The Original Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra under the direction of Ed Wilcox and Joe Thomas

The great Jimmie Lunceford (1902-1947) led one of the greatest big bands during the Swing Era and was a chief rival to Duke Ellington. After Lunceford's death, pianist Ed Wilcox and tenor saxophonist and sometimes vocalist Joe Thomas kept the band going until 1949 as the "Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra under the direction of Eddie Wilcox - Joe Thomas". There's too much music out there for me to go through to consider ghost bands, but this is a special case.  Wilcox and Thomas sought to play new material for the band, while modernizing its sound to suit late 1940's tastes. Based on this record, they preferred rhythm and blues to bebop, but it still sounds like a Swing Era music. Unfortunately the end for big bands was already under the way, so perhaps their venture was ill-fated from the start. Still, especially on the flag waver arrangements, the ensemble sounds great and it's easy to understand to why they kept it going. 

Based on internet searches, this era of the band seems underrepresented and ignored.  There is one book on Lunceford by Eddy Determeyer but in a pandemic I'm unable to check out the copy to verify some information and there is quite a bit to check it turns out with spelling variations on titles, lack of composer credits, and various mistakes, This post is as much about the music as the problems of documenting history.  

Some of the tracks were originally released as 78 singles for the New Jersey- based Manor label, usually as the "Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra under the direction of Eddie Wilcox - Joe Thomas" or "Ed Wilcox with the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra".  For marketing reasons surely, they've been compiled four times under some variation of "The Original Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra".  

1963 Dot compilation
In 1963, Dot records released the first compilation featuring the first recorded nine tracks.  There is no information on the recordings except for the brief liner notes explaining that the recording is a tribute to the great bandleader.  

1973 Perception compilation
In 1973, Perception records released all eighteen tracks from this era as "The Original Jimmy Lunceford Orchestra".  Misspelling aside, there are also no credits but there are some terrific photos of the band, including two where they are posing next to a Flagship airplane with an American Airlines sign.  Along with the scant information on the tracks, it's misleading because Lunceford is not part of the recording except in spirit.  In 1978, the French label Jazz Anthology released the same compilation with a more accurate name of the band (maintaining the misspelling for some reason): "The Original Jimmy Lunceford Orchestra"  with the subtitle "directed by Ed Wilcox and Joe Thomas".  This time, there is personnel information, some detailed session information, and and a few songwriting credits, three to be precise.  


2000 Chronological Classics CD
These records were rare and likely passed under the radar of most fans so in 2000, Chronological Classics released all of the tracks on compact disc including two bonus tracks from 1942 by an unknown band playing in tribute to Lunceford.  They pulled much of the information from the Jazz Anthology compilation but also credited where the source material. The story of reissues is kind of interesting to me, considering all of the legal issues behind the recordings.  Who owns the masters and what about the publishing for each composition?  This music has never been in high demand so maybe it doesn't matter, but as in most areas of the music business, there's a probably a sad story in there somewhere.  I consider the music industry to be no different than the banks and companies that administer student loans: they make money off of naive people who think they are initially getting a good deal---only to find out later the burden of their contract.  

Reissue history and legal matters aside, the music is overall well-played and excellent.  Mostly designed for fans of big bands, the music is somewhat uneven: the flag wavers are by far the best tunes, and demonstrate just what a powerhouse band this is even without its leader.  The arrangements are first rate and the sections, especially the trumpets, are tight.  It's true some of the ensemble passages sound under-rehearsed, as pointed out by Anatol Schenker in the liner notes, but there are moments when the band is very, very strong.  The first sessions from December 1948 and June 1949 are the best tracks.

Jimmie Lunceford
The band featured Willie Cook, Bob Mitchell, and Paul Webster on trumpets, Elmer Crumbley, Russell Bowles and Al Cobbs on trombones, Omer Simeon, Otis "Hashim" Hicks, Joe Thomas, Lee Howard, and Earl Carruthers on saxophones, Ed Wilcox on piano, Al Norris on guitar, Ed Sneed on bass, and Joe Marshall on drums.  The foundation rested on its oldest members.  Besides, Wilcox (1907-1968), who had been with the band since the Chickasaw Syncopators days in 1929, and Thomas (1909-1986) since 1933,  Baritone saxophonist Carruthers (1910-1971) and banjoist turned guitarist Al Norris (1908-1972) joined in 1932.  They stayed despite the mass exodus of 1942 when most of the band quit over pay issues.  

One thing I find really unusual about this compilation is the sound.  While the trumpets sometimes overwhelm the mics, the drums, on the other hand, are very clear with every nuance from the bass drum and hi-hat. coming through clearly.  As a result drummer Joe Marshall's four-on-the-floor on the bass drum is intense.  It is also generally bass heavy (more from the bass drum than the bass itself) and so much so that I suspected that the 1973 compilation contained overdubbed drums!  The same sound is on the Chronological Classics CD so I'll assume that that's how it was mixed.  Anyway, besides the swinging rhythm section the individual sections are very strong.  The compositions are forgettable and the arrangements seem to be formulaic that rely on the tight ensembles and high trumpets for the fire.  This is noticeable as the ballads have no fire and sound pedestrian.  But the swingers sound like they were written and arranged to be big hits for the dance floor.  

