Sycholoswing

Along with Duke Ellington and Benny Carter, Sy Oliver is likely to be the most important Swing arranger the Jazz has ever produced. This CD provides us with a wide view of Oliver's Decca tenure. We include the recordings he made leading various studio bands with great musicians, most of whom came from Lunceford's original Orchestra: Paul Webster, Joe Thomas, Taft Jordan, Fred Williams, Henderson Chambers, Billy Kyle, and Jimmie Crawford among others.


Tracklisting:
01. Gran'ma Plays The Numbers (Mason) 3:06
02. Nashville Blues (Dodd) 2:56
03. Deep River (Trad.) 2:59
04. Siesta At "The Fiesta" (Allen) 2:58
05. Organ Grinder's Swing (Hudson-Parish-Mills) 3:16
06. Four Or Five Times (Hellman-Gay) 3:09
07. 'Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That Cha Do It) (Oliver-Young) 3:07
08. Ain't She Sweet? (Ager-Yellen) 3:14
09. By The River Sainte Marie (Warren-Leslie) 2:58
10. Cheatin' On Me (Pollack-Yellen) 2:54
11. For Dancers Only (Oliver) 3:09
12. But She's My Buddy's Chick (Oliver-Atkinson) 2:47
13. Wagon Wheels (Hill-De Rose) 3:18
14. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (McHugh-Fields) 3:01
15. I Ain't Got Nobody (Williams-Graham) 3:09
16. My Friend Told Me (Kirk-Brown) 2:56
17. Castle Rock (Drake-Shirl) 3:04
18. Kissing Bug Boogie (Allen-Roberts) 3:27
19. Slick Chick On The Sly (Petty) 2:47
20. House Party (Oliver-Edison) 3:15
21. On My Way (Carroll-Chapman) 3:11

Total time: 64:50 min.

All original Decca recordings

Personnel:

Track #1: Sy Oliver (tp, vcl, arr), Bernie Privin, Tony Faso, Buck Clayton (tp); Henderson Chambers, Mort Bullman, Sy Schaffer (tb); Hymie Schertzer, Johnny Mince (as); Wolfie Tannenbaum (ts); Bill Holcombe (bs); Billy Kyle (p); Joe Benjamin (b); Jimmie Crawford (d). Unknown vocal group.
New York, February 17, 1949

Tracks #2-4: Sy Oliver (tp, arr), Paul Webster, Bernie Privin, Jimmie Maxwell (tp); Henderson Chambers, Mort Bullman, Bill Granzow (tb); Artie Baker (cl, as), Milt Yaner (as); Art Drellinger, Fred Williams (ts); Bill Holcombe (bs); Billy Kyle (p) Everett Barksdale(g); George Duvivier (b); Jimmie Crawford (d). Unknown female singer on #2.
New York, December 12, 1949 - January 24, 1950

Tracks #5-12: Red Solomon, Bernie Privin, Taft Jordan, Paul Webster (tp); Henderson Chambers, Mort Bullman, Bill Granzow, Dickie Harris (tb); Hymie Schertzer, Artie Baker (as); Fred Williams, Jerry Jerome (ts); Ernie Caceres (bs); Billy Kyle (p); Everett Barksdale (g); George Duvivier (b); Jimmie Crawford (d); Sy Oliver (vcl), Leslie Scott (vcl). Granzow out #8.
New York, May 8-22, 1950

Tracks #13-15: Sy Oliver (tp, vcl, arr), Taft Jordan, Red Solomon, Bernie Privin (tp); Henderson Chambers, Mort Bullman (tb); Hymie Schertzer, Artie Baker (as); Fred Williams, Jerry Jerome (ts); Ernie Caceres (bs); Billy Kyle (p); Everett Barksdale (g); George Duvivier (b); Jimmie Crawford (d).
New York, June 5, 1950

Track #16: Sy Oliver (tp, vcl, arr), Paul Webster (tp); Artie Baker (cl, as); Joe Thomas (ts); Billy Kyle (p); Sandy Block (b); Jimmie Crawford (d). The Ray Charles Singers (vcl).
New York, June 12, 1951

Track #17: Sy Oliver (tp, vcl, arr), Taft Jordan, Bernie Privin, Carl Poole (tp); Henderson Chambers, Frank Saracco, Henry Singer (tb); George Dorsey, Artie Baker (as);Fred Williams, Milt Yaner (ts); Dan Burrows (bs); Billy Taylor (p); Everett Barksdale (g); Sandy Block (b); Johnny Blowers (d).
New York, July 13, 1951

Track #18-19: Sy Oliver (tp, vcl, arr), Jimmie Maxwell, Tony Faso (tp); Henderson Chambers, Frank Saracco, Mort Bullman (tb); George Dorsey, Al Klink (as); Milt Yaner, Freddie Williams (ts); Billy Taylor (p); Everett Barksdale (g); Sandy Block (b); Johnny Blowers (d). The Ray Charles Singers (vcl).
New York, August 14, 1951

Track #20: Sy Oliver (tp, arr), Taft Jordan, Bernie Privin, Carl Poole (tp); Frank Saracco, Henderson Chambers, Henry Singer (tb); Steward Blake, Fred Williams (ts); Dan Burrows (bs); Hank Jones (p); Everett Barksdale (g); Sandy Block (b); Johnny Blowers (d).
New York, September 9, 1951

Track #21: Sy Oliver (tp, arr), Bernie Privin, Jimmie Maxwell, Tony Faso, Taft Jordan (tp); Henderson Chambers, Bobby Byrne, Henry Singer (tb); Milt Yaner, Sid Cooper (as);Al Klink, Art Dellinger (ts); Dany Banks (bs); Billy Kyle (p); Unknown organ; Everett Barksdale (g); Sandy Block (b); Jimmie Crawford (d). Unknown male vocalist; The Ray Charles Singers (vocal group).
New York, poss. January, 1952
______________________________________________________________________________________________________