Revolutionary Blues (1941 - 1951)

Sidney Bechet's mid-life recording activities are mapped in chronological disarray on Revolutionary Blues: 1941-1951 issued in 1999 by the Giants of Jazz label. The title comes from a song composed by clarinetist Mezz Mezzrow in commemoration of traditional jazz activities conducted at Camp Unity, a leftist summer resort located in Wingdale, NY not far from the Connecticut state line. Bechet's involvement at the Communist-affiliated camp was almost entirely recreational; he concentrated mainly upon the arts of fishing, boating and ping-pong. Although the overall discographic time line tapped for the material used in this compilation (October 24, 1941 through November 5, 1951) contains quite a number of European recordings as Bechet undertook the preliminary stages of his eventual permanent relocation to Paris, "Revolutionary Blues" focuses entirely upon Bechet's U.S. Blue Note, Commodore and Columbia recordings. These feature such sanguine improvisers as trumpeters Wild Bill Davison, Sidney DeParis and Charlie Shavers; trombonists Wilbur DeParis and Jimmy Archey and clarinetist Albert Nicholas. Lots of rhythm section ballast was provided by pianists Joe Sullivan, Ralph Sutton, Art Hodes and bassist Walter Page who, with Fats Waller's drummer Slick Jones, muscled Sidney Bechet's Blue Note Jazzmen through the antiquated changes of "Fidgety Feet." Lyrically and emotionally, the strongest moments occur during the slower episodes. Noteworthy examples include Bechet's haunting clarinet on "Blue Horizon," his sensitive interpretation of the ballad "Laura" and his passionate handling of the blues during "I Had It But It's All Gone Now," backed by a very nervous but capable group of college-aged neophytes calling themselves Bob Wilber's Wildcats. Seated at the piano was Wilbur's friend Dick Wellstood, who later remembered Bechet leading the band "...like the captain of a beleaguered galley — there was no such thing as a mistake, only mutiny. The effect on me was to turn my fingers into frozen sausages."