Mosaic Select

MOSAIC SELECT: JOHNNY MERCER 1942-47

Reference: COM-118558 The wit, charm and swinging side of lyricist Johnny Mercer - the man who begat Capitol Records. This CD Box presents 79 Capitol tracks from the label's birth in 1942 to 1947, which showcase the more jazz tinged efforts as well as some non-jazz items that are impeccably delivered by Mr. Mercer.

Singing close to a dozen of his own tunes like "One For My Baby" and "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive", Mercer delivers his own interpretations on classics by Jerome Kern, Hoagy Carmichael, The Gershwins, Harold Arlen and Willard Robison. Backing Mercer are bands led by Paul Whiteman with Jack Teagarden, Wingy Manone, Cootie Williams, Billy Butterfield, Bobby Sherwood, Benny Goodman and the King Cole Trio.

But for the most part he is accompanied by Paul Weston's studio orchestras that boasted the cream of L.A.'s jazz musicians including the remarkable tenor saxists Herbie Haymer and Eddie Miller, clarinetist Matty Matlock and an incomperable rhythm section of either pianists Stan Wrightsman or Milt Raskin, guitarist George Van Eps, bassist Jack Ryan and drummer Nick Fatool. Joining Mercer vocally on many of the performances are The Pied Pipers with either Jo Stafford or June Hutton.

There are also nine previously unissued sides plus two Capitol transcription sessions that were made for radio use only. The set includes liner notes from both Billy Vera and rare photos from the Michael Ochs collection.

Personnel & Dates:

(A) with The Mellowaires and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra: unknown (tp), Bumps Meyers (ts), unknown (bari), Jimmy Van Heusen (p), unknown (g), unknown (b), unknown (d), The Mellowaires (vcl), Gordon Jenkins (dir).
LA, April 6, 1942
4-A They Didn't Believe Me Cap 129

(B) with Jack Teagarden (vcl) and Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra: Monty Kelly, Larry Neil, Don Waddilove (tp), Skip Layton, Murray McEachern (tb), Alvy West, Danny d'Andrea (as), Lenny Hartman, King Guion (ts), Tommy Mace (bari), Harry Azen, Sol Blumenthal, David Bowman (strings), Buddy Weed (p), Mike Pingitore (g), Artie Shapiro (b), Willie Rodriguez (d).
LA, June 12, 1942
31-A The Old Music Master Cap 137

(C) with Paul Weston and his Orchestra: 3 unknown (tp), 2 unknown (tb), Heinie Beau (cl, as), unknown (as), 2 unknown (ts), unknown (p), unknown (g), unknown (b), unknown (d) plus 3 strings.
LA, October 15, 1943
80-A-1 G.I. Jive Cap 141

(D) with Paul Weston and his Orchestra: 3 unknown (tp), 2 unknown (tb), poss. Heinie Beau, poss. Matty Matlock, unknown (cl), poss. Eddie Miller (ts), unknown (p), unknown (g), unknown (b), unknown (d) plus 3 strings.
LA, October 22, 1943
92-A Dixieland Band Cap 10004

(E) with The Pied Pipers (Jo Stafford, Clarke Yocum, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry) and Paul Weston and his Orchestra: 3 unknown (tp), 2 unknown (tb), poss. Heinie Beau, poss. Matty Matlock (cl, as), unknown (cl), poss. Eddie Miller (ts), unknown (p), unknown (g), unknown (b), unknown (d) plus 3 strings.
LA, November 12, 1943
103-A Jamboree Jones Cap 10004

(F) with The Barries (Lee, Sharon and Linda Barrie) and Paul Weston and his Orchestra: Don Anderson, Bob Goodrich, Billy May (tp), Ed Kusby, Allan Thompson (tb), Doc Rando, Arch Rosate (cl, as), Eddie Miller (cl, ts), Mort Friedman (ts), Charles LaVere (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Artie Shapiro (b), John Cyr (d).
LA, January 22, 1944
193-A San Fernando Valley Cap 150
194-B Someone's In The Kitchen With Dinah -

(G) with Wingy Manone's Dixieland Band: Wingy Manone (tp, vcl), Jack Flores, Floyd O'Brien, Abe Lincoln (tb), Matty Matlock (cl), Stan Wrightsman (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Phil Stephens (b), Zutty Singleton (d).
LA, March 7, 1944
215-3 The Tailgate Ramble Cap 15285

(H) with Eddie Miller and his Orchestra: poss. Donald Anderson, Bruce Hudson, Clyde Hurley (tp), Abe Lincoln, Allan Thompson (tb), Fred Stulce, Doc Rando (cl, as), Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller (ts), Clyde Rogers (bari), Stan Wrightsman (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Artie Shapiro (b), Nick Fatool (d).
LA, March 11, 1944 (first session)
234-4 (Love's Got Me In A) Lazy Mood Cap 1514

