Rex Stewart - The Chronological Classics, 5 Albums

Rex Stewart achieved his greatest glory in a subsidiary role, playing cornet 11 years in the Duke Ellington Orchestra. His famous "talking" style and half-valve effects were exploited brilliantly by countless Ellington pieces containing perfect passages tailored to showcase Stewart's sound. He played in a forceful, gripping manner that reflected the influences of Louis Armstrong, Bubber Miley, and Bix Beiderbecke, whose solos he once reproduced on record. Stewart played on Potomac riverboats before moving to Philadelphia. He went to New York in 1921. Stewart worked with Elmer Snowden in 1925, then joined Fletcher Henderson a year later. But he felt his talents were not at the necessary level, and departed Henderson's band, joining his brother Horace's band at Wilberforce College. Stewart returned in 1928. He remained five years and contributed many memorable solos. There was also a brief period in McKinney's Cotton Pickers in 1931, a stint heading his own band, and another short stay with Luis Russell before Stewart joined the Ellington Orchestra in 1934.

He was a star throughout his tenure, co-writing classics "Boy Meets Horn" and "Morning Glory." He also supervised many outside recording sessions using Ellingtonians. After leaving, Stewart led various combos and performed throughout Europe and Australia on an extensive Jazz at the Philharmonic tour from 1947-1951. He lectured at the Paris Conservatory in 1948. Stewart settled in New Jersey to run a farm in the early '50s. He was semi-retired, but found new success in the media. He worked in local radio and television, while leading a band part-time in Boston. Stewart led the Fletcher Henderson reunion band in 1957 and 1958, and recorded with them. He played at Eddie Condon's club in 1958 and 1959, then moved to the West Coast. Stewart again worked as a disc jockey and became a critic. While he published many excellent pieces, a collection containing many of his best reviews, Jazz Masters of the Thirties, came out posthumously. There's also a Stewart autobiography available.


Tracks:



Rex Stewart - 1934-1946 {The Chronological Classics, 931}

01. Stingaree (3:05)
02. Baby, Ain't You Satisfied (3:02)
03. Cherry (4:22)
04. Solid Rock (4:19)
05. Bugle Call Rag (4:18)
06. Diga Diga Doo (4:15)
07. The Little Goose (3:48)
08. I'm True to You (3:42)
09. Zaza (3:59)
10. Swamp Mist (4:35)
11. Tain't Like That (3:03)
12. Dutch Treat (3:00)
13. Rexercise (2:54)
14. Pawnee (2:48)
15. Three-Horn Parlay (2:44)
16. Dreamer's Blues (2:59)
17. Shady Side of the Street (3:14)
18. Boy Meets Horn (3:02)
19. Jug Blues (2:53)
20. B.O. Blues (2:48)
21. That's Rhythm (2:52)


Rex Stewart - 1946-1947 {The Chronological Classics, 1016}

01. Loopin' Lobo (Stewart)
02. Blues Kicked the Bucket (Stewart)
03. Madeleine (Stewart)
04. Flim Flam (Stewart)
05. I May Be Wrong - Part 1 (Ager-Sullivan)
06. I May Be Wrong - Part 2 (Ager-Sullivan)
07. Waitin' For The Train To Come In (Stewart-Herrschman)
08. Boy Meets Horn (Ellington-Stewart)
09. Run To The Corner (Stewart-Herrschman)
10. Basin Street Blues (Williams)
11. Mobile Bay (Stewart-Ellington)
12. I Can't Get Started (Duke-Gershwin)
13. I Cover The Waterfront (Hayman-Green)
14. Cotton Tail (Ellington)
15. The Man I Lvoe (Gershwin-Gershwin)
16. Sweet Georgia Brown (Pinkard-Bernie-Casey)
17. Be-Bop Boogie (Orient)
18. Feeling Fine (Stewart)
19. Boy Meets Horn (Ellington-Stewart)
20. Just Squeeze Me (Ellington)
21. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Ellington)
22. Blue Jay (Stewart-Greene-Sherrill)

