Mis'ry and the Blues

by Scott Yanow
Trombonist Jack Teagarden's Verve recordings, his last batch of studio sides, have tended to be underrated. Teagarden was actually still in prime form up until the time of his unexpected death in early 1964. For this set, his sextet (which also includes trumpeter
Don Goldie
, clarinetist
Henry Cuesta
, pianist
Don Ewell
, bassist
Stan Puls
, and drummer
Barrett Deems
) mostly performs obscurities. Teagarden sings a couple of charming
Willard Robison
songs ("Don't Tell a Man About His Woman" and "Peaceful Valley"),
Ewell
is featured on "Froggie Moore Blues," organist
Shay Torrent
sits in on an unusual version of "Love Lies," and
Goldie
is showcased on "Afternoon in August." Other songs include "I Don't Want to Miss Mississippi," "It's All in Your Mind," and "Mis'ry and the Blues." The only Dixieland standards performed are "Basin Street Blues" and "Original Dixieland One-Step." Whether taking trombone solos or singing, Teagarden sounds inspired by the fresh material throughout.