Fletcher Henderson: Variety Stomp

Woefully under-sung today, visionary Fletcher Henderson set the pace for big-band arranging and sound from the 1920s onward. This chart is head and shoulders above most other jazz being made in 1927, painted in a sophisticated palette of minor-key drama. The use of dynamics and humor is a hallmark of Hendersons style. The solos by Smith and Bailey are appropriately bubbly, and dig Kaiser Marshalls cymbal punctuations! One of the finest bands of the 20s, bar none, and the track's sound quality is pretty decent.