with guitarist lacy Gibson. Blues Boulevard has issued “Not My Warden,” a 2009 recordings of Thomas backed by guitarist John Edelmann and the Deep Down Fools who also include Marty Binder on drums, Rob Binder on keyboards and either Eddie Galchick or Mike Scharf on bass. Included are thirteen tunes, with twelve being originals for about an hour of music.

For some reason the accompaniment to the opening “ Long Ride to the Southside,” conjures up a Sheryl Crow recording, but introduces us to Thomas’ strong vocals as Edelmann adds some whining slide while Binder takes a nice solo. Thomas has a straight-forward style as he belts out the lyrics. Folks in Chicago, I suspect can easily identify with the message of Edelmann’s “I’m Gonna Buy a Politician,” with its mesmerizing John Lee Hooker groove as Thomas delivers the message of working too hard as “its time to improve my position, I’m gonna buy me a politician,” although the lyrics get somewhat repetitive. The title track is a slow shuffle as Thomas wonders about whether his love is a crime and declares “you are my wife, not my warden,” and “you are no ball and chain, and I’m not doing time.” while Edelmann takes a lengthy solo.

“Ready Freddie,” is a nice driving instrumental taken at a relaxed tempo allowing Edelmann to stretch out. The slide is out again for the rocking shuffle, “Wonder What You Think,” as Little Al asks about whether money can buy love. “Don’t take the Keys,” has a jazzier feel to it with Binder being more prominent in accompaniment and Edelmann tone a bit lighter and more directly swinging here. “Anger Heats My House,” also has nice guitar while Binder takes us deep down on the B3 while Thomas please for peace in his house. “Big Time Operators” sounds like a vintage sixties B.B. King influenced recording with Thomas complaining about the seedy side of the music business and the big time operators on the music scene who don’t look like politicians but act as thugs. “West Side Wind,” another energetic instrumental shuffle is followed by a cover of “Reconsider Baby,” with Edelmann playing with a jazzier feel and tone, mixing in chords with his single note runs, and the jazzy flavor continues on the latin-accented closing instrumental “Coronado,” where Edelmann effectively adds some tremolo to his tone.

While the lyrics on this CD are hardly memorable, Thomas is such an robust and soulful singer that one does not notice this. The backing also sounds stronger as one gets into the album. They add more than simply providing varied, rock-steady grooves and Edelmann and Binder provide plenty of solid solos. Its been about a decade since Little Al Thomas‘ last recording, and “ Not My Warden” has made this wait worthwhile.

For FTC regulations, I received a review copy from wither the record label or a publicist.

Breuker Kollektief's Marvelous Musical Smorgasbord

The website Destination-Out (http://destination-out.com) has continued its important series of digital reissues of out-of-print vinyl albums from the FMP label. Among the latest is that by the Willem Breuker Kollektief’s “Live in Berlin.” Originally issued in late 1975, it was one of the early works by the Breuker Kollektief which Breuker created after being dissatisfied with existing European free jazz big bands like the Instant Composers Pool and the Globe Unity Orchestra. Breuker, who passed away in 2010, wanted more focus on theatrical and compositional elements, not simply musical free-for-alls.

On the Destination-Out website, “Live in Berlin” is described “This live date finds his big band gleefully incorporating everything from pop standards, light opera, funeral marches, and shoo bop into their freewheeling brand of free jazz. The Kollektief offers both drama and inspired moments of humor, making for sheerly enjoyable music that’s joyful and fun!” The mix of free jazz, bebop, street music, tango, vaudeville and European musical hall fare with more than a few hints of Kurt Weill has long been a favorite of these ears since seeing this band at the original Tralfamadore Cafe in Buffalo in 1976 or 1977 and obtaining the original vinyl album at that time.

The members of the Kollektief at the time of this recording were Willem Breuker himself on saxophones & clarinets; Bob Driessen on alto saxophone; Maarten van Norden: tenor saxophone; Ronald Snijders: flute; Boy Raaijmakers: trumpet; Willem van Manen: trombone; Bernhard Hunnekink: trombone; Jan Wolff: French horn; Leo Cuypers: piano; Arjen Gorter: double bass; and Rob Verdurmen: drums and if one checked the personnel on various Breuker recordings throughout the years, many of these names would be present or on their own efforts on the BVHasst label Breuker established.

