Dixieland Music

This little collection of Cliff Edwards releases is a great way to understand him as a jazz singer, no doubt about it. His "Its only a paper moon" shows him at his most expressive. However, this is only the SECOND best ukulele ike collection...the best is the Yazoo album Bear in a Ladies Boudoir, which shows the mastery with which Edwards combined his awesome voice with the ukulele. "Hard Hearted Hannah" may be only a fun old collegiate romp, but Edward's recording is sheer mastery. I don't know if that's out on CD, though.

Still, you can't go wrong with this album...get it if you're a Ukulele Ike fan.

Cliff Edwards is a great forgotten artist, his style of singing is truely unique. Some people associate it with scatting, but I think its much different then that. This kind of music really makes you wonder about what the 20s and 30s were like, it has a lot of the roaring 20's feel to it.

My only dissapointment is the sound quality stinks, its like listining to the 78's the songs were taken from, these could be touched up a lot better than this with todays technology. I guess there wasnt any money in it. I mean for $6, this is a steal and a great addition to any music collection.

As a fan of jazz vocal, it's hard to believe that Cliff Edwards(Even before Louis Armstrong) used to scat sing before the phrase "Scat singing" was ever thought up. This CD should be of interst to jazz vocal collectors, some of these performences are very enjoyable.

Great musicianship of Bobby Hackett is no secret to fans of classical jazz; it is often said that, although completely different stylist, Hackett was one of Satchmo's favorite (if not the favorite) trumpet player.
This recording finds Hackett in great form, with fine and swinging support from trombonist Vic Dickenson, clarinetist Johnny Mince, pianist Hank Jones and other good musicians of different generations.

Five stars material? It would definitely be so if it weren't for specially added attraction: the singer Teresa Brewer, allegedly the wife of the record's producer Bob Thiele. Mrs. Brewer spoils some songs with her corny, totally non-swinging cabaret-style performance but, although she manages to kill off these songs, luckily, most of the song do not feature her contribution. There is therefore more than enough top-notch jazz to go around your cd player.

This is great for Bobby Hackett Fans. If Your looking for Teresa Brewer be aware she only performs on 3 of the tracks. Tracks 2, 5 and 7.

I find myself more or less in agreement with the other reviewer on this one. One supposes that, after Louis signed with Dot Records upon leaving Capitol, part of the deal was he would do an album along the style already well-established there by Billy Vaughn [who, incidentally, arranged all ten selections presented here].

Unfortunately, that would be like having Lawrence Welk arrange Little Richard and have him do "sparkling champagne" versions of the Liechtenstein Polka. The results would be predictably bland, and this is very much in evidence here.

However, on the positive side, for completist collectors of hit singles it does contain his version of Wonderland By Night which made it to a respectable # 15 Billboard Pop Hot 100 early in 1961, and which is most difficult to find anywhere else in CD format. It does not, however, include the flipside, Ol' Man Mose, which, I suspect, was more like the Louis Prima we had come to expect, and so not included in the original LP.

Unfortunately, it also does not include his only other Dot hit single, Bei Mir Bist Du Schön which, b/w I Don't Know Why, peaked at # 69 Hot 100 in July 1959. Adding to the negatives is a complete lack of liner notes.

Only for those who MUST have that hit single.

I don't know who was in charge of Dot Records at the time, but "Wonderland By Night" (one of Prima's biggest hits at Dot in 1961) suffers greatly. Though it has some pretty solos in it, and the music is all well put together, it lacks the luster that Sam Butera and The Witnesses add to Prima's appeal. Why anyone would strip Prima of his main boys in their prime is beyond me, but if you're looking for the usual Prima, don't look here. Unlike Prima's usual stuff, the songs follow exactly to standard written arrangements, with some crooners in the background, but there are no vocals (The title song itself seems awfully simililar to the Bert Kaempfurt recording released around the same time). There are 2 other albums similar to this that Prima also released under the guise of "Louis Prima and his Orchestra" titles "Pretty Music-Prima Style" and "Blue Moon." None of these albums contain the original joy that is Prima's music. Whether you're a collector or not, this album is just plain bad news.

All previous reviews of this cd are on the money. It is one of the few lp's I kept and the cd is better and has more tunes. "I Cover the Waterfront" by Allen & Company would in my mind rank as one of top five jazz recordings of any venue. A must have for any jazz fan regardless of personal taste.

