Jazz Focus
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443 episodes
The amazingly progressive tenor saxophonist Byas in four quartet sessions featuring slightly different personnel - Erroll Garner, Johnny Guarnieri, Slam Stewart, Al Hall, Eddie Safranski, Sid Catlett, Doc West and J.C. Heard - doing a varied program of standards, blues and originals --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
The great Harlem stride pianist Johnson recorded many piano rolls for various companies including QRS, Universal and Perfection, creating an early prototype of the stride style. Here he is featured playing his own compositions as well as interpretations of other tunes from Tin Pan Alley and the black theatre, including one duet with his erstwhile student Fats Waller --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Johnny Windhurst was born in 1926 and by the time he was in his late teens was playing with Eddie Condon and Sidney Bechet. Here is a sampling of his work - informed in equal parts by Bobby Hackett and Louis Armstrong. Sidney Bechet's New Orleans Rhythm Kings (with Pops Foster), Eddie Condon and His Band (with Cutty Cutshall, Ed Hall and Gene Schroeder), Barbara Lea and the Billy Taylor Quintet, Walt Gifford's New Yorkers (with Condon, Eddie Hubble, Dick Cary and Bob Mitchell) and his own quartet in Boston. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Sidney Bechet's New Orleans Rhythm Kings live from the Savoy Cafe in Boston, May 1945. For three weeks following the disastrous run with Bechet and Bunk Johnson, the New Orleans trumpet player Peter Bocage was brought in and he is featured on about six broadcasts, which are sampled here! Also featuring Ray Parker on piano, Pops Foster on bass, George Thompson on drums and on two tunes Brad Gowans on valve trombone --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Hodges' studio groups - mostly featuring Ellingtonians - recorded during his period away from the band. Harold "Shorty" Baker, Clark Terry (trumpet), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet and tenor sax), Arthur "Babe" Clarke (tenor sax), Harry Carney (baritone sax), Billy Strayhorn, Call Cobbs, Leroy Lovett (piano), Lloyd Trottman, Jimmy Woode (bass), Louis Bellson, Joe Marshall, Sonny Greer (drums) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Studio band using the Red Nichols stock company and led by trombonist Mole - one of the unsung heroes of 1920's Jazz. With Nichols on cornet, Art Schutt and Joe Sullivan on piano, Vic Berton, Gene Krupa and Stan King on drums, Eddie Lang, Carl Kress and Dick McDonough on guitar and banjo, Joe Tarto on tuba and reeds played by Jimmy Dorsey, Pee Wee Russell, Fud Livingston and Adrian Rollini. All recorded for OKeh in New York! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Live Recordings by the influential trad group with Waldo on piano and vocals, Roy Tate on trumpet, Jim Snyder on trombone, Frank Powers on clarinet and tenor sax, Bob Sundstrom and Bill Moorhead on banjo, Mike Walbridge on tuba and Wayne Jones on drums and vocal . . special guest Edith Wilson on vocals! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
These 1995-2002 sessions for Challenge records feature the crack Dutch big band playing published and unpublished arrangements and compositions by Billy Strayhorn, including a very early version of "Lush Life" (aka "Lonely Again") all featuring tremendous solos by the members of the band --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Unusual sessions during the Depression - black big bands active in Chicago in the 1930's (most musicians from the previous decade) playing good jazz! . .Richard M. Jones (with Artie Starks, Preston Jackson, Herschel Evans, Louis Metcalf, Ed Saint, others), Frankie Half Pint Jaxon (with Guy Kelly, Al Wynn, Dalbert Bright, Dave Young, others), and Reuben "River" Reeves (with Gerald Reeves, Franz Jackson, Norval Morton, Tubby Hall, others) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
On the face of it, the New Orleans trumpeter Manone and the great swing tenor sax player Berry were ill-fitted, but these 1938 and 1939 sessions were remarkably successful, featuring jazz standards and some pop tunes as well as Buster Bailey, Gus Fetterer, Buck Scott, Joe Marsala, Conrad Lanoue, Danny Barker, Zeb Julian and Cozy Cole --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
