Balloonacy

Lawdy, but I haven't had this many posts in one month since way back in 2010. No doubt it's due to the extra day this month. Here is the remaining Mills Blue Rhythm Band I have in my collection, and final in the five-cd series from Classics (I do not have the fourth, 1934-1936). From Allmusic.com, "The fifth and final Classics CD by the Mills Blue Rhythm Band starts out at the same high level as the fourth set. With trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen, trombonist J.C. Higginbottham, altoist Tab Smith and tenor saxophonist Joe Garland in the band (pianist Billy Kyle soon joined up as well), along with a solid rhythm section, the orchestra could swing quite hard, as shown on such numbers as "St. Louis Wiggle Rhythm," "Merry-Go-Round," "Big John's Special" and "Algiers Stomp." However, by 1937 (when the second half of this CD was recorded), Allen, Higginbottham and Garland had departed. The music is still worthwhile, with Smith and young trumpeters Harry "Sweets" Edison and Charlie Shavers in the band, but the enthusiasm was starting to drop. Due to the heavy competition from the many better-known orchestras, the Mills Blue Rhythm Band would soon become a forgotten part of history, but as the five Classics CDs show, the orchestra did create quite a bit of worthwhile music in the 1930s." Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Jes' Natch'ully Lazy (I Was Born That Way) (05 - 20 - 36)
02. St. Louis Wiggle Rhythm (05 - 20 - 36)
03. Merry - Go - Round (08 - 11 - 36)
04. Until The Real Thing Comes Along (08 - 11 - 36)
05. In A Sentimental Mood (08 - 11 - 36)
06. Carry Me Back To Green Pastures (08 - 11 - 36)
07. Balloonacy (10 - 15 - 36)
08. Barrellhouse (10 - 15 - 36)
09. The Moon Is Grinning At Me (10 - 15 - 36)
10. Showboat Shuffle (10 - 15 - 36)
11. Big John's Special (11 - 20 - 36)
12. Mr. Ghost Goes To Town (11 - 20 - 36)
13. Callin' Your Bluff (11 - 20 - 36)
14. Algiers Stomp (11 - 20 - 36)
15. Blue Rhythm Fantasy (02 - 11 - 37)
16. Prelude To A Stomp (02 - 11 - 37)
17. Rhythm Jam (02 - 11 - 37)
18. Jungle Madness (02 - 11 - 37)
19. The Lucky Swing (04 - 28 - 37)
20. Please Pity My Heart (04 - 28 - 37)
21. Let's Get Together (04 - 28 - 37)
22. Jammin' For The Jack-Pot (07 - 01 - 37)
23. The Image Of You (07 - 01 - 37)
24. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling (07 - 01 - 37)
25. Camp Meeting Jamboree (07 - 01 - 37)

The Cotton Club Legend 1929-1941

1985 seems to have been a good year for jazz compilations on LP. Here's a French issue that covers some of the bands who played at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem. Duke Ellington, Eubie Blake, Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Cab Calloway and more. There were other Prohibition-era clubs such as the Savoy, Roseland, Lafayette, Apollo and Connie's Inn but the Cotton Club was the place to be. Enjoy. +

Tracks

(side one)
1. A Nite At The Cotton Club - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
2. Market Street Stomp - The Missourians
3. A Few Riffs - Fess Williams and His Royal Flush Orchestra
4. My Blue Days Blew Over - Eubie Blake and His Orchestra
5. Medley of Armstrong Hits - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra
6. Drop Me Off In Harlem - Adelaide Hall with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band
7. Love Is The Thing - Mills Blue Rhythm Band
8. The Lady With The Fan - Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra

(side two)
9. Daybreak Express - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
10. Minnie The Moocher - Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra
11. Swingin' Uptown - Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra
12. 'Long About Midnight - Willie Bryant and His Orchestra
13. The Scat Song - Billy Banks
14. King Porter Stomp - Teddy Hill and His Orchestra
15. Jeepers Creepers - Ethel Waters with Eddie Mallory and His Orchestra
16. Bojangles - Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
17. Saint Louis Blues - Lena Horne with the Dixieland Jazz Group of NBC's Chamber Music of Lower Basin Street

Swingin' in E Flat

From Allmusic.com, this fine big band was originally formed by drummer Willie Lynch as the Blue Rhythm Band in 1930 and as the Coconut Grove Orchestra, provided backup to Louis Armstrong on some records. In 1931, Irving Mills became their manager and the group was renamed the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. Lynch's departure later that year resulted in Baron Lee fronting the band until Lucky Millinder took over in 1934. They were also the Cotton Club backup band while Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington toured. Scans of the booklet are included. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. Ridin' in Rhythm
2. Weary Traveller
3. Buddy's Wednesday Outing
4. Harlem After Midnight
5. Jazz Martini
6. Feelin' Gay
7. Break It Down
8. Kokey Joe
9. Love's Serenade
10. Harlem After Midnight
11. Drop Me off in Harlem
12. Reaching for the Cotton Moon
13. Stuff Is Here (And It's Mellow)
14. Growl
15. Swingin' in E Flat
16. Let's Have a Jubilee
17. Out of a Dream
18. African Lullaby
19. Solitude
20. Dancing Dogs
21. Love's Serenade
22. Keep the Rhythm Going
23. Like a Bolt from the Blue

Savage Rhythm

Here's some fine music from a band that doesn't really have any 'names' involved, except for some arrangements by Benny Carter and a couple of Billy Banks vocals. I listened all the way through on this and it sounds real good. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. Savage Rhythm
2. I'm Sorry I Made You Blue
3. Everytime I Look at You
4. Snake Hips
5. The Scat Song
6. Heat Waves
7. Doin' the Shake
8. The Scat Song
9. Cabin in the Cotton
10. Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day
11. The Growl
12. Mighty Sweet
13. Rhythm Spasm
14. Swanee Lullaby
15. White Lightning
16. Wild Waves
17. Sentimental Gentleman from Georgia
18. You Gave Me Everything But Love
19. Old Yazoo
20. Reefer Man
21. Jazz Cocktail
22. Smoke Rings

Stardust

Stardust, by Hoagy Carmichael is one of the most famous songs ever written or recorded. He wrote the tune in 1927 and lyrics weren't added until four years later by Mitchell Parrish. Contrary to some popular belief, Bing Crosby did not record the first vocal pressing - that honor goes to Chick Bullock who recorded it with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band on May 1, 1931. The flip side was Poor Minnie the Moocher (also sung by Bullock). At least one of the cuts of Minnie the Moocher is credited to Bullock in this collection, but it is incorrect. Because I lent my cd to someone and haven't received it back yet I can't tell which one! The Classics Chronological series has been great about providing good liner notes, and which 78s they take their sides from, but they got their info wrong on a few here and there. Oh, well. It's still great music - and this is the very first vocal recording of Stardust from another out-of-print edition. Good luck finding the original, all I've managed is a V+ copy (Oriole 2265). As much as I like Stardust, I also like the first two sides here. Probably because they're so corny. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. They Satisfy
2. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
3. Straddle the Fence
4. Levee Low Down
5. Moanin'
6. Blues in My Heart
7. Minnie the Moocher
8. Minnie the Moocher
9. Blue Rhythm
10. Blue Flame
11. Red Devil
12. Stardust
13. Poor Minnie the Moocher
14. Black and Tan Fantasy
15. Sugar Blues
16. Low Down on the Bayou
17. Futuristic Jungleism
18. Moanin'
19. I Can't Get Along Without My Baby
20. Moanin'