SPOTLIGHT for OCTOBER 28TH...

SPOTLIGHT for
OCTOBER 28TH...

BIRTHDAYS

1917 William A. Bolick
C&W Singer/Mandolin
b. Hickory, NC, USA.
Member: "Blue Sky Boys", a duo comprised of Bill and Earl Bollich. (Bill: Singer/Mandolin ,né: William A. Bolick, b. Hickory, NC, USA, and Earl: Singer/Guitar, né: Earl A. Bolick, b. Hickory, NC, USA. d. April 19, 1998)

1919 Richard Brown, vocals
d. Jan. 11, 2002 (Natural causes)
né: Herbert Richard Brown.
This ballad vocalist lived long enough to see Television and to sing on such TV shows as Be My Guest . Prior to that, he was often heard on Radio shows including the famed Stop The Music program. In his later years, he became a full time Rabbi. CAUTION: Do not confuse with Richard Melvin Brown, award winning songwriter & author of the popular songwriting manual "The Lyricist's Assistant" How To TURN Your Words Into a SONG. Another Richard Brown was heard on lead vocals,and guitar/organ for the group "Curses". The other members were Cindy Yogmas: keyboards, vocals, Mike D'allessandro: drums, and David Parker: bass. The band "Heroes Of The Alamo" is a New York City based band (1999) that consists of Richard Brown (Bass, Vocals), Todd Carlstrom (Vocals, Lead Guitar), David Makuen (Vocals, Guitar) and Kevin Slane (Drums, Percussion, Vocals). The group took their name from a B-Movie poster hanging in an East Village Taco shop. And, perhaps the best known Richard Brown was Richard "Rabbit" Brown, one of the most celebrated "Songsters", and the only one from new Orleans to record. Brown was born in New Orleans ca. 1880 and died there in 1937. In his early years, he was a type of musician often called "Songsters", --musicians who sang on the streets for whatever small change that passersby would give them. He used to sing on the streets of Storyville (the bordello district of old New Orleans). "Rabbit" was a regular performer at Mama Lou's "Restaurant", and other bordellos, and he frequently worked as a singing boatman on Lake Pontchartrain. He may have been one of the earliest New Orleans' folk singers to learn the Twelve Bar Blues Pattern. Two of the songs he composed are "The Downfall of the Lion", which told how New Orleans Police Superintendent David Hennessey was shotgunned to death. The other song, "Gyp the Blood" told the story of the murder of restauranteur and bar owner Billy Phillips by Charles Harrison (a.k.a. "Gyp the Blood"), a New York hoodlum on the "lam". In 1927, 'Rabbit' recorded 6 tracks in New Orleans.

1916 William Palmer "Bill" Harris, Trombone
b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. Aug 21, 1973, Hallandale, FL, USA.
To quote 'Chubby' Jackson,
"To date, my favorite gentleman on trombone was, and still is without
question, his honor Bill Harris. What a creative musician he was. He
used to play differently every time he stood up to solo. The band used
to impatiently await his turn and when he sat down, the entire band
would visibly let him know how they felt."
Starting in 1938, Harris toured with the big bands of Gene Krupa, Ray McKinley, and Bob Chester. After playing with Benny Goodman (1943-1944) and Charlie Barnet, and guesting on a couple of Eddie Condon's Town Hall concerts, Harris became famous for his work with Woody Herman's First Herd (1944-1946). During 1948-1950, he was one of the few 'First Herd' members to also be in the Four Brothers Second Herd. During 1956-1959, Harris also re-joined Herman a few times. In 1947, he co-led a band with Charlie Ventura, in 1953 teamed up with Chubby Jackson, and during 1950-1954 starred with 'Jazz at the Philharmonic'. During the second half of the 1950s, Harris often collaborated with Flip Phillips, and in 1959 their band formed the nucleus of Benny Goodman's group. Subsequently he mostly retired to Florida, although did appeared briefly in Las Vegas.

1909 Willie Hatcher, Soul vocals
b. Clarksdale, MS, USA. (raised in Cleveland, OH, USA) (also recorded with his brothers Edwin (d. April 2, 2003, England, UK, heart attack ), and Roger Hatcher. Edwin is also known as Edwin Starr).

