Search - Seger Ellis :: Jazz in a Sentimental Mood

Excellent crooner!

"Gimpy" Peach Johnson | 01/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Seger Ellis began his professional music career in his native Texas as a jazz pianist playing with local dance bands. He was discovered by talent scouts from Victor on a recording field trip to Houston in early 1925 and made several test sides as a soloist (which were rejected, but later re-made and issued). Encouraged by the positive response to his records, he moved to New York to pursue a solo career. Once there, record executives at OKeh discovered that he also possessed a pleasant "crooning" voice and they engaged him to make records that sounded somewhat like those of Gene Austin, Art Gilham, and Nick Lucas. However, Ellis's recordings have the added benefit of OKeh's superior recording system and all-star jazz musicians for accompaniment. Just a few of the sidemen on this disc: Louis Armstrong, Eddie Lang, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Joe Venuti, Rube Bloom, Phil Napoleon, Manny Klein, Muggsy Spanier, Hoagy Carmichael, George Hamilton Green, Arthur Schutt, Carl Kress, and Andy Sannella. Most of the recordings feature a small combo of three to five backing musicians, and in all cases they work so well together! This is gently swinging "sweet" jazz--but jazz all the same! Ellis was quite popular in the late 1920s, but unfortunately, his recordings have been rather neglected in the years since. Many thanks to the late George Morrow of The Old Masters for resurrecting these 26 sides. There are some great tunes in here: "Sweet Sue," "Mean To Me," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Cheerful Little Earful,"--heck, they're all great! Perhaps my favorite on the disc is the haunting and beautiful "Nobody But You." The remastered sound is very nice, and the booklet features a complete discography for the included selections and lengthy (and informative) notes by Allan Dodge. This is an excellent CD--one I play often--and I'm surprised no one else has reviewed it yet. I have all of the thirty-some CDs issued by the Old Masters label, and it's safe to say that this is one of my favorites. If you like early '30s Bing Crosby, Russ Columbo, Gene Austin, check it out! You won't be disappointed. Ellis's voice may not be quite on par with Crosby or Columbo, but I find it very pleasant and the tasteful jazz accompaniments just add to the charm. Highly recommended!"