It's Tight Like That

At last, a new post. And there's more where this came from, too. This McKinney's Cotton Pickers disc precedes the one posted some time ago (check the tabs) and has some very good tunes, including two versions of Four or Five Times and a version of Stardust. Milenberg Joys is another good one. Don Redman and the band were still playing some hot jazz with tight arrangements before turning a bit sweeter as they entered the 1930s. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. Four Or Five Times
2. Put It There (Shag Nasty)
3. Crying And Sighing
4. Milenberg Joys
5. Cherry
6. Stop Kidding (Neckbones And Sauerkraut)
7. Nobody's Sweetheart
8. Some Sweet Day
9. Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble
10. Paducah - The Chocolate Dandies
11. Star Dust - The Chocolate Dandies
12. Birmingham Breakdown - The Chocolate Dandies
13. Four Or Five Times - The Chocolate Dandies
14. It's Tight Like That
15. There's A Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder
16. It's A Precious Little Thing Called Love
17. Save It, Pretty Mama
18. I've Found A New Baby
19. Will You, Won't You Be My Babe?
20. Beedle-Um-Bum
21. Do Something
22. Sellin' That Stuff

Chegou!

Chegou! Good news - well, the best actually. After approximately 4800 miles our stuff arrived this past Saturday and the turntable, 78s and cds are intact. Carnaval begins tomorrow night, so next week I'll begin posting more from my collection. And thanks to a ton of bubble wrap and sturdy boxes, there is still a lot of great Chick Bullock music to hear. :-)

Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer

This is one of the few cds I managed to upload before the move. This is a 2-cd set from Jasmine which I picked up because it came up in the search criteria for Chick Bullock. From the notes: "Frank Newton had a special sound… he always believed in giving the people something different," the trombonist Dicky Wells once observed. Jazz historian Al Rose described Newton as "... an exciting, inventive trumpet player." Despite such acclaim, the career of one of jazz trumpet's most individualistic, dynamic stylists has been consigned largely to the footnotes and margins of the music's history. During his relatively short life (he died aged 48 in 1954) in a chequered career dogged by frequent bouts of ill health, Frank Newton still managed to record some 150 titles. ... At various times he is to be heard performing alongside soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet; alto saxophonist Pete Brown; tenor saxophonists Don Byas and Bud Freeman; trombonists J.C. Higginbotham and Dicky Wells; pianists James P. Johnson, Willie "The Lion" Smith and Teddy Wilson; plus the singers Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith and Maxine Sullivan." And, of course, Chick Bullock, who handles the vocals on tracks 5-8 with Art Karle & His Boys. Although these four tracks are also available in the Mezz Mezzrow post, it is well worth hearing a third of Newton's recorded career. Enjoy. + +

Track List

Disc One:

Cecil Scott's Bright Boys
1. Bright Boy Blues
2. Springfield Stomp

Bessie Smith
3. Gimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer
4. Take Me For a Buggy Ride

Art Karle & His Boys
5. Moon Over Miami
6. I Feel Like a Feather in the Breeze
7. Susannah
8. Lights Out

Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band
9. Lost
10. Mutiny in the Parlour
11. The Panic is On

Teddy Hill Orchestra
12. At the Rug Cutter's Ball
13. Blue Rhythm Fantasy
14. Passionette

Frank Newton Uptown Serenaders
15. You Showed Me the Way
16. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
17. Who's Sorry Now? take 1
18. Who's Sorry Now? take 2

Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra
19. Big Boy Blue

Frank Newton Uptown Serenaders
20. I Found a New Baby
21. The Brittwood Stomp
22. 'cause My Baby Says It's So
23. The Onyx Hop

Charlie Barnet Orchestra
24. Emperor Jones

Maxine Sullivan
25. Blue Skies

Willie "The Lion" Smith
26. I've Got To Think It Over

Midge Williams Jazz Jesters
27. The Lady Is A Tramp

Disc Two

Buster Bailey Rhythm Busters
1. Chained To a Dream

Frank Newton Orchestra
2. Rosetta
3. Minor Jive
4. The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
5. Who?
6. The Blues My Baby Gave To Me
7. Rompin'

Frank Newton Quintet
8. Daybreak Blues

Port Of Harlem Jazzmen
9. Port of Harlem Blues
10. Mighty Blues
11. Rocking the Blues

Frank Newton Café Society Orchestra
12. Jitters
13. Frankie's Jump
14. Jam Fever # A
15. Jam Fever # B

Billie Holiday
16. Strange Fruit

Port Of Harlem Jazzmen
17. Blues for Tommy

Frank Newton Quintet
18. After Hours Blues

Frank Newton Café Society Orchestra
19. Vamp
20. Parallel Fifths

Buck Ram All Stars
21. Twilight in Teheran
22. Morning Mist
23. Swing Street

Happy New Year!

