1923-1924
Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra |
 Released November 19, 1996
In 1923, 1924, and 1925, dance bands that wanted to attract attention and make enough money to survive often felt compelled to insert "Charleston" licks into their arrangements, even surrendering entire song titles to the popular trend. Fletcher Henderson's recording of "Charleston Crazy" is a perfect example of this tactic in action. Everything on this CD is charmingly dated in that way. This stuff should not be measured against all the good jazz that's been recorded since then. To pick away at these relics and complain about solos that aren't developed enough for our postmodern sensibilities is a ridiculous waste of time. Don't even bother. Much better to suspend all preconceptions of how music is supposed to sound. Either find a way to place these performances in historical context or simply forget about everything and enjoy the mysterious theater of records so old that most people don't even know they exist. Savor the thrill of being in a different reality, where the band is breathing the air of 1923 and Coleman Hawkins is just beginning to design his own role in developing the saxophone as a dignified vehicle for creative improvisation. Don Redman is also blowing reeds with this band, but hold on a minute. Exactly whose band are we talking about? During the year 1923, Fletcher Henderson didn't really have a regular working band. Holding down the piano chair in an orchestra led by Shrimp Jones, Henderson managed to make phonograph records with members of that organization, billing the studio ensemble as Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra or even Henderson's Sawin' Six, which was really an eight-piece band if you count Henderson himself. It wasn't until the beginning of 1924 that Henderson actually led his own orchestra in public performance. This means that the 1923 recordings are experimental in nature. One of the most interesting numbers is Henderson's arrangement of "Bull Blues," composed by the great cornetist and bandleader Thomas Morris. This piece begins with a pretty air that would surface years later as "What Am I Here For?" by Duke Ellington. Other noteworthy composers represented on this disc are Porter Grainger, Maceo Pinkard, and Shelton Brooks. This is delightful music, old-fashioned and slightly hackneyed, yet well on its way to eventual maturity as big band jazz. ~ arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide
TRACKS 1. Charleston Crazy
2. I'm Gonna See You (When Your Troubles Are Just Like Mine)
3. Chattanooga (Down in Tennessee)
4. Lonesome Journey
5. Bull Blues
6. Old Black Joe's Blues
7. Potomac River Blues
8. Shake Your Feet
9. Swanee River Blues
10. It Won't Be Long Now
11. War Horse Mamma (Intro Triflin' Man)
12. Oh, Sister! Ain't That Hot!
13. Steppin' Out
14. Mamma's Gonna Slow You Down
15. Old Black Joe's Blues
16. House Rent Ball
17. Darktown Has a Gay White Way
18. Mistreatin' Daddy
19. Cotton Picker's Ball
20. Lots o' Mama
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 |  | Harlem in the Thirties (2007) | The Big Reunion (1957 - 1957) | Fletcher Henderson's Sextet (1950) (1950 - 1950) |  | Fletcher Henderson with the Blues Singers, Vol. 2 (1923-1924) (1995) |  | A Study in Frustration | A Thesaurus of Classic Jazz | Radio Rhythm (2005) | Blue Rhythm (2003) | New York to Chicago: 1924-1936 (live) (2002) | Wrappin' It Up (2002) | Classic Years (2002) | The Alternative Takes, Vol. 2: 1926-1936 (2001) | The Alternative Takes, Vol. 1: 1923-1925 (2001) | The Harmony & Vocalion Sessions, Vol. 2: 1927-1928 (2001) | Jazz After Hours (2001) | Riffin' (2001) | The Harmony & Vocalion Sessions, Vol. 1: 1925-1926 (2000) | Ken Burns Jazz (2000) | Sugar Foot Stomp (2000) | The Essence of Swing: Wild Party (2000) | Father of the Big Band, 1925-1937 (1999) | 1924-1938 (1998) | Introduction to Fletcher Henderson: His Best Recordings 1921-1941 (1996) | 1924, Vol. 1 (1996) | 1924, Vol. 2 (1996) | 1924, Vol. 3 (1996) | 1923-1924 (1996) | 1927-1937 (1996) | Wild Party (1995) | Yeah Man (1995) | Fletcher Henderson with the Blues Singers, Vol. 1 (1921-1923) (1995) | Jazz Age: Great Original Performances, 1925-1928 (1994) | 1923 (1993) | Swing (1988) | Developing an American Orchestra, 1923-1937 (1977) | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, 1923-1927 (1972) | Fletcher Henderson (1954) | Fletcher Henderson Memorial Album (1953) | Fletcher Henderson with Slam Stewart and the Jazz Tones (1945 - 1959) | Live at the Grand Terrace Chicago 1938 (live) (1938 - 1938) | 1937-1938 (1937 - 1938) | The End of an Era (1936 - 1941) | Slumming on Park Avenue (1934 - 1938) | 1934-1937 (1934 - 1937) | Under the Harlem Moon (1932 - 1937) | 1932-1934 (1932 - 1934) | Swing's the Thing (1931-1934) (instrumental) (1931 - 1934) | 1931-1932 (1931 - 1932) | Tidal Wave (1931 - 1934) | The Crown King of Swing (1931 - 1931) | 1931 (1931 - 1931) | Swing (1929-1937) (instrumental) (1929 - 1937) | Fletcher Henderson (1929-1937) (1929 - 1937) | 1927-1931 (instrumental) (1927 - 1931) | Hocus Pocus: Classic Big Band Jazz (1927 - 1936) | Indispensable (1927 - 1936) | The Complete Fletcher Henderson (1927-1936) (1927 - 1936) | 1927 (1927 - 1927) | 1926-1927 (1926 - 1927) | Fletcher Henderson (1925-1929) (1925 - 1929) | Fletcher Henderson and the Dixie Stompers (1925-1928) (1925 - 1928) | 1925-1926 (1925 - 1926) | Fletcher Henderson (1925-1928) (1925 - 1928) | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra (1924-1941) (1924 - 1941) | First Impressions (1924-1931) (instrumental) (1924 - 1931) | 1924-1925 (1924 - 1925) | Fletcher Henderson and Louis Armstrong (1924 - 1925) | Fletcher Henderson with Louis Armstrong (1924-1927) (instrumental) (1924 - 1927) | The Pathe Sessions (1923-1925) (1923 - 1925) | Henderson Paths (1923 - 1925) | A Study in Frustration/Thesaurus of Classic Jazz (1923 - 1938) | Rarest Fletcher, Vol. 1 (1923-1924) (instrumental) (1923 - 1924) | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, Vol. 2: 1923-1925 (1923 - 1925) | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, Vol. 1: 1923-1924 (1923 - 1924) | Fletcher Henderson (1923) (1923 - 1924) | 1921-1923 (1921 - 1923) |
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