Jazz Crazy Records

An Archive of Early Jazz on 78 RPM

Category: Jazz

  • “In Harlem’s Araby” – Dixie Devils (1929)

    “In Harlem’s Araby” – Dixie Devils (1929)

    This mystery band has been the object of much debate over the last century. Pirate reissues on the Tempo and Biltmore labels have billed the band as one led by none other than King Oliver himself, though this is now regarded as a specious claim.

    Andy Sanella was interviewed two weeks before his death in 1962 and said that it was himself and Mike Mosiello on this record – recording with the Grey Gull studio band.

    More recently, it has been suggested that this is a hitherto unidentified band led by Porter Grainger, who is listed as the composer on all four songs recorded during this session.

    While confirmation on personnel may never be a settled matter, what is clear is that this is a great record! The subdued yet bouncy piano, muted trumpet, alto sax, and beseeching clarinet all work to give this composition a unique sound of its own.

    Recorded in New York City in November, 1929.
    Released as Van Dyke 71804.
    Also released as Grey Gull 1804, Radiex 1804, and Supreme 1804 (as the Memphis Jazzers).

    Credits:
    Porter Grainger (?) – piano, leader (?)
    Unknown Artists – trumpet, clarinet, alto sax

    An excellent summary of the attempts to identify personnel written by Laurens Hetrzdahl for Vintage Jazz Mart can be found at:
    https://www.vjm.biz/newpage4.htm

  • “Zowie” – McPhail’s Jazz Orchestra of Chicago (1921)

    “Zowie” – McPhail’s Jazz Orchestra of Chicago (1921)

    Lindsay McPhail is perhaps best known as the co-composer of the jazz standard “San”, which was performed by countless orchestras in the 1920s and beyond.

    Here we find him leading a band in Chicago in the early 1920s, recording his original rag-a-jazz composition “Zowie” for the Olympic label with a small group of unknown musical collaborators.

    Recorded at 156 Meadow Street, Long Island City, New York in June 1921.
    Released as Olympic 15123.

    Credits
    Lindsay McPhail – piano, director
    Doc Berendsohn – clarinet
    Unknown Artists – cornet, trombone, drums

  • “Dreaming the Hours Away” – Clarence Williams’ Jazz Kings (1928)

    “Dreaming the Hours Away” – Clarence Williams’ Jazz Kings (1928)

    Here’s the original recording of “Dreaming the Hours Away” by Clarence Williams’ Jazz Kings. If you liked my video of the Jazz-O-Maniacs from yesterday it might interest you to hear it.

    A fun fact about this session is that it included “The Hawk” Coleman Hawkins, who was playing with the Fletcher Henderson orchestra at this time.

    This was from Williams’ first session of 1928 and it begins with a short ensemble intro before going into a 16 bar chorus with clarinetist Buster Bailey followed by 16 bars of cornetist Ed Allen stating the main melody. After 16 bars of ensemble playing, we hear Ed Allen solo followed by the Hawk on tenor. Ed Cuffee brings it home with a trombone solo accompanied by clarinets.

    I had bid on this record a month ago and coincidentally, it arrived yesterday right as I was posting the Jazz-O-Maniacs version, which if you haven’t seen, you can view here:
    https://youtu.be/xkPPsT0-Isw

    It’s a fairly clean copy – with some minor blasting during loud transients in a couple of passages.

    Recorded in New York City on January 12, 1928.
    Released as Columbia 14287-D.

    Credits:
    Ed Allen – cornet
    Ed Cuffee – trombone
    Buster Bailey – clarinet, alto sax
    Coleman Hawkins – clarinet, tenor sax
    Clarence Williams – piano
    Leroy Harris – banjo
    Cyrus St. Clair – tuba

  • Jazz-O-Maniacs – “Dreaming the Hours Away” – Riverboat Jazz on the Mississippi River!

    Jazz-O-Maniacs – “Dreaming the Hours Away” – Riverboat Jazz on the Mississippi River!

    Here’s something different – a rousing live performance of “Dreaming the Hours Away” by T.J. Muller and his Jazz-O-Maniacs from the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival!

