Interracial ??? Jazz Recording (#25) Goldkette or McKinney?

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.

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