From Wiki: A highly talented stride piano player and arranger, he left home at the age of only 21 as a sideman with the Wilbur Sweatman Orchestra but stayed less than a year. In 1925, he left for Europe as the musical director of The Revue Negre which starred Josephine Baker with Sidney Bechet in the band.
From 1932-1936, he led a fairly successful Harlem band employing many jazz musicians who were later to become famous in their own right such as Edmond Hall, Jabbo Smith and Vic Dickenson (although it's worth noting that his records were arranged to feature his piano more than his band). This was his most successful period with long residencies at the Savoy and Roseland ballrooms and at the Cotton Club. In 1937 he took his band on the road with a great deal of success.
He broke up the band in 1940 and used his arranging talents working for several non-jazz band leaders and for CBS. In 1948/9 he led a "novelty" band briefly but took a jazz band into The Cafe Society in 1950. From 1951 up until his death, he remained in NYC working mostly as a sideman with other Dixieland bands playing at festivals and various New York clubs and recording. Images can be found here. Enjoy. +
Tracks
1. Sunday
2. Swingin' Down the Lane
3. Honey
4. June Night
5. Church Street Sobbin' Blues
6. My Kinda Love
7. Junk-Man's Serenade
8. Twinkle Dinkle
9. Ja-Da! (Ja-Da, Ja-Da, Jing, Jing, Jing)
10. Walkin' the Dog
11. I Let a Tear Fall in the River
12. Spareribs and Spaghetti
13. Home Cookin' Mamma
14. How Much Do You Mean to Me?
15. Yacht Club Swing
16. Singing Hills
17. Out to Lunch
18. Little Rain Must Fall
19. I'd Believe in You
20. What's the Matter With Me?