1892 Oliver "Ollie or Dink" Johnson
piano/drums/clarinet, b. Biloxi, MS, USA.
d. Nov. 29, 1954, Portland, OR, USA
Biography
Dink Johnson was nothing if not versatile, as one can judge from the three instruments that he played. Johnson started out working in New Orleans as a pianist in Storyville. He traveled to Los Angeles where he was a member of Bill Johnson's Creole Band in 1913, as a drummer. Johnson freelanced, played drums during Jelly Roll Morton's stay in California and in 1922 recorded with Kid Ory's band (Spikes' Seven Pods of Pepper), on clarinet! Johnson spent much of his career in California, leading the Five Hounds of Jazz (later renamed the Los Angeles Six) and then mostly working as a solo pianist. Although he ran his own restaurant in Los Angeles, he remained active as a player into the late '40s. Johnson was much better-known locally then he was nationally, performing in an early style that fell between stride and ragtime. Dink Johnson recorded fairly extensively (mostly as a pianist) for American Music during 1946-47, Euphonic (1948) and Nola (1950).
~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

1907 Everard Steven "Rudy or Root" Powell Sr., clarinet/alto sax
b. New York, NY, USA. d: Oct. 30, 1976, New York, NY, USA.
aka: Musheed Karweem
bio
A fine journeyman clarinetist and altoist, Rudy Powell (who in later years would change his name to Musheed Karweem) had a fairly productive career. He studied piano and violin as a child before switching to saxophone. Powell was a professional musician by 1927, playing with June Clark and Gene Rodger's Revellers. His first major job was with Cliff Jackson's Krazy Kats from 1928-30. The altoist (who was influenced a bit by Benny Carter ) had many associations through the years, working with Elmer Snowden ,Dave Nelson ,Sam Wooding , Kaiser Marshall's Trio, Rex Stewart (1933), Fats Waller (off and on from 1935-37), Edgar Hayes ,Claude Hopkins (1938-39 and 1944), the Teddy Wilson big band, Andy Kirk (1940-41), Fletcher Henderson (1941-42), Eddie South ,Don Redman (1943), Chris Columbus , Cab Calloway's Orchestra (1945-48), Lucky Millinder (1949-51), Jimmy Rushing ,Buddy Tate , pianist Benton Heath's New Garden Ballroom Orchestra (1953-61), Ray Charles (1961-62), Buddy Johnson and Duke Ellington's My People show. Powell's last major association was with the Saints and Sinners (1965-69), although he freelanced occasionally into the 1970s. Powell recorded with most of the above names (plus Al Casey in 1960 and Henry "Red" Allen ) but never as a leader.
~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Notable Events
on this date include:

1965.
Earl Bostic, alto sax
died in Rochester, NY, USA.
Age: 52.

1967.
Jody Edwards, vocals
died in Dolton, IL, USA.
Age: 70.
Worked with vaudeville team of 'Butterbeans & Susie'

1979.
Jimmy Skinner
C&W singer-songwriter
died. Age: 70

1980.
Alexander D. Burt
Inventor of 45 rpm record
died in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Age: 75

1985.
Bernard Wolfe, author
died in Woodland Hills, CA, USA.
Age: 70
Wrote book: 'Really The Blues'

Songs Recorded/Released this date include:

1920 “Grieving For You - Feather Your Nest”
- Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/Wh...evnst.ram

1920 “My Wonder Girl
- Coral Sea”
- Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/wh...rcorl.ram

1924 “Undertakers Blues”
- Helen Gross accompanied by the Kansas City Five
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/gr...blues.ram

1925 “Just Around The Corner”
(Featured In The Universal Picture "Oh, Charlie")
- Ted Lewis and his Band
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/le...r1925.ram

1925 “While We Danced Till Dawn”
- Ted Lewis and his Band
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/le...ldawn.ram

1926 “It Made You Happy When You Made Me Cry”
- Waring's Pennsylvanians
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/wa...MeCry.ram

1927 “One Night In Havana”
(Hoagy Carmichael - )
Hoagy Carmichael and his Pals
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/ho...night.ram

1927 “Dope Head Blues”
(Victoria Spivey)
- Victoria Spivey
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/sp...blues.ram

1927 “Red Lantern Blues”
(Victoria Spivey)
- Victoria Spivey
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/sp...blues.ram

1928 “I'm Sorry, Sally”, - Danny Altier and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/mi...sally.ram

1928 “My Gal Sal”
- Danny Altier and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/mi...alsal.ram

1928 “Down At Jasper's Bar-Be-Que”
- (Frankie Jaxon) Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/ja...spers.ram

1929 “Apple Blossoms”
- Joe Venuti's Blue Four/Five/Six
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/ve...ssoms.ram

1929 “Runnin' Ragged”
- Joe Venuti's Blue Four/Five/Six
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/ve...agged.ram

