James P. Johnson’s Blue Note Jazz Men – March 4 1944
Leonard Feather - B-6506 Liner Notes
1944 was a crucial year in the evolution of jazz.
The 52nd Street scene was bristling with small group jazz. In one evening, during the fall of that year, you could take in, within the space of a single block, Oscar Pettiford's all star combo and Billie Holiday at the Spotlight; the Coleman Hawkins quintet (with Monk at the piano) and the Trummy Young-Herbie Fields group, both almost next door at the Downbeat; Erroll Garner's Quartet with Lucky Thompson, and Wingy Manone's Dixieland band, at the Three Deuces; the Stuff Smith and Barney Bigard groups at the Onyx; Nat Jaffe's quintet featuring Charlie Shavers at Kelly's Stable, and, as always, Joe Marsala at the Hickory House.
They don't hardly make streets like that no more.
It was the year Jimmie Noone died, and Clarence Profit. Scant attention was paid to the death of Profit, a pianist years ahead of his time, in whose trio the guitarist Jimmy Shirley played an indispensable role.
It was the year Norman Granz produced his precedent-setting short film Jammin' the Blues, and Esquire staged the first jazz concert ever fielded at the Metropolitan Opera House.
In Greenwich Village, too, it was a busy year; the DeParis brothers, Sidney and Wilbur, were gigging around in various clubs and James P. Johnson, semi-inactive since suffering a stroke in 1940, slowly returned to the scene.
Eric Thacker – The Complete Edmond Hall/James P. Johnson/Sidney DeParis/Vic Dickenson Blue Note Sessions
The genial specter presiding over this looks remarkably like Duke Ellington reflecting not only on the presence of one of his recent sidemen, but also on the memory that a youthful stab at Johnson’s CAROLINA SHOUT (learned from a piano roll) had marked his own public debut in Washington and earned him the friendship of the guiding genius of this 1944 session.
The themes composed by Johnson – BLUE MIZZ, VICTORY STRIDE, and JOY MENTIN’ - celebrate in its own way, Ducal effects of varying periods. The first and third of these partly echo the ensemble voice of those small Elllington groups which were headed by Johnny Hodges. The second is modelled on a full band item first recorded early in 1928, shortly after Duke landed the Cotton Club job.
Pic: 20 June 1944 – Volume 15 Issue 13
Two new twelve-inch additions to the list are required listening for followers of our most vigorous music, and those just beginning to get hip to it couldn't start with a better of lessons. Victory Stride— Blue Mizz (B. N. 32) and After You’ve Gone — Joy Mentin’ (B.N. 33) by James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazz Men, are the lessons, and the Jazz Men are J. P. (piano), Ben Webster (tenor sax), Sidney De Paris (trumpet), Vic Dickerson (trombone), Arthur Shirley (guitar), John Simmons (bass), and Sidney Catlett (drums). If you know these men, you don't need to be told much more; if you don't, it's high time you found out what marvelous teamwork they do. They take Victory Stride, which in other hands might be just another last riff number, and make every groove of it exciting and original. Big Sid sets the dizzying pace with his trip-hammer cymbal work, the ensemble a establishes a basic pattern, and one after another, trumpet, sax, trombone take off on solo elaborations that stem beautifully from what has gone before, against a strong and vibrant rhythm background, with frequent and refreshing showers of J. P.’s rain-clear notes. On the slow Mizz, Webster's breathy solo is in true blues style, without a hint of the lush maundering many sax men go in for; Dickerson is at the top of his down-to-earth form; and De Paris soars along with the exultant sadness that marks great jazz. If that sounds like paradox, consider that Johnson arrived at Joy ‘Mentin’ by dropping the terminal letters from "lamenting," to name another slow, sad-happy side. This gets off to a nifty start with Shirley making the strings of his unamplified guitar sing the blues with great eloquence, and there's more of De Paris' high-riding, hard-hitting melancholy. The others are right in there, on this and the sparkling After You’ve Gone, but the chief wonder that all the sides raise again is why De Paris isn’t one of the two or three most celebrated trumpeters in the land. Technically he can play rings around such showoffs as Harry James and Roy Eldridge, but unlike them he is never emptily ostentatious; taste, feeling and imagination are in every phrase he plays. On After, there are some of Dickerson's most fascinatingly cavernous explorations, and a grunting Webster solo that is up to if not beyond any of his great fast ones on Ellington discs, punctuated by Big Sid's arresting artillery. In case you haven't caught on, the word for these records is "Wow!"
