Wingy Manone 1944-1946 CD

This CD contains a particularly successful session Wingy Manone made for the small ARA label. Some of these tracks were also issued on Rex-Hollywood, another tiny label notable for the few but amazing jazz records it issued at the time. Kay Starr sat in

Personnel: Wingy Manone (vocals, trumpet); Gloria Wood, Kay Starr (vocals); Chuck Wayne, Nappy Lamare (guitar); Matty Matlock (clarinet, alto saxophone); Joe Marsala, Hank D'Amico (clarinet); Jack Dumont (alto saxophone); Herbie Haymer, Clark Dick, Andy Kelly, Nick Caiazza (tenor saxophone); Joe Yukl, Ward Silloway , Frank Orchard, King Jackson (trombone); Conrad Lanoue, Stanley Wrightsman, Marvin Ash (piano); George Wettling, Ray Bauduc (drums).
Liner Note Author: Anatol Schenker.
Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (07/25/1944-03/15/1946); New York, NY (07/25/1944-03/15/1946).
Volume eight in the Classics complete chronologically reissued recordings of Wingy Manone documents the singing trumpeter's recording activity during a time period extending from July 1944 to March 1946. Manone, a hard-swinging, husky voiced hipster with New Orleans roots, is at his best on a very funny rendition of "O Sole Mio," the rather libidinous "Where Can I Find a Cherry (For My Banana Split)?" and Slim Gaillard's "Cement Mixer," which Wingy makes sound like it was written expressly for him. Of all the instrumentalists who participated in these recordings, it is the clarinetists who seem to be pointing in a futuristic direction; not so much the merry Matty Matlock but rather Joe Marsala and Hank D'Amico, traditionally based individuals who were in the process of branching out onto adventuresome and distinctly modern stylistic turf. In addition to Wingy (and certain rather overbearing bandmembers whose chatty outbursts clutter up an otherwise enjoyable "Salt Pork West Virginia"), vocals are by Kay Starr and Kay Kyser's Gloria Wood. ~ arwulf arwulf