1929 “No More Blues”
- Kentucky Jazz Babies
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/mi...blues.ram

1929 “Old Folks Shake”
-Kentucky Jazz Babies
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/mi...shake.ram

1929 “He's So Unusual”
- Annette Hanshaw
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/ha...sual2.ram

1929 “I Think You'll Like It”
- Annette Hanshaw
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/ha...oull2.ram

1930 “Chocolate To The Bone (I'm So Glad I'm A Brownskin)”
- (Frankie Jaxon) Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/ja...olate.ram

1930 “Scuddlin'”
- (Frankie Jaxon) Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/ja...dlin'.ram

1930 “My Handyman Ain't Handy No More”
- Edith Wilson
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/Ed...aint5.ram

1930 “Cracker Jack”
(w/ piano accompaniment)
-Harry Reser
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/re...rjack.ram

1930 “Flapperette”
(w/ piano accompaniment)
~Harry Reser
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/re...rette.ram

1943 "Pistol Packin' Mama "
- Bing Crosby

1943 "Blue Rain "
- Glenn Miller Orch.

1957 "April Love "
- Pat Boone

1957 "You Send Me "
- Sam Cooke

1957 "Little Bitty Pretty One "
- Thurston Harris

1957 "All The Way "
- Frank Sinatra

LYRICS:

My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More

Once I used to brag about my handy man, but I ain't braggin' no more
Somethin' strange has happened to my handy man, he's not the man he was before
Wish somebody could explain to me, about this dual personality
He don't perform his duties like he used to do, he never hauls the ashes 'less I tell him to
Before he hardly gets to work he says he's through, my handy man ain't handy no more
He's forgotten his domestic science, and he's lost of his self-reliance
He won't make a single move unless he's told, he says he isn't lazy, claims he isn't old
But still he sits around and lets my stove get cold, my handy man ain't handy no more
Time after time, if I'm not right there at his heels, he lets that poor horse in my stable miss his meals
There's got to be some changes 'cause each day reveals, my handy man ain't handy no more
He used to turn in early and get up at dawn, and full of new ambitions, he would trim the lawn
Now, when he isn't sleeping all he does is yawn, my handy man ain't handy no more
Once he used to have so much endurance, now, it looks like he needs life insurance
I used to brag about my handy man's technique, around the house he was a perfect indoor sheik
But now the spirit's willing but the flesh is weak, my handy man ain't handy no more

He's So Unusual
~(A. Lewis - A. Silver - A. Sherman, from Sweetie)

You talk of sweeties, bashful sweeties,
I got one of those,
Oh, he's handsome as can be,
But he worries me;
He goes to college and gathers knowledge,
Hooh! What that boy knows!
He's up in his Latin and Greek,
But in his sheikin', he's weak!

'Cause when I want some lovin',
And I gotta have some lovin',
He says, "Please! Stop it, please!"
He's so unusual!

When I want some kissin',
And I gotta have some kissin',
He says, "No! Let me go."
He's so unusual!

I know lots of boys who would be crazy over me,
If they only had this fellow's opportunity.
You know, I would let him pet me,
But the darn fool, he doesn't let me!
Oh, he's so unusual that he drives me wild!

When we're in the moonlight,
He says, "I don't like the moonlight.
Aw, let's not talk in the dark."
Huh, he's so unusual!

And when we're riding in a taxi,
He converses with the cheuffeur,
Oh, why don't he talk to me?
Oh, he's so different!

Others would be tickled pink to bop-op-a-dop-e-dop!
He don't even know what bop-op-op-a-dop's about!
He says love is hokum,
Oh, I'd like to choke, choke, choke him!
'Cause he's so unusual that he drives me wild!

You might as well be by yourself as in his company,
When we're out together, I'm as lonesome as can be.

But still I'm mad about him,
And I just can't live without him;
'Cause he's so unusual that he drives me bop-bop-a-dop-bop!

SPOTLIGHT for OCTOBER 27TH...

SPOTLIGHT FOR
OCTOBER 27TH!!!

BIRTHDAYS

1903 Leslie Carr, alto sax
b. Louisville, KY, USA.
1931 Francis Dominic Joseph "Sonny" Dallas
bass/Vocals, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

1908 George Feyer, Pianist
b. Budapest, Hungary.

1919
"Babs" Gonzales
(bebop) Vocals
b. Newark, NJ, USA.
d. Jan. 23, 1980, New York, NY, USA.
né: Lee Brown. Babs was part of the vocal group "Three Bips and a Bop", and also led bands and/or recordings that featured Tadd Dameron, Johnny Griffin and others. He wrote the self-published "I, Paid My Dues," a colorful (and often-inaccurate) memoir. Gonzales often discribed himself as a "bebop daddy".

