Jazz Crazy Records

An Archive of Early Jazz on 78 RPM

Author: Professor M

  • “I’ve Got The World On A String” – Cab Calloway and his Orchestra (1932)

    “I’ve Got The World On A String” – Cab Calloway and his Orchestra (1932)

    The Cotton Club Parade of 1932 saw Cab Calloway and his Orchestra performing a sunny tune by Ted Koehler and Harold Arlen called “I’ve Got The World On A String” at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club. Calloway recorded it for Brunswick that fall and it became a hit record for the band.

    While Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong both recorded the tune the following year, the tune got a big break when Frank Sinatra revived it in 1953 with his successful version for Capitol records.

    Calloway’s version begins with Cab belting it out primarily accompanied by piano, bass, and rhythm guitar. A lone trumpet takes over the melodic chores at 1:20 followed by a second trumpet at 1:55. Later, Cab scats a chorus and takes us to the outro.

    Songwriter Arlen later wrote the songs in the 1939 blockbuster film production of “Wizard of Oz”, including the iconic Judy Garland standard “Over The Rainbow”.

    Recorded in New York City on November 9, 1932.
    Released as Brunswick 6424.

    Credits:
    Cab Calloway – director, vocals
    Edwin Swayzee, Lammar Wright, Doc Cheatham – trumpet
    De Priest Wheeler, Harry White – trombone
    Arville Harris. Eddie Barefield – clarinet, alto sax
    Andrew Brown – bass clarinet, tenor sax
    Walter Thomas – alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, flute
    Bennie Payne – piano
    Morris White – guitar
    Al Morgan – string bass
    Leroy Maxey – drums

  • “Some Do and Some Don’t” – South Street Ramblers (1929)

    “Some Do and Some Don’t” – South Street Ramblers (1929)

    This record is the object of some discussion in the collecting world, as some copies exist with two songs from Gennett 6552 by the State Street Ramblers – and other copies have the same two songs recorded by the Clarence Williams small combo calling itself the Barrel House Five Orchestra and originally released as Paramount 12875.

    This copy is the Clarence Williams band – playing a wonderfully chill little tune called “Some Do and Some Don’t”. The band feels lightheaded and playful – and at 2:19 we hear the classic exhortation from an unidentified band member to bandleader Williams as he takes a solo: “Aw, play that thing, boy!”

    0:00 Intro – ensemble
    0:31 Alto sax solo (Arville Harris)
    1:02 Cornet solo (Ed Allen)
    1:33 Alto sax solo (Arville Harris)
    2:04 Piano solo (Clarence Williams)
    2:36 Outro – ensemble

    Recorded in Long Island City, New York in January 1929.
    Released as QRS 7019.

    Credits
    Arville Harris – clarinet, alto saxophone
    Ed Allen – cornet
    Clarence Williams – piano
    Floyd Casey – washboard

  • “Mama’s Gone, Good Bye” – Ray Miller and his Orchestra (1924)

    “Mama’s Gone, Good Bye” – Ray Miller and his Orchestra (1924)

    “The Ray Miller band was already well known when it appeared [at the Beaux Arts Club in Atlantic City] as the biggest attraction of the 1924 season, moving later in the year into New York’s Hippodrome and then the Arcadia Ballroom. Miller’s organization of thirteen men, in addition to himself, was larger than most bands of that date, and included such stars as Frankie Trumbauer and Miff Mole.” [1]

    In this recording of “Mama’s Gone, Goodbye” from shortly after Mole had joined the band, we can excellent performances and ensemble playing – including a duet segment that author Richard Sudhalter writes “presages the saxophonist’s forthcoming ‘chase’ choruses with Bix.”

    Recorded in New York City on June 3, 1924.
    Released as Brunswick 2632 in August, 1924.

    Credits
    Ray Miller – director
    Charles Rocco, Roy Johnston – trumpet
    Miff Mole, Andy Sindelar – trombone
    Frank Trumbauer – C melody saxophone
    Bernard Daly, Andy Sannella – clarinet, alto sax
    Don Yates – violin
    Harry Perrella, Tom Satterfield – piano
    Frank di Prima – banjo
    Unknown Artist – tuba

    Sources:
    1. The Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands, Leo Walker
    2. Jazz and Ragtime Records (1897-1942), 6th Ed, Brian Rust
    3. Lost Chords, Richard Sudhalter

  • “Wacheza Lada / Kwaheri Naja” – Hashima Bin Kilamata With Nyamwezi Men

    “Wacheza Lada / Kwaheri Naja” – Hashima Bin Kilamata With Nyamwezi Men

    Special transfer request from viewer @78s_TheArtists_AndTheHistory

    Gallotone GB.1318
    A – Wacheza Lada
    B – Kwaheri Naja

    Hiyari Ya Moyo – dance song with drums

    I’m afraid I don’t know much else about this record – though I hope to learn more in the future. It was released in the early 1950s.

