Search - Erskine Hawkins :: Tuxedo Junction

The real action

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 03/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Until this CD, "Erskine Hawkins" had been for me only a name mentioned in passing by jazz historians or printed on any number of stock arrangements of "Tuxedo Junction" (Hawkins composition). This album should set the record straight. It captures the highly crafted yet irresistably dramatic style of Hawkins, a trumpet player who evokes more than anyone the Louis Armstrong of the late 20s. Also, it gives meaning to the name of the composer always mentioned in conjunction with "After Hours." Avery Parrish, whose career was ended by a bar fight when he was in his mid-20s, was indeed a pianist of both feeling and finesse, and it's doubtful any of the subsequent interpretations of his trademark song surpass the original version.The audio quality of this collection is better than one might expect--more "present," in fact, than many of the Goodman and Miller recordings from the same period. More importantly, the band outswings either of the aforementioned celebrated ensembles. Erskine eschews both the plodding bass drum thump of the Goodman/Krupa recordings and the heavy, dead-weight orchestrations of the Miller band. Believe me, after hearing this original version of "Tuxedo Junction," you won't be able to return to the Glenn Miller dilution."

Only Five Stars

Richard Komm | San Francisco, CA United States | 10/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, I DO own this album! Unfortunately, however -- I can only give it five stars -- as that's the highest rating that they ALLOW me to give!"

Good, but truncated version of "The Original Tuxedo Junction

John L Frigo | Shaker Heights, OH, USA | 10/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I give this CD five stars because the sound quality is excellent, but try to get "The Original Tuxedo Junction" on RCA instead because it includes twenty-one tracks, all of those on this disc are included on that one. These two CD's are out of print, but can be found used on Amazon, and other online sources."