Pearce-Pickering Barrellhouse Jazz Band - 2LP

Jazz / Dixieland - Cover has Lamination Crease.

Recorded in Hobart.

Artist: Pearce-Pickering Barrelhouse Jazz Band Title: Pearce-Pickering Barrelhouse Jazz Band Album Type: Self-Titled Double Album (Standard LP) Original Release Date: 1977 Label: Swaggie Records (Catalog: 2LP-001) Genre: Jazz / Dixieland / Ragtime

Background & Production This eponymous double album is a cornerstone of Tasmanian jazz history, capturing the long-running partnership between pianist Ian Pearce and clarinetist/vocalist Tom Pickering. The group evolved from "The Barrelhouse Four" (formed in 1936), which was Tasmania’s first dedicated jazz band. Recorded at ABC Studios in Hobart and produced by Jack Smith, this release serves as a retrospective and a celebration of their refined "mainstream" Dixieland style. It highlights their role as pioneers who brought Tasmanian jazz to the national stage at the first Australian Jazz Convention in 1946.

Musical Composition & Style The album features a sophisticated take on traditional jazz, moving away from "cliché" Dixieland toward a more melodic, swing-influenced sound.

• Key Tracks: Includes standards like "Maple Leaf Rag," "Wabash Blues," and original compositions by Tom Pickering such as "Shack in the Back."

• Personnel: Features the classic lineup of Tom Pickering (Clarinet, Tenor Sax, Vocals), Ian Pearce (Piano), Col Wells (Trumpet), Graham Ranft (Bass), and Michael Colrain (Drums).

• Vocal Style: Tom Pickering’s unique, laid-back vocal delivery is a focal point, often drawing comparisons to early jazz "crooners" like Hoagy Carmichael.

• Piano Artistry: Ian Pearce’s style—a blend of Teddy Wilson’s elegance and Jess Stacy’s rhythmic drive—provides the harmonic backbone of the record.

Original Pressing & Collector Notes As a release on the legendary Australian label Swaggie Records, this 2LP set is highly regarded by jazz purists for its recording quality.

• Identification: The original 1977 pressing features the Swaggie "2LP" series logo (2LP-001). The gatefold sleeve often includes extensive liner notes by notable jazz critic Dick Hughes.

• Vinyl Quality: Swaggie pressings from the late 70s are known for being remarkably clean and well-balanced, capturing the acoustic warmth of the ABC Hobart studio.

• Market Rarity: While not as rare as some 1950s jazz 10-inch records, clean "Near Mint" copies of this double album are becoming harder to find outside of the Australian market.

• Related Releases: Collectors often pair this with their 1984 follow-up, Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm (Swaggie S.1404), or the Red Hot and Blue (1983) LP on Candle Records.

  • Keywords: Pearce-Pickering Barrelhouse Jazz Band, Ian Pearce, Tom Pickering, Swaggie Records, Australian Jazz, Tasmanian Jazz, 1977 Vinyl, Dixieland, Ragtime, 2LP.

  • Collection Ideas: Australian Jazz Pioneers, Swaggie Records Discography, Traditional Jazz Revivals, Hobart Music History.

  • Related Artists: Bob Barnard, John Sangster, Graeme Bell, Smacka Fitzgibbon, The Pearce-Pickering Ragtime Five.

MINT - sealed

NM - likely never played - almost perfect

VG+ - light scuffs, light scratches wont effect play

VG -  signs of wear, light scratches you can feel

GOOD -  surface noise, visible groove wear

POOR / FAIR- some damage, causing issues like skipping & distorted audio

OIS - original inner sleeve