Teddy Hill & His NBC Orchestra - Bluebird 6988 (1937)

On a cool 64 degree springtime Monday...May 17, 1937...a nineteen year old John Birks Gillespie...having just replaced Roy Eldridge in the Teddy Hill NBC band...walked into a New York recording studio and laid down his first recorded notes.

San Anton' was the first side recorded that day with Jelly Roll Morton's King Porter's Stomp being the fifth. Six sides total were recorded during that session.

Teddy Hill ts, dir / Bill Dillard t, v / Dizzy Gillespie, Shad Collins t / Dicky Wells tb / Russell Procope cl, as / Howard Johnson as / Robert Carroll ts / Sam Allen p / John Smith g / Richard Fullbright sb / Bill Beason d.

Recorded in New York, On May 17, 1937.

Buck Ram's All Stars - Savoy 572 (1944)

I've always associated Buck Ram's name with the Platters, writing their biggest hits...but searching information on him now, there is sooo much more to the man.

Here's just one excerpt from wikipedia...

Controversy has surrounded "I'll Be Home for Christmas," since it was first published. The label on Bing Crosby's recording of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" credits it to Kent, Gannon, and Ram. Later recordings usually credit only Kent and Gannon. The discrepancy arose from the fact that on December 21, 1942 Buck Ram copyrighted a song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas (Tho' Just in Memory)" although that version bore little or no resemblance, other than its title, to the Crosby recording. A song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was also copyrighted on August 24, 1943, by Walter Kent (music) and James "Kim" Gannon (words). Kent and Gannon revised and re-copyrighted their song on September 27, 1943, and it was this version that Bing Crosby made famous.

According to Ram and newspaper articles from the era, Ram wrote the lyrics to "I'll Be Home For Christmas" as a gift for his mother when he was a sixteen year old college student. In 1942, Ram's publisher chose to hold the song for release because they were going to release Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" first. Not completely satisfied with the song, Ram discussed his concerns with casual acquaintances, Kent and Gannon, in a bar. He left a copy of the song with them but never discussed it with them again. Both Ram and his publisher were shocked when the song was released. Ram's publisher sued and won.

Check out this "All Star" lineup!

Teddy Wilson p / Red Norvo Vb / Earl Bostic as / Don Byas ts / Ernie Casceras bsax / Remo Palmieri g / Shad Collins, Frankie Newton t / Slam Stewart sb / Cozy Cole d / Tyree Glenn tb.

Recorded on September 18, 1944.