Baby Dodds
Talking and Drum Solos (1946)
Atavistic
I seem to have become the “WTF” reviewer here at Ink 19. Anything that ends up in the corner, unloved and strange, some wag tosses it in an envelope and ships to me. And it’s frankly amazing what sorta stuff is out there. And I mean “out there.” Take this record, for example. Warren “Baby” Dodds was a notable jazz drummer in the early days, and the bulk of this CD is a reissue of a 1946 Folkways release that features Baby playing drums and talking about drumming.
Yup, eight tracks, including the dance smash “Tom Tom Workout” and the classic “Spooky Drums No. 1,” which is a hit at parties, or so I hear. Actually, this is a rather interesting look at the art of drumming, although multiple listens might be more than most can bear. The bulk of the disc is made up of brass bands from the south in the mid-‘50’s. Great stuff that provides a vital link from “jass” music to jazz.
Part of John Corbett’s “Unheard Music” series, this is interesting stuff, in a strange sort of way. Other releases include Sun Ra, George Gruntz’s Mental Cruelty and the Peter Brotzmann Groups’ More Nipples. Why am I sure these will end up in my mailbox soon enough? Well, it sure beats the squeals of cooking rabbits, which is what most major labels are releasing, near as I can tell. Talking about drumming, or jiggle pop? You pick. I know what I’m choosing.
Atavistic: http://www.atavistic.com
