Month: October 2023

From the Record Shelves #49 – Careless Love. This record is an invitation to join an alternative musical universe, populated by so called “moldy figs” the enthusiasts of the revival movement. I have for many years myself been a member of the Swedish Bunk Johnson Society (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #48 – Bugle Call Rag. As I remember it, it was quite a shock when I put on this record for the first time. I didn’t expect such playing in 1932 with a small group playing a free improvised ensemble. I suppose that Eddie Condon plays (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #47 – Savage Rhythm. The band worked in the shadow of Duke Ellington’s Orchestra under the same manager, Irving Mills who also gave them their name. It’s top class early 30s Harlem jazz that we hear (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #46 – John Hardy’s Wife. It’s hard to pick out one tune from this double album because once you get in an “Ellington mood” you like everything. I’ve chosen a tune written by Mercer Ellington (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #45 – Stardust. In the 20s his orchestra was considered the leading one but in the beginning of the following decade Fletcher Henderson and his men had to struggle like everyone else in the music business (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #44 – Salty Dogs. When Johnny Dodds arrived in Chicago from New Orleans he was not so young, 28 years and with a fully developed clarinet style. He had the ability to (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #43 – South African Blues. Personality is the key word of the record. Roy Palmer sounds like nobody else on his trombone, yet the effective New Orleans style of playing is evident. (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #42 – Something About an Old Love. I was happy to find this record recently. It swings and Bunny Berigan’s trumpet playing is always a pleasure to listen to. But there is another special thing about this tune (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #41 – It’s a Lonesome Old Town. The double LP contains the last recordings of McKinney’s Cotton Pickers which are put together with sessions from 1939-40 by Don Redman’s Orchestra (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #40 – Blue Blood Blues. Volume 8 in a Jelly Roll Morton series contains what we could name “extra material” with several at the time unissued takes. One of them is this one recorded in 1930 (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #39 – Sensation. Fletcher Henderson had an incredible band in 1927. And it was used in the best possible manner. I can only think of Ellington that had an equally perfect balance between solos and arranged ensembles. In most numbers (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #38 – Many Happy Returns of the Day. The washboard not only became popular but also gave the name to groups in order to attract the record buyers during the depression in the beginning of the 30s. The instrument worked well (…) read more and listenread more and listen