(I) with Paul Weston and his Orchestra: possibly same personnel as session (H).
LA, March 11, 1944 (second session)
237-1-A Duration Blues Cap 164

(J) with King Guion and his Orchestra: Paul Earl Geil, Charlie Griffard, Billy May, John Enos Silva (tp), Bill Atkinson, Burt Johnson, Dale Nichols, Jim Skiles (tb), Clyde Hylton, Les Robinson (as), King Guion, Karl Leaf (ts), Wes Cheever (bari), Ted Repay (p), Barney Kessel (g), Stan Fletcher (b), Mel Tormé (d).
LA, June 21, 1944
260-2-A Sam's Got Him Cap 164

(K) with Billy Butterfield and his Orchestra: Billy Butterfield, Andy Ferretti, Chris Griffin (tp), Will Bradley, Cutty Cutshall or Ward Silloway (tb), Matty Matlock, Bill Stegmeyer (as), Eddie Miller, Arthur Rollini (ts), Ernie Caceres (bari), Johnny Guarnieri (p), Carl Kress (g), Bob Haggart (b), Nick Fatool (d).
NYC, September 20, 1944
293-3A-1 It Ain't Necessarily So Cap 20027
296-1 Evelina previously unissued

(L) with The Pied Pipers (June Hutton, Clarke Yocum, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry) -1 and Paul Weston and his Orchestra: Donald Anderson, Ray Linn, Nate Kazebier (tp), Allan Thompson, Burt Johnson (tb), Fred Stulce, Doc Rando (as), Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller (ts), Harry Schuchman (bari), Stan Wrightsman (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Jack Ryan (b), Nick Fatool (d), plus 6 strings.
LA, October 4, 1944
401-1-A I'm Gonna See My Baby Cap 183
402-3-A Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive -1 Cap 180

Note: Some of the reeds double on clarinet.

(M) with The Pied Pipers (June Hutton, Clarke Yocum, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry) and Paul Weston and his Orchestra: Donald Anderson, John Martell, Nate Kazebier (tp), Allan Thompson, Burt Johnson (tb), Fred Stulce, Doc Rando (as), Matty Matlock, Don Lodice (ts), Harry Schuchman (bari), Stan Wrightsman (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Jack Ryan (b), Nick Fatool (d), plus 6 strings.
LA, November 22, 1944
485-3-A Camptown Races Cap 217

(N) with Jo Stafford and Paul Weston and his Orchestra: Donald Anderson, Charlie Griffard, Billy May (tp), Allan Thompson, Burt Johnson (tb), Fred Stulce, Doc Rando (as), Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller (ts), Harry Schuchman (bari), Stan Wrightsman (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Jack Ryan (b), Nick Fatool (d).
LA, December 13, 1944
519-1A Mrs. Wiggs Of The Cabbage Patch previously unissued

(O) with Paul Weston and his Orchestra: Bruce Hudson, Charlie Griffard, Billy May, Uan Rasey (tp), Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, Elmer Smithers (tb), Fred Stulce, Hap Lawson (as), Matty Matlock (cl, ts), Don Lodice (ts), Harry Schuchman (bari), Stan Wrightsman (p), Dave Barbour (g), Jack Ryan (b), Nick Fatool (d).
LA, August 9, 1945
753-3-A Surprise Party Cap 217

(P) with The Pied Pipers (June Hutton, Clarke Yocum, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry) and Paul Weston and his Orchestra: Bruce Hudson, Charlie Griffard, Ray Woods (tp), Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer (tb), Fred Stulce, Matty Matlock (cl, as), Herbie Haymer, Lenny Hartman (ts), Harry Schuchman (bari), Charles LaVere (p), George Van Eps (g), Manny Stein (b), Nick Fatool (d), plus 6 strings.
LA, September 27, 1945
759-2 If I Knew Then Cap 230

(Q) with Paul Weston and his Orchestra: Bruce Hudson, Charlie Griffard, Ray Woods, Mannie Klein (tp), Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, Carl Loeffler (tb), Fred Stulce, Hap Lawson, Matty Matlock, Artie Quenzer, Lenny Hartman (reeds), Charles LaVere (p), George Van Eps (g), Jack Ryan (b), Nick Fatool (d), plu

Label

MOSAIC SELECTS

Artist:

JOHNNY MERCER

Format:

Label code:

MS-028

Number of discs:

Recording:

Title:

MOSAIC SELECT: JOHNNY MERCER 1942-47

Colaborations:

JACK TEAGARDEN, COOTIE WILLIAMS, BILLY BUTERFIELD, EDDIE MILLER, PAUL WESTON, KING COLE TRIO, PIED PIPERS

Price

37.18 €