Columbia 14222-D – Barbecue Bob – 1927

Posted on June 15, 2016 by R. Connor Montgomery

Up there with Blind Lemon Jefferson in the pantheon of 1920s blues music stands Robert Hicks, better known as Barbecue Bob, an Atlanta native that found fame in the late 1920s as one of the top “race” stars for Columbia records. Over the course of his short recording career, Hicks waxed sixty-eight sides.

Born September 11, 1902 in Walnut Grove, Georgia, Robert Hicks and his brother Charlie, along with Curley Weaver, learned to play guitar from Weaver’s mother. While working as a pitmaster at an Atlanta barbecue joint, Hicks was discovered by Columbia records talent scout Dan Hornsby (who also worked as a musician and is known for his association with Gid Tanner’s Skillet Lickers.) Taking his recording name from his work, he made his first recording in March 1927, titled “Barbecue Blues”, which may have been named by the Columbia staff to fit his gimmick, as the lyrics make no reference to barbecue in any way. Hicks went on to record many more sides between then and December 1930, both solo and as part of Georgia Cotton Pickers. Robert Hicks died from tuberculosis and pneumonia on October 21, 1931.

Columbia 14222-D was recorded June 15, 1927 in New York City by Barbecue Bob, accompanied by his own twelve-string guitar. The DAHR says that both takes 1 and 2 of both sides were issued, these are both first takes. These are the first two sides from Barbecue Bob’s second recording session, and his second issues record. This was probably one of the most successful country blues records of the 1920s.

It is said that the record of “Mississippi Heavy Water Blues” was played at Hicks’ funeral in 1931. The song makes reference to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States. Beginning in April 1927, the floods caused widespread devastation in the Mississippi Delta, submerging more than 23,000 square miles and displacing hundreds of thousands of people. The disaster and its widespread effects were chronicled in a number of songs of the era, including this one. Hicks’ witty songwriting stands out in the line, “Mississippi shakin’, Lou’siana sinkin’, whole town’s a-ringin’, Robert Hicks is singing.”

Mississippi Heavy Water Blues, recorded June 15, 1927 by Barbecue Bob.

Following a similar structure as the previous song, on “Mamma You Don’t Suit Me!”, Hicks sings of his gal, who drives a Willys-Knight and “doesn’t suit him like his other mama did.”

Mama You Don’t Suit Me, recorded June 15, 1927 by Barbecue Bob.

Updated with improved audio on October 14, 2017.

Vocalion 2587 – Cliff Edwards (Ukulele Ike) – 1933

Posted on June 14, 2016 by R. Connor Montgomery

Today we celebrate the birthday of Cliff Edwards, the man known as “Ukulele Ike”. He was one of the leading figures in the proliferation of the ukulele during the roaring twenties, and made his mark on the cinematic world as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney’s Pinocchio. Edwards’ distinctive vocal style was punctuated with his trademark “effin’,” a sort of kazoo sounding scat singing of his own creation.

Cliff Edwards as illustrated in Radio Round-Ups by Gurman and Slager, 1932.

Clifton Avon Edwards was born June 14, 1895 in Hannibal, Missouri, of no particular musical background. He took up singing in St. Louis saloons in his teenage years, and bought his first ukulele because it was the cheapest instrument he could find. He was given the nickname “Ukulele Ike” by a bar owner who couldn’t remember his actual name. In 1918, he made a hit in Chicago with “Ja-Da” and was hired onto the vaudeville stage by Joe Frisco. He made his first phonograph records in 1922 with Ladd’s Black Aces and Bailey’s Lucky Seven, for Gennett, and was signed to Pathé soon after. Over the course of the 1920s, he made his way to the top, becoming one of the most successful singing stars in America, with numerous hits on record and stage. In 1929, Edwards was brought into the world of moving pictures by Irving Thalberg, and made his mark on the budding talking pictures with his introduction of “Singin’ in the Rain” in The Hollywood Revue of 1929. He continued to appear in movies through the 1930s, and provided the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney’s production of Pinocchio in 1940. His stardom in stage, screen, and radio faded over the course of the Great Depression, though he continued to work in show business for many years, still making sporadic appearances in the 1950s and ’60s. In spite of his fame and success, Edwards was careless with his money, and died penniless of arteriosclerosis in 1971. Most of his medical bills were paid by Walt Disney Productions.

