Bands Music

A very nice cross section of Fletch's wonderful bands. While we become accustomed to less than hifi sound from this era, the variations in recording quality from track to track are distracting. Cuts are arranged randomly, although liner notes are by date so looking up band members on any track is difficult. The scope of the recordings and the reasonable price still make this a good intro to the upbeat complex arrangements and the high musician craftsmanship that mark the most under appreciated big band of the era.

During my student years in the 70s I heard these tracks for the first time in a set of 4 old and noisy LPs I borrowed: "The Fletcher Henderson story". I copied some of its best tracks to my old hissing tape recorder, and for years I enjoyed this joyful original music, despite the ticks and hissing. I especially liked the arrangements and the enthusiastic solos of the many famous musicians that made part of their debut in this great band (like Lester Young, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, etc.). You can hear the excitement and joy of playing together. Listen for instance to "Back in your own backyard".

Until now I never found these "best" tracks back again in any record shop, so I was amazed to find most of them here together on one CD. I bought it, and it is still one of my favourites from the early days of jazz.

Roger Kahn was the son of wealthy banker Otto Kahn. He loved dance music and got his father to pay for excellent musicians, great arrangers, endless rehearsals, superior recording facilities. Boy, am I glad he did! This is definitely an album to add to your collection if you love this type of music. Roger Kahn also wrote the highly addictive song, "Crazy Rhythm." This is definitely worth loading into your ipod!!!!

What a wonderful addition to my collection of 1920s jazz! The music on this CD is on the order of Jean Goldkette or Paul Whiteman: high-quality players and really great songs. The only ones I didn't care for were near the end of the disc, as they started revealing shades of swing, which I do not like. Otherwise, I love this disc!

This compilation of Bailey's works is truly magnificient and features some exceptionally talented musicians.

Besides Bailey's "smooth as silk" clarinet, many selections feature the incredible bass of Mr. John Kirby, who graced the world of jazz until his premature death at age 44.

"Afternoon in Africa" is as graceful as a swan and features many, many solos, clearly showing the unselfish nature of the leader. Frankie Newton plays a superior trumpet, Don Frye tickles the

ivories so tenderly and O'Neill Spenser sits behind the drums. It is a wonderful classic in jazz circles and reason alone for this review to be rated 5 stars.

"Dizzy Debutante" is wonderfully lively and "Planter's Punch" features a top notch lineup including Charlie Shavers, Pete Brown, Billy Kyle, and James McLin...along with Spencer, Kirby and Bailey.

"Chained to a Dream" is absolutely lovely...soft, but forceful enough to get the point across.

Two other snappy items are "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" and "Eccentric Rag."

These two selections feature Bailey's Sextet from 1940 (as opposed to the other selections mentioned, which were recorded earlier as Buster Bailey and His Rhythm Busters) and feature appearances by two greats in the world of jazz-- Zutty Singleton and Benny Carter.

If you love great jazz, this is a must!

JB