The best known example of an early integrated group in jazz was that of Benny Goodman, with Teddy Wilson and then Lionel Hampton. It's a complicated story and it wouldn't have happened without John Hammond and Helen Oakley-one of the pioneer woman producers in jazz. The first step was a 1935 concert in Chicago at the Congress Hotel. As these 1934 recordings show, Goodman and Wilson were recording together prior to that event.
"As Long as I Live" is a Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler tune, written for a Cotton Club review and introduced by Avon Long and Lena Horne. It features an intro and solo by Wilson and vocals and solos by Jack Teagarden. The band that Goodman eventually hit it big with was much larger than this 9-man unit.
Benny Goodman and His Orchestra: Benny Goodman, cl, dir: Charlie Teagarden, George Thow, t / Jack Teagarden, tb, v / Hank Ross, ts / Teddy Wilson, p / Benny Martel, g / Artie Bernstein or Harry Goodman, sb / Ray McKinley, d. New York, May 14, 1934.
I Ain’t Lazy - I’m Just Dreamin’– vJT- Par R-2695, Od A-272264;
As Long As I Live– vJT- Col 2923-D, Par R-2695, Od A-272264;
Moon Glow- Col 2927-D, 35839, CB-786, FB-2826;
Breakfast Ball- Col 2927-D, DB / MC-5005, CQ-3416, DW-4361
The Dodds brothers-Johnny on clarinet and drummer Warren (Baby) were two of the most influential players in early jazz. Their careers include important collaborations with King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and Sidney Bechet.
Johnny Dodds
Baby Dodds
They did a few recordings with the white piano player Frank Melrose, brother of Walter and Lester, big time Chicago agents and publishers. Melrose was a kind of protege of Jelly Roll Morton, whose playing style he emulated. He had a sporadic music career, supplementing his income working a factory job.
Frank Melrose
This is one of the first recordings of Junie Cobb's sprightly tune "Piggly Wiggly." The Dodds show their mastery. Herb Morand is a good player and Melrose holds his own. It's amazing how much Baby Dodds manages to swing the band with just a snare drum.
Beale Street Washboard Band: Herb Morand (cnt) Johnny Dodds (cl) Kansas City Frank Melrose (p) Baby Dodds (d,wbd) Chicago, July 24, 1929.
Forty And Tight- Voc 1403, V-1016, Ban 32388, Br 80076, Cq 7980, Or 8120;
Forty And Tight- Ristic Special;
Piggly Wiggly- Voc 1403, Ban 32388, Cq 7980, Or 8120, Per 196, Ro 5120;
This is one of those recording sessions whose history is somewhat confusing. The question here is, which of two powerhouse Detroit bands played the session: Jean Goldkette's Orchestra (white) or McKinney's Cotton Pickers (black)? Let's look at it more closely.
Harold Stokes
Don Redman
It's accepted that black arranger/saxophonist Don Redman was the arranger. In an interview with Charles Delaunay in 1946, Redman said that "Birmingham Bertha" was played by the full
McKinney’s Cotton Pickers. According to
him, it was the Goldkette orchestra which should have recorded
these titles, for which he had written the arrangements. But on their way from Detroit to Chicago, the Goldkette
band bus broke down and the orchestra couldn’t make it to the
Victor studio for the first part of the session.
Since Redman and the Cotton Pickers were in Chicago (and familiar
with the tunes), Redman says they replaced the Goldkette band.
However, the Victor recording sheet for this session lists Jean Goldkette’s orchestra and not McKinney’s Cotton Pickers. The 3 saxes and 2 trombones match typical Goldkette recording bands of the time. There are also two strings listed and the Cotton Pickers had none.
In any case, one member of the Goldkette band was surely present: Harold
Stokes. Stokes was a pianist and accordionist who had led the Goldkette Band. He was not on the Goldkette bus, had travelled to Chicago in his own car and could
therefore participate. His hot accordion playing on the recording is unmistakeable. If what Redman says is correct, the presence of the white Stokes would make it an interracial session.
It's a measure of the parity of these great bands that there can be disagreement on who is performing. You'll see from the info below, that Rust says it was McKinney’s Cotton Pickers.
McKinney’s Cotton Pickers: John Nesbitt, Langston Curl (tp) Claude Jones (tb) + other (tb) Don Redman (as,arr) George Thomas (ts) 2 vln, Harold Stokes (accor), Todd Rhodes (p) Dave Wilborn (bj) Ralph Escudero (tu) Cuba Austin (d) Kay Palmer (vcl) Jean Goldkette (dir) Chicago, July 27, 1929.
I’m refer’n’ just her ‘n’ me (unissued).
Birmingham Bertha (kp vcl)- Vic 22077, RCA (F)741088, PM42407, GAPS 080, Timeless (Du)CBC1-084; Note: According to Don Redman (reported in the Timeless liner notes) the above was recorded by McKinney’s Cotton Pickers because the Goldkette orchestra was unable to make it to Chicago for the date.
Ethel Waters was one of the great early blues-vaudeville-jazz singers. She did a number of interracial recordings from the late 1920's to the mid-1930's, often with the Dorseys and went on to great success in Broadway, films and television.
Waters is accompanied on the first track of this session by Sammy Fain on piano. Fain was a self-taught musician, who was working as a stockboy for Mills Publishing when his talent was noted. He had a long career as a composer, writing many well known songs for stage and screen, including "Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella," "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me," "I'll Be Seeing You" and "That Old Feeling."
Fain has a good feeling for accompanying in the blues-vaudeville-jazz style and Waters is a knockout.
Ethel Waters (vcl) acc by Sammy Fain (p-1) Maceo Pinkard (p-2) Nathaniel Reed (p-3) New York, February 20, 1926.
If you can’t hold the man you love (1)- Col 14134-D;
Satisfyin’ papa (3)- Col 14199-D, Wolf (Au)WJS-1009;
Sugar (2)- Col 14146-D, KG31571;
I wonder what’s become of Joe ? (2)- Col 14134-D;
You’ll want me back (3)- Col 14146-D;
Note: All above titles also on Classics (F)672 [CD].
Call it jugband jazz. We have the prolific pianist, composer, singer, producer Clarence Williams and Clarence Todd, a vocalist who also played ukulele, piano, and on these recordings, kazoo. Then, we have Fats Waller, just a couple of years after his first recordings.
Justin Ring and Fred Hagar
Clarence Williams
The last performer is Justin Ring-not a well-known name. Ring was associated with hundreds of recordings, from around 1900, mostly as an arranger, also as a pianist and "percussionist." Here, he plays woodblock.
Waller always works, of course, and there are also some nice solos and polyphonic kazoos.
Jamaica Jazzers: Clarence Williams, Clarence Todd (kazoo) Fats Waller (p) Justin Ring (perc) New York, c. May 10, 1924.
You don’t know my mind blues- OKeh 40117, Classics (F)664 [CD];
West Indies blues- OK 40117, Od 03196;
Note: Classics 664 [CD] titled “Fats Waller 1922-1926”; rest of this CD by Waller and others, Both above titles also on JSP (E)CD927 [CD] titled “Fats Waller - The Complete Recorded Works, volume 1”
