The record changer (Mar 1946-Feb 1947)

imagination than a failure of technique. These two titles are neither among the best nor among the worst of Bunk's recordings. They have the unique sonority that Bunk's band achieves because of the fusion of all these disparate elements. Do Right, Baby is a slow blues with an endless and uninteresting vocal ( vocalist unknown), but the band sounds good in tl e background after a magnificent opening chorus. Margie is a tune I have never cared for; it's given a fast, excited and exciting treatment. I don't think, however, that Bunk's band sounds especially good on these popular tunes. MIDNIGHT PIANO (Cliff Jackson and Don Frye) You Took Advantage of Me The Man in the Moon Tea for Two Voulez-Vous Memphis Blues Let's Get Together DFsc Album 706 Unless you are an incorrigible piano collector you won't find much of interest in this album. Intermission piano may be a necessary evil of night-clubs and it may be all right as a background for witty conversations, but to issue a whole album of it is, to me at least, incomprehensible. It indicates a misunderstanding of the function of this type of piano-playing, which is to make soft and pleasant music having no intrinsic value. The three Don Frye sides (Man in the Moon, Voulez-Vous and Let's Get Together) are of the smart-night-clubentertainment variety, and all have vocals by Frye in a diluted Fats Waller style. Waller's influence is also apparent in Frye's piano playing. As Frye can't duplicate Waller's exuberance, he replaces it with affectation. Cliff Jackson is a much better pianist who stays too much in the James P. Johnson tradition. The fact that right now he is probably a better pianist than James P. is unimportant. Jackson could become really good if he found his own style. Memphis Blues is the "only mildly interesting side in the album. If you have a wife or girl-friend who simply must talk in the middle of a serious record session, put these on your turntable and let her talk to her heart's content. 18 WiNGY MANONE Tin Roof Blues If I Could be with You ARA 145 Tin Roof Blues is not only Wingy's best record in years, it's a very fine record in itself. It has a definite New Orleans Rhythm Kings flavor, not only in its traditional arrangement but in the mood the band creates. Wingy is still one of the best white trumpet players ; his phrasing here is exceptionally clean and his lead is so good that it should be an example to the more publicized trumpeters in New York. His excellent playing should be a revelation to those who had forgotten how good Wingy could be. There is also a wonderful pianist on these sessions (perhaps the old Chicagoan, Marvin Ashbaugh). He supports the solos with a sense of jazz values that is unusually acute. The trombone (Irving Verret?) is a little weak and plays a rather stereotyped dixieland trombone ; his repetition of the famous Brunis chorus is quite competent, however. This kind of jazz is of course much below the level of Bunk's band, but we expect so much from Bunk and so little from Wingy that this pleasant version of Tin Roof is a happy surprise. The band plays very poorly on the reverse, which features a vocal duet between Wingy and Kay Starr. Among the name vocalists of the day I don't know of one who sings as well as Kay Starr, which isn't saying much ; anyhow, she's a better singer than Billy Holiday or Mildred Bailev. SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENGLISH Discographical Society JAZZ PUBLICATIONS Publisher and Editor: Clifford Jones Associate Editors: Ralnh Venahlos and Alan Woodcock Black and White (two parts) Bob Crosby Band Eye Witness .la?* (nart one) Future Issues: Eye Witness Jazz (part two) Cream of the White Clarinets Clarinet in Sepia SINGLE ISSUE— $.30 12 ISSUES— $3.00 Allow six weeks for first d?livory Send vour subscription to: JERRY SABATH 1216 12 STREET ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS AUCTION AUCTION RAYMOND SCOTT Complete Collection of All of His Records All 72 sides. Including 18 sides made with his Quintet Labels include Sonora, Decca, Columbia, National, Brunswick. All sides in A-l condition, not even scratches, all from new to mint. Minimum Bid $50.00 A. AJAMIAN 824 15th Street, Union City, New Jersey THIS CHORUS (Continued from Page 8) try , my draft notice in han'd. After a year of marching around . . . (once, when they found that I was an artist, they gave me the opportunity to paint arrow-shaped signs saying, "La Trine." Not being much of a linguist, I never did find out what that; meant) . . . the army decided what I could have told them from the .start, and threw me back. Back in baggy-tweed, I was with the Lockheed art department for some time, until the flying machine business began to taper-off, and then again went forth to seek. Following a short attempt at crashing the art agency profession, I joined the Art Staff of the Columbia Broadcasting System in Hollywood. This is a concern which makes with the wireless. They have aSales Promotion Department which retains me, my associates and boss (who is, incidentally, the kindest sweetest, most lovable old gentlemar in the business) to help convince prospective sponsors that CBS is good for them and they-should-take from-us. And even though they pa) me off in radio tickets and Bromo Seltzer ("fights headaches threi ways"), I love it there. Am unique among collectors in tha I am not writing a book on jazz . . as yet. My three favorite possessions An original label Wabash Wack; Washboard Wizards ; my wife Marie ; son, Kim. Favorite Jazzmen Johnson, Carey, Yancey and Lea< Bjlly. Dreamed-up "Cat" character coupl of years ago as a contribution to th old JAZZ Magazine. I drew up large number of Cat-toons and sen them to the editor. Almost immedi ately the Magazine folded ; and to thi day, I have never heard from then GAD, the power of the militantl wielded brush almost frightens me ! Let us hope the Record Changer wi be better able to hold up under th strain ! Incidentally, if any of you "cats have any collecting anecdotes ths might be suitable for ol' horn rim send 'em along to me or Gullicksoi Printed credits, of co'se. Many people have trouble pre nouncing my name. One of my ai cestors must have been a frustrate anagrams player. Just work-up a li tie saliva and say "D-eye-tch." TI hell with-it, just call me Gene. THE RECORD CHANGE .