I Would Do Anything for You
CD Classics 561
When Oran ”Hot Lips” Page did a recording session in 1940, he used some tunes that had earlier been in the repertoire of Jimmie Noone, and among them was this one. In his small band he was supported by a sax trio and a swinging rhythm section.
Page started out on clarinet and sax but switched to trumpet when he was about twelve years old. He had his first professional gigs behind blues singers like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, but at this stage in his career he is dominating, playing hard in his cup mute, singing with a rough voice, and finishing off with two choruses. In between the tenor sax of Sam Davis and the clarinet of Buster Smith can be heard splitting a chorus.