    This tune by William E. Dulmage was first recorded by Clarence Williams’ Jazz Kings in 1928 – and it is from the Williams recording that the band got its inspiration for this rendition. You can hear the original Clarence Williams’ Jazz Kings version here:
    https://youtu.be/dpfz4d855Y0

    Recorded on the Celebration Belle riverboat on the Mississippi river north of Davenport, Iowa on August 2, 2024 as part of the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival.

    Credits
    Dave Kosmyna – cornet
    Michael McQuaid – clarinet
    Jeff Barnhart – piano
    T.J. Muller – banjo
    Josh Duffee – drums

    If you love jazz and dance music from the 20s and 30s – you should really attend this festival next year! Three days of outstanding performances plus extracurricular events like this riverboat cruise and a graveside concert next to the Bix’s final resting place. Hearing this music performed live (often on vintage instruments) by musicians who are all passionate about this era is a real treat.

    More information on the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival:
    https://bixsociety.org/festival.php

    More information on the Celebration Belle Riverboat:
    https://www.celebrationbelle.com/

  • “Dreaming of you Blues” – Luella Miller (1927) Early Blues f/ Lonnie Johnson on Guitar

    “Dreaming of you Blues” – Luella Miller (1927) Early Blues f/ Lonnie Johnson on Guitar

    Here is side B of the Luella Miller record I posted this morning – a tune called “Dreaming of You Blues” that features Lonnie Johnson on guitar.

    There is much mystery about Luella Miller – she first recorded for Vocalion in St. Louis in 1926, then did six sessions in 1927-28 resulting in the release of 24 songs over 12 records – and 11 unissued matrices. After August of 1928 it is not clear what happened to Miss Miller as no further recordings were made.

    Recorded in New York City on January 28, 1927.
    Released as Vocalion 1081.

    Credits:
    Luella Miller – vocals
    James Johnson – piano
    Lonnie Jonson – guitar

    There’s a nice writeup on Luella Miller and this song at:
    https://www.goldminemag.com/articles/ponder-mysterious-disappearance-blues-singer-luella-miller

    Side A of this record, “Rattle Snake Groan” can be heard at:
    https://youtu.be/k_UStYk7hQw

  • “Rattlesnake Groan” – Luella Miller (1927) Early Blues f/ Lonnie Johnson on violin!

    “Rattlesnake Groan” – Luella Miller (1927) Early Blues f/ Lonnie Johnson on violin!

    It’s always a good day when a blues record from the Vocalion 1000 series comes into your collection. Though this copy has been well-loved and the levels are quite low on this recording, I think I was able to get a decent transfer.

    There is much mystery about Luella Miller – she first recorded for Vocalion in St. Louis in 1926, then did six sessions in 1927-28 resulting in the release of 24 songs over 12 records – and 11 unissued matrices. After August of 1928 it is not clear what happened to Miss Miller as no further recordings were made.

    On “Rattle Snake Groan”, her rustic performance, replete with moans and groans, is convincing. We also get the bonus of having Lonnie Johnson as an accompanist – on the violin! He plays guitar on the other side.

    Recorded in New York City on January 28, 1927.
    Released as Vocalion 1081.

    Credits:
    Luella Miller – vocals
    James Johnson – piano
    Lonnie Jonson – violin

    There’s a nice writeup on Luella Miller and this song at:
    https://www.goldminemag.com/articles/ponder-mysterious-disappearance-blues-singer-luella-miller

    Side B of this record, “Dreaming of You Blues”, can be heard at:
    https://youtu.be/oc6hg6g-hQ4

  • “A Jazz Holiday” – Abe Lyman’s Sharps and Flats (1928)

    “A Jazz Holiday” – Abe Lyman’s Sharps and Flats (1928)

    Another great tune heard last weekend at the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival performed by Josh Duffee and his Graystone Monarchs – a William Benton Overstreet tune called “A Jazz Holiday”, which was also recorded that same year by Benny Goodman’s Boys, Ted Lewis, and Joe Candullo’s Orchestra.

    Here we have Abe Lyman’s Sharps and Flats performing the festive number with vigor. Trumpet and clarinet solos are plentiful, and we also hear a brief piano solo by Al Newman starting at 1:57.

    If this one doesn’t make you get up and do the Charleston, I don’t know what will.

    Recorded in Chicago, Illinois on November 28, 1928.
    Released as Brunswick 4155.

