Dixieland Music

This is the sixth volume in Classics' complete Mezz Mezzrow in chronological order, all of it recorded in Paris, and by this stage Mezz was pretty much beyond his prime. Indeed, some of the sidemen here offer better jazz moments than their leader. The CD starts out with three Vogue 78s, one of them being a nifty 3-minute drum solo by Zutty Singleton. The other two feature powerful playing by trumpeter Lee Collins. Next up is a concert at Salle Pleyel by pretty much the same band three months later (it's unusual to find "live" material in the Classics series and I wonder if this is a change in policy). Most interesting is the playing of tenor sax man Guy Lafitte, 25 years old at the time, who went on to become an excellent mainstream modern player; even on old warhorses like SWEET GEORGIA BROWN and ROYAL GARDEN BLUES you can hear a more modern approach coming from Lafitte. Claude Boling is featured on Earl Hines's A MONDAY DATE and he goes from a superb Hines imitation into an equally superb James P. Johnson simulation before he's through. It's the highlight of the CD. Next are selections from another concert in 1953 that feature some dreary "Big Chief" Russell Moore trombone effects, a couple of fair Red Richards piano solos, and a version of AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' with excellent Gene Sedric featured on tenor. The CD offers a mixed bag of material, none of it as interesting or good as his King Jazz sides with Bechet or the even earlier sides on Victor in the mid-30s. Recommended for Mezzrow completists only.

While it is not fair for me to review this CD, I would like
to provide a track listing for it. I had looked on several
websites to no avail, but I finally stumbled upon this one at www.cityhallrecords.com. I hereby credit them appropriately.
"This CD opens with a dozen tracks that were first issued on a couple of Savoy 10" LPs. Nominally this was Eddie Condon's date, but his role was that of a spiritual rector. To quote from Jack McKinney, "Of course, the perennial leader himself, Eddie Condon, who adds his own facitiae to the ensemble more with his humor than his 'guit-box'." Besides Will Bill Davison's energetic playing, it may be the solos by Ed Hall on clarinet or Gene Schroeder on piano that fascinate today's listeners. Yet, without Condon's presence, this session could not have been realized so successfully. These relaxed performances give a good impression of how Condon and his men played in clubs. Features: Dippermouth Blues / Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now / Squeeze Me / Memphis Blues and others. Remaining tracks: Beale Street Blues / Mandy Make Up Your mind / just the blues / riverboat shuffle / medley : makin' whoopee / you made me love you / i can't give you anything but love / sweet georgia brown / the one i love belongs to somebody else / blues my naughty sweetie gave to me / original dixieland one step / wrap your troubles in dreams / beale street blues / riverboat shuffle / medley: emaline / don't worry 'bout me / i can't give you anything but love / jam session blues / ole miss"