Freddie Slack - Mosaic Select 18 '2005

Tracks list

Freddie Slack was the pianist with Jimmy Dorseys orchestra during part of the
1930s before becoming well known for playing boogie-woogie with Will Bradleys
band, most notably on the hit Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar. In 1941 Slack
went out on his own, forming a big band that soon signed with the Capitol label.
His hit recording of Cow Cow Boogie in 1942 with singer Ella Mae Morse made him
famous even though none of his other records caught on at the same level. Slacks
orchestra just lasted two years and, although he had a new band during
1945-1946, many of his recordings were made with small groups. With the
exception of a slightly earlier four-song session for Decca, five songs that
were purposely bypassed, and a 1955 album of boogie-woogie and re-creations, all
of Slacks recordings as a leader are on this three-CD set. There are 17
previously unreleased performances, including a five-song session from 1946 and
three numbers from 1952. It is particularly interesting to hear the influence of
bebop being felt in Slacks playing and some of the arrangements although he
mostly remained a swing stylist. While most of his sidemen are little known,
T-Bone Walker pops up on a few numbers (including two features), guitarists Remo
Palmieri, Al Hendrickson, and Tiny Timbrell are assets, and every vocal by Ella
Mae Morse is well worth hearing. In addition, Johnny Mercer is a guest on
several tunes. The three-fer is wrapped up by all seven recordings by drummer
Ray McKinleys long-forgotten 1942 big band, a band with trumpeters Dick Cathcart
and Pete Candoli, valve trombonist Brad Gowans, clarinetist Mahlon Clark, and
pianist Lou Stein in the personnel. Overall, this is a well-conceived release of
mostly obscure but worthy music.



Tracks:

CD 1:
01. Doll Dance (3:01)
02. Cow Cow Boogie (3:15)
03. The Air Minded Executive (2:48)
04. Hes My Guy (2:42)
05. Mister Five by Five (3:03)
06. The Thrill Is Gone (2:58)
07. Riffette (3:03)
08. I Got a Break Baby (3:18)
09. Mean Old World (2:56)
10. Old Rob Roy (3:13)
11. Waitin for the Evening Mail (3:16)
12. Wreck of the Old 97 (2:37)
13. Get on Board, Little Chillun (3:04)
14. I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City (3:11)
15. Mr. Anthonys Blues (2:34)
16. Small Batch ONod (3:02)
17. Furlough Fling (2:45)
18. Aint That Just Like a Man (3:09)
19. The Gee Chi Love Song (3:00)
20. The Gee Chi Love Song (3:01)
21. Cuban Sugar Mill (3:08)
22. Sit and Nip (3:04)
23. Slightly Barbaric (3:12)
24. Bashful Baby Blues (2:55)


CD 2:
01. Soft Jive (3:08)
02. A Kiss Goodnight (2:47)
03. A Cats Ninth Life (2:41)
04. Beverly Boogie (2:43)
05. Rib Joint (2:55)
06. Behind the Eight Beat (2:47)
07. Southpaw Serenade (2:46)
08. Kitten on the Keys (2:37)
09. Strange Cargo (3:02)
10. Blackout Boogie (2:33)
11. The House of Blue Lights (2:53)
12. Hey Mr. Postman (3:04)
13. Your Conscience Tells You So (2:53)
14. Pig Foot Pete (2:54)
15. Blackout Boogie (2:28)
16. Is I Gotta Practice, Ma? (2:42)
17. On the Road to Mandalin (2:24)
18. The H.C. Potters Ball (2:39)
19. The Necessary Evil Blues (3:13)
20. Half After (2:39)
21. Cocktail Repartee (2:50)
22. What Is This Thing Called Rebop? (3:04)
23. The Brown Danube (2:59)
24. Boogie in G (2:43)
25. Lullaby (2:57)


CD 3:
01. Humoresquire (2:58)
02. Celeste Boogie (2:55)
03. Boogie Minor (2:53)
04. St. Louis Blues (3:10)
05. Chopstick Boogie (2:54)
06. Be-Bop Boogie (3:04)
07. Two Left Hands (3:00)
08. Strollin (3:09)
09. Ooh Ooh Baby (2:58)
10. Steal Away Easy Baby (3:01)
11. Mister Freddies Boogie (2:20)
12. Whatever Happened to Ol Jack? (2:58)
13. Untitled Tune (2:39)
14. Ukulele Swing (2:13)
15. Choppin the Boogie (2:18)
16. Untitled Original (2:18)
17. Big Boy (3:12)
18. Hard Hearted Hannah (3:19)
19. Cheatin on Me (3:19)
20. Manhattan Serenade (2:44)
21. Rock A Bye Bay (3:02)
22. That Russian Winter (2:52)
23. Without a Song (2:31)

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