Interracial Jazz Recording (#55) Pinkard-Yellen-Moore-King

I'm spotlighting a tune written by the interracial writing team of Jack Yellen (lyrics) and Maceo Pinkard (music). Yellen wrote the words for "Happy Days Are Here Again" and "Ain't She Sweet." Pinkard wrote a number of tunes, including "Sweet Georgia Brown," the history of which I write about here. 

The song "I'm Satisfied" comes from another great session with Bill Moore. It features some of the same personel we've seen before (Stan King and Adrian Rollini) and some new-Bobby Davis on alto and clarinet and Tommy Feline on banjo. 

Maceo Pinkard

                                    

Moore is solid on lead and on his solo, as is Bobby Davis. Brodsky is a stalwart on piano, as always. In the background, we hear Rollini scatting, then giving us the goofus. Stan King blows some satifying kazoo. There's a lot of nice variety in the arrangement.

Bailey’s Dixie Dudes-Bill Moore (c), Bobby Davis (as/cl), Irving Brodsky (p), Tommy Felline (bjo), Stan King (d/kazoo), and Adrian Rollini (goofus). New York, October 1, 1924.

• Eliza- Gennett 5562;
• I’m Satisfied- Gnt 5577, St 9596
• I want to see my Tennessee- Gnt 5562

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

Interracial Jazz Recording (#50) Ben Bernie and Bill Moore

Ben Bernie, sometimes called "The Old Maestro" was a violinist, bandleader and showman who became popular enough to show up in early films. He gets credit as co-writer of "Sweet Georgia Brown." He had a fair number of musicians passing through his live orchestra and recordings. In this instance, he uses Bill Moore. As I've shown, this is one of the many recordings the trumpeter made with white groups.

Bill Moore

Ben Bernie

I like the tune "collegiate" because it highlights the ambivalent attitude that America had toward college in an era where more people (mostly men) were graduating from high school and pursuing higher education. There's a populist attitude of put-down, mixed in with some sense that college might be cool. The tune uses the jive of the era and tosses in some of the pop hits of the day. The ensemble sections are crisply played and Jack Pettis plays a nice solo. Note the young Oscar Levant on piano.

Ben Bernie, vn, dir: Donald Bryan, Bill Moore, t / Frank Sarlo, tb / Norman Ronemous, Len Kavash, cl, as / Jack Pettis, cl, Cm, ts / Oscar Levant, p / Nick Gerlach, vn / Paul Nito, bj, vn / Max Rosen, bb / Sam Fink, d / Kenn Sisson, a / vocal quartet (Irving Kaufman, Jack Kaufman, Lester O'Keefe, Moe Jaffe), v. New York, August 10, 1925.

• 1090W Collegiate - vQT Voc 15080, X-9674
• 1092W Yes Sir, That's My Baby Voc 15080, X-9674

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

Interracial Jazz Recording (#36) Adrian Rollini and BIll Moore

Here's another post with trumpeter Bill Moore, a light-skinned black man who played in hundreds of recording sessions, as far back as 1923. He may or may not have been billed as the "Hot Hawaiian." He certainly lives up to the "hot" part of it in this track.

If you've never hear a goofus, here's your chance. Adrian Rollini was a master of the bass saxophone and the vibes, but its the goofus that he plays in this great track "Arkansas." The rest of the rhythm sction does a stellar job. I'm not sure who's responsible for the vocal ejaculations.

Bill Moore

Rollini

 

Goofus

Five Birmingham Babies was a pseudonym on Pathé and its subsidiary labels for the California Ramblers, or for small groups from that orchestra. See also Goofus Five, University Six, Vagabonds, and Varsity Eight, which are also pseudonyms for the same group.

Bill Moore, t / Adrian Rollini, gfs / Irving Brodsky, p / Ray Kitchingman, bj / Stan King, d, k. New York, July 24, 1924.

• Arkansas PA 036142, 10754, Per 14323, Hg 975 105484 
• Hard-Hearted Hannah PA 036130, 10754, P 6758, Per 14311, Hg 968 105485 
• Tessie! Stop Teasing Me PA 036129, Per 14310

NOTE: Pathé 6758 and Pathé Actuelle 10754 as THE LITTLE RAMBLERS.

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 (#10). The Singular Bill Moore

Irving Mills, whom we've met before, was an early organizer of interracial jazz sessions and a guy who really got around. He was a music publisher, talent scout, vocalist, lyricist and, for a number of years, manager of Duke Ellington. 

Irving Mills

Bill Moore w. the Little Ramblers

In this session, he uses trumpeter Bill Moore. Moore was a light-skinned black man who played in hundreds of recording sessions, as far back as 1923. He was able to "pass" and performed live in white groups many times, most often with the California Ramblers and their many offshoots. He may or may not have been billed as the "Hot Hawaiian."

Moore plays a nice muted solo on "Freshman Hop," followed by Goodman, apparently on alto, then clarinet. Jack Pettis shows his skill on C-Melody sax. At 2'10" I swear I hear a guitarist. Bryson is credited only on banjo, but I think he makes a quick switch to guitar. 

Note that the name on the recording changed, from Musical Clowns, to Ten Black Diamonds, to Jack Pettis and His Orchestra.

Mills’ Musical Clowns: Bill Moore, Phil Hart (tp) Paul Weigan (tb) Benny Goodman(cl) Jack Pettis (c-mel) Al Goering (p) Clay Bryson (bj) Merrill Kline (tu) Dillon Ober (d) New York, c. February 14, 1929.                                                 

• Freshman hop- Pathe Actuel 37054, Per 15235, Ban 0508, Cam 0108, Ro 1125;
• Sweetest melody- Pathe Actuel 36955, Per X-6277, 15136, Sunbeam SB107;
• Bag o’ blues- Pathe Actuel 37054, Per 15235, Biograph LPC1, Epic LN24045;

• Note: All issues from matrix 9103-2 as Ten Black Diamonds; from 108645-2 and 108647-2 as Ten Freshmen; Pathe Actuelle X-6277 as Jack Pettis and his Orchestra.

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