A Century of Music

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Paul Whiteman - Bix N' Bing (1927-29)

Alright, one more from the late 1920s. When I was preparing my next several artists including Bing Crosby, I remembered that I haven't broken out this collection in awhile. I mentioned above how Bix Beiderbecke went on to play in the popular Paul Whiteman Orchestra, but a young crooner Bing Crosby (then part of the Rhythm Boys) gained popularity in Whiteman's orchestra too. Neither of these two great artists here are showcased tremendously (it still is big band ensemble work) but it's a fun, interesting set and the greatness of both Bix and Bing shine through

 

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The Essential Bing Crosby - The Columbia Years

This series definitely refreshes my memory about albums that I own and don't listen to enough. Most of der Bingal's career was on Decca, and this material gets a lot of play be me. After his success with Paul Whiteman, Bing would spend the early 1930s recording with Columbia. This single disc is a nice summary with 16 sides including "Brother Can You Spare A Dime", "Dinah", "Temptation". More Bing expected as I go along but it's nice to revisit his early career.

 

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The Complete Early Recordings of Skip James 1930

Not sure I'd call Mississippi/Delta bluesman Skip James representative of 1930s music or even 1930s blues music - at the time, he didn't really sell well during the Depression era. But during the 1950s/60s, his fingerpicking style and minor key sound/tuning attracted a lot of interest among blues/folk fans/rockers and he was "rediscovered"(Son House, also a 30s artists, was similarly rediscovered at this time). Happily James was still around and played at blues and folks festivals in the 1960s. Nice comp here of his early recordings remastered.

 

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Cab Calloway - Jukebox Hits 1930-1950

Always fun listening to the "Hi-de-ho" Man! Calloway was such a charismatic performer that, after being asked to fill in for the touring Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club, he would eventually share the title with Duke's band of house band. He was also the first African-American artist to have a million dollar single (the iconic "Minnie the Moocher"). Though he broke up his band in the late 1940s after the big band era ended, he would make periodic appearances especially to perform "Minnie" (even in the film The Blues Brothers). A little trivia: George Gershwin patterned his character of Sportin' Life in Porgy and Bess after Calloway's style; Cab would eventually play in the 1952 travelling production (with Leontyne Price as Bess).

 

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The Duke - The Essential Collection: 1927-61 (Disc 1)

Duke Ellington is such a towering figure in music, he doesn't need much discussion especially as I'll be revisiting his work over the next 3 decades. In the absence of Okeh Ellington, a wonderful summary of his late 20s/30s work (before the tremendous Blanton-Webster years) is Disc 1 on this 3 disc set. This contains 25 essential tracks from the 1930s.

 

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Fats Waller - If You Got to Ask, You Ain't Got It!

As I've said above (and will probably say multiple times over this series), assessing the past century of music chronologically really reminds me of artists and their music that I own but don't break out enough simply by pure forgetfulness and the limitations of time. This 3 disc set of the charismatic, entertaining pianist Fats Waller not only includes his wonderful hits ("Honeysuckle Rose", "The Joint is Jumpin'", "Ain't Misbehavin'), concentrated on disc one, but also his tremendous piano work and contributions to swing (Disc 2). Bit o' Trivia: Waller was the first person to record jazz on the organ thus impacting a whole subgenre of jazz organ which would influence soul/R&B. Disc 3 focuses on Waller's cover renditions of Tin Pan Alley songs.
Though I am tempted given time constraints to just touch on Fats, he's such a towering figure of jazz/swing in the 1930s, I'm going to take time and play the whole 3 disc, 66 song set.

 

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Art Tatum - Piano Starts Here

After Fats Waller, continued in a piano mood so played the tremendously dexterous Art Tatum (who was influenced by Waller). It's often said about Tatum (who from infancy had extreme vision impairment) that it sounds like two pianists are playing at once - this is certainly true. But Tatum also takes well-trod jazz standards in such unique directions - he's a joy to hear. This classic album combines 1933 sessions and a solo concert from 1949. Will be seeing him later in the series too.

