VA - Jazz Ladies 1924-1962 (All Girls Bands) (2017)

Ever heard of Blanche Calloway or Valaida Snow? From Melba Liston, Clora Bryant, Elvira "Vi" Redd or Terry Pollard? Women in jazz - please not again! some may moan at first. Despite the somewhat arbitrary title “Jazz Ladies”, this is not about Lady Day, Ella and Sarah as the Holy Trinity. This treasure chest holds piano, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, organ and more; The fact that some of the almost entirely forgotten or obscure artists sang also sang this time. The collector and psychiatrist Jean-Paul Ricard, who organizes monthly vinyl evenings at the Ajmi jazz house in Avignon, has meticulously compiled this collection after a much-acclaimed 3-CD set about the pianist Mary Lou Williams. It shows what jazz historians and critics have ignored or withheld for decades: that in jazz of all styles there were great musicians who were by no means just singers. It took an obsessed collector to recall great talents like the harpist Dorothy Ashby, the saxophone by Elvira "Vi" Redd or the virtuoso pianist Dorothy Donegan. The guitarist Mary Osborne is phenomenal, and she makes her backing band with Tommy Flanagan and Jo Jones swing with ease. The “All Girls Bands” on CD 3 kindle a colorful fireworks display. More than just a curiosity: Debussy's “My Reverie”, arranged by trombonist Melba Liston. And as if for a “film noir”, Jutta Hipp & Her German Jazzmen conjured up a mini soundtrack in 1954. The exceptional bassist Scott LaFaro in the Pat Moran Trio is fantastic. As usual with the special label Frémeaux, this box also has a very detailed booklet with all the necessary information. The jazz archaeologist from Provence has once again done a great job.