The Chicago-based West End Jazz Band (featuring Mike and Leah Bezin, Frank Gualtieri, John Otto, Mike Walbridge, Wayne Jones and Mike Albiniak) was especially active in the first fifteen years of the 21st Century and specialized in Hot Dance. Here, they play a series of selections recorded in the 1920's by the Coon Sanders Nighthawks. Terrific arrangements - the six piece band sounds like at least ten! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Great recordings made by Ethel Waters in 1938 and 1939 for Bluebird . . accompanied by her husband at the time, Eddie Mallory and His Orchestra which included Mallory, Shirly Clay, Tyree Glenn, Castor McCord, Benny Carter, Garvin Bushell, Reginald Beane, Danny Barker, Milt Hinton and Charles Turner --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Rhapsody in Blue is 100 years old as of Febuary, 2024! Here are some historical as well as great jazz performances of the iconic piece - George Gershwin on piano roll and with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Bert Firman (with Carroll Gibbons), Eddie South, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Leroy Smith and Glenn Miller --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Small group sides from 1926-30 recorded by Southside African-American bands in Chicago . . Luis Russell (with George Mitchell, Kid Ory, Barney Bigard, Albert Nicholas, Johnny St. Cyr), Tiny Parham (with Kid Ory, Junie Cobb, Roy Hobson), Frankie Half Pint Jaxon (with Punch Miller), Banjo Ikey Robinson (with Jabbo Smith), and Lloyd Smith. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
First sessions by the Illinois Jacquet Orchestra in 1945 while he was between engagements with Cab Calloway and Count Basie . .eight piece band with his brother Russell on trumpet, Henry Coker or Vic Dickenson on trombone, John Brown on alto, Arthur Dennis on bari, Tom Archia occasionally playing tenor, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Ulysses Livingston on guitar and Charles Mingus on bass with vocals by Russell and Wynonie Harris . .the focus is on the fleet and inventive tenor playing of the leader with a minimum of the showboating for which he was often criticized --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Bands led by two almost forgotten black musicians from Chicago - drummer Harry Dial and pianist/composer/arranger Alex Hill. In Chicago Harry Dial's Bluesicians included Shirley Clay, Lester Boone, Omer Simeon, George Dixon, Cecil Irwin, and Hayes Alvis . . Hill's band in Chicago from 1930 had Bob Shoffner, George Dixon, Cecil Irwin, Darnell Howard, George James, Zinky Cohn and Sid Catlett . . his 1934 New York band had Joe Thomas, Benny Carter, Clyde Bernhardt, Claude Jones, George James, Albert Nicholas, Gene Sedric, Garnett Clark and others . . excellent sides showcasing many little known players! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Great unheard jazz from various black groups active in Chicago in the late 1920's - Dave Nelson, Kline Tindall, Vance Dixon, Ernest "Mike" Michall, Cicero Thomas and others producing some exceptionally hot sounds just below the radar . .recordings for Paramount and Gennett. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Great band straddling swing, bop and R&B, all featuring the Texas tenor, Illinois Jacquet with his brother Russell and Joe Newman on trumpets, J.J. Johnson and Henry Coker on trombones, Ray Perry on alto, Leo Parker and Maurice Simon on baritones, John Lewis and Sir Charles Thompson on piano, John Collins on guitar, Al Lucas on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Almost unknown guitarist who could have provided some competition to Django Reinhardt in the 1930's . . Born in Argentina, Aleman lived in Paris for most of the 30's, returning home when war clouds gathered. Here are solo recordings of his, his own trio and quintet as well as sideman adventures with Bill Coleman, Garland Wilson, Danny Polo, Una Mae Carlisle, Alix Combelle, Phillipe Brun, Eddie Bruner, Wilson Myers and Tommy Benford --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Bud Freeman was one of the most in-demand sidemen on record sessions in the 1930's - here he is featured extensively with Bunny Berigan (with Forrest Crawford, Chick Bullock), Gene Gifford (with Berigan, Matty Matlock, Claude Thornhill, Morey Samuels), Wingy Manone (with Dicky Wells, Teddy Wilson, Matty Matlock, Gil Bowers, Artie Shaw) and Eddie Condon (with Max Kaminsky, Floyd O'Brien, Pee Wee Russell, Joe Sullivan, Alex Hill) - all between 1933 and 1936. