An Interracial Tune a Day (#9)--Mamie Smith, 1920.

Perry Bradford-nicknamed "Mule," was a performer, songwriter, pianist and entrepreneur. He approached Fred Hager, recording director at Okeh records to try and convince him to record Mamie Smith. Bradford told him there were fourteen million Negroes who would buy records made by Negro musicians playing in their indigenous styles.

Hager agreed to record Smith, but miscalculated by backing her with a white in-house group, the Rega Orchestra. On February 14, 1920, that group accompanied Mamie Smith on her recording debut and the record went nowhere. 

On her next session, Hagar agreed to let Smith record with black musicians who knew her music. This August 10 session included Bradford's tune "Harlem Blues," retitled "Crazy Blues." "Crazy Blues" was a runaway hit, selling 75,000 copies during its first two months of release. 

The stage was set for the recording industry to pay closer attention to newer styles of non-minstrel, non-coon, non-ragtime black music. Because a link had already been forged between black composers of those earlier styles of music (including Perry Bradford) and publishing companies, there was a pool of experienced songwriters available for what became known as "race records."

It seems a good idea to play tracks from both sessions. She sounds great on both, but the difference in feel is enormous. First, "You Can't Keep a Good Man Down."

Mamie Smith acc. by Rega Dance Orchestra. New York, 2.14.20

• That Thing Called Love- Okeh 4296
• You Can't Keep a Good Man Down-Okeh 4305

Now, the second session.

Mamie Smith and her Jazz Hounds. Johnny Dunn, c / Dope Andrews, tb / Ernest Elliott, cl / Leroy Parker, vn / ? Perry Bradford, p. New York, August 10, 1920.

• 7529-C Crazy Blues OK / Phonola 4169, Od 311902
• 7539-B It's Right Here For You (If You Don't Get It, 'Tain't No Fault Of Mine), OK / Phonola 4169

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

An Interracial Tune a Day (#8)-The Duke and Der Bingle

By 1932, Bing Crosby was already a hit on radio, and was beginning to make his way in Hollywood. Ellington was also a national figure because of his radio broadcasts and had made some short films. 

The Depression caused a major slump in record company sales, which severed relations with about 90% of the musicians on their rosters. Crosby and Ellington were about as sure fire a commercial combination as a record company could hope to put together. 

Duke's soloists stake out their singular territory, Bing does some great scatting at the end and this commercial pairing turns out to be a creative gem.

Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra: Duke Ellington, p, a, dir Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins, Cootie Williams, t / Joe Nanton, tb / Juan Tizol, vtb / Johnny Hodges, cl, ss, as / Harry Carney, cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard, cl, ts / Fred Guy, bj / Wellman Braud, sb/ Sonny Greer, Bing Crosby, v. New York, - February 11, 1932.

•  St. Louis Blues– vBC0: Br 20105, Col 55003, DOX-560, SW-290, Lucky 17005;

•  St. Louis Blues– vBC: Br 20105, 0116, A-5115, 20098 (Italian), Col 55003;

•  A Creole Love Call: Br 20105, 0116, A-5115, Col 55003;

•  Rose Room (In Sunny Roseland): Br 6265, 01292, A-9230, A-500174, Col DO- 1131

Here's Take 2 of St/ Louis Blues, which I slightly prefer over Take One.

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

An Interracial Tune A Day (#7) An Early Very Mixed Group

Guitar/Banjo player Eddie Condon was one of the key innovators in putting together interracial sessions. He was a big fan of the Charlie Johnson Orchestra, one of the key groups in New York City in the late-20's-early 30's. He drew several members of that black group for this session and combined them with stellar white players.

Charlie Johnson's Paradise Orchestra

Eddie Condon

Trumpeter Leonard Davis is featured on "That’s a serious thing" and Jack Teagarden handles the vocal in his inimitable way. T. also solos on trombone and around 2'10" he plays a line that we will hear years later in "Stormy Weather." I wonder if Harold Arlen knew this track.

Eddie’s Hot Shots: Leonard Davis (tp) Jack Teagarden (tb,vcl) Mezz Mezzrow (c-mel) Happy Caldwell (ts) Joe Sullivan (p) Eddie Condon (bj) George Stafford (d) New York, February 8, 1929

•  I’m Gonna Stomp Mr. Henry Lee (jt vcl)- Vic V38046, Family (It)DP697, VJM (E)VLP55

•  I’m gonna stomp Mr. Henry Lee (jt vcl)- BB B10168, RCA LPV528;

•  That’s a Serious Thing (jt vcl)- BB B10168, Cam CAL383, RCA LPV528;

•  That’s a Serious Thing (jt vcl)- Vic V38046, “X” LX3005, HMV (E)B4987, (Aus)EA2970

On this video we get to hear both takes.

