[Dixielandjazz] Struttin With Some Barbecue

[Bill Haesler]

> Steve, since Lil did not claim to be the co-composer of all of Louis' 
> tunes
> which she transcribed, why can't you give her the benefit of the doubt 
> about
> those tunes which she did claim to be Louis' collaborator?

Dear Stan,
I wholeheartedly agree.
Why not also give both Lil and Louis the benefit of the doubt and 
accept perhaps (albiet reluctantly for me, a Lil proponent) the 
composer credits as shown on the original Okeh record labels for the 
Hot 5s and 7s from that time? The couple would have surely agreed in 
1925-28 who was responsible for what.
  My Heart [Armstrong]
  Yes! I'm In The Barrel [Armstrong]
  Gut Bucket Blues [Armstrong]
  Cornet Chop Suey [Armstrong]
  You're Next [Armstrong] - although ASCAP accepts Lil
  I'm Gonna Gitcha [Hardin]
  Dropping Shucks [Hardin]
  The King Of The Zulus [Hardin]. c. Lillian Harding [sic]; Consolidated 
Music Pub., 9 Sep 1926.
  Lonesome Blues [Hardin]
  Jazz Lips [Hardin]
  Skid-Dat-De-Dat [Hardin]
  Potato Head Blues [Armstrong]
  Keyhole Blues [-]   I have a file reference to 'Wesley Wilson'.
  S.O.L. Blues [Armstrong]
  Gully Low Blues [Armstrong]
  Put 'Em Down Blues [Armstrong]
  Struttin' With Some Barbecue [Hardin]
  Got No Blues [Hardin]
  I'm Not Rough [Armstrong] - although ASCAP accepts Lil
  Hotter Than That [Hardin]
  Don't Jive Me [Hardin]
  Two Deuces [Hardin]
  Knee Drops [Hardin]
  Weather Bird [Armstrong]
Not a simple solution but at least we then only need to argue about 
which Armstrong it was. Louis or Lil?
But what about?
Once In A While [Butler] - for which ASCAP accepts Lil.

However this still leaves the New Orleans Wanderers and New Orleans 
Bootblacks sessions recorded for Columbia on 13-14 July 1926. All 
released with the singular composer credit [Armstrong] and all 
basically the Hot Five (with George Mitchell instead of Louis, and the 
addition of an Joe Clark on alto sax).
The Columbia files for the New Orleans Bootblacks sides ("Mixed Salad/I 
Can't Say/Flat Foot/Mad Dog") indicate a 1926 copyright by Mrs Louis 
Armstrong, 421 E. 44th St., Chicago. ASCAP lists her as author of "Flat 
Foot" and "Mad Dog".
I do not have Columbia file info for the New Orleans Wanderers sides 
("Perdido Street Blues/Gatemouth/Too Tight/Papa Dip") but ASCAP lists 
three of the titles as hers. ASCAP lists "Gatemouth" (a C7th stomp) as 
a Louis composition!
Also note that all four titles refer to Louis!
New Orleans, where he was born and two nickname references!
Columbia cashing in on Louis reputation?
"Perdido Street Blues" was recorded by Louis Armstrong's Orch in May 
1940 for Decca with composer credit on the label to [Hardin]. So there 
seems little doubt that Lil has a legal claim on all eight tunes.
OK. Maybe apart from 'Gatemouth".

How about a new thread?
Kind regards,
Bill.