[Dixielandjazz] Phil Napolen, and more

[Marek Boym]

A friewnd of mine is moving to a protected housing, so I have come
into pssession of quite a few LPs, among them Dixieland Jazz Battle
(Decca DL 5261), with Pete Daily on one side and Phil Napoleon and his
Memphis Five on the other.  The liner notes describes the Napoleon
band as "a large slice of jazz history," whereas, according thereto,
"the Pete Daily band represents a conscious revival of the old style
by a rough and ready group of younger men."
True, Napoleon's group contains Tony Spargo of the ODJB, but the
others: Phil Olivella, Billy Maxted, Andy Russo and Jack Fay - can
hardly be regarded as real veterans (or rather, could not in those
days).  The Daily band, on the other hand, in addition to the leader
(a little younger than Napoleon) includes Joe Rushton (hardly a
"younger man"), Rosy McHargue and Country Washburn.

I would not have wondered so much about that, except that the notes
were by the jazz historian Marshall W. Stearns, written some five
years before completion of his Story of Jazz.  Thus, either he was
much less knowledgable than is generally believed, or he distorted
facts on purpose.

Another Napoleon LP (also 10") is "Dixieland Classics, vol. 2" by Phil
Napoleon's Emperors of Jazz" on EmArcy MG 26009.  The personnel given
is Napoleon, Lou Mc.GArity,Joe Dixon, Frank Signorelli, Chuck Wayne,
Felix Globe and Tony Spargo.  However, Jepsen lists the personnel as
Napoleon,Vernon Brown, Sal Franczella, and rhythm as above, except
that it the spelling of the bassist's name is "Giobbe" rather than
Globe.  Which one is correct?

Some more more questions: were the Commodore records originally issued
on 78?  And the Firehouse 5 plus 2 on Good Time Jazz (GTJ33-1 and GTJ
L-2)?   Is the Napoleon-Daily LP the original issue?

By the way, the FH5+2 have bass saxophone rather than brass bass.

Cheers