Sax Mallard - In Session - The Mojo 1946-1954 (2023)

The latest instalment of Jasmine's blues and R&B musicians 'In Session' presents the great Chicago saxophonist Oett 'Sax' Mallard. Of the hundreds of recordings he made just 26 have been chosen covering an 8 year period from 1946. As a session man he played with some of RCA Victor's top blues singers. We start with a few of them, playing alto sax with Roosevelt Sykes and Tampa Red from 1946 then a year later clarinet with Washboard Sam, each memorable performances.

A move to the Chess Brothers' Aristocrat label saw sessions under his own name including the instrumental 'The Mojo' and Artie Shaw's 'Summit Ridge Drive'. The Aristocrat label became Chess in 1950 and another release by Mallard this time with Andrew Tibbs as vocalist. Two tracks from United with Roosevelt Sykes Honey Drippers then a session with Mercury, first with Big Bill Broonzy and on his own with 'The Bunny Hop'. Another Mercury session produced two more instrumentals including 'Accent on Youth' where his overdubbed alto & tenor creating what has been described as 'an impossible sonic perspective'.

Back to Chess for two instrumentals with his own orchestra and a couple with the popular Chicago club singer Mitzi Mars. Then with one of the many Chess doo wop groups The Coronets. For the final track he joined Guitar Slim's New Orleans road band for a session that produced 'Later for You Baby' and was released on the Los Angeles label Specialty.

These 26 tracks just scratch the surface of his Chicago recording career but give an insight to what a great artist he was as a session man or in his own right.