May 2007

May 24
 

 
Note: I am very pleased to welcome back guest contributor Eddie The Collector.  Eddie will be providing both the main update as well as the "Extra."  The  records and commentary are Eddie's - my only contribution was to transfer and digitalize the recordings.   You may read more about Eddie as well as view his photo and contact information by clicking here. 
 
 
 
 

Fess Williams led bands in both Chicago and New York in the 1920's and early 1930's.  In 1926, Williams formed the Royal Flush Orchestra, which resided at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom for most of its life and recorded on the Victor, Brunswick, Vocalion, Gennett, Okeh, Champion and Harmony labels.  He modeled himself after Ted Lewis by wearing a top hat and playing a slap-tongue, gaspipe clarinet style and alto saxophone that is reminiscent of Lewis' playing, but with often more interesting and creative results.  Williams, Frank Marvin and Perry Smith supplied vocals.  Williams' song "Hot Town" on Victor's V-40000 series was the band's biggest selling record.

In 1928, Williams temporarily fronted Dave Peyton's band at the Regal Theatre in Chicago and called the group Fess Williams and His Joy Boys recording two sides with them for Vocalion.  During this time, the Royal Flush Orchestra continued to operate in New York until he returned in 1929.  The Royal Flush orchestra recorded its last side in 1930. 

Williams remained active as a bandleader, but his sound became outdated and he fell out of favor with the public.  He retired from performing full-time and began selling real-estate, but periodically would lead bands during the 1940s and beyond.  Williams was also uncle to modern jazz great Charles Mingus.  Mingus invited his uncle to perform a set in his 1962 Town Hall concert in New York.  Williams assembled a seven piece band that included some of Williams' old band mates as well as members of Mingus' band including Eric Dolphy.  Williams' demonstration of his "circular breathing" technique, which allowed him to hold notes indefinitely, was a real crowd pleaser.
 

Number Ten
Fess Williams And His Royal Flush Orchestra                       1927
(Brunswick 3596 B)
 

It's been suggested by an authoritative source that the title of this selection is really a stand-in for a much more scatilogically oriented Number Two, which would not have passed muster or the censors either one.  In any event, this is the more up-tempo of the two vocal-less renditions.  Neither side is credited with a composer so I'm under the assumption that both are Fess Williams compositions.  What both of these sides have in common is that they are simply a series of riffs accompanied by hot solos on both saxophone and trumpet, as compared to a novelty dance tune with separate verse and chorus sections - I doubt either of these compositions had lyrics.  The titles themselves were probably picked at random.
 

Razor Edge
Fess Williams And His Royal Flush Orchestra                       1927
(Brunswick 3596 A)

Once again, this follows the form of many jazz records of the era in presenting a series of riffs accompanied by hot solos, but in a more laid-back fashion than the previous side.
 

- Eddie The Collector

 
 
 

EXTRA

This section will  present 78 rpm recordings that do not fall within the range of the vintage pop and jazz  fare that I usually  present.  Here I will feature recordings from a wide variety of eras, musical genres and nationalities as well as occasional spoken word recordings.
 
 

(Image by Eddie The Collector)

In spite of many years of collecting, I'd never heard of Loren McMurray - and doubtless few others have either.  The life of Loren McMurray, director of McMurray's California Thumpers, provides one of the sadder stories of the otherwise cheerful and manic jazz age.  Born in 1897 in Kansas, McMurray arrived in New York in 1921, establishing himself over the previous four years as one of the most innovative players of the alto saxophone.  In 1920, really the second year of the Jazz Age, the sound of the saxophone became a "must" for any self-respecting dance orchestra, and McMurray was in the right place at the right time with the talent to capitalize on that demand. 

McMurray had already played in numerous small bands betwen 1917-1920, then at the very beginning of the twenties played for brief lengths of time with what would be three of the most frequently recorded orchestras during the remainder of the decade: Sam Lanin, The Virginians - drawn from Paul Whiteman's orchestra and directed by Ross Gorman -  and Mike Markels. 

During these years, his playing was described as having something that set him apart from other saxophonists of the time, notably a beautifully airy and controlled tone and an ability to create extemporized melodic phrases and exciting breaks.  The older Rudy Wiedoeft was considered his major competitor, but lacked McMurray's improvisational talents. 

McMurray made an unknown number of records during 1920-21 playing as a sideman under the confusing array of pseudonyms employed in that era to convey the appearance of many more bands than really existed.  Mark Berresford, who authored his biographical information, admonishes record collectors to pay particular attention to records in this very early period for heretofore unaccredited examples of his talent.  Mr. Berresford has also provided us with some very touching personal notes in the form of letters which McMurray wrote back home to his mother and sister in Kansas.    His letters are filled with enthusiasm for the life he is experiencing in this wonderful time and world of America at the beginning of the Roaring 20's, and of his great prospects for the recordings he will make on various labels. 

In April, 1922, he made his first record on Gennett, "Haunting Blues"/"Just Because You're You," which was received with great acclaim and enthusiasm from the public and music critics alike.  Then, on September 9, 1922, he made two more sides for Gennett, this week's selections "Blue"/"Oogie-Oogie,Wa-Wa."  The remainder of September and early October continued apace with appearances in vaudeville and dance halls.  Then, in mid-October, a seemingly minor nasal inflammation progressed over the next two weeks to a raging infection which resulted in blood poisoning.  He was treated with the scant palliatives of the day, but to no avail - he passed away early on the morning of October 29, 1922, just barely past his 25th birthday. 