 

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Charley Patton - The Best of Charley Patton

The "Father of Delta Blues", Charlie Patton (Wiki states) has been considered by musicologist Robert Palmer "one of the most important American musicians of the twentieth century". Great sounding collection (considering the era) - enjoyed this one a great deal. Compared to the early blues I've heard thus far in this series, Patton serves up some pretty timeless stuff

 

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Sidney Bechet - Ken Burns Jazz

Another winning collection to come out of the Ken Burns Jazz series - again that documentary had its flaws but the coverage of early jazz was not one of them. Sheepishly admit before I saw that doc years ago, I had not heard of Bechet - I'm sure I wasn't alone, a shame as he was a pioneering early soloist (along with Louis Armstrong) in what was previously was an ensemble genre (actually Bechet's first recordings beat Armstrong's by a few months). This set actually spans from 1923 to 1947 but this seems like a nice place to spin him. In addition to his clarinet work, Bechet was a pioneer on the soprano saxophone well before the sax became a stable of swing/jazz

 

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Fred Astaire - The Early Years at RKO

37 tracks of 30s Astaire might seem like a lot considering, as he'd be the first to admit, he had a slight voice. As a huge 1930s musical film star, however, he got to introduce some of the great pieces of The Great American Songbook" include "Night and Day", "Let's Face the Music and Dance", "Nice Work if You Can Get It", "Cheek to Cheek", and more. As such, Astaire had a tremendous influence of popular music. Love those RKO Astaire-Rogers films, so nice revisiting Fred's rendition of these classics.

 

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Benny Goodman - Live at Carnegie Hall 1938

Although lots of great Benny Goodman this decades between big band singles, small group releases and radio concerts (and I might get to more later as I really enjoy Goodman), going with a longstanding classic, a favorite of mine since college, and one of the top 10 (in both enjoyment and importance) live jazz releases ever.

 

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Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra - Live At The Rainbow Room NYC March/April 1936

This disc is "prime" stuff
Before Benny Goodman and other swing bands became big in the late 30s, Glen Gray's orchestra was huge despite the fact that leader Glen Gray seemed to swing his baton around without any sense of rhythm or tempo. Unlike Goodman, Artie Shaw or the Dorseys who would follow, Gray wasn't particular tops on his sax. Still, they seemed to resonate with the public and across the airwaves. He did have some solid musicians including future jazzbos like Herb Ellis and Red Nichols as well as guitarist Gene Gifford who was a pioneer in jazz big band arrangments. Gray to his credit was charismatic and a sharp businessman keeping the band together through the Depression era and beyond.

 

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Billie Holliday - Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday

Aside from "complete" collections, this is my favorite collection of her Columbia material (from 1933-44). 2 discs - 36 songs. Can always listen to more Lady Day

 

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Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues

Only 29 songs (recorded in two sessions in 1936 and 1937), but what an impact primarily when re-released in 1961 and eaten up by Clapton, Page and Plant, Keith Richards, Dylan, etc.

 

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Chick Webb - 1929-1934

Though known today (if known at all) for introducing the world to Ella Fitzgerald (who would take over the band after Webb's death in 1939), Webb was a great band leader in the 1930s with his band the house band at the Savoy Ballroom. Ken Burns' documentary did a great job focusing on the diminutive drummer (with a spine affected by tuberculosis aka Pott's Disease which coincidentally a patient asked me about today mistaking it for the acronym POTS) highlighting what a tremendous drummer Webb was. I've stated before that this doesn't really come through much through his 30s singles here (apparently a great live presence though), but I still really love this set.

 

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Django Reinhardt - Anthology 1934-1937

Sure there's a ton of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt collections out there, but this one is pretty fine with Django and violinist Stephane Grappelli at the Hot Club de Paris.

Now that the grainy clarity of the 20s is behind us, I must say, after listening to Chick Webb, Django, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, I've heard some tremendous jazz over the past week

 

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Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings

Count Basie day as I listen to my 63-track set spanning 1937-39, essential stuff in 1930s jazz. Producer John Hammond heard Basie's band on the radio and was impressed immediately. He invited them into the recording studio in October 1936 noting later it was "the only perfect, completely perfect recording session I've ever had anything to do with" (those Vocation sides are not in this set; Basie signed with Decca soon after). Wonderful throughout - Lester Young's tenor is like buttah!

 

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The Essential Artie Shaw

Can't listen to 30s music without 1938s "Begin the Beguine". Of course besides the late-30s stuff, a lot of 40s on this set too, but that's OK. Plan was to hit that decade next week anyway

 

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The Essential Artie Shaw

Can't listen to 30s music without 1938s "Begin the Beguine". Of course besides the late-30s stuff, a lot of 40s on this set too, but that's OK. Plan was to hit that decade next week anyway

Didn't he take the clarinet as far as it could go?

Of course, that was much later.

He took a number of wives to their breaking point, as well.

Of course, this is about the music....

 

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Lead Belly - The Smithsonian Folkways Collection

Probably not going to listen to all 108 tracks on this incredible collection, but will be playing a number of the songs. One of the most influential folk/blues artists ever covered by artists as wide ranged as Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, CCR, ABBA, and Nirvana. His guitar playing is potent.