VA - Perry Bradford - A Panorama 1923-1927 (2005)

Perry Bradford was a major force behind the scenes of black jazz of the 1920s, setting up record dates, writing songs, and contributing occasional vocals. He never recovered from being thrown into anonymity by the Depression, although he lived until 1970. Bradford, who had gained Mamie Smith her first record dates in 1920, which led to the blues craze, appeared on a fine series of records in the '20s including 14 songs under his own name. This sampler has ten of these numbers plus sessions by blues singer Lena Wilson, the Gulf Coast Seven, the Georgia Strutters, cornetist Jimmy Wade, and pianist James P. Johnson. Bradford wrote 18 of the 26 selections and has vocals on 12 numbers. Highlights include two songs with Louis Armstrong ("I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle" is quite explosive), the cuts from the Georgia Strutters, and a pair of selections that features James P. Johnson and trumpeter Louis Metcalf. Bradford deserves to be remembered. -- Scott Yanow