An Archive of Early Jazz on 78 RPM
An interesting tune written by Elmer Schoebel and Louis Panico performed by Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra for Harmony under the pseudonym “The Dixie Stompers”
Recorded in New York City on January 6, 1926.
Released as Harmony 166-H.
Credits:
Fletcher Henderson – piano, director
Russell Smith, Joe Smith – trumpet
Charlie Green – trombone
Buster Bailey, Don Redman – clarinet, alto sax
Coleman Hawkins – clarinet, tenor sax
Charlie Dixon – banjo
Kaiser Marshall – drums
Recently dug this record out of the vault after reading an R. Crumb comic about 78 collecting in which he considers getting rid of his “whole damn collection” but then gets very sad thinking about parting with his beloved copy of “Happy Days and Lonely Nights” by Charlie Fry and his Million Dollar Pier Orchestra.
Well folks, here it is in all its glory – and R. Crumb, if you’re listening – don’t be sad – now it’s always available for you here.
This was from the second-to-last session the band ever recorded – and unfortunately, Rust’s Jazz and Ragtime records discography lists no personnel outside of Fry and vocalist Lewis James.
Recorded in Camden, New Jersey on June 5, 1928.
Released as Victor 21610.
Credits:
Charlie Fry – director
Lewis James – vocals
A swingin’ tune from the outstanding band known for its longtime residency at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem starting in 1937. They recorded several records for Decca between 1938-1941, and this one is from their first session.
In addition to a rock solid hook, this original tune by Al Cooper also features great solo work by Sam Massenberg on trumpet and an exciting bass solo that I mistook for Slam Stewart at first due to the vocalizations – but the honors here go to Cooper’s half brother Grachan Moncur.
Recorded in New York City on July 29, 1938.
Released as Decca 7525.
Credits:
Al Cooper – clarinet, alto sax, baritone sax, arranger, director
Pat Jenkins, Sam Massenberg – trumpet
Rudy Williams – alto sax
Ed McNeil – tenor sax
Oliver Richardson – piano
Grachan Moncur – string bass
Alex “Razz” Mitchell – drums
Ever since I heard Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane play “Limehouse Blues” on “Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago”, I’ve been intrigued by this tune, which was originally written for a revue performed in London in 1921.
Jack Hylton recorded an instrumental version in 1922 with the Queen’s Dance Orchestra, but it was not until the song hit Broadway in the U.S. that it became a breakout hit. Fortunately, most jazz versions of this tune are instrumental, omitting the original Orientalist lyrics that, to use a Gen Z colloquialism, are “cringe”.
Arthur Lange was a prolific bandleader and arranger, and his orchestra had already recorded nearly 100 sides for Cameo before this session. The arrangement here is very tight and nearly symphonic in its precise interactions between the band’s instrumentation. Lange would later write a book on dance band arrangement that is quite an interesting read.
The jazz interest here begins around 1:28 with a muted 16-bar doo wacka doo trumpet solo by Earl Oliver.
Recorded in New York City on April 22, 1924.
Released as Cameo 545.
Credits:
Arthur Lange – director, arranger
Earl Oliver, Tommy Gott – trumpet
Eph Hannaford – trombone
William Tresize – alto sax, violin
Morris Payes – clarinet, alto sax
Owen Bartlett – tenor sax
Licco Liggy – violin
Ray Romano – piano
Frank Reino – banjo
Arthur Campbell – tuba
Ken Whitmer – drums
Here’s another Silvertone reissue of a Federal release that doesn’t appear in either of Brian Rust’s discographies covering Jazz and Dance Band records.
The sax that comes in 0:27 and 1:16 sounds familiarly like Nathan Glantz – who did record this tune twice in early 1924 for different labels – and indeed it is he. The highlight of this one for me is the xylophone (marimba?) at 1:33 and 1:58, which is noneother than George Hamilton Green.
According to astute friend of the channel @jslas2-590 (Javier Soria Laso), trumpeter Jules Levy Jr. (present throughout the entire recording) tragically died of pleurisy shortly after this recording was made on June 18 of 1924.
Thanks to Javier for his help with notes and credits on this one!
Believed to be recorded in early 1924.
Reissued as Silvertone 2391 (mx. 2-2465).
Originally released as Federal 5391 and Resona 75391.
