The record changer (Jan 1955-Dec 1957)

13 k too well. Perhaps it was the absence of 'harlie Shavers that made the difference, r maybe it was simply the old problem of ying to revive a once-successful formula, seldom clicks the second time around. The quality isn't bad, considering what e original Crown 78's were like. (River<Je RLP 2511) (R. B. H.) oogie woogie: ijreat Blues Accompaniments: I'jeade *'Lux" Lewis (with George jannah) : Freakish Man/Molasses ,i)pper Blues; Dobby Bragg (?) jjvith "Boodle-It" Wiggins) : Evil j'oman Blues/Keep a Knocking; 'tipple Clarence Lofton (with jjjuise Johnson) : By the Moon and |!ars/On the Wall; Leroy Garnett mth "Boodle-It" Wiggins) : My [5vin' Blues/Weary Heart Blues On the face of it, the most interesting ections are likely to be the "Lux" Lewis Les, and that is the way it turns out. ( irnett plays no boogie on Weary Heart , d little on Lovin', and judging by his work Jsre, it could not be he (as some say it is) J the Evil Woman, Knocking coupling. But : iggins is an honest singer, if a limited one St notes are wrong when they say that he i ks sustained tones — that is one vocal iswtr that he does have), who sings the j^ies with a wonderful natural tremolo; he i es not shout them. Li suppose that by now everyone knows at a silly and vapid singer Hannah is, | d how these phoney words exploit "smut." lit that is not the point of these records. On -i first we hear Lux's first recorded ;.|mple of the style that he learned from fncey. Notice the bass figure here; it is User to Yancey than in the later Yancey yscial version of this blues and lacks the . lave decoration. And the treble seems too nj?ly and imaginative to be called an "imilion." On Molasses, we hear a rolling, w adaptation of some of the ideas that he i;|s to use later after the "discovery," and °jich everyone was to insist that he was (iorbing from Pete Johnson. His solo Iprus on this side drops the boogie bass tare, surprisingly. So this is not only good I J-sic, but a lesson in the kind of creator |jx was, and is. As usual, the emotion of jail is quite under his control and all gets -bpily into the music. | With Lofton, the latter part of the case is | )it different. The emotion just cannot all il: put into the playing with the technique 'i I man has, so that the whole thing strains |B almost bursts out of the upper treble in lit way that Clarence's playing always does Ik) at any rate, his playing in his fast ■'inner. These are two of the most lively Ijl inventive performances he recorded, it Ims to me, and the interplay between him ■I Louise Johnson is the most successful Ijween instrument and voice in the set. line is tempted to ascribe this to the fact I't these two simply had to listen to each ||er and cooperate, or Clarence would I re been playing his casual choruses of | n eight to fourteen bars and would ■ ply have left the lady and she him), jhidentally, On The Wall is a vocal version I [he blues that Clarence has called StreamI| Train and Davenport called Cow Cow I'm, and the singer actually puts her words to that melodic line. We shall probably never know whose blues this "really" was, of course, but if my point about the way that Lofton's emotions spill over outside the music isn't clear, compare his Streamline Train with Cow Cow's Blues; Davenport can usually express all of his feeling with his playing. "Bragg's" style is an adaptation of that same "dubious metre" manner that we associate with Lofton and Davenport, but he has an interesting eclecticism — or is it the other people who are eclectic? He begins Weary Heart with a simplified version on the introduction which Pinetop Smith usefl on his Blues, and Lovin' starts with the tremolo which some of us used to think always went with boogie woogie in the twenties. (Rivefside RLP 1052) (M.T.W.) the gin bottle seven — vol. 2 Four or Five Times/Aggravatin' Mama/Shake That Thing/Nagasaki/ Eccentric Rag / Wolverine Blues / Pallet on the Floor/Dallas Blues The Gin Bottle Seven, along with the Dixieland Rhythm Kings, have made the Dayton — Cincinnati area as jazz conscious (possibly more jazz conscious) as any part of the country. Having discovered the common denominator shared by such diverse traditionals as the Wolverines, the Five Pennies, the Red Hot Peppers, and the many happy ragtime boys from the San Francisco area, the GB7 are producing an original — and perhaps the most exciting sound of any to come forth since the Lu Watters-Turk Murphy triumphs. Since the release of Volume 1 about a year ago, the GB7 have become a