Lloyd Glenn - Blues & Rhythm Series Classics 5016: The Chronological Lloyd Glenn 1947-1950 (2001)

Dependable all-purpose blues and boogie-woogie piano ace Lloyd Glenn was born in San Antonio, TX, in 1909. He developed his musical abilities by gigging throughout the Southwest during the 1920s and early '30s. During his extensive early jazz training he gigged with Thomas Lee's Royal Aces, the Deluxe Melody Boys, Millard McNeal's Melody Boys, Terence "Tee" Holder, Boots & His Buddies, and Nat Towles before making his first appearance on record with Don Albert's Orchestra in 1934. Glenn served the Albert band as pianist and arranger until 1937, moved to California in 1941, and landed in Los Angeles for keeps in 1945. He soon became an active component in the West Coast jump blues scene, working alongside Red Mack, Henry Hayes, guitarist Gene Phillips, and, in 1947, the amazing T-Bone Walker. This outstanding compilation is the first installment in the complete Classics Lloyd Glenn chronology. It opens with the first recordings he made under his own name. Released on the Imperial label as by Lloyd Glenn & His Joymakers, these eight studies in blues and boogie-woogie were recorded during December of 1947 with a rhythm section that included the aforementioned Gene Phillips and a tough front line of trumpeter Jake Porter and saxophonists Gene Porter and Marshall Royal. Half of these titles featured sanguine vocals by Geraldine Carter. The instrumentals are outstanding. "Boogiology" has a locomotive quality that quickens the pulse. Glenn's only recordings as a leader during the year 1948 were both steamers featuring wild tenor saxophonist Maxwell Davis. "New Flying Home," a sequel to the hit record by Lionel Hampton and Arnett Cobb, was released on the RPM label with a live recording of "Jumpin' with Lloyd," a tasty example of rockin' West Coast jump blues accompanied by cheers from the audience, on the flip side. Glenn's 1949 debut recording for the Swing Time label, the ruminative "Levee Blues," features Gene Phillips, who seems to have been using a steel guitar on this occasion. Soon Lloyd Glenn was working as A&R director for Swing Time, and by November 1950 he was able to produce his own very cool jazzy trio session, wonderfully seasoned at times with conga drumming by Earl Burton. During the marvelously laid-back "Old Time Shuffle," Glenn even invokes the spirit of Fats Waller with a lick from that pianist's 1929 recording of "Harlem Fuss." An elegant closer for this superb album of 19 vintage recordings, highly recommended for romping, relaxing, and grooving out. ~arwulf arwulf