When you get up in the morning, you must have a song - Ray Charles

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Sidney Bechet ep's









Tonight brings a couple of old Bechet sessions. Short but highly entertaining. I know this stuff has ended up on various compilations before so this is nothing the completest can't drag out. Yes, I cobbed this stuff together from a couple of lps.
 The first session is from that Jazz A La Creole lp. (for those keeping score, my cover is a dull pinkish color, otherwise exactly as above). I have only included the Bechet side because, well, it was the best part of the record. C'mon its a trio with Bechet, Lil Armstrong and Zutty Singleton. This shit is just so cool. It swings in all the best ways.
 Not to be outdone is the Bechet/ Spanier sessions, which swings in a whole different way. No drums, with guitar. These sessions were probably recorded for the H.R.S. I happen to own some crazy West German comp that pools the eps together.
 No matter how much I listen to "modern jazz" I always find myself amazed at this roots stuff.

Jazz A La Creole
1. Milenburg Joys
2. Rockin' Chair
3. Big Butter and Egg Man
4.My Melancholy Baby
5. Limehouse Blues
6. Black Bottom
7. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues

Sidney Bechet - soprano sax
Lil Armstrong  - piano
Zutty Singleton - drums

Archive of Jazz
1. Sweet Lorraine
2. The Lazy River
3. China Boy
4. Four or Five Times
5. That's A Plenty
6. If I Could Be With You
7. Squeeze Me
8. Sweet Sue, Just You

Sidney Bechet - clarinet and soprano sax
Mugsy Spanier - cornet
Carmen Mastrem - guitar
Wellan Braud - bass


7 comments:

Hookfinger said...

A tip of the hat to flat5 again for the damn fine clean up.

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/51a1pv


http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/qevyof

JH said...

Great stuff, thank you!

george said...

Very nice posts.
Thank you!

brianbrora said...

Many thanks. Very, very enjoyable.

Jumpinjeep said...

I'm a little late to the party, but thanks all the same. Love Bechet anytime, anywhere.

Anonymous said...

The Bechet-Spanier Big Four is by far my favorite jazz album and I could listen to their version of Sweet Lorraine on continuous replay forever.

Just a small correction: It is Carmen Mastren (ends in "n") and Wellman Braud.

Thanks.

Muff Diver said...



Thank you Hook for posting these up and for keeping the link open for the past 2+ years!