Customer Reviews

1944

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the fifth volume in Classics' eight volume collection of Johnson recordings, and offers a mixture of piano solos and band recordings.

Johnson recorded two sets of tribute recordings to commemorate the recently dead Fats Waller for Decca. Tracks 1 - 4, not issued until the LP era, are fine solos, with "Honeysuckle Rose" being a copybook example of Johnson's inventive yet disciplined stride playing. Tracks 5-8 find Johnson encumbered by unnecessary drum accompaniment, but offering slightly less introspective and more lively readings.

Tracks 9 - 14 come from a session for the specialist label Asch, and find Johnson leading his "New York Orchestra", a quintet with Frankie Newton, Al Casey, Pops Foster and Eddie Dougherty. Focussing mainly on rarely recorded Johnson compositions, these are interesting recordings. "The Dream", recorded elsewhere by Johnson as a "Spanish tinge" solo, is performed here as an orchestral slow drag. "Hot Harlem" is the only up-tempo number. "Euphonic Sounds", a later period Scott Joplin rag, is played solo by Johnson in a swinging jazz re-invention reminiscent of Jelly Roll Morton's versions of "Maple Leaf Rag" and "Original Rags".

Tracks 15 - 19 are orchestral tracks made for Blue Note by a group ostensibly led by trumpeter Sidney De Paris, with Vic Dickenson, Edmond Hall, Johnson and a rhythm section led by drummer Sidney Catlett. Recorded on 12 inch discs, these extended performances (three over 4 minutes) allow the musicians to stretch out in the ample solo space available. Johnson contributes fine stride solos to "Everybody Loves My Baby" and "Who's Sorry Now". These tracks are well recorded, and Catlett's drumming is especially well captured.

Like all the Classics discs this is a slightly mixed bag, with variable sound quality. The Asch sides are not essential, but the solos and Blue Note tracks make this a very enjoyable disc.

This is another installment in Classics chronological review of the recordings of great stride pianist James P. Johnson.

Tracks 1 - 4 are solo tracks recorded as a tribute to Fats Waller for Decca (see also tracks 17 - 20 of the previous volume). "Honeysucke Rose" is a wonderful ilustration of Johnson's disciplined approach to stride improvisation and his ability to build a solo. For some reason, Decca rejected these recordings and re-recorded them with superfluous drum accompaniment, and tracks 5 - 8 are the result. They are generally taken at a slightly faster tempo than the solo versions, but for my taste at least, the first sessions are the better ones.

Tracks 9 - 13 are small band tracks recorded by Asch, featuring Frankie Newton on trumpet, James P. and a rhythm section. They include some rare Johnson tunes and the jazz tango "The Dream" which Johnson later recorded as a solo. "Euphonic Sounds" is a solo version of a 1909 Scott Joplin rag, similar in approach to Jelly Roll Morton's recordings of "Maple Leaf Rag" & "Original Rag". The final tracks are by Johnson's "Blue Note Jazz Men", 4 minute plus performances featuring Sidney De Paris, Edmund Hall and Vic Dickenson. To my taste, Johnson was at his best in solo or trio formats: in a band setting he rarely stamped his personality on the ensemble in the way that Jelly Roll Morton did. Nevertheless, these are enjoyable pieces.

An interesting disc, if not the best in the series.