Substantial portions of this are taken from two of Breuker’s extended compositions, “La Plagiata” and “Anthology.” The former piece is ‘plagiarized’ from a variety of sources, both from serious music and street sources as the Snijders’ flute does a funeral march before a frantic sounding march-like tango segment with some blistering tenor set against a hot riff then Cuypers’ trance-like piano as the tenor squeals, honks and twists and turns with another tenor sax adds its own serpentine lines and honks before the full band leads a transition into the Music Hall. It is only the beginning of a whirlwind of musical scenarios and moods that continues throughout.

There is the fiery tango beginning of “Jan De Wit” that sets the tone for some inspired, and soaring, sax as Verdurmen underpins it with a hot march rhythm with Cuypers adding a trance-like piano backing before the horns add a quote “I’m an old cowhand” before the Kollektief restates the main theme and Cuypers takes the spotlight, at times enthralling with his use of repetition before a more linear and melodic approach that quotes japanese folksongs that leads into “Jalousie-Song” that opens like it was from a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta before the trombones add some gruff commentary. This magical musical circus continues until the closing, “Our Day Will Come,” which opens as if channelling Archie Shepp’s tribute to James Brown (“Mama Too Tight).” They play with similar reckless abandon with a rocking repeated riff until the rousing tango treatment of the melody of the Ruby and Romantics recording and then exuberantly singing it in Dutch.

I recall that the Breuker Kollektief performed “Our Day Will Come,” that night thirty four odd years ago in Buffalo, and the performance that evening was very similar to the overall character of “Live in berlin.” Breuker, of course had many other recordings with the Kollektief as well as other projects. One recording of Breuker, apart from those of the Kollektief, that I am particularly fond of his was “The Compositions Of Eric Dolphy” on BVHaast that was issued in 2006. Bill Shoemaker’s cogent, contemporaneous review of that recording can be found at the Point of Departure music journal, http://www.pointofdeparture.org/PoD5MomentsNotice.html.

For more information on this digital download, http://destination-out.com along with a download of a marvelous solo Sam Rivers album, “Portrait.”

Roy Hargrove's Music Is Food For Ears

This review of Roy Hargrove appeared in the October 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 309) on page 19. As I type this introduction, I am getting ready to see him this evening (January 8) at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC for the first of the two sold-out shows. Among the young lions who has emerged in jazz the past few decades, Hargrove brings forth fresh jazz while rooted in the tradition, whether lading his quintet, fabulous big band or simply being a member of the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Band. Earfood is his most recent quintet release I believe.


It is astonishing that Roy Hargrove is not yet 40, as his recording career almost spans a full decade. His latest album is Earfood for Emarcy and features his trumpet and flugelhorn with his working band of Justin Robinson (saxophone), Gerald Clayton (piano), Danton Boller (bass), Montez Coleman (drums).

A solid modern date which is intelligently programmed with a few choice chestnuts mixed in with Hargrove’s intriguing originals that transverse a wide landscape of moods and grooves. The sizzling opening, Cedar Walton’s “ I’m Not So Sure,” kicks off like an Art Blakey cooker, while the mood shifts on “Brown,” with nice mute playing from Hargrove, but the whole group is terrific. The empathy they display is an element is one the crucial reasons why this is such a solid effort. “Starmaker” is another lovely ballad with strong solos from Hargrove, Robinson and Clayton. “Joy is Sorrow Unmasked,” is a melancholy tinged tone poem followed by the bouncy bop of “The Stinger.” “Mr. Clean” is built on a funk bass line, somewhat evoking Cannonball Adderly and similar soul-laced jazz, while “Speak Low,” is another ballad with Robinson sitting out and Hargrove playing marked by its ruminative flavor.

A live performance of Sam Cooke’s “ Bring It On Home to Me,” takes us back to the church and the blues with Robinson and Hargrove engaging in a spirited call and response before Hargrove launches into perhaps the most fervent playing here followed by Clayton sounding like he is playing in church. It is a spirited close to a terrific collection of performances by one of the leading groups playing today.
I received a review copy of Earfood either from Jazz & Blues Report or from Emarcy Records or a publicist for this release.

Roy Gaines' Excellent New Frontier Lover

Influenced by T-Bone Walker, Roy Gaines has a six-decade career as a blues guitarist and singer. He has done countless sessions with the likes of Bobby Bland, Junior Parker and Jimmy Rushing and recored a number of albums over the years. Roy just issued on his Black Gold label Tuxedo Blues which I will be addressing in the next few weeks. In 2000, Severn records issued New Frontier Lover. It was his last US issued recording until Tuxedo Blues. Gaines did subsequently have a CD issued on the Japanese P-Vine label, “Guitar Clashers from Gainesville, Tokyo,” with Japanese guitarist, Mitsuyoshi Azuma. The following review of New Frontier Lover appeared in the January-February 2001, Jazz & Blues Report (issue 249).


