Monk Hazel & His New Orleans Jazz Kings

Personnel: Monk Hazel (drums); Jack Delaney (vocals, trombone); Joe Capraro (guitar); Pete Fountain (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Larry Shields (clarinet); Al Hirt (trumpet); Roy Zimmerman (piano).
Liner Note Author: Barry Martyn.
Recording information: New Orleans, LA (11/01/1955/04/10/1957).
Arthur "Monk" Hazel (1903-1968) was a fine drummer in the New Orleans traditional jazz scene. Aside from leading his own bands (in the 1920s and `30s), Hazel played with Tony Parenti and Sharkey Bonano but it wasn't until the mid-`50s that Hazel got to lead an album-length session himself. NEW ORLEANS JAZZ KINGS reissues those recordings, and among the musicians under his command on these spirited sessions were a couple of fellows who'd later become big stars themselves: Al Hirt (trumpet) and Pete Fountain (clarinet).