One of the reasons I love 78 rpm records is that sometimes you stumble across something brilliant when you weren’t expecting to. This 1941 recording must have flipped some lids upon its release – sounding inspired by a minimalist version of Django and Grappelli filtered through a film noir nightmare sequence. I love this twisted avant garde jam!
I couldn’t find much out about The Variety Boys from this time period – though it seems to be led by tenor saxophonist George Oldham.
From 1943 onwards, they added vocalist Ethelene Dinsmore and were known as a lounge act at cocktail clubs such as A1 Simmon’s Brown Derby in Washington, the Sky Club in Chicago, Flame Club in Duluth, Beachcomber in Omaha, Black and Tan in Seattle, and the Club Royal in San Diego.
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois on March 15, 1941.
Released as Decca 8564.
Credits:
George Oldham – tenor sax
Bill Sanford – bass
Clarence Black – violin
Kenneth Henderson – guitar
(as per “History of Jazz Tenor Saxophone Black Artists” by Jan Evensmo)
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