Good news - the container with all of our belongs (most importantly, my 78s and cds) has reportedly arrived at the nearby port. Now, how long it will take for customs to clear everything remains to be seen. It is the holidays after all, and it also happens to be summer here in Brasil. The combination of which has been known to have deadly effect on the amount of work one might perform. And we haven't even considered other variables such as the beach or beer. Heck, even I keep distracting myself from work - as evidenced by the fact that I am posting this note.

So to cut to the quick, very soon I hope to post some more great Chick Bullock tunes that you will not find elsewhere, as well as more from my cd collection. My fingers are crossed in anticipation.

And a happy new year to everyone out there!

Non-Stop Flight

Desperately trying to post more than once a month, for Dec. 7th here is another Shaw collection from the time when Europe was already in the early stages of WWII. If you're like me, you'll like the imperfect sound from these live airchecks of Artie Shaw for the fact that they're not crisp and clean. It helps me imagine the music coming from the one big speaker from a 30's radio. I don't mind the announcer talking over the intros, or the corny chit-chat. In any case, the music is great and there are some very good tunes here. I just wish we had more of these live broadcasts. In the future I will post another Shaw broadcast with Robert Benchley. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. Nightmare (Theme)
2. Begin the Beguine
3. Deep in a Dream
4. Back Bay Shuffle
5. Non-Stop Flight
6. I Have Eyes
7. Carioca
8. Better Than Average Girl
9. Jungle Drums
10. I Cried for You
11. Back Bay Shuffle
12. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
13. I Want My Share of Love
14. Diga Diga Doo, Pt. 1
15. Diga Diga Doo, Pt. 2
16. It's All Yours
17. Rosalie
18. Zigeuner
19. Copenhagen
20. Pastel Blue
21. Traffic Jam
22. I'm in Love With the Honorable Mr. So-And-So
23. Chant
24. Prosschai (Goodbye, Goodbye)
25. Nightmare (Theme)

Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue

The reviewer at Allmusic.com bemoans the fact that ASV opts to include less popular versions (or British) vs. the hit versions, specifically Gene Austin's version of today's post title. I think he misses the point - that the collection is about the songwriter, not the performer. Relying on the hit versions would be too easy. Besides, Austin is represented here and now we get to hear the California Rambers (at least one of their lineups) and widen our exposure to the great music of the 20s and 30s. On another note, I can't imagine how Paul Robeson must have felt when he was given Henderson's tune to record. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. Best Things in Life Are Free - Jack Hylton Orchestra
2. I'm Sitting on Top of the World - Frank Crumit
3. Don't Bring Lulu - Nathan Glantz & His Orchestra
4. Lucky Day - Howard Lanin & His Orchestra
5. Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Girl) - California Ramblers
6. (Here I Am) Brokenhearted - Gene Austin
7. Black Bottom Stomp - Annette Hanshaw
8. Bye Bye Blackbird - Layton & Johnstone
9. Magnolia - Johnny Marvin
10. Varsity Drag - Zelma O'Neal
11. Sonny Boy - Al Jolson
12. You're the Cream in My Coffee - Ruth Etting
13. If I Had a Talking Picture of You - Sam Browne with the Jack Hylton Orchestra
14. I'm a Dreamer, Aren't We All? - Frank Luther
15. Sunny Side Up - Joe Cassidy
16. Button up Your Overcoat - Ruth Etting
17. My Song - Rudy Vallée
18. That's Why Darkies Were Born - Paul Robeson
19. Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries - Hutch
20. Thrill Is Gone - Rudy Vallée
21. My Dog Loves Your Dog - Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards
22. Animal Crackers in My Soup - Shirley Temple
23. Birth of the Blues - Bing Crosby, Jack Teagarden Orchestra
24. Together - Helen Forrest, Dick Haymes
25. Let's Call It a Day - Hutch