  • “You Were Barefoot” – Kostas Bezos (A. Kostis) (1930) “Ήσουνα Ξυπόλυτη” – Α. Κωστής

    “You Were Barefoot” – Kostas Bezos (A. Kostis) (1930) “Ήσουνα Ξυπόλυτη” – Α. Κωστής

    Fulfilling a special request for viewer @someoneunknown2003: the B side of Victor V-58061.

    Recorded in Athens in 1930 by Victor representative Tetos Dimitriadis and released in the U.S.

    This mysterious rebetiko artist recorded a handful of records in the early 30s – most of which were pressed in very small numbers and all of which did not attain widespread awareness until much later.

    Unlike typical rebetikos who came from among the poorest population in urban Athens, Bezos was somewhat of outlier. He was born outside of Athens to a middle-class family and came to Athens to work as a journalist and cartoonist. He began a Hawaiian band called the “White Birds” that he played guitar in. At the age of 25, in 1930, he recorded this track and went on to record a total of 12 sides.

    After 1932, he appears to have stopped making records. While he continued his work at the newspaper, he also tried his hand at acting. He died of tuberculosis during the Nazi occupation of Greece in 1943. He was 37.

    An excellent article about him can be found here:
    https://www.lifo.gr/culture/music/poios-itan-o-mystiriodis-kai-afanis-rempetis-kostas-mpezos
    (Use Google translate to translate this page)

    The A side of Victor V-58061 can be heard at:
    https://youtu.be/-hewLiZFxhQ

  • “I Know That You Know” – Art Tatum Trio (1944)

    “I Know That You Know” – Art Tatum Trio (1944)

    The blazingly fast Art Tatum burning up the keys on this classic track originally recorded for the Comet label in 1944 for an excellent album set of three 12″ records. Unfortunately, the Comet pressing is not great and the sound is a bit grainy and noisy.

    Luckily, Dial saw fit to reissue this a few years later with a much nicer pressing. Oddly – this Dial reissue is a 10″ 78 rpm disc format rather than 12″ disc. The format is called a “Standard Groove Longer Playing Record” and somehow they fit nearly four and a half minutes of music on a standard 10″ disc!

    Tatum is zooming at 110% throughout this delightful treat of a track – Racing along like a speeding bullet, he whizzes and gallops up and down the keyboard, driving the rhythm section to at times seem a bit out of breath! Stewart and Grimes both get in energetic solos of their own, with Grimes coming the closest to matching Tatum’s frantic and masterful pace.

    Recorded in New York City on May 1, 1944.
    Originally released as Comet T-2.
    Reissued in 1949 as Dial 1036.

    Credits:
    Art Tatum – piano
    Tiny Grimes – guitar
    Slam Stewart – bass

  • “Shadrack” – Sonny Rollins Quartet (1951)

    “Shadrack” – Sonny Rollins Quartet (1951)

    Sonny Rollins at age 21 in his second session for Prestige as a leader. He had only been playing tenor sax for about five years.

    After getting his start recording with Babs Gonzales, J.J. Johnson, and Bud Powell in 1949, Rollins spent most of 1950 in Riker’s Island on a robbery charge. In 1951, he recorded extensively with Miles Davis – and here at the end of the year, recorded eight tunes with his own quartet.

    The tune alternately showcases the talents of Rollins and pianist Kenny Drew, as Art Blakey and Percy Heath keep a lower profile in the rhythm section.

    Recorded in Apex Studios, NYC on December 17, 1951.
    Released as Prestige 780.

    Credits:
    Sonny Rollins, tenor sax
    Kenny Drew, piano
    Percy Heath, bass
    Art Blakey, drums

  • હારમોનિયમ તર્ઝ – માલકૌંસ / મુલતાની – માસ્તર અમરૂતલાલ દવે (1928)

    હારમોનિયમ તર્ઝ – માલકૌંસ / મુલતાની – માસ્તર અમરૂતલાલ દવે (1928)

    Today I learned that my friend and fellow 78 rpm collector Dr. Suresh Chandvankar passed away. Suresh was a founding member of the Society of Indian Record Collectors and a tireless proponent, archiver, and preserver of Indian music of the 78 rpm era.

    I first ran across Suresh on Discogs when I stumbled across some 78s he had for sale. I wrote him and we began talking about Indian music. He steered me toward the treasure trove of back issues of The Record News, available online, which contain a wealth of information on Indian music, record labels, and artists of the 78 rpm era.