1908 DeWitt "Snuffy" Jenkins
(Bluegrass) banjo
b. Harris, NC, USA.
Biography
Bluegrass banjo pioneer DeWitt "Snuffy" Jenkins was born in Harris, NC, on October 27, 1908; the youngest of ten children, all of whom excelled in music, he began playing the fiddle as a child but was too small to use the bow and as a result picked the instrument like a mandolin. He later turned to guitar and by 1927 was playing in a trio with banjo players Smith Hammett and Rex Brooks; Jenkins copied their three-finger style, and in the years to follow the banjo became his primary instrument, honing his skills playing square dances throughout the western North Carolina region. At this time he began mentoring the young Earl Scruggs; while Jenkins' technique bridged the gap between jagged, old-timey picking and the more fluid contemporary style, Scruggs soon surpassed his teacher, forging a thoroughly modernized sound distinguished by its subtlety and grace.

1904 Nisse "Bagarn" Lind
Accordion/piano
b. Stockholm, Sweden, d. Oct. 25, 1941

1924 Bonnie Lou
Country/Rockabilly/vocals/guitarist
b. Towanda, IL, USA. née: Mary Jo Kath.

1913
Sam McCrary
lead vocals
b. Christiana, TN, USA.
Member: 'Fairfield Four'

1922 Loumell Morgan
piano, b. Raleigh, NC, USA.
After Grad. College, joined Tiny Bradshaw orch. Later with 'Slim and Slam', - a novelty duo that was formed in 1936, consisting of guitarist/singer Slim Gaillard and bassist Slam Stewart. Then formed own combo that was in two 1943 Hollywood films, - All By Myself , and Melody Parade .

1913
Boyd Albert Raeburn
Tenor Sax/Leader
b. (on ranch near) Faith, SD, USA
d. August 2, 1966, Lafayette, LA, USA.

1911
Curley Rhodes
C&W guitar/vocals
b. Tomahawk, WI, USA. né: Oral V. Rhodes.

1909
Henry J. Townsend
piano/guitar/vocal.
In 1929, he cut his first record for the Columbia label. That same year saw the start of the great World economic depression, Louis Armstrong recorded "Fats" Waller's song "Ain't Misbehavin'", Berthold Brecht and Kurt Weill's "Three Penny Opera" (Drei Pfennig Oper) debuted, and the first "talkie" motion picture was released. Townsend may be the oldest living "Delta Blues" recording artist (2003) and is certainly one of the oldest living recording artists in music history.

1924 George Wallington, Piano
b. Palermo, Italy, d .Feb. 15, 1993.
né: Giorgio Figlia

1917
William Carl "Bama" Warwick
Trumpet
b. Birmingham, AL, USA.

1929 Elmon Wright, Trumpet
b. Kansas City, MO, USA.
d. 1984, - son of Lammar Wright (trumpet)
Biography
Born into a musical family -- his father Lammar Wright Sr. and brother Lammar Wright Jr. were respected big band trumpeters -- Elmon Wright was also a musician, playing trumpet with such bandleaders as Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Bostic, Buddy Rich, Earle Warren, and Roy Eldridge in the '40s and '50s. Later he worked freelance in New York City, and backed R&B acts at the Apollo Theater. He recorded in 1963 with vibist Milt Jackson.
~ Chris Kelsey, All Music Guide

Notable Events
on this date include:

1916.
First published reference
to Jazz appeared in the
entertainment newspaper 'Variety'.

1920.
On August 20, 1920, the Westinghouse corporation was granted a government commercial broadcast license to operate radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA, thus making KDKA the very first Commercial Radio Station in the USA. The term "Commercial radio station" is widely misunderstood. KDKA actually received the very first American official government license, but their early 'commercials' were offered gratis by the station. Westinghouse basically used the station to sell their own brand of radio receivers. In 1923, AT&T's radio station WEAF, in New York, accepted the first legally allowed paid for "radio ad" . Because this station was owned by AT&T, it was the only station then officially allowed to engage in "toll broadcasting" under the RCA agreements. (However, other stations were already selling advertising time "sub rosa" -- because no one could stop them.) Ergo, in the history or "radiodom", WEAF goes down as the first "commercial" station, -that is, the first station to (legally) accept a 'paid-for Ad'.


