Dependable all-purpose blues and boogie-woogie piano ace
Lloyd Glenn was born in San Antonio, TX, in 1909. He developed his musical abilities by gigging throughout the Southwest during the 1920s and early '30s. During his extensive early jazz training he gigged with Thomas Lee's Royal Aces, the Deluxe Melody Boys, Millard McNeal's Melody Boys, Terence "Tee" Holder,
Boots & His Buddies, and
Nat Towles before making his first appearance on record with
Don Albert's Orchestra in 1934.
Glenn served the
Albert band as pianist and arranger until 1937, moved to California in 1941, and landed in Los Angeles for keeps in 1945. He soon became an active component in the West Coast jump blues scene, working alongside
Red Mack,
Henry Hayes, guitarist
Gene Phillips, and, in 1947, the amazing
T-Bone Walker. This outstanding compilation is the first installment in the complete Classics
Lloyd Glenn chronology. It opens with the first recordings he made under his own name. Released on the Imperial label as by
Lloyd Glenn & His Joymakers, these eight studies in blues and boogie-woogie were recorded during December of 1947 with a rhythm section that included the aforementioned
Gene Phillips and a tough front line of trumpeter
Jake Porter and saxophonists
Gene Porter and
Marshall Royal. Half of these titles featured sanguine vocals by
Geraldine Carter. The instrumentals are outstanding. "Boogiology" has a locomotive quality that quickens the pulse.
Glenn's only recordings as a leader during the year 1948 were both steamers featuring wild tenor saxophonist
Maxwell Davis. "New Flying Home," a sequel to the hit record by
Lionel Hampton and
Arnett Cobb, was released on the RPM label with a live recording of "Jumpin' with Lloyd," a tasty example of rockin' West Coast jump blues accompanied by cheers from the audience, on the flip side.
Glenn's 1949 debut recording for the Swing Time label, the ruminative "Levee Blues," features
Gene Phillips, who seems to have been using a steel guitar on this occasion. Soon
Lloyd Glenn was working as A&R director for Swing Time, and by November 1950 he was able to produce his own very cool jazzy trio session, wonderfully seasoned at times with conga drumming by
Earl Burton. During the marvelously laid-back "Old Time Shuffle,"
Glenn even invokes the spirit of
Fats Waller with a lick from that pianist's 1929 recording of "Harlem Fuss." An elegant closer for this superb album of 19 vintage recordings, highly recommended for romping, relaxing, and grooving out.