Jazz Focus

One of the stranger albums of his career, Louis Armstong's "tribute" to his mentor King Oliver features very few tunes Oliver ever recorded or possibly even played.  Nevertheless, the 1959 sessions feature some of Louis' best late period playing along with Trummy Young, Peanuts Hucko, Billy Kyle, Mort Herbert and Danny Barcelona

1925 sessions featuring Armstrong backing up the Empress of the Blues - Bessie Smith along with Fred Longshaw, Charlie Green and Fletcher Henderson

1959 and 1960 sessions for Audio Fidelity featuring the popular New Orleans band (Frank Assunto, Fred Assunto, Papa Jac Assunto, Jerry Fuller, Stanley Mendelsohn, Lowell Miller, Rich Matteson and others) with the greatest jazz musician of all time - Louis was at a late peak of his abilities and he drives the band to great heights!

The Hi Hat was a legendary club in Boston during the 1950's, featuring what was then known as "modern Jazz" - here are live dates featuring many local musicians (Dean Earl, Bernie Griggs, Jimmy Woode, Jimmy Zitano, Marquis Foster, Dick Twardzik, Herb Pomeroy, Jay Migliori and others) backing up the likes of Stan Getz, Bob Brookmeyer, Sonny Stitt, Allen Eager, Serge Chaloff, Miles Davis and even Charlie Parker!

The trumpeter Yank Lawson was best known for playing with Bob Crosby's band and later in his own groups.  Here he is heard as a sideman with several groups - the Mound City Blues Blowers (with Eddie Miller, Bob Haggart, Nappy Lamare, Ray Bauduc and Red McKenzie), Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (with Johnny Mince, Babe Russin and Moe Purtill), Eddie Condon's Town Hall All-Stars (with Hank D'Amico, Jess Stacy and Lou McGarity), Bud Freeman's Orchestra (with Peanuts Hucko, Vernon Brown, Bill Mustarde, Dave Bowman, Ray McKinley), Deane Kincaide's Orchestra (with Paul Ricci, Hucko and others), and Eddie Condon's Orchestra (James P. Johnson, Gene Schroeder, Pee Wee Russell, Brad Gowans, Edmond Hall, Cutty Cutshall).