Chicago-born Joe Marsala (1907-1978) is regarded as one of the finest jazz clarinettists in history, especially renowned for the beauty of his low register playing (rivalling his idol, Jimmie Noone ). Yet, apart from afficionados, he remains relatively little-known, an injustice that is rectified by this first-ever double-album survey of his recorded legacy. Reunion in Harlem, Retrospective’s latest addition to its growing jazz range, assembles (in note-writer Digby Fairweather’s words) “a heady cornucopia of Dixieland and Swing legends”. From the late 30s to mid-40s Marsala led star-studded groups boasting such trumpet leads as brother Matty Marsala, Bobby Hackett, Bill Coleman, Billy Butterfield, Joe Thomas – even Dizzy Gillespie. No fewer than 36 of these classic tracks are assembled here, 14 of them with the almost unique ingredient of Adele Girard’s delightful jazz harp. She and husband Joe were called “the Sweethearts of Swing”. Additionally, there are fine examples of Marsala playing with other bands such as those of Adrian Rollini (Bouncin’ in Rhythm – one of his earliest in 1935), Sharkey Bonano, Yank Lawson and, especially, Wingy Manone (Shake the Blues Away). Although Marsala quit the scene in the late 40s, he made a notable return in 1957 when, alongside Girard and Rex Stewart, he waxed the closing four tracks of our ‘reunion’.

Contents:

CD 1 (1935-1942)
1. Bouncin’ in Rhythm
2. I’ve Got a Note
3. Swingin’ on the Famous Door
4. Farewell Blues
5. Cheatin’ Cheech
6. Swing Like a Rusty Gate
7. Wolverine Blues
8. Jazz Me Blues
9. Mighty Like the Blues
10. Jim-Jam Stomp
11. Hot String Beans
12. Twelve Bar Stampede
13. Feather Bed Lament
14. The Darktown Strutters’ Ball
15. Wandering Man Blues
16. Salty Mama Blues
17. Three O’Clock Jump
18. Reunion in Harlem
19. Bull’s Eye
20. Lower Register
21. I Know That You Know
22. Slow Down
23. Walkin’ the Dog
24. Chimes Blues
25. Lazy Daddy

CD 2 (1944-1957)
1. Panama
2. Four or Five Times
3. Jazzin’ Babies Blues
4. Weary Blues
5. Wabash Blues
6. Blues in C
7. Clarinet Marmalade
8. Joe’s Blues
9. Village Blues
10. Tiger Rag
11. Double Clarinet Blues
12. Romance
13. Zero Hour
14. Don’t Let It End
15. Joe-Joe Jump
16. Shake the Blues Away
17. My Melancholy Baby
18. Cherokee
19. Lover
20. Gotta Be This or That
21. Singin’ the Blues
22. Sweet Georgia Brown
23. I Cried for You
24. Mandy