Interracial Jazz Recording (#50) Ben Bernie and Bill Moore

Ben Bernie, sometimes called "The Old Maestro" was a violinist, bandleader and showman who became popular enough to show up in early films. He gets credit as co-writer of "Sweet Georgia Brown." He had a fair number of musicians passing through his live orchestra and recordings. In this instance, he uses Bill Moore. As I've shown, this is one of the many recordings the trumpeter made with white groups.

Bill Moore

Ben Bernie

I like the tune "collegiate" because it highlights the ambivalent attitude that America had toward college in an era where more people (mostly men) were graduating from high school and pursuing higher education. There's a populist attitude of put-down, mixed in with some sense that college might be cool. The tune uses the jive of the era and tosses in some of the pop hits of the day. The ensemble sections are crisply played and Jack Pettis plays a nice solo. Note the young Oscar Levant on piano.

Ben Bernie, vn, dir: Donald Bryan, Bill Moore, t / Frank Sarlo, tb / Norman Ronemous, Len Kavash, cl, as / Jack Pettis, cl, Cm, ts / Oscar Levant, p / Nick Gerlach, vn / Paul Nito, bj, vn / Max Rosen, bb / Sam Fink, d / Kenn Sisson, a / vocal quartet (Irving Kaufman, Jack Kaufman, Lester O'Keefe, Moe Jaffe), v. New York, August 10, 1925.

• 1090W Collegiate - vQT Voc 15080, X-9674
• 1092W Yes Sir, That's My Baby Voc 15080, X-9674

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#49): Mezzrow and Company

Mezz Mezzrow, author of the most unique autobiography in jazz, earns a prominent mention in the conversation about interracial sessions. In the 1930's, other bandleaders seeded their orchestras with one star black performer, but Mezzrow was the first person to create a truly mixed live performance group:"The Disciples of Swing." You can read all about the rise and fall of that group in my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.” 

The creation of The Disciples, brief though its existence was, wasn't possible until the late 1930's (1937). Before then, Mezzrow had to satisfy himself by putting together several interracial recording sessions. This one, in 1933, includes Teddy Wilson, Pops Foster and Benny Carter.

Benny Carter

Mezz Mezzrow

Mezz must have had something in mind when he wrote the tune "Dissonance," but it's hard to know what, as this song is not at all dissonant. Mezz equits himself well, although playing alto sax on a session with Benny Carter may not have been the best choice. Mezz takes the first two alto solos  and Benny, the last. Max Kaminsky and a muted Floyd O'Brien play nice solos and naturally, Teddy Wilson shines.

Mezz Mezzrow and His Orchestra: Max Kaminsky, Freddy Goodman, Ben Gusick, t / Floyd O’Brien, tb Mezz Mezzrow, cl, as, a / Benny Carter, t, as, v, a / Johnny Russell, ts / Teddy Wilson, p / Clayton “Sunshine” Duerr, g / Pops Foster, sb / Jack Maisel, d. New York, November 6, 1933.

• Free Love– aBC: Br 7551, A-9527, A-500369;
• Dissonance– aMM: Br 7551, 02509, A-9527, A-500369, Par R-2881;
• Swinging With Mezz- aMM, FO’B: Br 6778, 01762, A-500370, Par R-2881, PZ, 11006;
• Love, You’re Not The One For Me– vBC: Br 6778, 01762, A-500370

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#48) Wilson, Holiday and Barbour

This Teddy Wilson-Billie Holiday session features white musicians Tom Mace on clarinet and Dave Barbour on guitar. Dave Barbour shows up on a lot of 1930's sessions then joins Benny Goodman's band in 1942, where he meets and marries singer Peggy Lee. The tunes they wrote together include "It's A Good Day" and “I Don’t Know Enough About You.” Tom Mace recorded often on sax, clarinet and, occasionally on oboe. 

Dave Barbour

Billie Holiday

Tom Mace

"Spreadin’ Rhythm Around" is the most interesting song from this set. The lyrics reference swing, but the song is a little bit retro, as the rhythm section is more a 2/4 than a 4/4 swing feeling. Barbour kicks on the intro and Mace, Clarke and the inimitable Hodges have nice solos. Lady, as always, does the job

Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra: Richard Clarke, t / Tom Mace, cl / Johnny Hodges, as/ Teddy Wilson, p / Dave Barbour, g / Grachan Moncur, sb / Billie Holiday, v. New York, December 3, 1935.