Roy Gaines’ latest, New Frontier Lover (Severn), is among the best of 2000. David Earl has put together a terrific band behind him including Steve Gomes on bass and Benji Porecki on keyboards and there are some nice horn parts on most tracks. Its a collection of new material, although one can hear echoes of some of the greats Gaines was a contemporary with and played with.

Many of the songs have memorable hooks and some of the catchphrases from the tunes will be lingering in your mind after you listen to this The title track is funky number where Gaines gets to boast about his prowess. It is followed up by my favorite track, The World’s Biggest Fool, a terrific slow blues suggestive of Guitar Slim’s Something to Remember You By, with the band sounding like Slim’s band on his Atlantic sessions. What’s the Reason is a nice shuffle with a latin tinge to it while Roy is in a T-Bone Walker vein on You Can’t Make Nobody Love You, although Gaines plays with a somewhat dirtier tone here than Walker.

Roy’s Theme is an instrumental evoking classic instrumental shuffles like Gatemouth Brown’s Okie Dokie Stomp, and Roy’s driving attack here compares favorably to the best of them. Hinds Ends & Elbows is another hook-laden song, with Gaines’ hot vocal and guitar evoking the memory of the late Johnny Copeland. Gaines also handles a medium tempo Chicago blues shuffle, My Woman, My Blacksnake and Me, with Steve Guyger adding his harp to the blues stew. Guyger is also present on the rollicking closing number, Roll Your Own Biscuits.

This release has been one I have been listening to constantly since I got the advance of it. I am not sure if it will be in the stores when you read this, but it is one that is sure to be on my best of 2000 list. Look for it.

This was on my Best of 2000 Blues list and the music holds up well a decade later. This should still be readily available. I received a review copy from Severn Records for the review.

Jack Towers RIP- Recorded Legendary Ellington Band at Fargo ND

Word has spread slowly that Jack Towers passed away December 23, 2010 at the age of 96. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Towers was known as one of the premiere restorers of musical recordings in the United States. This reputation was based on recordings he and a friend Dick Burris made of the Duke Ellington Orchestra playing a dance at the Crystal Ballroom in Fargo, North Dakota, on November 7, 1940 where they had hauled a bulky Presto-S disc cutter to record the Ellington Orchestra playing before around 600 young people. 


The evening’s music was captured on 16-inch aluminum discs coated with acetate that enabled the recording of approximately 15 minutes per side, as opposed to the roughly 3 minutes that fit on an average 78 rpm recording. And while Towers, friends and some insiders (such as some members of the Ellington Band) knew about these recordings, the release of a double vinyl album in 1980 was a revelation to jazz and music historians capturing a wide ranging repertoire of the Ellington Band in an informal setting.


The release of the Ellington Fargo Recordings was awarded a Grammy in 1980 for best Big Band Recording. It included some fragments of songs as well as extended performances of others known only from shorter studio recordings. It was also recorded with arguably the finest edition of the Ellington Orchestra which included Jimmy Blanton on bass and Ben Webster on tenor saxophone, along with such Ellington stalwarts as Barney Bigard on clarinet, Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone, Rex Stewart on trumpet, Harry Carney on baritone sax, Tricky ‘Sam’ Nanton and Juan Tizol on trombone and Sonny Greer on drums. Ray Nance had just joined the band, replacing the recently departed Cootie Williams.

Original CD release of the Ellington Fargo Recordings

And the band sounds great on any number of features. There is the great half valve playing on Stewart on “Boy Meets Horn,” the fiery “Harlem Air Shaft,” the exuberant “Koko,” and so much more. While the opening of “Stardust” is missing, Ben Webster is reported to have carried a disc with his performance for the rest of his life, and it was a performance that he would return to many times after leaving Ellington. The sound is very good except the vocal microphone (from which the Duke announced some tunes) is off the recording mike so that Ivy Anderson’s vocals are low in the mix.


