[Dixielandjazz] Benny Carter (was The Big 18)

[Ken Mathieson]

Hi Folks,

Firstly apologies for the misleading statement in my post: the Carter 
biography states that OK for Baby was in the repertoire of the Jimmy 
Lunceford band, with an arrangement by Lonnie Wilfong (a new name to me), 
but doesn't state whether Lunceford ever recorded it. It does state that it 
was "recorded by Les Brown among others" and Bill has kindly supplied the 
details of that version.

I've just listened to the Carter version and don't know how I missed it when 
I was selecting material for my band's Carter project with the great English 
altoist Alan Barnes. The tune sounds to me like a paraphrase of Taps Miller, 
but it also reminds me strongly of something else, possibly a Glenn Miller 
piece, which I can't nail right now. I once asked Benny about the problem 
that confronts all composers and arrangers sooner or later: did I really 
write that or have I recycled something I've heard previously? Arrangers and 
composers tend to have minds that are like musical sponges and soak up all 
sorts of phrases and progressions from all manner of different sources. 
Benny's reply was that he used to worry about it, but now (early 1990s) he 
reckoned if he thinks it's good enough, it's his!

Benny's arrangement is first class, as you might expect, and very redolent 
of the prevailing musical styles, while the band is a cracker, with a great 
trumpet solo by Benny's favourite trumpeter, Bill Coleman. The full line-up 
was: Bill Coleman, Shad Collins, Russell Smith (tp), Sandy Williams, Milton 
Robinson (tb), Carl Frye, George Dorsey (as), Stafford Simon, Sammy Davis 
(ts), Sonny White (p), Ulysses Livingston (g), Hayes Alvis (b), Keg Purnell 
(d). It's just the perfect piece for playing at a Swing Dance Society gig, 
so I feel another chart coming on!

Cheers,

Ken
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Haesler" <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au>
To: "Ken Mathieson" <ken at kenmath.free-online.co.uk>; "Dixieland Jazz Mailing 
List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>; "Marek Boym" <marekboym at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 3:33 AM
Subject: Benny Carter (was The Big 18)


Ken Mathieson wrote [in part] to Marek:

> ...Okay for Baby...associated with Benny Carter? Indeed it was. Benny 
> wrote and arranged it for a recording by his orchestra for Decca on May 
> 20, 1940... and according to the discography in the biography of Benny 
> Carter by Berger, Berger & Patrick, it was also recorded by Les Brown and 
> others. It was also in the repertoire of Les Brown, but the discography 
> doesn't mention whether Brown ever recorded it.

Dear Ken and Marek,
This is all I could find for OK For Baby/Okay For Baby by Les Brown:

Les Brown And His Orchestra:
Bob Higgins, Paul Montgomery, Bob Scarda, Randy Brooks (tp) Kenny Meisel, 
Dick Noel (tb) Stumpy Brown (b-tb,vcl) Les Brown (cl,as,arr) Steve Madrick, 
Hal McKusick (cl,as) Butch Stone (cl,as,bar,vcl) Ted Nash (ts) Eddie Scherr 
(sop,ts,bar) Billy Rowland (p) Teddy Walters (g) Bob Leininger (b) Dick 
Shanahan (d).
Spotlight bands broadcast #278, U.S. army base, Miami, Fl, August 10, 1943
    O.K. for baby    Fanfare 30-130

plus

V Disc session, Army Camp Hospital, New Jersey, late July
    Okay for baby   V Disc 305(Army), 85 (Navy)
also on Joyce JRCDRG1011 [CD].

Very kind regards,
Bill.

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