Ben Selvin & His Orchestra - Columbia 2381 (1931)

I first heard both sides of this 78 on Jeff Healey's radio show My Kinda Jazz several years ago. Yesterday, I discovered that I had a copy of my own.

A 21 year old Benny Goodman solos on both tracks.

Manny Klein t / Tommy Dorsey tb / Benny Goodman cl / Louis Martin cl, as / Hymie Wolfson vn / Stan King d / Helen Rowland v / others.

Recorded in New York on January 15, 1931.


Childhood Music Memories (Neither 78 nor jazz related)

(Originally written to Mr. Locorriere in 2008)

Growing up, the radio was always on...the turntable and the reels were always spinning and the 8-tracks were always "ca-chunking" between programs. Music was a part of my childhood as much as anything. 

I can remember going to Woolco's in the '66 Mustang on Friday nights with the parents and getting my weekly 45 rpm such as Convoy, Philadelphia Freedom, Star Wars & Close Encounters Themes and Cruising With The Fonz.

But there's one album...LP...that holds the top memory evoking spot in my life.


Alabama Red Peppers - Cameo 8130 (1928)

Not sure where I picked this one up but no doubt it was because of the name "Alabama Red Peppers." Having only recently gotten Brian Rust's The American Dance Band Discography, I can now try and identify who the players are on stacks and stacks of hot dance records.  

Listed as 'probably' - Leo McConville, Red Nichols t / Miff Mole tb / Loring McMurray as / Hymie Wolfson ts / Rube Bloom p / bj / bb / d.

Recorded in New York on January 20, 1928.


Celestin's Tuxedo Jazz Band - New Orleans Bandwagon RWP-9,10,11,12 (1950s)

I recently called a lady in New Orleans who had advertised that she had 100 78s for sale. (I always get my hopes up when a stash is listed from The Big Easy)

I asked her if she could tell me what a few of the labels and artists were that she had and, nice lady as she was, proceeded to name each and every one. About halfway through, I didn't have the heart to tell her, that so far, everything was run of the mill big-band, classical or 50's pop.

Still patiently listening, I heard her say, "Oh...here is the last one...it looks a lot older...Celestin's Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra...Papa's Got The Jim-Jams." 

Finally hearing what I had always anticipated when I call a New Orleans ad...I realized there was no way to justify the 7 hour round trip drive for just ONE record. Thanking her for her time, I informed her of the approximate value of the Columbia and wished her luck in her effort to sell off the entire collection.

Oh, if gas prices weren't so darn high!

Anyway, here we have 2 clean 78s I recently found of Oscar Papa Celestin recorded within a few years of his passing at the age of 70. These were recorded on local New Orleans' DJ Roger Wolfe's New Orleans Bandwagon label in the early 1950s. (See Sharkey Bonano's recording on the same label here.)

Oscar Papa Celestin t / Bill Matthews tb / Alphonse Picou cl / Octave Crosby p / Christopher 'Black Happy' Goldston d / Ricard Alexis b.

I do believe that each member was born in the 1800's and was around for the earliest days of jazz in New Orleans. Also read that Alphonse Picou played off and on with Buddy Bolden!





Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five - Okeh 8597 (1928)

I don't have many Hot Fives/Sevens but this is by far my favorite.

Louis Armstrong t, v / Fred Robinson tb / Jimmy Strong cl, ts / Earl Hines p / Mancy Cara bj / Zutty Singleton d.

Recorded in Chicago on June 27 & 28, 1928.



Tony Murena Et Son Ensemble - Odeon 281.694

Here we have a "Slow-Fox" and a "Rumba-Fox" from Italian-born accordion player, Tony Murena, on a French Odeon release.

The Slow Fox is "I'm Beginning To See The Light" which omits writing credit for Johnny Hodges, who if I recall was the principal composer of the tune.

The Rumba Fox is a Brazilian choro song originally written in 1917 but first recorded in 1931.



Sharkey's Dixieland Band - New Orleans Bandwagon RWP-5/6 (1951?)

Roger Wolfe was a New Orleans DJ that recorded groups on his own label New Orleans Bandwagon. 
I believe that this disc was recorded in 1951. (every Sharkey track on this label that I am finding on the net, when the date is listed, is saying 1951)

Sharkey Bonano t, v / Santo Pecora tb / Lester Bouchon cl / Armand Hugg p / 'Chink' Martin b / 'Monk' Hazel d.

Also, I have Sharkey Bonano's very first recording posted on this blog here.


Louisiana Five - Edison 50569 (1919)

Recently, at a semi-local used record store (for years, didn't even know it was here), I came across the Louisiana Five's recording of B-Hap-e on three different formats...Edison Diamond Disc, Medallion shellac and Edison Blue Amberol. I bought the first two and am still working on getting the cylinder but the store keeps saying that it is more of a decoration than it is an item for sale.

Gonna keep trying though.

Charlie Panelli tb / Alcide 'Yellow' Nuñez cl / Joe Cawley p / Karl Berger bj / Anton Lada d.

Recorded in New York on April 14, 1919.


The Arkansas Travellers - Harmony 505 (1927)

I have had this one since I started collecting 78s years and years ago. To illustrate my naiveity back then, I only picked this record up because I recognized the name 'Ellington' that was in parentheses under Birmingham Break-Down as a big band leader...and also that the records were priced at 10 for a dollar. (I actually thought it was a country record judging by the name of the group!)

The record had been boxed up with countless Autreys, Dalharts & other country & western fodder, never played (by me) and forgotten through one cross country move and then another half way back again over the course of 15+ years...until recently where I thumbed through a box and, this time...realizing that it had been stashed away incorrectly...quickly rescued, cleaned, inserted into a new antique green sleeve and put in its proper place.

According to Rust: Red Nichols t / Miff Mole tb / Fud Livingston cl / Fred Morrow as / Rube Bloom p / Vic Berton d.

Recorded in New York on September 14, 1927.


Blue Lu Barker With Danny Barker's Fly Cats - Decca 7506 (1938)

Here we have Blue Lu Barker accompanied by her husband Danny along with a heckuva lineup on her first release.

Benny Carter t (read this may or may not be accurate) / Buster Bailey cl / Sam Price p / Danny Barker g / Wellman Braud sb / Blue Lu Barker v.

Recorded in New York on August 11, 1938.



Willie Creager's Dance Orchestra - Edison 51230 (1923)

According to Brian Rust's Jazz & Ragtime Records discography, there is a rumor that Bix Beiderbecke recorded with Willie Creager's outfit while Creager's band was alternating with the Wolverines at the Cinderella Ballroom in 1924.

Here we have what looks to be the very first recording by Willie Creager's Dance Orchestra from August 3, 1923.

Other than Creager, no other personnel is listed in the discographies that I have.

Also, I can't find any info on McNalpak's Dance Orchetsra which plays a waltz on the flip.



Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans - Decca 7502 (1938)

Here are 2 sides from Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans' 2nd recording session.

By the way...Jeep's Blues was penned by my all time favorite jazz musician, Johnny Hodges.

Al Cooper cl, as, bar, a, dir / Pat Jenkins, Sam Massenberg t / Rudy Williams as / Ed McNeil ts / Oliver Richardson p / grachan Moncur sb / Alex Mitchell d / Helen Proctot v.

Recorded in New York on August 19, 1938.