Jelly Roll's Jazz/Louis' Hot 5's and 7's

Read About This Recording

Trumpeter Yank Lawson and bassist Bob Haggart, both of whom had significant careers, also had a long-time musical partnership. They first met up in 1935 as members of the new Bob Crosby Orchestra when they were both in their early 20s.

Lawson was a hard-driving trumpeter with a warm sound who sounded perfectly home in both dixieland and swing settings. He left Crosby after starring with both the big band and the Bob Crosby Bobcats, having stints with Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman but returning to Crosby in the early 1940s. He worked with a variety of dixieland bands during the next few decades, including collaborations in the 1950s with Haggart in the Lawson-Haggart band (which was mostly a recording group) and in the late 1960s as co-leader with Haggart in the World's Greatest Jazz Band.

Haggart was both a fine bassist and a talented songwriter who penned What's New, Big Noise From Winnetka and South Rampart Street Parade. After leaving Crosby in 1943, he became a very busy studio musician but always found time to play dixieland, most notably with Lawson.

This single disc collects all of the music from two different projects by the Lawson-Haggart bands of 1951-54. The sextet, which also includes trombonist Lou McGarity, clarinetist Bill Stegmeyer, pianist Lou Stein and drummer Cliff Leeman, performs eight songs apiece that were recorded by Jelly Roll Morton and the Louis Armstrong Hot Five and Seven in the 1920s. While there are hints of the original recordings, the Lawson-Haggart Band does not attempt to recreate the historic gems, and instead adds to the music in their own complementary and swinging style.

This is fun and irresistible music.

-Scott Yanow

Contents

Imported from Europe!

Remastered!

Jelly Roll's Jazz: King Porter Stomp; Dead Man Blues; Wolverine Blues; Jelly Roll Blues; Milenberg Joys; Sidewalk Blues; Cannonball Blues; Kansas City Stomp; Louis' Hot 5s & 7s: Louis Armstrong's Spoken Introduction; Cornet Chop Suey; Skid-dat-de-dat; Potato Head Blues; Gully Low Blues; Heebie Jeebies; Melancholy Blues; Wild Man Blues; King of the Zulus.

Yank Lawson, Trumpet; Lou McGarity, Trombone; Bill Stegmeyer, Clarinet; Lou Stein, Piano; George Barnes, Guitar; Bob Haggart, Upright Bass; Cliff Leeman, Drums; Louis Armstrong, Speech; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band.