• These ‘N’ That ‘N’ Those– vBH0- Br 7577, 02118, A-500627;
• Sugar Plum- Br 7577, A-81076, A-500627, Voc S-23, Lucky 60124;
• You Let Me Down– vBH- Br 7581, A-500628, Dec J-2;
• Spreadin’ Rhythm Around – vBH: Br 7581, 02141, A-500628

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#47): Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson.

Benny Goodman is given a lot of credit for being in the vanguard in hiring black musicians. It's complicated. Goodman was no crusader and was reluctant to step into that role. However, influential writer and record producer John Hammond, who backed the idea, was a crusader and pursuasive. So was Helen Oakley (Dance), who booked the concert at Chicago's Rhythm Club, where the trio made its public debut. What clinched the deal was that Goodman, a musical perfectionist, recognized the high level of Teddy Wilson's musicianship.

Teddy Wilson

Benny Goodman

The first time that Goodman and Wilson played together was at a jam session at the Queens, New York home of vibraphonist Red Norvo and singer Mildred Bailey. Goodman later said, "That night Teddy and I began to play as though we were thinking with the same brain." 

Wilson recorded with Goodman (and Jack Teagarden) in 1934, but the trio records they made in 1935 really hit, selling around 50,000 copies each. The following year, 1936, Goodman brought the trio into the Rhythm Club at The Congress Hotel in Chicago. Later that year, Lionel Hampton joined the group, which alternated sets in concerts with Goodman's big band.

This is trio Swing music at the highest level.  Note that Krupa is listed on the record label as playing "traps"-short for contraption-an alternative term for a drum set.

Benny Goodman and His Trio: Benny Goodman, cl / Teddy Wilson, p / Gene Krupa, d. New York, July 13, 1935.

• After You’ve Gone- ic 25115, 27-0117, 40-0107, HMV B-8381;
• Body And Soul: Vic 25115, 27-0118, 40-0106, HMV B-8381, EA-1568;
• Who?- Vic 25181, 68-0832, JA-836, BB B-10643;
• Someday, Sweetheart-Vic 25181, Vic 27-0117, 68-0832, JA-836, BB B-10643,HMV B-8402   

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#46) Pollack with Benny Morton, Shirley Clay

Ben Pollack was a drummer and important early bandleader. Many of the great soloists of the late 1920's-Goodman, Teagarden, McPartland-passed through his Chicago band. 

Ben Pollack

Trumpeter Shirley Clay started out playing in Midwestern territory bands. He moved to Chicago and worked in Carroll Dickerson's band, among others. He was a reliable player and good soloist, hooked up with top tier bands and got a lot of studio work. 

Shirley Clay

Benny Morton was one of the most accomplished trombonists of his (swing-era) generation and influenced a younger generation of players with his flexibility and harmonic knowledge. 

Benny Morton

Pollack put together this all-star group, and yields the drum chair to Ray Bauduc. There are several effective solo turns on this nice arrangement of  "Swing Out," a tune by Wingy Manone.

Ben Pollack and His Orchestra: v, dir: Yank Lawson, Charlie Spivak, Shirley Clay, t /Joe Harris, Benny Morton, tb / Matty Matlock, cl /Deane Kincaide, Gil Rodin, as / Eddie Miller, ts / Al Beller, Ray Cohen, vn / Gil Bowers, p / Nappy Lamare, g, v / Harry Goodman, sb / Ray Bauduc, d / Doris Robbins, v. New York, December 28, 1933.

• Got The Jitters– vNL: Col 2870-D; Deep Jungle- Col 2879-D, DO-5036;
• Swing Out: Col 2879-D, DO-5036;
• I’m Full Of The Devil– vBP: Col 2870-D, CQ-1385

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#45): Mound City Blue Blowers w. Hawkins and Foster

Red McKenzie and Eddie Condon were two of the great organizers of combinations for recording in the late 20-'s-early 30's. Often putting together interracial sessions.  

Pops Foster

Red Mackenzie

This Victor session features great playing by several players. McKenzie is always convincingly hot playing his comb-and-paper, a comb with a piece of paper, often newspaper, placed over it. Russell and Hawkins are great as usual and even Glenn Miller takes a convincing turn. Apart from Hawkins, the other black performer was New Orleans stalwart Pops Foster on bass.

