Customer Reviews

Andy Kirk & His 12 Clouds of Joy

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Andy Kirk's band was an incredible assortment of talent, from the incomparable Mary Lou Williams down to Andy himself. It's sad that he's a little bit overlooked today, because his band had a unique sound, style and swing element. He's not as elegant as Ellington or as polished as Basie, but he has a driving, ragged edge to his music which is addictive. Listen to the brass section on Gettin' off a Mess and the sax solos on Walkin' and Swingin'. Now that is pure music!

My favorite track on this collection, and one of the greatest swing records of all-time, is Little Joe from Chicago. I love how the sidemen sing the chorus, "Little Joe from Chicago, never spent a day in school, little Joe from Chicago, never learned a grammar rule." Now this is hot stuff, classic material, a sound that will never be heard again. If you've never really listened to Kirk and the 12 Clouds of Joy, start right here. I bet you'll be hooked and play this disc over and over. He had a quality band, a unique style and the sound quality on this CD is excellent.

Very underrated band of that era. Great tunes and writing from Mary Lou Williams, and Kirk himself.
I bought this CD to hear more of the great Dick Wilson, and he's very impressive on these sides. Soon as you feel you've heard what he's playing before, he pulls off some wonderfully strange rhythmic/harmonic idea that is shocking to hear. No doubt that if he had lived, he would have been a major innovator on the instrument.
This CD is worth buying just for the Dick Wilson cuts, but there are many more great performances by all the musicians on this disc.