Hi de hi, Bojangles and the Duke

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 14

Hi de hi, Bojangles and the Duke

By

ALLAN FRANCIS

THE COTTON CLUB. Various artists recall the early days of the Cotton Club in New York. World Records WT 9658 from ASV. For better or worse, Cotton Club immediately conjures up Duke Ellington’s name. This is understandable after his contribution from 1927 to 1931, but there were -many others who enjoyed a longer term. It is fitting, therefore, that a recording should be devoted to the many others who performed there in such style. This includes the Duke, of course. No history of the Club would be complete without him or his associates — the singer Adelaide Hall and the arranger/composer Irving Mills, in this instance. The bonuses come from the horn of Louis Armstrong at his peak with the 1929 version of “When You’re Smiling” and the 1932 recording of “Between the Devil and Deep Blue Sea.” In fact, by 1932 Louis was on the wrong side of his immense talent as this historical account proves, but no such criticism could be levelled at Ethel Waters (“Am I Blue,” “I Can’t Give You Anything”) or Adelaide Hall (“I Must Have That Man,” “The Blues I Love To Sing”).

The hi-de-hi is provided by Cab Galloway with the Waller “Old Yazoo” and “Kicking the Gong Around,” and Ellington himself with the jazzy “Cotton Club Stomp” and “Jubilee Stomp.” Mediumpaced swingers come from the unlikely sources of “The New Music of Reginald Foresythe” (“Serenade to a Wealthy Widow”) or Harold Arlen singing his own “Stormy Weather.” All the tracks centre around the period 1928 to 1933, so it is no surprise that Louis’ ensemble sometimes sounds like Freddy Martin. Ellington is also more superficial than he ever allowed himself to be in later years. But it is the presence of the great Sonny Greer that sparks the Ellington band into its first breath of life.

There was an abundance of Immensely talented pianists in that era — the great variety of inspiration, the carefree attitudes that must have covered more dismal moments. Jimmy Lunceford showed more than a hint of the promise of burgeoning talent with his “Sweet Rhythm” and Andy Kirk likewise in “Honey, Just For You.” It may come as a surprise to many just how much tight ensemble playing there is in what is sometimes assumed to be a not-so-particular period rin popular music. True,

the vocal standards swing widely from tongue-in-cheek to downright ordinary (Arlen and Irving Mills), but the rich tapestry of ideas that flows is nothing less than extraordinary. What is not surprising is that the Australian Robert Parker had a significant hand in the proceedings, which probably accounts

for the high quality of reproduction of all tracks. The tracks do vary in content — rising from the off-hand Bojangles Robinson and Calloway style of 1920 s craziness, up to the sublime Ethel Waters/Ellington combination of the Fields/McHugh standard, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” a marvel of colour in any era.

KITARO IN ASIA. Successor to “Silk Road,” recorded live. POLYDOR 825 264-1.

It has been the ambition of the Japanese musician Kitaro to touch a chord in the musical minds of the Western world. This, album is aimed directly at those outside his particular hemisphere. It therefore combines his past ventures from “Silk Road” and “Caravansary,” adds much new material < and reproduces it in a form which is intended to create a wider impression than before. . The chief criticism of Kitaro’s former work is the lack of variety that marked his long journeys into dreariness. For all of his 12 tons of equipment, the end results were stultifying to European ears, accustomed to a brisker exchange of ideas and content.

This album has obviously taken this qualification into account, so there is a giant step towards a more characterful as well as colourful composition. Wisely, he has recapped on past successes, though not overly long fortunately, where his hypnotic repeats are allowed to drift into boredom. Nicely judged for size and qualify, these nine tracks make a significant contribution to the composer’s art, the effects matching the ideas involved.