The uptempo "Midriff" from June 1949 is an exciting performance with call and response saxes and brass, high trumpet features, and an exciting tenor saxophone solo from Thomas.  But this tune also features an interesting middle section that demonstrates some sort of arrangement finesse with part writing before the energy returns and one of the trumpeters (Willie Cook?) gets to show his impressive upper range, At one point, it sounds like Wilcox came in early for his solo (!).  The coda is impressive with a half-step panning and modulations.  This one is for the dancers and seems to be completely informed by the burgeoning rhythm and blues scene.  It is about as in your face as it gets, but it sounds like fun and I would be thrilled if I played in a big band like this.  Jazz Anthology credited this song to Billy Strayhorn, but while the melody is similar it is not the same tune.  If it is, then kudos to the arranger who greatly redefined and rearranged that song.  

"Midriff" was released as a B-side to "Arleen" (a ballad with an unknown vocalist sounding like a poor man's Johnny Hartman),but was retitled "Gug Mug".  It's listed as "Gagamug" on Jazz Anthology, but Chronological Classics lists it as "Gug Mug" adding "Grazing" in parentheses.  There are a lot of problematic details for these songs and one of them is the various spelling of the songs.  More blatant is the fact that two record companies released compilations not realizing that the two of the songs are the same performance!  It might not be essential listening material, but in the name of Lunceford and for Wilcox and Thomas, their music is worth it.  

Another highlight from the earlier sessions is "Saxology" by trombonist Al Cobbs which features a line that would be used in "Tequila" and  a spirited tenor battle between Thomas and Lee Howard.  Thomas' sound is rougher and closer to rhythm and blues is excellent, but Howard's is softer and closer to Coleman Hawkins' sound.  These are apparently his only recordings, but his playing is excellent. 

The uptempo "One for the Book" seems to be the band's answer to bebop with some nice chromatic ii-Vs and the alto player, I assume it's Otis "Hashim" Hicks and not Omer Simeon, even plays some bebop during his short solo.  The main harmonic device the band relies on is the b2 dominant chord, it's a favorite device and generates a lot of intensity and excitement.  The other is is the minor six chord heard on the ballad "Fatigue".  The other highlight from the first sessions is "Sundown".  Pretty much through composed from beginning to end, the full and individual sections are particularly strong and builds smoothly throughout the performance.  

The trumpets are particularly impressive and "Scratch My Back" (a lewd double entendre) and "Wha' Cha Gonna Do" are noteworthy.  The ballad "Moonbeams" is good, mainly because it's a tenor feature for Howard.  Thomas sings a couple of tunes and his rough sounding voice is appropriate to the rhythm and blues-isa material.  Vocalist Freddie Bryant has the smoother voice, so he sings the ballads, but he sounds stronger on medium tempo material like "That's The Way You Fall In Love" from the June-July 1949 sessions.  "Study In Blue" features a vocal by Savannah Churchill who was at the time was a star rhythm and blues performer.  She mostly sang risqué material and so she sounds somewhat uncomfortable on this track.  The feedback (!) problems on this probably didn't help!

The material from the second session still features good arrangements and performances, but the magic is not there.  Personnel changes are probably the main culprit for the change in sound with new members in each section of the band including new drummer Danny Farrar who is not nearly as strong as Marshall who practically carried the band.  "My Baby and Me" which features a solo from Wilcox who plays well, but otherwise the music is too edgy and too on top of the beat.  The swing is just not there.  The most noteworthy performance is "Jackie" featuring lead alto saxophonist Omer Simeon (1902-1959) taking a solo on clarinet.  

Omer Simeon
Simeon is mostly unknown to many people, but he carries an impressive resume having recorded on clarinet with Jelly Roll Morton (he's on "Black Bottom Stomp" among others), Jabbo Smith, and King Oliver and then made the transition to playing lead alto in big bands led by Earl Hines, Horace Henderson, and Lunceford since 1942.  He was one of a handful of musicians to successfully make that change and demonstrates his flexibility as a musician.  His one extended solo here on clarinet is excellent and it's incredible how he's adjusted his sound and improvisational language to the times.  He's not a bebop player, but he does play lines.  He is more of a Swing player, yet he is far from his roots as a New Orleans clarinetist playing blues with a strong vibrato like Sidney Bechet or Johnny Dodds.  Unlike most musicians of his generation (and especially those from New Orleans), Simeon has adapted very well to the changing times.

Overall, this is a good listen.  I'd recommend anyone who is a fan of big band music to listen to these tracks.  The subtlety of the Swing Era is gone and the influence of rhythm and blues is strong, so this music got lost in the shuffle.  Without its leader, they didn't have a chance and albeit neither Ed Wilcox nor Joe Thomas were Count Basie to Lunceford's Bennie Moten.  I was pleasantly shocked to hear this music and it shows just how much of a powerhouse band the Lunceford band was in its prime. 

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