King Oliver, one of the pioneers of New Orleans jazz, made his name in New Orleans and Chicago with his Creole Jazz Band and Dixie Syncopators. He finally made the move to New York in 1929 at the age of 44.
Louis Armstrong felt that Oliver waited too long to make the move to New York – and that the innovations he had pioneered had since become commonly imitated by the time he hit the town. Regardless – he began in January of 1929 a prolific series of sessions with Victor that resulted in a large number of releases recorded with pick-up bands featuring a rotating retinue of excellent players, including trumpeters Henry “Red” Allen and Bubber Miley who could solo in place of the King himself, who was having dental issues that made playing more difficult.
“St. James Infirmary” is a song with a rich history – and is perhaps best known in a jazz context for Louis Armstrong’s 1928 version and Cab Calloway’s 1930 version which was featured in the Betty Boop cartoon “Snow White” that featured a rotoscoped Calloway providing dance moves for the animation.
The King Oliver version was recorded amidst a flurry of recorded versions in 1930 – Gene Austin recorded a version for Victor on the same day – and Duke Ellington’s version was recorded on the following day. Rube Bloom and his Bayou Boys, Carl Fenton’s Orchestra, Chick Bullock and Alphonse Trent and his Orchestra all recorded versions within a month or two. Calloway’s version was recorded later in the year.
Recorded at 46th Street Studio, New York City on January 28, 1930.
Released as Victor 22298. Reissued as Bluebird B-5466.
Credits:
Carroll Dickerson – violin, director
King Oliver, Henry Allen, Bubber Miley – trumpet
Jimmy Archey – trombone
Bobby Holmes – clarinet, alto sax
Glyn Paque – alto sax
Walter Wheeler (?) – tenor sax
Don Frye – piano
Arthur Taylor – banjo
Jean Stultz – guitar
Clinton Walker – tuba
Frank Marvin – vocals
Unknown Artist – chimes