Jazz Focus

Latest Episodes:

Happy Birthday Buck Clayton! Nov 19, 2024

Show notes

Survey of the mid to late 1940's recordings of trumpeter Buck Clayton - his own Big Four and Big Eight recording for HRS along with sideman appearances with Benny Carter, Ike Quebec, Charlie Ventura, Teddy Wilson, Don Byas, Coleman Hawkins, J.C. Heard, Sir Charles Thompson and Earl Hines

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Muggsy Spanier- the Great 16 Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

Classic sessions by Muggsy Spanier's Ragtime Band for Bluebird in 1939 - cornetist Spanier, George Brunies on trombone and vocal, Rod Cless on piano, George Zack and Joe Bushkin on piano, Bob Casey on Bass, Don Carter and Al Sidell on drums . . influential trad jazz!

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Show - Lester Young sides for Aladdin, 1942, 44, 45, 46 Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

Small group sides led by the great tenor saxophonist Lester Young after his departure from the Basie band. All were done in the middle 1940's on the West Coast and feature Nat "King" Cole, Joe Albany, Irving Ashby, Frank Lacy, Red Callendar, Henry Tucker, Chico Hamilton, Howard McGhee, Vic Dickenson, Willie Smith and others.

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Connie Boswell - solo recordings 1950's Nov 05, 2024

Show notes

Connie (later Connee) Boswell was the central member of the Boswell Sisters trio in the 1920's and 30's although she had a series of solo recordings at the same time - here we will hear a few things from the 30's and early 40's (with Ben Pollack, John Scott Trotter and Frank Sigorelli) as well as the results of two Design lps in the middle 1950's featuring her with a large band doing Rodgers and Hart and Irving Berlin tunes as well as jazz album from the same period where she is backed by the Original Memphis Five (Billy Butterfield, Miff Mole, Jimmy Lytell, Signorelli, Gene Ramey and Tony Spargo).

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Show - Muggsy Spanier big band 1941, 42 Nov 05, 2024

Show notes

The Chicago cornetist Spanier was known primarily for playing in small groups, but for about two years he led a big band modeled on the example of Bob Crosby's Orchestra. These studio dates for Decca and live airshots from the Arcadia Ballroom feature the leader, trombonist Vernon Brown, clarinetists Irving Fazola and Tony Martell, tenor sax Nick Caiazza, pianist Dave Bowman and drummer Don Carter . .great big band swing centered on New Orleans style!

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Show - Eddie Miller with the Big Bands Oct 28, 2024

Show notes

New Orleans tenor sax player in featured recordings with Bob Crosby (transcriptions and live, with Yank Lawson, Muggsy Spanier, Matty Matlock, Hank D'Amico, Jess Stacy, Bob Zurke), the All-Star Band (Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Bunny Berigan, Jess Stacy, Sonny Dunham, Gene Krupa), and his own bands recording for Capitol during the WWII years

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Show - Artie Shaw Live! 1938-39 Oct 25, 2024

Show notes

Great live shots of the Artie Shaw band featuring Bernie Privin, Chuck Peterson and John Best on trumpets, George Arus on trombone, Ronnie Perry or Georgie Auld on tenor sax, Bob Kitsis on piano, Al Avola on guitar, Sid Weiss on bass and George Wettling or Buddy Rich on drums with Helen Forrest and Tony Pastor on vocals. The real star is the leader, whose clarinet work here he never surpassed,

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Mr. Jelly Lord - Jelly Roll Morton at the Library of Congress 1938 Oct 23, 2024

Show notes

A selection of recordings made by Jelly Roll Morton as part of an archival/folklore project by Alan Lomax at the LOC in 1938 . . Something like six hours of recordings were made of Morton playing, singing, talking and reminiscing about his career and the early days of jazz . . here we have blues, spirituals, ragtime, semi-classical pieces and pop tunes along with Morton's own compositions

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Show - Bob Haggart Arrangements for Bob Crosby Oct 23, 2024

Show notes

Bob Crosby and His Orchestra carved a pretty unique career for itself in the Swing Era - specializing in tunes from the previous decade done up in swing clothes, the chief arrangers were clarinetist Matty Matlock and bassist Bob Haggart. Here is a selection of Haggart's arrangements featuring Yank Lawson, Sterling Bose and Billy Butterfield on trumpets, Warren Smith, Buddy Morrow and Floyd O'Brien on trombones, Irving Fazola and Matty Matlock on clarinets, Eddie Miller on tenor sax, Bob Zurke, Joe Sullivan and Jess Stacy on pianos, Nappy Lamare on guitar, Ray Bauduc on drums and himself on bass! 1936-42.

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Dirty Bopper - Bruce Turner - great British alto and clarinet Oct 17, 2024

Show notes

Bruce Turner was a largely self-taught clarinet player who picked up alto sax in the navy during WWII. He became an in demand clarinetist in trad bands (Freddy Randall, Humphrey Lyttleton) but became even more valued for his swinging, Benny Carter styled alto playing. This podcasts presents him leading his Jump Band -John Chilton or Teddy Brown on trumpet, Pete Strange on trombone, Al Mead or Colin Bates on piano and others. Great swing playing with a varied repertoire!

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