Mound City Blue Blowers: Glenn Miller (tb) Pee Wee Russell (cl) Coleman Hawkins (ts) Eddie Condon (bj) Jack Bland (g) Pops Foster (b) Gene Krupa (d) Red McKenzie (comb,vcl) New York, November 14, 1929.

• Hello, Lola- Vic V38100, RCA (F)FXM1-73245, 741103;
• If I could be with you one hour tonight- Vic V38100, LPV501, (G)LPM501, RCA (F)FXM1-7325, 741103

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#44) Maggie Jones with the St. Louis Rhythm Kings

Maggie Jones, billed as the "Texas Nightingale" was an earthy blues-vaudeville singer with a stentorian voice. She had a brief recording window, from 1923-1929, recording first on black-owned Black Swan records, then for several other labels.

Maggie Smith

Original Indiana Five

Columbia Records teams her up with the white group the St Louis Rhythm Kings (the Original Indiana Five) for this track, "He's Just A Horn-Tooting Fool," a Davis-Busse-Gorman tune. Tip o' the hat to Dan Weinstein for hipping me to this.

Maggie Jones acc. by the St. Louis Rhythm Kings: Mickey Bloom, t / Pete Pellezzi, tb / Louis Maesto, cl / Nick Moleri, p / Christian Maesto, d. New York, June 12, 1925.

• 140662-3 He's Just A Horn-Tooting Fool- Col 14081-D
• 140663-1 Go Get 'Em Caroline- Col 14081-D

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#43) Bud Freeman and Sid Catlett

This group, organized by Eddie Condon, is white except for drummer Sid Catlett, who leads a rhythm section that cooks. Black arranger Alex Hill provided the arrangement for the tune I'm featuring here, "The Eel." 

Bud Freeman

Sid Catlett

                                              

"The Eel," written by Bud Freeman, is an interesting tune. Although the solos are over blues changes, the actual tune is very different harmonically. The changes are stepwise or static and the modal implications are obvious. There's good trombone work by Floyd O'Brien, a typically idiosyncratic Pee Wee Russell solo and a nice muted Kaminsky solo. But the recording is known as a showcase for the fine tenor work of Bud Freeman.

Eddie Condon and his Orchestra: Max Kaminsky, t / Floyd O’Brien, tb / Pee Wee Russell, cl / Bud Freeman, ts / Joe Sullivan, p, a / Eddie Condon, bj / Artie Bernstein, sb / Sid Catlett, d. New York, October 21, 1933.

• The Eel: Br 02006, Col 35680, Dec M-30368;
• The Eel: Br (E)02006, Philips (Eu)436008A-JE, Family (It)DP697;
• Tennessee Twilight– aAH: Br 01690, A-500406, Col 36009, DS-1574;
• Tennessee Twilight– aAH: Col 36000;
• Madame Dynamite: Br 01690, A-500406, Col DS-1574, UHCA 64, Par R-2938;
• Madame Dynamite- Col 36009; Home Cooking- Col 35680, JZ1, Family (It)DP697, Tax (Swd)m-8019

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#42) Eva Taylor and Ben Selvin

Eva Taylor, nee Irene Joy Gibbons, was a singer and actress who as a young girl traveled widely in vaudeville. Billed by Black Swan Records as "The Dixie Nightingale," she married and recorded often with Clarence Williams-producer, composer, pianist and publisher.

Eva Taylor

Ben Selvin

She performs here in a kind of stage/dance/jazz hybrid arrangement reminiscent of those played by Paul Whiteman. The orchestra is led by the prolific Ben Selvin, who recorded something like 15,000 78's. Some of the musicians were studio musicians and some could handle jazz. 

There are disagreements in discographies about the personnel for this Rodgers and Hart tune. I'm giving Rust's version, as others don't reckon with how large this ensemble is and Rust's seems feasible to me.

BEN SELVIN AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Ben Selvin, vn, dir: Leo McConville, Manny Klein, t / Tommy Dorsey, tb /Andy Sannella, cl, as / Louis Martin, as /Hymie Wolfson, cl, ts / ? Irving Brodsky, p / Tony Colucci, bj, g / ? Hank Stern, bb / Stan King, d / Eva Taylor, v. New York, December 9, 1929.

• My Man Is On The Make - vET Col 2067-D, CB-65, Re G-20852
• When I'm Housekeeping For You - vET Col 2072-D, CB-33
• My Man Is On The Make Par R-658
• When I'm Housekeeping For You Par R-661

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#41) Bing and the Mills Brothers

You get both sides of Bing here-the crooner and the scatting hipster. The Mills Brothers do their thing, including close harmony and vocalisms of instruments-tuba and muted trumpet. A nice hot track.

Bing

Mills Bros.

Bing Crosby Vocal, acc. by the Mills Brothers (q.v. for personnel) / Frank Guarente, t /Will Bradley, tb / Les Dreyer, Bennie Krueger, as / Max Farley, ts / Fred Glickman, Max Solowsky, vn / Joe Meresco, p / Eddie Lang, g / Hank Stern, bb / Larry Gomar, d. New York, December 16, 1931.

• Dinah- Br 6240, Hist H-622, AoH (E)AH40, Col C2L43, Jonzo (E)JZ-12, Masters of Jazz (F)MJCD802 [CD]; Dinah-Jonzo (E)JZ-12

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#40): Fletcher Henderson and Dick Robertson

We've seen white vocalist Dick Robertson a couple of times with black orchestras. Here he does his usual peppy performance with a Fletcher Henderson outfit. 

Dick Robertson

                                         

  

Fletcher Henderson

"Oh, It Looks Like Rain" is the choice tune from this recording session. It was written by Y.P Harburg, known for his collaborations with Harold Arlen and Milton Ager, composer of more confectionary tunes like this one, as well as "Ain't She Sweet" and "Happy Days Are Here Again." Coleman Hawkins often carries the heaviest solo load for Henderson, but there's nice solo work here by Russell Procope on alto, Edgar Sampson on violin, Rex Stewart on cornet and Claude Jones on trombone.

Fletcher Henderson and His Connie’s Inn Orchestra: Rex Stewart (cnt) Bobby Stark (tp) Claude Jones (tb) Russell Procope (cl,as) Edgar Sampson (as, vln) Coleman Hawkins (ts) Fletcher Henderson (p,arr) Clarence Holiday (g) John Kirby (tu) Walter Johnson (d,bells) Dick Robertson (vcl) July 31, 1931.

• Oh, It Looks Like Rain– vDR-Vic 22786, Zon EE-275;
• Sweet Music– vDR: Vic 22775, HMV K-6390;
• My Sweet Tooth Says I Wanna (But My Wisdom Tooth Says No) – vDR: Vic 22786, HMV B-4911;
• Malinda’s Weddin’ Day– vDR: Vic 22775, HMV B-4911, BB B-5518

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#39) Sidney Arodin and the Astoria Hot 8.

This was the house band in the Astoria Hotel in New Orleans in 1928/1929-hence the name. Most of the players in the group have impressive jazz resumes. For example, cornettist Lee Collins took over when Louis Armstrong left King Oliver. Al Morgan, powerhouse bassist, played with everyone. 

Sidney Arodin

Lee Collins

Sidney Arodin is our racial "odd man out" in this otherwise black group. He wrote the song "Up A Lazy River" with Hoagy Carmichael and also played with, among others, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Wingy Manone and Louis Prima. Arodin is a simplification of either the name Arnandan or Arnondrin and Sidney's family was French (not Creole). Arodin may or may not have played with the rest of the group at the Astoria, as a mixed-race group sharing a stage would have been pretty much unheard of at that time. 

This is the group's only recording. "Damp Weather" has a few more traces of ragtime than the other tracks, but all have the propulsive, bluesy polyphonic sound characteristic of New Orleans.

Jones and Collins Astoria Hot 8: Lee Collins, c / Sidney Arodin, cl / Theodore Purnell, as / David Jones, ts / Joe Robechaux, p / Emmanuel Sayles, bj / Al Morgan, sb, v / Joe Strode-Raphael, d. New Orleans, November 15, 1929.

• Astoria Strut- Vic V-38576, BB B-8168, Bm 100;
• Duet Stomp – vAM Vic V-38576, BB B-8168, Bm 1001;
• Damp Weather- BB B-10952, Bm 1002, Magnolia 9;
• Damp Weather- Merritt 1 (LP);
• Tip Easy Blues- BB B-10952, Bm 1002.

