Makin' Friends

Darned Blogger! This (and the next volume) were scheduled to go last week, but .... Albert "Eddie" Condon was one of the gang of young white Chicago jazz musicians in the 1920s. He started out playing banjo with Hollis Peavey's Jazz Bandits when he was 17. He worked with several members of the famed Austin High School Gang in the 1920s. In 1927 he co-led (with Red McKenzie) the McKenzie-Condon Chicagoans on a record date that helped define Chicago jazz (and featured Jimmy McPartland, Jimmy Teschemacher, Joe Sullivan, and Gene Krupa). After organizing some other record sessions, Condon switched to guitar, moved to New York in 1929, worked with Red Nichols' Five Pennies and Red McKenzie's Blue Blowers, and recorded in several settings, including with Louis Armstrong (1929) and the Rhythm Makers (1932). During 1936-1937, he co-led a band with Joe Marsala. In 1938 he led some sessions for the Commodore label and he became a star. He had a nightly gig at Nick's in New York City from 1937 to 1944. From 1944 to 1945 he led a series of recordings at Town Hall that were broadcast weekly on the radio, many of which are in circulation. This first cd from the box set covers December, 1927 through June, 1930. Condon's discography is really a Who's Who of the era, and he was known for getting people together (info available on the scans). Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Sugar
02. China Boy
03. Nobody's Sweetheart
04. Liza
05. Friars Point Shuffle
06. Darktown Strutters Ball
07. There'll Be Some Changes Made
08. I've Found A New Baby
09. Jazz Me Blues
10. Oh! Baby
11. Indiana
12. Makin' Friends
13. I'm Gonna Stomp, Mr. Henry Lee
14. That's A Serious Thing
15. Minor Drag
16. Indiana
17. Tailspin Blues
18. I Need Someone Like You
19. Hello Lola
20. One Hour
21. Girls Like You Were Meant For Boys Like Me
22. Georgia On My Mind
23. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
24. Darktown Strutters Ball
25. You Rascal You

A Shine On Your Shoes

You learn something new every day. Looking at bio info on Billy Banks, I find out that he was also a female impersonator - and good enough to fool a lot of people. Apparently his vocal Mean Old Bed Bug Blues with Fats Waller was long considered to be Una Mae Carlisle. Well, I picked this cd up for the two unmistakable Chick Bullock vocals (tracks 20, 21). Check out who plays on this cd: Henry 'Red' Allen, Pee Wee Russell, Joe Sullivan, Eddie Condon, Gene Krupa, Zutty Singleton, Fats Waller, Pops Foster, Jack Bland and Tommy Dorsey. Although Banks was called eccentric, he could sing and this is a very nice collection of tunes. Banks is on all but the last four, and Jack Bland (guitar) is on all (but possibly not 16, 17 and 18). Enjoy. +

Tracks

Billy Banks and His Orchestra

1. Bugle Call Rag
2. Oh Peter! (You're So Nice)
3. Margie
4. The Scat Song
5. Mighty Sweet
6. Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day
7. Oh Peter! (You're So Nice)
8. Spider Crawl
9. Who's Sorry Now?
10. Take It Slow And Easy
11. Bald Headed Mama

The Rhythmakers

12. (I Would Do) Anything For You
13. Mean Old Bed Bug Blues
14. Yellow Dog Blues
15. Yes, Suh!

Billy Banks and His Orchestra

16. Oh! You Sweet Thing
17. It Don't Mean A Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)
18. You Wonderful Thing

Jack Bland and His Rhythmakers

19. Who Stole The Lock (On The Hen House Door)?
20. A Shine On Your Shoes
21. It's Gonna Be You
22. Someone Stole Gabriel's Horn