Search - Charlie Singleton :: 1949-1953

Charlie Singleton

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 05/02/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
Charlie Singleton established himself in the NYC area as a first-rate r&b saxophonist and band leader. He made a number of records for mostly obscure NY-based labels such as Star, Saturn, and Atlas. This CD collects his first 24 sides in chronological order.



It's a fact that many of the players who went on to make excellent careers for themselves in the modern jazz field in the 1950s got their starts with r&b groups such as Singleton's. On this CD, sprinkled throughout the tracks, we see such names as Lou Donaldson, Ray Copeland, Jackie McLean, Herbie Nichols, Charlie Rouse, even Lucky Thompson on one session - all musicians who would go on to make big names for themselves (Lucky was already a big deal). Yet Charlie was stingy when it came to allowing others to have a taste of the solo spotlight: he just never allowed it, at least not on record; he's the only soloist. Except on one track (possibly 2 others), and this track, BROADWAY BEAT, made in 1953 on his tenth session, is the best by far on the disc. EVERYONE solos, including Jesse Drakes (tp) (who was recording frequently with Lester Young at the same time on 52nd Street), Donaldson (as), Buster Cooper (tb) and Charlie Rouse (bar), and it's a breath of fresh air. Ram Ramirez gets a taste on organ on THE BOARD WALK, and it looks as if Big John Greer is the tenor sax soloist on GONE WITH THE WIND and BLOW MR. SINGLETON, but that's only because Singleton is listed as playing alto; actually, I think he's playing tenor and doing all the solo work (sorry Big John).



Perhaps I'm making too much of a big deal about this, but it's a shame and many a wasted opportunity to add variety of a substantial quality. Not that Singleton is not worth his salt - he's an excellent blues player (not so hot a singer, however, though he does this only once) and mixes things up nicely between up-tempo boogie blues and slow, down-home pieces. He's not a screamin' wailer like Jimmy Wynn or Red Prysock. Some tracks such as JIVIN' WITH DR. JIVE could easily compete with small-group jazz performances led by the likes of Red Allen or Lips Page any day. Singleton is a classy guy. I want to give this disc 5 stars, it's that good, but have to subtract one for Charlie's refusal to give his bandmates some solo space."