Eddie Lang and Lonnie Johnson were arguably the two most important jazz guitar players of the 1920s. Fans of both artists are fortunate that the two recorded several sessions together in 1928 and 1929 for the Okeh label.
“Bullfrog Moan” begins with a croaking rhythmic riff repeated throughout that serves as the foundation of a bluesy duet between the two great masters.
This German reissue was released on the curious “Odeon Swing Music Series” label sometime between 1938 and 1942. While some Nazi party leaders had banned jazz dancing outright – and others felt it was an “alien” music that should be rejected or prohibited, jazz found ways to survive.
The series was not listed in the main Odeon catalog – only via typewritten lists that interested parties could order from. The record stores that fulfilled the orders were not allowed to play the records in the stores. There were also Swiss and Italian pressings of this series.
A short history of this series and full discography can be found at:
https://www.swingtime.de/swings/odswen.html
Recorded in New York City on May 7, 1929.
Originally released as Okeh 8695.
Reissued as Odeon Swing Music Series A 286073.
Credits
Eddie Lang – guitar
Lonnie Johnson – guitar
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