Customer Reviews

Swingin With Pee Wee

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

 

 

The last years of Pee Wee Russell's career finally saw jazz's ultimate individualist break free of the dixieland shackles and produce the best music of his career. Russell was a truly unique stylist even by jazz standards. Lyrical, searching, romantic, almost avant garde in some of his approach, he was imprisoned for much of his career in Eddie Condon's dixieland band.His revival wasn't all plain sailing, as well meaning producers attempted to fit him into other ill-fitting musical suits of a different cut, but with a sympathetic band of solid, unflashy perennials such as Buck Clayton, Russell really was free to unwind his unique, querulous poetry. The music on this album can't be recommended too highly - the spellbinding "Midnight Blue" is worth the price of admission alone.

Off the charts. Five stars just isn't enough.
The next paragraph is a copy of my comments on Pee Wee's "Ask Me Now".

"I love listening to Pee Wee. I never took to Goodman or Shaw or DeFranco. They were simply too smooth, big time and clever in a seemingly calculated way. They could never soulfully satisfy me the way that Pee Wee does. He just put more heart into his special art. He doen't put out that sound perfect tone or have lighting speed on the horn, but his gravely tone, phrasing and heartfelt and enthusiastic interpretations are special."

Working here with some of the best jazz players of the time. All at the peak of their game.

If you like 50's and 60's jazz, or jazz from any period, you will enjoy this "Swingin' with Pee Wee" CD. Although I have music by many of the jazz greats, I did not know of Pee Wee Russell until recently when I heard him on the radio. Pee Wee is joined by other fine musicians such as Buck Clayton on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Bud Freeman on tenor sax and Osie Johnson on drums. You will enjoy this compilation of some great tunes.

Pee Wee has the most distinctive clarinet voice ever. He can get down and dirty with a cutting edge or slither around sweetly but always drenched with humanity.

He has ideas! Unexpected variations on the theme that seem just right. Charlie Parker had that, few others.

Not only is the band first rate (Tommy Flanagan on piano, Bud Freeman on tenor, and both Buck Clayton and Ruby Braff on trumpet stand out), but they are clearly inspired to push it for Pee Wee.

The jazz has a timeless feel; it swings (oh boy, does it swing), but with a mainstream feel and some very modern flourishes.

The sound quality is absolutely superb. Kudos to Dave Luke at Fantasy for the remaster.

Two full albums, over 75 minutes.

In my collection of hundreds of jazz CDs, I rank it in the top 20.

The pull up has been taken off Pee Wee Russell and this is no holds barred jazz. I grew up on Pee Wee Russell because my dad was a jazz conosaur. I was listening to high end jazz when I was in third grade. I was honing my game as the coolest kid in my elementary school. When I would ask a chick, "Are you up for a nice cherry koolaid, some connect four and some pee wee russell?" what do you think the ladies said? I was so much better than you. While I was pwning my school, Kroll, J-abs and Burns were doing the same thing at their local elementary schools. The emerging storm that was forming would come to fruition after college. Four disciples of Pee Wee Rusell jazz, Hasselhoff pop and Roxette hooks with a side of urkoski family polka angst were unveiled to the world as asschowder and it really has never been the same. You can hear the Pee Wee Russell influence on the song "Dr. Beastcorn" from our second album "Fluffy the ticked off crapbeetle". We owned the game like Pee Wee did back in the day.

How many artists had the sack to go with "Exactly like you, It all depends on you and If I had you" on three straight tracks? Only one babe and that one is Pee Wee f'in Russell!! All things songs in succession end in the same word. It's like he's showing you his cards in hold 'em and still taking your money. I am simply floored by the Wayne Rice of old school jazz.

Pee Wee took average out back and shined the floor with his face.