The best of each instrument

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caab · #1 Post by **caab** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:01 pm

I'd like to create compilations of the best pre-war jazz and swing musicians, but group them by instrument. What performers would be on your trumpet list, trombone list, etc. and what song(s) would really show off their talents?

I'm working on compilations for trumpet, trombone, tenor, alto, clarinet, bass, drums, and guitar. Your input would be greatly appreciated!

CountBasi · #2 Post by **CountBasi** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:14 am

Trumpet - Louis Armstrong all day long - St Louis Blues([master W.490016-B] -- OKeh unissued), Gully Low Blues ([master W.80877-D] -- OKeh 8474), Potato Head Blues ([master W.80855-C] -- OKeh 8503), Stardust (OKeh 41530), Chinatown, My Chinatown ([master W.405059-4] -- OKeh 41534)
Bass - George 'Pops' Foster - Mahogany Hall Stomp (March 5, 1929) and St Louis Blues (as trumpet)
Trombone - JC Higginbotham - as Bass, and St Louis Blues (as trumpet)
Guitar - Lonnie Johnson - as Bass & Trombone, also West End Blues (June 28, 1928)

Platypus · #3 Post by **Platypus** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 4:43 am

sax - Johnny Hodges

lipi · #4 Post by **lipi** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:02 am

I'll just list some of my favourites for each instrument. As to specific tracks, I suggest looking for each of these musicians on allmusic, redhotjazz, wikipedia, and this very forum and see what recordings get mentioned. There's just too much to choose from. Some of these guys are cut-off WWII, and many recorded extensively after the war, too. (Christian, for example, recorded in '39 and '40 and Blanton I think started in 1940 with Duke while Webster started in '40 or '41ish.)

trumpet/cornet: Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Red Allen, Bunny Berigan, Roy Eldridge
trombone: Jack Teagarden, Dicky Wells, Kid Ory, Miff Mole, J.C. Higginbotham
clarinet: Sidney Bechet, Edmond Hall, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Johnny Dodds, Jimmie Noone, Barney Bigard
soprano sax: Bechet, ...well, no point in naming the rest.
alto sax: Omer Simeon, Benny Carter, Johnny Hodges
c-melody sax: Frank Trumbauer
tenor sax: Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Ben Webster
baritone sax: Harry Carney, Ernie Caceres
bass sax: Adrian Rollini
piano: Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Fats Waller, Art Tatum
banjo: Danny Barker
guitar: Django Reinhardt, Freddie Green, Eddie Condon (because of his organisation and leader skills, mostly), Charlie Christian
bass: Pops Foster, Walter Page, Wellman Braud, Jimmy Blanton
drums: Sid Catlett, Baby Dodds, Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, Jo Jones, Sonny Greer
vibes: Lionel Hampton
xylophone: Red Norvo
vocalists: Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rushing

Gong-Oh · #5 Post by **Gong-Oh** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 1:59 pm

lipi wrote: ...
guitar: Django Reinhardt, Freddie Green, Eddie Condon (because of his organisation and leader skills, mostly), Charlie Christian

I'd add Eddie Lang to the list of guitar players and also three more instruments and related artists:

Violin: Joe Venuti, Stephane Grappelli
Hawaiian steel guitar: Sol Hoopii
Amplified lap steel guitar: Bob Dunn

lipi · #6 Post by **lipi** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:16 pm

Gong-Oh wrote:
lipi wrote: ...
guitar: Django Reinhardt, Freddie Green, Eddie Condon (because of his organisation and leader skills, mostly), Charlie Christian
I'd add Eddie Lang to the list of guitar players and also three more instruments and related artists:

Violin: Joe Venuti, Stephane Grappelli
Hawaiian steel guitar: Sol Hoopii
Amplified lap steel guitar: Bob Dunn

Good call on Lang.
For violin, I like Eddie South, Stuff Smith, and Ray Nance, too.

superheidi · #7 Post by **superheidi** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:38 pm

Adding Buster Bailey (cl) and Charlie Shavers (tr).

the list of songs would be endless, just like this entire list of musicians.

J-h:n · #8 Post by **J-h:n** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:50 pm

Excellent list by Lipi. Some more suggestions:

lipi wrote:trumpet/cornet: Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Red Allen, Bunny Berigan, Roy Eldridge

Hot Lips Page, Charlie Shavers, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Buck Clayton

lipi wrote:trombone: Jack Teagarden, Dicky Wells, Kid Ory, Miff Mole, J.C. Higginbotham

Tricky Sam Nanton, Lawrence Brown

lipi wrote:piano: Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Fats Waller, Art Tatum

Teddy Wilson, Earl Hines

lipi wrote:guitar: Django Reinhardt, Freddie Green, Eddie Condon (because of his organisation and leader skills, mostly), Charlie Christian

I'll second the suggestions of Eddie Lang and Lonnie Johnson

lipi wrote:bass: Pops Foster, Walter Page, Wellman Braud, Jimmy Blanton

John Kirby

lipi wrote:drums: Sid Catlett, Baby Dodds, Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, Jo Jones, Sonny Greer

Cozy Cole, Buddy Rich, Dave Tough

lipi wrote:vocalists: Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rushing

Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Anita O'Day

caab · #9 Post by **caab** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 4:39 pm

All of these suggestions are great, but what SONGS would you include on the compilation for each of these that would really showcase their talents? This was a two part question.

CountBasi · #10 Post by **CountBasi** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:52 pm

So that we can answer your question as you want, can I clarify :

you want musician and song for one instrument - one example only per instrument?

eg.

Trumpet : Mr X - Something Blues, (track info...eg.. 8/12/1927)
Clarinet : Mr Y - Woodside Swing, 11/5/1933
etc
etc

Yes?

caab · #11 Post by **caab** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:32 pm

It doesn't have to be limited to one song, if you feel strongly about a certain instrumentalist or want to illustrate them playing in different styles, etc. For brevity of the task, limiting it to one exemplary song may help.

trev · #12 Post by **trev** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 11:06 pm

Great idea for a thread.

For tenor sax:

Chu Berry, listen to Blues in C Sharp Minor (Teddy Wilson)
Coleman Hawkins, listen to Body and Soul
Ben Webster, listen to Cotton Tail (Duke Ellington)
Lester Young, listen to Shoe Shine Boy (Jones-Smith Inc (Count Basie))

Here's a photo of 3 out of the 4 playing together:

lipi · #13 Post by **lipi** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:43 am

trev wrote: Chu Berry, listen to Blues in C Sharp Minor (Teddy Wilson)

YES.

I feel stupid for leaving him out. Love Chu.

superheidi · #14 Post by **superheidi** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:05 am

Not very known for his many recordings probably, but I do luuurve the fierce bass of Steve Brown in Goldkette's "My Pretty Girl" (1927)

wspeid · #15 Post by **wspeid** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 4:09 pm

Wingy Manone has always swung my socks on trumpet... even with only 1 arm. Swinging at the Hickory House has got a lot of great musicality to it on all instruments -- and it may show Wingy to be more of a minimalist with a great band more than a virtuoso but even so, I love his crisp style of playing and phrasing.