Jazz Focus

J.J. Johnson  first sessions as leader for Savoy and Prestige 1946-1949. Great early Bebop with Sonny Rollins, Kenny Dorham, Bud Powell, Leo Parker, Cecil Payne, John Lewis and others! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Pic-A-Rib with Ben Pollack . . .small band dixieland sides from the legendary drummer stretching from 1939 to 1952.  Featured in the various editions of the band are Muggsy Spanier, Charles LaVere, Ben Kanter, King Guion, Matty Matlock, Dick Cathcart, Ted Vessely, Moe Schneider, Ray Sherman and Jack and Charlie Teagarden. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

You'se A Viper - Stuff Smith and His Onyx Club Boys.  Great Vocalion, Commodore and live sides featuring this busy 52nd street band and some of the hottest music of the era.  Jazz violin never sounded so good backed up by Jonah Jones, Cozy Cole, Clyde Hart, Ben Webster and Buster Bailey --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Benny Carter in Europe . . All these recordings were made in the first half of 1936 in Paris or London. Carter went over to play and arrange for the Willie Lewis Band and then to work for the BBC Radio Orchestra.  These are fantastic records of his own arranging and playing (alto, tenor, clarinet, piano and trumpet) with a variety of musicians including Joe Hayman, Bobby Martin, Tommy McQuarter, Andy McDevitt, Buddy Featherstonaugh, Bernard Addison and Gene Rogers --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Jimmy Harrison - great trombonist of the 1920's who was an influence on Jack Teagarden  .Harrison is heard here with Charlie Johnson, Fletcher Henderson, Chick Webb, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Benny Carter and Clarence Williams --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Clyde Hart . . unheralded pianist who recorded with everyone from Red Allen and Eddie Condon to Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.  A transitional figure from swing to bop, Hart died of TB at the very moment he was being embraced by the modernists.  This is a selection of recordings made during 1944 and 45 (he died in March, 1945) featuring Hart with Eddie Condon, Dizzy Gillespie, Tiny Grimes, Trummy Young, Charlie Parker, Don Byas, Hot Lips Page, Ben Webster, Lester Young and Charlie Shavers --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

The King Jazz Story - recordings by the reed tandem of Sidney Bechet and Mezz Mezzrow in the middle 1940's . . also featuring Hot Lips Page, James P. Johnson, Sammy Price, Kaiser Marshall, Baby Dodds, Wellman Braud, Sid Catlett, Pops Foster and Vernon Brown --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Smoky Wood . . practically unknown Western Swing pianist influenced instrumentally, vocally and comically by Fats Waller.  These sides for Bluebird in the mid 1930's feature his band, the Modern Mountaineers and Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers, with basically similar personnel.  Great reed playing by Hal Herbert, trumpet by George Clark, violin by Cecil Brower and JR Chatwell and steel guitar by JC Way.  Lots of Jazz here! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Great small group recording sessions led by xylophonist and marimbaist Red Norvo featuring Bunny Berigan, Stew Pletcher, Jimmy Dorsey, Don McCook, Johnny Mince, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman (on bass clarinet!), Jack Jenney, Charlie Barnet, Chu Berry, Herbie Haymer, Teddy Wilson, Ram Ramirez, Dick McDonough, Artie Bernstein, Moe Purtill and Gene Krupa . . Red knew his musicians . . . . --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Bands from Cuba and musicians from Trinidad and Tobago playing jazz-influenced music with Caribbean rhythms from the 1920's and 30's - Charlie Shavers, Billy Kyle, Porter Granger and Rupert Cole appear with traditional musicians like Don Barretto (recording in Paris and sounding a lot like Django), Don Azpiasu, Sam Manning and Jack Sneed --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support