Ziggy Elman & His Orchestra - Bluebird 10741 (1939)

Starting out years ago as a Big Band collector, I became a little bit familiar with the sidemen in some of the most popular groups. I always liked finding 78s by some of these sidemen as leaders of their own groups but maybe weren't as well known or had relatively small output compared to their earlier sidemen days.

Here's one from Harry Finkelman...better known as Ziggy Elman...who is mostly known for his trumpet playing in the Benny Goodman Orchestra and even more so for his composition And The Angels Sing...which became a #1 hit for Benny Goodman in 1939.

Ziggy Elman t / Toots Mondello, Noni Bernardi as / Jerry Jerome, Arthur Rollini ts / Milt Raskin p / Ben heller g / Artie Bernstein sb / Nick Fatool d.

Recorded in New York on November 27 (B) & December 26, 1939 (A).

Jimmie Gunn & His Orchestra - Bluebird 6469 (1936)

Here's another North Carolina territory band based out of Charlotte.

These sides were recorded in the Southern Radio Corporation's 2nd floor warehouse in Charlotte on June 18, 1936.

One discography has the personnel listed as:

Jimmie Gunn p, dir / 'Slats' tb / Skeets Tolbert as / Otis Hicks ts / g / Harry Prather b / d / David Pugh, Sam Jennings v.

Another has:

Jimmie Gunn dir / Dave Pugh t, v / Charles Daniels, Herman Franklin t / John Orange tb / Robert Griffin, James Berry as / Otis Hicks ts / William Shavers p / Alton Harrington  g / Sam Hinton bb / Harry Prather sh / Raymond Mason d / Sam Jennings v.

Wonder why the wide range of disparity.

Locke Brothers Rhythm Orchestra - Bluebird 6297 (1936)

Being a fan and a newly focused collector of North Carolina themed 78s, I readily and recently accepted a record trade...my first and only to date.

Besides a Charlotte based territory band 78 led by Jimmie Gunn, I also procured this Locke Brothers Rhythm Orchestra Bluebird...which was recorded in Charlotte on February 15, 1936.

Unfortunately, whether through discographical publications or the internet, there seems to be no information whatsoever on this band.