Ike Quebec

It's not as exhaustive as Quebec's portion of the Mosaic box The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Ike Quebec and John Hardee, but now that set is out of print, the Spanish-import compilation Swing Hi Swing Lo becomes an indispensable chronicle of Quebec's early years (1944-46). There are no alternate takes here, only the masters that were officially released on 78 rpm records (which actually makes the collection more compulsively playable). In addition to the Blue Note material, there are also four tracks from a 1945 session for Savoy that produced the hit ballad "I.Q. Blues." These performances showcase Quebec in a so-called "swingtet" format, playing big band-inspired swing in small groups (between five and seven members total) that allow for more harmonic flexibility. That means Quebec is free to incorporate modernist bop vocabulary as well, and he stakes out a warmly accessible middle ground between the two styles. Yet even in his more sophisticated moments, Quebec remains an earthy stylist whose big, round tone and expressive vibrato are obviously grounded in the blues. Even this early on, the smoky, late-night ballad flair that would make Quebec's name during his 1959-62 comeback is already in evidence, producing all-time classics in "If I Had You," the aforementioned "I.Q. Blues," and Quebec's signature tune, the self-penned jukebox smash "Blue Harlem." Quebec can burn through the up-tempo tunes too, though, heard particularly well on "Facin' the Face," "Indiana," and "Zig Billion." Quebec is joined by a variety of musicians, most often guitarist Tiny Grimes, pianist Roger Ramirez, and drummer J.C. Heard; the septets add trumpet and trombone to the front line. Some might bemoan the loss of alternate tracks, but what is here is immensely satisfying small-group swing/bop. In whatever form you track it down, this is classic, vastly underappreciated music. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide