This segment of the
Earl Hines chronology finds the pianist leading smaller ensembles rather than the big band for which he had become famous throughout the 1930s and early '40s. Back in Chicago during December of 1947,
Hines cut a handful of sides for the diminutive Sunrise record label. "Blues for Garroway" features the electrified guitar of
Skeeter Best and
Morris Lane's smooth tenor sax. "Honeysuckle Rose" is rendered by the interesting combination of organ, piano, sax, and violin, almost like gentle salon or chamber music. That's
Eddie South on the fiddle, and
Hines plays what sounds like an upright piano. "Dark Eyes" spotlights the viol with bass and piano accompaniment.
Hines spent the last day of 1947 making six more records for Sunrise. The pianist sings a spruced-up version of "Sheik of Araby," proudly referring to himself as "streamlined" and quoting from "I'se A-Muggin'" as a lead-in to a duet with
Wini Brown. The next three tracks have bluesy vocals by trumpeter
Duke Garrette, but the most interesting components are
Eddie South, alto saxophonist
Bobby Plater, and young bassist
Charles Mingus, whose solo on the "No Good Woman Blues" is tasty.
Mr. Ming also mingles with
the Earl behind rockin' vocals by
Wini Brown and the band on "Bama Lama-Lam," a jump tune spiced with
Garrette's trumpet and the baritone sax of
Charlie Fowlkes. The rolling "Spooky Boogie" might be the coolest tune in the whole package, as all four horns,
Mingus, and
South each really strut their stuff. These last two titles were issued under the name of
Curley Hamner & His Orchestra, although why
Hamner -- also listed in discographies as
Hamer and
Hammer -- was designated as the leader is anybody's guess. If the Classics chronology is accurate,
Earl Hines wasn't able to record again until December of the following year, this time for the MGM label in New York.
Hines' "
Swingtette" consisted of himself, guitarist
Floyd Smith, bassist
Arvell Shaw, and percussionist supreme
Sidney Catlett. "Lazy Mornin'" is a very slow essay made of lovely tones, and the other three tunes sizzle merrily.
Hines' next recording gig was in Paris on November 4, 1949, waxing eight sides for the Royal Jazz label. Forming a trio with
Arvell Shaw and
Wallace Bishop,
Hines produced a lovely version of his own composition "I Never Dreamt," then augmented a lively number called "Snappy Rhythm" with actual finger snaps and some wild arpeggios spanning several octaves up and down the piano keyboard. Adding
Buck Clayton and
Barney Bigard on the same date,
Hines now had a quintet with which to relax and cook up a series of fresh interpretations of old-fashioned melodies, along with "Night Life in Pompeii," a minor dance that seems to have been created especially for the marvelous clarinet artistry of
Barney Bigard.