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Big Al Pawlow's

The R & B BookA Disc-History ofRhythm & Blues

MUSIC HOUSE PUBLISHINGPO BOX 2371, EDGEWOOD STATION

PROVIDENCE, R.I. 02905

Copyright © 1983 by Big Al Pavlow

All rights reserved. The reproduction or utilization of this work in anv form or hvanv electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,including .wrography, photocopying, and recording, and in ariv information storageand retrieval system is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Production coordinator: Mad Peck Studios

Cover: K.athv Donovan

Library of Congntss Catalog Canl Number: 8.'M>:i.'i 18

I S B N 0 !M55;>9-0(H)

Printed in the United States of America

MUSIC) HOIISK PUBLISHING. PROVIIJKNCK, R.I.

$11.95

R&B Music of the '40s and '50s has long been the most ignoredarea of American popular music. Occasionally, unsung heroeslike Louis Jordan and Wynonie Harris manage to get somebelated recognition while artists like Eddie Williams, RudyRender, Mabel Scott, Sugar Chile Robinson and many, manyothers remain virtually unknown to the average fan, But, theyalong with giants like Muddy and T-Bone were solid contributorsto that rich musical era.Now...For the first time, their recording successes* aredocumented in THE BOOK.

Every important record Jbj? &v«ery significant R&B artist is here.THE B.&.B BOOK documents the achievements of over 50Grhythm and blues performers.

EXTENSIVE ALL-TIME RHYTHM AND BLUES SURVEYS

'The top R&B records, artists and labels for each year 1943-1959'The top R&B records, artists and labels for 1943-49,1950-54,1955-59"The top R&B records, artists and labels for each decade 194349,1950-59* The top 500 R&B records 1943-1959* The top 350 R&B performers 1943-1959* The top 100 R&B labels 1943-1959* The top performers in various categories 1943-1959, including:

Top male vocal groups, top blues artists, top jazz artists, top male andfemale vocalists, top bands, orchestras and combos...plus top vocalgroup and blues records and labels and much, much more

* A Chronological list of over 600 representative Race and Jazz Issues1920-1939

* Year-by-year history of rhythm and blues

MUSIC HOUSE PUBLISHING, IPO BOX 2271, EDGEWOOD STATION I S B N ()-!) ! 5.129-00-9PROVIDENCE, R.I. O39O5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2

INTRODUCTION 3

FEATURES 4

1920-1939 5

REPRESENTATIVE RACE AND JAZZRECORDS 1920-1939 6

1940 REPRESENTATIVE RECORDS 11



1943 HOT CHART, EXTRAS. TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 14

1944 HOT CHART. EXTRAS, TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 15

1945 161945 HOT CHART. EXTRAS, TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 17

1946 HOT CHART, EXTRAS. TOP ARTISTS, LABELS Zl

1947 HOT CHART. EXTRAS. TOP ARTISTS. LABELS 22

1948 231948 HOT CHART 241948 EXTRAS, TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 23



1951 341951 HOT CHART 351951 EXTRAS. TOP ARTISTS. LABELS 36

1952 371952 HOT CHART 391952 EXTRAS. TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 40

1953 411953 HOT CHART 421953 EXTRAS. TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 43

1954 471954 HOT CHART 491954 EXTRAS, TOP ARTISTS. LABELS 50

1955 511955 HOT CHART 5419S5 EXTRAS 551955 TOP ARTISTS. LABELS 56

1956 571956 HOT CHART 591956 EXTRAS 601956 TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 61

1957 63 4

1957 HOT CHART 651957 EXTRAS 66 '1957 TOP ARTISTS,-LABELS 67

1958 681958 HOT CHART 69195S EXTRAS 701958 TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 71

13S9 721959 HOT CHART 751959 EXTRAS 761959 TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 77

- .'1943-1949 TOP RECORDS. ARTISTS, LABELS 78

1950-1954 TOP RECORDS, ARTISTS, LABELS 73

1955-1959 TOP RECORDS 801955-1959 TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 81

1950-1959 TOP RECORDS 821950-1959 TOP ARTISTS, LABELS 83

1943-1959 TOP RECORDS 841943-1959 TOP ARTISTS. LABELS 851943-1959 TOP MALE VOCAL GROUP RECORDS,

ARTISTS. LABELS 861943-1959 TOP BLUES RECORDS,

ARTISTS. LABELS 871943-1959 TOP MALE AND FEMALE VOCALS 881943-1959 TOP BANDS, ORCHESTRAS. COMBOS 881943-1959 TOP JAZZ ARTISTS, R &. B INSTRUMENTALISTS 881943-1959 TOP FEMALE AND MIXED GROUPS, DUETS 88

1943-1959 TOP PERFORMERS OF EACH YEAR 89

BIBLIOGRAPHY SO

ARTIST INDEX 91

TITLE INDEX 100

INDEX 110

2 The R & B Book

I would like to thank those who helped make The R & B Book a reality.

The NewPaper: TV Davis (publisher). Lou Papineau (editor). Donna Derrig. JoeCournover, Jim Benson, and the entire staff for the use of their facilities andkind support.

East Side Copy: Jim Fleet and Martha McNally (managers), and the Aces of thecopy machine. Mike Moniz. Carrie Francis, and Dorothy Nelson for their helpbevond the call of dutv.

Patty Andrews, Bob Angell. and Jeffrey Heiser for their editing expertise.

Mike Macrone for his design assistance.

Victor Pearlin. George Moonoogian. and Bill Daniels for their researchassistance.

Charlton Publications for permission to reprint Rhythm and Blues magazinecovers.

f would also like to thank the following friends and associates for theirunwavering support and encouragement during the course of this project:

Harold Aust Jr.. Ron Bartolucci, Rick Bellaire. Paul Bezanker. Blues Outlet. ChrisBrown. Rudy Cheeks. Margaret Chevian. Marsha Chevian. Gloria Church. TedConnor. Gerald Coombs. James E/ Daigle, Debbie Davis, Dr. Oldie. The Duke ofDoo-Wop. Chicago Vinnie Earnshaw, Ferdie Gonzales. Tim Hulme. Bjorn Jentoft.Jim Knighi. Rich Lupo, Craig Moerer, Nay \assar, Diane and Bobby Palioita.Margery Peters. Doc Pomus, Duke Robillard and the Pleasure Kings (ThomasEnright and Tom DeQualtro). Roomful of Blues. Rich Rosen. Richard Schmeisser.Val Shively, Louis Silvani, Harvey Simon, Andy Simons, Jack and Mary Smith andthe Rockabilly Planet. Cynthia Tasca. Nick Tosches. LizTruitt. SheldonVVasserman. Eddie Waterman, the WBRU-FM staff and of course, mv Mom.

and the disc jockeys who spun the hot R & B sounds around town in the fifties:

Carl Henrv....Chuck Stevens....Joe Thomas

The R & B Book 3

The greatest musical blast of the century took place in the mid-fifties as therock and roll revolution began. Strange new sounds and recording artists pushedtheir way into the lives of an unwary, youthful audience...and those whose tasteswere not cast in stone succumbed quickly.

Contrary to currently-held belief, the teenagers of the fifties were not boredwith the pop sound of the day. I know, because I was one of those teenagers.Most of us who bought phonograph records were quite satisfied with the statusquo. Our favorite stars were Perry Como. Doris Day, the Four Aces. EddieFisher...and many others like them. We joined their fan clubs and we were theones who bought their records. And. we were the ones who suddenly discovereda "new" kind of music that we liked even more...rhythm and blues.

