Punch Miller's New Orleans Band - Icon I-45-736 (1962)

Just came across this one and snatched it up for fifty cents because I saw the name, Punch Miller. It wasn't until I got home that I even slid it out of the sleeve to see the brilliant royal blue vinyl and the inscription signed by Gypsy Lou Webb.

Punch Miller t, v / Israel Gorman cl / Albert Warner tb / George Guesnon bj / Wilbert Tillman bb / Alex Bigard (Barney's brother) d.

Looks to be recorded in New Orleans at the Kitty Club in 1962.

Claude Hopkins & His Orchestra - Brunswick 6750 (1933)

This appears to be the Hopkins outfit's first record for the Brunswick label.

An added bonus (for me) was the discovery of trombonist, Fernando Arbello.

From wikipedia...

Fernando Arbello (May 30, 1907 – July 26, 1970) was a Puerto Rican jazz trombonist and composer who spent most of his career in America.

Arbello first started on trombone at the age of 12. He played locally in high-school bands and symphony orchestras, then moved to New York City in the middle of the 1920s. There he played with Earle Howard, Wilbur De Paris, June Clark, and Bingie Madison before the close of the decade. Early in the 1930s he played intermittently with Claude Hopkins for several years, then worked with Chick Webb, Fletcher Henderson, Lucky Millinder, Billy Hicks, and Fats Waller, before returning to play under Hopkins again near the end of the 1930s.

In 1940 Arbello worked for a few months with Zutty Singleton, then led his own, unsuccessful, band briefly in 1940-41. Later in 1941 he played again in Henderson's ensemble, then with Marty Marsala (1941) and Jimmie Lunceford (1942–46). He led his own band again late in the 1940s, maintaining it for several years, though he never recorded with this outfit. In 1953 he played with Rex Stewart and played in a reunion band with Henderson once more; in 1960 he was a sideman for Machito.

Late in his life Arbello returned to Puerto Rico, playing at the Hotel San Juan up until his death.

Claude Hopkins p, a, dir / Albert Snaer, Sylvester Lewis, Ovie Alston t / Fernando Arbello, Fred Norman tb / Edmond Hall cl, as, bar / Gene Johnson as, bar / Bobby Sands ts / Walter Jones bj, g / Henry Turner sb / Edmond Jones d.

Recorded in New York on December 11, 1933.

Wally Mercer - Trumpet 227 (1954)

Just got my second Farish Street diamond.

Wally Mercer v, ts / Duke Huddleston ts / J.V. Turner g / David Campbell p / Ellis Bunard, Archie Bufkins, Robert Granville sax, b, d.

Recorded at Diamond Studio in Jackson, MS on April 27, 1954.

The Seven Hot Air-Men - Columbia 1850 (1929)

Here are the first two of six sides by The (Seven) Hot Air-Men. (Unfortunately, a little worse for wear.)

Phil Napoleon t / Carl Loffler tb / Pete Pumiglio cl, as / Chauncey Gray p / Tommy Felline g / Ward Lay sb / Stan King d.

Recorded in New York on May 23, 1929.

Memphis Jazzers - Van Dyke 7801 (1929)

Side-B on this one is a Clarence Williams outfit while side-A is a Grey Gull studio band, possibly with Mike Mosiello and Andy Sannella.

Ed Allen c / Ed Cuffee tb / Arville Harris cl, as / cl, ts / Clarence Williams p / Leroy Harris bj / Cyrus St. Clair bb.

Recorded in New York in March, 1929.

Grey Gull Studio Band.

Recorded in New York in June, 1929.

Freddy King - Federal 45-12415 (1961)

From wikipedia...

Freddie King (September 3, 1934 – December 28, 1976), thought to have been born as Frederick Christian, originally recording as Freddy King, and nicknamed "The Texas Cannonball", was an influential American blues guitarist and singer. He is often mentioned as one of "the Three Kings" of electric blues guitar, along with Albert King and B.B. King, as well as being the youngest of the three.

Freddie King based his guitar style on Texas and Chicago influences and was one of the first bluesmen to have a multi-racial backing band onstage with him at live performances. He is best known for singles such as "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" (1960) and his Top 40 hit "Hide Away" (1961). He is also known for albums such as the early, instrumental-packed Let's Hide Away and Dance Away with Freddy King (1961) and the later album Burglar (1974), which displayed King's mature versatility as both player and singer in a range of blues and funk styles.

Recorded in May, 1961.

The Charleston Chasers - Columbia 1539 (1927)

Click here for another Charleston Chasers disc.

Red Nichols t, dir / Miff Mole tb / Jimmy Dorsey cl, as / Arthur Schutt p / Dick McDonough bj, g / Vic Berton d.

Recorded in New York on February 25 (FB) & May 18 (Sal), 1927.

Elmore James - Enjoy Records (1961) 45 RPM

From wikipedia...

"Bleeding Heart" (sometimes called "(My) Bleeding Heart") is a song written and recorded by American blues musician Elmore James in 1961. Considered "among the greatest of James' songs."

"Bleeding Heart" is a slow-tempo twelve-bar blues that features Elmore James' vocal and slide guitar. It was recorded during one of his last recording sessions and has session musicians providing accompaniment, instead of James' regular band the "Broomdusters". According to producer Bobby Robinson, it was his idea to record James with a "big band sound" and to hire band leader Paul Williams to arrange the horn section.

Although recorded in 1961, "Bleeding Heart" was not released until 1965, two years after James' death. It was first issued as the B-side to the first pressing of "It Hurts Me Too" (Enjoy 2015), which became a Billboard R&B chart hit and made an appearance in the pop chart. "Bleeding Heart" was later released with "Mean Mistreatin' Mama" (Enjoy 2020). These single versions were edited to 2:37; a 3:05 version later appeared on the Elmore James Memorial Album and various compilation albums, sometimes with the title "(My) Bleeding Heart".

Elmore James v, slide guitar / Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams bar sax / George Coleman (probably) ts / Danny Moore t / Dickie Harris (probably) tb / Nehemiah "Riff" Ruffin g / Johnny Acey p / Unknown bass / Johnny or Earl Williams d.

Recorded in New York in early 1961.

Little Shy Guy & The Hot Rods - Calvert 107 (1956)

Tom 'Shy Guy' Douglas harmonica, v / Arthur Gunter g / Earl Gaines d / Ted Jarrett v (Let's Rock And Roll)

Recorded in Nashville in 1956.

Leroy Johnson - Okeh 6813 (1951)

Not finding any information about Leroy Johnson using the regular web resources, I went to my father's Okeh R&B CD box set to see if the booklet contained anything.

It did.

It said, "All that is known about Johnson is that he played guitar." And there was a picture.

Hmm...anyone know more?

Someone did find a bit more: Johnson recorded as Leroy "Country" Johnson for Houston's Freedom Recordings in 1949 accompanied by bassist Nunu Pitts.

Recorded in New York on June 29, 1951.