[Dixielandjazz] Jazz Humor

[Richard Broadie]

Some time ago, band leader Charile Barnet, engineer Pete Reitz and others
gave me a number of humorous recordings that I recently compiled into CD
form.  I'm reproducing my liner notes below.  If anyone wants a copy, we can
negotiate.

Dick Broadie

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The Wrong Ideas!  - " The Worst by the Best"
Observations by Dick Broadie
.
01 Charlie Barnet - The Wrong Idea 1939 Billy May v  Billy May demonstrates
why Sinatra was even more successful as a vocalist than him.  Charlie Barnet
told me that Sammy Kaye was so enthralled by this wonderful song that he
sued both him and Capital Records.  Sammy eventually quit the Capitol  label
when this recording was released.  I wonder why.
02 Bill Harris - Just One More Chance 1958 Ben Webster, Jimmy Rowles, Red
Mitchell
Bill Harris and Ben Webster approach this beautiful standard with slightly
different approaches.  Let me know if the entire album with Bill and Ben is
ever released.  I don't want to miss it!
03 Richard Himber - Parade of Bands 1937  Rudy Vallee v
If you've ever wondered about the distinction between the terms "medley" and
"malady" you may not find out by listening to this exceptional performance.
04 Chubby Jackson - Moldy Fig Stomp 1946  JJ Johnson, Coleman Hawkins, Harry
Carney, Teddy Wilson, John Collins, Shadow Wilson
Did you ever wonder what these swing stars would have sounded like if they
recorded in 1912?  Or do I mean 1902?
Well, maybe during the Civil War?  Revolutionary!
05 Freddie Fisher - Schnickelbop 1945
After hearing this unique bop oriented presentation, Bird and Diz tried to
join Paul Whiteman's band.  Never did quite figure out why.   Wonder if
Buddy De Franco or Tony Scott were too busy to make this date.
06  Bud Freeman - Latest Thing in Jazz 1947 Yank Lawson, Peanuts Hucko,
Trigger Alpert w Ray McKinley v
Too far out for my personal tastes, this selection slices through the
cutting edge and cleaves  into another art form so far removed from music
that I've yet to identify it.  The challenge is yours!
07 Slim Galliard's Peruvians - Soony Roony 1951 Dick Hyman w Ernie Shepard
(high) & Slim Galliard (low) v
Those who love grand opera should enjoy these vocal excursions by Ernie and
Slim.  Wonder what ever happened to Dick Hyman after he played piano on this
recording.  Shoe sales, maybe?
08 Charlie Barnet - Darktown Strutter's Ball 1947 Shorty Rogers, Al Killian,
Bill Miller, Barney Kessle, Dick Shanahan, Arr. Ralph Burns w Everett
McDonald v
After a typical trumpet intro by Shorty Rogers (or Al Killian or Billy
May??) on trumpet, Charlie Barnet demonstrates why Stan Getz beat him in the
prestigious "Concrete and Florist Worker's Union weekly newsletter" jazz
poll of 1947.
09 Paul Weston - Sugar Blues 1951 Johnny Mercer v
The touching trumpet break in the second chorus displays the sincerity of
Weston's arrangement as Johnny Mercer explores the relationship between jazz
and yodeling.  Only the owners of Capital records could get this one
released.
10 Woody Herman (aka Stan Kenton on the label) - My Gee Gee from the Figi
Isles 1946 Shelly Manne, Bob Higgins, Nappy Lamare w Maynard Ferguson v
Sing - Maynard! This outstanding collection of wonderful musicians
demonstrates skills I never suspected.  Funny, Nappy, Bobby and Maynard
never mentioned this recording to me in our discussions of some long ago.
Such humility!
11 Teddy Powell - Seredade to a Maid  1941  Dick Judge v
The rich sweet sound of Teddy's band introduces this lilting song that
Martha Tilton chose not to record.  The unforgettable lyrics are presented
twice, as if once wasn't enough.  The ending is also quite long enough.
12 Raymond Scott - In A Subway Far From Ireland 1939 Chris Griffin
To think Chris left Benny Goodman's band to participate in this beautiful
recording.  Actually Griffin does some nice trumpet work which demonstrates
solo capabilities hardly ever displayed by him in the Goodman setting..
