Charlie LaVere, His Chicago Loopers - His 25 finest 1933-1951 (2024)

Jazz pianist, singer and bandleader Charlie LaVere (1910-1983) was the catalyst who, with his band, the Chicago Loopers, created some of the best so-called "Dixieland jazz" recordings of all time. These 16 great tracks, comparable in some ways to Muggsy Spanier's "Great 16", have long been sought after by jazz connoisseurs, but until now have never been compiled on a single CD. Greats like Jack Teagarden, Billy May, Matty Matlock and Joe Venuti recorded with LaVere in just four historic sessions between 1944 and 1950. There are so many classics on this CD, including LaVere's Very 8'n Boogie and Teagarden's most beautiful tour de force on record, Lover.

In addition, our retrospective covers the entire span of Charlie LaVere's recording career, both chronologically and stylistically, beginning with his first recordings in 1933 with Jack Teagarden's band (I've Got "It") and his first session as a bandleader, with his Chicagoans in 1935 (Uba ngi M an). As a strong-voiced singer, he had a million-selling hit in 1947 with Gordon Jenkins (Maybe You'll Be There), whose orchestra also accompanies Louis Armstrong on the closing Indian Love Call from 1951, in which Satchmo's trumpet happily duets with LaVere's piano. This is a compendium of rarely played tracks that deserves a place in any jazz collection.

Tracklist:
1-1. Charlie LaVere, Jack Teagarden & His Orchestra - I’ve Got “It” (03:10)
1-2. Charlie LaVere, Jack Teagarden & His Orchestra - Plantation Moods (03:23)
1-3. Charlie LaVere, Charlie LaVere & his Chicagoans - Ubangi Man (03:04)
1-4. Charlie LaVere, Charlie LaVere & his Chicagoans - I’d Rather Be With You (03:25)
1-5. Charlie LaVere, Charlie LaVere & his Chicagoans - Smiles (02:47)
1-6. Charlie LaVere, Charlie LaVere & his Chicagoans - All Too Well (03:15)
1-7. Charlie LaVere, Charlie LaVere & his Chicagoans - Boogaboo Blues (03:21)
1-8. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Sunday (03:07)
1-9. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home? (03:10)
1-10. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Subdivided In F (02:59)
1-11. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - I’m Coming, Virginia (03:09)
1-12. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Lazy River (03:02)
1-13. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - If I Had You (02:53)
1-14. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Very 8’n Boogie (03:00)
1-15. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Exactly Like You (03:01)
1-16. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Carolina In The Morning (03:10)
1-17. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Royal Reserve Blues (03:06)
1-18. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Blue Lou (03:02)
1-19. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Can’t We Talk It Over? (02:47)
1-20. Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra, Charlie LaVere - Maybe You’ll Be There (03:13)
1-21. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - It’s All In Your Mind (03:13)
1-22. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Lover (02:29)
1-23. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - Love Lies (03:39)
1-24. Charlie LaVere & his Chicago Loopers - A Monday Date (03:12)
1-25. Louis Armstrong, Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra, Charlie LaVere - Indian Love Call (03:09)