Joe Marsala: Reunion In Harlem - His 49 Finest 1935-1957

"Joe Marsala (clarinet) with various personnel including Adele Girard (harp), Wingy Manone (trumpet), Sharkey Bonano (trumpet), George Wettling (drums), Adrian Rollini (bass sax), Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Marty Marsala (trumpet), Danny Alvin (drums), Joe Bushkin (piano), Zutty Singleton (drums), George Brunies (trom­bone). Recorded between June 14,1935, and Summer 1957 Chicago born Joe Marsala (1907-1978) is regarded as one of the finest jazz clar­inettists in jazz history, especially renowned for the beauty of his low register playing (rivalling his idol, Jimmy Noone). Yet, apart from afficionados, he remains relatively little known, an injustice that is rectified by this first ever double album survey of his recorded legacy.'Reunuion In Harlem', is Retrospective's latest addi­tion to its growing jazz range. In Digby Fairweather's sleeve notes he describes the 'assembles'as"a heady cornucopia of Dixieland and Swing legends". From the mid-1930s to the mid-40s Marsala led star studded groups boasting such trumpet leads as brother Marty Marsala, Bobby Hackett, Bill Coleman, Billy Butterfield, Joe Thomas, Roy Eldridge - even Dizzy Gillespie. No fewer that thirty-six of these classic tracks are assembled here, with fourteen of them which include Adele Girard's delightful jazz harp. She and husband Joe were called'The Sweethearts of Swing'. Additionally, there are fine examples of Marsala playing with other bands such as those of Adrian Rollini (Bouncin'ln Rhythm -one of his earliest), Sharkey Bonano, Yank Lawson and, especially Wingy Manone (Shake Jhe Blues Away). Although Marsala quit the scene in the late 1940s, he made a notable return in 1957 when, alongside Girard and Rex Stewart, he waxed the closing four tracks of this'Reunion'." Just Jazz, Pete Lay (with assistance of Retrospective Records)

“Joe Marsala is one of the neglected figures in jazz, a fine clarinettist who led the house band at The Hickory House for most of the period 1936 to 1948 when he abandoned full-time jazz. He was very much school of Jimmie Noone with his mellow tone, liquid style and fondness for the lower register. His greatest eccentricity was his partnership with Adele Girard, one of the few jazz harpists whose recordings with Marsala do much to make the harp’s claim to be a jazz instrument. Marsala worked with most of the top trumpeters of his day, right up to Dizzy Gillespie in 1945. With the Delta Four in 1935 he partners Roy Eldridge to dazzling effect – incidentally the excellent guitarist was Carmen Mastren, a frequent partner of Marsalis. Bill Coleman, in a later iteration of the group (with Pete Brown jumping in as an extra) is also superb, but the most frequent partner is brother Marty, playing a more subdued role in the Hickory House band. Jim Jam Stomp (1938) features drumming prodigy Buddy Rich, but it’s the 1941 tracks that make the greatest impression and show the influence of Girard: two compositions, smartly involved arrangements (by Girard, one suspects), lovely interplay between Marsala, Mastren and Girard. And there’s another young drumming sensation, Shelly Manne. CD2 begins with ten rumbustious Condon-inspired tracks with the likes of Billy Butterfield and Bobby Hackett in prime form and an occasional pause for breath with a sensitive Marsala blues. It finishes with four tracks from a 1957 LP, Marsala coming out of semi-retirement in the company of Girard, Mastren and a final star trumpeter, Rex Stewart, but the most interesting tracks on this CD are from 1944 and 1945, with Marsala leading an orchestra of disparates that somehow gel: among them, Joe Thomas, making a virtue of self-effacement on trumpet, Adele Girard, adding classical flourishes on harp and the bebop guitar of Chuck Wayne.” Ron Simpson, Jazz Rag