Terry Waldo: Treasury Volume 1

Simply stated, and without hyperbole, Terry Waldo is an American musical treasure. He's also a treasure purveyor. A protégé of and mentored by Eubie Blake, Waldo is a player, composer, arranger, author, podcaster, theatrical director, and the noted oracle for ragtime and early American popular music. With Treasury Volume 1 (the first of a three-volume set), Waldo and his all-star Gotham City Band cover ten selections from the embryonic days of American jazz.

Things kick this lively session off with "Blame It on the Blues," a rollicking jaunt that was written in 1914 by Chicago pianist and educator, Charles "Doc" Cook. Ricky Alexander's soprano sax and Mike Davis's muted trumpet take charge in this energized two-step. Waldo offers a pristine solo and banjoist Arnt Arntzen states before a furious out chorus. Vocalist Tatiana Eva-Marie, in a classic vaudevillian vibe, delivers "I Get the Blues When It Rains." It is a highly accurate presentation of the period. Waldo's keys ride throughout "Jelly Roll" Morton's classic "Wolverine Blues." It is an up-tempo trick covered in swinging fashion with a wild Mike Davis trumpet solo and Jay Lepley's furious drumming before the ensemble, in perfect step, takes things to a climax. "Yellow Dog Blues" from W.C. Handy, usually performed as a vocal with its double-entendre lyrics sung by the likes of "Hot Mama" Sophie Tucker and later, Mae West, here is instrumental. Waldo's pounding left and electric right hand commence things in fine fashion before the entire ensemble joins in the joy. This is down home "dirty blues" at its best. A highlight track.

Turtle Bay Records has had great success offering albums of the early and mid-20th Century "hot" music. Treasury Vol. 1 is another ace offering. Leader Waldo and this "stable" of Turtle Bay stalwarts shine across this date and have done so on all their sessions. The music here has all the excitement, devil-may-care whimsy of the period. Further, elements such as time-play, articulation, phrasing and swing require extensive genre knowledge by the musicians and this entire crew from front line to back has that quality in spades.

A pounding rhythm cliché launches the oldie "San" before the entire ensemble enters in a Bixian style. The iconic tune was recorded by Paul Whiteman with Bix Beiderbecke and Jimmy Dorsey in the orchestra. Here Davis spews a fiery solo (including copping a Bix lick) followed by Alexander and trombonist, Jim Fryer. Bassist Brian Nalepka and drummer Jay Lepley follow with their own statements and Waldo's comps. All Hell breaks loose as things come to a crashing close. Vocalist Veronica Swift sings "After You've Gone" in a restrained, sultry manner before scatting and recapping the verse up-tempo and all white-hot. Alexander hits first with a speedy ride, a Freyer trombone solo follows before Davis puts gas on the fire. Swift corrals the crew and takes things down as originally started. It is another stellar track. Using a slick early era set-up—a 1920s studio horn—to record and then later remaster that, Waldo leads the team on Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag." It is a nice touch and highly respectful way to close out the session.

Treasury Vol. 1 is a superior music lesson offered by expert stylists. For listeners it is a most enjoyable teleportation device.