****1977.
"Peg Leg Sam"
(né: Arthur Jackson), harmonica
died in Jonesville, SC, USA.
Age: 65
*****WATCH THE FILM!
www.folkstreams.net/film,1

1981.
Louis Metcalf, trumpet
died in New York (Jamaica), L.I., NY, USA.
Age: 76
(Worked with early Blues singer Bessie Smith

1983.
"Professor" Nat D. Williams, DJ/WDIA
died in Memphis, TN, USA.
Age: 76

1988.
'Girlie' magazine publisher Larry Flynt
paid a "hitman" 1 Million US$ to kill Hefner
Guccione & Frank Sinatra.

1990.
Bandlander Xavier Cugart
died in Barcelona, Spain. Age: 90.
(Coronary)

Songs Recorded/Released
on this date include:

1921
“Lips”
- The Syncopating Five
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/misc/lips.ram


1922 “Hot Lips” - Dolly Kay
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/kay/hotlips.ram

1925
“Everybody's Doin' The Charleston Now”
- Original Indiana Five
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/oi...inthe.ram

1927

“Dyin' By The Hour”
-Bessie Smith
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/be...ehour.ram

1927 “Foolish Man Blues”
-Bessie Smith
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/be...blues.ram

1927 “I Call You Sugar”
- Alex Jackson's Plantation Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/al...llyou.ram

1927 “Missouri Squabble”
- Alex Jackson's Plantation Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/al...abble.ram

1927 “When Erastus Plays His Old Kazoo”
- Alex Jackson's Plantation Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/al...Plays.ram

1930 “Home Again Blues”
- The Jungle Band
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/el...again.ram

1930 “Wang Wang Blues”
- The Jungle Band
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/el...Blues.ram

1933 “Harlem Lament”
- Earl Hines and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/hi...ament.ram

1936 “Brown Gal”
Vocal Chorus by Lil Armstrong
- Lil Armstrong and her Swing Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/li...wngal.ram

1936 “Doin' The Suzie Q”
Vocal Chorus by Lil Armstrong Featuring "Chu" Berry
- Lil Armstrong and her Swing Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/li...uzieq.ram

1936 “It's Murder”
Vocal Chorus by Lil Armstrong
- Lil Armstrong and her Swing Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/li...urder.ram

1936 “Just For A Thrill”
Vocal Chorus by Lil Armstrong
- Lil Armstrong and her Swing Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/li...hrill.ram

1947 "Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong"
Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys (recording date)

1950 "Bushel And A Peck, A"
- Perry Como

1958 "Queen Of The Hop"
- Bobby Darin

1962 "Big Girls Don't Cry"
- Four Seasons

1962 "Return To Sender"
- Elvis Presley

Lee's October Lullaby...

Songs Recorded/Released

by Miss Lee Morse in the
M o n t h of O c t o b e r ...

Lee Morse

Alone At Last
(Gus Kahn / Ted Fiorito)
10-7-1924
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...tlast.ram

Bring Back Those Rock-A-Bye Baby Days
(Christy / Silver)
10-7-1924
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...those.ram

Did You Mean It?
(From "A Night In Spain")
(Phil Baker / Sid Silvers / Abe Lyman) 10-10-1927 New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...eanit.ram

Mail Man Blues
(Lee Morse)
10-7-1924
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...blues.ram

Lee Morse & her Bluegrass Boys

Call Me Darling
(Call Me Sweatheart)
(Dick)
10-19-1931
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...rling.ram

Don't Be Like That
(Gottler / Tobias / Pinkard)
10-23-1928
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...ethat.ram

If I Can't Have You
(If You Can't Have Me)
Talkie Hit from Motion Picture "Footlights And Fools"
(Meyer / Bryan)
10-18-1929
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...veyou.ram

I'm For You A Hundred Per Cent
10-19-1931
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...ndred.ram

Look What You've Done To Me
Talkie Hit from Motion Picture "Why Leave Home"
(Conrad / Mitchell / Gottler)
10-18-1929
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...etome.ram

Loving You The Way I Do
(from "Hot Rhytmn")
(Blake / Scholl / Morrisey)
10-31-1930
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...ngyou.ram

Old Man Sunshine, Little Boy Bluebird
(Harry Warren / Mort Dixon)
10-23-1928
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...shine.ram

Where The Shy Little Violets Grow
(Gus Kahn / Harry Warren)
10-23-1928
New York, New York
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...heshy.ram

Spotlight for October 10, 2007

Spotlight for October 10, 2007

SPOTLIGHT for
OCTOBER 10TH…

BIRTHDAYS...


