Georgia Cabin
LP RCA Victor LPM 510
A string of pearls, or to quote the cover “outstanding performances,” could be said about this compilation. It covers almost a decade from 1932 until 1941 when eventually the American record ban put a stop to the recording studios.
We hear music like Sweetie Dear that is a good tune to start the day with, and a more lyrical mood in tunes like When It’s Sleepy Time and Save It Pretty Mama, and as a bonus the album finishes with Bechet’s one-man-band recording of The Sheik of Araby. The “opener” is the magical I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say with Jelly Roll Morton.
Sidney Bechet, a genius with his soprano sax and sometimes clarinet, is in a dominating role as always, but not as much as he naturally became when he had a new career in France in the 1950s. He cooperates well with the strong trumpet players here: Tommy Ladnier, Henry “Red” Allen, Sidney De Paris, Rex Stewart and others.
On this chosen tune that is a personal favorite of mine, it is Charlie Shavers in the trumpet chair and Willie “The Lion” Smith on piano.