World's Greatest Jazz Concert #1 CD

With a title such as this one, it is impossible for the music to quite live up to the billing. However the performances (released for the first time on this Jazzology CD) are often quite special. On the first of two volumes (the second set was recorded at a different concert two months later), cornetist Wild Bill Davison, clarinetist Albert Nicholas and trombonist George Brunies (with the assistance of pianist Joe Sullivan, bassist Pops Foster and drummer Baby Dodds) form a very potent frontline on three songs. Brunies and Davison also have individual features, veteran blues singer Bertha "Chippie" Hill takes a vocal, trumpeter Muggsy Spanier leads a group (with, Brunies, pianist Art Hodes and clarinetist Cecil Scott) on two songs and trumpeter-vocalist Hot Lips Page heads a hard-charging septet with clarinetist Tony Parenti. With all of those classic players, the music (not too surprisingly) is very enjoyable and spirited. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow

w. Wild Bill Davison-cornet; Muggsy Spanier & Oran "Hot Lips" Page-trumpet+, 10 tracks

Personnel: Bertha "Chippie" Hill (vocals); Danny Barker (guitar); Cecil Scott, Albert Nicholas, Tony Parenti (clarinet); Hot Lips Page, Muggsy Spanier (trumpet); Wild Bill Davison (cornet); Charlie Costanado, George Brunies (trombone); Joe Sullivan, Art Hodes (piano); Baby Dodds (drums).

Recording information: New York, NY (1947).