The Omaha guide., 1939-01-28
RATING THE
RECORDS
(by Frank Marshall Davis for
AMP
FROM RAGS TO JUMPS

title. After the days OF the Md
pie Leaf Rag" came blues of every
description, then stomps, more re-
Gently swings, and since asst sum
mer when Red Norvo went to Chi
esgo's Savoy to hear Horace Hen
derson, we've been deluged with
jumps, starting with Norvo's
slump Jumps Here" and more re-
Gently Count Basie's "Jumpin' at
the WOodside."
This weeks records bring four
more jump titles. DO YOU WAN
MA JUMP, CHILDREN? which
numbers Willie Bryant among its
quartet of authors is played by
Basic for Deeca and by Gene Kru-
pa on Brunswick. Performances
by both bands are excellent with
James Rushing and Leo Watson,
who hadn't been fired by Gene
when the disc was cut, handling
the vocals. There's some good
Krupa drumming and thrilling Ba-
sic piano plunking. The Counts
second side is PANASSIE STOMP,
2 solid sender %honoring the great
French critic, and Genes coupling
is NEVER FELT BETTER, NEW
ER HAD LESS, also splendid
swing sedrsc and his Honey
Bears heat I'D THE JOINT IS
JUMPIN' and OFF TIME on Voc
alton. Some good tenor sax and
BIyra Johnson's vocals feature
both sides-JUMP JACK JUMP,
with fine piano BY Mary Lou Viii
liams is a new Deoca offering by
Andy Kirk. On The other side
Pha Terrell sings the catchy
GHOST OF LOVE.
Duke Ellington's full orchestra
and two Of his small bands with
in the band, those of Cootie Viii
iiams and Johnny Hodges, give out
on six original sides. The Vocal
ion pair by Hodges are the cream
of the crop: WANDERLUST and
HODGE PODGE are jazz as it
should be played, with marvellous
rhythm and the genius of Johnny's
alto a at its best. DELTA
MOOD displays Coolies terrific
growl trumpet and THE BOYS
FROM HARLEM is a bit more
civilized but just as meaty. This
is also on Vocation. Oddly enough
the two pieces in stomp mood by
full band, BATTLE OF SWING
and JAZZ POTPOURRI on Bruins
wick, are not nearly so successful
or outstanding by comparison.
That new silly song, GOTTA
PEBBLE IN MY SHOE, is served
by Ella Fitzgerald and Chick Webb
for the Jitterbugs. The other side
of this new Decca is WHO VA
HUNCHIN' written by Ella and
Chick. Taft Jordan has powerful
trumpet solos on both pieces-Sid-
ney Bechet has collected a fine
small orchestra that plays solid
and sincere jazz on CHANT IN
THE NIGHT and WHAT A
DREAM, on Vocation. Already
the worlds top soprano saxaphon-
ist, "Pops" gets better on every
disc-TWINKLE DINKLE and
SPARERIBS AND SPHAGHET-
TT, played by the composer, OWE
Aston, and his band sound plenty
good on Vocation. The Harlem
maestro does the vocal on the first
side which also features some ex-
cellent electric guitar-Gene Kru-
pa, with Irene Daye warbling, gent
iy swings l WON'T BELIEVE IT
and AN OLD CURIOSITY SHOP
for Brunswick.
Impressionistic jazz has its place
but to me the Brunswick release of
NEUROTlG GOLDNISH and A
DEBUTANTE'S DAIRY by the
Alec Wilder Octet sounds like one
of Oracle Allens's %surrealist paint
ings set to music-Barry Woods
Brunswick disc of DAY AFTER
DAY and IT SERVES YOU RIGHT
makes mighty fine ~listenin' -
Dorothy Lamour, the N'Orleans
gal who made good in Hollywood
uses her haunting voice to good
advantage in I GO FOR THAT and
LET'S DREAM IN THE MOON
LIGHT for BrunSwick-For those
who like it sweet, Vocation has re-
leased HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT
and TEACH Me TO FORGET