Hal Smith’s Jazzologists • I Scream, You Scream, Everybody Wants Ice Cream

Have you noticed how, these days, even the movie trailers have trailers? When you tap the preview for an upcoming Hollywood blockbuster, you now get about ten seconds of hastily mashed-together action shots before a message informing you that you’re about to watch the trailer for that picture. Like, I know—I just clicked it. That nonsense drives me mad. Hal Smith would have no time for that nonsense either, judging by his latest disc I Scream, You Scream, Everybody Wants Ice Cream. This record doesn’t mess about, launching headlong into a rollicking rendition of Harry Warren’s “One Sweet Letter From You” the moment you press play. First waxed by Annette Hanshaw in 1926, Smith’s version eschews her extended intro and dives right into the chorus à la Bunk Johnson, who recorded it in 1945. Without the limit of a short shellac side, Smith and co spin it out for almost seven minutes, so beware if you impulsively get up and dance to it—and believe me, you will want to. Veteran drummer Smith turned pro in 1978 and has been immersed in studying, teaching, performing, and producing trad for five decades. The Arkansas-based bandleader—who also backs the Grammy-winning Floyd Domino’s All-Stars, amongst others—has assembled quite the crew for this record, including San Francisco trad buff and musical polyglot Clint Baker (trumpet) and New Orleans-trained former Squirrel