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Unusual sessions during the Depression - black big bands active in Chicago in the 1930's (most musicians from the previous decade) playing good jazz! . .Richard M. Jones (with Artie Starks, Preston Jackson, Herschel Evans, Louis Metcalf, Ed Saint, others), Frankie Half Pint Jaxon (with Guy Kelly, Al Wynn, Dalbert Bright, Dave Young, others), and Reuben "River" Reeves (with Gerald Reeves, Franz Jackson, Norval Morton, Tubby Hall, others) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

On the face of it, the New Orleans trumpeter Manone and the great swing tenor sax player Berry were ill-fitted, but these 1938 and 1939 sessions were remarkably successful, featuring jazz standards and some pop tunes as well as Buster Bailey, Gus Fetterer, Buck Scott, Joe Marsala, Conrad Lanoue, Danny Barker, Zeb Julian and Cozy Cole --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

The Chicago-based West End Jazz Band (featuring Mike and Leah Bezin, Frank Gualtieri, John Otto, Mike Walbridge, Wayne Jones and Mike Albiniak) was especially active in the first fifteen years of the 21st Century and specialized in Hot Dance. Here, they play a series of selections recorded in the 1920's by the Coon Sanders Nighthawks. Terrific arrangements - the six piece band sounds like at least ten! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Great recordings made by Ethel Waters in 1938 and 1939 for Bluebird . . accompanied by her husband at the time, Eddie Mallory and His Orchestra which included Mallory, Shirly Clay, Tyree Glenn, Castor McCord, Benny Carter, Garvin Bushell, Reginald Beane, Danny Barker, Milt Hinton and Charles Turner --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Rhapsody in Blue is 100 years old as of Febuary, 2024! Here are some historical as well as great jazz performances of the iconic piece - George Gershwin on piano roll and with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Bert Firman (with Carroll Gibbons), Eddie South, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Leroy Smith and Glenn Miller --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Small group sides from 1926-30 recorded by Southside African-American bands in Chicago . . Luis Russell (with George Mitchell, Kid Ory, Barney Bigard, Albert Nicholas, Johnny St. Cyr), Tiny Parham (with Kid Ory, Junie Cobb, Roy Hobson), Frankie Half Pint Jaxon (with Punch Miller), Banjo Ikey Robinson (with Jabbo Smith), and Lloyd Smith. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

First sessions by the Illinois Jacquet Orchestra in 1945 while he was between engagements with Cab Calloway and Count Basie . .eight piece band with his brother Russell on trumpet, Henry Coker or Vic Dickenson on trombone, John Brown on alto, Arthur Dennis on bari, Tom Archia occasionally playing tenor, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Ulysses Livingston on guitar and Charles Mingus on bass with vocals by Russell and Wynonie Harris . .the focus is on the fleet and inventive tenor playing of the leader with a minimum of the showboating for which he was often criticized --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Bands led by two almost forgotten black musicians from Chicago - drummer Harry Dial and pianist/composer/arranger Alex Hill. In Chicago Harry Dial's Bluesicians included Shirley Clay, Lester Boone, Omer Simeon, George Dixon, Cecil Irwin, and Hayes Alvis . . Hill's band in Chicago from 1930 had Bob Shoffner, George Dixon, Cecil Irwin, Darnell Howard, George James, Zinky Cohn and Sid Catlett . . his 1934 New York band had Joe Thomas, Benny Carter, Clyde Bernhardt, Claude Jones, George James, Albert Nicholas, Gene Sedric, Garnett Clark and others . . excellent sides showcasing many little known players! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Great unheard jazz from various black groups active in Chicago in the late 1920's - Dave Nelson, Kline Tindall, Vance Dixon, Ernest "Mike" Michall, Cicero Thomas and others producing some exceptionally hot sounds just below the radar . .recordings for Paramount and Gennett. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Great band straddling swing, bop and R&B, all featuring the Texas tenor, Illinois Jacquet with his brother Russell and Joe Newman on trumpets, J.J. Johnson and Henry Coker on trombones, Ray Perry on alto, Leo Parker and Maurice Simon on baritones, John Lewis and Sir Charles Thompson on piano, John Collins on guitar, Al Lucas on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Bud Freeman was one of the most in-demand sidemen on record sessions in the 1930's - here he is featured extensively with Bunny Berigan (with Forrest Crawford, Chick Bullock), Gene Gifford (with Berigan, Matty Matlock, Claude Thornhill, Morey Samuels), Wingy Manone (with Dicky Wells, Teddy Wilson, Matty Matlock, Gil Bowers, Artie Shaw) and Eddie Condon (with Max Kaminsky, Floyd O'Brien, Pee Wee Russell, Joe Sullivan, Alex Hill) - all between 1933 and 1936. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support

Great jazz sides by Richard M. Jones' Jazz Wizards, featuring Shirley Clay, William Franklin, Roy Carew, Omer Simeon, Artie Starks, Johnny St. Cyr, Willie Hightower and others, playing the compositions and arrangements of the New Orleans pianist, composer and talent scout Jones. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-clark49/support