Downbeat – 1 July 1944 – Volume 11 Issue 13
What Ammons lacks Johnson has in abundance, both as a pianist and as a composer. Mizz is incredibly subtle and nostalgic with a real blues feeling underneath. After an opening ensemble Ben Webster comes in with some of his passionate tenor, followed by more of Vic Dickenson’s languorous trombone, then by some remarkably incisive trumpet from Sidney De Paris. James P. himself takes over for the rest of the record, alternating with the of the unit all the way. Victory, easily the best number of the month, opens with some fly cymbal work by Catlett. Next comes a beautifully designed ensemble chorus. Then De Paris plays a superbly constructed solo, gorgeously conceived and bitingly executed. Ben follows, playing his rolling tenor style to some sparkling backing by Shirley. For sheer spontaneity Vic 's trombone, coming in after Webster, cops honors. From that point on the ensemble takes charge except for some great drum breaks by Big Sid and a piano passage by James P. with wonderful support from bassist John Simmons. This is a great record in every way.
Downbeat 15 October 1944 – Volume 11 Issue 20
Joy-Mentin' is credited to James P. himself, a number very much in the blues tradition. It showcases successive solos by guitarist Shirley, trumpeter De Paris, tenorman Webster, trombonist Dickenson bassist Simmons, and concludes with a brief ensemble. This marks the first time Shirley has been allowed to take off for Blue Note despite the many discs he's cut for Al Lyon, and his work is worth plenty of attention. After You've Gone continues to thrill me more than anything recently put on wax. This is undoubtedly one of the top-drawer jazz sides of all time! After a lengthy intro by Johnson, Sid De Paris plays a solo that cuts the famous Eldridge rendition to shreds. That man has what so many of his confreres lack, taste! Jimmy follows Sid with a piano chorus, proving once again the close affinity that existed between his pianistics and the playing of his more popular disciple, the late Fats Waller. Ben comes on next„ blowing perhaps the two most exciting choruses he has ever record, complete with astonishing breaks. Then Vic 's trombone gives out with one of his characteristic, consistently brilliant solos, again featuring two well-conceived breaks. De Paris takes it out, backed by subtle ensemble, with a final break inserted tor a convincer. This platter I love!
Dan Morgenstern – Blue Note Jazzmen CD Liner Notes
James P.'s first Blue Note [Jazzmen] date is deeply into swing—with a touch of Ellington, who of course was inspired by James P. and was taken under the stride king's wing when he came to Harlem. Blue Mizz has that Ducal small-group sound in the ensemble blend. From the first note, we can tell that Ben Webster and Sid Catlett had a special relationship, but also note how Sid adjusts his accompaniment to each soloist. Webster had come into his own with Duke and found his unique voice; a blues master, he's more assertive on the first take, more subtle on the second where Vic shines. The piano solo spot gets horn backing on the first, none on the second. Victory Stride is identical to Jubilee Stomp, recorded by Duke as his piece in 1928; you be the jury, keeping in mind that no one came after Jimmy in 1944. It's a fine piece of work, and both takes have special moments; Sid’s tom-toms behind Ben on the first; Ben great on both, but near-perfect on the second, on which trombone also excels, and James P. trots out some special stuff; Sid treats us to drum breaks in the final ensemble. Lion made the right choice. "Joy Mentin”, in one take, is the blues at a deliberate medium tempo and one almost hears Johnny Hodges in the ensembles. Great support throughout by John Simmons, who also gets a solo chorus, as do Ben and Vic; before that/ Shirley, with his "Vivrola" resonator, and Sidney (first rate) take two apiece, the former with marvelous James P. support. We end a great session with "After You've Gone," the theme stated by trumpet (again, perfect tempo chosen by James P), solos by piano, tenor, trombone and trumpet, each launched with a break, and taking one in the medias res for good measure. Ben's two-chorus statement is a highlight, but dig that Johnson stride, and don't miss Vic's breaks!
