It’s Monday – and we need a rousing tune to start off the week! Here’s James Reece Europe’s legendary Hell Fighters band performing their version of “Clarinet Marmalade” – written by clarinetist Larry Shields and pianist H. W. Ragas of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band a year earlier.
Europe was on a real high point in his career – recording prolifically and touring the country. Tragically, two days after this recording was made he was stabbed in the neck by a drummer in the band who he had an argument with during intermission of a concert in Boston. He was taken to the hospital and died shortly thereafter. After his death, he was given a public funeral in New York City and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
These vertical-cut Pathé discs are a bit tricky to transfer – I have a rewired cartridge to play vertical cut records but using it also means it basically functions as a mono cartridge, and I can’t get the noise reduction that I get when transferring 78s with a stereo cart and summing the two channels to mono. The playback speed of this one was much higher than 78 rpm – to get in tune it was playing at just under 84 rpm. EQ was by ear, as I don’t have curves for Pathé. Hopefully it sounds as good to your ears as it does to mine!
Recorded in New York City circa May 7, 1919.
Released as Pathé 22167.
Also released as Pathé Actuelle 020928 and Perfect 14110.
Credits:
James Reese Europe – director
Probably including:
Frank De Braithe (or De Broite), Russell Smith, Pops Foster (not the well-known bassist), Jake Porter – trumpet
Dope Andrews, Herb Flemming – trombone
Pinkhead Parker – alto sax
Noble Sissle – violin
Battle Ax Kenny – drums
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