1 can't remember exactly where or when i first heard the term "rhythm andblues," but at first 1 suspected that it was the title of a current song. A friend saidthat there was a special kind of music called rhythm and blues or R &. B that wasstarting to become popular. How could this be? 1 constantly listened to the radio.Why didn't I know about it? My friend suggested that I listen to Carl Henry, adisc jockey who played R 4. B records weekday afternoons on radio stationWRIB. Carl had picked up a huge local following with his R & B show, but he wason the air at the same time as my favorite pop show (which explains how I missedit). ] decided to tune in Carl Henry and find out what rhythm and blues was allabout. After a solid month of Gene and Eunice. Fats Domino. Ray Charles. RuthBrown, and the Midnighters, I was hooked.

Rhythm and blues was no stranger to Providence. Rhode Island thanks to CarlHenry, the area's R & B pioneer. As an adjunct to his radio chores, he was alsothe proprietor of Carl's Diggin's. a record shop which specialized in black music.Carl's was located a few paces from The Celebrity Club, a famous New Englandstop on the "chittlin' circuit." It would have been possible back then to catch EarlBostic's first set, then run next door and pick up the latest R & B hits.

By the time 1 got into rhythm and blues (Spring 1955), R &. B records wereavailable at most record shops, and even department stores carried the biggesthits. Providence wasn't a bad place to be located in those days, especially forrhythm and blues record collectors, which is what many of us became. One ofthe biggest wholesale "schlock" operations in the country - Beacon RecordDistributors - was located within a mile of Carl's Diggin's and The Celebrity Club.This legendary warehouse was always filled to the rafters with manufacturers'overstocks, deletions, and juke box records, both 45's and 78's. Throughout thefifties and sixties, it supplied bargain bin records to department stores, milloutlets, and home and auto stores in New England.

For an R &. B bargain hunter. Providence in the mid-fifties was paradise. Thinkof any R &, B rarity - on any label - Chance, Gotham, Harlem, Jax. Jubilee, and it'sa good bet that it was in one of the local bargain bins. And, we were there. Thatwas the good news. Now for the bad news. Sines we were kids, our funds werelimited. Even though those records were cheap, the dimes and quarters stilladded up too quickly. This meant we had to be selective, which brings us to thesecond bit of bad news. Our knowledge of R & B was equally limited. Since wedidn't know very much about R & B, record hunting was strictly a game ofchance. I once passed up a copy of "Yes Sir That's My Baby" by the Clovers (on

Rainbow) thinking it couldn't be the same Clovers (weren't all their records onAtlantic?), while my friend picked up a copy of 'The White Buffalo" by JamesBrown (MCM) thinking it was the same James Brown, it wasn't. (His mistake costhim 25c • mine cost me S2GO). Such errors were common. The problem was thaihardly any information about rhythm and blues existed beyond the fan magazinestuff. I haunted bookstores and libraries trying to find books about R & B lor"race," its predecessor) to no avail.

It turned out that those bargain bin records which piqued our curiositvprovided us with the few scraps of information we got. Using record catalognumbers and basic math, we concluded that "Honey Hush" by Joe Turner cameout after "Still In Love." Some of us even deduced that "Nugetre" spelled back-wards was "Ertegun" (we knew that he was an official at Atlantic Records) andthat "Ramson" was probably Herb Abramson. Our interest was no douh:stimulated and expanded by the many attractive record labels, and many of uswere as fascinated by the phonograph records as by the artists who made themExcept for major R &. B stars, most of the artists we collected were'only names ona record label. The Five This...the Four That...whether they had ever beenpopular, whatever their stories were, the information was not available to us.

Now, over a quarter-century has passed since the R &. B bombshell hit themusic world, and rhythm and blues is not the secret it once had been. In receniyears there has been a wealth of information about the early years of R & BQuite a few books exist which concentrate on various components of the idiomBlues, vocal groups, and gospel have all come under close scrutiny. Many booksexamine R A. B's sociological and cultural aspects while others go to great lengthcovering the personalities who were a part of it. And. a great swell of new-information continuously pours forth from dedicated collector magazinesfocusing much overdue attention on important, but long forgotten heroes ofrhythm and blues.

