''How Hi the Fi'', subtitled ''A Buck Clayton Jam Session'', is an album by trumpeter

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...

which was recorded in 1953 and 1954 and released on the Columbia label.The Complete CBS Buck Clayton Jam Sessions: discography
Retrieved June 28, 2017

Reception

The

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

review by Scott Yanow stated "The most memorable soloists are the rambunctious

Trummy Young James "Trummy" Young (January 12, 1912 – September 10, 1984) was an American trombonist in the swing era. He established himself as a star during his 12 years performing with Louis Armstrong in Armstrong's All Stars. He had one hit with his v ...

, the harmonically advanced chordings of Jimmy Jones and an exuberant

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

who was rarely heard in this type of jam session setting. With Clayton having worked out some ensemble riffs for the horns beforehand and plenty of space left for spontaneity, this music has plenty of magic".

Track listing

# "How Hi the Fi" (Buck Clayton) – 13:40 # " Blue Moon" ( Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 14:00 # " Sentimental Journey" ( Les Brown, Ben Homer,

Bud Green Bud Green (19 November 1897 – 2 January 1981) was an American lyricist especially of Broadway musicals and show tunes Early life and family Green was born Moses David Green in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and immigrated to the United Stat ...

) – 14:45 # "

Moten Swing Moten is a surname. Notable people with the name include: *Bennie Moten (1894–1935), American jazz pianist and band leader born in Kansas City, Missouri *Benny Moten (1916–1977), American jazz bassist *Eddie Moten (born 1981), American footbal ...

" (

Bennie Moten Benjamin Moten (November 13, 1893 – April 2, 1935) was an American jazz pianist and band leader born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. He led his Kansas City Orchestra, the most important of the regional, blues-based orchest ...

, Buster Moten) – 13:30 *Recorded in NYC on December 14, 1953 (tracks 3 & 4) and March 31, 1954 (tracks 1 & 2)

Personnel

–

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

* Joe Newman (tracks 3 & 4), Joe Thomas (tracks 1 & 2) – trumpet * Urbie Green, Benny Powell (tracks 3 & 4),

(tracks 1 & 2) –

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

– clarinet (tracks 1 & 2) * Lem Davis – alto saxophone *

Al Cohn Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist ...

(tracks 1 & 2),

Julian Dash Julian Dash (April 9, 1916 – February 25, 1974) was an American swing music jazz tenor saxophonist born in Charleston, South Carolina, United States, probably better known for his work with Erskine Hawkins and Buck Clayton. Dash was a member o ...

–

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

Charles Fowlkes Charles Baker Fowlkes (February 16, 1916 – February 9, 1980) was an American baritone saxophonist who was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra for over twenty-five years. Early life Fowlkes was born in New York City on February 16, 1916. He stu ...

– baritone saxophone (tracks 3 & 4) * Jimmy Jones (tracks 1 & 2), Sir Charles Thompson (tracks 3 & 4) –

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

* Steve Jordan (tracks 1 & 2),

Freddie Green Frederick William Green (March 31, 1911 – March 1, 1987) was an American swing jazz guitarist who played rhythm guitar with the Count Basie Orchestra for almost fifty years. Early life and education Green was born in Charleston, South Car ...

(tracks 3 & 4) –

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

* Walter Page – bass * Jo Jones – drums

References

{{Authority control 1954 albums Buck Clayton albums Columbia Records albums Albums produced by George Avakian