    Abe Lyman – drums, director
    Fred Ferguson, Howard Fenimore – trumpet
    Orlando “Slim” Martin, Warren Smith – trombone
    Jim Welton – clarinet, alto sax, flute
    Al Baker (or possibly Gus Mueller) – clarinet, alto sax
    Horace “Zip” Keyes – clarinet, tenor sax
    John Schonberger, Harry Podalsky – violin
    Al Newman – piano
    Charlie Pierce – banjo
    Jake Garcia – string bass

  • “Don’t Wake Me Up Let Me Dream” – Howard Lanin’s Ben Franklin Dance Orchestra (1925)

    “Don’t Wake Me Up Let Me Dream” – Howard Lanin’s Ben Franklin Dance Orchestra (1925)

    This is a tune I heard at the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival last weekend performed by the Graystone Monarchs led by Josh Duffee. When I got home, I dug around the vault and found my copy.

    Howard Lanin was one of six Lanin siblings who became bandleaders – including Sam Lanin and Lester Lanin. Both Sam and Howard’s orchestras got their start at the Roseland Ballroom in Philadelphia in 1918.

    Here we find Howard leading an orchestra at Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Hotel – which just opened in 1925 when this record was made. The hotel was converted into apartments in the 1980s and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The beautiful ballroom still exists and was restored in 1988 and can be seen at: https://finleycatering.com/venues/ballroom-at-the-ben/

    This snappy number was no doubt a crowd favorite in its time, and one can imagine the active dance floor during its performance.

    Recorded just across the river in Camden, New Jersey on September 29, 1925.
    Released as Victor 19797.

    Credits:
    Howard Lanin – leader
    Sam Lanin – director
    Red Nichols (?), Tex Brewster – trumpet
    Unknown Artist – trombone
    Uknown Artist – clarinet, soprano sax, alto sax
    Johnny O’Donnell – clarinet, alto sax
    __ Tranchitelli – clarinet, tenor sax
    Joe or Willie Lanin – piano
    Russell Deppe – banjo
    Unknown Artist – tuba
    Chauncey Morehouse – drums

  • “Chicago” – Quintette Du Hot Club De France (1937) f/ Django Reinhardt

    “Chicago” – Quintette Du Hot Club De France (1937) f/ Django Reinhardt

    I’m back from the outstanding Bix Jazz Festival and have some videos of that to post but now am off to Chicago for a little well-earned family summer vacay time. I’ll be back Saturday!

    In the meantime, here is Django Reinhardt and his Quintet of the Hot Club of France doing a fine rendition of “Chicago (That Toddlin’ Town)” by Fred Fischer. The tune was originally published in 1922 and was a bit of an oldie by this time.

    This record was never issued concurrently on HMV or Victor and this French issue on the Swing label represented its only release.

    Recorded in Paris, France on April 26, 1937.
    Released as Swing 2.

    Credits
    Stéphane Grappelli – violin
    Django Reinhardt, Marcel Bianchi, Pierre Barault – guitar
    Louis Vola – bass

    The flip side, “Charleston” can be heard at:
    https://youtu.be/zrzizt3UbRg

  • “I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight!” – The Goofus Five (1925)

    “I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight!” – The Goofus Five (1925)

    The Goofus Five were a small combo offshoot of the California Ramblers who recorded for Okeh Records from 1924-29. They originally were five performers, with Adrian Rollini playing the goofus – their slang term for the couesnophone – which looks like a tiny toy saxophone and sounds like a harmonica or accordion.

    Over time, their numbers grew and Rollini would often double on the bass sax – which he was well known for. On this record the Goofus “Five” are really the Goofus Seven.

    This pleasant toe tapper is full of endearing melodies which seem to spontaneously blossom as the tune progresses. It’s hard not to listen and feel your heart lighten a bit.

    While Brian Rust lists Chelsea Quealey on trumpet in his Jazz Records discography, viewer @lindyhoppers has argued that the trumpet on this session is actually Roy Johnston.

    Recorded in New York City on October 28, 1925.
    Released as Okeh 40500.

    Roy Johnston (?) or Chelsea Quealey (?) – trumpet
    Bobby Davis – clarinet, soprano sax, alto sax
    Sam Ruby – tenor sax
    Adrian Rollini – bass sax
    Irving Brodsky – piano
    Tommy Felline – banjo
    Stan King – drums