Blue Note Jazzmen

Read About This Recording

The Blue Note label is most famous for its many hard bop and soul jazz recordings of the 1950s and '60s, but its founder/owner Alfred Lion actually started out documenting high-quality boogie-woogie, traditional and swing. Three years before he switched his label to more modern jazz, during 1943-44 Lion recorded four overlapping swing combos.

All of that music (including some alternate takes) has been made available on this historic and swinging two-CD set. Featured are trumpeter Sidney DeParis, trombonist Vic Dickenson, either clarinetist Edmond Hall or tenor-saxophonist Ben Webster, the great stride pianist James P. Johnson, rhythm guitarist Jimmy Shirley, Israel Crosby, John Simmons or Al Lucas on bass and Big Sid Catlett or Al Trappier on drums; some of the very best players of the time period.

The music falls between small-group swing and Dixieland, with the highlights including "High Society," "Royal Garden Blues," "Who's Sorry Now," "The Call of the Blues," "Victory Stride" and "Tishomingo Blues." Although Hall, DeParis and Johnson are the listed leaders of the sessions, in reality each of the horn players and pianist Johnson have plenty of solo space on each song.

The joyous music heard throughout this twofer is impossible not to enjoy.

—Scott Yanow

Contents

Edmond Hall's Blue Note Jazzmen: High Society*; Blues at Blue Note*; Night Shift Blues*; Royal Garden Blues*; Blue Note Boogie; SIdney De Paris' Blue Note Jazzmen: Everybody Loves My Baby*; Ballin' the Jack; Who's Sorry Now*; The Call of the Blues; James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazzmen: Blue Mizz*; Victory Stride*; Joy Mentin'; After You've Gone; Tishomingo Blues*; Walkin' the Dog*; Easy Rider; At the Ball*. (* Includes alternate takes.)

James P. Johnson, Piano; Edmond Hall, Clarinet; Sidney De Paris, Trumpet; Ben Webster, Tenor Sax; Jimmy Shirley, Guitar; Vic Dickenson, Trombone; Israel Crosby, John Simmons, Al Lucas, Basses; Sid Catlett, Al Trappier, Drums.