Jazz Focus

499 Episodes

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Big Joe Turner - Jazz and Blues from Kansas City

2020-05-2801:05:301

This focus is on two albums recorded by Big Joe Turner in the late 50's for Atlantic. Coming off his success as a senior rock and roll singer ("Shake Rattle and Roll was 1954), Turner returned to his KC roots to sing blues and standards with two all star groups including Coleman Hawkins, Lawrence Brown, Pete Brown, Pete Johnson, Freddie Green, Walter Page, Ernie Royal and Vic Dickenson. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Bob Wills - King of Western Swing!

2020-05-1101:13:00

Today we listen to some of the jazzier sides recorded by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, mostly in the 1930's. "Western Swing" as a term didn't come into use until the middle 1940's - these players considered themselves jazz musicians and their playing on standards like "Lady Be Good," "White Heat," "Wang Wang Blues," "Who Walks In When I Walk Out" and others demonstrate this very well. The most impressive soloists are Jesse Ashlock on violin and Leon McAuliffe on steel and electric guitar, but acoustic guitarist Eldon Shamblin, pianist Al Stricklin, trumpeters Everett Stover and Tubby Lewis, sax/clarinet players Ray DeGeer, Charles Laughton and Wayne Johnson should not be overlooked either! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Hilton Jefferson - great lead and solo alto sax

2020-04-0901:10:54

Hilton Jefferson was known to musicians more than the public - as lead alto for Fletcher Henderson, Claude Hopkins, Cab Calloway and many others, he was often featured on ballads to show off his gorgeous sound, but here we are featuring him on more rhythmic tunes from some all star swing combos of the middle 1940's with a few ballads thrown in besides. Jonah Jones, Joe Thomas, Tyree Glenn, Ike Quebec, Jerry Jerome, Bernie Leighton, Eddie Barefield, Coleman Hawkins, Milt Hinton, Cozy Cole and Panama Francis are just a few of the notables featured here, but the focus is really on Jefferson, whose playing is a model of consistency, musicality and some innovation as well. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven - radio transcriptions

2020-04-0943:56

The TD Clambake Seven recording for radio transcriptions in 1936 . . Max Kaminsky, TD, Joe Dixon, Edythe Wright and Dave Tough playing some standards ("Jada", "Somebody Stole My Gal" "How Come You Do Me Like You Do?" "My Honey's Lovin' Arms") as well as contemporary tunes ("Cabin In the Sky" "I'll Bet You Tell That To All The Girls") . .some great jazz. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Maggie Jones - Classic Blues singer

2020-04-0958:38

The records Louis Armstrong made with Maggie Jones in 1924 were ones he singled out as favorites of his later in his life. Here she is featured on four numbers with him (including the very special "Does Anyone Here Want to Try My Cabbage?") one with Charlie Green, and several with Fletcher Henderson units, members of the Original Indiana Five, and an Elmer Snowden group. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Anachronic Jazz Band . . Traditional Jazz from France

2020-04-0954:41

The 1976-78 recordings by the Anachronic Jazz Band were both traditional and innovative. By taking tunes by Bebop and later composers (Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane) and filtering them through a 1920's sensibility they showed the continuity of the Jazz tradition with great arrangements of and solos on tunes like "Round Midnight," "Yardbird Suite," "Giant Steps" and "Joy Spring." --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Mary Lou Williams first recordings - 1927-1929

2020-04-0901:05:061

Mary Lou Williams was one of the finest pianists of the 1920's and 30's . . . she was also a very under-appreciated arranger and composer. Her work here on the early Andy Kirk and His Clouds Of Joy recordings as well as a couple of earlier sides with her then-husband, reedman John Williams show a fine combination of playing, composing and arranging. Kirk's band was also one of the hottest and most interesting groups in Kansas City at that point. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Dizzy Gillespie in 1945-46 . .as leader without Charlie Parker

2020-04-0901:05:081

This is a look at the sessions Dizzy Gillespie led in 1945 -46 without Charlie Parker. The Diz and Bird sides have received a lot of attention, but the recording dates that Parker wasn't hired (or just didn't show up) for are fascinating as well. Gillespie leads and is heavily featured on tunes with Don Byas, Lucky Thompson, Dexter Gordon, Trummy Young, Clyde Hart, Al Haig and someone who may or may not be Thelonious Monk. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Bessie Smith and James P. Johnson

2020-04-0247:431

An examination of the duet recordings made by Classic Blues singer Bessie Smith and stride pianist James P. Johnson in October 1929. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Roy Newman and His Boys Podcast

2020-04-0243:26

The roots of Western Swing - Roy Newman and His Boys - string band with piano and clarinet playing Jazz --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Gold Coast Jazz Band Podcast

2020-04-0235:121

A look at the Gold Coast Jazz Band of Chicago, circa 1960 featuring Ted Butterman, Kim Cusack, John Cooper, Art Gronwall, Peter Niegaard, Bob Sundstrom, Mike Walbridge, Ransom Knowling, Wayne Jones and Booker T Washington --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Connie Boswell - solo recordings 1950's

