ProJazz.net

One has to invest in a few discs to track down most of Chu Berry’s recordings as a leader. And while some of his best sides are available from Commodore, there are still many cuts from throughout his career that have been hard to come by. Now, Classics has collected a good chunk of the tenor luminary’s solo sides on this welcome collection – in lieu of a badly needed and thorough retrospective that should include both solo material and tracks from Berry’s numerous dates with Cab Calloway, Fletcher Henderson, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, and scores of other bandleaders and vocalists, this remains the best roundup available. Bookended by a 1937 session with his Stompy Stevedores and four 1941 sides featuring Charlie Ventura (including two alternate takes), this disc’s main attraction has to be the eight numbers from Berry’s respective 1938 and 1941 sessions with Roy Eldridge and Hot Lips Page. A solid collection that’s perfect for newcomers. Now all we need is for the Smithsonian’s music arm to resurrect its invaluable, multi-label reissue series, so Berry can finally get his due (Stephen Cook/AllMusic).

Track listing:

1 Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores– Now You’re Talking My Language
Bass – Israel Crosby
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Lawrence Lucie
Piano – Horace Henderson
Trombone – George Matthews (2)
Trumpet, Vocals – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Stept, Mitchell, Koehler
2:55
2 Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores– Indiana
Bass – Israel Crosby
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Lawrence Lucie
Piano – Horace Henderson
Trombone – George Matthews
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – MacDonald, Hanley
2:46
3 Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores– Too Marvelous For Words
Bass – Israel Crosby
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Lawrence Lucie
Piano – Horace Henderson
Trombone – George Matthews (2)
Trumpet, Vocals – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Mercer, Whiting
2:54
4 Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores– Limehouse Blues
Bass – Israel Crosby
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Drums – Cozy Cole
Guitar – Lawrence Lucie
Piano – Horace Henderson
Trombone – George Matthews
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Farber, Braham
2:52
5 Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores– Chuberry Jam
Bass – Milton Hinton
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Benny Payne
Trombone – Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Irving Randolph
Written-By – Berry
2:17
6 Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores– Maelstrom
Bass – Milton Hinton
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Benny Payne
Trombone – Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Irving Randolph
Written-By – Berry
2:47
7 Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores– My Secret Love Affair
Bass – Milton Hinton
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano, Vocals – Benny Payne
Trombone – Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Irving Randolph
Written-By – Pollack, Mitchell
2:50
8 Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores– Ebb Tide
Bass – Milton Hinton
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Benny Payne
Trombone – Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Irving Randolph
Written-By – Robin, Rainger
2:45
9 Chu Berry And His “Little Jazz” Ensemble– Sittin’ In
Bass – Artie Shapiro
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Written-By – Milt Gabler
2:09
10 Chu Berry And His “Little Jazz” Ensemble– Stardust
Bass – Artie Shapiro
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Written-By – Carmichael, Parish
3:52
11 Chu Berry And His “Little Jazz” Ensemble*– Body And Soul
Bass – Artie Shapiro
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Written-By – Heyman, Eyton, Green, Sour
3:49
12 Chu Berry And His “Little Jazz” Ensemble– Forty-Six West Fifty-Two
Bass – Artie Shapiro
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Danny Barker
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Written-By – Berry, Gabler
2:28
13 Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble– Blowing Up A Breeze
Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Harry Jaeger
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Page, Berry, Gabler
2:38
14 Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble– On The Sunny SIde Of The Street
Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Harry Jaeger
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – Clyde Hart
Written-By – Fields, McHugh
3:50
15 Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble– Monday At Minton’s (What’s It To You?)
Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Harry Jaeger
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Page, Berry, Gabler
2:53
16 Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble– Gee, Ain’t I Good To You?
Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Harry Jaeger
Guitar – Albert Casey
Piano – Clyde Hart
Trumpet, Vocals – Hot Lips Page
Written-By – Redman
4:05
17 Chu Berry* And Charlie Ventura– Dream Girl – Part 1
Written-By – Trad.
2:00
18 Chu Berry* And Charlie Ventura– Dream Girl – Part 2
Written-By – Trad.
2:25
19 Chu Berry* And Charlie Ventura– Get Lost – Part 1
Written-By – Trad.
2:01
20 Chu Berry* And Charlie Ventura– Get Lost – Part 2
Written-By – Trad.
2:02

________________________

Label: Classics (11) – CLASSICS 784
Series: The Classics Chronological Series – 784
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: France
Released: 1994