VINYL-PALOOZA #5: Slaughter on Central Avenue!!

As a companion to the collection I posted a couple of days ago, "Hollywood Stomp," here's another album of old recordings dealing with Los Angeles, but this time it's every song I could find that mentions L.A.'s Central Ave scene, either by title or in the lyrics. These jazz and/or blues tunes are primarily from the 1940s-early '50s, and swing and rock like crazy, dad, crazy. The vocal numbers often feature humorous hep-cat lyrics, and the instrumentals are smokin', e.g.: the absolutely berserk piano on the Lionel Hampton cut.

Many of the Central Ave all-stars are present and accounted for here, from a pre-crooner Nat King Cole in his earlier role as piano instrumentalist, to proto-rocker Big Joe Turner, of "Shake Rattle & Roll" fame. The madcap Slim Gaillard (also featured on "Hollywood Stomp") drops by to pay tribute, as well.

The Ave. is a pretty ordinary-to-dodgy place now, but you can still visit the Dunbar Hotel (pictured) where visiting royalty like Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington stayed when they were in town. And you can hit the annual Central Ave Jazz Festival.

Slaughter on Central Avenue

Johnny Moore & The

Three Blazers featuring Billy Valentine - L.A. Blues

Slim Gaillard And His Boogiereeneers - Central Avenue Boogie

Pee Wee Crayton - Central Ave Blues

Nat King Cole - Central Avenue Boogie

Crown Prince Waterford - L.A. Blues

Pete Johnson - Central Avenue Drag

Big Joe Turner - Blues On Central Avenue

Lionel Hampton - Central Avenue Breakdown

Private Cecil Gant - Midnight on Central Ave

Herbie Haymer Quintet - Swinging On Central

R. Green & Turner - Central Avenue Blues

Dee Williams Sextette - Central Avenue Hop

Edward "The Great" Gates - Central Rocks