1903 Lee Blair, Banjo/guitar
b. Savannah, GA, USA. d. Oct.15, 1966, USA.
He was a self taught musician that played left handed banjo and guitar. He took a few lessons from Mike Pingitore but his natural ability landed his first professional job in 1926 with Charlie Keets. Some of the greats he worked with included Jelly Roll Morton, Luis Russell and Louis Armstrong. The Luis Russell Orchestra became the back-up band for Louis Armstrong during the depression and jazz experts feel that Luis' band may have been the first swing band with Blair playing guitar. During the 1950's Blair played banjo again performing and recording with Wilbur De Paris.

1926 Oscar Brown, Jr., Vocal
b. Chicago, IL, USA.
d. May 29, 2005, Chicago, IL, USA.
In a career that spanned more than 50 years, he became a Jazz giant, revered as a lyricist, songwriter, composer, singer and performer. Upon his demise, Joe Segal, owner of the Jazz Showcase in Chicago and a longtime friend. said " He certainly was a genius,...... he was really a dramatist. He was more than a vocal artist because his shows were very easy and dramatic at the same time." At just age 15, Oscar made his professional debut when he appeared on "Secret City", a national radio show. He graduated from Englewood High School and attended classes at the University of Michigan and Lincoln University, a small college in Pennsylvania, but dropped out of both in order to concentrate on writing songs and musicals. In the 1960s, Brown hosted the West Coast television program "Jazz Scene U.S.A.", and began writing musicals such as "Kicks and Company" and "Great Nitty Gritty, It i estimated that Oscar Brown wrote more than 1,000 songs over his career, of which 125 were published. Despite the respect he received from the larger Jazz community, he never received adequate acknowledgment from the recording industry.
BIO:
www.chitown.com/http/word/OBJbiog.html
Wikipedia Bio:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Brown,_Jr.


1918 Robert "Bobby" Byrne
trombone/singer/leader
b: Columbus, OH, USA.
With Dorsey Brothers Orch. and then the Jimmy Dorsey Orch. Worked with Dorothy Claire; Jimmy Palmer.


1903 Vernon Duke, composer
b. Pskov, Russia, d. 1969.
né: Vladimir Dukelsky.
BIO:
www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/s...bio_duke.html

1915 Harry "Sweets" Edison, Trumpet
b. Columbus, OH, USA. d. July 27, 1999.
Harry got his early experience with Alphonso Trent, - one of the great old New Orleans bands. By 1937, he was playing in the Lucky Millender band in New York City. In Sept '37 he became one of the mainstays of Count Basie's band staying with the Count until the Big Band era ended in the 1950s. He then played briefly with the Buddy Rich band, toured with the wonderful vocalist Josephine Baker, and also played with the JATP. 1957 saw him working with Benny Carter in Hollywood, performing on film sound tracks, and also playing club dates and recording with his own Combo. In Jan. '58, he was briefly with Loius Bellson band, and in Feb '58 he worked with singer Pearl Bailey at New York's prestigious Waldorf Astoria Hotel. In same year he worked with and recorded with Frank Sinatra, and in late '58, he led own quintet in some New York Clubs. Over the years, Harry had played with such men as Dick Hyman, Jimmy Giuffre, Shorty Rogers, Cy Touff, Billie Holiday, Ben Webster, Illinois Jacquet, Red Norvo, Barney Kessel, Woody Herman, and many others.
Bio:
www.riverwalk.org/profiles/edison.htm
Bio2:
elvispelvis.com/sweetsedison.htmbio
Bio3:
www.shout.net/~jmh/edison/biography.htm

1908
Johnny Green, composer
b. New York, NY, USA. d. May 17, 1989

1913 Harold Holmes
bass/guitar/tuba/composer
b. Mobile, AL, USA.

1914 "Ivory" Joe Hunter
Singer/pianist/songwriter
b. Kirbyville, TX, USA.

