Interracial Jazz Recording (#27) Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson

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

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

The Edge of Schmaltz

Schmaltz-easy to say, but how do we really define it? Where does it lay along the slippery border between cheese, camp, marginal taste, pathos, bathos and emotional catharsis?  Is the very use of the word cringe-inducing? Not to me. One era's hip is often another era's schmaltz. Sometimes there's great musicianship involved. Is that enough to rescue the song or not? Sometimes the musicians are amateurish, but through sheer dint of sincerely, a hoary tune or corny lyric works. In one mood, a song sets your teeth on edge and in another mood, you reach for the handkerchief. 

Some of the folks in this playlist will be no surprise, some may bemuse and some annoy, but that's my job. 

Here's The Show.

Blue Stars "Hernando´s Hideaway" from "Jazz in Paris" (1955) on Barclay 

Ziggy Elman and His Orchestra "With a Song in My Heart" from "Dancing With Zig" (1950) on MGM 

Sarah Vaughn "Jim" from "w. Clifford Brown" (Jazz, 1954) on EmArcy  

Andre Previn "Mad About The Boy" from "Previn at the Piano" (1958) on RCA 

Cannonball Adderly "Shake a Lady" from "Domination" (1965) on Capital 

Chet Baker "Time After Time" from "Time After Time" (2002) on GFS 

Sam The Man Taylor "Tara's Theme" from "Blue Mist" (1955) on MGM 

Johnny Hartman "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" from "Sings" (1947) on Savoy 

Lena Horne "Beale St Blues" from "Swinging Lena Horne" (1962) on Coronet 

Matt Dennis "A Trout No Doubt" from "Saturday Date" (1957) on Tops 

Errol Garner "April In Paris" from "Concert By the Sea" (1956) on Philips 

Frank Sinatra "Autumn in New York" from "That Old Feeling" (1956) on Columbia 

Earl Hines "Why Must We Part" from ". . . And His Orchestra" (1933) on Jazz Archives 

Esperanza Spaulding "Precious" from "Esperanza Spaulding" (2008) on Heads Up 

Freddie Hubbard "I Got It Bad (And That ain't Good)" from "The Body and The Soul" (1963) on Impulse 

Bobby Hackett "Stairway to The Stars" from "Dream Awhile" (1961) on Columbia