[Dixielandjazz] ODJB

[Stephen Barbone]

Anton Crouch thinks that ODJB might have visited Columbia records in
January 1917, but that no record was made. Then cites the matrix numbers
sequence in backing up his belief that ODJB recorded the two tunes in
question, Darktown Strutters Ball and  Indiana, for Columbia, after
their first recording on Victor was released about Feb 1917. OK that
makes sense.

Jimmy LaRocca (Nick's son) and Eddie Edwards, ODJB trombonist opine that
ODJB did visit Columbia prior to the Victor release and did record those
tunes. Jimmy, from his dad's conversations, and Eddie because he was
there. OK, that makes sense, too

I am of the opinion that the best evidence is on the two recordings. The
Columbia "Darktown" and "Indiana" are musically inferior to Victor's
"Livery Stable" release. To me, that bears out Jimmy LaRocca and Eddie
Edwards in their contention that the Columbia sides were made first, in
January.

The band would have had a month to sharpen up their presentation of
Livery Stable et al for Victor, after failing to impress Columbia with
Darktown and Indiana. And, if they were in the Columbia Studio, it seems
to me more logical that they would have been recorded than not recorded
while there. Else why go? For an audition? Nah, to see what it would
sound like on wax.

This ties in with the Freddie Keppard story, that he refused to play for
nothing in a recording studio where the studio wanted to see how the
band sounded on wax. Not an audition, but how the band sounded on wax.
They would have recorded him.

So, I am now firmly in agreement with Jimmy L. and Eddie Edwards. Matrix
numbers? Maybe they were put on "released" records in sequence and not
at the time of recording if the recordings were expected not to be
released. Or, maybe Arthur Anderson changed them. There are a hundred
explanations. But listen to the music of each release. The band sounds
much tighter on the Victor sides which indicates to me they were
recorded later than the Columbia sides.

I don't think Columbia would release a musically inferior record unless
they didn't have any choice. In my opinion, they would have redone the
tunes until they got them right, were they recording ODJB after Victor.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone