Ben Selvin grew up on Ludlow Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It is said that he couldn’t afford violin lessons as a boy so he started playing harmonica. He eventually learned the violin – along with several other instruments – and at age 15 began playing in night clubs, restaurants, hotels, and dance halls in New York.
Selvin hit it big with the hit “Dardanella” in 1919, recorded for Victor with his Novelty Orchestra. He also performed under names such as the Bar Harbor Society, the Harmonians, and the Frisco Syncopators. He quickly became one of the most prolific artists of the 78 rpm era. The New York Times estimated in 1964 that Selvin had “played, made, or otherwise produced more than 9,000 records.”
By the time this side was recorded for Vocalion in late 1922, Selvin had already recorded just short of 200 sides for a variety of labels, including Victor, Paramount, Emerson, Arto, Grey Gull, Lyric, Okeh, Vocalion, Pathé Actuelle, Brunswick, Banner, Regal, Broadway, Perfect, and Puritan.
There’s some great solo and ensemble playing on this record – starting with the growling trumpet at the 0:12 mark. Throughout the song, the interplay between the trumpet and the swooning reeds is excellent. Though the solo sections seem to closely follow the melody – they do so with a nod to the hot and expressive side – and only seem to truly improvise during certain short hot breaks.
Despite this, or perhaps because of it, this tune was left out of Rust’s Jazz and Ragtime Records discography. Some great playing on this one! Certainly with plenty of “jazz interest” in my book!
Recorded in New York City in November, 1922.
Released as Vocalion 14477.
Credits:
Ben Selvin – violin, director
Jules Levy, Jr. (?), Hymie Farberman (?) – trumpet
Eph Hannaford – trombone
Bernie Daly – alto sax
Joe Winshup – tenor sax
Norman Spencer – piano
John Cali – banjo
Jack Helleberg – tuba
Unknown Artist – drums