CD1
1. Vout Orenee
2. Slim’s Boogie
3. Harlem Hunch
4. Travelin’ Blues
5. Cement Mixer
6. Scotchin’ With The Soda
7. Dizzy’s Boogie
8. Flat Foot Floogie
9. Poppity Pop
10. Slim’s Jam
11. That Ain’t Right
12. Riff City
13. Mean Mama Blues
14. School Kids’ Hop
15. Opera In Vout: The Groove Juice Symphony - Hit That Jive Jack / C Jam Blues / Flat Foot Floogie / Big Noise From Winnetka
16. Arabian Boogie
17. Tip Light
18. Mama’s In The Kitchen
19. I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
20. Down By The Station
21. Communications
Smorgasboard...help yourself!
22. Laughing In Rhythm
23. Soony-Roony
24. Oh, Lady Be Good
25. Sabroso
CD2
1. Babalu
2. Yo Yo Yo
3. For You
4. Yip Roc Heresy
5. The Hip Cowboy
6. Chicken Rhythm
7. St. Louis Blues
8. I Know What To Do
9. Taxpayers Blues
10. Eatin’ With Boogie
11. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
12. Potato Chips
13. I’m In The Mood For Love
14. Mishugana Mambo
Slim Gaillard Rides Again!
15. Oh, Lady Be Good
16. I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
17. How High The Moon
18. Slim’s Cee
19. One Minute Of Flamenco For Three Minutes
20. Chicken Rhythm
21. I Love You
22. Tall And Slim
23. My Blue Heaven
24. Thunderbird
25. Walkin’ And Cookin’ Blues
26. Sukiyaki Cha Cha
27. Don’t Blame Me
Collective personnel
Slim Gaillard – Vocals, guitar, piano, drums
Karl George, Dizzy Gillespie, Howard McGhee – Trumpet
Vic Dickenson, Bennie Green – Trombone
Jewell Grant, Charlie Parker – Alto sax
Marshall Royal – Clarinet
Lucky Thompson, Teddy Edwards, Wild Bill Moore, Jack McVea, Buddy Tate, Ben Webster – Tenor sax
Fletcher Smith, Dodo Marmarosa, Dick Hyman, Maceo Williams, Cyril Haynes – Piano
Wini Beatty – Piano, vocals
Ernie Shepard – Bass, vocals
Clyde Lombardi, Ray Brown - Bass
Leo Watson, Zutty Singleton, Herbie Lovelle, Charlie Smith, Milt Jackson – Drums
Pepe Benque - Bongoes
The album title is correct: Slim Gaillard was extrovert, but he was many other things in addition. He was a versatile musician, playing the guitar, piano,
vibes and drums as well as singing. He was unique, in that nobody else devised recordings like his. And he was eccentric, at times almost to the point of
lunacy. He invented his own language: Vout, which seemed to consist mainly of adding the syllables “vout” and “oreenee” to any expression, and throwing in
a few other nonsense words for good measure.
His best recordings often found him in the company of bassists Slam Stewart or Bam Brown. Both Slam and Bam added their own special vocals: Slam by humming
along to his double bass, and Bam crying out in a ludicrous falsetto. Gaillard also recorded with some of the finest jazz musicians around. This double
album includes contributions from Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Ben Webster and Dick Hyman. The personnels are often uncertain or unknown, with the
added puzzle of finding Milt Jackson playing the drums on Potato Chips.
This album is almost worth buying for the guest stars, as it’s worth hearing their input. Ben Webster’s growling tenor sax keeps Potato Chips
sizzling The most noteworthy offerings occur in tracks 7 to 10 of the first CD, where Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie add enormously to the appeal of
these recordings, aided by tenorist Jack McVea and a rhythm section of Dodo Marmarosa, Bam Brown and Zutty Singleton. On Dizzy’s Boogie it sounds
as if Slim is playing the piano in the two-fingered style of Lionel Hampton. Slim’s Jam is a wondrously laid-back piece, with Gaillard introducing
each soloist in his loony Vout-speak.
The other highlight of the first CD is The Groove Juice Symphony (the last word is “Special” when introduced by Slim). This is performed by
Gaillard and Bam Brown before an ecstatic audience, recorded at a Norman Granz concert in 1946. Slim switches from guitar to piano and then drums while
Brown arouses huge laughter which makes you wish you were there to witness the proceedings.
Slim’s songs were generally blues with ridiculous vocals on top. But these recordings have a continuous good humour which is hard to resist. Most of then
have been reissued repeatedly, but this double CD is as generous a collection as you’ll find – and well worth the bargain price.
Tony Augarde
www.augardebooks.co.uk
CD Reviews
Avid AMSC 1141