11 is the purpose of The R ft. B Book So document the significant recordings ofrhythm and blues via a disc-history. Therefore, little attention is paid to thepersonal lives of R &. B artists. No birthdates ..no hometowns...no psychologicalanalyses. Instead. The R ft. 8 Book' details the movement of R & B sounds as theyappeared on record, and the relative popularity of the records and the artistswho were responsible for them, in this v^ay, an overview of the R & B era ispossible and we can see how the -idiom gradually developed into the powerfulforce that ultimately changed the course of popular music.

Although it was my original intention to start The R &. B Book in 1940, it soonbecame clear that no true understanding of the era could be possible withoutcovering the twenty years of black musical developments which led directly tothe formation of rhythm and blues. Therefore, I have added a section "1920-1939-Jazz and Race." In lieu of a wordy examination of this twenty-year period(something better left to the hundreds of jazz history books already on themarket), I have included an extensive sampling of over 600 race and jazz recordsissued between 1920 and 1939. They are divided into race and jazz sections, andare listed chronologically and alphabetically by title. No attempt was made todetermine relative popularity. Many were best-sellers, some were stiffs—but allwere representative of recorded black music during their respective years

4 The R & B Book

HOTCHART SONG TITLES

The standings on the Hot Char) were determined by most points received forperformance (positron and longevity) on rhythm and blues and pup charts invarious music periodicals, radio station surveys, and trade papers.

OTHER CHARTS

These point totals are used to determine standings on all other charts in The R& B Book (1'op Artists, Records 1943-1949: Top Blues Records. Artists, etc)

EXTRAS

These records made some noise • but not enough to make the "Hot Chart" •usually as regional or turntable hits and are also representative of R & B thatparticular year.

Original pressings of well over ninety-eight percent of the records on the HotChart and Extra list were checked to insure that the correct and complete titleare as they appear on the label. Grammatical and spelling errors, if they appearon the original label are not corrected le.g. "I Gotta New Car" by Big Boy Groves).

NOTES

Additional information printed on the label such as vocal (VI or instrumentalIA) accompaniment is contained in the Notes. Bold numbers 111 refer to a similarposition on the Hot Chart...ligh! numbers 111 refer to titles on the Extra listNumbers following the entries refer lo the first 111 or second (2) side of the notedrecord. Information contained in the Notes applies only lo titles covered inThe R &. B Book.

TOP ARTISTS AND LABELS

ARTIST NAMES

Artist names on the Hot Chart and Extra lists are as they appear on theoriginal label most of the time, although sometimes there is a bit of inconsistencyon the part of some record companies le.g. johnny Moore's Three Blazers mayappear as Johnny Moore's 3 Blazersl/My own space limitations forced me to use}. Moore's Three Blazers on more than one occasion. Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup isthe correct name on all but one of his issues (RCA Victor 50-141). Once again,space problems forced me to drop the "Big Boy" tag on some listings.

CATALOG NUMBERS

The standings on these charts are based on total points individual artists andlabels received on the Hot Chart and Extra lisls. Artists and labels followed bv anasterisk I* I indicate first appearance on yearly Top Artists or lop I.ahi;ls list

ARTIST INDEX

This index is a complete listing of artists (and their records! to appear on theHot Chart and Extra lists, including those recordings on which the indexed artistis not top-billed on the label, in those cases (e.g. Billy Eckstine with Earl Hinesl.the featured artist is listed parenthetically below the title or titles. The year ofappearance is also noted.

Label catalog numbers also appear as they do on the original disc. Please notethe following information regarding RCA Victor and DeLuxe issues: RCA Victor47- and 50- are 45 RPM prefixes; 20- and 22- are 78 RPM prefixes. Most R & Bissues on this label from 1949-1959 use either prefix with the same catalognumber. These are the exceptions: 22-0029 is 50-0013 and 22-0042 is 5O-OD26DeLuxe titles originally issued in the 1000 series were often re-pressed in the3000 series (1198 is 31981. In addition, the following DeLuxe items were issuedsimultaneously on Roy Milton's Millone label with the identical DeLuxe catalognumbers -1154.3198.3199.

