Gennett Rarities

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 11, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Jazz Oracle
• ASIN: B000009PUP
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #256,470 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Canned Heat Blues - Triangle Harmony Boys

2. Chicken Supper Strut - Triangle Harmony Boys

3. Sweet Patootie - Triangle Harmony Boys

4. Muddy Water - Black Birds Of Paradise

5. Bugahoma Blues - Black Birds Of Paradise

6. Tishomigo Blues - Black Birds Of Paradise

7. Sugar! - Black Birds Of Paradise

8. Is It Possible That She Loves Me - Eddie Miles And His Florentine Orchestra

9. Spirit Of '49 Rag - George H. Tremer

10. Fuzzy Wuzzy - Frank Bunch And His Fuzzy Wuzzies

11. Fourth Avenue Stomp - Frank Bunch And His Fuzzy Wuzzies

12. Congo Stomp - Frank Bunch And His Fuzzy Wuzzies

13. Mean Dog Blues - Dunk Rendleman And The Alabamians

14. Ragamuffin Stomp - Willie Jones And His Orchestra

15. Michigan Stomp - Willie Jones And His Orchestra

16. Bugs - Willie Jones And His Orchestra

17. Mother-In-Law Blues - Horace Smith

18. Love Is Dead - Horace Smith

19. Going Away And Leave My Baby - Horace Smith

20. Clickety Clack Blues - Horace Smith

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars TERRITORY BANDS FROM ALABAMA & INDIANA, November 15, 2010

By 

Barry McCanna (Normandy, France) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gennett Rarities (Audio CD)

During the twenties most jazz recordings were made in New York and Chicago, but Gennett, which began in New York, opened a second studio in Richmond, Indians in August 1921, and started recording on location in 1924, taking in Birmingham, Alabama. Jazz Oracle has focused on the so-called territory bands, and this compilation draws together six groups of recordings from Birmingham, all dating from July/August 1927, and two from Richmond dating from late 1927 and late 1929 respectively.

By their very nature, the Alabama sessions are rare and obscure, with no known personnel details for either Triangle Harmony Boys or Eddie Miles & his Florentine Orchestra. The first group is dominated by the clarinettist, but has a well-based rhythm section, heard to best advantage on "Sweet Patootie", the second is heard only playing "Is It Possible?" with an intensity that makes you wish for more. The best-remembered group is the Black Birds of Paradise, who recorded four titles for Gennett, three of them popular numbers of the day, all of which exhibit a laid-back and bluesy approach. Despite their primitive title, Frank Bunch & his Fuzzy Wuzzies are a very capable group, and play with great feeling. The Alabama section closes with the best of the four numbers recorded by Dunk Rendleman & the Alabamians.

Drummer Willie Jones & his Orchestra recorded three numbers in Richmond in November 1927 that show evidence of having been arranged with room for short breaks. The remaining eight numbers were recorded in October 1929 by the instrumental trio of Syd Valentine's Patent Leather Kids, who have the virtue of sounding greater than the sum of their parts. In the first four they accompany vocalist Horace Smith in four blues numbers, and the remaining four numbers show considerable merit.

As is normal with Jazz Oracle reissues, this compilation includes a comprehensive discography and an illustrated liner note regarding the groups involved and the recordings.