JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH
Although Jack Pettis never became a major name, he was one of the top tenor and C-melody saxophonists of the 1920s. Pettis was on four of the sessions made by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings during 1922-23 and was an important member of Ben Bernie’s band during 1924-30. Little is known about his life after 1930. His only later recording session resulted in two numbers in 1937 (“Hawaiian Heat Wave” and “Swing Session In Siberia”) that have never been reissued and his activities (and even his death date) are not known.
Fortunately, Pettis appeared on quite a few recordings in the 1920s. His self-titled two-CD set compiled by the Kings Cross Music label contains 49 selections. The 2 1/2 hours of music is filled with exciting jazz that features Pettis including all of his sessions as a leader (24 songs and three alternate takes) and his appearances with Al Goering’s Collegians, the Ambassadors, the Whoopee Makers, Mills’ Musical Clowns, Irving Mills’ Modernists, and one of Ben Bernie’s most jazz-oriented dates. While the elusive 1937 session and his work with the Hotsy Totsy Gang and the New Orleans Rhythm Kings are missing (his music with the latter two groups has been reissued elsewhere), this is a superb set that is pretty impossible to improve upon.
Jack Pettis • His Pets, Band, and Orchestra
Kings Cross Music 005/006