    I really was astounded by the amount of dedication and effort Suresh put into the preservation of the important records he collected. He had started uploading them to Discogs and archive.org to help more people have access to them. He had started selling his collection and told me he was glad that other collectors were interested in them – as he much preferred them to have an active life of being listened to and enjoyed rather than sitting in an archive. The last sentence from his last email to me simply read: “Enjoy the music.”

    Rest in peace, my friend.

    This record of solo Harmonium Tarz by Master Amarutlal Dave was in the last shipment of records I received from Suresh last year. I hope you, too, dear listeners, will enjoy the music.

    Suresh estimated release date as 1928 – could be earlier.
    Released as Zonophone N.1451

  • “Do You Or Don’t You Love Me” – Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra (1936)

    “Do You Or Don’t You Love Me” – Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra (1936)

    In May of 1936 the hugely popular Henderson band – fresh off their national hit “Christopher Columbus” a few weeks earlier – began another contract at the Grand Terrace in Chicago with a new bass player – a 17-year-old named Israel Crosby. They had also added Jerome Pasquall on sax.

    Metronome wrote: “His first Sunday night at the Terrace was the biggest they have had in a long time.” His performances were broadcast nationally on radio stations across the country.

    Here we hear a lighter – but no less swingin’ – number with vocals by Teddy Lewis – a Chicago singer who joined the band that April. Teddy can be seen with the band in a famous photo taken at this time featuring Fletcher in a white suit sitting at a piano while the band is gathered round.

    At this time, according to John Hammond, Grand Terrace Director Ed Fox apparently chose Fletcher’s tunes and vocalists. Later that year, poor Teddy Lewis would be fired by Ed Fox “in an abusive tirade before a large group of onlookers.” Consequently, this is the only Henderson record he appears on. You deserved better, Teddy.

    Following Teddy’s vocals, Chu Berry and Roy Eldridge each take solos – with Eldridge’s the more daring of the two, giving this sweet tune a bit of a bite.

    0:00 Intro
    0:58 Vocals (Teddy Lewis)
    1:48 Tenor sax solo (Chu Berry)
    2:12 Trumpet solo (Roy Eldridge)
    2:36 Outro

    Recorded in Chicago, Illinois on May 23, 1936.
    Released as Victor 25334

    Credits
    Teddy Lewis – vocals
    Fletcher Henderson – piano, director
    Roy Eldridge, Dick Vance, Joe Thomas – trumpet
    Fernando Arbello, Ed Cuffee – trombone
    Buster Bailey, Jerome Pasquall – clarinet, alto sax
    Chu Berry, Elmer Williams – tenor sax
    Horace Henderson – arrangement
    Bob Lessey – guitar
    Israel Crosby – string bass
    Sidney Catlett – drums

    Sources:
    Hendersonia by Walter C. Allen, pp. 337-339, 363

  • “Box of Blues” – George McClennon’s Jazz Devils (1924)

    “Box of Blues” – George McClennon’s Jazz Devils (1924)

    George McClennon was a clarinetist who played in the “gaspipe” style. Clarence Williams, who first met him in 1917, recalled that he could spin on his stomach or backside like a top while playing the clarinet – showmanship that was influenced by his time playing vaudeville theaters in the 1910s.

    McClennon first recorded in 1923 with a small combo called the Harlem Trio. Their “Clarinet Laughing Blues” contained many novelty clarinet “laughing” effects – a style popular at the time with many players (Louis Panico’s “laughing” cornet comes to mind).

    “Box of Blues”, the first track of the first recording session of George McClennon’s Jazz Devils, is performed by a bit of a super group that included Bob Fuller (later to record many small combo tunes as a clarinetist in his own right), Clarence Williams (who should need no introduction), and Tom Morris & Charlie Irvis (who had recorded several records together in 1923 as Thomas Morris Past Jazz Masters) and Buddy Christian (who seems to have played with everyone – Sidney Bechet, Buster Bailey, Bubber Miley, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith… the list goes on!).

    The tune’s a fun romp – with excellent ensemble accompaniment even when one instrument is taking the lead. It’s a treat to hear Bob Fuller on alto sax – who fans of his later clarinet work will find interesting – and I’m not well-informed when it comes to wah-wah style trumpet, but Tom Morris’ playing here seems quite ahead of its time.

    0:00 Intro
    0:35 Trombone solo (Charlie Irvis)
    1:27 Alto sax solo (Bob Fuller)
    1:53 Cornet solo with wah wah effects (Tom Morris)
    2:20 Clarinet solo with laughing effects (George McClennon)

    Recorded in New York City, May 9, 1924.
    Released as Okeh 8143.
    From the collection of Joe Bussard.

    Credits:
    Tom Morris – cornet
    Charlie Irvis – trombone
    George McClennon – clarinet
    Bob Fuller – alto sax
    Clarence Williams – piano
    Buddy Christian – banjo
    Unknown Artist – drums