Imagine you’re the sixteen year old son of a millionaire who just caught the jazz bug in New York City circa 1923. What do you do? You buy an orchestra! Not just any orchestra, but the Arthur Lange Orchestra, a hot dance band that played at the Cinderella Ballroom on Broadway and featured Earl Oliver and Tommy Gott.
Kahn’s orchestra rehearsed in the family mansion on 5th Avenue and began playing gigs in 1924. His first recordings for Victor took place in 1925. In late 1925, Kahn brought on hot trombonist Miff Mole, drummer Vic Berton, and violinist Joe Venuti, who was occasionally joined by guitarist Eddie Lang. The addition of these all-star performers made for a supergroup.
This recording of the tune “Wouldn’t You” coincided with Kahn’s opening of a night club, Le Perroquet de Paris, in New York City – which featured his orchestra as regular performers. The tune starts as a straightforward dance band number, but at 0:53, Miff Mole begins takes the temperature up with a trombone solo. After the vocals delivered by Franklyn Baur (accompanied by Eddie Lang), Joe Venuti and Lang perform a real gem of a hot duet starting at 2:35. All in all, an ornate affair, with just enough jazz interest for Brian Rust to concede they had a place in his famous Jazz and Ragtime Records discography.
Recorded in New York City on November 24, 1926.
Released as Victor 20379
Credits:
Roger Wolfe Kahn – director
Tommy Gott, Leo McConville – trumpet
Miff Mole – trombone
Arnold Brilhart – clarinet, alto sax
Alfie Evans – clarinet, alto sax, baritone sax
Harold Sturr – clarinet, tenor sax
Joe Venuti, Joe Raymond – violin
Abe Borodkin – cello
Irving Brodsky – piano
Eddie Lang – guitar
Arthur Campbell – tuba
Vic Berton – drums
Franklyn Baur – vocals