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Fess Williams

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 11:48 am
by SpuzBal
I remember a long time ago on Jive Junction, Aleksey (I totally forgot your username, dude) asked something about Fess Williams and his Royal Flush Orchestra. I just thought you (and others) might be interested to know that Jazz Oracle just released a 2-disc set of Fess Williams recordings, remastered by R. T. Davies. As far as I know, it's the only disc or set that has FW recordings, aside from the odd compilation. I heard it at Down Home Music in El Cerrito (East Bay Area) last night. It sounded pretty sweet. It covers 1926-30.

The disc itself

Jazz Oracle

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 12:22 pm
by Yakov
can you describe this music at all? any "names" in the group? how does it swing? super lindy hop music or just good music?

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 1:46 pm
by SpuzBal
I only heard parts of a couple songs, unfortunately. I was trying to figure out who it was that was playing, and I was almost going to guess that it was a recording of Andy Kirk in the late 20s, or maybe Bennie Moten. It reminded me a lot of his "Mess-A-Stomp." So it's definitely got that late 20s feel to it. I guess, if you like that feel, you'd probably dig the Fess Williams stuff (judging from what I heard, at least). :)

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 2:00 pm
by main_stem
I have this. Sound qaulity is excelent on all but a few tracks, the very early ones. I platyed one track from 1930 and some people couln't believe it was that old, it sounded "too good".

It's definitely hot jazz with some realy fun arangements and outstanding trumpet and trombone solos.

-Kevin

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 2:50 pm
by Bob the Builder
I'm waiting for it.
Fess Williams was the first band ever to play at the Savoy Ballroom, and were the house band there in 1926 for a while.
If you want to know what they sound like, check out www.redhotjazz.com.
Because it is very early, it doesn’t have that Lindyhop big band sound to it that we would be more familiar with in the late 1930's band recordings.
On a listening factor, they are very interesting.

Re: Fess Williams

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:06 pm
by AlekseyKosygin
SpuzBal wrote:I remember a long time ago on Jive Junction, Aleksey (I totally forgot your username, dude) asked something about Fess Williams and his Royal Flush Orchestra. I just thought you (and others) might be interested to know that Jazz Oracle just released a 2-disc set of Fess Williams recordings, remastered by R. T. Davies. As far as I know, it's the only disc or set that has FW recordings, aside from the odd compilation. I heard it at Down Home Music in El Cerrito (East Bay Area) last night. It sounded pretty sweet. It covers 1926-30.

The disc itself

Jazz Oracle
Hey man,

Yea that's me...thanks for thinking about my post...I actually found a great Fess Williams CD called "Pre Victors The Complete Set 1925-1927" it is also restored by John R.T. Davies...it is really great and has amazing sound quality...I really wish this guy would hit up some Fletcher Henderson because he really did great treatment on this...Gambler's Blues is just like St. James Infirmary but even better...I have to say I used to not like the real heavy upbeated jazz but so far alot of the New York bands are winning me over and in alot of ways their arrangements were alot more original then the later downbeated rhythm swing bands...

Some other great NYC late 20's bands are the Savoy Bearcats and Charlie Johnson...definetly at the same calibur as Fess...

By the way if you like Rex Stewart get his 1934-1946 on Classics, it's really good stuff...

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 6:11 pm
by SpuzBal
Savoy Bearcats...I'll have to check them out. They have a cool name, haha.