'I cover the waterfront' is for sure one of the best performances in the history of jazz. Even a high level Coleman Hawkins is overshadowed here by Allen. Really impressive trumpet playing. There's everything. Command, attitude, ideas, variety, impecable phrasing, good taste... Don't miss this one for nothing!

This cd finds trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen in top form. Long overshadowed by Louis Armstrong, Allen is an underrated genius. He commands complete control of his instrument, able to blare the brassiest growl or whisper a silky soft tone with equal skill. His solos are simply amazing. He covers hard swinging dixieland with "Love Is Just Around the Corner", soulful blues (with his husky playful vocals) on "Let Me Miss You, Baby", and advanced forward looking jazz on "I Cover the Waterfront", which is easliy the highpoint of a stellar set of music. The performances are augmented by top shelf solos from J.J. Higginbotham's fat brassy trombone, Buster Baily's exuberant clarinet, and the genius of tenor saxophone titan Coleman Hawkins. This music is a joy to listen to, I recommend it highly.

This is one of the very few 'perfect' jazz records ever made. It is not a regurgitation of N.O. trad, as some reviewers have termed it. It is jazz as a living, progressive music that does not know the meaning of age. Allen was the greatest jazz trumpeter, who took Armstrong's legacy but made it a lyrical line that Louis never really succeeded to achieve. With Hawkins and Bailey and the rest, what more could an enthusiast want. For over 20 years, this has been amongst my no. 5 records, and that includes pieces by Stravinsky, Wagner and others.

Henry Red Allen has allways been one of my favorite trumpet players. He stands at the same rank as Louis,Roy Eldridge,Doc Cheatham,Bubber Miley and Buck Clayton. Born in Algiers,Louisiana,January 7,1908,he played with the greatest bands of the twenties: Luis Russell,Fletcher Henderson,Fats Waller;then,he mostly played with his own groups,which included some of the giants of swing.
He died April 17,1967.
This extraordinary 1957 session features some of the greatest stars of the swing era: J.C.Higginbotham,trombone,Buster Bailey,clarinet,Cozy Cole,drums,and Coleman Hawkins,tenor sax;the remaining musicians are Everett Barksdale,guitar,Marty Napoleon,piano,and Lloyd Trottman,bass.Red's unique playing and sound are at their very best; he really plays incredible trumpet choruses here.The imperial tenor of Hawkins delivers hard swinging moments all through the record.And Cozy Cole's drumming is just as essential as Jo Jones'.
"Love is just around the corner" is a marvelous version of this rare song.A beautiful torch song,which has often been associated to Billie Holiday,"I cover the waterfront",finds here one of the best versions ever played.Red's solo should be a model for every trumpet player.But this tune isn't the only masterpiece here;"Saint James Infirmary",another rare tune,even if every jazz lover knows every note and word of it,is another great moment;of course,this isn't Red's greatest version of the tune;for the lucky ones who own Red's amazing live recording at Newport,July 4,1957,this version will seem a little shy;for those who don't know this live recording,try to buy it;I don't know if it has been reissued on CD,but this record contains five of the most essential minutes in the history of jazz ("StJames Infirmary",Red Allen with Jack Teagarden and Kid Ory at Newport,Verve Records).Few musicians recorded "Ain't she sweet";we remember Jimmie Lunceford,Willie "the Lion" Smith,or Fats;curious,because this is truly a beautiful tune.After a good vocal part by Red,the Bean comes in,followed by the definitely very inspired trumpet of Henry."Sweet Lorraine",a sublime standard,gave the opportunity to some musicians to record masterpieces : Nat King Cole, Art Tatum (each of his interpretations are treasures), Earl Hines; Red Allen's can be added to the list. Many reviewers described "I cover the waterfront" as The masterpiece of the session; I personnaly think that "Love me or leave me" is The masterpiece.Recorded a few years after Billie Holiday's terrific version (Verve Records),this five minutes long interpretation is a jewell of swing.Red is at his most expressive;Higginbotham and Bailey are great,Cozy Cole's drumming is a perfection of swing (don't you think Sam Woodyard's drumming was deeply influenced by him? I know the answer,he was one of Sam's favorite drummers,with Jo Jones and Jimmie Crawford);and Hawkins' solo is pure magic.Listening to "love me or leave me",you feel like beeing in Kansas City,some 65 years ago.
Please,if you've never heard of Red Allen,buy this record,you'll discover one of the most important trumpet players.He is an essential link between Armstrong and Roy Eldridge,just as Rex Stewart.Those who are familiar with Red's music won't be deceived: this is simply one of mainstream's greatest hours.A real must.