Description by OLDIES.com:
On these two albums originally released on Atlantic, Wilbur de Paris presents us with a veritable smorgasbord of the all the music he was so extraordinary at playing: blues, hymns, jazz, pop, standards, and show tunes.
"On The Riviera" was recorded live at the 1960 Antibes Jazz Festival.
Product Description:
2 LPs on 1 CD: THE WILD JAZZ AGE (1960)/WILBUR DE PARIS ON THE RIVIERA (1961).
Includes liner notes by Wilbur De Paris and Raymond Mouly.
THE WILD JAZZ AGE:
Personnel: Wilbur De Paris (trombone, valve trombone); Louis Bacon (vocals); Sidney De Paris, Doc Cheatham (trumpet); Garvin Bushell (piccolo, clarinet, bassoon); Wilbert Kirk (harmonica, drums); Sonny White (piano, organ); John Smith (guitar, banjo); Hayes Alvis (bass).
Producer: Nesuhi Ertegun.
Engineer: Phil Macy.
WILBUR DE PARIS ON THE RIVIERA:
Personnel: Wilbur De Paris (trombone); Sidney De Paris, Doc Cheatham (trumpet); Garvin Bushell (clarinet, bassoon); Wilbert Kirk (harmonica, drums); Sonny White (piano); John Smith (guitar); Hayes Alvis (bass).
Recorded live at the Antibes Jazz Festival, Antibes, France in July 1960.
Personnel: Wilbur DeParis (trombone, valve trombone); Louis Bacon (vocals); John "BJ John" Smith (guitar, banjo); Garvin Bushell (piccolo, clarinet, bassoon); Wilbert Kirk (harmonica, drums); Sidney DeParis (trumpet, cornet); Doc Cheatham (trumpet); Sonny White (piano, organ).
Liner Note Authors: Raymond Mouly; Wilbur DeParis.
Recording information: Antibes Jazz Festival, French Riviera (05/09/1960-07/10/1960).
The Wilbur DeParis band had undergone two major changes by the time it recorded these two albums in 1960. Its longtime clarinetist, Omer Simeon, had died and was replaced by Garvin Bushell (who is heard on clarinet, piccolo, and bassoon). And cornetist Sidney DeParis' increasingly erratic health resulted in Doc Cheatham being added on second trumpet. The addition of Cheatham was a good thing (adding another fine soloist to the group), although Bushell was not on Simeon's level as a jazz soloist. This CD reissues all of the music originally on The Wild Jazz Age and On the Riviera. What is unusual is that most of the songs are Dixieland standards, with the only unusual numbers being "Tres Moutarde," "Railroad Man," "Blues Ingee," "Minorca," and "Tell 'Em About Me." But even the warhorses like "Twelfth Street Rag," "Battle Hymn of the Republic," and "The Charleston" are revived successfully and in often inventive fashion. This set is well worth acquiring by trad jazz fans. ~ Scott Yanow