Vocalion 2587 was recorded October 24 and 26, 1933 in New York City by Cliff Edwards. Both sides feature tunes from the 1933 motion picture Take a Chance. Edwards is accompanied by Dick McDonough on guitar on the first side, and Artie Bernstein on string bass on the second.

Here, Ukulele Ike croons the Depression-era classic “It’s Only a Paper Moon” from 1933’s Take a Chance, in which Edwards appeared. One of my personal favorites.

It’s Only a Paper Moon, recorded October 24, 1933 by Cliff Edwards “Ukulele Ike”.

Next, he sings a less remembered, but equally excellent tune, Herman “Dodo” Hupfeld’s “Night Owl”. I can relate.

Night Owl, recorded October 26, 1933 by Cliff Edwards “Ukulele Ike”.

Updated on May 31, 2017 and June 9, 2017, and with improved audio on April 1, 2018.

Banner 32551 – Gene’s Merrymakers – 1932

Posted on June 12, 2016 by R. Connor Montgomery

Born on this day 117 years ago was bandleader Gene Kardos, whose orchestra made quite a few decent selling records in the 1930s.

Eugene Kardos was born June 12, 1899 in New York City. He formed a territory band in the early 1930s, and first recorded for Victor, with his earliest output appearing on their short-lived Timely Tunes label, a number of further issues were on Electradisk. By 1932, he had moved to ARC, using a wide variety of pseudonyms, as well as his own name, and made a few records on the side for Crown under the name of his piano player, Joel Shaw. Kardos’ band tended to play on the hot side, and was competent with popular songs as well as the occasional jazz piece, though they adopted a “sweeter” style later in the 1930s, as did many bands of their type. In 1939, Kardos married and retired from music to pursue a career with the United States Post Office. He died in 1980.

Banner 32551 was recorded August 25, 1932 and December 18, 1931, respectively. Gene Kardos’ Orchestra assumes the name “Gene’s Merrymakers”, which they commonly used on their ARC releases.

On the first side, the Kardos band plays an excellent rendition of “High Society”. Thanks to a tip from Mr. Paul Lindemeyer, the probable personnel for Kardos’ band on this side has been identified as Sam Caspin and Red Hymie (Rosenblum) on trumpets, Pete Salemi on trombone, Moe Cohen and Nat Brown on clarinet and alto sax, Gabe Gelinas on clarinet and tenor sax, Joel Shaw on piano, Sol Sussman on banjo, Max Goodman on tuba, and Smith Howard on drums, with an arrangement by Bernie Green.

High Society, recorded August 25, 1932 by Gene’s Merrymakers.

Strangely, though credited to Kardos, “Clarinet Marmalade” is actually played by the Casa Loma Orchestra. ~~I believe it was their only side issued on the ARC budget labels.~~ I defer to the expert below (↓): it’s one of at least three Casa Loma sides appearing on the ARC dimestore labels, plus a later reissue of their 1931 “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”. Rust lists the personnel as Joe Hostetter, Grady Watts, and Bobby Jones on trumpets, Pee Wee Hunt and Billy Rauch on trombones, Clarence Hutchinrider on clarinet and alto sax, Kenny Sargent and Glen Gray on alto sax, Pat Davis on tenor sax, Mel Jenssen on violin, Joe Hall on piano, Gene Gifford on banjo and guitar, Stanley Dennis on bass, and Tony Briglia on drums.

Clarinet Marmalade, recorded December 18, 1931 by Gene’s Merrymakers.

