Crotchet midprice
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Kid Ory
Creole Classics
NAXOS JAZZ LEGENDS 8.120587
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- Muskrat Ramble
- Creole Song
- South
- Dipper Mouth Blues
- Savoy Blues
- The Girls Go Crazy About the Way I Walk
- Blanche Touquatoux
- High Society
- Ballin’ the Jack
- Blues for Jimmie
- Get Out of Here and Go Home
- Oh Didn’t He Ramble
- Snag It
- Bucket Got a Hole in It
- Eh, La Bas
- Bill Bailey Won’t You Please Come Home
- Farewell to Storyville
- Tiger Rag
This is all classic Kid Ory, plenty of ensemble work, no solos at all
from the leader. Most tracks have Mutt Carey, a long time Ory sideman
on Trumpet. Omer Simeon, Joe Darensberg, Darnell Howard and Barney Bigard
share the Clarinet chores. Buster Wilson is on Piano throughout as is
Ed Garland on Bass.
This really is classic New Orleans (and without the Banjo), Ory had
a unique style of playing, his ensemble work is very punchy and full
of glissandos and growls, but his playing induced all his bands to swing.
He did not see the trombone as a solo instrument. If you want to get
a feel for this style of playing, try Tiger Rag, it’s a classic and
great fun.
It is interesting that these recordings were made between 1944 and
1947, but the tunes are performed by every local trad. Band, up and
down the UK, on a weekly basis. They must have something to have lasted
so long, I suspect that most have strong melodies and they make for
happy sounding performances. It was probably Jack Teagarden, who was
most influential in giving the Trombone equal status with the Trumpet
and Clarinet as far as solos were concerned. Those that follow are expected
to fill both rolls, the punchy rhythmic playing of Ory and the fine
tone and construction of Teagarden.
Ory started out in New Orleans in the times the music was still in
its infancy, but moved to the West Coast for health reasons and then
on to Hawaii to retire in 1966. He continued to play up to his 85th
birthday or thereabouts!
Once again Naxos have done a wonderful job of cleaning up these performances
and I’m sure this release will be welcomed by people with catholic tastes
in jazz and of course by the ‘back to the delta men’ as they wear their
sandals in the winter!
Don Mather
CD Reviews
