Artist: Ben Webster

This is one of the most outrageous and extraordinary jazz albums ever issued! It is a rehearsal directed by tenor saxophonist Ben Webster for a show that he did with and the Danish Radio Orchestra. Several different rehearsals of each tune are included, with the best being of "Old Folks" and "Cottontail". Ben's explanations and instructions to the band reverberate with profanity, humour and musical expertise. His monologues to the band are hilarious, and this must be one of the funniest jazz performances ever issued. His tenor playing in his later years was magical and he re-shapes the ballads with deceptive ease into classic performances. Ben was horrified when he learned that the whole thing was to be broadcast unedited, but his protests went unheeded, and when the affair hit the airwaves it was so popular that the broadcast was repeated almost immediately. With an extra 20 minutes of fine blues playing from a club session added here, the album runs to 76 minutes of quality jazz. --Steve Voce

Artist: Johnny Hodges

Love Hodges, but the Organ?, 2002-11-13
On this Album Hodges is at least what we would expect - if not better. The Rhythm & Blues idiom does not entirely suit Hodges' style, though he could play 'down and out' with the best of them. However, as the sublime performer that he was, he certainly does not disgrace himself here. This album contains some of the best examples of his ability to bend the note and gliss with such smoothness that the note hardly appears to change.
While Wild Bill Davies is undoubtedly a fine organist, i have never been convinced by the relevance of the organ in Jazz, and this album does nothing to sway my belief. The best example comes in 'Drop Me Off In Harlem', when he has an opportunity to groove a hard-swinging solo. What he plays is undoubtably swinging, but the problem lies in the instrument. Compared to the supreme power of Johnny Hodges' expression, it seems sterile. Heard with the typically innovative piano of Ellington it seems mono; one-dimensional; bland.
This does nothing to spoil a good album, however: nothing of Hodges' could ever be anything less, yet compared with the embarassment of recorded Hodges riches, this shines merely brassy. In spite of this, the cheesily cheerful title track is the pick of the bunch, although tracks like 'Take 'em Off, Take 'em Off' and 'Things ain't what they used to Be' run it close.
However, any collector wanting examples of Hodges' adaptabilty should look no further: here, at the age of 60, he was still making music in the advance guard of development. Very fine.

Artist: Earl Bostic

Artist: Coleman Hawkins

Classic Hawkins, 2010-01-16
This is a great 2 cd set of The Hawk in Holland from 1935 to 1938. Disc 2 is alternate takes of all the tracks bar 1 on disc 1. As usual from Avid the mastering is amazing. Full sleeve notes recording dates and personnel. Anyone who is a fan of The Hawk should buy this without delay and a great price from Avid.

Artist: Ben Webster

Artist: Woody Herman, Woody Herman

Artist: Benny Carter

Artist: Flip Phillips

Artist: Ben Webster

Artist: Charlie Barnet

Things ain't what they used to be........, 2010-02-21
And that certainly goes for Charlie Barnet reissues. What with the big companies no longer interested in this kind of music (instead issuing "best of" collections of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey with numbing regularity), the Classics Chronological series having ground to a halt (probably having collapsed under its own weight) and even the smaller independent labels like HEP turning to the more well known names (Artie Shaw), there is precious little material of interesting lesser known big bands being issued anymore.
The sound quality of these transcriptions is very good indeed. Many of the titles were not commercially recorded for Bluebird and the ones that were offer an interesting comparison.The usual HEP brand of care and attention have gone into this production (liner notes, discographical info and great transfers). There are very few vocals (Barnet kept commercialism at arm's length if at all possible) and a lot of solo space for all concerned, such as trumpeters Bobby Burnet and Bernie Pivin (Billy May had already left for Glenn Miller), pianist Bill Miller (Sinatra's favoured accompanist), trombonist Don Ruppersberg and guitarist Bus Etri (who would shortly afterwards die in a car crash). The exemplary drumming is by Cliff Leeman, one of the very best big band drummers.
Try to get your hands on this one then, while it's still available at a reasonable price and enjoy one of the blackest white big bands of all time.