All recordings drawn from my book As Long As They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.

Interracial Jazz Recording (#38): Annette Hanshaw and James P. Johnson

Annette Hanshaw came from a vaudeville family and rose to the top of the pop-jazz heap in the late 1920's-to 30's. She recorded about 250 sides and sold millions of records. Later in life, she spoke of how nervous she was performing and recording, but she knew how to sell a tune and was dubbed "The Personality Girl." Some of her renditions can be too cutesy, but she does a nice job here on "I'm a Dreamer," by the successful songwriting team of Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown. 

Annette Henshaw

 

James P. Johnson

It's an unusual instrumentation. Manny Klein seems the likely trumpet player and two pianos-James P. Johnson on "lead" and Clarence Williams on 'backup.'

Annette Hanshaw acc by The Three Blue Streaks: Annette Hanshaw (vcl) acc by prob Manny Klein (tp) James P. Johnson,Clarence Williams (p), New York, December 4, 1929.

• I’m a dreamer - Aren’t we all ?- Har 1066-H, Phontastic (Swd)NOST7608;
• If I had a talking picture of you- Har 1066-H

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#37) King Oliver and Frank Marvin

The vocalist on this session is the white Frank Marvin [alias Sonny Woods]. Marvin was one of the most recorded singers of the era, with both white and black ensembles, including the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, McKinney's Cotton Pickers and Duke Ellington groups. He also did many country music recordings with Gene Autry and under his own name.

                      

Although this session is in King Oliver's name, Oliver was mostly hors de combat by this point. There is some discographic disagreement about the personel, as the Victor ledgers only specify that Frankie Marvin sang, Jean Stultz played guitar, and director Carroll Dickerson played violin. We hear Bubber Miley on plunger mute in the first few choruses, then a second trumpet, also muted at about 2:00 that could be Oliver. Then a third, unmuted toward the end, playing the lead in the section which is probably either Red Allen or Dave Nelson, who is listed as playing trumpet by https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/

King Oliver and His Orchestra: Bubber Miley, Henry “Red” Allen  or Dave Nelson (tp) Jimmy Archey (tb) Bobby Holmes (cl) Glyn Paque (cl,as) unknown (cl,as) Walter Wheeler (cl,ts) Don Frye (p) Arthur Taylor (bj) Jean Stultz (g) Clinton Walker (tu) unknown (chimes-1) Carroll Dickerson (dir,vln-2) Frank Marvin (vcl) [alias Sonny Woods] (vc.l) New York, January 28, 1930.

• St. James infirmary (fm vcl,1)- Vic 22298, LPV529, RCA (G)10017, Cam (Arg)CAL2957;
• When you’re smiling (fm vcl,2)- Vic 22298, Jass 603.
• Note: Both above titles also on RCA (Jap)RA-1/RA-8 RA-4, Bluebird 5466, Classics (F)607 [CD]

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”

Interracial Jazz Recording (#36) Adrian Rollini and BIll Moore

Here's another post with trumpeter Bill Moore, a light-skinned black man who played in hundreds of recording sessions, as far back as 1923. He may or may not have been billed as the "Hot Hawaiian." He certainly lives up to the "hot" part of it in this track.

If you've never hear a goofus, here's your chance. Adrian Rollini was a master of the bass saxophone and the vibes, but its the goofus that he plays in this great track "Arkansas." The rest of the rhythm sction does a stellar job. I'm not sure who's responsible for the vocal ejaculations.

Bill Moore

Rollini

 

Goofus

Five Birmingham Babies was a pseudonym on Pathé and its subsidiary labels for the California Ramblers, or for small groups from that orchestra. See also Goofus Five, University Six, Vagabonds, and Varsity Eight, which are also pseudonyms for the same group.

Bill Moore, t / Adrian Rollini, gfs / Irving Brodsky, p / Ray Kitchingman, bj / Stan King, d, k. New York, July 24, 1924.

• Arkansas PA 036142, 10754, Per 14323, Hg 975 105484 
• Hard-Hearted Hannah PA 036130, 10754, P 6758, Per 14311, Hg 968 105485 
• Tessie! Stop Teasing Me PA 036129, Per 14310

NOTE: Pathé 6758 and Pathé Actuelle 10754 as THE LITTLE RAMBLERS.

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”