Satch Haloed
Tuts month's circumbendibus of records includes a dixieland jam session, selections from movie sound tracks, cha-cha-cha, a Fats, a Como, a Crosby, a Satchmo and (could we do with- out him?) an Elvis.
Conrad Janis: Dixieland Jam Session (London) is a 1951 recording featuring a trombonist of that name, who first took up the instrument in 1949. Here it is possible to say one of two things : either 'he certainly made a lot of progress in those first two years,' or 'and it sounds like it.' For this is a disappointing session, all the more so for having read on the sleeve that it included such jazzmen as Bob Wilber, Sutton, Schoebel and Pops Foster.
Those who liked the music from any of the fol- lowing films can hear efficient renderings of it by George Cates's chorus, and orchestra on Movie Moods (Coral): Picnic, Friendly Persuasion, Anastasia, Man on Fire, The Barrens of Wimpole Street, To Catch a Thief and others.
On Oo la1 Cha Cha (Felsted) Raoul Zequeiro and his band, sometime residents of Paris's L'Elephant Blanc, play with authentic Cuban élan.
Fats 1935-37 (RCA) consists of fourteen charm- ingly typical Fats treatments of such songs as `I'm a 100% for you,' Us on a bus' and 'Black Rasp- berry Jam.' As good a Fats collection on one record as I have heard.
It is interesting to compare the styles of Perry Como on We get Letters (RCA) and Bing Crosby on Bing with"a Beat (RCA). Como has a relaxed, small combo backing, while Bing is accompanied by Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band. Como is superb, effortless and masterly in accomplish- ment: Crosby is pleasant, but no more. When will Bing find the answer to Frankie's Riddle?
On Louis and the Angels (Brunswick) Satchmo sings and plays a dozen songs about angels. Sy Oliver's chorus and orchestra provide a backing which is about as apt an accompaniment for Satchmo as the Dagenham Girl Pipers. But I could forgive the angelic possessor of that golden horn and that serrated larynx almost anything. Finally, Elvis' Christmas Album (RCA) is not as oxymoronic as the vision of Elvis in a choir- boy's cassock might lead one to imagine. Elvis sings such Yuletide favourites as '0 Little Town
of Bethlehem' and 'Silent Night' with surprising sincerity. Can it be true that King's College Choir, not to be outdone, are planning to record their own version of 'Blue Suede Shoes'?
ROBIN DOUGLAS-ROM°
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