TITLE INDEX

This index contains every title to appear on the Hot Chart and Extra lists, plusartist and year of entrv.

The R & B Book 5

"Rhythm and blues," "jazz," "race," "blues" are all terms that have been used aione time or another in reference to "Crazy Blues" by Mamie Smith 119201. thefirst ever black hit record. The person responsible for its release was songwriterPerry Bradford, who talked OKeh Records into recording his protege MamieSmith. Herb Abramson, first president of Atlantic Records, described the eventand its immediate consequences in an article. 'The Birth of Rhythm And Blues,'which appeared in ihe December 1952 issue of Rhythm and Blues magazine.

'The first race record was a routine release by a then practically unknownNegro vaudeville Blues singer. Mamie Smith which Ihe company undoubtedlyhoped would sell to some of the people familiar with her act • hut it turned out tobe the first link in a chain reaction that has continued to this dav! Unwittingtvthe OKeh Company had released the first record of genuine Negro music - andthe Negro people responded so tremendously thai the record ultimately soldwell over two million copies! At first thev pressed just a small supply of the discand for several months Pullman porters were able to make small fortunes bvstocking up on as many copies of the record as they could lav their hands on intheir New York run. Starting in Baltimore on the run South Ihev would sell iherecords for as high as five dollars per copy! By the time the company realizedwhat they had. every other label in the industry was also in the Race' business tostay. The old Columbia label countered with a new and untried artist. BessieSmith - her first - 'Gulf Coast Blues also hi! Ihe million mark The name 'Smithseemed to be talisman, so the various labels soon were selling Clara. Laura aswell as the onginal Mamie and Bessie "

And. don't forget Lucille Hegamin, Alberta Hunter, Ethel Waters. Bertha"Chippie" Hill, and Ida Cox. These ladies, and many others like them, becamestars in the black community entirely through the popularity of theirphonograph records. The material they recorded was usually melodic, uptownblues. Thus these vocalists were generally called "blues singers." the songsthey sang were called "blues songs." and the period of their greatest popularity(1921-19261 became known as the "classic blues" period

Most of the classic blues singers were accompanied by jazz musicians likeFletcher Henderson. Oon Redman, and Louis Armstrong, so it's logical toconclude that classic blues and jazz were related. In fact, classic blues was tech-nically vocal jazz. And, since black instrumental jazz was still in its recording in-fancy, classic blues has the distinction of being the first commercially successful

• black jazz music on record.This jazz-blues union was short-lived, however, as circumstances combined to

divide commercial black music into two well-defined camps, jazz and race. Thisdivision was so deep that it has lasted for well over sixty years and only healedbriefly in the forties when records by recognized jazzmen unwittingly enteredthe race field.

The split can be traced to two events. First was the term "race" itself. Theearliest jazz records were perceived by the general public as hot novelty itemsdesigned for partying. White outfits like the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB)turned on the white masses with their interpretations of authentic New Orleansblack jazz (which hadn't yet been recorded). There was enough differencebetween the jazz music performed by these white bands and the classic bluessingers to warrant a special term for the latter. But the tag "race" record, bywhich these classic blues records became known, was devised not by musiciansor semanticisfs, but by record companies trying to find a better way to merchan-dise their product. From Dixon and Godrich's Recording The Blues:

"A name was needed to describe records intended for black consumption, butthere was no obvious term. The description 'colored records was used mostfrequently in advertising in 1921. In January 1922 the OKeh advertisement inthe Chicago Defender said 'All the greatest Race phonograph stars can be heardon OKeh records' and in March they invited readers lo 'ask your neighborhooddealer for a complete list of OKeh race records.' But race, a term of commonidentification used within the black community was not yet the recognisedname: the word was not mentioned in OKeh advertisements during theremainder of the year. Then in May 1923 OKeh announced The World*Greatest Race Artists on the World's Greatest Race Records and thereafter theterm was used regularly in Defender advertising 'Bace Records becamewithin and without the industry, the established name for black record-intended for the black market: it remained so for twenty years'

