A Study in Frustration

A Study in Frustration
Box set by Fletcher Henderson
Released	1961
Recorded	August 9, 1923 to May 28, 1938
Genre	Jazz
Length	3:09:50
Label	Columbia
Producer	Frank Driggs

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A Study in Frustration: The Fletcher Henderson Story is a box set compilation surveying studio recordings of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra from 1923 to 1938, released in 1961 on Columbia Records, CXK 85470. It initially appeared as a four-album set produced by Frank Driggs and assembled by John Hammond, both of whom also wrote the liner notes. The set was part of a Thesaurus of Classic Jazz series on Columbia which included King of the Delta Blues Singers also worked on by Hammond and Driggs and released in 1961, the first album reissue of songs by blues legend Robert Johnson.

Content

All selections had been previously on 78 records by labels such as Brunswick, Columbia, Paramount, Perfect, and Vocalion. The set documents some of his first recordings as a leader in 1923, to some of his last shortly before he joined the Benny Goodman Orchestra as an arranger and some-time pianist. Like all bandleaders of the time, Henderson recorded with vocalists, but none are featured on this set.

A Study In Frustration was reissued as a three compact disc box set on June 14, 1994. Ten bonus tracks were included, covering recordings in 1934 and 1936 that had not been included in the original set.

Collective personnel

• Elmer Chambers, Howard Scott, Rex Stewart — cornet
• Red Allen, Louis Armstrong, Emmett Berry, Elmer Chambers, Roy Eldridge, Leora Henderson, Tommy Ladnier, Mouse Randolph, Howard Scott, Joe Smith, Russell Smith, Bobby Stark, Joe Thomas, Dick Vance — trumpet
• Fernando Arbello, Ed Cuffee, Charlie Green, Jimmy Harrison, J.C. Higginbotham, George Hunt, Keg Johnson, Claude Jones, John McConnell, Benny Morton, Teddy Nixon, Milt Robinson, George Washington, Dicky Wells, Sandy Williams, Al Wynn — trombone
• Jerry Blake — alto clarinet
• Coleman Hawkins — alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass saxophone, clarinet
• Don Pasqual — alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
• Don Redman — alto saxophone, clarinet, oboe
• Edgar Sampson — alto saxophone, violin
• Buster Bailey, Hilton Jefferson, Russell Procope, Omer Simeon — alto saxophone, clarinet
• Eddie Barefield, Harvey Boone, Lonnie Brown, Scoops Carry, Benny Carter, Carmelo Jejo, Budd Johnson — alto saxophone
• Chu Berry, Ben Webster, Elmer Williams — tenor saxophone
• June Cole, Ralph Escudero, John Kirby, Del Thomas — tuba
• Fletcher Henderson, Horace Henderson, Fats Waller — piano
• Charlie Dixon, Clarence Holiday — banjo
• Bernard Addison, Bob Lessey, Lawrence Lucie, Freddie White — guitar
• Israel Crosby, Elmer James, John Kirby — bass
• Sid Catlett, Walter Johnson, Kaiser Marshall, Pete Suggs — drums

Track listing

In the compact disc versions, the song running order is the same with sides one through three comprising disc one, sides four through six comprising disc two, and sides seven and eight along with the bonus tracks comprising disc three.

Side one

Side two

Side three

Side four

Side five

Side six

Side seven

Side eight

Compact disc reissue bonus tracks

References