[Dixielandjazz] Re: Oboe - King of Reeds.

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Steve and Larry,
[A little late, as I have been busy.]
I am surprised that in all the DJML talk about the oboe, that no specific
mention has been made of its use on early jazz records.
Don Redman has a 16 bar oboe solo on Fletcher Henderson's "After The Storm"
(c.28 April 1924) and 16 bars on "Shanghai Shuffle" (c.7 Nov 1924) - just
prior to Louis Armstrong's magnificent 32 bars.
Paul Whiteman's big orch included oboe in some early arrangements.
Alex Wilder used oboe (Mitch Miller) on Mildred Bailey's Columbia sessions
(Sept, Nov 1939 & April 1940). Although these sides are somewhat
'commercial'.
Then there is reedman Garvin Bushell.
He played oboe regularly in the 1920s and used it on the Berlin recordings
of "By The Waters Of Minnetonka" (July 1925 & Sept 1926) by Sam Wooding's
orch. 
He used bassoon (the big sister to the oboe) on the Louisiana Sugar Babes 27
March 1928 Victor session (Jabbo Smith, James P Johnson, Fats Waller).
He also used bassoon for "Yesterdays" on a Wild Bill Davison Circle record
date on 27 Dec 1947 (Jazzology JCD-83).
And again on some Wilber DeParis Atlantic LPs I have.
What is not generally known is that Mr Bushell played oboe and bassoon
professionally with the Chicago Civic Orchestra in the 1950s.
There are also some pre-1940s blues records which feature oboe, but I can't
quite bring them to mind.
Maybe my mate Anton Crouch can help here.
Kind regards,
Bill.