Critic's Review
arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide
The second volume in the Classics Julia Lee chronology gathers together 24 of her Capitol recordings made during the summer and autumn of 1947. Her material ranged from snappy barrelhouse novelty jump blues like "Snatch and Grab It," "King Size Papa," and Cow Cow Davenport's "Mama Don't Allow" through lazy wistful ballads and harmless pop tunes to full-fathom blues rituals like Lovie Austin's "Bleeding Hearted Blues" and Ida Cox's "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out." Julia Lee's take on "The Curse of an Aching Heart" is every bit as substantial as Fats Waller's. In addition to her warm voice and facile piano playing, what makes this compilation exceptionally satisfying is the presence of so many gifted jazz musicians. Kansas City's master drummer Baby Lovett is present throughout, with solid support from scintillating xylophonist Red Norvo and bassist Red Callender. The front-line horns are equally impressive: trumpeters Ernie Royal, Bobby Sherwood, and Geechie Smith; cornetist Red Nichols; trombonist Vic Dickenson; and saxophonists Benny Carter and Dave Cavanaugh. This perfectly illustrates the essential role played by seasoned jazz musicians in the development of R&B during the late '40s. Red Norvo's xylophone solos add an unusual dimension to Julia Lee's very accessible jump music.
