Interracial Jazz Session (#22) Red Norvo and Teddy Wilson

Today, March 31 (1908), is Red Norvo's birthday-an appropriate time to post a session Norvo led that featured pianist Teddy Wilson. Wilson, a widely influential swing pianist, was in the forefront of the desegregation of live jazz.  In 1935, a year after these recordings, he became a member of Benny Goodman's trio with Gene Krupa and then Goodman's quartet when Lionel Hampton was added.

Starting in vaudeville and radio in the 1920's, Norvo was a preeminent marimba and xylophone player who switched to vibes in the 1940's. He had a long career as a leader and sideman, often recording with his wife, singer Mildred Bailey. He was an adventurous player who searched for new sounds throughout his long career, including an interesting early 1950's stint with Charles Mingus.

Trombonist  Jack Jenney was a solid swinger, although more well known for his tone on ballads. It's also interesting to hear Charlie Barnet and Artie Shaw before they became big timers.

These are the group's two sessions:

Red Norvo and his Swing Septet: Jack Jenney, tb / Artie Shaw, cl / Charlie Barnet, ts / Teddy Wilson, p /Bobby Johnson, g / Hank Wayland, sb / Billy Gussak, d / Red Norvo, x. New York, September 26, 1934.

• Old Fashioned Love- Col 3059-D, 35688, DB-5012, MC-5012;
• I Surrender, Dear- Col 2977-D, 35688, DB-5012, MC-5012

Red Norvo and his Swing Septet: Jack Jenney, tb / Artie Shaw, cl / Charlie Barnet, ts / Teddy Wilson, p /Bobby Johnson, g / Hank Wayland, sb / Billy Gussak, d / Red Norvo, x New York, October 4, 1934.

• A Tomboy- Col 2977-D, MC-3031, Par R-2110;
• The Night Is Blue- Col 3026-D, Par R-2088

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

Interracial Jazz Recording (#21) Bessie Smith & Eddie Lang

Bessie Smith earned her title as Empress of the Blues. She managed to be both powerful and able to express a wide range of emotion. Clarence Williams was a whirlwind-pianist, songwriter, producer, promoter, singer and publisher. As noted on previous posts, white guitarist Eddie Lang shows up on many mixed sessions. 

Suggestive doesn't really cover the "blue-ness" of the lyrics in all these tunes. 

Bessie Smith (vcl) acc by Clarence Williams (p) Eddie Lang (g) New York, May 8, 1929.

• I’m wild about that thing- Col 14427-D, CG30126, Swag (Aus)JCS3374, CBS(G)LSP14100, Jass 5;
• You’ve got to give me some- Col 14427-D, CG30126, Swag (Aus)JCS3374, BBC (E)602;
• Kitchen man- Col 14435-D, CG30126, Bilt 1040, HJCA 613, Murray Hill P315996;
• Note: Mx 148486 misprinted on some labels as “You’e got to give me some”
• All above titles also on Roots (Eu) RTS43015 [Cass], Columbia C2K-52838 [CD]

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

Interracial Jazz Tune (#20) Lang, Johnson, Dorsey (not Oliver) & Carmichael

Blind Willie Dunn was a pseudonym used by guitarist Eddie Lang when he played in black sessions, including the sessions he did with his pal, guitarist Lonnie Johnson. Johnson is the only non-white player on the 5 sessions done by this group in spring, 1929 and is probably the soloist you hear, as he was more deft at single-string playing than Lang.

Lang and Johnson

King Oliver is listed on the label but Tommy Dorsey, known of course as a trombonist, is actually the trumpet player and he sounds excellent. Hoagy Carmichael is the pianist, does some light scatting and probably slipped in the little bit of the xylophone we hear in "Jet Black Blues" and the wood blocks in "Blue Blood Blues." 

I'll go crazy and post both. What the hell.  

Blind Willie Dunn’s Gin Bottle Four: Tommy Dorsey (tp) Eddie Lang, Lonnie Johnson (g)  Hoagy Carmichael p,vcl, percussion New York, May 1, 1929.

• Jet black blues- OKeh 8689, Swag (Aus)33717, Par (E)PMC7106, Col C2L24;
• Blue blood blues- OKeh 8689, Swag (Aus)33717, Par (E)PMC7106, CBS (F)63610

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

Interracial Jazz Tune (#19) Jelly Roll Morton w. Boyd Senter

Jelly Roll Morton claimed to be the creator of jazz-a slight exaggeration-but he was definitely a foundational figure. He was a superb pianist, composer, arranger and raconteur; not to mention O.G. If you don't know about Morton, I encourage you to explore his music.

            
Morton doesn't solo in "Mr. Jelly Lord," apart from the intro,  although he is prominent in the background. The session includes Jack Russell, usually a pianist, on kazoo, someone called Memphis on comb (and tissue paper) and Boyd Senter on clarinet. Senter knew how to play jazz, albeit with a "stovepipe" quality (a la Ted Lewis). His "Senterpedes" were popular during the 20's and he employed many good jazz musicians, including the Dorseys, Lang, Venuti.

The use of kazoo and comb were pretty widepread in the era and although they seem quaint, I prefer to think of them as providing an expanded sonic palette. 

