Interracial Jazz Recording (#57) Little Mike McKendrick and Gene Austin

Black guitarist  "Little Mike" McKendrick was one of four musical brothers, Reuben Michael (guitar and banjo), Richard Michael (trombone), Daniel Michael (violin), and James Michael (piano). To add to the confusion of anyone trying to track their careers, at one time or another, they all worked as Mike McKendrick.  

“Little Mike” was with Hughie Swift’s Orch. in the mid-1920s, then with Doc Cooke before joining Joe Jordan’s Sharps and Flats. He briefly led his own band in Chicago, then went to Europe with Eddie South in 1928. There are conflicting versions of this, but at about this time, Mckendrick was involved in a shooting incident with Sidney Bechet; something about the relative superiority of their dogs. Apparently it led to them both being incarcerated. About 1931 McKendrick left South in Europe and for the next eight years worked with own international band. He returned to the U.S. in 1939, worked briefly in N.Y., then returned to Chicago where he formed his own international trio; he continued to lead his own band through the 1950s.

"Big" Mike McKendrick-no photos of "Little" Mike

Gene Austin

The tune "The voice of the Southland" is by Gene Austin, Marty Bloom (co-writer of  "Does the Spearmint [later: Chewing Gum]Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?" and Ted Koehler (frequent collaborator with Harold Arlen). The song is a real hybrid with elements of early country, blues, jazz and show biz a la Al Jolson. The string work is a little soupy, but there's some very nice trumpet work by Earl Oliver. McKendrick plays well, including some effective single string solo work and Austin is, well, Austin.

Gene Austin (vcl) acc by Harry Shilkret, Earl Oliver (tp) Chuck Campbell (tb) Andy Sannella (cl,as) Max Farley (cl,as,fl) Lou Raderman, Murray Kellner, Yascha Zayde (vln) Jack Shilkret (p) Nat Shilkret (celeste) Little Mike McKendrick (g) Jack Pierce (tu) William Dorn (d) or Joe Green (d) New York, April 13, 1928.

• The Voice of the Southland- Vic 21714, ASV Living Era (E)5217 [CD]

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