Fletcher Henderson fut le grand visionnaire du jazz orchestral, pionnier du swing et à la tête d’un orchestre qui vit passer les meilleurs instrumentistes de son temps. Réalisé par Laurent Verdeaux, connu pour avoir permis la sauvegarde des enregistrements historiques du label Jazz Odyssey de Hugues et Louis Panassié, ce coffret 3 CD vient rendre un hommage inespéré à la musique du célèbre chef d’orchestre. Grâce au travail minutieux de restauration qui a été effectué par l’ingénieur du son Didier Périer, on peut écouter ici la musique de Fletcher Henderson dans des conditions optimales, totalement inédites à ce jour. Patrick FR�MEAUX
Pourquoi cette équipe-là et ses trompettes ? Parce que, venu trop tôt pour pouvoir être enregistré en direct, le big band de Fletcher Henderson – dont les trompettistes étaient l’étendard - ne nous est connu en disque que moyennant d’innombrables contraintes techniques de prise de son, de durée et de fabrication qui en ont passablement brouillé, voire dégradé, l’image sonore. Outils informatiques et originaux en mains, nous avons essayé de lui rendre une meilleure justice, de l’alléger de pesanteurs vieillottes et de nous rapprocher ainsi de son véritable son, fracassant et haut en couleurs, laissant entrevoir pourquoi ceux qui l’avaient entendu en action le plaçaient au-dessus de tous les autres. Laurent VERDEAUX / Didier P�RIER
Fletcher Henderson was the great visionary of orchestral jazz, a swing pioneer leading a band whose ranks included the greatest instrumentalists of his time. This 3CD set — prepared by Laurent Verdeaux, reputed for making it possible to preserve the historic recordings that Hugues and Louis Panassié made for their Jazz Odyssey label — comes as a surprisingly unexpected tribute to the music of this famous bandleader. Thanks to the painstaking work accomplished by sound engineer Didier Périer in restoring Fletcher’s music, we can now listen to his orchestra under the best conditions ever. Patrick FR�MEAUX
Why this particular formation and its trumpeters? Because the big band of Fletcher Henderson was famous for its trumpet sections, yet it arrived too early to be recorded directly, and is only known to us on record after countless technical issues were overcome — the nature of the sound-takes themselves, their running-times, manufacturing flaws — leaving the band’s overall sound-image slightly muddied, and even eroded. Using computer tools we had available and with recourse to various other original solutions, we have tried to do more justice to the orchestra, and relieve it of some of the weight of its years, in order to come closer to its true, sensationally colourful sound, and so allow a glimpse of the reasons why those who heard the band in action praised it to the skies, way above the others. Laurent VERDEAUX / Didier P�RIER
CD 1 - 1923-1926 : GULF COAST BLUES • CHARLESTON CRAZY • CHICAGO BLUES • WEEPING WILLOW BLUES • JELLY BEAN BLUES • SHANGHAI SHUFFLE • THE MEANEST KIND OF BLUES • SCREAMIN’ THE BLUES • RAILROAD BLUES • SHIPWRECKED BLUES • CAKE WALKING BABIES • MONEY BLUES • SUGAR FOOT STOMP • WHAT-CHA-CALL-’EM BLUES • T N T • TELL’EM ABOUT ME • CHAIN GANG BLUES • NOBODY’S ROSE • I’VE FOUND A NEW BABY • BABY DOLL • THE STAMPEDE • JACKASS BLUES • ALABAMA STOMP • YOUNG WOMAN’S BLUES.
CD 2 - 1927 : HENDERSON STOMP • THE CHANT • CLARINET MARMALADE • SENEGALESE STOMP • SWEET THING • BABY, WON’T YOU PLEASE COME HOME • SOME OF THESE DAYS • SNAG IT • STOCKHOLM STOMP • ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BAND • TROMBONE CHOLLY • HOT SPRINGS BLUES • FIDGETY FEET • SENSATION-STOMP • WABASH BLUES • THE WANG WANG BLUES • ST. LOUIS SHUFFLE • P.D.Q. BLUES • LIVERY STABLE BLUES • I’M COMING VIRGINIA • THE ST. LOUIS BLUES • GOOSE PIMPLES • DYIN’ BY THE HOUR • HOP OFF.