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

An Interracial Tune a Day (#6)-Goodman and Hawkins

On February 2, 1934, Benny Goodman recorded with Coleman Hawkins. Not much need be said about these two Jazz giants. Before Coleman went to Europe, they played in a session put together by Columbia A&R John Hammond, who was a force for integrated recording sessions and who pushed to get Goodman to use black musicians. In 1935, Goodman played with (black) pianist Teddy Wilson in a trio, then brought in Lionel Hampton. 

We'll hear Georgia Jubilee in a nice arrangement by George Bassman.                          

Benny Goodman: Manny Klein, Charlie Margulis (tp) Sonny Lee (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Coleman Hawkins (ts) Arthur Schutt (p,arr) Dick McDonough (g) Artie Bernstein(b) Gene Krupa (d) Mildred Bailey (vcl) George Bassman (arr) New York, February 2, 1934.

•  Georgia Jubilee– aAS- Cdl 2907-D, CB-759, Jay 10, JCl 528;

•  Junk Man– vMB- Col 2892-D;

•  Junk Man– vMB- Col 2892-D, CB-730, Tpl / Sentry 4003;

•  Ol’ Pappy- vMB / aGB- Col 2892-D, CB-730;

•  Emaline– vMB- Col 2907-D, CB-759, RZ G-22040, Jay 10, JCl 528

An Interracial Tune a Day (#5)

There was a lot of recording activity involving black female singers and white musicians in the early 1920's. 

The Original New Orleans Jazz Band

The Original New Orleans Jazz Band followed in the wake of the success of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB). It was one of the earliest jazz groups to be recorded and its members, also New Orleans guys, were either white or some degree of creole. Jimmy Durante was an original member of the group but had left by this point.

Lillian Harris

Lillian Harris was a powerful blues-vaudeville shouter.  Bio data about her is thin on the ground and she may or may not be the same person known as Sister Harris, or Estelle Harris.

Lillian Harris. Accomp. by Original New Orleans Jazz Band. Possibly Dick Landon or Ellsworth Evans, c; Andy Russo, tb; Sidney Arodin, cl; Allie Hamned, p; Tony DeRose, d; Lillian Harris, v. New York City, January 1923

• 5051-2 Four O'Clock Blues (Johnny Dunn and Gus Horsley) Re 9445-B
• 5051-3 Four O'Clock Blues (Johnny Dunn and Gus Horsley) Ba 1173-B, Re 9445-B
• 5052-1 Sugar Blues (Clarence Williams) Ba 1173-A, Re 9445-A

An Interracial Tune a Day (#4)

I'm transferring my Interracial Tune a Day from my Substack to this blog. I felt that having my subscribers get a notice everyday for a new posting would be a little much. Let's hope the transfer is not too rough. If you're new to this blog, take a look around and please subscribe. There's a lot here. OK, on to business:

Red Allen

Pee Wee Erwin

I have nothing listed in my recording chronology until Feb. 2, so today I'm going back a few days to January 23, 1934- Henry Allen with Pee Wee Erwin.

Red Allen, a fine cornettist from New Orleans, was initially a Louis Armstrong acolyte, but he staked out new territory. His improvisations were more unpredictable and quirky and have even been characterized as avant garde. He was also an excellent vocalist.

Pee Wee Erwin was a powerful trumpeter who made his mark primarily as a lead player. He came from Nebraska and played in territory bands before he moved to NYC and became an anchor in the big bands of Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey.

The band's rhythm section (minus Luis Russell) are drawn from from Red Allen's New Orleans cohort.

In "It's Written All Over Your Face," Red has a brief intro, Pee Wee follows with a sedate muted solo, then Red comes in with a fabulous improvisation.

Henry “Red” Allen, t, v / Pee Wee Erwin, t / George Washington, tb / Buster Bailey, cl / Luis Russell, p / Danny Barker, g / Pops Foster, sb / Paul Barbarin, d. New York, January 23, 1935.

•  Believe It, Beloved– vHA- Ban 33337, Mt M-13304, 91940, Or 3087, Per 16071;

•  Believe It, Beloved– vHA- Epic LN-3252 (LP);

•  It’s Written All Over Your Face: Ban 33337, Mt M-13304, 91940, Or 3087;

•  It’s Written All Over Your Face: Mt 91940;

•  Smooth Sailing– vHA- Ban 33355, Mt M-13322, Or 3097, Per 16080;

•  Whose Honey Are You?– vHA- Ban 33355, Cq 8474, Mt M-13322, Or 3097, Per 16080, Ro 2471

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

A Welcome and a Detour

Thanks very much for finding your way here. Please feel free to look around and check out past posts, of which there are many.

I also hope you will visit my Substack, where I've begun to do my posting. Substack is a great platform that really helps writers find their audience.  

I regularly also publish articles in Artsfuse.org and SyncopatedTimes.org. Great publications, well worth your time.