When Bob Scherman first programmed the album that this CD contains in April of 1957 he still was of the opinion that George Jenkins was the marketable artist who would garner record sales by virtue of his name and reputation.  After all, the single “Last Call” first recorded in 1954 for his Skylark label and then re-recorded for Tampa in 1955 and issued on Tampa Records in 1956 had sold fairly well.  It had charted locally as a single.  However, it turns out that by the time this album was released, the public identified more with the saxophone of Plas Johnson than the percussion of George Jenkins.  Bob often mentioned that he should have had the benefit of hindsight and released most of the George Jenkins sides as by Plas Johnson.  The reason for mentioning this is that even though these sides all feature the playing of reed man Freddy Clark, they convey the sound and feel of the playing that Plas contributed to the previous year’s sessions that were included on the album “Drum Stuff” and also later appear with additional material on “Bop Me Daddy”. 

 

The session that appears to give rise to all of the tracks on this CD was recorded at Radio Recorders on August 9, 1956.  The reason that one hesitates to state with absolute certainty that this was the date of all of the recordings is that the session was only 4 hours.  However the tape box also indicates that this is the recording date. 

 

The musicians who recorded these sides according to the AF of M contract include George Jenkins, Freddy Clark, Willie Barbee, Duke Harris.  The original LP label credits Scott Johnson with arrangements and composer credits for some of the material.  (Scott Johnson is not credited as an arranger on the AF of M recording agreement which notes, “arranger, none”). 

 

George Jenkins was one of the most active drummers in both jazz and rhythm and blues during the 1940's and early 50's mostly  with Lionel Hampton’s band or for Hamptone Records, then moving on to Charlie Barnet, Louis Armstrong, Benny Cater, Erroll Garner, while also playing on Joe Houston, Wynonie Harris, and Lucky Millinder sessions, before recording his own for Tampa Records.  He has the distinction of having been Dinah Washingon’s husband, her second of seven, for a short time. 

 

Freddy Clark was a prolific reedman who recorded often for Syd Nathan’s King Records label in Cincinnati, OH, frequently in sessions with Sonny Thompson’s Orchestra backing Lula Reed.  He also figures on a 1954 Wynonie Harris session for King Records.  During this portion of his career he mostly plays alto, although on the Wynonie Harris session and later sessions he plays tenor.  He is also present on a Chess Willie Mabon single from 1953.   He recorded with Percy Mayfield also for Chess in 1955 but the sides were unissued until recently.  Later in his career, long after these recordings, he worked with John Mayall and is featured with Blue Mitchell on a live recording from the early 1970's.  He also performed on a Pee Wee Crayton album in 1983 called "Blind Pig.  However, most of his later recordings were with Johnny Otis, first on many of his Blues Spectrum "Giants of R&B" series, but later with the band Johnny led during the 1980's and 1990's that performed at the Fairmont Hotels in San Jose and San Francisco. He also appears on Johnny Otis’s “Back To Jazz” album from 1977, "Otisology" and "Hand Jive, 1985" from the 1980's and “Spirit of the Black Territory Bands” album from 1990.