[Dixielandjazz] banjo/tuba

Bill Haesler bhaesler at bigpond.net.au
Mon Jan 17 22:42:46 PST 2011


Rick wrote [in part]:
> The most popular band was......The Coon-Sander's Nighthawks.

Dear Rick,
Also high up on the list of my favourites and well represented in my extensive collection since the early 1960s.

> My favorite tune, and one of their best-sellers, has never been covered, as far as I know.
> It's called "Here comes my ball and chain."

Bert Lown And His Loungers recorded a non-vocal version of "Here Comes My Ball And Chain" (Fred Coots-Lou Davis) for Harmony in New York on 5th April, 1929 (I have it on LP), about 6 months later than the famous 27th November 1928 Coon-Sanders rendition.
Joe Sanders also recorded it for Decca in Chicago on 20 December 1935, but I have never heard this.
Later versions were waxed in the early 1950s, 1982, 1985, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2006 in Europe.
I have details. 

Regarding:
> PS:   Listen to that banjo & tuba, and Carleton Coon's WONDERFUL splash cymbal.

If you are using the definition you gave in an earlier post that it is a 6-8" cymbal, then I have to disagree with you.
The single cymbal favoured by the 1920s drummers was thicker and at least 15" diameter. And used to great effect by many of them. Think Paul Barbarin, Baby Dodds, Sonny Greer, Tom Stacks and, later, Ray Bauduc. 
To name only a few.
Have a close look at the Carleton Coon kit in the C-S Nighthawk photographs. It is certainly bigger than 6".
It also has a deeper ring than the short "tish" of those awful 6" thin splash cymbals favoured by present-day washboard owners.
Even the modern 12" splash cymbal doesn't have that wonderful sound that Carelton Coon gets.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNgxTqKtWyY
I suggest you may be confusing it with the slightly larger, thicker crash cymbal.
Wot say you John Petters?
Very kind regards,
Bill.
  


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