[Dixielandjazz] Stirring the pot

[Bill Haesler]

In reply to Rick's Dixie?  OKOM??
Here's Jimmie Rodgers, doing "Any Old Time" in 1929.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXBWoaRWHrM
It starts with the typical guitar that we associate with JR and then...
Holy Smoke!!   Here's a ?Dixieland Band??   I think It's dixie!
Jack Mitchell wrote in reply to Rick Zahniser:
> Brian Rust identifies the cornet player as Tony Fougerat (his only mention in JAZZ RECORDS) but the others are unknown.

Dear Rick and Jack,
Sorry, a bit late with this one.
Further file research reveals the following:
"Any Old Time" (Jimmie Rodgers) matrix BVE 48385-1.
Recorded for Victor on 21 Feb 1929, NYC (with house orchestra conducted by Leonard Joy: unknown violin, cornet, clarinet, tuba, piano, trapman). This song and "Desert Blues" were the only sides made at Victor that day.  
Based on other recordings featuring the Victor house orchestra (led by Nat Shilkret) made within a week or so of the Jimmie Rodgers' session the following house musicians were available:
Mike Mosiello, Del Staigers (t) Tommy Dorsey (tb) Andy Sannella (cl,as) Jimmy Dorsey (cl,as,bar) Max Farley (cl,ts,fl) Lou Raderman (vln) Milt Rettenberg (p) Carl Kress (g) prob Joe Tarto (tu) Joe Green (d).  January 22, 1929
and
Del Staigers, Mike Mosiello (t) Chuck Campbell (tb) Andy Sannella (cl,as) prob Sammy Feinsmith (cl,as) Maurice Pierce (cl,ts) Lou Raderman, Murray Kellner (vln) Milt Rettenberg (p) John Cali (bj) or Dick Maffei (bj) Jack Pierce (tu) Joe Green (d). March 13, 1929
Leonard Joy was employed by Victor at this time as a conductor, orchestra leader, musical director and studio manager. He also led the various studio orchestras backing then popular singer Helen Kane.
But who was Tony Fougerat? 
A lesser known, but popular New Orleans bandleader in the 1920s. 
Hilton 'Nappy' Lamare, best known for his membership of the Bob Crosby Orchestra/Bob Cats, began his career playing with the bands of Johnny Bayersdorffer and Tony Fougerat.
There is an entry for Tony Fougerat in 'New Orleans Jazz. Family Album' (Al Rose and Edmond Souchon).
He was born in New Orleans on 25 April 1900 and died there on 2 Feb 1979.
Although, like many of his peers, Tony Fougaret wasn't recorded in the 1920s and 30s he did record in New Orleans in 1966, 1969, 1970 and 1974, the last a session with trombonist Jim Robinson and the New Orleans Joymakers in December 1974.
New Orleans Joymakers Featuring Tony Fougerat And Jim Robinson: 
Tony Fougerat (t) Jim Robinson (tb) Orange Kellin (cl) Father Al Lewis (bj,vcl) James Prevost (b) Louis Barbarin (d).
Refer:
  http://www.spiralvinyl.com/product/product12347352
which includes the cover pic.
One of clarinettist Lars Edegran's first musical engagements in New Orleans music was also playing played guitar at Munster's Dance Hall with Tony Fougerat's band.
Notes to a Tom Sharpsteen CD state that "Trumpeter Tony Fougerat led a little band at Munster’s, a neighborhood dance hall in the Irish Channel of New Orleans more than twenty years ago. When My Baby Smiles at Me and Dinah were the kind of old favorites Tony liked to play. Hearing these tunes by the Orlandos, a group with the same musical style as Tony’s, brings back memories of Munster’s where local people came to socialize, drink and dance. This is music that cries out for a dancing, not just a listening, audience."
I'm sure our listmate Butch Thompson will have known Tony Fougaret.

So what does listening to Jimmie Rodgers' "Any Old Time" and "Desert Blues" suggest? 
(Yes, this mouldy old fig has both sides in the collection.)
That somewhere Tony Fougaret has indicated his presence on that particular Jimmie Rodgers' session.
That Rodgers was on tour in New York with his group, including Fougaret.
That Victor's MD in charge of the session, Leonard Joy, augmented the group with clarinettist Andy Sanella (it sounds like him, based on other recordings from that period), a pianist, violin (Lou Raderman, Murray Kellner?) and tuba (Joe Tarto but more likely Jack Pierce).
However, there was also a Frank Luther (as Bud Billings)/Carson Robison session four days later in the same Victor studio with a similar instrumentation. Although on CD, I have never heard any of the four titles, so can't make any comparison.
No proof of the above, just a thought.
Kind regards,
Bill.
PS: I certainly can't accept the Jimmie Rodgers' backing group for "Any Old Time/Desert Blues" as 'dixieland'.