[Dixielandjazz] Re: savoy blues

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Luis,
You say: >L Armstrong, alone himself with a guitar, Was He J. St Cyr ?<

This would be the original, and the most famous version of "Savoy Blues" of
them all.
It was recorded on 13 Dec 1927 for Okeh by Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five.
Louis, c; Kid Ory, tb; Johnny Dodds, cl; Lil Armstrong, p; Johnny St Cyr,
bj; Lonnie Johnson, g.
"Savoy Blues" was composed by Edward 'Kid' Ory and was named after the
'million dollar' Savoy Ballroom on South Parkway Street, Chicago, Ill. which
had just opened on Wednesday 23 November 1927.
Louis was to play at the Savoy with Carroll Dickerson's Orch from about
March 1928.
Lonnie Johnson, who was Okeh's big star in 1927, also recorded "I'm Not
Rough" (10 Dec 1927) and "Hotter Than That" (13 Dec 1927) with the Armstrong
Hot Five. Johnny St Cyr doubles guitar on these two sides.
If you want to hear another great version of "Savoy Blues" find and listen
to the one made by Bob Crosby and His Orch on 16 June 1936. This actually
features the jazz group within the orch which was later to become the Bob
Crosby Bob Cats. Some wonderful guitar playing by Nappy Lamar backing solos
by Matty Matlock, cl; Yank Lawson, t; and Eddie Miller, ts.
A truly great arrangement by Bob Haggart inspired by, but in no way a copy
of the Armstrong Hot Five classic. Think how many other big bands from this
year could have handled it so well. Not many, if any.
"Stompin' At The Savoy" (Edgar Sampson, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Andy
Razaf) was named after another more famous ballroom at 596 Lennox Avenue,
between 140th and 141st Streets in Harlem, New York. It opened on 12 March
1926.
"Savoy Blues" and "Stompin' At The Savoy" are not unrelated. The first
recording of "Stompin' At The Savoy" was made for Columbia by Chick Webb and
His Orchestra on 18 May 1934.
Kind regards,
Bill.