“Potomac River Blues”, written by Maceo Pinkard, was one of the first songs published by Down South Music Publishing, co., a subsidiary of Jack Mills, Inc. begun by Fletcher Henderson and Andrew Sissle in New York in 1923. The publishing house was devoted “exclusively toward the popularization of characteristic ‘blues’ novelties by foremost race artists, composers, and stage and record stars.”
The tune was first recorded in November 1923 for Paramount by Henderson accompanying vocalist Birleanna Blanks.
Here we have a fine performance by the pre-Armstrong Henderson band, released on the ornate Vocalion label on distinctive red shellac. These records were marketed as “Vocalion Red Records” as a way to visually stand out from other records. They moved back to standard black shellac sometime in 1925.
This recently-acquired disc completes my collection of the Henderson Vocalion Red records!
The performance is enhanced by a bass sax performance, believed to be Billy Fowler, which particularly comes alive during Don Redman’s clarinet solo. Fowler also engages in some elephantine galumphing, along with Hawkins on tenor sax at several points in the composition.
0:00 Intro (with Chambers cornet leading)
0:32 Cornet (Scott)
0:56 Reed ensemble
1:20 Clarinet (Redman)
1:44 Muted cornet (Chambers)
2:08 Tenor sax (Hawkins) and piano (Henderson)
2:34 Coda
Recorded in New York City on December 22, 1923.
Released as Vocalion 14740.
Credits:
Fletcher Henderson – piano, arranger, director
Elmer Chambers, Howard Scott – cornet
Teddy Nixon (?) – trombone
Don Redman – clarinet, alto sax
Coleman Hawkins – tenor sax
Billy Fowler (?) – bass sax
Charlie Dixon – banjo
Kaiser Marshall (?) – drums
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