Jersey Lightning
CBS 63721
We listen to an LP in the French “aimez vous le Jazz” series. The recordings of Luis Russell’s orchestra are easy to identify, through its eccentric soloists Red Allen, trumpet; J.C. Higginbotham, trombone; Albert Nicholas, clarinet and Charlie Holmes on alto sax. But above all through the effective slap bass playing by Pops Foster.
The easy swing emanating from the spirit of New Orleans is a joy to hear. The opening bars of Allen’s trumpet solo are often quoted. He himself quotes Louis Armstrong’s break from Cake Walking Babies later in the solo. Most of their recorded numbers were, like this one, compositions by the band leader Russell who also is heard in a short piano solo.