Tag: Luis Russell and his Orchestra

Here’s a toe tapper to get you through the week – a Luis Russell scorcher featuring an interesting carefully timed arrangement driven by the non-stop string bass of Pops Foster. We hear Russell himself soloing on piano at 0:26. Henry “Red” Allen adds an uplifting trumpet solo at 1:21 and the reeds come together for an ensemble moment before J. C. Higginbotham slides in at 2:13 with an extended trombone solo.

Recorded in New York City on September 6, 1929.
Originally released as Okeh 8734.
Released in the U.K. as Parophone R 740.

Credits:
Luis Russell – piano, director
Henry Allen, Bill Coleman – trumpet
J. C. Higginbotham – trombone
Albert Nicholas – clarinet, alto sax
Charlie Holmes – soprano sax, alto sax
Teddy Hill – tenor sax
Will Johnson – banjo, guitar
Pops Foster – string bass
Paul Barbarin – drums, vibes

Sources:
Jazz and Ragtime Records (1897-1942), 6th Ed., Brian Rust

The last – and hottest – of three recordings the great Luis Russell orchestra made during a fantastic 1930 session that I highlighted this week.

“Panama” was originally published in 1912 by ragtime composer William Henry Tyers and was recorded by New Orlean’s Rhythm Kings in 1922, quickly becoming standard fare and was subsequently recorded by W. C. Handy in 1923 Johnny De Troit, Henry Halstead, and McKenzie’s Candy Kids in 1924 – and by Fletcher Henderson in 1925.

Things really get cookin’ around 0:41 as a hot Pops Foster bass break leads into a Henry “Red” Allen trumpet solo, followed by a trombone solo from J.C. Higginbotham, a tenor sax solo from Greely Walton, a clarinet solo from Albert Nicholas, an alto solo from Charlie Holmes, and a wild ensemble show-stopper ending that brings the house down and then some.

Surely a recording that showcases the Russell band at the top of their game!

Recorded in New York City on September 5, 1930.
Released in the U.K. as Parlophone R 963.
(Original domestic release = Okeh 8849)

Credits
Luis Russell – piano, director
Otis Johnson, Henry “Red” Allen – trumpet
J.C. Higginbotham – trombone
Charlie Holmes – alto sax
Albert Nicholas – alto sax, clarinet
Greely Walton – tenor sax
Will Johnson – banjo, guitar
George Pops Foster – string bass
Paul Barbarin – drums

The two other recordings from this same session:

“High Tension”
https://youtu.be/yei7nN1iRL0

“Muggin’ Lightly”
https://youtu.be/uezEjgzmt8E

The second of three recordings the great Luis Russell orchestra made during a fantastic 1930 session that I am highlighting this week.

“Muggin’”, according to Cab Calloway’s 1938 Hepster’s Dictionary, is defined as “making ’em laugh, putting on the jive.” while “Muggin’ Lightly” is defined as a “light staccato swing” and as such, this tune composed by Russell is a relaxed romp that has some very interesting compositional elements.

Jazz Historian K.B. Rau analyzed the composition on his excellent website, “Investigating Jazz Recordings” at https://www.harlem-fuss.com/ and I’ve attempted to translate his analysis into YouTube chapters to help facilitate understanding how this complex composition is arranged:

0:00 A section: “Simple smooth melody presented by the tenor sax” (8 bars)
0:10 A section: “Interrupted by some trumpet led saxes” (8 bars)
0:20 A section: Repeat (8 bars)
0:30 A section: “Swinging jazzy tenor sax phrase” (8 bars)
0:41 Trombone chorus – J.C. Higginbotham (16 bars)
1:01 Alto sax chorus – Charlie Holmes (16 bars)
1:21 B section: Modulation of the ensemble from B major to Bb major (8 bars)
1:32 C section: “A beautifully swinging tutti” (24 bars)
2:03 D section: Closely arranged ensemble (16 bars)
2:23 E section: For the sax section – starting in F sharp (16 bars)
2:44 D section: Ensemble in “smoothly swinging laidback back-beat phrasing. Simply Great!” (8 bars)

Recorded in New York City on September 5, 1930.
Released in the U.K. as Parlophone R 934.
(Original domestic release = Okeh 8830)

Credits
Luis Russell – piano, director
Otis Johnson, Henry Red Allen – trumpet
J.C. Higginbotham – trombone
Charlie Holmes – alto sax
Albert Nicholas – alto sax, clarinet
Greely Walton – tenor sax
Will Johnson – banjo, guitar
George Pops Foster – string bass
Paul Barbarin – drums

The two other recordings from this same session:

“High Tension”
https://youtu.be/yei7nN1iRL0

“Panama”
https://youtu.be/WeryW5ri6yU

One of three recordings the great Luis Russell orchestra made during a fantastic 1930 session that I’ll be highlighting over the next week.

This tune composed by Belgian David Bee has been called “hectic” and “quirky” – but seems to fit into a genre of jazz composition about strange mental states (think Arthur Schutt’s “Delirium” or Fletcher Henderson’s “Jangled Nerves” or “Queer Notions”), which are among my favorite compositions!

In any case, there are many delightful moments to be enjoyed on this record – as solos begin after the first 54 seconds. We hear a rapid fire line of 8 bar solos with standout moments from Higginbotham and also from the trio of Russell, Foster, and Barbarin.

Recorded in New York City on September 5, 1930.
Released in the U.K. as Parlophone R 1064.
(Original domestic release = Okeh 8849)

Credits
Luis Russell – piano, director
Otis Johnson, Henry Red Allen – trumpet
J.C. Higginbotham – trombone
Charlie Holmes – alto sax
Albert Nicholas – alto sax, clarinet
Greely Walton – tenor sax
Will Johnson – banjo, guitar
George Pops Foster – string bass
Paul Barbarin – drums

The two other recordings from this same session:

“Muggin’ Lightly”
https://youtu.be/uezEjgzmt8E

“Panama”
https://youtu.be/WeryW5ri6yU

A deep depression cut from Luis Russell and his Orchestra from the summer of 1931. This beautiful record had the misfortune to be released during a tough time for the music biz. The record industry was on the skids and sales had plummeted from 100 million records sold in 1929 to only 6 million in 1932. Radio was taking over as a free source of continuous music, news, and entertainment.

Luis Russell was a pianist born in Panama who spent time in both New Orleans and Chicago before coming to New York and forming his own band.

This record is full of great players – such as Henry “Red” Allen, Albert Nicholas, Pops Foster and Paul Barbarin. They showcase their abilities on this record through a mastery of control, restraint, and emotional resonance.

The tune begins with a languid and almost pastoral vibe. The rhythm section trots gently along as the soloists seem to float past us as though walking on air.

An alto sax (Albert Nicholas?) begins. Dicky Wells follows on trombone. Then a trumpet (Henry Allen?). Each interspersed with ensemble playing and ending with a call and response between a lone sax and the rest of the band. A trumpet starts plaintively growling toward the end, but the sun sets before it can make its full argument.

Evocative and beautiful – almost a kind of programme music in the classical sense. One senses something new being born.

Recorded in New York City on August 28, 1931.
Released as Victor 22815.
Only 2,460 copies of this record were sold.

Credits
Luis Russell – piano, director
Henry Allen, Robert Cheek, Gus Aiken – trumpet
Dicky Wells – trombone
Albert Nicholas- clarinet, alto sax
Henry Jones – alto sax
Greely Walton – tenor sax
Will Johnson – guitar
Pops Foster – bass
Paul Barbarin – drums, vibraphone