Clarence Williams/Louis Armstrong/Sidney Bechet - With Louis Armstrong & Sidney Bechet (CD)

All Music Guide

Pianist, vocalist, bandleader and music publisher Clarence Williams is best remembered as the man who organized what turned out to be definitive and historically important recording sessions involving young Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet during the years 192325. In 1999 the Giants of Jazz label released a gutsy little twentyfive track anthology of classic jazz recordings harvested from this early portion of the Clarence Williams discography. In addition to Armstrong and Bechet the personnel includes cornetist Thomas Morris, trombonist Charlie Irvis, alto saxophonist Don Redman, clarinetaffiliated Buster Bailey heard instead on soprano sax; banjoist Buddy Christian and vocalists Clarence Todd, Eva Taylor and her husband Clarence Williams. Most if not all of the songs performed herein were straight out of the Williams catalogue; "Wild Cat Blues" was among the very first Fats Waller tunes ever published by anyone. Other highlights include Waller's "Squeeze Me", the "Texas Moaner Blues"..., the "Shreveport Blues", "'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do", the "Kansas City Man Blues" and the "New Orleans Hop Scop Blues". On "Mandy, Make Up Your Mind", Sidney Bechet plays ensemble and solo contrabass sarrusophone, using a horn fitted with a single reed mouthpiece rather than the double reed that was customarily inserted into the neck of this oddball instrument which was named after PierreAuguste Sarrus (18131876), a competitor of Adolphe Sax (18141894), who was the inventor, designer and purveyor of the saxophone family of instruments. Bechet's stunning sarrusophone solo is just one of many highlights to be enjoyed on this excellent sampler of early New York jazz laced with fresh inspiration and improvisational energies imported directly from Chicago and New Orleans. - arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide Read more Less