[Dixielandjazz] Independence Hall JB CD

[Nickdragos at cs.com]

To Dan & Listmates......

I'm glad to hear someone else singing the praises of The Independence Hall 
Jazz Band...I'm a-waitin' my cpy of their Oliver interpretations, but treasure 
their earlier releases "Chicago Rhythm" (Stomp Off CD 1371, 2001) & "Hot Sweet 
& Blue" (Sterling Entertainment, Inc., available from Amazon.com, recorded in 
1999)...I featured both on my late lamented "Sacramento Classic Jazz" radio 
program.

But the gem, and I believe it is long out-of-print (but I could be, and 
regularly am, wrong about these things) are Oliver's own recordings....I last saw 
them on King Oliver & His Dixie Syncopators's "Sugar Foot Stomp" (Decca 
Jazz/GRP Records,  GRD-616,  1992)....included is the original "Wa Wa Wa", named in 
the early 1980's by the audience of Brian Rust's Capitol Radio program "Mardi 
Gras" as the "Hottest Jazz Record" ever....along with other 1926-1928 gems 
"Snag It" (2 different versions), "Jackass Blues" (which I once dedicated to my 
radio boss on the air, which explains why, at present, I'm not on the air), "Too 
Bad", "Deep Henderson" & more......

It is indeed a sorrowful pity that many so-called "historians" write off 
Oliver as soon as Louis Armstrong left his nest. The post-Satch recordings from 
the period covered by this CD are priceless examples of "small big band" (8-11 
pieces) Chicago Jazz, very comparable to Jelly Roll Morton's Chicago output 
from the same time, same place...

For that matter, Oliver's later works for Victor, while (in my opinion) not 
at his 1923-1924 or 1926-1928 level, are certainly not bad music, and some of 
those recordings hold up fairly well 70+ years later.

Thank God for bands like Merseysippi, Climax and far too many others to name, 
who keep these songs alive!

Just A-Sittin' & A-Rockin' in Sacramento, A-Waitin' for my box from Stomp 
Off...

Oh...That Reminds Me.....Oliver fans: check out the 2002 Stomp Off release 
"My Sweet Lovin' Man"  by  Miss Lulu White's Red Hot Creole Jazzband (as stated 
on the liners: "devoted to the music of King Oliver") with guests Alain 
Marquet & Daniel Huck (Stomp Off CD1370)......five of the 18 tracks are Oliver's 
compositions ("Snag It", "Just Gone", "Working Man's Blues", "Alligator Hop", 
"Chattanooga Stomp") plus works by Louis & Lil Armstrong, W.C. Handy & 
others).....a delightful romp led by cornetis Mart Mous, recorded in The Netherlands in 
April, 2001.

Happy Listening.....Nick Dragos, Sacramento, California
NickDragos at cs.com