Art Hodes’ Hot Seven – May 17 1945
Dan Morgenstern – The Complete Art Hodes Blue Note Sessions
Some new faces here, in a seven-piece band along the lines of the Chicagoans dates but now dubbed Art Hodes' Hot Seven. Again, Jelly Roll Morton is well represented with MR. JELLY LORD. WOLVERINE BLUES, and MILENBERG JOYS. Again we get a couple of Modes originals and no potboilers. Kaminsky's back, and so's Danny Alvin. If you know the Bechet Blue Notes, you'll remember George Lugg's trombone (from a date with Max and Art). Born in Chicago in 1898, and active there until the mid-thirties, he finally got to make some records during the last years of his life, which ended in late 1946. Jack Lesberg's career was just getting underway; at 25, he was dividing his time between jazz at Eddie Condon's club and the New York Symphony, under the baton of fellow Bostonian Leonard Bernstein. A most flexible bassist, he would soon record with boppers as well. Of guitarist Chick Robertson, I can tell you only that he recorded with Bob Chester's swing band and that Art apparently knew him from jam sessions. The ringer is New Orleans clarinetist Leonard "Bujie" Centobie (b. 1915), who'd come to New York to record for Keynote with trumpeter George Hartman in the fall of '44 and decided to stay in town for a while. Blue Note's Lion and Wolff heard hirn jamming in Greenwich Village and set him up tor this date, but he soon returned home, where he recorded again during the fifties, mostly with Sharkey Bonano.
Art introduces CHICAGO GAL, a tune he wrote in 1934 and first called SHE WENT AND DID HER DANCE. It has a verse and a bluesy chorus. Centobie solos; he has that New Orleans clarinet sound, and certainly was familiar with Irving Fazola's work. Art also solos, and the ensemble work, as customary on any Modes date, is mellow. I NEVER KNEW WHAT A GAL COULD DO is from the New Orleans Rhythm Kings' book, and a nice tune. We get the verse here too. Max takes an easy-riding solo, and Centobie displays his full middle register. MR. JELLY LORD is brought on by Max and the rhythm section, playing the pretty verse; then the other horns join in. The clarinet solo, with a good break, again shows off that attractive tone. Art and Lugg share the next chorus; the trombonist is soulful. Max comes back, takes a surefooted break, and leads the final ensemble. They did right by Old Jelly here. AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL is a newly discovered master. This is one of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band's best pieces, and it starts off well enough, with Max's lead to the fore. Art takes one, Alvin in there with him, followed by first Centobie, then Lugg in good form, with a big, warm sound. The closing ensemble is a bit ragged—no doubt why this wasn't issued at the time.
Dan Morgenstern – Hot Jazz at Blue Note CD Liner Notes
Mr. Jelly Lord brings on our Jelly Roll Morton segment, appropriately, for the song was Jelly’s fanciful musical means of self-promotion. The lyric, of his own devising, is a recital of his real and imagined accomplishments, culminating in his knighting: “and the king made Jelly a lord.” But it’s the lovely melodies – verse and chorus – that tell Jelly’s true tale. I think he’d have liked what Art Hodes and his Hot Seven do here. The tempo is just right. and Jelly was particular about tempos. Kaminsky states the verse with just the rhythm behind him, then the other two horns join him for a relaxed ensemble chorus. Bujie Centobie's clarinet has yet another kind of New Orleans sound, different from Hall and Bechet—the Jimmie Noone—lrving Fazola "round" sound. We get our first helping of the Hodes roll, distinctly his own. Lugg is at his best, and Maxie's break is on the dime. Jelly wrote this in 1923, the year that Wolverine Blues was published, but that piece was certainly conceived a bit before. It's not a blues, and Jelly complained about the title (his was "The Wolverines"), but the lyricists insisted on it. It was composed as a piano solo, "to sound as much as a band as possible," Jelly explained in his famous 1938 Library of Congress interviews. Hodes and company take it for a nice ride, varying the ensemble textures (another Jelly trademark), as in the trombone's restatement of second strain, with clarinet embellishment. Centobie sounds good in his middle ("chalumeau") register, and Danny Alvin does his woodblock stuff.
