The record changer (Jan-Dec 1949)

17 for Turk, he has anear-perfect style for this kind of music, and a tone that can't be beat. He trots out the five-gallon can, too, for some Ike Rodgers stuff. Get with this set. (Jazz Man 31, 32). Mutt Carey's New Yorkers Indiana Ostrich Walk The first group of Careys that came out on Century consisted of three highly embdrrassed rags and a happy standard that everybody knew. The impression that the Carey band would do much better on more of the latter is borne out here. Mutt's unexpected passing is especially unfortunate in that he finally produced records under his own name at the age of 56 — and they are to be his last. And they are certainly fine examples of his playing, particularly Indiana. This is an extraordinarily fine side ; I'd say the best yet on the Century label. Carey picks up the first chorus in driving fashion, sounding very much like Wild Bill Davison, but with greater force, if you can imagine that. It would be no exaggeration to say that this is the best horn imaginable for the New York style that has grown up in Manhattan during the last decade. It is perfect, that's all. Mutt adds a solo with mute later on, and in the last chorus socks out the lead again, oi>en. In between, Ed Hall is fine, Danny Barker lays down some grade-A rhythm along with Baby Dodds, and the whole spirit of the performance is downright ideal. Ostrich Walk is a weak sister by comparison ; nothing happens that isn'i done better on Indiana. At that, it's still a pretty fair performance. (Century 4013). Punch Miller Down by the Riverside Panama Back when I used to listen to the radio every time the Casa Loma orchestra was on the air, I used to get a great kick out of the confusion of the engineers during things like clarinet solos and Kenny Sargent vocals. Main's the time the solo mike would be closed and you'd hear Sargent singing way off somewhere and the background of the band booming up through your speaker. That's the way it is for quite a while in Down By the Riverside, and you know what? I like it. Punch, holding back too much, lets Ed Hall and Ralph Sutton have the spotlight in the first chorus of this slow version of Bunk Johnson's theme, and the result is very nice indeed. One of the best things about this date, incidentally, is that there are only two other men on it — Jimmy Crawford on drums and Ernest Hill on bass. The studio Century recorded Punch in seems to have been much too small for a larger group ; the first Punch Miller releases sound much poorer technically than this one. Sutton, cutting through all the way (I would say that two mikes have been used, one for Sutton and Hill, another for the horns, and let Crawford fall where he may), gives the record a distinctive flavor and helps make_it rhythmically interesting with such pleasant moments as the transition into the last sixteen bars. Panama is faster, more hectic, and somewhat less distinguished. As with the Mutt Carey release, one side says all there is to be said on the record, and thus Panama is just another side. (Century 4014). Dick Wellstood Raggedy Anne George Zack Oh Baby, Look Out! This is the first solo record of Wellstood'S' piano work. While not typical, it shows off his fast, clean adaptations of the Harlem piano school. There's a lot of Johnson and Waller in this record, and a snatch of Maple Leaf Rag, but also a lot of Wellstood. He has the attack and technique to stand up to a man of the stature of Jimmy Johnson ; maybe there isn't as much Origirfality as you'd like, but it would be unfair to say that this is just a copy. Chalk up* 'an excellent performance for Wellstood, and it's good to know that the promise of this year-and-ahalf old recording has been fulfilled. Wellstood has absorbed the Harlem school well, and this record alone is sufficient proof. Another derivative pianist, but of an older period, is George Zack, whose Oh Baby, Look Out is one of his best efforts on wax. Once again, there's not much that's original here, but it's nicely put together. Zack's tasteful first chorus is followed by a good blues vocal and then out with a little of Tin Roof Blues and a couple of familiar turns of the blues. The heavy rolling followed by the sharply percussive flights of the right hand are all here, and sound as good as George ever played them. There are only four choruses in all on this side, but they're all you need. (Century 4002). Lord Nelson and His Boppers Stardust Ratio and Proportion Sonny Stitt's penetrating tone is the first thing that hits you on this record, which sounds as if it were made in a marble hall, and Milt Jackson's vibes are the second. Stitt gets an uncanny sound out of an alto, tremendously sharp and metallic, and he has good ideas to express with it. I can think of easier jobs than rendering Stardust, accompanied by vibes, drums, piano, and a silent trumpet, but Sonny acquits himself with sparkle and grace. Milt Jackson supplies the audible part of the backing, occasional shimmering chords being all that was necessary. The reverse brings to light a trumpeter, a pianist and a drummer, Willy Wells, Will Davis, and Dave Heard respectively ; none of the three is familiar to me, except that Heard is the celebrated J. C.'s brother. Wells plays an odd solo, beginning with part of Million Dollar Baby, for no very valid reason, and Da vis sounds like a pretty capable piano man. Stitt has an invigorating 24 bars, in that ringing, confident style of his, sounding as if he could cut through the Goldman band, and Jackson taps around with intelligent neatness; Heard doesn't play loudly, he's more in the tradition of his brother, bouncy and slick. The bass is by Jimmy Glover, but he is not well recorded. I forgot to mention that the tune itself (at bottom a 12 bar blues) is annoying, to me anyway, but there is enough of interest to nullify that. (King 4235) (p B-) (Continued on Page 22)