“Some Do and Some Don’t” – South Street Ramblers (1929)

This record is the object of some discussion in the collecting world, as some copies exist with two songs from Gennett 6552 by the State Street Ramblers – and other copies have the same two songs recorded by the Clarence Williams small combo calling itself the Barrel House Five Orchestra and originally released as Paramount 12875.

This copy is the Clarence Williams band – playing a wonderfully chill little tune called “Some Do and Some Don’t”. The band feels lightheaded and playful – and at 2:19 we hear the classic exhortation from an unidentified band member to bandleader Williams as he takes a solo: “Aw, play that thing, boy!”

0:00 Intro – ensemble
0:31 Alto sax solo (Arville Harris)
1:02 Cornet solo (Ed Allen)
1:33 Alto sax solo (Arville Harris)
2:04 Piano solo (Clarence Williams)
2:36 Outro – ensemble

Recorded in Long Island City, New York in January 1929.
Released as QRS 7019.

Credits
Arville Harris – clarinet, alto saxophone
Ed Allen – cornet
Clarence Williams – piano
Floyd Casey – washboard