Ending our look at a few hot dance bands on the Brunswick label this week, we return to Hal Kemp with a interesting arrangement of a tune written by Phil Napoleon and Frank Signorelli of the Original Memphis Five.
The curious thing about this record is that it prominently features a guitar – but no guitarist is listed with the band in Brian Rust’s credits. While there is a banjo player credited (Olly Humphries), I’m not hearing a banjo at all. Also, the guitarist on this record sounds quite fluid and relaxed in his playing – wondering if this is Olly giving the guitar a go or an uncredited guest?
Guitarist Gene “Pinky” Kintzle (who I just found out was from Bix’s hometown here in Iowa) played extensively with Hal Kemp but did not join the group until 1929 – and I’m not even sure if he was in NYC this early.
The tune has a choppy start-and-stop arrangement that makes it a bit cerebral. Quite the highbrow approach for a record labeled as a “blues stomp”! The lush guitar interludes give moments of pleasure, along with Schegel’s trumpet solo and John Scott Trotter’s tuba-accompanied piano breaks.
But things really start to heat up around the two minute mark when Schlegel’s peppy trumpet breathes some fire into the tune during his second solo.
Now I need to go find a copy of Phil Napoleon’s version of this tune on Edison 51908 and Harmony 383-H – and the OM5 version on Pathé Actuelle 36576.
Recorded in New York City on May 5, 1927.
Released as Brunswick 3536
Credits
Hal Kemp – director, clarinet, alto sax
Wade Schlegel – trumpet
Keith Roberts – trombone
Ben Williams – clarinet, alto sax, baritone sax
Saxie Dowell – clarinet, tenor sax
John Scott Trotter – piano
Olly Humphries (?) – guitar
Jim Mullen – tuba
Skinny Ennis – drums
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