Giants Of Jazz: Henry "Red" Allen - Henry "Red" Allen (1980) (3LP Vinyl) - Near Mint (NM)

Giants Of Jazz: Henry "Red" Allen by Henry "Red" Allen.

Few trumpet players carried the fire and personality of Henry "Red" Allen, and this generous set traces his path across three decades of American music. Spanning six sides, it gathers recordings that begin in the summer of 1929 and stretch all the way to the end of the 1950s, offering a panoramic view of a musician who was always pushing at the edges of his horn.

The earliest material puts you right in New York in July 1929, with "It Should Be You" and "Biff'ly Blues" cut for Victor, followed quickly by "Feeling Drowsy" and "Swing Out." From there the collection rolls through a remarkable run of late 1920s and early 1930s dates, including "The New Call Of The Freaks," "Jersey Lightning," and "Saratoga Shout," sides that first appeared on labels like OKeh and Victor and that capture Allen at a moment of tremendous creative momentum.

The second and third sides deepen the story with titles such as "Give Me Your Telephone Number," "Sugar Hill Function," "Louisiana Swing," and "Patrol Wagon Blues," alongside a rousing "Panama" and the aptly named "Stingaree Blues." As the timeline moves into 1931, 1932, and 1933, you get "Shakin' The African," "Bugle Call Rag," "Margie," "King Porter Stomp," and "Queer Notions," drawn from an array of period labels including Brunswick, Romeo, Columbia, Decca, and Vocalion.

The middle of the set catches Allen in the swing era proper. "The Gold Digger's Song," "Hocus Pocus," "Rug Cutter's Swing," and "Down South Camp Meeting" show him thriving in the hard-charging arrangements of the mid 1930s, while "Rosetta" and a superb "Body And Soul" from April 1935 reveal his ballad sensibility. "Ride, Red, Ride," "Isn't This A Lovely Day," and "Algiers Stomp" carry the momentum forward through 1935 and 1936, with "The Miller's Daughter, Marianne" and "Sweet Substitute" rounding out the later 1930s.

The final side brings the journey into new territory. "Down In The Jungle Town," "Slippin' And Slidin'," and "The Crawl" come from 1940 and 1941 sessions for Decca and Victor, and then the collection leaps ahead to two remarkable later performances: "I Cover The Waterfront," recorded for Victor in May 1957, and "I Got Rhythm," cut in Los Angeles in July 1959 for Verve. These closing tracks show that Allen's voice on the trumpet lost none of its warmth or invention as the years passed.

Assembled as a US pressing under the "Giants Of Jazz" banner, this is a substantial retrospective for anyone who wants to hear how one player grew and adapted while never surrendering his singular sound. From the hot New York sessions of 1929 to the West Coast date of 1959, it is a fitting tribute to a true giant.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. It Should Be You
A2. Biff'ly Blues
A3. Feeling Drowsy
A4. Swing Out
A5. The New Call Of The Freaks
A6. Jersey Lightning
A7. Saratoga Shout
B1. Give Me Your Telephone Number
B2. Sugar Hill Function
B3. Louisiana Swing
B4. Roamin'
B5. Patrol Wagon Blues
B6. Panama
B7. Stingaree Blues
C1. Shakin' The African
C2. Bugle Call Rag
C3. Oh Peter
C4. Margie
C5. Sweet Sorrow Blues
C6. King Porter Stomp
C7. Queer Notions
D1. The Gold Digger's Song
D2. Hocus Pocus
D3. There's A House In Harlem For Sale
D4. Rug Cutter's Swing
D5. Down South Camp Meeting
D6. Believe It Beloved
D7. Rosetta
E1. Body And Soul
E2. Ride, Red, Ride
E3. Isn't This A Lovely Day
E4. Lost
E5. Algiers Stomp
E6. The Miller's Daughter, Marianne
E7. Sweet Substitute
F1. Down In The Jungle Town
F2. Slippin' And Slidin'
F3. The Crawl
F4. I Cover The Waterfront
F5. I Got Rhythm

Credits:
Henry "Red" Allen - Trumpet

Notes:
US version.

Recording places, dates & original issues:
A1, A2: New York, July 16, 1929; Victor V-38073
A3, A4: New York, July 17, 1929; Victor V-38080
A5, A6: New York, Sept. 6, 1929; OKeh 8734
A7: New York, Jan. 24, 1930; OKeh 8780
B1: New York, Feb. 5, 1930; OKeh 8772
B2: New York, Feb. 18, 1930; Victor V-38140
B3: New York, May 29, 1930; OKeh 8811
B4, B5: New York, July 15, 1930; Victor 23006
B6: New York, Sept. 5, 1930; OKeh 8849
B7: New York, Sept. 10, 1930; Victor 23009
C1: New York, Oct. 15, 1931; Brunswick 6211
C2: New York, April 18, 1932; Romeo 1856
C3: New York, April 18, 1932; Columbia 35841
C4: New York, April 18, 1932; Romeo 1861
C5: New York, May 18, 1933; Decca F-5101
C6: New York, August 18, 1933; Vocalion 2527
C7: New York, August 18, 1933; Vocalion 2583
D1: New York, Feb. 23, 1934; Columbia 2924-D
D2: New York, March 6, 1934; RCA Victor LPV-556
D3, D4: New York, July 28, 1934; Banner 33178
D5: New York, Sept. 12, 1934; Decca 213
D6: New York, Jan. 23, 1935; Epic LN 3252
D7, E1: New York, April 29, 1935; Vocalion 2965
E2: New York, July 2, 1935; Columbia 3057-D
E3: New York, August 2, 1935; Vocalion 3006
E4: New York, April 1, 1936; Vocalion 3214
E5: New York, August 5, 1935; Vocalion 3302
E6: New York, June 19, 1937; Vocalion 3607
E7: New York, Jan. 4, 1940; General 1703
F1: New York, May 18, 1940; Decca 18092
F2: New York, Jan. 8, 1941; Victor 27337
F3: New York, Jan. 14, 1941; Victor 20-1813
F4: New York, May 27, 1957; Victor LPM 1509
F5: Los Angeles, July 19, 1959; Verve MGC 1020

Artist: Henry "Red" Allen

Format: 3LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Time Life Records

Catalog Number: STL-J16

Release Year: 1980

Country: United States

Condition: Used

Media Condition: Near Mint (NM)

Sleeve Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)