Two-Beat Bash - Tony Parenti's Aces & Dixieland Rhythm Kings

 

In The Good Old Summertime

Dirty Bottom Stomp

Two-Beat Bash

Tony Parenti's Aces

Dixieland Rhythm Kings

Jazztone Society J 1273

1957

From the back cover: Tony Parenti's Aces

Two months and two days after, and less than two miles away from the birth of Louis Armstrong, appeared a baby whose parents named him Tony. Originally trained to play legitimate clarinet in a large orchestra, young Tony mastered and has ever since retained the pure, round natural tones of his instrument, a sound by the way, typical of the playing of many New Orleans clarinetists. But at the age of fourteen the jazz bug bit him and he went to work on the riverboats and in the New Orleans clubs. More than a dozen years later, after most of the other top jazz stars had left New Orleans, Tony went to New York where for twenty year he worked in studio and pit bands, seldom blowing much jazz. But then, after the war, he renewed his jazz career, playing at Condon's and Jimmy Ryan's and in all of Gotham's better-known two beat bistros.

Working in the same league with Tony has been Henry "Red" Allen, a huge man with a warm expressive face and a trumpet sound to match. Allen, a true New Orleans veteran, played with the legendary Excelsior Band, with Fate Marable's riverboat outfit, with King Oliver, Luis Russell, Fletcher Henderson and Louis Armstrong. Also a leader of his own well-known group in the early forties. Red has  been one of jazzdom's major but least heralded trumpet influences, with the late Bunny Berigan the most famous of his disciples.

Forty-five years-old, Texas-born Tyree Gleen is the youngest member of the Aces. A veteran of numerous swing bands, including Duke Ellington's, Cab Calloway's Benny Carter's and Don Redman's, his all-round mastery of the trombone permits him to blow almost any style, including the traditional tail-gate horn he plays on ensembles.

Hank Duncan is a familiar sight to two-beat lovers who inhabit the Greenwich Village dixieland spots, and who have heard him play intermission piano at Nick's for many years. His playing similar in many ways to that of Joe Sullivan, has been heard previously on records with New Orleans stars King Oliver and Sidney Bechet.

Bassist Milt Hinton, already familiar to most jazz toners (his most recent appearance was on The Big Challenge with Cootie Wiliams and Rex Stewart), comes from Vicksburg, Mississippi, not too far from New Orleans. His early jazz work centered in Chicago, where he played in a trio with the famed New Orleans drummer, Zuffy Singleton. Later he worked with Basie, Armstrong, Goodman, Jackie Gleason and countless recording groups, and is currently the most sought-after bassist on the New York scene.

George Wettling has styled his drumming after that of his idol, the great New Orleans rhythm man, Baby Dodds. Basically a two-beat man, George has interspersed his appearances with top dixielanders via some lengthy stays in the bands of Artie Shaw, Paul Whiteman, Red Norvo, Bunny Berigan and many others.

Dixieland Rhythm Kings

Contrasting in age and experience with the all-star musicians of Parenti's group are the young, eager, well-integrated Dixieland Rhythm Kings. This is a group of companion youngsters which have been organized, with numerous personnel changes, for about ten years. Unswervingly dedicated to the earliest forms of traditional jazz, these two-beaters have resurrected many of the New Orleans classics and perform them with a vitality reminiscent of the spirit of the early Jazz Greats.

Leader Gene May, who plays a rocking tuba, and trombonist Charlie Sonnanstine, the band's most regular members, have been playing together since they were youngsters. The latter, who also played in Lu Watter's well-known traditional jazz band, blows in the manner of Kid Ory and Turk Murphy.

Trumpeters Carl Helen and Dick Oxtot (the latter gave up his own successful Polecate band to join the Kings) form a spirited two-man team. Clarinetist Bill Napler, associated with Turk Murphy's group on and off through the years, brings back memories of a couple of New Orleans veterans, Omer Simeon and Albert Nicholas. Pianist Eph Resnick (he also plays good trombone, as per his work with Wild Bill Davison on the Singing Trumpets Jazztone record), banjoist Jan Carroll and drummer Ton Hyer complete the group.

Side One

Tony Parenti's Aces

I've Been Working On The Railroad

Frankie And Johnny

Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home

Maryland, My Maryland

In The Good Old Summertime

Side Two

The Dixieland Rhythm Kings

Mama, Don't Low

Sidewalk Blues

Riverside Blues

Buddy's Habits

Over In The Gloryland

Dirty Bottom Stomp

Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out