4 3 2 1 Swing

Django Reinhardt - The Complete Django Reinhardt and Quintet of the Hot Club of France Swing/HMV Sessions 1936-1948 (1999) {6CD Mosaic MD6-190}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.08 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 837 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 216 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1936-1948, 1999 Mosaic Records / EMI-Capitol | MD6-190
Jazz / Continental Jazz / Swing / Gypsy / Guitar

This is the Reinhardt mother lode – a six-disc collection of the Gypsy legend's oeuvre stretching from just before to just after World War II. Disc one includes several infectious cuts with vocalist Freddy Taylor, beginning with Stuff Smith's "I'se a Muggin'." Disc six closes with one of Reinhardt and Grappelli's last recording sessions together, which included an unusually dark reading of "Oh Lady Be Good" and a revisitation of the obscure "Bricktop" (the first version appears on disc two). In between are well over 100 marvelous tracks, with sound quality up to Mosaic's (and Michael Cuscuna's) impeccable standards. The booklet contains a learned essay and annotation by Mike Peters, as well as an impressive gallery of photographs, concert posters, and news clippings. Extraordinary, and for Reinhardt's most devoted fans, entirely worth the investment.

From Spirituals to Swing was the title of two concerts presented by John Hammond in Carnegie Hall on 23 December 1938 and 24 December 1939. The concerts included performances by Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson, Helen Humes, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Mitchell's Christian Singers, the Golden Gate Quartet, James P. Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Terry.

Bob Howard made a remarkable number of recordings during 1935-38, enough to fill up five LPs. With the popularity of Fats Waller, Howard was signed by Decca as competition but he never came close despite the utilization of some notable sidemen. Howard moved to New York in 1926 and performed as a solo act. He was a fixture on 52nd Street in the 1930's, including at the Hickory House, Park Central Hotel and the Famous Door among others. Howard recorded five selections during 1931-32 for Columbia (three solo sides that included his vocals and two duets with trumpeter Manny Klein). A decent pianist, Howard stuck exclusively to goodtime vocals during his Decca period and among the other players on his records were Benny Carter (on trumpet and alto), trumpeters Bunny Berigan and Marty Marsala, clarinetists Buster Bailey, Barney Bigard, Cecil Scott and Artie Shaw, pianists Teddy Wilson…

Hep's Teddy Wilson series sticks to his all-star band sides (skipping his solo piano performances), many of which feature the vocals of Billie Holiday. This entry starts with a pair of vocals by the long-forgotten Redd Harper ("You Turned the Tables on Me" and "Sing, Baby, Sing"), has two spots for the talented singer Midge Williams and also a couple of instrumentals; otherwise, the set is comprised of Holiday vocals that are readily available in more complete form elsewhere. The highlight is Lady Day's first recorded meeting with tenor saxophonist Lester Young and trumpeter Buck Clayton which resulted in "He Ain't Got Rhythm," "This Year's Kisses," "Why Was I Born," and "I Must Have That Man."

Could jazz possibly have been the same without Louis Armstrong? Both the man and the music were born around 1900, the turn of the century being a neatly convenient date for two such monumental events. The Louis Armstrong genius played a crucial role not only in the evolution of jazz, but subsequently in that of a whole massive slice of 20th-century popular music. Known to the public at large as a jovial entertainer, Louis, behind his showman's "satchelmouth" smile (hence Satchmo), was in fact a musical pioneer of immense importance. He freed jazz from its tight-knit collective patterns and developed the concept of virtuoso soloist. Harmonies were investigated, the music became more flexible, and the way was opened to the "swing" music of the 1930s…

From Spirituals to Swing was the title of two concerts presented by John Hammond in Carnegie Hall on 23 December 1938 and 24 December 1939. The concerts included performances by Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson, Helen Humes, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Mitchell's Christian Singers, the Golden Gate Quartet, James P. Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Terry.

In 1931 the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra recorded ten titles for the low-budget Crown label. This LP includes all ten numbers plus two alternate takes, giving Henderson's band a chance to play material generally not associated with their early brand of swing including such tunes as "After You've Gone," "Stardust," "Tiger Rag" and even "Twelfth Street Rag." It is interesting to hear trumpeters Bobby Stark and Rex Stewart, trombonist J.C. Higginbottham and tenorman Coleman Hawkins soloing on this unlikely material.