For Missy

Got a request today for Ella Fitzgerald & the Ink Spots singing I'm Beginning To See The Light from a cousin that I haven't seen in over a decade if memory serves me correctly.

While my first attempt to dive into the garage didn't locate that particular record, I did come up with a couple of tunes to get by until I do.

I believe that Johnny Hodges, my all time favorite figure in jazz, came up with the riff that I'm Beginning To See The Light is built upon.

Duke Ellington p, dir / Shelton 'Scad' Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Cat Anderson t / Ray Nance t, vn / Tricky Sam Nanton, Claud Jones, Lawrence Brown tb / Jimmy Hamilton cl, ts / Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick as / Al Sears ts / Harry Carney bar, cl, as / Fred Guy g / Alvin Junior Raglin b / Hillard Brown d / Joya Sherrill v.

Recorded in New York on December 1, 1944. (Victor 20-1618)

Next up we have the Ink Spots' biggest hit, The Gypsy. Featuring Bill Kenney, this song stayed on the charts for eighteen weeks...thirteen at number one in 1946. (Decca 18817)

Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra - Varsity 8223 (1940)

Checking out the personnel for these sides, I found a couple of items of interest.

First, the vocalist Fredda Gibson later changed her name to Georgia Gibbs and had several, more successful cover versions of LaVern Baker's hits.

Second, string bass man Trigger Alpert plays on these sides. From what I have found out, Alpert is still kicking it around in Florida at 95 years old. Here's an article from a few years ago. (Makes me wonder who else from the swing era, and more specifically from the Glenn Miller band, is still around. Paul Tanner, Ray Anthony, Alpert?)

Frank Trumbauer cm, as, dir / Wayne Williams, Dick Dunne, Howard Lamont t / Del Menton, Bernie Bahr tb / Johnny Ross, Joe Sches, Joe Kiefer, Connie Blessing cl, as, ts / Rene Faure p / John Kreyer g / Trigger Alpert sb / Deave Becker d / Fredda Gibson v.

Recorded in New York in March, 1940.

Emil Coleman & His Club Trocadero Orchestra - Vocalion 14772 (1924)

Emil Coleman on piano and probably Hymie Farberman on trumpet and Sammy Lewis on trombone.

Recorded in New York in February 1924.

Buddy Golden & His Michigan Wolverines - Follow Thru Special Record 1011 (1929)

I have never seen this label before and this seems to be two thirds of this group's output...under this name at least.

These 2 sides were first recorded by Buddy Golden & His Michigan Wolverines (Ben Selvin unit?) on December 31, 1928 for Harmony but were rejected. Irving Kaufman on vocals was the only identified participant in Rust's discography.

Two weeks later, 3 sides were cut (including the same 2 from earlier) but again no one was identified in the discography. (Irving Kaufman is listed as the vocalist on Overcoat while Marvin Young is listed as vocalist on the flip)

Recorded in New York on January 12, 1929.

Unfortunately, side 2 has a rim flake so it starts several rotations in.

Horace Henderson & His Orchestra - Decca 18171 (1933)

Just read on Wikipedia where younger brother Horace was considered the more skillful and talented of the Henderson brothers.

Russell Smith, Bobby Stark, Henry Red Allen t / Claude Jones, Dickie Wells tb / Russell Procope, Hilton Jefferson cl, as / Coleman Hawkins, ts, cl / Horace Henderson p, a / Bernard Addison g / John Kirby sb / Walter Johnson d.

Recorded in New York on October 3, 1933.

Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra on Canadian Deccas

Found this stash of Lunceford 78s on Canadian Deccas (along with a Glenn Miller on Canadian Decca and early Canadian Victors) in the small town of Micanopy, FL. Found out that Doc Hollywood was filmed there.

Makes me wonder about the history of the record cache and if it came from Snowbirds.