[Dixielandjazz] Re: stomp of lets go

[jsbarque at netscape.net]

Bill

I have 2 takes of "Stomp Off, Let's go" On one of them, Louis fluffs a note in his solo but, if anything it is hotter overall than the other take, especially the final chorus. What think Ye?

Tony Orr
Melb


Bill Haesler <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au> wrote:

>Dear Luis,
>"Stop Off, Let's Go" featuring King Louis with Erskine Tate's Vendome
>Orchestra is near the top of MY favourite 20 jazz records, and one I would
>rate as one of the best jazz records of all time!
>But you all know that I am a one-eyed mouldy fygge.
>[I'm playing it and its session mates at I write.]
>The pianist is Teddy Weatherford, as Phil O'Rourke, and Bob Smith, have
>already advised. 
>But then the controversy kicks in.
>In the 1940s, as an enthusiastic  teenager, I suggested to my mentors, John
>RT Davies, Brian Rust, Walt C Allen, and several others, that there were two
>pianists (one piano?) on the Tate recordings.
>There was a lot of disagreement at the time, but some were convinced.
>[Likewise on the Dixie Four (Jimmy Blythe) records, but that's another
>story.]
>I could always hear the two pianists on the Tates (still can) but several of
>my heroes disagree.
>On the assumption that there are four hands, the logical choice is Lil
>Armstrong. And I believe that I can feel her touch throughout.
>She was in the Vocalion studio at the time (Chicago  28 May 1926) as the
>famous Lil's Hot Shots sides "Georgia Bo Bo" and "Drop That Sack" followed
>the two Erskine Tate titles "Static Strut" and "Stomp Off, Let's Go".
>I had them all (including alternate takes of "Stomp Off, Let's Go" and
>"Georgia Bo Bo") on 78, then LP and now the magnificently John RT remastered
>Frog DGF39 CD.
>Unfortunately, Eddie Ripley's notes to the Frog CD muddy the water again,
>using alledged quotes from Miss Lil and Johnny St Cyr disputing the matrix
>chronology and studio time (PM) on the recording sheets.
>However, nearly sixty years on, I still maintain that there are two
>pianists.
>I always believe that studio recording sheets (master numbers, etc) take
>precedence over musician's much later memories.
>(An argument Anton Crouch and I have debated with our dear friend Steve
>Barbone in the past!)
>But listen for yourself.
>There is also some wonderful washboard playing on "Stomp Off, Let's Go by
>the master himself, Jimmy Bertrand.
>And the cause of lots more discussion in my jazz youth.
>Listening carefully, Oz drummer Len Barnard and I came up with the theory
>that on these Tate records, Bertrand uses sticks, not thimbles, on the
>washboard. The quick change-over from washboard to woodblocks/cymbal points
>to this. 
>What say John Petters?
>Len, one of Australia's great jazz drummers and washboardists, would
>occasionally demonstrate this with his band by switching from drums to
>washboard then back.
>Kind regards,
>Bill.
>PS: The Frog CD also lists Johnny Dodds, cl; and Johnny St Cyr, bj on the
>Tate sides!
>Mmmmmmmmmmm?
>Less likely, aurally, than my belief about the two pianists.
>B.  
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