[Dixielandjazz] Pancho Villa

[Bill Haesler]

[The following long discographal discussion may bore some listmates, so 
hit 'delete' now.]

Dear Marek and Chris,
The Pancho Villa/Irving Fazola discussion has been conjectural for many 
years.
And, to my knowledge, unresolved. However, the answer has to be out 
there.
It was therefore interesting to hear Chris say that "I was told by 
cornetist Danny Alguire that clarinetist Pancho Villa was a
real person who played in the LA area in the 1930s and 40s."
Here then is my contribution, for what it is worth.
The short-lived Seger Ellis Choirs of Brass Orchestra was unique in 
that it used 7-8 brass with only one clarinet, two pianos, string bass 
and drums.
The Seger Ellis Alamac LP QSR 2408 (which I have had for many years) 
states in the album personnel listing:
"Irving Fazola OR [my emphasis] Pancho Villa". There is certainly only 
one clarinetist heard throughout.
On the Segar Ellis Decca sides (11 March 1937) there is only one 
clarinet and it IS Fazola ('cause my ears tell me so!).
Brian Rust, in the 1969 edition of his great 'Jazz Records' discography 
probably set off the Fazola equals 'Pancho' Villa mystery by stating in 
his personnel listing for this Decca session: Irving Fazola (as "Pancho 
Villa" !). This has carried through to the current 2002 edition.
Albert McCarthy perpetuates the 'myth' in his excellent 1974 book 'Big 
Band Jazz'. When discussing the clarinet solo on "Shivery Stomp" from 
the Decca session he says, ".....a pleasant clarinet solo by Irving 
Fazola - masquerading for some unknown reason under the pseudonym of 
Pancho Villa - who had just left the Ben Pollack orchestra....."
There is a pic of the band, but it doesn't include the clarinet player. 
Rats!
It was suggested somewhere, years ago, that this was because Fazola was 
under contract elsewhere, but there is no discographal evidence for 
this, as will be seen below.
Respected author/researcher/bandleader John Chilton, in various 
detailed biog references for Irving Fazola makes no mention of him 
working or playing with the Los Angeles-based Seger Ellis Choirs of 
Brass Orch. In fact, he doesn't mention Ellis at all in relation to 
Irving Fazola.
Retracing Fazola's movements for this period we find that he joined the 
Ben Pollack orch in May-June 1936 on its way to Chicago, then went with 
it to New York where his first records were made (with Pollack) in Sept 
1936. At this time he also recorded with The Rhythm Wreckers, Billie 
Holiday and Sharkey Bonano
The Pollack band (with Faz) then went 'home' to California, probably in 
late 1936, for 12 months of residencies on the West Coast, starting in 
early 1937 at the Cotton Club in Culver City.
The Pollack band recorded in LA (some references give New York) on 18 
Dec 1936 with Fazola.
Fazola's next records were made with Seger Ellis on 11 March 1937.
Which suggests that when Faz made the Seger Ellis Decca sides he was 
probably still with Ben Pollack in LA.
But Faz became homesick, handed in his notice to Pollack, returned to 
New Orleans and joined Augie Schellang's Roosevelt Rhythm Kings. Dates 
unknown to me. Maybe Pollack expert Mr Joe Showler knows.
By May 1937 Fazola was back in New York with the Gus Arnheim orch and 
recorded his next sides with it in June and July 1937. I've never heard 
these.
Glenn Miller had worked happily with Fazola in the 1936 Pollack band 
and when he formed his first big band Miller invited Faz to join.
One of the attractions for Faz was that he would join the band in New 
Orleans toward the end of its long and popular run (17 June  - 26 Aug 
1937) at the Roosevelt Hotel. He was with the Miller band until it 
disbanded on 2 January 1938. He then returned to New Orleans, worked 
briefly there with Pollack, then (having knocked back offers in 1936 
and 1937) finally  joined the Bob Crosby Orchestra in early (1st?) 
March 1938.
I've listened intently again to the Alamac LP and, although the 
clarinetist has a Fazola/Matlock style, I certainly can't accept that 
it is Fazola. It's just not good enough, even on a bad Faz day (if any).
Could this be the elusive 'Pancho' Villa?
My feeling is that Irving Fazola never worked with the Seger Ellis 
Choirs of Brass, although he recorded with it for Decca.
The Alamac LP, from an unknown source (radio transcription recorded at 
the Decca studio?) was, based on the similar sound quality, was 
probsbly made in March-April 1937 using a different clarinetist 
identified somewhere as someone called Villa, with the obvious nickname 
'Pancho'.
Given the Decca personnel: Seger Ellis (vcl/arr/dir) Nate Kazebier, Don 
Anderson, Benny Strickler, Hank McCarthy (t) King Jackson, Al Thompson, 
Bob Logan, John Stanley (tb) Irving Fazola (cl) Stan Wrightsman, Al 
Mack (p) Jim Lynch (b) George Siegler (d) and "Spud" Murphy (arr) 
perhaps we should be searching the 1930s list of West Coast studio 
musicians.
Or, based on Chris's Danny Alquire/Benny Strickler/Bob Wills 
information, maybe we should take a look at the Country/Western Swing 
discographies. What say DJMLer/CW expert Phil O'Rourke?
Kind regards,
Bill.