Credits:
Nathan Glantz – director, alto sax, tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, bass clarinet
Jules Levy Jr., Mike Mosiello – trumpet
Eph(riam) Hannaford – trombone
Larry Briers – piano
unknown artist – tuba
George Hamilton Green – drums, xylophone, bells
Of all of the songs credited to and published by Clarence Williams, “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home” is one of his best known. Here we have the first recorded version of that song from late 1922, featuring Clarence on piano and his wife Eva Taylor on vocals.
The song would go on to become a jazz standard, recorded by every big name one can think of: Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis… along with many of the top vocal performers such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Julie London.
Eva Taylor (also known by her maiden name Irene Joy Gibbons) was a St. Louis vaudeville performer who met Williams in New York in 1920. They married a year later and recorded extensively together for Okeh and Columbia.
In addition to her collaborations with Williams, Eva would go on to sing with many other artists such as the Charleston Chasers and Ben Selvin’s orchestra.
If there ever was a first couple of early jazz, I think it would be Clarence Williams and Eva Taylor. Two married artists who collaborated and performed as equals.
Recorded in New York City on November 25, 1922.
Released as Okeh 4740.
Credits:
Eva Taylor – vocals
Clarence Williams – piano
A nice “bowling ball” style Pathé Actuelle disc with a splatter of black and red shellac by Joe Candullo and his Everglades Orchestra.
This side did not look promising based on the title, and I put it on with low expectations. The first 90 seconds are a pleasant straightforward dance band number with vocal. However, at 1:28, my ears perked up at Goof Moyer’s warbling alto sax solo that then led to excellent subsequent trombone, sax, and trumpet solos. Not too shabby at all, gentlemen! 👏👏👏
Recorded in New York City circa July 1926.
Released as Pathé Actuelle 36486
Credits:
Joe Candullo – violin, director
Leo McConville (?), Tommy Gott (?) – trumpet
Goof Moyer – clarinet, alto sax
Ray Stilwell – trombone
Gerry Salisbury – clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax
Frank de Carlo – piano
John Montesanto – banjo
Nick Farrara – tuba
Ray Bauduc – drums
Mary Lou Williams left Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy in 1942 – and here we find her leading a trio on a session for Asch Recordings.
This old tune, “Persian Rug”, was a number published in 1927, written by Gus Kahn and Neil Moret. It was a song full of Eastern exoticism that had been recorded in the late 20s by artists such as Fats Waller, Louisiana Sugar Babes, the Dorsey Brothers, Eddie Harkness, and Charley Straight. It languished during the depression years and was revived in the late 30s by Jack Teagarden in a recording for Brunswick. More recently, it was recorded by guitarist Julian Lage for his 2016 album, Arclight.
This beautifully sparse version opens with bassist Al Hall bowing in the background in a way that resembles a lower-pitched slide whistle while a trumpet call by Bill Coleman seems to announce a somber occasion. Mary Lou then bursts onto the scene with a cheerful melodic line full of a joie de vivre. Williams, Hall, and Coleman trade ideas, often coming together between solos as though to check in with one another. I find it quite inventive and a real delight to listen to.
Unfortunately, Asch pressings are known to have a lot of surface noise – possibly because of the lower quality of scarce wartime shellac. This French Polydor pressing (which you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be much better, all things considered) seems a bit better – though my copy gets noisier toward the end. Probably the result of a steel needle junkie trying to get just one more play out of an used needle.
Recorded in New York City on August 10, 1944.
Released as Polydor 580 029.
Credits:
Mary Lou Williams – piano
Al Hall – bass
Bill Coleman – trumpet
Recorded in New York City on September 14, 1938.
Released as Decca 2797.
Credits:
Mary Lou Williams – piano
Booker Collins – string bass
Ben Thigpen – drums
I am on a Mary Lou Williams kick this week – and have a few great sides to share.
This first one is Twinklin’ – a delightful self-penned number with Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy that showcases Williams’ piano. She’s got this great unhurried tone – always quite elegant.
Recorded in New York City on February 8, 1938.
Originally released in the U.S. as Decca 2483.
Released in the U.K. as Brunswick 02789.
Credits:
Andy Kirk – bass sax, director
Mary Lou Williams – piano, arranger
Harry Lawson, Clarence Trice, Earl Thomson – trumpet
Ted Donnelly, Henry Wells – trombone
John Harrington – clarinet, alto sax, baritone sax
Earl Miller – alto sax
John Williams – alto sax, baritone sax
Dick Wilson – tenor sax
Ted Robinson – guitar
Booker Collins – string bass
Ben Thigpen – drums