I've Got The World On A String

I could swear that I had already shared this one, but I guess I just overlooked it after uploading. Here's an internet review from Bruce Woolf: "The Spirits of Rhythm were vocalists of the "jive" tradition, who could sing scat with the best of them. This collection follows the Spirits from their heyday in the 1930s through personnel changes in the 1940s, and includes 7 tracks where they back either Red McKenzie or Ella Logan.

The Spirits originally consisted of Leo Watson, Wilbur Daniels, Douglas Daniels, Teddy Bunn and Virgil Scoggins. This aggregation produced the 24 October and 20 November 1933 recording sessions. Bassist Wilson Myers joined the group beginning with the 6 December 1933 session. In 1941, Scoggins and Myers had left the group, and Wellman Braud was playing bass. The final Spirits of Rhythm session in January of 1945 featured a new lineup - only Leo Watson and Teddy Bunn remained from the original group, augmented by Leonard Feather, Ulysses Livingston, Red Callender, and Georgie Vann. Even though the McKenzie sides ooze "corn," this package is still recommended listening for all who are interested in the roots of vocal group harmony. The Spirits of Rhythm were among the progenitors of what was to become the "jump" side of of the Rock 'N' Roll tradition." Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. I Got Rhythm (24 Oct 1933)
2. Nobody's Sweetheart (20 Nov 1933)
3. I Got Rhythm (20 Nov 1933)
4. I've Got The World On A String (20 Nov 1933)
5. Rhythm (20 Nov 1933)
6. I'll Be Ready When The Great Day Comes (6 Dec 1933)
7. My Old Man (6 Dec 1933)
8. 'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans - Red McKenzie & the Spirits of Rhythm - (11 Sep 1934)
9. I've Got The World On A String - Red McKenzie & the Spirits of Rhythm - (11 Sep 1934)
10. From Monday On - Red McKenzie & the Spirits of Rhythm - (11 Sep 1934)
11. As Long As I Live - Red McKenzie & the Spirits of Rhythm - (11 Sep 1934)
12. Junk Man (14 Sep 1934)
13. Dr. Watson And Mr. Holmes (14 Sep 1934)
14. That's What I Hate About You (14 Sep 1934)
15. Shoutin' In The Amen Corner (14 Sep 1934)
16. It's A Long, Long Way From Tipperary - Ella Logan & the Spirits of Rhythm - (4 Sep 1941)
17. I Woke Up With A Teardrop In My Eye - Ella Logan & the Spirits of Rhythm - (4 Sep 1941)
18. From Monday On - Ella Logan & the Spirits of Rhythm - (4 Sep 1941)
19. Walkin' This Town (4 Sep 1941)
20. We've Got The Blues (4 Sep 1941)
21. Honeysuckle Rose (Honey-Sock-Me-On-The-Nose) (24 Jan 1945)
22. Scattin' The Blues (24 Jan 1945)
23. Suspicious Blues (24 Jan 1945)
24. She Ain't No Saint (24 Jan 1945)
25. Last Call Blues (24 Jan 1945)
26. Coquette (Chicken Croquette) (24 Jan 1945)

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)