Customer Reviews

Harlem Jazz: The 20s

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

 

 

Harlem is defined as a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, and most of the tracks in this compilation were recorded in New York, with two exceptions, one from Chicago, the other from Barcelona! In fairness to ABM they are shown clearly enough as exceptions, and to criticise their inclusion would be to look a gift horse in the mouth, because this a fine compilation which includes some real rarities.

For example, the Get-Happy Band was a pick-up group which included Sidney Bechet and which recorded just four sides for Columbia. Both of the curiously-named Te Roys, Williams and Tibbs, recorded only two sides, as did Joe Steele, and Leroy Smith was not much more prolific. Of course, some of the bands are far better known, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong and King Oliver heading that list, which makes for a well-balanced diet of familiar and strange items. I wish however that the liner note were less generalised.

Harlem Jazz - 20s
Acrobat (U.K.) label

features many Cotton Club performers...

tracks & artists are;
1. Get Happy Band - Harlem's Araby,
2. Blue Rhythm Orchestra - Hold 'Er Deacon,
3. Cotton Club Orchestra - Everybody Stomp,
4. Thomas Morris & His 7 Hot Babies - Ham Gravy,
5. Savoy Bearcats - How Could I Be Blue,
6. Thomas Morris & His 7 Hot Babies - PDQ Blues,
7. Perry Bradford - Original Black Bottom Dance,
8. Lloyd Scott - Harlem Shuffle,
9. Fletcher Henderson - Variety Stomp,
10. Te Roy Williams - Oh Malinda,
11. Fess Williams - Number 10,
12. Charles Johnson - Hot Tempered,
13. Te Roy Tibbs - One O'Clock Blues,
14. Leroy Smith - St. Louis Blues,
15. Duke Ellington - Cotton Club Stomp,
16. Missourians - Market Street Stomp,
17. Joe Steele - Coal Yard Shuffle,
18. Jabbo Smith - Croonin' The Blues,
19. Sam Wooding - Bull Foot Stomp,
20. Louis Armstrong - Ain't Misbehavin,
21. Luis Russell - New Call Of The Freaks,
22. Little Chocolate Dandies - That's How I Feel Today,
23. Henry "Red" Allen - Pleasin' Paul,
24. Cecil Scott - Springfield Stomp,
25. King Oliver - New Orleans Shout.....