Mr. Google Eyes (Joe August) - Coleman 118 (1946)

Here's a performer I've never heard of before but apparently was very influential in the burgeoning New Orleans rhythm & blues scene.

He waxed his first sides (the record here) before the mighty Fats Domino...and he was only 15. He had several hits with his first label, black owned Coleman Records. They billed him as The World's Youngest Blues Singer.

Columbia records scooped him up quickly but the success wasn't the same as earlier.

In 1951, he met Johnny Otis and recorded sides on the Duke label and wrote Otis' hit, "Please Forgive Me."

Falling on hard times because of bad financial deals, he relocated back to New Orleans and started dating a white woman which was against the law and didn't sit favorably with the local authorities. The woman cut her hair short, dyed her roots jet black and applied man-tan cream to try and pass as at least Creole. It didn't work and when August tried to end the relationship, she shot him in the stomach with what one source says a shotgun and another says a rifle. While bleeding, police officers carried him to the nearby hospital but not before stopping off to have themselves a beer.

Produced by Allen Toussaint, he waxed his final side in 1965.


McKinney's Cotton Pickers - Victor 38061 (1929)

It's been quite a while since I've been on the receiving end of an eBay bargain.

This just arrived today.

Don Redman cl, as, bar, a, dir / John Nesbitt, Langston Curl t / Clause Jones tb / Jimmy Dudley or Joe Moxley cl, as / George Thomas cl, ts, v / Prince Robinson cl, ts / Todd Rhodes p, cel / Dave Wilborn bj, g / Ralph Escudero bb / Cuba Austin d, vib.

Recorded in Chicago on November 23, 1928.


Ben Selvin & His Orchestra - Brunswick 3253 (1926)

Ben Selvin vn, v, dir / Earl Oliver t / Sam Lewis tb / Larry Abbott cl, as, kazoo / Louis Martin as / Hymie Wolfson cl, ts / Lew Cobey p / John Cali bj / ? Hank Stern bb / ? Milton Sands d / H.C. Redfield a.

Recorded in New York on July 9, 1926.



Daisy Martin With The Tampa Blue Band - Okeh 8009 (1921)

Seemed like a good thing to post after recently putting on Joseph Samuel's debut Synco Jazz Band recording a few days ago.

Just discovered that The Tampa Blue Jazz Band was Joseph Samuels' group. Here they are in an early racially mixed recording backing Daisy Martin. Her soprano, trilling vibrato might not lend to classic blues fare as readily as others of the era.

Here are two of only sixteen sides she recorded.

Daisy Martin v / Jules Levy, Jr. c / ?Ephraim Hannaford tb / Joseph Samuels cl, bsx / Larry Briers p / d.

Recorded in New York on August 1, 1921.


Johnny Dodds' Black Bottom Stompers - Brunswick 3997 (1927)

George Mitchell, Natty Dominque c / John Thomas tb / Johnny Dodds, cl / Charlie Alexander p / Bud Scott bj / Baby Dodds d.

Here's another Dodds' Black Bottom Stompers posted a while back.

Recorded in Chicago on October 8, 1927.



Blanche Calloway & Her Joy Boys - Victor 22733 (1931)

Although Blanche was unsuccessful in her attempt to become leader of Andy Kirk's band, she was able to bag Edgar Battle and Clarence Smith from that group.

One item of note is that these sides are some of Ben Webster's earliest recordings having made his recording debut less than three months earlier with this same group.

Blanche Calloway v, dir / Joe Keyes, Edgar Battle, Clarence Smith t / Alton Moore, Herb Alvis tb / Booker Pitman cl, as / Leroy Hardy as / Ben Webster ts / Clyde Hart p / Andy Jackson bj, g / Joe Durham bb / Cozy Cole d.

Recorded in Camden, NJ on June 11, 1931.


Blanche Calloway & Her Joy Boys - Victor 22641 (1931)

Blanche Calloway, sister of Cab, recorded 3 sides with Andy Kirk's band in 1931 with eyes on becoming the new bandleader. She was unsuccessful in her attempt to take over Kirk's group but she did manage to steal a few sidemen when she started up her new Joy Boys orchestra.

Harry Lawson, Edgar Battle, Clarence Smith t / Floyd Brady tb / John Harrington cl, as / John Williams as / Lawrence Freeman ts / Mary Lou Williams p / Bill Dirvin bj / Andy Kirk bb / Ben Thigpen d / Blanche Calloway v.

Recorded in Camden, NJ on March 2, 1931.


The American Legion Band Of Hollywood, CA - Decca 2132 (1938)

Celebrating the Fourth of July...78 rpm style.

Recorded on August 8, 1938.



Synco Jazz Band - Pathé 22122 (1919)

These sides are seemingly from Joseph Samuel's first two recording sessions and Toreador Humoresque is the debut recording for the Synco Jazz Band.

Here is the same group, recording as The Tampa Blue Band, backing Daisy Martin, an African American blues singer in 1921.

Jules Levy, Jr. c / Ephraim Hannaford tb / Joseph Samuels cl, bsx / Larry Briers p / d.

Recorded in New York in January & March, 1919.


John Kirby & His Orchestra - Vocalion 5187 (1939)

Charlie Shavers t / Buster Bailey cl / Russell Procope as / Billy Kyle p / John Kirby sb / O'Neil Spencer d.

Recorded in New York on July 28 & August 10, 1939.


Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra (With Der Bingle) - Brunswick UK 02481 (1937)

Jimmy Dorsey cl, as, dir / Joe Meyer t / Toots Camarata t, a / Bobby Byrne, Don Mattison, Bruce Squires tb / Len Whitney as / Fud Livingston as, ts / Charlie Frazier ts / Freddy Slack p / Roc Hillman g / Jack Ryan sb / Ray McKinley d / Bing Crosby v.

Recorded in Los Angeles on March 3, 1937.


Clarence Williams & His Washboard Band - Bluebird 6918 (1937)

Ed Allen c / Buster Bailey cl / Prince Robinson ts / Clarence Williams p / Cyrus St. Clair bb / Floyd Casey wb / Eva Taylor v.

Recorded in New York on April 8, 1937.