The second event was the popularity of a unique "race" record by PapaCharlie Jackson. It was different from the jazz-related discs produced by Ihefemale classic blues singers because its roots were in the country, not in thecity. Late in 1924, Paramount Records released Papa Charlie's first record, called""Papa's Lawdy Lawdy Blues." with the former minstrel show entertainer acc-ompanying himself on banjo. The record sold well enough for Paramount toissue eight more during 1925. and Papa Charlie Jackson remained one of thelabel's most popular artists until 1930. Paramount, unlike other companies thatissued race records, did a considerable amount of mail-order business, including

direct sales to a number of southern customers who showed an interest in country blues singers like Papa Charlie. Following a tip. Paramount's race directorMayo Williams sent to Texas for Blind Lemon Jefferson. His first record "BoosterBlues" is described in Dixon and Godrich's Recording The Blues:

"They were unlike anything that had appeared on record before Blind Lemonsexpressive, whining voice and his fluent guitar complementing and sometime;,replacing the voice - were an unbeatble combination "

He immediately became Paramount's best selling artist and remained so untilthe thirties. After his breakthrough, the country blues field opened up. GeorgianBlind Blake was also signed by Paramount, and he did almost as well as BlindLemon. Spurred on bv the popularity of Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Blakeother companies sought out rural blues singers via penodic field trips thraugfiThe South. As country blues recording grew, classic blues' hold on race musicdiminished and shortly the idioms connection with jazz evaporated. "Race'music now hid an identity of its own

From 1926 to ihe mid-forties, race and jazz would maintain their separate-identities, with an occasional common ground like boogie-woogie. Black popularmusic was thus divided into these two main categories. Jazz entered Ihe popworld and prospered. Its early innovators became legends, and its contemporaryartists were commercially and critically well received, while all that was race wa.signored. Where jazz sought out and thrived on4 musical elements that existedoutside of black culture and experience, race turned inward to explore that cul-ture. Jazz became complicated and sophisticated. Race remained simple andfunky. Jazz had a mixed audience, race did not.

Gradually, other diverse musical sounds and styles became part of 20s racemusic. A gospel boom in 1926 led bv fire and brimstone preachers (ReverendJ.M. Gates and Reverend J.C. Burnett) and vocal quartets (Birmingham JubileeSingers, etc.) matched country blues in popularity

As the twenties ended, other new artists entered the picture, continuously ex-panding the race music idiom. The most significant development was urbanblues, in which pianists and guitarists joined forces to produce a hipper blue*sound. In 1927, Georgia-born Tampa Red ('The Guitar Wizard") skyrocketed to•race record fame when his double-entendre "'it's Tight Like Thai" sold a reputed750,000 copies and heralde'd yet another genre within the race field called

'"hokum," the good-timey side of the blues. Tamp°a was frequently accdmpaniedbv pianist Thomas A. "Georgia Tom" Dorsey, who soon forsook secular music forthe gospel world. Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, keyboardist Lerov Carr and plec-trist Scrapper Blackwell began their fortuitous recording relationship Therecord sales of both duos seemed to forecast big things to come. Then the bot-tom fell out for everybody. The Great Depression began.