Thus, at the beginning of the most wonderful era in popular music, was lost one of its greatest talents.  It seems incomprehensible today that such a thing could happen, but we forget what a treacherous time healthwise the pre-penicillin 1920s still were  Just two years later, Calvin Coolidge's 16 year old son would die from blood poisoning contracted from an infected blister obtained while playing tennis.  Bandleader Carlton Coon would die in 1932 from a jaw abscess and legendary guitarist Eddie Lang died  year later from a botched tonsillectomy.  It's useless to speculate about what turns the music world would have experienced if Loren McMurray had lived, and especially sad that one who had so much to contribute to that world only got to experience such a brief part of it.
 

Blue
McMurray’s California Thumpers                      1922
(Gennett 4943 B mx 8020)

I have always thought of 1922 as being the first full year of what I like best about 1920's music.  The recorded music of 1920-21 still has the stilted, somewhat monotonous sound left over from the late teens - at least to my ears - but by 1922, that sound began to be left behind.  This song was composed that year and was recorded on all the major labels, but I like this version best.  It is impossible to listen to the saxophone passages on this record without instinctively thinking "Bennie Krueger" - in fact, Bennie Krueger recorded Brunswick's version of the song in August, 1922. 

I first heard this version on a collector friend's tape - he didn't know who it was by, but when I heard the sax I knew it must be Krueger.  We found the Krueger copy and I was surprised to find out it was not the same record.  We subsequently located the Gennett, for which I traded, and years later the Haunting Blues disc - always assuming Krueger was playing as sideman, not knowing the McMurray story at that time. 

Here is my speculation, right or wrong - when McMurray died, Krueger adopted his style and sound for his own and employed it throughout the remainder of his career, especially on those recordings we hear from 1923-1924, when he would have been closest in time to when McMurray was still living.  I see nothing wrong in this, either - in a sense memorializing McMurray's style by perpetuating it. 
 

Oogie Oogie Wa Wa (Won’t You Be My Little Eskimo)
McMurray’s California Thumpers                      1922
(Gennett 4943 A mx 8016)
 

A typical novelty tune of the day with the usual gimmicks and flourishes - altho ostensibly about Eskimos, it has the obligatory Asian-sounding effects popular at the time - but it has several good examples of McMurray's expert slap-tongue playing, what I call "Cartoon Sax".

It's hard to believe that just over a month after making these recordings Loren McMurray would be gone.  For all the years I've had these two Gennetts, I never realized they were the product of such a poignant moment in jazz history.
 

- Eddie The Collector

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May 10
 
 

 
Note - I am very please to welcome back guest contributor Matt From College Station  as he shares some more recordings from his excellent collection of 1920s and 1930s jazz and dance band 78 rpm records. 

All recordings and commentary in this update, both the regular and the "Extra" sections, are from Matt.  My only contribution was to transfer and digitalize the recordings. 

You can learn more about Matt and find his contact information by clicking here. 
 
 

Be Careful
Bill Scotti And His Hotel Montclair Orch                       1933
(Bluebird B 5196 B)

Gather Lip Rouge While You May
Bill Scotti And His Hotel Montclair Orch
Harold Von Emburgh, vocal                                           1933
(Bluebird B 5196 A)

Thanks
Bill Scotti And His Hotel Montclair Orch                        1933
(Bluebird B 5180 A)

The Day You Came Along
Bill Scotti And His Hotel Montclair Orch
Tom Low, vocal                                                             1933
(Bluebird B 5180 B)
 
 

The only knowledge I have about the Bill Scotti Orchestra  comes from an old ad I found on an Internet site. This ad states Bill Scotti was "Society's Favorite Maestro" meaning that he played for the evening hotel crowd and high class engagements. He was also listed as an orchestra leader for the Hotel Montclair and Hotel Pierre. This ad tries to direct patrons to the Club Deauville in Maimi, Florida where Scotti was playing a touring engegement.  Often, major New York bands would tour to Florita or the East Coast for the winter season. Also, we learn from the add that Scotti played on the radio for NBC.

Now to the tunes.  The first two tunes "Be Careful" and "Gather Lip Rouge While You May" hearlded from the 1933 Fox movie musical My Weakness, which starred Lillian Harvey. Although I have seen many old movies, this is one I have not seen and would love to. . Buddy G. DeSylva-Leo Robin and Richard Whiting wrote the score.

From Bing Crosby's 1933 Paramount film  Too Much Harmony, Scotti delivers us snappy renditions of "Thanks" and "The Day You Came Along." These songs were written by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow.
 

- Matt From College Station
 
 

EXTRA

This section will  present 78 rpm recordings that do not fall within the range of the vintage pop and jazz  fare that I usually  present.  Here I will feature recordings from a wide variety of eras, musical genres and nationalities as well as occasional spoken word recordings.
 
 

Victor Music Festival
Victor Symphony Orchestra                      1932
(Victor Dl 5 B)
 
 

The Victor Symphony Orchestra brings us a symphonic medley on this demonstration record for Victor's commercially unsuccessful early 1930s attempt to introduce 33 rpm long playing records. At the end of the selection, you will hear a brief commercial for the new records.  This is also the flip side of the Victor Artist's Party, which was feature in the October 26, 2006 update. I hope you all enjoy these selections.
 

- Matt From College Station