Pee Wee Russell: Jazz Original

Clarinetist Pee Wee Russell was certainly an original, squawking his way quite expressively in an unpredictable fashion, carving out his own distinctive voice. This 1997 CD is meant to augment the two-CD set called The Commodore Story, for it includes some alternate takes whose master versions are on the former release or on another CD altogether, enough to drive completists and collectors crazy. This practice does not take into account listeners with a limited budget who do not want merely to have the alternates, and those specialists who want to be able to find certain recordings quickly. Russell is heard on this single CD on some performances with Eddie Condon's all-star groups of 1938-42, one selection apiece (both alternates) with Muggsy Spanier and Wild Bill Davison, during the four titles he cut with "The Three Deuces" (a trio with pianist Joe Sullivan and drummer Zutty Singleton) in 1941, and (best of all) on eight of the nine performances with his own "Hot Four" of 1944 (a group with pianist Jess Stacy, bassist Sid Weiss and drummer George Wettling). The programming is a bit ill-considered, but the music is often classic, with Russell and such top Chicago jazz all-stars as those mentioned, plus cornetist Bobby Hackett, tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman, trombonist Jack Teagarden and trumpeter Max Kaminsky in spirited form.