13 Dorsey Bros Orchestra - Annie's Cousin, Fannie 1934 Manny Klein w T.
Dorsey, Glenn Miller & Kay Weber v
Manny Klein, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller's are featured as a vocal trio
here.  It's amazing that they went on to successful careers, isn't it?  I
wonder how Frank Sinatra ever got started with him after hearing TD's voice.
14 Will Bradley Jazz Septet - Who Cut the Gorgonzola 1951 Billy Butterfield,
Tony Mattola, Chubby Jackson
When I think of Billy Butterfield, Tony Mattola and Chubby Jackson, I
usually don't think of this arrangement.  Listening to other recordings by
these exceptional musicians, I suspect that they don't think much of it
either.
15 Bud Freeman - For Musician's Only 1947 Yank Lawson, Peanuts Hucko,
Trigger Alpert w Ray McKinley v
Once again, the novice gets jazz lessons from Bud Freeman.   Love the last
half.  Great music here!  Bud also agrees that the intro wasn't quite as
good as the coda.
16 Horace Heidt - Seven Years with the Wrong Leader 1941
This band swings quite nicely.  Does the title give a hint that the guys don
't usually get to play in this style?  Could be.
Enjoyable music.  Only joke here is in the title.
17 Kay Kyser - Bell Bottom Trousers c1945
Interesting intermix of corn and jazz here.  Wonder if some of these
musicians identified with the title of 16 above. Rather reminiscent of Bix's
Barnacle Bill the Sailor with a nice sax  feature here instead of a cornet.
18 Artie Shaw - Indian Love Call 1938 w Tony Pastor v
In 1936, an opera singer (Jeanette McDonald) falls in love with the Canadian
Mountie  (Nelson Eddy) searching for her fugitive brother.  Two years later,
a bandleader (Artie Shaw) discovers the fugitive brother (Tony Pastor) in
this sensitive musical setting replete with Fred Waring rejects.
19 Hollywood Hucksters - Happy Blues  Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Red Norvo,
Benny Carter, Charlie Shavers, Dave Cavanough, Joe Kotch, Jimmy Rowles,
Irving Ashby, Red Callander, Lee Young
Skip the vocals and this is quite a nice recording. Great players!  On the
other hand, how often did  you get to hear Kenton and Goodman vocalizing
together?  Then again, how often would you want to?
20 Tommy Dorsey - Am I Dreaming? c1940 Pee Wee Erwin, Johnny Mince, Dave
Tough w Bud Freeman N
Perhaps this recording gives new meaning as to why TD was known as "Terrible
Tommy."  Not exactly the Dorsey style of Opus One.  Bud Freeman's narration
was obviously Rex Harrison's model for his singing in "My Fair Lady."
21 Jimmy Dorsey - What's the Reason I'm not Pleasing You 1936 Toots
Camarada, Skeets Herferd, Ray McKinley
Dig Jimmy's wonderful clarinet work on this one.  I can't seem to find quite
the words to describe it.  Haven't even thought of those kind of words since
my discharge from the military.  Execrable works and it's a word.
22 Kay Kaiser - Horses Don't Bet on People 1946 w Clyde Rogers v
After hearing the trombone work on this one, I understand why Glenn Miller
and Tommy Dorsey succeeded.  Mike Riley, are you listening, wherever you
are?   The last portion with clarinet swings until the vocal reprise.
23 Bud Freeman - Private Jives  - 1938 Joe Buskin  piano AND trumpet (only
known recorded solo), Everett Sloan,  Minerva Pius
I always wanted to hear Joe Bushkin on trumpet ... until now.  This
performance was done a year before the film version of  "Gone With The Wind"
was released.   Do you sense plagiarism here, too?    "GWTW" was shorter.
24 The Unatural Seven - Serutan Yob 1951 Red Ingle w Karen Teiddler (Jo
Stafford) v
The haunting opening of this lovely song doesn't last very long.  It's
interesting that Nat Cole's version was slightly more successful when he
spelled this title backward in a dyslexic manner.  Titles make all the
difference, don't they?
25 Will Bradley - Let's Have Another One 1940 Freddie Slack, Ray McKinley v
Ray's vocal truly makes one quite thankful that this CD is finally coming to
an end.  I'll drink to that! Cheers!