1906 Freddie "Posey" Jenkins
Trumpet, b. New York, NY, USA. d. 1978


1891 Ed Kirkeby, Manager
b: Brooklyn, NY, USA. d. June 12, 1978, Mineola, NY, USA.
Managed the California Ramblers and later on managed Fats Waller.
Ed Kirkeby, who is probably best-remembered for being Fats Waller's manager, had a multifaceted and productive life. A born leader, Kirkeby was a successful businessman with a knack for organization. In 1916 he became a salesman at Columbia Records, and the following year he was promoted to assistant recording manager. Kirkeby recorded some of the first jazz at Columbia and in 1920 helped organize the California Ramblers.
Within a year, the band was recording regularly and it would be one of the most prolific outfits of the 1920's. Kirkeby started singing on their records in Sep. 1926. A few months later Kirkeby (using the pseudonym of Ted Wallace) became a leader on a series of records usually utilizing personnel from the Ramblers. After the Ramblers declined due to turnover, Kirkeby put a greater focus on his own recordings, recording under such names as Ted Wallace, Ed Kirkeby Wallace, Eddie Lloyd and Eddie Loyd. During 1930-32, Kirkeby directed a countless number of studio sessions for ARC although he largely stopped after July 1932. He then spent a couple years managing the Pickens Sisters.
In 1935 he became an A&R person at Victor and, on four sessions with a revived version of the California Ramblers, Kirkeby took some vocals. He also sang on some transcriptions by the Joe Haymes Orchestra and appeared on a final date by Ted Wallace in 1936. In 1938, Kirkeby left Victor and joined the band booking department of NBC. Soon afterward he became Fats Waller's manager, staying with the great pianist-composer until his death in 1943. He spent the remainder of his life as a manager of many groups and personalities including the Deep River Boys, staying active until late 1977. Ed Kirkeby's book Ain't Misbehavin' discusses his years with Fats Waller while the TOM CD Ed Kirkeby Volume One has some of his best recordings from 1927-30.
~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
MORE:
newarkwww.rutgers.edu/ijs/fw/kirkeby.htm

1906 Les Lambert, trumpet
b. London, U.K., d, Dec. 24.

1910 Milton "Tippy" Larkin
Trumpet/valve t'bone/Leader
b. Houston, TX, USA.
d. Aug. 31, 1996. Age: 85.

1911 'Zeke' Manners
Leader/vocals/guitar/composer
b. San Francisco, CA, USA
d. Oct. 14, 2000.
né: Leo Ezekiel Mannes.
aka: The Jewish Hillbilly, and sometimes as 'Zeke Craddock'.
BIO:
delilama.tripod.com/zeke/

1906 Leo Mathiesen
leader/arranger/composer/piano/accordion/vocals
b. Copenhagen, Denmark, d. Dec. 16, 1969.
né: Hans Leo Mathisen.
Leo was very strongly influenced by the American pianist Thomas "Fats" Waller. His band had a core of good musicians and their recordings exhibited this excellence. After the band era had passed, Leo worked as a solist. He was an important pioneer in Danish jazz and dance music, and had the best known Danish band after Kai Ewans'.


1917 Thelonious Sphere Monk, Piano
b. Rocky Mount, NC, USA.
d. Feb., 17, 1982, Weehauken, NJ, USA.
Composed: "Straight, No Chaser"; "In Walked Bud"; "Well, You Needn't"; "Epistrophy"; "Ruby My Dear"; "Rhythm-a-ning"; "'Round About Midnight"; "Off Minor"; "Stickball (I Mean You)"; "Thelonious"; "Misterioso"; and "Introspection".
PBS Bio:
www.pbs.org/jazz/biograp...helonious.htm
Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelonious_Monk

1921 William Howard "Monk" Montgomery, Electric Bass
b. Indianapolis, IN, USA. d. May 20, 1982

1915 Don Pierce
producer/label owner
(Hollywood Records)
b. Ballard, WA, USA.
BIO:
www.countryworks.com/artist_full.asp
Bio 2:
www.washington.edu/alumni/c...erce.html

1907 Raymond Pinder
bass vocals
b. Nassau, Bahamas.
Member: 'The Pinder Family', consisting of Raymond, his wife Edith on lead vocals, and their daughter Geneva singing treble. Edith is the sister of another Bahamian singer, Joseph Spence "The Voice from Heaven".

1899 Billy Ternent
Violin/Saxes/Multi-instrumentalist/Arranger/bandleader
b. Whitley Bay, Northumberland, England, UK. d. March 23. 1977


1904 "Lovin'" Sam Theard
(Blues) vocals/songwriter
b. New Orleans, LA, USA.
d. Dec 7, 1982, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
His composition, " Hey, Spo-Dee-O-Dee", has been recorded (King 4383) by the Paul Williams Sextet (Paul Williams (as, bs); John Lawton (tp); Walter Cox (as, ts); T.G. Fowler (p); Hank Ivory (b); Clarence Stamps (d), and other groups as well, including .Clifton Chenier, -The "King of Zydeco"

