(Give Me That) Business in F

This is another one that I had intended to post long ago, but on the other hand there is something to be said for not posting all the best stuff first. I really like the TOM series (am hoping to pick more up soon) because they have been issuing good quality releases of artists that are largely ignored by the larger producers. Check out Charlie Palloy, for a great example. I doubt anyone could do a complete Ben Selvin series, but what TOM included is still very entertaining. Many of these songs were covered by others, including Chick Bullock (gotta get my Bullock plug in!). If you read the post for Vol. 1, the liner notes suggest that these were throw-away tunes. However, the band performs them with gusto and I'm glad the recordings survive to this day. As did others in the era, Kardos recorded these under pseudonyms in an effort to record outside of his contract. From Amazon.com, "Gene Kardos led a popular dance band in New York in the early 1930s, but most of the records he recorded were released under a variety of names on different labels, which made it difficult for him to get proper credit for his accomplishments. The songs on this CD, for example, were released on the Crown label under the name of Joel Shaw and His Orchestra. Crown was a budget label that was started during the Depression--its slogan was "Two Hits for Two Bits"--and most artists who recorded for them used pseudonyms, particularly if they had recording contracts for other labels, as Kardos did. The Joel Shaw Orchestra, which was named for the band's piano player, had a propulsive rhythm. On tracks such as their cover of the Cab Calloway classic "Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day" and on standards ("Dinah"), they were capable of playing some fine jazz. And selections like "Barnacle Bill (the Sailor)" and "Call of the Freaks" reveal a goofy sense of humor that only adds to the band's raucous, but good-natured sound. No matter whose name is on the label, the music of Gene Kardos and his band deserves to be heard." Enjoy. +


Tracks

1. Stop The Sun, Stop The Moon
2. Business In F
3. Barnacle Bill
4. Sweet Violets
5. Some Of These Days
6. Alexander's Ragtime Band
7. Sing A New Song
8. If It Ain't Love
9. Business In Q
10. My Extraordinary Gal
11. Oh! Monah
12. Goofus
13. Dinah
14. Mouthful O' Jam
15. Whistle And Blow Your Blues Away
16. Darktown Strutters' Ball
17. Call Of The Freaks
18. How'm I Doin'?
19. The Scat Song
20. Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day
21. When You're Getting Along With Your Gal
22. Who's Your Little Who-Zis?
23. One More Kiss, Then Goodnight

Shine On Harvest Moon

Finally, I'm getting around to posting this! Ethel Waters' version of Shine On Harvest Moon is my absolute favorite (Laurel & Hardy's is a close second), and there's not a track here that I don't like. Compare her playful version (some say 'campy') of A Hundred Years From Today.to that of Jack Teagarden. On Dinah she brings it down from the jumpy Mills Brothers cut to something you could slow dance to, a sort of lazy, hot afternoon stay-in-the-shade type of song. Meanwhile, Miss Otis Regrets is now a mournful ballad in comparison to Cab Calloway's version, for example. Stormy Weather is simply one of the best. Musicians present include Manny Klein, Joe Venuti, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, the Dorseys, Bunny Berigan, Dick McDonough, Benny Goodman, Jack & Charlie Teagarden, Art Karle, Taft Jordan & John Kirby. A virtual who's who of the day. Full scans included. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. River, Stay 'Way from My Door
2. Shine on Harvest Moon
3. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
4. Porgy
5. St. Louis Blues
6. Stormy Weather
7. Love Is the Thing
8. Don't Blame Me
9. Shadows on the Swanee
10. Heat Wave
11. Harlem on My Mind
12. I Just Couldn't Take It, Baby
13. A Hundred Years from Today
14. Come up and See Me Sometime
15. You've Seen Harlem at Its Best
16. Miss Otis Regrets
17. Dinah
18. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
19. Moonglow
20. Give Me a Heart to Sing To
21. I Ain't Gonna Sin No More
22. Trade Mark
23. You're Going to Leave the Old Home, Jim

Son Of The Sun

Tearin' up the internet with three posts in one month! Jack Teagarden is simply one of the music giants, period. Both his trombone and vocals put an unmistakable stamp on the jazz era, influencing many other artists. But Big T deserves more than what I can write, so I'll get to the cd. This set takes Teagarden from a romping march, through the quintessential (IMO) version of Hoagy Carmichael's Rockin' Chair, and T's classic version of A Hundred Years From Today. I love the Classics series, but they often didn't use the cleanest transcriptions and there is some scratchiness on several tracks. For me, that's part of the ambiance though. Full scans with session info are included. Personnel include Nappy Lamare, Gene Austin, Joe Venuti, Benny Goodman, Bud Freeman, Charlie Spivak, Charlie Teagarden, and others. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. Son of the Sun
2. You're Simply Delish
3. Just a Little Dance, Mam'selle
4. Rockin' Chair
5. Loveless Love
6. You Rascal You
7. That's What I Like About You
8. Chances Are
9. I Got the Ritz from the One I Love
10. China Boy
11. Lies
12. I'm Sorry Dear
13. Tiger Rag
14. I've Got It
15. Plantation Moods
16. Shake Your Hips
17. Someone Stole Gabriel's Horn
18. Love Me
19. Blue River
20. Hundred Years from Today, A
21. I Just Couldn't Take It, Baby
22. Fare-Thee-Well to Harlem
23. Ol' Pappy