[Dixielandjazz] Sweet Figlio

[Anton Crouch]

Hello all

Three cheers for Brian Harvey for reminding us of the Sweet Figlio/King 
Oliver/Gennett incident of 1923.

Less well known is Figlio's involvement in an earlier incident in New 
York in 1917. A French researcher, whose name escapes me for the moment, 
has investigated the matter of when the Original Dixieland Jazz Band 
made the Columbia coupling of Darktown Strutters' Ball/Indiana and has 
provided more information on the "30 January fiasco". It seems that, in 
1917, Figlio was living in New York and working as a carpenter with his 
friend Luigi Stronzo.

The pair were working in the Columbia studios on Tuesday 30 January 
1917, building shelves, when the ODJB arrived. It seems that the 
carpenters entered into the spirit of the performances a little too well 
- thumping and banging along with the band. It has even been suggested 
that what we hear on these records is not Tony Sbarbaro's drumming but 
Figlio and Stronzo's banging. Needless to say, Figlio and Stronzo were 
sacked. Figlio moved to Richmond, Indiana (did the ODJB's choice of 
repertoire influence him?) and Stronzo stayed in New York City.

But that's not all! Later, Stronzo worked for the Victor Company as a 
storeman and was present in Liederkranz Hall on Wednesday 21 May 1930 
when Hoagy Carmichael recorded two numbers. This was the occasion on 
which Carmichael hired Bix Beiderbecke, together with such luminaries as 
Bubber Miley, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Eddie Lang, Joe Venuti and 
Gene Krupa. "Barnacle Bill, the sailor" is notable for two things - 
Beiderbecke's fiery 20-bar solo and a voice in the chorus substituting 
"shithead" for "sailor".

The received opinion is that the voice is that of Joe Venuti but the 
above-mentioned French researcher suggests that the voice is actually 
that of Luigi Stronzo.

All the best,
Anton