The record changer (Jan-Dec 1949)

15 his excellent taste, beat, and genuine originality. There is an odd charm about Roll 'em Bags, possibly its relaxation and restraint, possibly the feeling of true nostalgia in the arranged parts; they're short, but they get under your skin. There is also a sense of the mixture of two eras, since, in a couple of places, there is no ostensible mqdernity— -only moderate progressiveness, as it were. It's the usual 12-bar blues, jazzed up by the least Cubano conga man in the world, Joe Harris, and by the presence of Julius Watkins on French horn. \Ve are rapidly approaching the time when some joint will feature a real crazy little combo ; clavichord, goathorn, Swiss bells, M'boko hand-clapping, and, for that full sound, a Scotty recorder. Playing the old-fashioned trumpet on this side is Kenny Durham, who, many people believe, would be the best of them all, if he plaved more; he sounds pretty good to me. (Century 1501) (P.B.) Terry Gibbs' New Jazz Stars T and S Terry's Tune In a manner of speaking, this is almost a Herman unit, with a couple of outlanders thrown in — Shadow Wilson and the ubiquitous Curley Russell. T and S is listed as the A side, but an unfortunate surface spoils it pretty much, despite good work by Gibbs, Earl Swope, and one of my favorite tenormen, Stan Getz. Gibbs is, if anything, even more facile than Milt Jackson ; I remember being amazed by him one night when he had just joined the Herman band, playing ,at a speed I would have thought impossible. He doesn'f offer the intense feeling that Jackson does, but he is a remarkable musician. I've always enjoyed Stan Getz's supple and pleasant style, which derives, like so many others, from Letter Young's ; Stan is remarkably close to Lester in tone and ease of playing, and his stuff has an ingratiating unpretentiousness about it on this record, especially Terry's Tune. Some rather mysterious piano by George Wellington (lately something of a celebrity, for his writing and arranging) suggests that solos are not his particular strength, and I don't hear as much of Shadow Wilson as I'd like. (New Jazz 800) (P.B.) The Howard McGhee Boptet The Skunk Boperation It has become difficult to find a record not featuring Curley Russell on bass, so the fact that he's aboard all three of these is almost altogether fitting and proper. This is the mate to the very successful Double Talk by the same group; the boys were in fine fettle that day, without a doubt, especially trumpeters McGhee and Navarro. By way of casually demonstrating their virtuosity, on Boperation they play a fantastically intricate unison part — toss it off like peeling a grape. There's something about the confidence and dash with which these men go about their work that makes me wonder where they're going to be two years from now (I may wonder idly where I'll be two years from now, too, but it's not the same thing), because the possibilities are pretty limited ; the fact that, right now, McGhee plays specialties in front of the Machito band may be the handwriting on the wall. Fats took a fling at a big band f Goodman), PARADOX Records Piet&tt KNOCKY PARKER PX 7— GRANDPA'S SPELLS (piano, bass, and drums) WOLVERINE BLUES (piano, trombone, and drums) PX 8— GRACE AND BEAUTY RAG (piano solo) WILDFLOWER RAG (piano solo) PX 9— CRAZY KID BLUES (pia no and drums) PRETTY BABY (full band) Knocky Parker, piano; Cy St. Clair, bass; Eph Resnick, trombone; Harry Drachman, trumpet; Mel Hill, clarinet; Bob Sann, banjo; Irv Kratka, drums. PARADOX Album X-101 3-10" Records $3.94 YOUR LOCAL MUSIC DEALER HAS THESE RECORDINGS ... ASK TO HEAR THEM TODAY GLOBE AGENCIES 55 West 42 Street— New York 18, N. Y. — CHickering 4-6691 OUR COMPLETE CATALOG INCLUDING REISSUES SENT FREE USUAL DISCOUNT TO DEALERS which was hardly a triumphant experience for him, and lie has gone about as far as he can go with what's around him.; it must be a bit disconcerting to stand on top of a heap and not find God waiting for you with outstretched hand. I don't, think either one has the 'instinctive savvy to make a go of his own group, as Dizzy did — neither is" salesman enough to do it right. Maybe Bop City will give fellowships one of these days. Back to the record : neither side is as exciting as Double Talk, but it's still a good job ; The Skunk offers a really unique piano effort by Milt Jackson, and very cool, melodic solos by the aforementioned Messrs. McGhee and Navarro, who have some delightful breaks on the other side, as well. Just as was the case on Double Talk, it's sometimes hard to tell them apart. (Blue Note 558) (P.B.) behind the cobwebs (Continued from Page 11) in our Goodman Discography. Cornelius W. Hauck writes that he thought only Jimmy Dorsey was on clarinet and alto in this group, rather than both Benny and Jimmy being present. He backed up his ear with such facts as : he knows of no other instances of Goodman appearing on a Bullock record ; most of Bullock's recording bands were Dorsey Brothers groups and BG was not in any of their organizations ; and Jimmy often sounded more like Benny during this period than any other clarinetist. This caused us to , listen to the record exhaustively ; we have finally decided that Mr. Hauck is probably right and that this item should be removed from the Goodman Discography. Tidbits: Word comes our way that a great blues singer on the Okeh label is Mooch Richardson. The report says he is a fine back-country blues singer and that those who like real blues would do well to pick up anvthinsr bv him. Joseph Madison sends two interesting items. The first is When My Sugar Walks Down the Street/ Jealous on Vo 15800 as played by the Marigold Entertainers, Oscar Westlund, director. Art White does the vocals and Joe is of the opinion that this is definitely a Mole-Nichols item. It is the only copy be has ever seen or heard of, and he has a N copy which he offers as a gift to any Nichols collector who wishes to improve his collection. .... Please send your letters and cards to us either at 74 South Road, Harrison, New York, or ■ c/o the Record (hanger. Will buy used records any quantity or collections. JACOB S. SCHNEIDER 128 Watt 66 Street NEW YORK CITY 23. N. Y. ma ml usee ^Z00K/'SAIAM£ 98 SHORE DRIVE WINTHf?OP MASS.