CD 3 - 1928-1941 : KING PORTER STOMP • OH, BABY ! • FEELIN’ GOOD (FROM “RAIN OR SHINE”) • I’M FEELIN’ DEVILISH (OH BY GOLLY HO) • MY PRETTY GIRL • SUGAR FOOT STOMP • I’M CRAZY ABOUT MY BABY(AND MY BABY’S CRAZY’BOUT ME) • JUST BLUES • SINGIN’ THE BLUES (TILL MY DADDY COMES HOME) • THE HOUSE OF DAVID BLUES • SINGIN’ THE BLUES • SUGAR • MINNIE THE MOOCHER WEDDING DAY (THE ANNIVERSARY OF) • SHANGHAI SHUFFLE • GRAND TERRACE SWING • BLUE LOU • STEALIN’ APPLES • SHOE SHINE BOY • YOU CAN DEPEND ON ME • SHUFFLIN’ JOE • AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ • LET’S GO HOME • CASEY STEW.
DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE : LAURENT VERDEAUX AVEC LA PARTICIPATION DE DIDIER P�RIER
Liste des cr�dits sur ce CD :
Fletcher Henderson , Clarence Williams , Porter Grainger , Paul Biese , Paul Carter , Ma Rainey , Gene Rodemich , Louis Katzman , Maggie Jones , Trixie Smith , Spencer Williams , Paul Leader , King Oliver , Steve Roberts , Paul Schoebel , Sidney Easton , Thomas Dorsey , Rose , Bessie Smith , Art Kassel , Henry Creamer , Mel Stitzel , Larry Shields , Todd Clarence , Ralph Williams , Charles Warfield , Shelton Brooks , Joe Oliver , Jack Pettis , Irving Berlin , Nick Larocca , Eddie Edwards , Fred Meinken , Henry Busse , Alcide Nunez , Donald Heywood , Handy William , Jo Trent , Jelly Roll Morton , Owen Murphy , Maceo Pinkard , Charles Fulcher , Alex Hill , Con Conrad , Elmer Schoebel , Jimmy Mchugh , George Meyer , Harold Arlen , Fernando Arbello , Edgar Sampson , Thomas Waller , Saul Kahn , Henderson Horace , Waller Thomas , Traditionnel
CD
Piste
Titre
Artiste principal
Dur�e
Enregistr� en
1
1
Gulf coast blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:15
1923
1
2
Charleston crazy
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:46
1923
1
3
Chicago blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:48
1924
1
4
Weeping willow blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:07
1924
1
5
Jelly bean blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:10
1924
1
6
Shanghai shuffle
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:45
1924
1
7
The meanest kind of blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:58
1924
1
8
Screamin' the blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:13
1924
1
9
Railroad blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:55
1924
1
10
Shipwrecked blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:16
1925
1
11
Cake walking babies
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:11
1925
1
12
Money blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:01
1925
1
13
Sugar foot stomp
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:48
1925
1
14
What-cha-call-em blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:57
1925
1
15
T.n.t.
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:49
1925
1
16
Tell em about me
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:02
1925
1
17
Chain gang blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:06
1925
1
18
Nobody's rose
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:58
1925
1
19
I've found a new baby
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:58
1926
1
20
Baby doll
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:01
1926
1
21
The stampede
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:14
1926
1
22
Jackass blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:12
1926
1
23
Alabama stomp
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:11
1926
1
24
Young woman's blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:08
1926
2
1
Henderson stomp
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:51
1926
2
2
The chant
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:56
1926
2
3
Clarinet marmalade
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:48
1926
2
4
Senegalese stomp
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:38
1926
2
5
Sweet thing
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:01
1926
2
6
Baby, won't you please come home
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:13
1927
2
7
Some of these days
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:58
1927
2
8
Snag it
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:06
1927
2
9
Stockholm stomp
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:54
1927
2
10
Alexander's ragtime band
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:59
1927
2
11
Trombone cholly
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:12
1927
2
12
Hot springs blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:54
1927
2
13
Fidgety feet
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:55
1927
2
14
Sensation-stomp
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:46
1927
2
15
Wabash blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:00
1927
2
16
The wang wang blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:52
1927
2
17
St. louis shuffle
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:50
1927
2
18
P.d.q. blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:38
1927
2
19
Livery stable blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:45
1927
2
20
I'm coming virginia
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:04
1927
2
21
The st. louis blues
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:00
1927
2
22
Goose pimples
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:59
1927
2
23
Dyin' by the hour
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:57
1927
2
24
Hop off
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:53
1927
3
1
King porter stomp
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:52
1928
3
2
Oh! baby
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:44
1928
3
3
Feelin' good (from �rain or shine�)
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:25
1928
3
4
I'm feelin' devilish (oh by golly ho)
Fletcher Henderson
00:02:43
1928
3
5
My pretty girl
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:19
1931
3
6
Sugar foot stomp
Fletcher Henderson
00:03:17
1931
3
7
I'm crazy about my baby (and my baby's crazy bout me)