An Archive of Early Jazz on 78 RPM
(aka Roy Palmer’s Memphis Nighthawks)
Recorded in New York on March 31, 1932.
Released as Melotone 12689.
Credits
Unknown artist – cornet
Roy Palmer – trombone
Darnell Howard – clarinet, alto sax, violin
Unknown artist – clarinet, tenor sax
Bob Hudson and/or W. E. (Buddy) Burton, piano / banjo
Jimmy Bertrand – drums, washboard
Unknown artist – vocals
A delightful original composition by pianist Arthur Schutt – first recorded with Carl Fenton and his Orchestra (with most of the players on this record) in April of 1927. Subsequently recorded later that same year by California Ramblers, Jack Hylton, and Willard Robison.
Recorded in New York on May 18, 1927.
Released as Columbia 1076-D.
Credits
Red Nichols – trumpet
Miff Mole – trombone
Jimmy Dorsey – clarinet, alto sax
Arthur Schutt – piano
Dick McDonough – banjo, guitar
Vic Berton – drums
California Ramblers generally played stock arrangements of song sheets – though dazzling improvised solos began to appear on records starting in 1923.
“Sittin’ On A Corner” from late 1923 is one of those sides: things start off elegantly as the theme is stated – but at the 1:00 mark we hear something quite different: a hot and lively interchange between Adrian Rollini’s bass sax and Frank Cush’s trumpet. The conversation lasts for over 30 seconds, with each instrument effortlessly crisscrossing over the lines of the other. The “saucy” melody and “bouncing” rhythm create new musical ideas that bring this tune to life and make it so much more than a stock “dance orchestra” number.
Recorded in New York on September 18, 1923.
Released as Columbia A3994.
Credits:
Arthur Hand – director, violin
Frank Cush, Bill Moore – trumpet
Lloyd “Ole” Olsen – trombone
Bobby Davis – clarinet, soprano sax, alto sax
Arnold Brilhart – clarinet, alto sax
Freddy Cusick – tenor sax
Adrian Rollini – bass sax
Ed Sutton, Joe LaFaro, Sid Harris – violin (when used)
Irving Brodsky – piano
Ray Kitchingman – banjo
Stan King – drums
“Memphis Jazzers” here is a pseudonym for Clarence Williams and his orchestra, who had previously recorded this Williams composition, “Close Fit Blues”, in 1927 (Okeh 8510) and 1928 (Columbia 14287-D).
This hard-to-find 1929 release was the only side Clarence Williams recorded for the Grey Gull label (which included Madison, Radiex, and Van Dyke). These budget labels were known for their grainy playing surface, resulting in more surface noise.
The tune begins with a stately blues cornet theme by Ed Allen, which develops into a clarinet duet between Arville Harris and an unknown player. Ed Cuffee adds a somber trombone solo followed by a wonderful articulated passage by Cyrus St. Clair on tuba supported by Leroy Harris on banjo, punctuated by the rest of the band.
Credits:
Ed Allen – cornet
Ed Cuffee – trombone
Arville Harris – clarinet, alto sax
Unknown Artist – clarinet, tenor sax
Clarence Williams – piano
Leroy Harris – banjo
Cyrus St. Clair – tuba
Recorded in March of 1929 in New York
Released as Van Dyke 7801.
Also released as Grey Gull 1718, Madison 1718, and Radiex 1713.
Hot jazz violinist Eddie South. Things really get swingin’ around 1:42.
“When I saw her first I nearly fainted – and I’ve been unconscious since we got acquainted.”
Recorded in New York on May 10, 1928.
Released as Victor 21605
Credits
Eddie South – violin, vocals
Henry Crowder – piano
Mike McKendrick – guitar
Jerome Bourke – drums, vocals
One of only three saucy sides recorded by this excellent Chicago jazz singer in 1936.
Recorded in Chicago on October 13, 1936.
Released as Decca 7284
Credits
Stella Johnson – vocals
Randolph Scott – trumpet
Dorothy Scott – piano
Unknown – alto saxophone, guitar, string bass, drums
Mississippi-born blues singer and guitarist Jim Jackson outlines the many reasons why Kansas City is the preferred destination for future residence.
“My mother told me, daddy told me too,
Everybody grins in your face, son, ain’t no friend to you.
You ought to move to Kansas City.”
A wildly popular song at the time that also influenced a generation of blues and rock performers decades after it was recorded.
Recorded in Chicago on October 10, 1927.
Released as Vocalion 1144
A very early record by Lonnie Johnson documenting a lovely piano and guitar duet between Messrs Johnson and Johnson. This session was recorded by Okeh’s “TrueTone” process – and it is unclear whether this session was acoustically or electrically recorded.
At 1:20, you can hear an unidentified voice in the background (James Johnson?) shout out “How you gonna (unclear)?”, to which Lonnie replies, “I’m gonna kick (keep?) that thing!”
The last lyric beautifully articulates the risks of love: “Love feels very light, but it drives like a weight of iron. Sometimes it drives so heavy, you can’t help from crying.”
Recorded in New York, New York on January 19, 1926.
Released as Okeh 8291
Credits
Lonnie Johnson – guitar, vocals
James Johnson – piano
Memphis clarinetist Douglas Williams’ first Victor session. The first of many records of original compositions that he would make with Victor from 1928-1930 before fading into complete obscurity thereafter.
The first time I heard this side, the plaintive bleating of his gaspipe clarinet starting around 0:45 hit me hard – so expressively mournful!
Recorded in Memphis, Tennessee on January 31, 1928
Released as Victor 21269 and reissued as Bluebird BB B-6151
Credits
Douglas Williams – clarinet
Blaine Elliott – piano
Sam Sims – drums
Recorded in New York on June 11, 1928.
Released as Victor V-38010.
Later reissued as Bluebird BB B5109-A and B-7757-A.
The infectious optimism of this performance of “Kansas City Stomps” by Jelly Roll Morton’s Hot Peppers is a wonderful listen.
After a rondo-style introduction, we are introduced to the lively theme. Omer Simeon treats us to a clarinet solo, solidly backed by the rhythm section. Jelly Roll then takes a piano solo punctuated by sharp drum beats. Lee Blair gives us a frenetic banjo solo followed by a trumpet solo by Ward Pinkett frequently interrupted by tremulant rejoinders from Blair’s banjo.
Credits
Jelly Roll Morton – piano, director
Ward Pinkett – trumpet
Geechie Fields – trombone
Omer Simeon – clarinet
Lee Blair – banjo
Bill Benford – tuba
Tommy Benford – drums
For fun, also listen to Jelly Roll’s earlier 1923 solo piano recording of this same tune:
https://youtu.be/R_DLXeFu8l8