1921 Julius Watkins
(Jazz) French Horn.
Watkins began playing French horn at just age nine. Still, during 1943-1946, he was playing trumpet with the Ernie Fields orchestra. He took some French horn solos in the late 1940s, when recording with Kenny Clarke and Babs Gonzales. 1949 found him working in the Milt Buckner big band. The next 3 years were spent studying at New York's Manhattan School of Music, after which he again returned to performing. During 1953-1954, he recorded with Thelonious Monk, as well as on some other dates. In 1956-1959, he co-led "Les Jazz Modes" with Charlie Rouse. During 1959-1961, he was working in the studios (including Miles Davis-Gil Evans collaborations), and also toured with Quincy Jones' big band. From 1965 on, he recorded with such stars as Charles Mingus (1965 and again in 1971), John Coltrane (the Africa sessions), Freddie Hubbard, and the Jazz Composer's Orchestra, and others.

Notable Events
on this date include:

1935.
"Porgy and Bess"
composer George Gershwin's
American opera, opened on
Broadway in New York City.

1958.
"Kid Sox" Wilson, vocals
died in Cape May Court, NJ, USA
Age: 65

1960.
June Lawrence Cole, bass
died in New York, NY, USA,
Age: 45

1964.
Eddie Cantor
comedian/Vocals, died.
Age: 72

1964.
Russ Case, orchestra, arranger for many
bands including the Jackie Gleason show, died.
Age: 52

1976.
Connie Boswell, vocals
died in New York, NY, USA
Age: 68
Member: 'The Boswell Sisters'

Songs Recorded/Released
on this date include:

1927
"Did You Mean It?"
~Lee Morse
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/mo...eanit.ram

1928
"All Of The Time"
~Edwin J. McEnelly's Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/Mc...eTime.ram

1928
"A Siren Dream"
(Vocal refrain by Elliot Shaw)
~Edwin J. McEnelly's Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/Mc...Dream.ram

1928
"Gates Blues"
~Jimmy Wade and his Dixielanders
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/mi...luesa.ram

1928
"Mississippi Wobble"
~Jimmy Wade and his Dixielanders
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/mi...obble.ram

1928 "You're The Cream In My Coffee" ex Broadway show: 'Hold Everything'.

1929
"You Want Lovin' And I Want Love"
~Noble Sissle and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/si...lovin.ram

1929
"Sunny Side Up"
~Frankie Trumbauer and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/tr...ideup.ram

1929
"Turn On The Heat"
~Frankie Trumbauer and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/tr...eheat.ram

1929
"Collegiate Sam"
~Harry Reser and his Orchestra
LISTEN:
www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/re...amhrs.ram

1930
"A Big Bouquet for You"
~Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Listen:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/wh...buqet.ram

1930
"Body and Soul"
~Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Listen:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/wh...ysoul.ram

1930
"Choo-Choo"
~Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Listen:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/wh...ochoo.ram

1930
"In My Heart - It's You"
~Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Listen:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/wh...yhrtu.ram

1930
"Something to Remember You By"
~Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Listen:
www.redhotjazz.com/songs/wh...emuby.ram

1940 "Moonlight And Roses", recorded this date by vocalist Lanny Ross. (Victor label.)
1941 "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire ", - Ink Spots
1947 "I Wish I Didn't Love You So ", - Betty Hutto
1947 "Near You ", - Larry Green
1947 "Apple Blossom Wedding, An ", - Sammy Kaye Orch.
1947 "Feudin' And Fightin' ", - Jo Stafford voc.
1952 "Why Don't You Believe Me ", - Joni James voc
1953 "Many Times ", - Eddie Fisher
1960 "Georgia On My Mind ", - Ray Charles
1960 "You Talk Too Much ", - Joe Jones

LYRICS:

You're The Cream in My Coffee
~Lyrics and Music by B.G. De Sylva, Lew Brown and Ray Henderson
~Originally published in 1923.

You're the cream in my coffee,
You're the salt in my stew
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You're the starch in my collar,
You're the lace in my shoe
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

Most men tell love tales,
And each phrase dovetails
You've heard each known way,
This way is my own way:

You're the sail in my loveboat,
You're the captain and crew,

You will always be my necessity
I'd be lost without you.

You're the cream in my coffee,
You're the salt in my stew
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You're the starch in my collar,
You're the lace in my shoe
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You give life savor,
Bring out its flavor,
So this is clear, dear,
You're my worcestershire, dear!

You're the sail in my loveboat,
You're the captain and crew,
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You will always be my necessity
I'd be lost without you.

Currently listening : The Columbia House Bands: Ed Kirkeby, Vol. 1 By Ed Kirkeby Release date: 04 February, 1997