Fletcher Henderson

[mmilovan]

I found my favourite track with Fletcher Henderson on "Ken Burns Jazz" sempler: "Hotter Then Hell" (1934) - later it became "Yeah Man".

It is clean swing music just right before its official start.

[mjzee]

The best-sounding Henderson is to be found on the following CDs (representing only a fraction of his output unfortunately):

-Yeah Man! Hep CD1016 (1931-33 Brunswick/Columbia)

-Wild Party! Hep CD1009 or Tidal Wave GRP 16432 (both cover the 1934 Deccas)

-The Indispensable Fletcher Henderson RCA Jazz Tribune 73421226182 (most Victor recordings from the 1927-36 period)

-Louis with Fletcher Henderson (1924-25) 3-CD set Forte F-38001/2/3

-The Harmony and Vocalion Sessions vol. 1 (1925-26) Timeless 1064

-The Harmony and Vocalion Sessions vol. 2 (1927-28) Timeless 1069

Is this still the most comprehensive list of the best-sounding FH recordings, or have some better ones come out since 2004?

[mikeweil]

I have the 4 LP box A Study in Frustration and wonder why Fletcher Henderson hasn't received the Mosiac treatment - is he on their project list?

[Chuck Nessa]

Too many labels and too much music for them to do a sensible set. The Classics and Neatworks take up 19 cds.

[mikeweil]

Oh - I understand. I wasn't aware there was so much music ...

[Stereojack]

Oh - I understand. I wasn't aware there was so much music ...

The forthcoming Mosaic Coleman Hawkins set will contain a lot of Henderson, since Hawkins was principal soloist in the band for over a decade.

[J.A.W.]

I have the 4 LP box A Study in Frustration and wonder why Fletcher Henderson hasn't received the Mosiac treatment - is he on their project list?

Too many labels and too much music for them to do a sensible set.

The forthcoming Mosaic Coleman Hawkins set will contain a lot of Henderson, since Hawkins was principal soloist in the band for over a decade.

Mosaic were planning a big Fletcher Henderson set with his Columbia and RCA Victor sides, but it has been put on the back burner. I guess the upcoming Coleman Hawkins set can be regarded as a kind of substitute.

[mattes]

Fletcher Henderson A Study In Frustration http://www.amazon.com/Study-Frustration-Fletcher-Henderson/dp/B0056BMV6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329445866&sr=8-2

This set has a lot of tracks that I don't see anywhere else. Not on the Timeless, Hep, or upcoming Coleman Hawkins Mosaic.

[J.A.W.]

Fletcher Henderson A Study In Frustration http://www.amazon.com/Study-Frustration-Fletcher-Henderson/dp/B0056BMV6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329445866&sr=8-2

This set has a lot of tracks that I don't see anywhere else. Not on the Timeless, Hep, or upcoming Coleman Hawkins Mosaic.

Unfortunately the original Columbia CD box sounds as if heavy noise reduction was applied, it killed the music.

[edited to clarify which box I was talking about]

Edited February 17, 2012 by J.A.W.

[mattes]

Fletcher Henderson A Study In Frustration http://www.amazon.com/Study-Frustration-Fletcher-Henderson/dp/B0056BMV6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329445866&sr=8-2

This set has a lot of tracks that I don't see anywhere else. Not on the Timeless, Hep, or upcoming Coleman Hawkins Mosaic.

Unfortunately that box sounds as if heavy noise reduction was applied, it killed the music.

Yeah, it's a little shocking at first, but with time it seems Ok and I'm enjoying the music. I count between 20-30 tracks on this set that aren't on other available sets.

[jazzbo]

Were they on the original Columbia cd version?

[Big Beat Steve]

Fletcher Henderson A Study In Frustration http://www.amazon.com/Study-Frustration-Fletcher-Henderson/dp/B0056BMV6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329445866&sr=8-2

This set has a lot of tracks that I don't see anywhere else. Not on the Timeless, Hep, or upcoming Coleman Hawkins Mosaic.

Unfortunately that box sounds as if heavy noise reduction was applied, it killed the music.

I don't find the vinyl set THAT bad.

With 20s/30s recordings a lot of it always is a fine line between not doing enough and overdoing it, and not everyone is a John R.T. Davies who managed to strike the right balance, but overall I find this package VERY listenable.

[J.A.W.]

Fletcher Henderson A Study In Frustration http://www.amazon.com/Study-Frustration-Fletcher-Henderson/dp/B0056BMV6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329445866&sr=8-2

This set has a lot of tracks that I don't see anywhere else. Not on the Timeless, Hep, or upcoming Coleman Hawkins Mosaic.

Unfortunately that box sounds as if heavy noise reduction was applied, it killed the music.

I don't find the vinyl set THAT bad.

With 20s/30s recordings a lot of it always is a fine line between not doing enough and overdoing it, and not everyone is a John R.T. Davies who managed to strike the right balance, but overall I find this package VERY listenable.

I was talking about digital noise reduction on the Columbia CD box that came out in 1994, not the earlier LP set - I edited my earlier post accordingly. The link above shows a release by one of the European public-domain labels.

Fletcher Henderson A Study In Frustration http://www.amazon.com/Study-Frustration-Fletcher-Henderson/dp/B0056BMV6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329445866&sr=8-2

This set has a lot of tracks that I don't see anywhere else. Not on the Timeless, Hep, or upcoming Coleman Hawkins Mosaic.

Unfortunately that box sounds as if heavy noise reduction was applied, it killed the music.

Yeah, it's a little shocking at first, but with time it seems Ok and I'm enjoying the music. I count between 20-30 tracks on this set that aren't on other available sets.

I didn't make clear that I meant the original Columbia CD box. I edited my post accordingly. You were linking to a release by a European public-domain label. Sorry for the confusion.

Edited February 17, 2012 by J.A.W.

[AllenLowe]

I actually think it's not a digital noise reduction thing on the CD but bad eq - ing. If I can find my box I'll see if it can be boosted - but basically if you raise the treble and you hear a non-distorted change, it's just bad post-production engineering, which is/was common for Columbia/Sony.

[J.A.W.]

I actually think it's not a digital noise reduction thing on the CD but bad eq - ing. If I can find my box I'll see if it can be boosted - but basically if you raise the treble and you hear a non-distorted change, it's just bad post-production engineering, which is/was common for Columbia/Sony.

Could be. I sold my 1994 CD box a long time ago, so I can't check if there are any artefacts that point to digital noise reduction.

[fasstrack]

Does anyone know anything about Nat Leslie---who wrote Radio Rhythm for Fletcher's band? I asked some people like Dan Morgenstern, but was able to find out little. Maybe it's b/c little is known. But I thought I'd try again. That is a helluva piece.

[MomsMobley]

fletcher henderson "hotter than 'ell"

Edited December 7, 2014 by MomsMobley