Erste Infos zur nächsten vermutlich grossartigen Swing-Box von Mosaic:
The Complete Chick Webb & Ella Fitzgerald Decca Sessions (1929-1941) 7 CDs
Release Date: Early 2012The tandem of Chick Webb (“The King of the Savoy Ballroom”) and Ella Fitzgerald (“The First Lady of Song”) brought together a drummer whose powerful execution and rhythmic drive became a model for drummers up to the present day; and a vocalist who, although in her rudimentary years, was to influence practically all vocalists in the pop and jazz idiom.
The recordings gathered for this major retrospective contain the astonishing Webb and his tight band from their first records on Brunswick right through all of the recordings for American Decca. When Chick died in 1939 Ella was the new headliner for the band (led at various times by Edgar Sampson and Teddy McRae) until 1941. These recordings with the big band and splinter groups from the band are also included and not only do they reveal a consistently vibrant working unit but the increasing maturity of Ella’s natural swing and poise.
This focus on the Webb / Fitzgerald Decca sessions is an invaluable examination of an underappreciated band, an outstanding jazz innovator in Webb and one of the all-time eminent vocalists of any period. For the first time we have a complete retrospective of both Chick and Ella in the best sound ever captured of the music from mint 78s and original test pressings. Included are remarkable examples of Webb instrumentals that silenced all those “battle of the band” challengers at the Savoy: “Harlem Congo”, “Who Ya Hunchin’” and “Liza”.
Overlooked from this band are other notable jazz artists making some of their first recordings: R & B pioneer Louis Jordan; alto man Hilton Jefferson; Edgar Sampson (who wrote and arranged “Stompin’ At The Savoy” for Chick); early trombone great Jimmy Harrison; trumpeter Taft Jordan who was a mainstay with Webb before joining the mid 40s Ellington band; outstanding reedman Wayman Carver; the great Fletcher Henderson bassist and leader John Kirby; journeyman trumpeters Mario Bauza and Bobby Stark; pianist Ram Ramirez and reedman Eddie Barefield. Commentary on the music will be provided by noted author John McDonough and rare photographs will pepper the set
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"Don't play what the public want. You play what you want and let the public pick up on what you doin' -- even if it take them fifteen, twenty years." (Thelonious Monk) | Meine Sendungen auf Radio StoneFM: gypsy goes jazz, #163: Neuentdeckungen aus dem Katalog von CTI Records (Teil 2), 13.5., 22:00 | Slow Drive to South Africa, #8: tba | No Problem Saloon, #30: tba