In the CD era, the Fargo Recordings have been issued on CD including some segments of performances that previously were not issued on the original 2-LP release. There are some criticisms about the release of the complete material even half minute fragments, but the current CD release is of an historic document. In any event, today, folks can upload to their computer and edit our those selections they do not wish to listen to. It is currently available from the Storyville label from Europe both on “The Duke At Fargo 1940 Special 60th Anniversary Edition” and as part of the 8-CD “The Duke Box,” a collection of radio air-checks and concert recordings. These are recordings I have listened to many times and will do so many more.

While this is the centerpiece for Jack Towers, he was a radio broadcaster for many years, working for the USDA and became head of radio broadcasting. After he retired from the USDA in 1974, he devoted himself to remastering rare recordings, primarily of jazz groups including the legendary Dean Benedetti recordings of Charlie Parker, and rare works by Count Basie, Benny Goodman and other greats. His legacy is great among Jazz collectors and enthusiasts of which I am one of many.

Some material for this blog was based on Harvey Siders’ JazzTimes review, http://jazztimes.com/articles/12323-the-duke-at-fargo-1940-special-60th-anniversary-edition-duke-ellington-and-his-famous-orchestra and from Matt Schudel’s December 28, 2010 Washington Post obituary,http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/28/AR2010122804198.html.

Robert Lockwood Jr Was a Steady Rolling Man

I was a senior at Case Western Reserve University when I first met Robert Lockwood Jr (often referred to as Robert Jr. Lockwood) and interviewed him for the university paper (I wish I still had a copy of that article). Later I did interview him which was run in the Jazz & Blues Report when he passed away in November 2006 at the age of 91.


Robert was one of the most interesting and underrated blues artists who ever lived. He is known as Robert Johnson’s stepson, and was taught many things by Johnson. However he developed a guitar style that reflected considerable jazz influences. He was a member of the King Biscuit radio program and then leading his own band for a competing flour company, Mother’s Best, was one of the first blues electric guitarists to be heard through the Mississippi Delta region, and influenced countless guitarists. This continued in the 1950s when he moved to Chicago and became house guitarist for Chess Records as well as teaching folk like Freddie King techniques. Around 1960, he accompanied Sonny Boy Williamson to Cleveland, Ohio where they played Gleason’s for several months,. Robert liked Cleveland and ended up staying and raising a family there until his death and making a number of albums over the years.

This is the first of a series from reviews of Robert’s recordings over the years that I will be posting here. The following review of “Steady Rolling Man” appeared in November 1992 issue of Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 176).  This CD was recently rereleased by Delmark and should be readily available. 

Robert Jr. Lockwood’s first album as a leader, Steady Rolling Man, has just been made available on compact disc by Delmark. Recorded with the Aces in 1970, shortly after Robert had made a surprise appearance at the 2nd Ann Arbor Blues Festival, this is a solid, straight-ahead session with reworkings of several Robert Johnson tunes (the title track, Ramblin’ on My Mind and Kind-Hearted Woman) several of the songs he recorded for Bluebird (Take a Little Walk with Me and Mean Red Spider), originals in a similar vein (Western Horizon, and Blues and Trouble), and three instrumentals, Steady Groove, Lockwood’s Boogie and Tanya.

All of the performances are marked by the relaxed interplay between Lockwood’s guitar, Louis Myers’ guitar, Dave Myers’ bass and Fred Below’s propulsive drumming. Alternates of Worst Old Feeling and Lockwood’s Boogie are added to prior releases. The instrumental Steady Groove provides a good description of the contents, as Lockwood and the Aces participated and were responsible for the groove for many classic Chess recordings. These are enjoyable, solid performances, as Robert delivers the vocals in an unadorned style, although they are not as charged as the live Japanese recordings Lockwood and the Aces made that were issued on an Advent album that has unfortunately never been issued on compact disc in the United States. Solid, unpretentious blues.

For purposes of FTC regulations, I likely received this from Delmark Records.

Rick Coleman's Blue Monday-Fats Domino Bio

I briefly blogged about Rick Coleman’s biography of Fats Domino back in May, 2006 which I would subsequently review in Jazz & Blues Report (August 2006, issue 285). That was one of my earliest blog entries here, but since this excellent biography is available in paperback, it is worth bringing to folks attention once more. I note that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honored Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew's contributions this past fall. This book should not be hard to locate.

