The Boogie Woogie of Freddie Slack

After his first major excursion into the jazz business with Pollack, Slack joined Jimmy Dorsey's band in Los Angeles in time to record such as 'All God's Chillun Got Rhythm' (with vocalist, Vickie Joyce) and 'The Wren' (with vocalist, Josephine Tumminia) in February of 1937. Slack laid rail with Dorsey for a couple of years into latter 1939 before joining his next university per the Will Bradley Orchestra at its inception in 1939. His initial tracks with Bradley are thought to have been on September 19, 1939, for a Vocalion / Columbia session bearing Slack's arrangements of 'Forever More' and 'Love Nest', et al. Slack stuck with Bradley into 1941, having the meanwhile recorded 'Down the Road a Piece' on September 7, 1940, with the Ray McKinley Trio, McKinley on drums with Doc Goldberg on bass.

'Listen to the Mocking Bird'   Freddie Slack w Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

28 Feb 1937 in NYC   Matrix: DLA-732-A

Decca 1187 / Brunswick 02409 / Coral 7449

Trumpet: Toots Camarata / Joe Meyer

Trombone: Bobby Byrne / Bruce Squires / Don Matteson

Alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey (clarinet) / Leonard Whitney

Tenor sax: Fud Livingston / Charlie Frazier (flute)

Guitar: Roc Hillman   Piano: Slack

Bass: Jack Ryan   Drums: Ray McKinley

Composition: Jack Scholl / M.K. Jerome

'Celery Stalks'   Freddie Slack (piano) w Will Bradley (trombone) and His Orchestra

17 Jan 1940 in NYC   Matrix: 25688-1   Columbia 35707

Composition: George Harris / Will Bradley

Parts 1 & 2 of 'Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar'

Boogie woogie by Freddie Slack w the Will Bradley Orchestra

21 May 1940 in NYC   Matrices CO 27329 / CO 27330   Columbia 35530

Trumpet: Steve Lipkins / Joe Wiedman / Al Mitchell

Trombone: Will Bradley / Jim Emert / Bill Corti

Sax: Art Mendelsohn / Jo Jo Huffman / Nick Ciazza / Sam Sachelle

Guitar: Steve Jordan   Piano: Slack   Bass: Doc Goldberg

Drums: Ray McKinley (vocal)

Composition: Don Raye / Hughie Prince / Eleanor Sheehy

'Down the Road a Piece'   Boogie woogie by Freddie Slack w the Will Bradley Trio

12 Aug 1940 in NYC   Matrix: 27872-1   Columbia 35707

Piano: Slack (celeste)   Bass: Doc Goldberg

Drums: Ray McKinley   Vocals: Will Bradley / Don Raye

Composition: Slack / McKinley / Don Raye

After Slack's period with Bradley he held his first session as a leader on June 27, 1941, with His Eight Beats, tapping out 'Strange Cargo', 'Boogie Woogie on Kitten on the Keys', etc.. His Trio consisting of Al Hendrickson (guitar) and Jud De Naut (bass) then joined vocalist, Big Joe Turner, on such as 'Rocks in My Bed' and 'Sun Risin' Blues' on September 8 of 1941.

'Pig Foot Pete'   Boogie woogie by Freddie Slack and His Eight Beats

27 June 1941 in Los Angeles   Matrix: DLA2470-A   Decca 4130

Trumpet: Manny Klein   Trombone: Bruce Squires

Clarinet: Joe Huffman   Tenor sax: Charles Butler

Baritone sax: Willie Martinez   Guitar: Al Hendrickson

Piano: Slack   Bass: Jud de Naut

Drums: Spike Jones   Vocal: Don Raye

Composition: Don Raye / Gene de Paul

'Blues on Central Avenue'   Blues by Freddie Slack (piano) w Big Joe Turner (vocal)

8 Sep 1941 in Los Angeles   Matrix: DLA-2739-A   Decca 7889 / Brunswick 87504

Guitar: Al Hendrickson   Bass: Jud De Naut

Composition: Turner

Slack had the pleasure of working numerously with vocalist, Ella Mae Morse, whom he hired in Los Angeles in on 21 May 1942 toward 'Cow Cow Boogie'. Slack partnered with Morse again on 20 July 1942 toward 'He's My Guy', 'Mr. Five By Five' and 'The Thrill Is Gone'. 'Mr. Five by Five' refers to Jimmy Rushing, vocalist with the Count Basie Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Come 'Get on Board, Little Chillun' on 31 July 1942. A few more titles together in 1942 included 'Cow Cow Boogie' in the soundtrack for 'Reveille with Beverly'. They got back together again on February 12 of 1946 for 'The House of Blue Lights' and 'Hey Mr. Postman'. Another session on April 24 brought 'Your Conscience Tells You So' and 'Pig Foot Pete'. Slack's last-known recording would be with Morse in Hollywood on 8 March 1960 toward 'Cow Cow Boogie'.

According to Music VF, Slack and his orchestra achieved five Top Ten releases, their first going down in Los Angeles on 21 May 1942 per above with Ella Mae Morse singing 'Cow Cow Boogie', that reaching #9 on the pop charts, #6 on the R&B in August. Per above, Slack backed Morse on 'Mr. Five by Five' in Los Angeles on 20 July 1942, that to reach #10 on the pop and #1 on the R&B in December. Come Margaret Whiting on 31 July of 1942 for 'That Old Black Magic' which scaled to #10 on the pop. Slack's instrumental, 'Riffette' climbed to #18 on the pop and #3 in R&B. Several highly popular releases were made into 1945 until his next and last Top Ten, that again with Ella Mae Morse on The 'House of Blue Lights' gone down per above in Los Angeles on 12 February 1946 to reach #8 in pop in May. Slack's best-selling title overall was 'Mr. Five By Five' followed by 'Cow Cow Boogie', 'The House of Blue Lights', then 'That Old Black Magic'.

'Mr. Five by Five'   Freddie Slack backing Ella Mae Morse w Johnny Mercer

20 July 1942 in Los Angeles   Matrix: CAP-51-A   Capitol 115

Trumpet: George Wendt / Don Anderson / Clyde Hurley

Trombone: Bill Anthens / Ed Kusby

Reeds: Blake Reynolds / Bumps Myers / Art Smith / Al Taylor

Guitar: T-Bone Walker   Piano: Slack   Bass: Fred Whiting

Drums: Rich Cornell   Arrangement: Gaye Jones

Composition: Don Raye / Gene de Paul

Another big name with whom Slack recorded was blues giant, T-Bone Walker, that on July 20, 1942 (same date as 'Mr. Five by Five' above), for 'I Got a Break Baby' and 'Mean Old World'.

'I Got a Break Baby'   Blues by Freddie Slack (piano) w T-Bone Walker (guitar / vocal)

20 July 1942 in Los Angeles   Matrix: CAP-54-A   Capitol 10033 / 15033

Bass: Fred Whiting   Drums: Rich Cornell

Composition: Walker

'Cow Cow Boogie'   Freddie Slack (piano) backing Ella Mae Morse

'Reveille with Beverly' recorded late 1942 toward release on 4 Feb 1943

See Hollywood Soundstage HS 5014

Music: Don Raye   Lyrics: Benny Carter / Gene De Paul