Jelly Roll Morton’s Steamboat Four: "Memphis" (comb), Jack Russell (kazoo), Boyd Senter (cl) Jelly Roll Morton (p) Chicago, IL, prob. April 1924.

• Mr. Jelly Roll [Mr. Jelly Lord]- Carn 11397, Riv RLP12-128, Byg (It)33, Milestone M47018, Rhapsody (E)RHA6021.

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

Interracial Recording (#18) Billy Banks and Company

Billy Banks

Billy Banks is a singular character. He sang and entertained as a male and as a female impersonator, in jazz, cabaret and vaudeville settings. He was working in Cleveland when the ubiquitous Irving Mills, on a business trip to Cleveland, caught Banks' act and signed him to a contract. He brought him to New York to headline at Connie's Inn in Harlem. Mills hired guitarist-bandleader (and equally ubiquitous) Eddie Condon to put together a band for what turned out to be 4 recording sessions. 

Of course, as a mixed band, they could not perform publically. Billy Banks worked around New York for a short while, then went on tour in Europe, eventually settling in Tokyo, Japan.

The lyrics of this track, "Oh Peter," fairly reek with subtext.  It's a great performance and there's an excellent solo by Sullivan. Red and Pee Wee's playing, as always, is great. Eddie Condon and Jack Bland play lutes with plectrum necks made by the Vega Banjo Company. 

Billy Banks and his Orchestra (known on other sessions as The Rhythmakers): (Mixed Group) Henry Allen, t, v / Pee Wee Russell, cl, ts / Joe Sullivan, p / Eddie Condon, bj / Jack Bland, g / Al Morgan, sb / Zutty Singleton, d/Billy Banks, v. New York, April 18, 1932.

• Bugle Call Rag: Ban 32459, Or 2483, Per 15615, Ro 1856, UHCA 109, Br 01590;
• Oh Peter (You’re So Nice) – vHA: Col 35841;
• Margie– vBB: Ban 32462, Or 2487, Per 15620, Ro 1861, UHCA 110, Br 01561,
• A-500199;
• Spider Crawl– vBB: ARC unissued. NOTE: Columbia 35841 as The Rhythmakers

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

Interracial Recording (#17) Boswells, Bing and Redman

These are some of the heaviest hitters of the day. Bing, everyone knows. The Boswell Sisters were the premiere vocal group of the era. They only recorded between 1925-1936, but were very influential, appearing often on radio and in some films. Redman was an important arranger and reed player, who, after being with Fletcher Henderson, went on to lead his own band.

Boswell Sisters

Don Redman

                                   

This arrangement of "Lawd, You Made The Night Too Long," written by Sam M. Lewis (lyricist) Victor Young (composer), is quite the opus. In a minor key, there are several sections, with intros and segues. It's not the typical Redman arrangement and I could not find who the arranger is, although I speculate it could be composer Victor Young. Strangely, there are several discographies that have no entry for this recording. To add to the oddity, the song is over 5:00 long, which means it was recorded on a 12" disc, instead of the usual 10", probably because of the clout of Young, who was a powerhouse in radio and film, receiving 22 Oscar nominations.

Boswell Sisters and Bing Crosby w. Don Redman and His Orchestra: Don Redman, cl, as, dir: Langston Curl, Sidney de Paris, Shirley Clay, t / Claude Jones, Fred Robinson, Benny Morton, tb / Edward Inge, Rupert Cole, cl, as / Robert Carroll, ts / Horace Henderson, p, a / Talcott Reeves, bj / Bob Ysaguirre, bb / Manzie Johnson, d / The Boswell Sisters, v. /Bing Crosby, v. New York, April 13, 1932.

• Lawd, You Made The Night Too Long: Br 20109, 0107, A-5113, 20097 (Italian), Col SW-290 (Japanese)

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

Interracial Jazz Recording (#16) Lillian Glinn and Perry Bechtel

Lillian Glinn was a classic blues-country-jazzy shouter who recorded 22 tracks. She did the vaudeville circuit and was recorded in several cities-New Orleans, Dallas and Atlanta. She might not look it, but she wasn't afraid to sing down and dirty lyrics.

Lillian Glinn

There are some unknown parameters about this session. For one thing, while it is listed in DAHR and in Rust, there is no listing in Lord. Secondly, there is clearly a trumpet (or cornet) player on the recordings, but Pete Underwood is listed as trumpeter only by Rust. It's very good playing, so it would be nice to know who it was. I welcome new knowledge. 

I could find no pictures of pianist Flannagan, so don't know what race he was. Perry Bechtel was white and an excellent guitarist, who apparently consulted with Martin Guitar in developing new models. 

Recorded in Atlanta, we'll hear the Atlanta Blues.

Lillian Glinn, acc. by Pete Underwood, t / Taylor Flannagan, p / Perry Bechtel, g. Atlanta, April 9, 1929.

• I’m A Front Door Woman With A Back Door Man-Col 14433-D;
• Atlanta Blues- Col 14421;
• All The Week Blues- Col 14421-D;
• Cannon Ball Blues- Col 14617-D.

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