5.0 out of 5 stars
THIRTY YEARS OF MUGGSY, September 6, 2009
This review is from: Essential Collection (Audio CD)
This is a reissue of the double album entitled "Muggsy Special 1924 to 1954" which came out in 2000 and has been commanding a rather high price. Most of the recordings were made under Spanier's own name, but it includes also two apiece from the Bucktown Five, the Chicago Rhythm Kings, Ted Lewis, and Lee Wiley, plus six 1946 recordings by Pee Wee Russell's Jazz Ensemble.
I suspect that the earlier version had a more detailed liner note, but this one runs only to four pages, which is inadequate. For example, we need to know that Frank Teschmacher, Mezz Mezzrow, Joe Sullivan, Eddie Condon and Gene Krupa helped make up the Chicago Rhythm Kings, but you won't find that or any other line-up detail here. As for the Ted Lewis sides, they are memorable more for the leader's vocal hokum, against which Muggsy battles manfully on "Lonesome Road", but surely a better alternative could have been found for the second number? The Lee Wiley sides are delightful, and Muggsy's accompaniment on "Steamboat Tennessee" evokes Louis' 1925 recordings with Bessie Smith.
Muggsy was a great exponent of the mute, and his strong lead and frequent solos embellish the music. His best-known recordings ("The Great Sixteen", of which four are included here) were made in 1939 with his celebrated Ragtime Band, and contributed significantly to a revival of interest in New Orleans jazz. According to Avid, the compilation has been remastered, and the sound quality bears that out. Despite the odd gripe this is a real bargain, hence the five stars.
NOTE: I don't know why Amazon is showing this as discontinued, because its release is imminent.
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