Sidney Bechet, the first great jazz horn soloist to be featured on records, was a remarkable soprano saxophonist and clarinetist. He dominated ensembles, often taking over the role of a trumpet or cornet, and was such a dazzling soloist that he ended up being the favorite musician of both Duke Ellington and John Coltrane. On this three-CD set, Mosaic Select has included some of the highlights of Bechet's recording career, although not delving into his later Paris years or his much-reissued association with the Victor label.
Sidney Bechet - jazz musician known as a master of the soprano saxophone.
Along with trumpeter Louis Armstrong, Bechet was one of the first musicians to improvise with jazz-swing feeling. He intelligently crafted logical lines atop the New Orleans-style ensemble, double-timing and improvising forcefully and with authority. Bechet produced a large, warm tone with a wide and rapid vibrato.
For generations, Sidney Bechet's legacy of great jazz recordings has been reissued carefully, both casually and haphazardly. One of several chronological options, the 12-volume Masters of Jazz "Complete Edition" takes a most exactingly thorough approach, mapping Bechet's every appearance in the recording studio, week by week and session by session, regardless of who was initially designated as the primary artist. 1923, Vol. 1 in the series covers a four-month period from late July to early November 1923…
This collection of Bechet tracks cut between 1932 and 1941 would be worth owning if for nothing else than the inclusion of his one-man-band recording of "Sheik of Araby," the first known instance of overdubbing with Sidney playing clarinet, tenor sax, piano, bass and drums. But everything on here is fine, spirited New Orleans music, played with verve and wild energy. Kicking off with a wild version of "Maple Leaf Rag" by the New Orleans Feetwarmers, the set moves to include Bechet with Jelly Roll Morton, Tommy Ladnier (excellent versions of "Weary Blues" and Mezz Mezzrow's "Really the Blues"), Dr. Henry Levine's Barefoot Dixieland Philharmonic, and Sidney's later versions of the Feetwarmers.
Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important soloists in jazz (beating cornetist and trumpeter Louis Armstrong to the recording studio by several months and later playing duets with Armstrong), and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist. Forceful delivery, well-constructed improvisations, and a distinctive, wide vibrato characterized Bechet's playing.