Updated on June 24 and September 24, 2016, and May 29, 2017.

Okeh 41403 – Casa Loma Orchestra – 1930

Posted on June 7, 2016 by R. Connor Montgomery

Before the swing era commenced, you could get an earful of the burgeoning genre from a number of bands. One was Fletcher Henderson’s band, one of the earliest to start swinging music. Another one was the Casa Loma Orchestra, who played swing outright as early as 1930. Today, on the ~~110th~~ 116th birthday of leader Glen Gray, we’ll hear from them.

The Casa Loma Orchestra got its start in 1927 in Detroit as the Orange Blossoms, managed by Jean Goldkette. After an eight month gig at the Casa Loma Hotel in Toronto, they became known as the Casa Loma Orchestra, though they were not actually a house band at the hotel. They first began recording in 1929 for Okeh, with ultra-modern arrangements by band member Gene Gifford. The band incorporated in 1930, with all members as part-owners, and they ran a tight ship. In the early years, they were fronted by Henry Biagini, but Glen Gray assumed the spot later on. Switching to Brunswick, then to Decca, they became one of the leading bands in the United States by the start of swing era, and held that position into the 1940s. After the close of the swing era, the Casa Loma Orchestra continued to play into the early 1960s, mostly remaking swing hits in hi-fi on Capitol Records.

Okeh 41403 was recorded February 11, 1930 in New York City. The Casa Loma Orchestra consists of Hank Biagini directing Joe Hostetter, Fred Martinez, and Bobby Jones on trumpet, Pee Wee Hunt and Billy Rauch on trombone, Glen Gray and Ray Eberle on alto sax, Pat Davis on tenor sax, Mel Jenssen on violin, Joe Hall on piano, Gene Gifford on banjo and guitar, Stanley Dennis on string bass, and Tony Briglia on drums. Both sides were arranged by Gene Gifford.

First up, they play it hot on on “China Girl”.

China Girl, recorded February 11, 1930 by the Casa Loma Orchestra.

Next up is an even hotter rendition of Wingy Manone’s “San Sue Strut”.

San Sue Strut, recorded February 11, 1930 by the Casa Loma Orchestra.

Columbia 2652-D – Ted Lewis and his Band – 1932

Posted on June 6, 2016 by R. Connor Montgomery

Is everybody happy?

Columbia’s custom sleeve and label dedicated to Ted Lewis.

In addition to Jimmie Lunceford, June 6 also marks the 126th anniversary of Ted Lewis’ birth. Here’s one of his most popular records of the 1930s, as well as one of my personal favorite Ted Lewis vocal performances.

Ted Lewis was born Theodore Leopold Friedman in Circleville, Ohio on June 6, 1890. He took up playing the clarinet professionally, though some would argue that his abilities on the instrument were limited. He first recorded with Earl Fuller’s Famous Jazz Band, and soon began recording for Columbia with his own jazz band, switching to Decca in 1934. With his trademark phrase, “is everybody happy?”, his schmaltzy “talk-singing” and tendency to employ top-notch musicians made him one of the most popular musical personalities of the 1920s, and into the 1930s, alongside Paul Whiteman. However, his style faded from popularity as swing became king, and his music fell out of favor, though he continued to perform for many years. Ted Lewis died on August 25, 1971.

Columbia 2652-D was recorded March 15 and 22, 1932 in New York City. Ted Lewis’ band consists of Muggsy Spanier and Dave Klein on trumpets, George Brunies on trombone; Ted Lewis and Benny Goodman on clarinet and alto sax, Sam Shapiro and Sol Klein on violins, Jack Aaronson on piano, Tony Gerhardi on guitar, Harry Barth on string bass and tuba, and John Lucas on drums.

The quintessential Depression-era tune “In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town”, introduced in the motion picture Crooner, became one of the most popular songs of 1932, both for Ted Lewsis and for other artists. In my opinion, this is one of Lewis’ best vocals.