BLUE MONDAY: FATS DOMINO AND THE LOST DAWN OF ROCK’N’ROLL
by Rick Coleman

(DA CAPO 2006)

Antoine ‘Fats’ Domino is one of the most significant performers of the last half of the twentieth century, yet because of his easy-going persona and his rather quiet life outside of performing, his contributions to blues and rock’n’roll have not been given their due. This biography by Rick Coleman, who authored the booklet for the Bear Family box set of Domino’s Complete Imperial Recordings, is twenty years in the making and hopefully will result in Domino being recognized as the pillar of modern American music that he is. The fact that Fats is unappreciated perhaps reflects a certain Eurocentrism that marks much of pop music writing and rock media that inflates the importance of popular, but derivative rock artists at the expense of true music innovators. After all Lynard Skynard is in the Rock’N’Roll Hall of Fame, but the much more original Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson is not.

Domino is a private man and somewhat shy, despite his ability to thrill audiences when performing. Coleman traces his biography and development as a musician in the context of the times including his father’s move to the Ninth Ward area, then a relatively rural area near the Industrial Canal, to the horrible events around Hurricane Katrina which devastated Domino’s home that was still on the same tract of land his father had purchased decades before.

Domino grew up in one of the most remarkable musical cities this country has ever had. Coleman traces its history, including the infamous history relating to segregation of the races which is invaluable in understanding Domino’s impact, not simply on music but in bringing people of different backgrounds together. Given the general easy going image of Antoine ‘Fats’ Domino, one is likely to be surprised when reading this about the riots his live performances often engendered. These riots were most often the result of those who objected to whites and blacks attending an event together, and even worse in the racist eyes of many, dancing and socializing together.

Influenced by Amos Milburn especially, Fats Domino was one of the greats in a long-standing New Orleans piano tradition. Roy Brown’s Recording of Good Rockin’ Tonight, is the earliest shot in the musical revolution of modern rhythm and blues that generated rock and roll. From when he went in the studio and cut his speeded reworking of the traditional New Orleans song Junker’s Blues as The Fat Man, Domino had a recording career that for about a decade and a half outsold anybody except for Elvis, and his music inspired performers including Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Lennon and countless others.

Coleman traces Domino’s recording and performing career as well as the major events of his personal life, but without focusing on scandals and then continues when Domino had ceased to be a major recording artist but remained a powerful live attraction on the oldies circuit and in Las Vegas. From when he first traveled to Europe in the mid-sixties, the adulation he received overseas led to regular tours there. And furthermore the level of his music remained consistently high. There is plenty of material here that was unfamiliar to me. I was not aware that of the many Domino-Bartholomew compositions, Domino’s chief contributions were the lyrics and the basic music, which Bartholomew worked and elaborated on. Also, I was not aware that Bartholomew generally played a very limited role in Domino’s live touring as we are given the details of the various persons who were members of the band and some of their foibles as well as musical contributions. But names like Earl Palmer, Roy Montrell, Herb Hardesty, Lee Allen and other names familiar to rock’n’roll and R&B collectors are part of this story as is label mate Rick Nelson.

Coleman has put together an impressive work that is long overdue. There is a factual quality of much of this, but again that is partly the result of Domino’s own private nature. He is best when describing some of the recordings and performances and there is a thorough list of sources although a list of recordings would have been very welcome here, or at least a listing of available recordings. But this is simply a small quibble on a most impressive work about a true Giant and Legend.

I must confess that I do not remember if I purchased this or received a review copy from the publisher.

Dave Keller's Distinctive Blues Voice

Championed by Ronnie Earl, with whom he has played and recorded, Vermont based singer-guitarist Dave Keller brings together a mix of blues and soul on Play For Love (Tastee-Tone Blues). Playing in a blues band covering Otis Rush and B.B. King, he has been mentored by Paul Rishell and Mighty Sam McClain, among others. On this self-produced recording (his 3rd) he is backed by a tight band consisting of Jan Schultz on bass, Brett Hoffman on drums and Ira Friedman on keyboards.


Play For Love was recorded live with some overdubbing and editing of a few tracks. Keller certainly brings plenty to the table as a songwriter, guitarist and singer. On the opening Here I Am, he suggests Otis Rush with his tight guitar playing while a bit of Memphis soul underlies Give It a Rest, with a nice bluesy solo and solid organ from Friedman. The title track is a soulful ballad with lyrics that emphasize that despite one’s problem one has time to love. His playing displays a typical intelligent and restrained development of his solo. This is indicative of the album’s strength, Keller’s understated, yet strong playing, which leads to the consistently satisfying and convincing performances here. The variety of the music is further shown by the folky All Souls Are Built For Flying, where his strumming acoustic guitar is backed solely by Friedman’s organ, along with the closing guitar instrumental Gabriela.”His restrained approach is also matched by his backing band. There are several songs that the addition of a horn or two might have enlivened the performances even more, but the performances stand out as recorded.


