1941-1944 [Classics]

by Cootie Williams & His Orchestra

Overview

In addition to serving as a primal ingredient in the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Charles "Cootie" Williams led a series of outstanding small groups and big bands during the 1940s, employing and encouraging young, innovative musicians at a time when other bandleaders resisted the inevitable evolution of swing to bop. This collection assembles eight sessions' worth of rare recordings made over a relatively short period of time. Vocalists are Pearl Bailey, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, and Williams himself. Four superb septet sides from May 1941 feature the trumpeter bolstered by a well-oiled front line of trombone and alto and baritone saxophones driven by drummer Jo Jones, pianist Johnny Guarnieri, and bassist Artie Bernstein. "West End Blues" and "Blues in My Condition" are without question two of Williams' greatest achievements on record. Two recordings dating from April 1942 are emblematic of major stylistic movements that were evolving rapidly among Afro-American musicians. Cleanhead Vinson established himself as a modern blues vocalist with "When My Baby Left Me" and the Cootie Williams Orchestra served up what was without question the most advanced piece of music on the scene at that time: "Fly Right," also known as "Epistrophy," is credited to Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke, and Cootie Williams. What the senior members of this band -- Louis Bacon, Charlie Holmes, and John Williams, musicians whose careers reached back to the 1920s -- thought of this futuristic opus is food for thought. Beginning with "Floogie Boo," the remaining 19 tracks all date from the year 1944, and illustrate Cootie Williams' position near the eye of the hurricane of modern jazz. For now he had begun to employ remarkably imaginative musicians, taking the young Bud Powell under his wing and welcoming into the pack such fiery personalities as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Charlie Parker. The most exciting record of all is saved for the last track, as Cootie Williams demonstrates his uncanny ability to talk through his trumpet using the mute in a mysterious manner with a facility equaled only by Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton. This rare recording of "Blue Garden Blues," a gloriously modern big-band treatment of the old "Royal Garden Blues," is an astonishing, startling, mind-blowing treat, one of the greatest accomplishments in all of recorded jazz. ~ arwulf arwulf

Product Details

Release Date:	11/19/1996
Label:	Classics
UPC:	3307517082725

Tracks

1. West End Blues
2. Ain't Misbehavin'
3. Blues in My Condition
4. G-Men
5. Sleepy Valley
6. Marcheta
7. When My Baby Left Me
8. Fly Right (Epistrophy)
9. You Talk a Little Trash
10. Floogie Boo
11. I Don't Know
12. Do Some War Work, Baby
13. My Old Flame
14. Sweet Lorraine
15. Echoes of Harlem
16. Honeysuckle Rose
17. Now I Know
18. Tess's Torch Song (I Had a Man)
19. Cherry Red Blues
20. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
21. Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby?
22. Somebody's Gotta Go
23. 'Round Midnight
24. Blue Garden Blues (Royal Garden Blues)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Cootie Williams & His Orchestra   Primary Artist
Cootie Williams   Primary Artist,Vocals,Trumpet
Tommy Stevenson   Trumpet
Butch Ballard   Drums
George Treadwell   Trumpet
Jonas Walker   Trombone
Artie Bernstein   Standup Bass
Eddie de Verteuill   Baritone
Louis Bacon   Vocals,Trumpet
Money Johnson   Trumpet
Sylvester Payne   Drums
Frank Powell   Sax (Alto)
Jo Jones   Drums
Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson   Vocals,Sax (Alto)
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis   Sax (Tenor)
George Stevenson   Trombone
Bud Powell   Piano
Ken Kersey   Piano
Greely Walton   Sax (Tenor)
John Williams   Sax (Baritone)
Joe Guy   Trumpet
Les Robinson   Sax (Alto)
Leroy Kirkland   Guitar
Lou McGarity   Trombone
Norman Keenan   Bass,Standup Bass
Bob Dorsey   Sax (Tenor)
Milton Fraser   Trumpet
Carl Pruitt   Bass
Lee Pope   Sax (Tenor)
Ed Glover   Trombone
Skip Martin   Baritone
Pearl Bailey   Vocals
Lamar Wright   Trumpet
Edward Burke   Trombone
Charlie Holmes   Sax (Alto)
Johnny Guarnieri   Piano
Sandy Williams   Trombone
Robert Horton   Trombone
Sam "The Man" Taylor   Sax (Tenor)

Technical Credits

Sam "The Man" Taylor   Group Member
Sam Coslow   Composer
Louis Jordan   Composer
Thelonious Monk   Composer
Arthur Johnston   Composer
Tommy Stevenson   Group Member
Butch Ballard   Group Member
George Treadwell   Group Member
Harry Brooks   Composer
Lou McGarity   Group Member
Artie Bernstein   Group Member
Eddie de Verteuill   Group Member
Louis Bacon   Group Member
Ted Persons   Composer
Money Johnson   Group Member
Sylvester Payne   Group Member
Lamar Wright   Group Member
Duke Ellington   Composer
Frank Driggs   Photography
Jo Jones   Group Member
Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson   Composer,Performer,Group Member
Clifford R. Burwell   Composer
Fats Waller   Composer
Jonas Walker   Group Member
Mitchell Parish   Composer
George Stevenson   Group Member
Bud Powell   Group Member
Ken Kersey   Group Member
Ted Koehler   Composer
Greely Walton   Group Member
John Williams   Group Member
Cootie Williams   Composer
Clarence Williams   Composer
Joe Guy   Group Member
Les Robinson   Group Member
Leroy Kirkland   Group Member
Frank Powell   Group Member
Norman Keenan   Group Member
Anatol Schenker   Liner Notes
Bob Dorsey   Group Member
Milton Fraser   Group Member
Carl Pruitt   Group Member
Lee Pope   Group Member
Ed Glover   Group Member
Skip Martin   Group Member
Pearl Bailey   Group Member
Andy Razaf   Composer
Bernie Hanighen   Composer
Harold Arlen   Composer
Bob Haggart   Composer
Kenny Clarke   Composer
Bill Austin   Composer
King Oliver   Composer
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis   Group Member
Edward Burke   Group Member
Charlie Holmes   Group Member
Johnny Guarnieri   Group Member
Sandy Williams   Group Member
Robert Horton   Group Member