Six Jumping Jacks, Vol. 2
Not only was Harry Reser the most accomplished plectrum banjo player in the 1920s, he probably led more bands than just about any other musician of the era. Each of his groups focused on a different segment of the pop music spectrum, such as hot jazz (The Jazz Pilots), smooth dance music (The Tuxedo Orchestra), or in the case of the Six Jumping Jacks, novelty songs. Reser and bandmates were topnotch instrumentalists and even when they played silly songs like "I Love the College Girls" or "Cock-a-Doodle, I'm off My Noodle," they never treated the music as a joke. The arrangements are always inventive, the ensemble playing is tight, and the solos are hot. Reser in particular plays the banjo with a surprising amount of subtlety, and on a few tracks he reveals himself to be an excellent guitarist as well. Even though these tracks were recorded in 1927 and 1928, the sound on the CD is outstanding, with none of the pops and crackles that can mar reissues of old 78s. The songs of Harry Reser's Six Jumping Jacks will never be mistaken for high art, but they do capture the giddy spirit of the 1920s perfectly. And because of the skill of the musicians they can be listened to over and over again, which is not something you can say about many novelty songs.--Michael Simmons