One of the 20th century's great underappreciated trumpeters, Frank Newton should be recognized and honored among his contemporaries Henry Red Allen, Herman Autrey, Buck Clayton, Bill Coleman, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Shavers, Rex Stewart, and Cootie Williams. Of the nine musicians mentioned thus far, Newton had the shortest life span, and official disapproval of his political activism made work scarce during his final years which coincided with what is remembered as the McCarthy Era. In 2003 Jasmine Records released a double ...
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One of the 20th century's great underappreciated trumpeters, Frank Newton should be recognized and honored among his contemporaries Henry Red Allen, Herman Autrey, Buck Clayton, Bill Coleman, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Shavers, Rex Stewart, and Cootie Williams. Of the nine musicians mentioned thus far, Newton had the shortest life span, and official disapproval of his political activism made work scarce during his final years which coincided with what is remembered as the McCarthy Era. In 2003 Jasmine Records released a double-disc compilation entitled Frank Newton: The Story of a Forgotten Jazz Trumpeter. This superbly constructed portrait album compensated for nearly a half-a-century of relative neglect by bringing forward 50 examples of his work as sideman and leader dating from the years 1929-1944. The chronology opens with two performances by Cecil Scott's Bright Boys, a hot jazz band that originated in Springfield, OH, and included in its lineup trombonist and future Basie bandsman Dicky Wells. Newton is heard in a group backing Bessie Smith; with swing bands led by tenor saxophonist Art Karle and clarinetist Mezz Mezzrow; with Teddy Hill's NBC Orchestra, and at the helm of his own hot little unit which was sometimes billed as his Uptown Serenaders. He is caught sitting in with Charlie Barnet's Orchestra, with Willie the Lion Smith & His Cubs, with clarinetist Buster Bailey's Rhythm Busters and in ensembles accompanying vocalists Midge Williams and Maxine Sullivan. In addition to several sides played by Newton's band which were included in his portion of the Classics Chronological Series but are otherwise quite rare, this collection includes Newton's groundbreaking work with Sidney Bechet and the Port of Harlem Jazzmen, literally the first ensemble ever to be recorded by Blue Note, and his historic Commodore collaboration with Billie Holiday, the human rights protest song "Strange Fruit." This unprecedented survey of Newton's career ends with three solid offerings by Buck Ram's All Stars, a swing-to-bop band that recorded for Savoy in 1944. ~ arwulf arwulf, Rovi
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