A Jam Session At Commodore - Commodore 1500 (1938)

Here's a great lineup on not only the first 12 inch Commodore release but what looks to be from the very first recording session at the fledgling Commodore Music Shop. Also read where Milt Gabler was the first to list complete personnel on his labels.

Not really sure why these sides were released on 12 inch discs as they surely seem that they could have fit on the more common 10 inch.

Bobby Hackett c / Pee Wee Russell cl / Bud Freeman ts / George Brunies tb / Jess Stacy p / Eddie Condon g / George Wettling d / Artie Shapiro sb.

Recorded in New York on January 17, 1938.



Louis Armstrong With Edmond Hall & Men - V-Disc 803 (1947)

This is the only other V-Disc I have in my collection that has the green lettering rather than the navy blue...not sure if there is any meaning in the difference...wartime / peacetime?

Here we have Hoagy's Old Rockin' Chair recorded in front of an audience by Satch & Edmond Hall.

Louis Armstrong t, v / Irving 'Mouse' Randolph t / Edmond Hall cl / Charlie Bateman p / Johnny Williams b, v / Jimmy Crawford d.

Recorded in New York on February 8, 1947.

Don Redman & His Orchestra - V-Disc 804 (1947)

Just uncovered a batch of 12 inch 78's and am in the process of cleaning them up.

Gonna start off the posting of some of these with a 1947 V-Disc recording by Don Redman & His Orchestra.

♫ Say, get a load o' those guys,
High in the skies,
Wingin' to victory... ♫


Tex Beneke & His Orchestra - RCA Reference Recording (1947)

I have always had a soft spot for Tex Beneke. Back in 1995, as someone who had just turned off the radio and discovered big band & swing, I saw a newspaper insert for an upcoming concert in the square featuring Tex Beneke and His Orchestra saluting Glenn Miller. After coincidentally having just seen Orchestra Wives and Sun Valley Serenade on AMC, I was kinda surprised that anyone from the band was still around...let alone still performing.

I got off work a little early that day and made the trip through the canyon to get there just in time. With my giant Magnavox VHS camera perched on my shoulder, I began to record the very first live big band music I had ever heard. No amount of 78s, lps or even cds of the same music could have prepared me for the sound of a live brass section...chills, I tell ya.

Although Mr. Beneke no longer played the sax, due to a stroke, he got out there for the better part of 2 hours and Chattanooga Choo Choo'd and Kalamazoo'd his heart out. In between a few songs here and there, he would exit backstage while the 'girl singer' gave it a whirl. During one of those spells, my mom took the lp cover I had brought for just such an occasion up to the door where he exited through. Someone from his entourage discreetly took it from her and soon emerged with the cover signed. (Apparently Tex didn't do much signing back then...again due to the stroke and it was asked to keep low key while back in the crowd.) When mom made her way back to me, I slipped it into the camera case without even looking at it. I felt like I had captured lightning in a bottle.

The only regret that day was that the camera battery died about 1 minute before the closing song had ended.

Moonlight Serenade

Medley: At Last / Serenade In Blue

Pennsylvania 6-5000

Perfidia

Chattanooga Choo Choo


Billie Holiday & Louis Armstrong - Decca 24785 (1949)

I'm not completely sure but I think these two sides may be the only studio recorded duets by Billie Holiday & Louis Armstrong. I do know that they performed together for several numbers in the 1947 film New Olreans.

I just found out that there were 2 versions released of My Sweet Hunk O' Trash...one where Louis drops the f-bomb in his bantering behind Billie's singing and, after Walter Winchell supposedly complained about it a month after hitting the shelves, a sanitized version was released with Louis saying "How come?" in the same spot.

By the way...my version is kid safe.

With the orchestra directed by Sy Oliver, these were recorded in New York on November 7, 1949.



Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra (Bix Beiderbecke) - Victor 20270 (1926)

Just a little Bix to get through the day.

Bix Beiderbecke c / Fuzzy Farrar, Ray Lodwig t / Bill Rank, Spiegle Wilcox tb / Don Murray cl, as, bar / Doc Ryker as / Frank Trumbauer Cm / Joe Venuti vn / Paul Mertz p / Howdy Quicksell bj / Eddie Lang g / Steve Brown sb / Chauncey Morehouse d / Bill Challis a / Frank Bessinger v.

Recorded in New York on October 12, 1926.


Lanin's Southern Serenaders / Idler's Club Orchestra - Medallion 8329 (1921?)

From what little I could find out about this record...and it wasn't much...it looks to have been recorded in 1921.

I could not find any listings in either of my Rust discographies. (It may have been there but I just overlooked them).


Mound City Blue Blowers - Columbia 1946 (1929)

A day late but Happy Birthday to Gene Krupa.

Here we have Gene on two of his four sides with the Mound City Blue Blowers...all from late in the year 1929.

Red McKenzie comb, v / Bruce Yantis vn (on Indiana) / Eddie Condon bj, v / Jack Bland g / Gene Krupa d, v.

Recorded in New York on August 29, 1929.