Frisco Jazz 1948-1955

Personnel: Bob Scobey (vocals, trumpet); Clancy Hayes, Bill Newman (vocals, guitar, banjo); Bill Napier (clarinet, bass clarinet); George Probert (clarinet, soprano saxophone); Darnell Howard, Albert Nicholas (clarinet); Bob Mielke (trombone); Squire Girsback, Bob Short (tuba); Ernie Lewis, Wally Rose, Burt Bales (piano); Bill Dart, Gordon Edwards , Fred Higuera, Earl Watkins (drums).
Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (??/??/1948-07/07/1955); Oakland, CA (??/??/1948-07/07/1955); San Francisco, CA (??/??/1948-07/07/1955).
Trumpeter Bob Scobey (1916-1963) developed his chops playing second trumpet with Lu Watters and the Yerba Buena Jazz Band during the 1940s. That group's legacy has been preserved in the four-CD box set The Complete Good Time Jazz Recordings. A wonderful sequel to that anthology was released by Jasmine records in 2007 under the heading of Frisco Jazz 1948-1955. Focusing upon the earliest recordings made under Scobey's name and featuring at times the popular singing banjoist Clancy Hayes, this 51-track double-CD opens with four previously rare sides cut by Scobey and Co. under the name of Alexander's Jazz Band in 1948 and issued on Scobey's own Ragtime Records. For those who are hypersensitive to this kind of music, the prospect of a hitherto little known rendition of the "Wang Wang Blues" could conceivably justify investing in the entire album. The obvious reason to pounce on this compilation is the fact that it stands as one of the very best and most comprehensive Scobey retrospectives ever assembled using the compact disc format. Tracks 5-28 document six different sessions that took place in San Francisco between April 1950 and November 1953. These excellent traditional jazz recordings were produced by Nesuhi Ertegun and issued on the Good Time Jazz record label. (They were anthologized at one point as The Scobey Story, Vols. 1 & 2.) Most importantly, tracks five-eight feature clarinetist Darnell Howard and tracks nine-twelve feature clarinetist Albert Nicholas. The rest of this compilation consists of material recorded in Los Angeles in January and July, 1955, and released on the LPs Bob Scobey's Frisco Band and Scobey and Clancy. These records were designed for informal patio parties, picnics, and beery barbecues. Clancy Hayes enjoyed popularity with the same public that would soon go in for Sing Along with Mitch. Scobey's Dixieland still has an enduring charm all its own. Some will prefer the instrumentals, but on the level, just like back in 1955, if you want Scobey, you're probably going to hear from Clancy and it's entirely possible that you'll end up singing, too. Don't let's rule that out. ~ arwulf arwulf