Harlem Shout [Decca] (1935)

About this title: In 1980 MCA released six Jimmie Lunceford LPs that, taken as a whole, include most of his best Decca recordings. The 14 numbers on this album (all of which have been reissued on CD) are drawn from six different sessions and include such gems as "Four or Five Times," Sy Oliver's classic reworking of "Swanee River," "My Blue Heaven," "Organ Grinder's Swing" and "Harlem Shout." The main soloists are as usual altoist Willie Smith and tenorman Joe Thomas but it is the charming and hip vocals of Sy Oliver (as opposed to Dan Grissom's outing on "Charmaine") and the inventive arrangements that really ... read more

Tracks:

1. Four or Five Times [Gay/Hellman]
2. Organ Grinder's Swing [Parish/Hudson/Mills]
3. Harlem Shout [Durham/Lunceford]
4. For Dancers Only [Oliver/Raye/Schoen]
5. Margie [Davis/Robinson/Conr]
6. 'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It) [Oliver/Young]
7. Le Jazz Hot [Mooney/Oliver]
8. Cheatin' on Me [Yellen/Pollack]
9. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home [Warfield/Williams]
10. The Lonesome Road [Austin/Shilkret]
11. Mandy, Make up Your Mind [Clarke/Johnston/Mey]
12. Ain't She Sweet [Ager/Yellen]
13. Well, All Right Then [Lunceford]
14. Uptown Blues [Lunceford]
15. Twenty-Four Robbers [Buckner/Young]
16. Blues in the Night, Pts. 1 & 2 [Arlen/Mercer]
17. I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town, Pt. 1 - 2 [Razaf/Weldon]
18. Back Door Stuff, Pts. 1 & 2 [Segure]
19. Strictly Instrumental [Seiler/Benjamin/Mar]
20. I'm Gonna See My Baby [Moore]
21. Knock Me a Kiss [Jackson]
22. I Dream a Lot About You [Young]
23. Keep Smilin', Keep Laughin', Be Happy [Singer]
24. Easy Street [Jones]
25. I'm Losing My Mind (Because of You) [Choate/Scheffer/Wat]
26. It Had to Be You [Jones/Kahn]
27. I'm in a Jam With Baby [Koehler/Heindorf/Je]
28. Life Is Fine [Young]
29. Baby, Are You Kiddin'? [Oliver/Atkinson]
30. The Honeydripper [Liggins]
31. Buzz-Buzz-Buzz [Sims/Trace/Luncefor]
32. That Someone Must Be You [Hardy]
33. This Is My Confession to You [Thomas]
34. Jeep Rhythm [Henderson]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.