[Dixielandjazz] Re: At the Jazz Band Ball

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Bill Haesler" <bhaesler at nsw.bigpond.net.au writes:

> A general reply regarding the 'forgettable' lyrics to "At The Jazz Band
Ball".
> They were written by Johnny Mercer about 1949-50.
> The version Chris Tyle recalls was featured by a Bing Crosby sing-alike
called
> Jimmy Atkins and recorded by Eddie Condon and His Orchestra for Decca in
NYC on
> 22 March 1950.


Bob Ringwald responds:

I had that recording.  The singer sounds so much like Bing that I would have
bet by left you-know-what that it was he.  I was shocked to find out that it
wasn't.

Do you suppose that it was Bing singing under an assumed name?

As we all know, lots of musicians did this because they were under contract
to recording companies.  Hackett recorded under the name of Pete Pesky.
Benny, Shoeless Joe Jackson, etc.

Remember the story
of a recording company exec calling Louis in & playing a recording that he
had made for a different company.  Louis is reported to have said,
"It wasn't me and I'll never do it again."

Bob
mr.wonderful at ringwald.com
Placerville, CA
Near Sacramento, home of the best Jazz Society in the world.