2024-11-0501:01:52

Connie (later Connee) Boswell was the central member of the Boswell Sisters trio in the 1920's and 30's although she had a series of solo recordings at the same time - here we will hear a few things from the 30's and early 40's (with Ben Pollack, John Scott Trotter and Frank Sigorelli) as well as the results of two Design lps in the middle 1950's featuring her with a large band doing Rodgers and Hart and Irving Berlin tunes as well as jazz album from the same period where she is backed by the Original Memphis Five (Billy Butterfield, Miff Mole, Jimmy Lytell, Signorelli, Gene Ramey and Tony Spargo). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Show - Muggsy Spanier big band 1941, 42

2024-11-0559:03

The Chicago cornetist Spanier was known primarily for playing in small groups, but for about two years he led a big band modeled on the example of Bob Crosby's Orchestra. These studio dates for Decca and live airshots from the Arcadia Ballroom feature the leader, trombonist Vernon Brown, clarinetists Irving Fazola and Tony Martell, tenor sax Nick Caiazza, pianist Dave Bowman and drummer Don Carter . .great big band swing centered on New Orleans style! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Show - Eddie Miller with the Big Bands

2024-10-2857:38

New Orleans tenor sax player in featured recordings with Bob Crosby (transcriptions and live, with Yank Lawson, Muggsy Spanier, Matty Matlock, Hank D'Amico, Jess Stacy, Bob Zurke), the All-Star Band (Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Bunny Berigan, Jess Stacy, Sonny Dunham, Gene Krupa), and his own bands recording for Capitol during the WWII years --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Mr. Jelly Lord - Jelly Roll Morton at the Library of Congress 1938

2024-10-2301:06:59

A selection of recordings made by Jelly Roll Morton as part of an archival/folklore project by Alan Lomax at the LOC in 1938 . . Something like six hours of recordings were made of Morton playing, singing, talking and reminiscing about his career and the early days of jazz . . here we have blues, spirituals, ragtime, semi-classical pieces and pop tunes along with Morton's own compositions --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Show - Bob Haggart Arrangements for Bob Crosby

2024-10-2357:30

Bob Crosby and His Orchestra carved a pretty unique career for itself in the Swing Era - specializing in tunes from the previous decade done up in swing clothes, the chief arrangers were clarinetist Matty Matlock and bassist Bob Haggart. Here is a selection of Haggart's arrangements featuring Yank Lawson, Sterling Bose and Billy Butterfield on trumpets, Warren Smith, Buddy Morrow and Floyd O'Brien on trombones, Irving Fazola and Matty Matlock on clarinets, Eddie Miller on tenor sax, Bob Zurke, Joe Sullivan and Jess Stacy on pianos, Nappy Lamare on guitar, Ray Bauduc on drums and himself on bass! 1936-42. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Dirty Bopper - Bruce Turner - great British alto and clarinet

2024-10-1701:09:48

Bruce Turner was a largely self-taught clarinet player who picked up alto sax in the navy during WWII. He became an in demand clarinetist in trad bands (Freddy Randall, Humphrey Lyttleton) but became even more valued for his swinging, Benny Carter styled alto playing. This podcasts presents him leading his Jump Band -John Chilton or Teddy Brown on trumpet, Pete Strange on trombone, Al Mead or Colin Bates on piano and others. Great swing playing with a varied repertoire! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Show - Bob Crosby's Bob Cats with Irving Fazola

2024-10-1756:48

Decca recordings from 1939-40 of the eight piece Bob Cats Dixieland ensemble featuring the great clarinetist Fazola along with Eddie Miller on tenor, Warren Smith on trombone, Nappy Lamare on guitar, Bob Haggart on bass, Ray Bauduc on drums and either Joe Sullivan, Floyd Bean or Jess Stacy on piano and Billy Butterfield or Yank Lawson on trumpets --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

New Orleans Rhythm Kings - 1922-1923

2024-10-0701:02:34

Influential band of white jazz musicians - many from New Orleans - active in Chicago in the early 1920's - Paul Mares (c), George Brunies (tbn), Leon Rappolo (clt), Jack Pettis (ts), Mel Stitzel and Elmer Schoebel (p), Lew Black (bjo), Steve Brown (sb), Frank Snyder and Ben Pollack (d). Premier versions of many jazz standards and classic versions of some! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Captain John Handy! New Orleans saxophone

2024-10-0101:04:51

Not to be confused with the more modern altoist of the same name, this John Handy was known as "Capt. John Handy" due to his no-nonsense nature in rehearsals, apparently. He was usually featured in a traditional, dixieland-New Orleans setting during the revivial period, but here are two very mainstream sessions recorded in England in 1966 featuring members of the Barry Martyn band, including the leader on drums, Pat Hawes and Richard Simmons on piano and Cuff Billett on trumpet and vocals --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

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