Fletcher Henderson The Golden Years: Hits and Classics, 1923-1937 (2-CD)

Fletcher Henderson was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader who is regarded as one of the most influential figures of the early jazz and swing eras. Bridging the gap between Dixieland, swing and the big band, he was one of the most prolific and innovative arrangers of his time, ranked by some critics on a par with Duke Ellington in terms of influence. During his heyday as a bandleader in the 1920s and ‘30s he had a string of big sellers and recorded definitive versions of some of the classics of those times.

This 48-track set comprises selected recordings with the various incarnations of his orchestra on the Vocalion, Columbia, Brunswick, Harmony and Bluebird labels, before he largely turned his attention towards arranging, including a couple of recordings as The Dixie Stompers and The Baltimore Bellhops. It features all his 20 chart hits, including Sugar Foot Stomp, Dinah, Henderson Stomp, Honeysuckle Rose, King Porter Stomp, ‘t’s The Talk Of The Town, Until Today’ and many more. There are performances by Louis Armstrong, Buster Bailey, Don Redman, Tommy Ladnier, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, John Kirby, Henry ‘Red’ Allen, Dicky Wells, Horace Henderson, Edgar Sampson and many notable musicians who passed through his ranks.

Henderson was responsible for bringing Louis Armstrong from Chicago to New York in October 1924, thus flipping the focal point of jazz in the history of the US. He also played a key role in bringing improvisatory jazz styles from New Orleans and other areas of the country to New York, where they merged with a dance-band tradition. Therefore, this is collection offers a feast of classic jazz, and a fine showcase for one of the genre’s legendary pioneers.