This writer would not be surprised to hear some of these songs interpreted by other performers but they will be hard pressed to match Keller’s originals. This is available from cdbaby and is distributed by Burnside Records.

I have edited slightly my original review that appeared is the March 1 - April 15, 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 324). Here is a link to Dave Keller's website. 


My review copy was likely provided by a publicist for the recording.

Bo Keys Royal Memphis Soul

Its been a number of months (maybe years) since I received the CD “The Royal Sessions” by the Bo Keys (Yellow Dog Records) and uploaded the music into itunes. This morning, December 27, I decided to give this CD of Memphis Soul, listen on my Mac. Bandleader and bassist Scott Bomar formed the Bo-Keys as an homage to the quintessential Memphis sound. In creating The Bo Keys, he recruited other players including Charles 'Skip' Pitts, long-time guitarist with the late Isaac Hayes; trumpeter Ben Cauley from the Bar-Kays and only member of that band to survive the December 1967 crash that killed Otis Redding and fellow members of the band; drummer Howard Grimes and organist Archie "Hubie" Turner, both from the Hi Rhythm Section along with some younger members of the Memphis music scene.


“The Royal Sessions” were recorded in Spring 2003 at the late Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studios in Memphis and the resulting CD was issued by Yellow Dog in 2004. Musically its an affectionate exploration into their hometown Memphis soul sound, although the somewhat laid back feeling gives it more of the restrained Hi sound of more recent years as opposed to the Stax sound of the mid-sixties through the early seventies. No ripping instrumentals light “ Last Night” or “Soulfinger,” but plenty of nice grooves. “Coming Home Baby,” was at one time a staple of blues bands and this Herbie Mann recording is slowed down here for a steamy ride followed by “Deuce and A Quarter,” which conjures up some classic Stax with the horns while Jimmy Smith’s “Back at the Chicken Shack,” opens with some chatter among band members as the group takes the classic to a slow-drag tempo. It is followed by the James Brown, passing the peas and gravy, funk of “Doin’ it To Death.” “I remember Stax,” is a reflective, low-key instrumental with the rhythm setting the table while the horns add punch.


Not to say that this is an indispensable release, but it is quite nice to hear the mix of veterans and young turks together putting together these solid groove and keep the classic Memphis Soul Sound alive.

The Bo Keys with Ben Cauley with trumpet, Charles 'Skip' Pitts on guitar at the 2008 Ponderosa Stomp

I likely received this from either the label or a publicist for Yellow Dog Records.

Chris Thomas King's Moving Katrina Inspired "Rise"

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Chris Thomas King issued perhaps the finest of blues recordings dealing with that catastrophe. I reviewed his album Rise (21st Century Blues Recordings) in the November-December 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 288) which I reproduce below. This CD, which I purchased, is still available.

Chris Thomas King, the Baton Rouge born son of Tabby Thomas, has issued a most impressive recording reflecting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that was recorded at several locations. From the opening What Would Jesus Do? to the closing What a Wonderful World, Thomas interprets some classic songs associated with New Orleans along with originals that cover a wide range of musical styles, although not the incorporation of hip hop that he has utilized on other recent recordings. Thomas is in an almost traditionalist mode here. The CD was recorded at a number of locations and tracks include several on which Thomas plays all the instruments along with several musicians including Mike Finnigan and Tony Braunagel of the Phantom Blues Band on several selections, and drummer Jason Marsalis on the closing What a Wonderful World.


There is some country flavor to the opening What Would Jesus Do? as he sings “Tell Me America, What Would Jesus Do (2x) If he had to walk a mile in my shoe” with its haunting lyrics. There is a bit of modern gospel-soul flavor in the backing for Faith told from the standpoint of someone on a roof-top waiting to be saved as a deceased neighbor floats on by and how we need to have some faith in one another. Baptized in Dirty Water is a modern electric guitar blues as he powerfully shouts in the manner of a young Buddy Guy or Otis Rush (and the song suggests Rush’s I Can’t Quit You Baby.


On the wistful Flow Mississippi Roll, King sings about having no place to go and wanting to drown on my own tears as a businessman is making plans for his land. St. James Infirmary is handled as a modern blues with more fine guitar as King updates the lyric with his asking when he dies for six gamblers to carry his coffin, six chorus girls to sing his song and put a good jazz band on my tailgate to raise hell as we roll along.


Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi, I believe was recorded a few days before Katrina in New Orleans, and Thomas’ performance makes the lyric “Don’t You Know What You Got ‘Til Its Gone, they paved paradise and put up a parking lot,” prescient in terms of the destruction of wetlands that helped contribute to Katrina’s devastation. Its not the only tune that is so in place even if not directly alluding to Katrina, as does the gospel number Deepest Ocean. His rendition of the Irish ballad, ‘Tis Last Rose of Summer, a tribute to his mother, is full of warmth and tenderness as is the rendition of the closing chestnut, What a Wonderful World.


Rise is a remarkable recording that transcends any limitation of genre. Heartfully sung and played with an eye to the losses he and so many others have suffered yet he also has an eye for that part of the human spirit that enables people to work together to overcome such traumatic and devastating natural disasters.

Alan Lomax's Incredible Haitian Recordings.

One of the most remarkable reissues of the past few years was the reissue of material from field recordings Alan Lomax made in Haiti in 1936 and 1937. These were issued on Harte Recordings and ironically at the time, Haiti suffered the catastrophic earthquake and according to the Harte Recordings website, they are still donating $15.00 of each sale from that site to Haitian relief efforts. The following review originally appeared in the March 1 to April 15 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 324). I received a CD from a publicist of the audio files and pdf files of the books included in the actual box set.

Between 1936 and 1937, folklorist Alan Lomax spent several months in Haiti documenting the folk traditions and music of its people. Haiti had been under American occupation for 19 years before American troops were withdrawn in 1934. Lomax had been engaged in research accompanied by NYU Professor Mary Elizabeth Barnicle and novelist Zora Neale Hurston,and had recorded African American communities of Frederica, Georgia and Eatonville and Chosen, Florida. According to Ellen Harold “The multi-ethnic migrant labor camps of Belle Glade, Florida attracted Bahamians and Haitians, whose dancing and drumming were more markedly African than anything they had seen. The three researchers were inspired to want to collect music of the African diaspora outside the United States. “ (From Ellen Harold’s Introduction to “Haitian Diary – Papers and Correspondence from Alan Lomax’s Haitian Journey 1936–37”).

While in Haiti, Lomax recorded over 50 hours of recorded music and film footage with over 1500 items, and hundreds of pages of field notes. Lomax had long intended to have released this material. During the 1970’s, he planned to contribute an encyclopedic collection culled from the U.S. and Caribbean oral traditions he regarded as fundamental sources of black culture and history in the Americas and while collections. He “mapped out a series of LPs that included music from eight U.S. states and the Bahamas—but not, alas, from Haiti. Although made with the latest in 1930s portable recording technology—a Thompson aluminum disc cutter and an RCA Velocity Microphone—the Haiti recordings were filled with too many hisses, pops, and sound dropouts to listen to comfortably.” (From Anna Lomax Wood’s Foreword to the book with notes on the recordings). However with advancements in audio technology and sound restoration along with a commitment by Gage Averill, the foremost authority on Haitian music, Gage Averill, it became possible to consider the project. It still took a decade of digging through the archives, painstaking research and sound restoration to make this project possible.

And so the Alan Lomax “Archive’s special mission has been to return digital copies of Alan Lomax’s collections to their places of origin. Thus we have also restored, digitally cataloged, and pre-mastered all fifty hours of the Haiti recordings and filmed sequences so that they may be deposited at Fondation Connaissance et Liberté (FOKAL) and at the Haitian Ministry of Culture. “ (Anna Lomax Wood in the forward). Additionally, this research and sound restoration has led to the release of a ten CD box set, “Alan Lomax’s Recordings In Haiti: 1936–1937,” including over nine hours of music along with a 168 book describing Lomax’s fieldwork and discussing all of the included recordings and film footage and Lomax’s Haitian Diary, with papers and correspondence from this field undertaking. The notes in the accompanying book by Averill are a key to understanding the variety of performances collected and made available in this compilation issued on Harte Recordings (www.harterecordings.com).

Given the amount of music and supporting documentation, it is probably best to give a description of the contents of each of the ten discs rather than go into detail about any specific performances, although certain items will be highlighted. Material in quotes, other than Disc titles are taken from Gage Averill’s discussion of the recordings. Disc One is devoted to “Meringues and Urban Music From Haiti,” and that “[b]y the mid 1930s, the méringue (Croele spelling: mereng) was considered by most urban Haitians to be the national music of Haiti.” The presentation here included a group “Surprise Jazz” that Lomax recoded when he “attended the bal (ball) given for President Stenio Vincent at the elite social club, Club Thorland, near Port- au-Prince.” Also recorded were two parlor performances by Ludovic Lamothe, that Lomax referred to as Haiti’s foremost musician. Other recordings include several by the dance band Orchestre Granville Desronvil, and three songs by noted author Zora Neale Hurston.

