[Dixielandjazz] Rosy McHargue's Ragtimers Reissue

[SonsofRosy at aol.com]

Dear Friends,

Some of you may be familiar with the CD I produced last year entitled "Where 
the Morning Glories Grow: A Centennial Remembrance of Rosy McHargue."  
Clarinetist and C-melody saxophonist James "Rosy" McHargue was a great musician and a 
great man.  I am honored to say that he was my mentor and friend, and I 
wanted to pay tribute to him for introducing me to the music that is now an 
integral part of my life.

The inspiration for that CD was a remarkable band that Rosy led in the 1950s 
called "Rosy McHargue's Ragtimers."  Rosy often said that those were the best 
recordings he ever made, referring to the sides he cut for the Jump and 
Audiophile labels in 1952 and 1956.  In addition to writing the arrangements for the 
band, Rosy also wrote four-part barbershop harmonies for his bandmembers to 
sing.

Last year, when I was doing research on the members of this band, many of you 
who knew them offered your recollections, which were extremely helpful to me 
in assembling their bios.  A big THANKS to those of you who contributed.

Rosy McHargue's Ragtimers is one of my all-time favorite bands, and not 
merely because I knew its leader.  Their music is some of the swingingest ever 
made, and yet it also reflects Rosy's gentle warmth as a human being.  There is 
some outstanding solo work from Rosy, cornetist Bob Higgins, trombonist Moe 
Schneider, and pianist Earle Sturgis.  Celebrated bass saxophonist Joe Rushton 
even makes a guest appearance on a couple of numbers.

I felt that this music needed to be heard, so I took it upon myself to make 
it available.  With the permission of the Jump and Audiophile labels, I have 
just produced a CD reissue of the complete recordings made by Rosy McHargue's 
Ragtimers.  The CD includes a 26-page booklet with many rare photos, and liner 
notes by myself and Rosy's longtime friend, writer Floyd Levin.  These 
recordings have been out-of-print for many years.  The Audiophile sides have not been 
reissued since their initial release almost fifty years ago.

THE SONGS:
   They Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dawg Aroun'
   Down in Jungle Town 
   Palesteena 
   Singin' the Blues
   Jazzin' the Blues Away 
   Till We Meet Again 
   Basin Street Blues 
   Rosy's Hangover Rag 
   Davenport Blues
   Sweet Georgia Brown 
   Night Wind
   That Mysterious Rag
   Don't Bring Me Posies
   Ace in the Hole 
   Everybody Works but Father 
   Frankie and Johnny
   Livery Stable Blues 
   Oriental Jazz
   He Walked Right In, Turned Around and Walked Right Out Again 
   Aunt Hagar's Blues
   Asleep in the Deep

THE MUSICIANS:
    ROSY McHARGUE  clarinet, C-melody saxophone
    BOB HIGGINS  cornet                                             
    MOE SCHNEIDER  trombone
    EARLE STURGIS  piano (Jump sides)
    DON OWENS  piano (Audiophile sides)
    RAY LEATHERWOOD  bass
    GEORGE DEFEBAUGH  drums
    JOE RUSHTON  bass saxophone (on "Ace in the Hole" and "Frankie and 
Johnny")
    RINK LESLIE  vocal (on "Don't Bring Me Posies")

To order this CD, go to the official Rosy McHargue website, <A HREF="rosymchargue.com">RosyMcHargue.com</A>, 
or simply send a check or money order, made payable to Loup-garous 
Productions, to:

Loup-garous Productions
27 Washington Square North, Suite 4D
New York, NY  10011

CDs are $15.00 each, plus $2.00 S/H in the U.S., $4.00 to Canada, and $6.00 
overseas.

I hope you will enjoy the music of this truly spectacular band as much as I 
do.

Dan Levinson