J.c. Higginbotham

It's a shame this and the earlier Classics collection split up the bandleader's prime 1930 recordings, but such is the way of a strictly chronological series. Those wanting just one disc that covers most of Russell's best work will want to pick up JSP's Savoy Shout disc, which includes 22 cuts from 1929-1930. But for collectors in need of all of the recordings Russell cut before Louis Armstrong practically swallowed up his band whole in 1934, the two Classics discs will certainly do the trick. And while this later disc pales a bit to the 1926-1930 collection, its first half does feature classic work from Russell's band and its spin-off combo, J.C. Higginbotham and His Six Hicks. Along with Higginbotham's own irrepressible trombone work, these sides also offer a wealth of solo treats from such band standouts as trumpeter Henry Allen and saxophonists Charlie Holmes and Albert Nicholas. The later 1931 and 1934 recordings might not match up to earlier classics like "Panama" and "Song of the Swanee," but they still include enough fine performances amongst the filler to keep the quality level up. A worthwhile disc, but one that's probably best suited for Russell completists.

In the late 1920s, pianist Luis Russell was one many performers that helped lay the foundation for the Big Band era, yet his career wound down just as Goodman's and Basie's were kicking into high gear. Russell's band featured such New Orleans jazz players as Pops Foster, Albert Nicholas, and Paul Barbarin, along with future Ellington stars Rex Stewart and Barney Bigard. The music - energetic, hot, witty, danceable - was the bridge between the New Orleans and swing styles of jazz. This collection features a generous 24 tracks, and with cuts such as "You Rascal, You," the ribald "It's Tight Like That," and the eerie "New Call of the Freaks," it's a wild party waiting to happen.

The third "complete" Pete Johnson CD put out by the European Classics label features the great boogie-woogie pianist in three different settings. There are eight formerly rare piano solos from 1944 that cover a variety of moods, five selections with a hot Kansas City octet which includes trumpeter Hot Lips Page, tenorman Budd Johnson and two vocals from the young Etta Jones, and eight intriguing numbers in which Johnson is gradually joined by an additional musician on each track. "Page Mr. Trumpet" is an exciting outing for Hot Lips, and the other top players include clarinetist Albert Nicholas, trombonist J.C. Higginbotham and tenorman Ben Webster. A particularly exciting release.

Sidney Bechet was one of the great pioneers of jazz, a New Orleans clarinetist of unmatched improvisational creativity who developed a highly personal voice on the difficult soprano saxophone. He could soar above an ensemble or develop lead lines with a power that rivaled trumpeters. Although he was the first great jazz soloist to record–on 1923's "Wild Cat Blues" with Clarence Williams's Blue Five–until the late 1930s, Bechet's recordings cast him invariably as a sideman. He wouldn't achieve the kind of fame that was his due until he settled in France in the 1950s. This is an excellent introduction to his work, ranging from that first extant recording to 1947. Along the way, there are early meetings with Louis Armstrong and recordings like "Shag," a spirited performance in the New Orleans ensemble style with trumpeter Tommy Ladnier and the New Orleans Foot Warmers. Some of Bechet's best work of the '30s appeared under the name of singer Noble Sissle, even when Sissle wasn't present, as on "Viper Mad," but it's Bechet's distinctive work that gives these period pieces their enduring significance. While he spent much of his career cast in the New Orleans style, Bechet was an innovator, using electric guitar in the band for his own 1938 classics "Chant in the Night" and "Jungle Blues." He finally had something like a hit when he recorded Gershwin's "Summertime" in 1939, the rich wail of his soprano both plaintive and commanding. The same distinctive way with a popular song is evident on "Love for Sale" with just a rhythm section, while there are other 1940s recordings with a host of distinguished collaborators, such as trumpeter Muggsy Spanier and trombonist Vic Dickenson. –Stuart Broomer

In the intimate atmosphere of one of New Orleans's premier jazz clubs, Lulu White's Mahogany Hall on Bourbon Street, the music that set the city on fire: the authentic sounds of Jelly Roll Morton's jazz is performed by the legendary Dukes of Dixieland and Danny Barker, one of Jelly Roll's own musicians. Ferdinand Lamothe aka Jelly Roll Morton was one of the first great composers and piano players of Jazz. He was a talented arranger and musician who wrote special scores that took advantage of the three-minute limitations of the 78 rpm record. Even more than this, he was a real character whose spirit shines brightly through history - like his diamond studded smile