Disc 2 is devoted to small groups that Lomax “called malinoumbas groups (some- times manoubas or manoumba) after the name of the large boxlike “thumb piano” on which a player sits and plucks metal tongues suspended over a sound hole,” which is also referenced here as Haiti’s rustic troubadour music. The Third Disc is devoted to the music of Mardi Gras and Carnival. It is noted that some of the musicians playing in the small malinoumbas groups also played in more specific groups such as for Carnival and one will note some of the same names here and in other contexts.

Disc 4 is entitled Rara: Vodou in Motion. While an earlier visitor to Haiti, William Seabrook wrote a sensationalist book on Haiti and vodou that inspired the Hollywood notion of zombies and other aspects that bore little relationship to reality. Before Lomax came to haiti, Hurston warned him that Haitians considered the author William Seabrook to be an “awful liar.” Lomax approached this part of expressive culture in a more serious fashion and here captures the rara bands which is part of the public service of the saints (also known as Vodou). The annotation helps explain this aspect that “may be among the most difficult to describe and explain succinctly.” It should be known that this aspect of Haitian expressive culture has historically been subject to public repression and Lomax had to be somewhat discreet in these recordings.

Disc Five is entitled Haitian Songs By and For Children, and the book notes that limited education and hard life of many Haitian children. Many children songs were French in origin which like reflect the influence of the Catholic Church in which French was spoken and children were forbidden to speak in Kreyol, the language that developed over its French origins for several hundred years. In the book it is noted that while what attracted ethnographers to Haiti in the 1930s was “encountering vigorous African traditions in the New World. Indeed, descendants of African slaves had preserved cultural expressions from African nations stretching from Angola through what is now Senegal. ...[Y]et the legacy of French colonization was also in evidence everywhere. “ Lomax documented the French legacies, collected in Disc 6, “Flowers Of France: Romances, Canticles, And Contredanse,” not only in the elite art of urban Haitians, but “in rural contredanses, in the canticles sung before Vodou ceremonies, and in children’s game songs in small towns.”

Disc 7 is devoted to “Francilia: Rèn Chante (Queen Of Song).” Averill explains “As a folklorist of this period, one of Alan Lomax’s strategies was to seek out singers with a large repertory of songs that had been transmitted in traditional fashion (intergenerational and community or home-based transmission). Francilia fit this bill to a tee. She was from a peasant family and was untrained in singing, and her gift was practiced largely in the home and in the temple. In addition, she had a lovely voice with a great range and beautiful tone.”

Disc 8 is titled “Seremoni Kase Gato / The Breaking-of-the-Cakes Ceremony at The Le Roux Habitation,” that Lomax claimed was “the first Vodou ceremony ever recorded within an ounfò (temple).” Averill further comments “This recording is thus of great historical importance, due to its place in the history of recorded Vodou ceremonies. It is also unique within this collection, because Alan Lomax supplied almost all of the notes and texts needed to make the two-part ceremony come to life after all these years. And this recording is important for a third reason as well: the Le Roux habitation and the home of Dr. Reiser and Cecile was where famed dancer, choreographer, actress, and activist Katherine Dunham was exposed to Vodou, and where she was initiated as an ounsi only months before Alan’s arrival.” The final two discs are Disc 9, devoted to “Songs of Labor and Leisure” and Disc 10 “Worship in Carrefour Dufort,”and Mr. Averill provides the applicable background. Throughout we are given transcriptions and translations of songs. Several of the films that Lomax took are also included along with the aural recordings.

This is a massive undertaking, both in terms of the cultural preservation that was undertaken in making this available and the production of this remarkable box set that makes available this rich body of ‘folk culture” from over seven decades ago and the remarkable packaging that includes the invaluable book on Lomax’s stay and the performances presented here along with the Diary of Lomax’s Papers and Correspondence from his Haitian Journey. There is a blog on the Alan Lomax in Haiti boxset, http://thehaitibox.blogspot.com. Information on purchase should be obtainable from that site and as I type this (February 23) they had a reduced price with $15.00 of every purchase going to Haitian Relief.