Recorded in New York in January of 1938 (one of Johnny’s last recording sessions).
Released in the UK as Vocalion S.231
The 1930s were not kind to Johnny Dodds – as New Orleans-style hot jazz faded in popularity, he did not record at all for nearly nine years. During these depression years, he and his brother Baby Dodds kept up their livelihood as musicians by playing popular tunes from stock arrangments in “various obscure night spots” in Chicago.
In January of 1938 Dodds was invited to New York (his only visit to that city in his lifetime!) to lead a session for Decca with Lil Armstrong, guitarist Teddy Bunn, and a group of studio players who played in styles quite different than the bluesy New Orleans ensemble players Dodds worked best with.
The result is a “Wild Man Blues” seemingly out of time altogether – but nonetheless quite enjoyable. From the first, this “Wild Man” swings hard with a surprisingly brash and upbeat solo from Dodds himself – with trumpeter Charlie Shavers following with a muted but debonair solo.
Next, Teddy Bunn treats us to a guitar solo that reinforces the optimism of this “Wild Man” – and we end with a duet between Dodds and Shavers in a more modern vein that gives us a glimpse of how Dodds may have prospered in the Dixieland revival of the 1940s and beyond.
Sadly, Johnny suffered a stroke in 1939 and a few weeks after recording one last session in June of 1940, Johnny had a second stroke and died on August 8, 1940.
Here’s to the original wild man: Johnny Dodds. May he rest in peace.
Credits
Charlie Shavers – trumpet
Johnny Dodds – clarinet
Lil Armstrong – piano
Teddy Bunn – guitar
John Kirby – string bass
O’Neil Spencer – washboard
Equipment used in the transfer:
• Lenco L75 turntable with Shure M91ED cartridge
• Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
• Audacity (for digitization, de-clicking, and De-RIAA/Re-EQing)
• Logic (for additional EQ tweaks, light compression, and stereo mixdown to mono)
• Adobe Premiere (for adding label image and final export to MP4)