Leonard Feather - B-6506 Liner Notes
The indigo mood carries over on to the second side in Blue Mizz. A fuller quality lent to the ensemble by the presence of Ben Webster's tenor saxophone in the opening thematic statement is immediately apparent. The uniquely endearing sound of Ben's tenor provides the first solo. Vic Dickenson again illustrates his one-of-a-kind style of articulating dotted eighth and sixteenth notes. DeParis has a wide ranging solo notable for its warmth; James P. rounds it out with a blues solo to which the horns add a riff.
Victory Stride and Joy Mentin', like Blue Mizz, were composed by Johnson. The former bears a vague resemblance to an earlier Ellington composition, Jubilee Stomp; in fact, this track has a generally Ducal atmosphere to which, of course, Ben makes his own deep purple contribution. Joy-Mentin' dispenses with the drums briefly as Jimmy Shirley and John Simmons ease their way into this interesting example of prehistoric funk. Catlett remains discreet throughout. Simmons has a solo here, with rolling comments from James P.
After You've Gone, another of those World War I pop songs that achieved jazz standard stature, made its first appearance in 1918. Appropriately, the introduction is played by James P. in a stride manner, somewhat reminiscent of the ragtime era from which he evolved. The highlights are a long solo (two choruses) by Ben, and some fluent, assertive Vic Dickenson, slightly more melody-oriented than Ben. Notice the challenging strength with which Sidney DeParis leads out the closing ensemble.
Max Margulis – Blue Note 32, 33 Marketing Brochure
The session at which the present selections were recorded was peculiarly James P. Johnson’s whose musical temperament happily pervades all four numbers. The group associated here with Johnson includes Sidney Catlett, who has been recording steadily for BLUE NOTE since its inception; Sidney De Paris, Vic Dickenson, and Arthur Shirley, who were heard auspiciously on recent BLUE NOTE issues (Nos. 28 and 20; High Society, Blues at Blue Note, Royal Garden Blues, Night Shift Blues); as well as newcomers on BLUE NOTE lists, Ben Webster and John Simmons.
Johnson’s eminence both as a composer and pianist is revealed at once in Victory Stride, which BLUE NOTE introduces for the first time anywhere. This unusually attractive and vigorous composition by Johnson (its ingenious lyrics are omitted here in a strictly hot, instrumental version), has dazzling ensemble and piano passages.
The slow numbers, Blue Mizz and Joy-Mentin', are founded upon themes by Johnson, are developed by the soloists playing successively, and are recapitulated by the ensemble. The solos are contrived with great freedom and variety, ranging in scope from simple lyrical periods to the comparative dramatic scenes produced by the tenor saxophone.
Finally, the combined brilliance and innocence of the style that so characteristically influenced the late “Fats” Waller, sets the tone of After You’ve Gone. This irregularly lengthy “standard” number, receives a sparkling performance, stintless with pianisms and splendid trumpet work.
—MAX MARGULIS
Session Information
James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazz Men
Sidney DeParis, trumpet; Vic Dickenson, trombone; Ben Webster, tenor sax; James P. Johnson, piano; Jimmy Shirley, guitar; John Simmons, bass; Sidney Catlett, drums.
WOR Studios, NYC, March 4, 1944
BN950-1, Blue Mizz, Blue Note 32, B-6506
BN950-2, Blue Mizz (alternate take)
BN951-2, Victory Stride (alternate take), Blue Note B-6506
BN951-3, Victory Stride, Blue Note 32, B-6506
BN952-2, Joy-Mentin', Blue Note 33, B-6506
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