In 1947 Südwestrundfunk (Southwest Broadcasting) began a
series of radio and TV Jazz broadcasts featuring both major American musicians
like Art Blakey, Duke Ellington and Lester Young as well as rising European
stars. Almost 1600 audio and 350 video
recordings of the live performances of these artists, most of which are
previously unreleased, are housed in the company's archives. Jazzhaus
is a new label launched by Naxos of America and Arthaus Musik to release
remastered versions of some of the best performances in quarterly
installments. The first installment to
be released at the end of March includes CDs by the Benny Goodman Orchestra
featuring Anita O'Day, the Cannonball Adderly Quintet and the Gerry Mulligan
Sextet.
If the Benny Goodman CD, a fifteen track concert running
just over 76 minutes, is an accurate indication of what is still to come, jazz
fans have a bonanza of good listening to look forward to. Recorded live at Stadthalle-Freiburg in
October of 1959, Goodman and a ten piece band play a selection of some of his
best known tunes as well as one or two less well known, and while this is not
the Goodman band of his heyday, it is a swinging ensemble that gives a fine
account of itself. Joining Goodman are
Russ Freeman on piano, Red Norvo on
vibes, Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Flip Philllips on tenor sax, Bill Harris on
trombone, Jerry Dodgion on flute. Jimmy
Wyble plays guitar, Red Wootton, bass and drummer John Markham rounds out the
band. The vocals of Anita O'Day
highlight the album.
The concert opens with the familiar Goodman theme song
"Let's Dance" and follows with the up-tempo "Air Mail
Special" showcasing first the maestro and then Norvo, Phillips and the
rest of the band. "Raise the
Riff" is a tight ensemble piece that has some nice work from Wyble and
Freeman. "Whispering" has the
clarinetist in a playful mood and "Memories of You" and "Body
and Soul" are vintage Goodman. "Don't
Get Around Much Any More" gives Wootton a chance to show his stuff and
Norvo shines. Bill Harris lights up the stage
with "Ten Bone," and Phillips' sax is hot.
Anita O'Day steps up to the front of the band with a dynamic
take on the Fats Waller favorite, "Honeysuckle Rose" before changing
the mood with a sweet version of "Come Rain or Come Shine." "Let Me Off Uptown," the classic
duet she recorded with the Gene Krupa Orchestra and Roy Eldridge is something
of a disappointment. Her introduction of
Sheldon as Roy is a cute variation on her introduction of Roy as Joe,
unfortunately when Sheldon (who may be better known for his comedic TV
appearances) starts to blow he doesn't
manage to equal Eldridge's terrific trumpet solo. Although the album listing doesn't mention
it, the track starts with "Boogie Blues." The duet on "Gotta Be This or That"
is a keeper.
The set includes two fine medleys. The first features O'Day scatting on the
Woody Herman hit "Four Brothers" after opening with "Not For
Me" and coming back for a sultry blues.
The band ends with an eleven minute stew of "Don't Be That
Way," "Stomping at the Savoy," Sunny Side of the Street,"
"In a Mellow Tone," "Moonglow" and Bei mir bist du
scheen." Again, the track listing doesn't mention it, but the medley ends
with the Goodman show stopper, "Sing, Sing, Sing."
If this is any kind of indication of what Jazzhaus has on
tap, jazz lovers are in for a treat.
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