The Omaha guide., 1939-09-02
FIGHTS IN SONG

iynching should obtain STRANGE
FRUIT, published by the Commo-
dore Music shops, New York City.
This record is the contribution of
that glorious singer, Billie Holli-
day, to the fight against mob law.
The words are powerful, and Dill
lies Interpretation and orchestral
BACKGROUND are genuinely NOV
ing. This number has the slow
majesty of a dirge, with Sonny
White contributing a fitting piano
interlude. The coupling is a sultry
blues, FINE AND MELLOW,
with Frank Newton's trumpet
cutting capers behind Miss Holli-
days rich voice.
Mark down the name of Honey
Hill as another remarkable plan
list in the boogie woogie tradition.
His Decca of BOOGIE WOOGIE
and SET EN- has all the feeling
of a Saturday night party at its
hottest. It's the kind of earthly,
genuine piano that means some
thing-An outstanding example,
of pure jazz is PERISPHERE
SHUTTLE and TRYL0N STOMP
by Les Brown on Bluebird. En-
semble and solo work lift this to
the top. Harry Malneck's unor-
thodox swingsters turn two STAN
dard classics, SOUVENIR AND
FLIGHT OF THE BUNDLE
BEE, into a pair of fine hot per-
formances on Brunswick. Violin
and accordion are especially note
worthy.
Here are four more of those
special Bluebird reissues. Flet-
cher Henderson's SUGAR FOOT
STOMP (1931) and HOCUS POI
Gus 1894, SAINT LOUIS SHUT
FILE (1927) and VARIETY
STOMP (1297) brings together
some of the greatest names in
all jazz. Rex Stewart, Claude
Jones, Bonnie Morton, Buster
Bailey, Coleman Hawkins, Red
Allen, John Kirby, Sidney Catlett,
the late Joe Smith, Tommy Lad
nier and Jimmy Harrison, as well
as others are heard on these sides
and Harrison, you know, was the
greatest tromboniSts. In addition
to his work, other particularly
brilliant performances are the so
los of Hawkins and Bailey on
"Hocus Pocus". Both of these re-
cords are amazing.
The other two r by the mixed
band of Mezz Mezzrow white
clarinetists. Titles r APOLLO
GIES and SENDIN' THE VLP-
Frs, 35TH AND CALUMET and
OLD FASHIONED LOVE, all
waxed in 1884. Benny Carter,
aces scoring along with Max Ka-
minsky, Bud Freeman and other
white stars. Willie Smith plays
about the queerest piano you'll
hear, and all four sides definitely
Chick Webb, John Kirby and Will
lie ''The Lion" Smith are the sepia
swing.
Louis Armstrong has another
Decca revival of a famous tune,
SAVOY BLUES, in which Old
Satchmo's trumpet is at its best.
Charles Holmes is also a mean
man with that alto. The coupling
is a humorous ditty sung by Louis
and titled ME- AND BROTHER
BILL. Ruby Smith, niece of the
great Bessie Smith, makes her
Vocation debut with HE'S MINE,
ALL MINE and BACK WATERS
BLUES, accompanied by James
p. Johnson, Red Allen, Sidney
Catlett, J.. C. Higgenbotham and
Eugene Cedric. Ruby is a fine
blues singer, but of course she
doesn't approach Bessie's genius.
Aliens trumpet, incidentally, is
glorious. After panning Van Alex
ander's recent bluebirds, l can let
up this week. His new double of
AY-AY-AY and MARY LOU is
definitely good.
Jack Teagarden's Brunswick of
his theme song, 81 GOT A RIGHT
TO SING TIE BLUES, is his
best since "The Sheik of Araby"
released several weeks ago. He al
so does well by his hot arrange
ment of YANKEE DOODLE.
Sounds as if the band has really
started clicking. Another release
by Commodore that is solid jazz
rs FORTY SIX WEST FIFTY
TWO and SITTING IN by Chu