This kind of image was likely the stuff of nightmares for serious jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, who later lamented his early stints on the bar circuit. The raucous, often vulgar, style of barwalkers never fit his personality or the spiritual dignity he invested in his later music. But there were a host of players that chose the infectious vernacular as their regular stock and trade and even those who’s wildly entertaining histrionics made an art form out of it.

Delmark’s two-volume set casts an illuminating light on the rogue’s gallery of raconteurs who recorded for a handful of independent labels in the early 1950s. Volume one focus attention on artists who waxed discs for the United and States labels whereas volume two targets on those folks who had their home on the Apollo roster. All of the players were influenced to some degree by the earliest patron saint of R&B saxophonists, Illinois Jacquet. Jacquet was the undisputed master of the ‘freak register’- that stratospheric zone above the tenor’s regular range reserved for the wildest, most unfettered of solos. Hordes of horn players emulated his headlong leaps into the upper reaches of the instrument and the sound was cemented as one of the hallmarks of the barwalking style.

To the credit of both volumes the music on each moves well beyond the stereotypes associated with the style and points out a startling diversity among individual player’s approaches. The bump and grind shuffle of Jimmy Forrest’s “Night Train” lights the torch and Teddy Brannon’s funky swing follows on a pair of sides that showcase his dusky tenor tone. “Mixin’ with Dixon,” originally a radio theme for a local Chicago DJ, fueled by a rubbery bass line from Aaron Bell, a future Ellington alum serves as a flipside. Cozy Eggleston’s two cuts have heavy echo on the horns and thick amplification on sideman Ellis Hunter’s guitar all of which generate a cavernous feel steeped in syrupy emotion. Tab Smith, who’s background was firmly rooted in jazz, became one of the most successful R&B band leaders of the era and his two tracks featured here display his strong alleigances to both camps. Jimmy Coe’s sultry sax and Eugene Fox’s juke joint piano engage in a colorful down-home repartee on the fittingly titled “After Hours Joint,” a tune that also features a healthy dollop of South Side lingo on the side.

One of the most unexpected and valuable facets of volume one is the two early tunes by Fred Jackson. Jackson later gained fleeting prominence as a solid soul jazz session man for the Blue Note label (his Hootin’ & Tootin album is a bona fide classic). Though his later style was indebted to Stanley Turrentine, his playing never lost the R&B edge which is on rollicking display on “Duck Fever.” Fats Noel and Paul Bascomb sound off in a similar bag on their selections. Noel’s large group which features a young Duke Jordan on keys balances a quartet of ballads and jump blues while Bascomb juggles his lush saxophonics with a vocal turn on “Pink Cadillac.” Trumpeter Eddie Lewis steals the show on “More Blues-More Beat” belting out a growling solo that sets the stage for the phalanx of reeds led by Bascomb towing a vaporous trail of echo. The disc comes full circle with two more by Jimmy Forrest soloing over a sparse rhythmic backdrop flanked by subtle conga support.

Volume two proves conclusively that the cats over at Apollo could keep up with their competition and kicks off with ‘Gator’ Jackson’s vampish “Pee Wee.” Snapping at Gator’s heels Morris Lane maintains the brisk pace with a handful of solid swingers including “Gitchie Gitchie-Goomba” a racially suspect ode to a fictional Indian brave. Panama Francis’ band crops up next with another four tracks propelled by the rhythmic dynamo Milt Hinton on bass and the leader’s drums. The group is more firmly jazz-based than most of the others on either volume and isn’t shy about showing their influences with more traditional swing. With eight tracks to their name Charlie Ferguson’s band takes up the most space on this second volume, though several of their tunes, like the laborious “Hard Times” lose points for being a tad overwrought. As an appropriate closer King Curtis, the man that took the R&B sax into the Rock & Roll Age and beyond surfaces with a pair of sides that build off some lurid blowing and jangling guitar and piano.

Given the broad base of music collected on these two discs Delmark’s chosen moniker for them is a little misleading. Though a fair share of rambunctious honking sax heroes make their presence known among the 44 tracks collected there are also an ample number of tunes that rely on a mellower approach. The diversity works to the advantage of both discs, but two uninterrupted hours of R&B sax are likely to tax the patience of all but the most ardent fans of the style. Taken in moderation there are many enjoyble moments on both volumes and each offers plenty of entertaining, and historically important music to dig into and explore.

Tracks/Bands:

Volume 1-Jimmy Forrest: Night Train; Teddy Brannon: Everbody Get Together, Mixin’ With Dixon; Cozy Eggleston: Cozy’s Best, Big Heavy (Blue Lights Boogie); Tab Smith: Because of You, Ace High; Jimmy Coe: After Hours Joint, Fast Blues; Doc Sausage: Sausage Rock; Fred Jackson: Sentimental Blues, Duck Fever; Chris Woods: Cool One-Groove Two; Fats Noel: You Belong To Me, Duck Soup, Wish You Were Here, High Tide; Paul Bascomb: Pink Cadillac, Blues and the Beat, More Blues-More Beat; Jimmy Forrest: My Buddy, Flight 3-D.

Volume 2-Willis Jackson: Pee Wee (Call of the Gators); Morris Lane & His Orchestra: Return of B.O. Plenty, Gitchie Gitchie-Goomba, Joe’s Beat, Blue Jeans; Panama Francis: Benson Bounce, Darkness of the Delta, Bess’s Blues, 12:00 Jump; Bill Harvey & His Orchestra: I Love Her, Walk Right In; Charlie Ferguson & His Orchestra: Doll Baby, Bean Head, Hard Times, Big G; Bobby Smith: That’s For Sure; Charlie Ferguson & His Orchestra: That’s It, Low Lights, Hi Beam, I Got It Bad; King Curtis: Rush Hour, Dynamite At Midnite.