Terry Waldo & The Gotham City Band: Treasury Volume 3

When it comes to ragtime jazz, pianist, historian, author, and cultural preservationist Terry Waldo literally wrote the book. Said book is This Is Ragtime (Jazz at Lincoln Center, Inc., 1976), widely regarded as the most thorough and authoritative guide to one of modern jazz's early precursors. Treasury, Volume 3 is the last in a trilogy of recordings by Waldo's Gotham City Band devoted to the best of traditional ragtime music.

This is exuberant toe-tapping jazz, radiating happiness and high spirits in every measure, from the impish opening number, "Minnie the Mermaid," to the final measures of Jelly Roll Morton's enticing "Black Bottom Stomp." Even the normally staid "Alice Blue Gown" is gussied up in a radiant new outfit that allows her to sashay rather than stroll. Waldo arranged every number, five of which encompass vocals by Waldo, trombonist Jim Fryer, trumpeter Mike Davis, drummer Jay Lepley, or banjo player Jerron Paxton.

The band itself is an octet on five tracks, a septet on the other half-dozen. Besides piano, trombone and rhythm, it includes one (and sometimes two) trumpets—which are actually cornets—as well as clarinet and banjo. Whatever its makeup, the band works extremely well as a unit, and soloists needn't be concerned about any lag in their support. And yes, the various members of the band do improvise, and acquit themselves quite well, keeping in mind that their ad-libs are entrenched in the sort of "Dixieland" parlance that predated bop and even the Swing Era.

Morton is represented again by "Kansas City Stomp" and "Frog-i-More Rag"; King Oliver by "Canal Street Blues" and "Mabel's Dream"; and W.C. Handy by "Memphis Blues." Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Take Me Back," Haven Gillespie's "Louisiana Fairy Tale" and Arnett Nelson's "Buddy's Habits" round out the charming program. Waldo's eloquent piano is a constant, as are Fryer's trombone, Brian Nalepka 's steady bass and Lepley's assertive drums. Mike Davis and Colin Hancock share trumpet (cornet) duties, Ricky Alexander and Evan Arntzen are the clarinetists, Paxton (who doubles as vocalist on "Take Me Back"), Nick Russo and Arnt Arntzen the banjoists. Fryer sings on "Minnie the Mermaid" and "Memphis Blues," trumpeter Davis on "Alice Blue Gown," Lepley on "Louisiana Fairy Tale," and each one is a stride or two above the norm.

"Tradition is the framework that upholds this wonderful music," Hancock writes in the album's liner notes. "Terry Waldo embodies that tradition, and his music brings it to life." Waldo's Treasury, Volume 3 is a splendid storehouse of music that should never be disparaged or forgotten, and a fun-filled tribute the talented musicians who brought it to life while paving the way for more up-to-date and forward-leaning music yet to come.