Rex Stewart - 1947-1948 {The Chronological Classics, 1057}

01. I Cried for You (Gus Arnheim / Arthur Freed / Abe Lyman) - 2:55
02. Stompin' at the Savoy (Benny Goodman / Andy Razaf / Edgar Sampson / Chick Webb) - 2:58
03. Madeleine (Rex Stewart) - 2:50
04. Muskrat Ramble (Ray Gilbert / Kid Ory) - 2:19
05. Storyville (Dennis Sandole / Vernon Story) - 2:44
06. Cherokee (Ray Noble) - 2:47
07. Run to the Corner (Rex Stewart) - 2:32
08. Georgia on My Mind (Hoagy Carmichael / Stuart Gorrell) - 2:52
09. Let's Try It (Don Gais) - 2:33
10. I Didn't Know About You (Duke Ellington / Bob Russell) - 2:50
11. I'm the Luckiest Fool () - 3:15
12. At the Barclay's Club (Rex Stewart) - 2:50
13. Jug Blues (Rex Stewart) - 3:09
14. Night and Day (Cole Porter) - 2:56
15. Confessin' (Doc Daugherty / Al J. Neiburg / Ellis Reynolds) -2:58
16. Stardust (Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish) -2:58
17. Vernon's Story (Rex Stewart / Vernon Story) -2:31
18. Never Let It Be Said (Rex Stewart) -2:43
19. Swamp Mist (Rex Stewart) -3:05
20. Goofin' Off (Don Gais) -2:49
21. All On Account of You (Rex Stewart) -2:42
22. Sacknasty (Rex Stewart) -2:13
23. Last Blues (Rex Stewart) -3:04



Rex Stewart - 1948-1949 {The Chronological Classics, 1164}

During 1947-49, the former Duke Ellington cornetist Rex Stewart spent time overseas, playing in Europe and Australia. The music on this CD is quite obscure, featuring Stewart as a leader on dates recorded in Basel, Berlin, Paris, and London. Most of the performances are swing oriented, although there are hints of bebop here, and there and bits of Dixieland. Stewart is in fine form in a quartet with tenor saxophonist Vernon Story, with the Hot Club of Berlin, showcased in an 9-11 piece group organized by pianist/arranger Claude Bolling, and as the only horn in a quintet. Lots of rarities are heard from on this CD, part of the Classics label's complete Rex Stewart series.

01. Vernon's Story (2:33)
02. Jug Blues (2:45)
03. Blue Jay (2:17)
04. Fine and Dandy (2:11)
05. Blue Lou (2:53)
06. Muskrat Ramble (3:15)
07. Air Lift Stomp (3:22)
08. Bei dir war es immer so schon (2:45)
09. Linden Blues (3:32)
10. Old Woman Blues (2:34)
11. Morning Glory (2:51)
12. Without a Song (2:51)
13. Main Stem (2:41)
14. Weary Weird (2:36)
15. Stompy Jones (2:44)
16. Things Ain't What They Used to Be (2:52)
17. Quand vous saurez (2:44)
18. Foolish Boy (2:40)
19. Truckin' Down the Sinclair Trail (3:07)
20. Bootsie Wootsie (2:53)
21. Fable of a Fool (3:52)
22. Blue Bundles (2:25)



Rex Stewart - 1949 {The Chronological Classics, 1284}

This fifth volume in the Classics Rex Stewart chronology offers up material that most people outside of Australia probably haven't heard before. In November and December 1949 Stewart recorded with the local jazz talent in Sydney and Melbourne. After tossing down a couple of swing standards to get acquainted, Rex Stewart and his "Sydney Six" loosened up and created a bop-inflected version of "Lady Be Good," a lovely, languid "Caribbean Cradle Song," and "Boog It Jack," a handsome boogie-woogie composed by pianist Jack Allen. Stewart spontaneously created a languid blues entitled "Sydney Sobs" to close out this perfect example of a session that started awkwardly and got progressively better. Four tracks cut for the Jazzart label in Melbourne were duly issued as by "Rex Stewart and his JazzArt-Ists." Right from the get-go, this band sounds a bit more closely knit and well-integrated than their cousins in Sydney. Stewart sounds delighted to be jamming hard in the company of a tenor saxophonist named Splinter and a trombonist named Slush. Twelve selections recorded in live performance by Rex Stewart with Graeme Bell & His Australian Jazz Band form the real heart of this compilation, beginning with a dazzling singalong version of "Shake It and Break It." There's also a snappy old-fashioned bout of vocal harmony during "Old Grey Bonnet" and three consecutive vocals by Rex Stewart himself.

01. On the Sunny Side of the Street (3:00)
02. Indiana (2:34)
03. Oh! Lady Be Good (2:48)
04. Caribbean Cradle Song (2:52)
05. Boog It Jack (2:36)
06. Sydney Sobs (2:51)
07. Stompy Jones (2:17)
08. Five O'Clock Mood (2:25)
09. Three Little Words (2:50)
10. Body and Soul (2:27)
11. Shake It and Break It (1:51)
12. Body and Soul (3:55)
13. The Beefeater (2:34)
14. Bugle Call Blues (1:47)
15. Summertime (2:35)
16. Mobile Bay (3:58)
17. Old Grey Bonnet (2:28)
18. I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues (3:15)
19. Some of These Days (2:13)
20. Sweet Lorraine (3:15)
21. Indiana (2:31)
22. Jazz Me Blues (2:26)