Featured Album

Western Swing Chronicles, Vol. 3

RELEASE
March 16, 2004
LABEL
Original Jazz
GENRES
Country, Western Swing

Album Review

Ocie Stockard was the banjoist with Milton Brown's Brownies, a pioneering Western swing band. After Brown died in a car accident, the remains of his band fell apart. Some of the members regrouped under Stockard's leadership, and in 1937 they had a marathon recording session that resulted in 14 titles. The music was quite jazz and swing-oriented, without neglecting its country roots. A part-time trumpeter, Harry Palmer, who worked normally as a grocer at the time, is one of the solo stars on what would be his only recording date. Also quite prominent are the fiddles of Johnny Borowski and Buck Buchanan. While Stockard takes the majority of the vocals, four other musicians also have their chances to sing. The tunes, which include "There'll Be Some Changes Made," "How Come You Do Me Like You Do," "Just Blues," and "Bring It On Down to My House" among the high points, are joyful and swinging, with the fiddles sometimes purposely taking ideas from Joe Venuti. Also on this definitive CD are Stockard's two other sessions as a leader: six titles from 1941 and four from 1946. These are more country-oriented (the trumpet is gone) but still strongly influenced by swing. The lengthy and informative liner notes by producer Cary Ginell add to the value of this perfectly conceived reissue. Highly recommended.
Scott Yanow, Rovi

Track Listing

  1. There'll Be Some Changes Made
  2. Turn Your Lights Down Low
  3. Why Shouldn't I?
  4. How Come?
  5. Black and Blues
  6. Ain't Nobody Truck Like You
  7. What's the Matter?
  8. Just Blues
  9. Long Ago
  10. Same Thing All the Time
  11. One of Us Was Wrong
  12. To My House
  13. Wabash Blues
  14. Please Sing for Me
  15. Bass Man Jive
  16. Darling Little Memories
  17. Jitterbug Katy
  18. You've Got Me There
  19. Nickel in the Kitty
  20. You Are My Sunshine
  21. Twin Guitar Polka
  22. O.P.A. Blues
  23. Cowtown Boogie
  24. Nobody Cares