tremendously more relaxed, assured, polished, and red hot band. Trumpeter Carl Halen leads George Stell, trombone; Martin Kollstedt, clarinet; Fred Gary, piano, Jan Carroll, banjo; Tom Hyer, drums, and Johnnie Pollock, tuba. Each contributes an irreplaceable color to the performances and each, but notably Halen, Stell, Carroll, and Pollock, is among the very best of jazz instrumentalists. Every tune is conceived in an ideal manner for the band. In each is explored a number of dynamic, harmonical, and rhythmic devices, thus manifesting some of the highest virtues of the art of good jazz. The strutting Four or Five Times spotlights great solos by Gary and Halen and two magnificent final ensembles. The long lost old favorite, Aggravatin' Mama is a pure masterpiece of musical sensitivity and understanding. Jan Carroll's vocal, including a new phrase or two, will charm many a soul. His banjo break is that one out of possible hundreds that is pure perfection for the occasion. Shake is played down in slow tempo and with the help of a fine trombone solo and rolling banjo, is given a wonderful new flavor. Nagasaki is a thing of joy forever with mirthful, muted brass, a vocal by Halen and Carroll, and great clarinet, trombone, and trumpet solos. Eccentric has had no finer treatment on records. Wolverine, too, is superb. Halen's break in the second strain is the closest that any horn has come to the essence of George Mitchell since G. M. himself. Pallet is the Atlanta Blues version with a Carroll vocal and fine trombone and trumpet backing. Halen's lead and solo work in the beautiful and happy Dallas Blues are outstanding. If there are two or three imperfections among these eight selections, they are infinitely overshadowed by more great jazz than has ever appeared on a single LP recorded in recent years. The GB7 generate boundless enthusiasm among themselves and their audience. With very little hesitation, we suggest that among Four or Five Times, Aggravatin' Mama, Nagasaki, and Wolverine are to be found some of the greatest jazz performances ever to be recorded. (Empirical EM-104) (R. L. T.) inside jazz down under: Graeme Bell and His Jazz Band: Goanna March / Big Walkabout / Hook, Line and Sinker/Cakewalkin' Babies/ When the Saints Go Marching Home/Nullabor/Backroom Joys /High Society This is the first venture of Angel Records into traditional jazz and we hope there will be more to come. This "first" is likely to be a "best" for all followers of the Australian jazz scene as dominated by the Graeme Bell band. The Bell band is continually varying its sound, and this time we find them stirring up a fine fuss in the backyards of Lu Watters, Turk Murphy, and Clarence Williams. As usual, leader Bell is on piano and brother Roger B. on trumpet. Deryck Bentley plays distinguished trombone and Don Roberts is noteworthy on clarinet and tenor sax. Adrian Monsbrough alternates on second trumpet and alto sax. In the rhythm section are found Bud Baker, banjo; Baron Silbereisen, bass (brass and string) ; and Johnny Sangster, drums and washboard. On Hook and Backroom, Humphrey Lyttleton comes in on trumpet. Goanna, Walkabout, Hook, Nullabor , and Backroom are all first rate originals. A principal theme in Goanna is suggestive of the introduction to New Orleans Joys, suggestive, in turn, of San Antonio Rose. The appearance of Lyttleton makes a good thing better. Backroom is a gem, with a Lyttleton solo that is nothing short of great. Cakewalkin' features wonderful ensembles and a vocal by Neva Raphaello, the British Claire Austin. Although Miss Raphaello would be an asset to any jazz band. Miss Austin would be a much greater asset. Saints is carried off with respect and good taste, High Society with all this and intensity too. Nullabor displays a fine arrangement in early swing style. It is most cheering to have the Bell band back with us on an LP that is altogether well worth owning and among the year's best. The album notes by George Simon are unfortunate. Mr. Simon obviously does not care for this music and is rather awkward in pretending he does. Mr. Simon has my sympathies, however, as I have had to write in praise of music that he likes and that I would prefer to avoid. Rather peevish situation, eh? {Angel 60002) (R. L. T.) the six Take Six/Porky's Blues/Saint James Infirmary /A Foggy Day/Music to Sin By/Riverboat Shuffle/Little Girl Blue/Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Few groups in jazz — traditional or modern — can boast the skill, technique, and integration of The Six. Bob Wilber, clarinet