The Record Changer May 1950 104 Review
The way that the reissues have been coming my way these past few months it's certainly nice to have a little "live" talent to work with for a change. Not that I'm against reissues, mind you, but merely that I sincerely feel that if they choke off the flow of original recording by the smaller companies the loss to us all will be very great. At this point, it seems to me, what they are trying to do for us all is of the utmost importance and these records of Art Hodes (they were recorded some time ago and are just now being issued which merely strengthens my point) are a pretty good example of why I think so.
Whether or not they are as good as what is being reissued is not the point. What is the point is that they are the only real jazz that is being put to wax and in the years to come they may be of great importance. My own feeling about Hodes is that I think he has more creative imagination than almost anyone I know, but that very often the men he chooses aren't up to bringing it off. And by the way this is not intended as a slap against those players who have made records with Art. It's just that he demands a lot.
And yet, more often than not, in each album there is at least one record which has a feel to it that makes me want to play it over and over again. In this batch that record happens to be Mr. Jelly Lord, that fine old standby by Ferd Morton which modestly told how good he was, and is one of the most delightful fantasies ever conceived. This side is exciting listening and even though George Lugg does a few things along towards the end that rub me the wrong way I still feel it is a very satisfying record. The white New Orleans clarinet of Bujie Centobe is very nice here too and shows him to be a far better reedman than I had thought from those Hartman sides put out a good while back by Keynote. What he lacks in fire and originality is more than made up for by a fine relaxed and liquid tone that adds a lot to the record.
The others seem to me less good, but all things considered this is as good an album as has come my way in some time. I think most of you will want this one.
Art Hodes B-6502 Liner Notes
"Chicago Gal" is another of my originals. As with many of my tunes it came out of an experience. I believed the chick when she said I was the one and only. It turned out she had her fingers crossed. In any case we decided to 'rest' the lyric. To tell you the truth I don't miss it. Bujie Centobie was in town and he sat in on clarinet; real nice blowing. And with Maxie pumpin' the lead and Alvin barrelling along we hit a fine groove.
Down Beat 104 Review April 21 1950 Volume 17 Issue 8
This is a distinctive album if for no other reason than the quiet, thoughtful, musicianly playing of a New Orleans clarinetist named Bujie Centobie, now back playing in a small combo in that town. Centobie’s playing has all the incisiveness you expect from good New Orleans reed work—in addition has a cleanness of tone, a restraint in choice of ideas, and a cohesiveness that is highly unusual.
Benny Goodman, in many of his subtone solos, tries hard to do what this man does easily on Bujie. Included on the six sides is the trombone playing of George Lugg, who died more than five years ago, as well as adequate lead work by Max Kaminsky. More of Mr. Centobie, however, I would like to hear. This is the kind of playing too often claimed for New Orleans too seldom heard.
Down Beat March 7 1952 Volume 19 Issue 5 These records are all reissues with the exception of Walk on Down and Milenberg Joys. Of outstanding interest in this set is the work of New Orleans clarinetist Bujie Centobie, who played Nick’s in New York several years ago and now has dropped out of action except occasionally playing in his home town. He is featured all through the number named after him and his playing indicates a fine jazz musician who has gotten lost in the shuffle through lack of promotion. Also heard on this jam session-type record is the trombone playing of the late George Lugg, who also appears on very few records and had an unheralded career. Max Kaminsky’s trumpet adds interest to the as-a-whole-rather-unspectacular session. (Blue Note LP 7015.)
Session Information
Max Kaminsky, trumpet; George Lugg, trombone; Bujie Centobie, clarinet; Art Hodes, piano; Chick Robertson, guitar; Jack Lesberg, bass; Danny Alvin, drums.
WOR Studios, NYC, May 17, 1945
BN239-1, Mr. Jelly Lord, Blue Note 551, BLP 7015
BN240-3, At The Jazz Band Ball
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