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The Bix Centennial All Stars: Celebrating Bix!

By Jack Bowers
September 14, 2023
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The Bix Centennial All Stars: Celebrating Bix!

Here's a new album by the Bix Centennial All Stars honoring the legacy of the renowned cornetist

Bix Beiderbecke

cornet
1903 - 1931

" data-original-title="" title="">Bix Beiderbecke. Sort of. Actually, most of the music on Celebrating Bix! was recorded and released in March 2003, the actual centenary of Beiderbecke's birth in Davenport, Iowa. This expanded twentieth anniversary edition includes a trio of songs not released at that time owing to limited space, and has been reissued on two CDs instead of one.

Having said that, it makes not a whit of difference if the music performed here is one hundred or one hundred-twenty years old, as it easily withstands the test of time. In other words, early-jazz enthusiasts who were unable to "celebrate Bix" the first time around are in for a delectable treat. One reason is that the songs themselves are consistently spirited and charming, faithfully exemplifying an era marked by freshness and change; another is that the Centennial All Stars are no less than that, and handily live up to the name.

Speaking of names, the ensemble includes such neo-swing mainstays as cornetists

Jon-Erik Kellso

cornet
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon-Erik Kellso,

Randy Reinhart

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Randy Reinhart and

Randy Sandke

trumpet
b.1949

" data-original-title="" title="">Randy Sandke; saxophonists

Scott Robinson

saxophone, tenor
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Robinson and

Vince Giordano

composer / conductor
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Vince Giordano (who doubles on bass); trombonist

Dan Barrett

trumpet
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Dan Barrett, clarinetist (and reissue producer)

Dan Levinson

clarinet

" data-original-title="" title="">Dan Levinson, pianists

Dick Hyman

piano
b.1927

" data-original-title="" title="">Dick Hyman and

Mark Shane

piano and vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Shane, guitarist

Howard Alden

guitar and vocals
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Howard Alden and drummer

Joe Ascione

drums
1961 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Ascione. As time must have its way, some of those associated with the earlier album—including Ascione and arranger

Peter Ecklund

trumpet
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Ecklund (whose charts are superb)—have left to join Beiderbecke in that all-star orchestra in the sky.

Although Beiderbecke's career as a professional musician lasted scarcely half a dozen years (he died at age thirty-one), the cornet maestro performed and recorded a number of memorable themes that are still played and appreciated today, songs like "Davenport Blues," "Riverboat Shuffle," "I'm Coming Virginia," "China Boy," "Singin' the Blues," "Lonely Melody" and "'Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," all of which are included here. "China Boy" is one of three songs added to the reissue; the others are "Just an Hour of Love" and saxophonist

Frankie Trumbauer

saxophone
1901 - 1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Frankie Trumbauer's buoyantly swinging "Trumbology."

There are two vocals on Disc 1, both by

Barbara Rosene

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Barbara Rosene, on "Proud (Of a Baby Like You)" and "I'm Coming Virginia." Rosene is heard again on Disc 2, on "Just an Hour of Love," while

James Langton

vocals
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">James Langton sings on "From Monday On" and "Deep Down South," the Manhattan Rhythm Kings (Marc Kessler, Brian Nalepka, Hal Shane) on "Borneo" and "San." The album's splendid booklet includes informative notes on the album and its music by Sandke and Levinson; on Beiderbecke's life by Chip Deffaa; and on marking his centennial by the original album's co-producers—Levinson, Doug LaPasta and David White.

As Deffaa points out in his notes, Bix Beiderbecke considered himself a failure, and felt that he and his music would soon be forgotten. As it turns out, he was a far better musician than prophet. More than a century after his death, his music lives on, wonderfully reimagined and revitalized here by the Bix Centennial All Stars in this exemplary reissue.

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Track Listing

At the Jazz Band Ball; Proud (Of a Baby Like You); Deep Harlem; Riverboat Shuffle; Davenport Blues; The Jazz Me Blues; Blue River; I Need Some Pettin��; I��m Coming Virginia; Lonely Melody; Clementine (from New Orleans); Trumbology; From Monday On; Singin�� the Blues (Till My Daddy Comes Home); There��ll Come a Time (Wait and See); China Boy; Just an Hour of Love; Borneo; Clarinet Marmalade; ��Way Down Yonder in New Orleans; San; Deep Down South.

Personnel

Jon-Erik Kellso

cornet

Randy Reinhart

trombone

Randy Sandke

trumpet

Dan Barrett

trumpet

Harvey Tibbs

trombone

Dan Levinson

clarinet

Pete Martinez

clarinet

Scott Robinson

saxophone, tenor

Jack Stuckey

saxophone, alto

Dick Hyman

piano

Mark Shane

piano and vocals

Howard Alden

guitar and vocals

Matt Munisteri

guitar

Greg Cohen

bass, acoustic

Vince Giordano

composer / conductor

Joe Ascione

drums

James Langton

vocals

Barbara Rosene

vocals

Additional Instrumentation

Jon-Erik Kellso, Randy Reinhart, Randy Sandke: cornet; Dan Barrett: trombone, cornet; Harvey Tibbs: trombone; Dan Levinson: clarinet, alto, C-melody sax; Pete Martinez: clarinet, C-melody sax; Scott Robinson: clarinet, tenor, C-melody sax; Jack Stuckey: clarinet, alto sax; Mark Shane, Dick Hyman (11): piano; Howard Alden, Matt Munisteri: guitar; Greg Cohen: bass; Vince Giordano: bass, bass sax; Joe Ascione: drums; James Langton, Barbara Rosene, the Manhattan Rhythm Kings (Marc Kessler, Brian Nalepka, Hal Shane): vocals.

Album information

Title: Celebrating Bix! | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Turtle Bay Records

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