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Great jazz sides by Richard M. Jones' Jazz Wizards, featuring Shirley Clay, William Franklin, Roy Carew, Omer Simeon, Artie Starks, Johnny St. Cyr, Willie Hightower and others, playing the compositions and arrangements of the New Orleans pianist, composer and talent scout Jones. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Great studio band playing hot stock arrangements in 1924 and 1925 . . featuring Red Nichols, Mickey Bloom, Miff Mole, Vincent Grande, Charles Panelli, Bennie Krueger, Rube Bloom, Harry Reser, Joe Tarto and others --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Great sessions for Charles Delauney's Swing label in New York in 1946 featuring Benny Carter and The Chocolate Dandies (Buck Clayton, Al Grey, Ben Webster, Sonny White, John Simmons and Sid Catlett), Jonah Jones and His Cats (Tyree Glenn, Rudy Powell, Ike Quebec, Dave Rivera, Milt Hinton, Kansas Fields) and Gene Sedric (Lincoln Mills, Freddy Jefferson, Danny Settle, Slick Jones), including two bonus Sedric tracks for Keynote --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Great early version of the George Lewis band, featuring the trumpet player the leader always said was his favorite - Elmer "Coo Coo" Talbert. Live and transcription recordings from 1949 to 1950 (when Talbert died) also featuring Jim Robinson, Alton Purnell, Lawrence Marrero, Slow Drag Pavageau and Joe Watkins --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Benny Carter led a big band from 1932 until 1947, but none was better than the 1945-46 edition, which split time between New York and Los Angeles. Featured in his regular band are Bumps Myers, Idrees Sulieman, Max Roach, Al Grey, Sonny White and of course Carter himself on alto, trumpet and clarinet, with most of the arrangements being his. The two sessions with his all-star band have some of those musicians plus Trummy Young, Dickie Wells, Emmett Berry, Joe Newman, Don Byas, Flip Phillips and others. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Tiny Parham was a well known theater musician, arranger and composer who had a series of recording sessions for Victor in 1928-1930 featuring his compositions and arrangements. This show focuses on two sessions, each of which features the New Orleans trumpeter Punch Miller along with Charles Lawson, Charles Johnson, Dalbert Bright, Mike McKendrick and others. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Studio band led by the New Orleans trumpeter Wingy Manone for Vocalion, OKeh and Banner in 1934 and 1935. Using members of the Ben Pollack Orchestra (Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller, Gil Bowers, Nappy Lamare, Harry Goodman, Ray Bauduc) Manone recorded a mix of original jazz tunes and Tin Pan Alley pops with a driving rhythm and outstanding solos. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Three of the few white dance bands in Chicago in the 1930's playing good jazz - Jack and Charlie Teagarden fronting the Charles Lavere band (with Bud Freeman, Rod Cless, Bob Conselman, Dick McPartland), the slightly later Lavere group (with Jabbo Smith, Marty Marsala, Joe Marsala, Joe Masek), and Frankie Trumbauer's short-lived big band featuring mainly himself, but good solos from Joe Harris as well --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Great houseband for Rudi Blesh's radio show "This Is Jazz" in 1947. Selections from two broadcasts of the show and two appearances on the same days by the same band on another program. .. .Wild Bill Davison on cornet, Jimmy Archey on trombone, Ed Hall on clarinet, Ralph Sutton on piano, Danny Barker on guitar, Pops Foster on bass and Baby Dodds on drums. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
Perhaps the first true New Orleans revival session - George Lewis and His Band was essentially the same group that recorded with Bunk Johnson, but with Avery "Kid" Howard bringing a more modern style to the band. Jim Robinson, Lawrence Marrero, Chester Zardis, Edgar Mosely and "Jim Little" (Sidney Brown) round out the group. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support
