Over & Over Again

Wilbur DeParis' "New New Orleans Jazz" band was one of the intriguing trad groups of the 1950s, often performing offbeat material featuring neglected veterans of the 1920s. Virtually all of their Atlantic studio recordings have been long out of print, but this LP may be the easiest one to find, since it was originally released in 1970. The liner notes make it sound as if the group was still active at the time, but the trombonist's band was essentially history by 1962. The music is taken from several sessions and features (in addition to the leader) trumpeters Sidney DeParis and Doc Cheatham, either Omer Simeon or Garvin Bushell on clarinet (Bushell also takes a bassoon solo), and pianist Sonny White among the key players. The repertoire is certainly diverse, including the eccentric "Table Thumpers Rag" (dedicated to noisy club patrons), Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene," "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm," the French ballad "Watching Dreams Go By" and "Royal Garden Blues." All of the rare Wilbur DeParis recordings should be quickly grabbed by trad jazz collectors.