[Dixielandjazz] Purvis/Hawkins (was Hines Broadcasts and Lorenzo Tio)

[Bill Haesler]

ROBERT R. CALDER wrote (in part): "-- and perhaps Hawkins was  
unimpressive on the Jack Purvis recordings because at the time he and  
the trumpeter Purvis phrased so very similarly."

Dear Robert,
I've always liked the tenor sax work on that fine Jack Purvis' session  
made in New York on 3 April 1930 ("Dismal Dan/Poor Richard/Down  
Georgia Way").
However, it isn't Coleman Hawkins, which is probably why my mate John  
Chilton doesn't mention the sides in the biography, 'The Song Of The  
Hawk'.
Back in the early 1970s, in an interview with Bob Stephens (Okeh's  
1930s studio manager) it was revealed that Castor McCord was the tenor  
player, who was then with drummer Willie Lynch's Orchestra (shortly to  
become the Mills Blue Rhythm Orchestra).
The Purvis session was McCord's first recording date.
He followed it 2 days later (on 5 April 1930) and again on 4 May 1930  
as a member of Louis Armstrong's 'Orchestra' ("My Sweet/I Can't  
Believe That You're In Love With Me*/Indian Cradle Song*/Exactly Like  
You/Dinah*/Tiger Rag*") for which Louis used members of the Willie  
Lynch band.
McCord solos on the sides marked *.
(Playing 'em all now)
Sorry.
You probably didn't need to know all that.
8>)
Very kind regards,
Bill.