SIDNEY BECHET – Four Classic Albums (Favourites (Favorites) / Sidney Bechet – Claude Luter Vol 1 / Sidney Bechet – Claude Luter Vol 2 / Souvenirs) (2 CDs) AVID

AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic album series with a re-mastered 2CD release by Sidney Bechet, complete with original artwork and liner notes.
“Favourites”; “Sidney Bechet with Claude Luter Et Son Orchestre – Vol 1”; “Sidney Bechet with Claude Lute Et Son Orchestre – Vol 2“ and “Souvenirs”
As jazz legends go, they don’t come much bigger than the master clarinettist and soprano saxophonist, Sidney Bechet. Bechet’s story is, of course, well known to all jazz fans, born in New Orleans, recording with Clarence Williams in 1923, even before the great Louis Armstrong, playing with all the greats of the 1930’s and 40’s including Freddie Keppard, Bunk Johnson and King Oliver. Arrested in the UK for assault, returned to the States, left again for a world tour which included Russia before settling in France (where he also served 11 months for assault). And all the while making outstanding music and largely on his own, often very forceful terms. Our four albums feature Bechet performing in Paris, France in the 1940’s and early 1950’s for the French record label Vogue. Bechet remained in France, where he had become a huge star, for the rest of his life and died there in 1959.

CD1
1-8: ‘Favourites’
1. Bechet’s Creole Blues
2. Les Oignons
3. Mon Homme
4. Moustache Gauloise
5. Cé Mossieu Qui Parlé
6. Ridin Easy Blues
7. Buddy Bolden Story
8. Panther Dance
Bonus Tracks
9. Anita’s Birthday (Bonus Track)
10. Blues In Paris (Bonus Track)
11. Les Oignons (alternative take -1)
12. Panther Dance (alternative take -1)
13. Blues In Paris (alternative take -1)
14-21: ‘Sidney Bechet with Claude Luter Et Son Orchestre – Vol 1’
14. Wolverine Blues
15. En Attendant Le Jour
16. In The Groove
17. Society Blues
18. Promenade Aux Champs-Elysées
19. Egyptian Fantasy
20. Blues In The Cave
21. Royal Garden Blues
22. En Attendant Le Jour (alternative take -1)
23. En Attendant Le Jour (alternative take -2)
24. In The Groove (alternative take -1)
25. Promenade Aux Champs-Elysées (alternative take -1)

CD2
1-8: ‘Sidney Bechet with Claude Luter Et Son Orchestre – Vol 2’
1. Moulin A Café
2. Careless Love
3. Lastic
4. Blues In My Heart
5. Won’t You Come Home, Bill Bailey
6. Francis Blues
7. Madame Bécassine
8. Maryland, My Maryland
Bonus tracks
9. Casey Jones (Bonus track)
10. Down Home Rag (Bonus track)
11. Moulin A Café (alternative take -1)
12. Francis Blues (alternative take -1)
13. Casey Jones (alternative take -2)
14. Down Home Rag (alternative take -2)
15-22: ‘Souvenirs’
15. Kansas City Man Blues
16. Of All The Wrongs You’ve Done To Me
17. Apex Blues
18. Together
19. Mets Ton Vieux Bonnett Gris
20. Sleepy Time Gal
21. Darling Nelly Gray
22. Sidney’s Wedding Day