Fletcher Henderson and his arranger-saxophonist Don Redman laid the groundwork for the big bands of the swing era, creating a style that matched propulsive call-and-response tunes with potent soloists. While Henderson's in... more »fluence on bandleaders from Duke Ellington to Benny Goodman is regularly noted, his own work remains relatively neglected. This CD spans his most creative years, from 1924 to 1940, charting the creative explosion that took place when Redman's orchestral vision first encountered Louis Armstrong's spontaneous creativity. While Armstrong's trumpet sparkles on "Shanghai Shuffle," "Copenhagen," and "Sugar Foot Stomp" from 1924-25, Henderson's ear for talent kept the ranks of the band filled with the most accomplished and promising talent of the era. Tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins was present until 1934. And saxophonists Benny Carter, Ben Webster, and Chu Berry; clarinetist Barney Bigard; and trumpeters Red Allen and Rex Stewart all add flashes of individual brilliance to the tunes. Ranging from Henderson's charging adaptation of Jelly Roll Morton's "King Porter Stomp" to the futurist harmonies of Hawkins's "Queer Notions," this is an excellent introduction to a remarkable body of work. --Stuart Broomer« less
Fletcher Henderson and his arranger-saxophonist Don Redman laid the groundwork for the big bands of the swing era, creating a style that matched propulsive call-and-response tunes with potent soloists. While Henderson's influence on bandleaders from Duke Ellington to Benny Goodman is regularly noted, his own work remains relatively neglected. This CD spans his most creative years, from 1924 to 1940, charting the creative explosion that took place when Redman's orchestral vision first encountered Louis Armstrong's spontaneous creativity. While Armstrong's trumpet sparkles on "Shanghai Shuffle," "Copenhagen," and "Sugar Foot Stomp" from 1924-25, Henderson's ear for talent kept the ranks of the band filled with the most accomplished and promising talent of the era. Tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins was present until 1934. And saxophonists Benny Carter, Ben Webster, and Chu Berry; clarinetist Barney Bigard; and trumpeters Red Allen and Rex Stewart all add flashes of individual brilliance to the tunes. Ranging from Henderson's charging adaptation of Jelly Roll Morton's "King Porter Stomp" to the futurist harmonies of Hawkins's "Queer Notions," this is an excellent introduction to a remarkable body of work. --Stuart Broomer
Michael A. from WATERBURY, VT Reviewed on 10/3/2023...
Though it of course bears traces of the age of the original recordings, this cd is bursting with the joy that made Henderson famous. It's a first rate collection drawn from the course of his career, and a worthy addition to anyone in love with ragtime and early jazz.
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CD Reviews
A skewed view of an important band
Allan Sutton | Denver, CO USA | 11/08/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This odd compilation misses many of the Henderson Orchestra's masterworks (such as the 1926 Fats Waller collaborations and the classic 1929 Benny Carter arrangements) while including an overly large helping of bland pop tunes ("My Pretty Girl," "Oh, It Looks Like Rain") or unfortunate attempts to re-create white dixieland-style jazz ("Sensation"). If you a want a quick, cheap, and somewhat skewed introduction to Fletcher Henderson, this will do. But serious listeners will be much better served by CBS/Sony's classic boxed set, "A Study in Frustration," which remains the definitive Henderson collection."
Wonderful big band music
G. Sawaged | Canada | 09/19/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I knew absolutely nothing about Fletcher Henderson before this album. In fact, the picture on the cover, had me thinking that he was a singer. Silly me! But, of course, now I know differently. And now, I cannot believe that I had never heard of him before .. unbelievable. This album is packed with wonderful music, including 2 vocals (not sung by Henderson though, of course). The sound is also not bad. There is no real noticeable hiss, unlike some others in the Ken Burns series. The booklet includes some photos and an interesting essay about Henderson. This album introduced me to a wonderful bandleader and his wonderful music, and it will not be my last Fletcher Henderson album."
A lot of fun...
G. Sawaged | 08/18/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD was a gift from my cousin. I don't know much of anything about Fletcher Henderson (and I'm not too keen on "greatest-hits" style collections), but this was a great introduction. You can really hear Henderson's transition from straight 4-4, New Orleans-style music of the mid '20s, to the call-and-response synchopation of the early Swing Era. Armstrong's playing on "Shanghai Shuffle" is a gem, and Hawkin's "Queer Notions" is brilliant. My favorite on the disk is "Stampede," a wonderful composition with great harmonies and structures. This collection has intrigued me enough to learn more about Henderson and his music, and is a hell of a lot of fun."
The Father of Big Band Jazz
G. Sawaged | 06/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"WHY IS THIS GREAT TITAN SO UNKNOWN?????!!!
Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952) and his genius band leading talents were the "envy" of Duke Ellington and was the leader, pianist, and writer/arranger of the most popular African-American band in New York in the 20's, at least until a young man named Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra came along. Henderson, or "Smack" as he was called led a hot band which taught how to swing and smoked through the 20's, 30's and 40's and was the proving ground for up and coming players such as the great Louis Armstrong and Coleman Hawkins. Henderson was also an arranger for "King of Swing" and friend Benny Goodman. Henderson died in 1952 after a second stroke took the life of the great uncrowned KING OF SWING.
This is a great cd which has some of his hottest songs such as Shanghai Shuffle from 1924 (featuring a young cornetist who went by the name of Louis Armstrong) This cd features some of the greatest swing of the jazz age and it proves that Fletcher Henderson should be as popular as Duke Ellington."
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1
Michael A. from WATERBURY, VT