Between his initial triumphs as leader of his
Creole Jazz Band in Chicago and the
Victor sessions he led with his Orchestra in New York at the close of his recording career,
Joe King Oliver tried to continue leading his own groups but did his best work as sideman and accompanist. Much of the recorded evidence came together under the influence of
Clarence Williams, producer, session organizer, and talent scout for the
Okeh label. In 2008,
Frog Records compiled a dynamic core sample of
Oliver's adventures with
Okeh beginning with a date with
Butterbeans and Susie in September, 1924 and a rendezvous with
Sippie Wallace and
Hersal Thomas in February, 1925. This album deals largely with the year 1928, during which
Oliver worked closely with
Clarence Williams as a member of
the Jazz Kings,
the Blue Five, and
the Novelty Four, while providing backing for vocalists
Elizabeth Johnson,
Hazel Smith,
Texas Alexander, and
Victoria Spivey.
Clarence Williams' Novelty Four combined
Williams and
Oliver with guitarist
Eddie Lang (who sang
Oliver's
"What Ya Want Me to Do?") and percussionist
Justin Ring, who sounds like he's hitting a liquor bottle with a pencil during
Lang's
"In the Bottle Blues." "Jet Black Blues" and
"Blue Blood Blues" were recorded in May, 1929 by
Blind Willie Dunn's Gin Bottle Four. Although
Lang participated in several other racially mixed recording dates during this period, the producers at this particular session decided to apply the pseudonym that had been used to mask the whiteness of
Lang whenever he recorded with guitarist
Lonnie Johnson. The collective interplay between those two guitarists,
Joe Oliver, pianist
J.C. Johnson, and singing percussionist
Hoagy Carmichael resulted in two of the best sides ever associated with any of the participants. This fascinating slice of history is highly recommended as a valuable addition to
King Oliver's posthumous discography. There's room for at least one additional volume, as
Oliver showed up on many a record date during this period, largely thanks to the efforts of
Clarence Williams. ~ arwulf arwulf
