Flow Gentle, Sweet Rhythm - Maxine Sullivan / John Kirby Band

 

Barbara Allen

Leonard Feather Presents

Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm

With Maxine Sullivan - Vocals

Charlie Shavers leading the original John Kirby Band

Jack Walker - Commentator

A Jazztone Society Classic J-1229

1956

*Charlie Shavers - Trumpet

Buster Bailey - Clarinet

Russell Proscope - Alto Sax

Billy Kyle - Piano

Specs Powell - Drums

Aaron Bell - Bass

**Charlie Shavers - Trumpet

Buster Bailey - Trumpet

Hilton Jefferson - Alto Sax

Milt Hinton - Bass

Louis Barnum - Piano

Dick Hyman - Piano

Leonard Feather - Piano ( on Loch Lomond only)

***Dick Hyman - Piano, Harpsichord & Organ

Oscar Pettiford - Bass

Osie Johnson - Drums

From the back cover: THERE have been times in the history of jazz when a group of musicians was instilled with such a spirit of unity that it was hard to imagine what the effect would be if even a single change were made in its membership. There have been times like that, but they have been very, very rare. The Duke Ellington orchestra of the 1930's was just about the only example in the big band field. Among the small combos the most memorable instance was the sextet led by the late John Kirby. Kirby, a bass player from Baltimore who had played with the bands of Fletcher Henderson and Benny Carter, had some definite ideas in mind when he set out to become a band leader. In contrast with the casual and often poorly integrated ensemble sounds that had characterized most small groups up to that time in the swing era, Kirby wanted to create something new: a soft, subtle band of swing that would keep the customers' toes in action while never upsetting their eardrums.

Working at the old Onyx club on West 52nd Street, Kirby experimented for sev eral months before settling down with what was to become, from 1938, the basic and unchangeable personnel during his years of glory. The light, bouncing ensemble line comprised Charlie Shavers' trumpet, Buster Bailey's clarinet, and Russell Procope's alto saxophone. The gently persuasive rhythm section had Billy Kyle on piano, the late O'Neil Spencer on drums, and Kirby. Often, too, at the Onyx there would be the new little singing sensation from Pittsburgh, Maxine Sullivan, who was Mrs. John Kirby during those years.

Shavers wrote most of the arrangements and worked closely with Kirby on produc- ing exactly what he wanted. That they succeeded, far beyond the bounds of all the 52nd Street units, was proved indisputably when the sextet, moving swiftly to national success, abandoned that thoroughfare to make its elegant impact in higher echelons hitherto beyond the scope of any jazz outfit, let alone a Negro group. Places like the Waldorf-Astoria in New York and the Pump Room in Chicago, and, perhaps the most important of all, the CBS studios in Manhattan, where, almost seventeen years ago, the Kirby group and Miss Sullivan began their own weekly network series.

Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm, they called this program, and to this day there are those who will tell you that nothing else quite as delightful, nothing as smooth in quality and consistent in mood has since been heard on any airwaves.

The program stayed on the air for at least two years, and every Sunday afternoon millions of listeners were treated to the unique sounds of what was so aptly described in its slogan as "the biggest little band in America." And there were a lucky few who, like this writer, were able to slip into the studio on some of those Sundays to enjoy the proceedings in person.

For those who are too young to recall it, the best comparison might be made by stat- ing that the Kirby band in its heyday was as renowned and respected as the King Cole trio in 1945, the Shearing quintet in 1950, or the Brubeck quartet in 1955. The disintegration of the original band began in 1942 when Billy Kyle was drafted. The following year Procope, too, was called to the colors, and Shavers began to double in the Raymond Scott band at CBS. By 1944 the original Kirby sound could no longer be conjured up. He had many different groups after that but never recaptured the pristine charm of the original article. Kirby's last few years were melancholy ones, lived in the shadow of his famous past. In 1952 he died in California. Meanwhile, the sidemen who had swung up the ladder of fame with him remained successfully active in New York.

About a year ago I asked Charlie Shavers whether he might not be interested in reviving the original Kirby band, with a suitable replacement on bass, for a record session that would recapture the spirit of the old band and its wonderful broadcasts. Charlie was immediately enthusiastic, but the problem was to try to catch all the men in New York at the same time. Many months went by and we never seemed to be able to arrange it. When Billy Kyle was in town with Louis Armstrong's band, Procope would be on the road with Duke Ellington; or when Duke came to New York, Kyle and Armstrong would be in Australia. There was no problem getting "Specs" Powell, the drummer who in 1941-2 had replaced Spencer in the original band, for "Specs" had spent the last twelve years on staff at CBS in New York. Buster Bailey, too, was always on hand; since early 1954 he has been a regular on the bandstand at the Metropole. Maxine Sullivan, living in town, also said she would be ready when we were.

Finally, impatient with delays, we arranged to fly Procope in between one-nighters with Duke. On a Monday evening, as soon as "Specs" had finished playing the Arthur Godfrey show, everyone assembled at the Esoteric studios-Shavers, Procope, Buster, Billy, "Specs", and Maxine. It was the first time the six of them had been together in thirteen years. Nostalgia flowed like water; everyone told everybody how little they had changed, and in most cases they were right, except for some added avoirdupois here and there. Maxine, who had looked incredibly young in 1938, had the same fantastic little-girl look as ever. Buster had grayed but still looked phenomenally youthful for a man with four children and six grandchildren. To complete the unit, Charlie and I had agreed that Aaron Bell, a brilliant and well-trained musician who had at one time been a music teacher at a high school in his home town, Muskogee, Oklahoma, had just the perfect light sound and touch to replace Kirby on bass. As for the role of narrator, which the late Canada Lee played so superbly on the broadcasts, both of us simultaneously had the same thought. Nobody but Jack Walker, whose pear-shaped tones are heard on his own Life Begins at Midnight show over WFOV in New York, could possibly fill Canada's shoes.

I think some of the happy spirit of this reunion came through in the music that was played that night. You will wonder, as we wondered, whether there couldn't be room today, on the air or in person, for just such a combination of timeless talents; and perhaps you will join us in hoping that it may come to pass. – LEONARD FEATHER

Note: In addition to the recordings described above, Mr. Feather produced two subsequent sessions featuring Maxine Sullivan. Seven of the selections recorded at those sessions are included here.

Rose Room*

Molly Malone*

If I Had A Ribbon Bow*

Loch Lomond*

Oh No, John!**

Windy*

Wraggle Taggle Gipsies**

Jackie Boy***

Barbara Allen***

A Brown Bird Singing***

Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm*