Album Notes

Known as the "Father of the Blues," W.C. Handy was America's most successful African-American composer during the early twentieth century. His "Memphis Blues" and "St. Louis Blues" were among the most popular songs of the day and secured his place in music history. He is credited as the first composer to write down the blues and, consequently, established one of the most influential publishing companies of the era. While Handy only recorded a handful of his own compositions, this CD recreates Handy's band for the first time ever and includes 21 of his most famous compositions.
Jazz musician and arranger Carl Wolfe handpicked the musicians for this monumental project and wrote the arrangements the way he imagined Handy's band must have performed them more than 80 years ago. The instrumentation is identical to that of Handy's Memphis Blues Band - trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, violin, banjo, piano and tuba. Recorded in Memphis, the audio quality is pristine and captures the exuberance of the era. While Handy's compositions have been widely recorded, this CD is the first comprehensive recording produced specifically as a tribute to one of America's most important composers.
Wolfe has worked with Inside Sounds as an artist, producer and arranger since 1995. He is the co-founder, arranger and saxophonist of the Memphis Jazz Orchestra, and produced the critically acclaimed Music Aboard The Titanic, a CD officially endorsed by the world-touring Titanic exhibition.