AMG Review of Ken Burns Jazz

Al Campbell
All Music Guide

With cooperation from the Verve and Columbia Legacy catalogs, the Ken Burns Jazz series on CD individually spotlights the musical excellence of 22 jazz originators whose careers and influence are explored in Burns' PBS documentary #Jazz. Bandleader Fletcher Henderson's ability as a composer and talent scout greatly outweighed his skills as either a pianist or showman. Henderson allowed his musicians to show off their own talents, while he preferred to stay in the background. A number of soon-to-be legends moved through his ranks over the years, including Don Redman, Benny Carter, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Art Blakey, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Rex Stewart, and even Sun Ra. This is also the band that led the initial swing craze, influencing many followers (especially Benny Goodman). On Ken Burns Jazz, Henderson's output for a number of labels is represented in chronological order from 1924 through 1940; classics on the CD include "Big John's Special," "King Porter Stomp," "Queer Notions," "The Chant," and "Christopher Columbus." While it's impossible to sum up the history of Fletcher Henderson on a single disc, the highlights on Ken Burns Jazz retain enough interest for the listener to continue searching out more material.