The depression clobbered the record world, as the industry's annual sales fig-ures plummeted from 104 million in 1927 to an all-time low of 6 million by 1932The race field, which accounted for 5 percent of the total, was virtually wipedout. Columbia, which had been pressing an average of 11,000 copies of each ne»blues and gospel record in 1927, was down to pressing 400 copies by 1932. Par;of the slowdown was blamed on the proliferation of radio, because it offered freeentertainment at a time when few could afford phonograph records. But in theend, radio would turn out to be the industry's greatest benefactor

Needless to say, the depression caused industry chaos. Only Victor, the oldestand strongest company, came through intact. Some, like Paramount and Edisonfolded, never to be heard from again, while others kept their logos in the publiceye through merger, manipulation, takeover, and other complicated corporatewheeling and dealing. Columbia became an industry football, while a handful oflabels, including Brunswick, OKeh, and Vocalion, banded together under theaegis of the American Record Company (ARC). When the record business was re-juvinated after the depression, only three labels remained: Victor, the AmericanRecord Company (which CBS purchased in 1939, introducing the familiar red andgold "Columbia" logo), and Decca, which joined the fray in 1934. These wereTHE BIG THREE of the late thirties, and if they didn't do it. it didn't get done

KANSAS CITY AND CHICAGO BLUES: THE WAIL OF TWO CITIESNo two cities in the history of early rhythm and blues contributed as much ic>

the shape of post-war black music as the cities of Chicago (a blues town), amiKansas City, Missouri (a jazz town). During the thirties, each had viable musirscenes in which the blues played a major rote. It was how the musicians dealtwith the blues in these two places that led to the crucial changes in black popularmusic.

K.C. AND THE JAZZ BAND

The Southwest had a significant jazz scene of its own, stretching from Houstonand Dallas to Kansas City and Oklahoma Citv, and featured such hot units as thr

6 The K & B Book

jap Allen band from Tulsa, Terrence Holder from Dallas, Troy Floyd from SanAntonio, Alphonse Trent from Cleveland, and the George Morrison band fromDenver. The focal point for all this activity quickly centered in Kansas City, atown as wide open as Capones Chicago. There was no depression for the musi-cians who flocked there. The earliest bands were those of Jesse Stone, WalterPage, and Bennie Moten's (which featured a young pianist from Red Bank, N.J.named Count Basie, who eventually took over the outfit). These bands definedthe Kansas City jazz sound, to which the 12-bar blues was central.

The most significant ensemble in the jazz/blues development was Count Basic'sfeaturing Jimmy Rushing, a big man with a big voice. Together, "The Count" and"Mr. 5 x 5" played and popularized something that jazz devotees would call "BigBand Blues," but which rhythm and blues fans recognize as a very early form ofR & B called shouting blues. For in Kansas City, the Basie band was doing whathad originally been done just ten years earlier by other jazz musicians who hadbacked up female blues vocalists, in this respect. Kansas City jazz/blues wasactually a revival of the classic-blues of the early twenties, with two changes.Male vocalists were included, in fact were necessary, and instrumental accompa-niment was performed by full bands playing more complex arrangements - jazzas it sounded in 1935, not 1923. Listen to the Basie/Rushing classic "Sent For YouYesterday Here You Come Today" (1938). it's probably the definitive record ofthis genre, and was certainly the most popular. It should also be noted that theKansas City music of Count Basie was an above-ground sound in the late thirtiesas part of the swing era. But. what this special brand of swing/jazz/blues reallywas. was the natural blues all dressed up in the latest style.

Kansas City's astonishing importance to the post-war phenomenon calledrhythm and blues is revealed by checking the names of the K.C. musicians andvocalists from the mid-thirties. Besides the above-mentioned Count Basie andJimmy Rushing, there was Big Joe Turner (twenty years later, the "Boss of theBlues"): Helen Humes, who also sang with The Count: Julia Lee, who played inher brother George's band (and had her greatest popularity during the lateforties); and Oran "Hot Lips" Page, who played trumpet, sang, and whose earlySO's discs are much coveted by R & B collectors. And, there were more: JayMcShann (future vocalists: Walter Brown, Al Hibbler, and Jimmy Witherspoon);and Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy, who had the very first electric guitar in-

"strumental blues Kit'"Floyd's Guitar Bhies" featuring Floyd Smith • an importantfirst step in the growing alliance between the blues and the electric guitar, in itsway, Kansas City helped pave the way for the development of a modern, race-oriented jazz music (or a jazz-oriented race music).

CHICAGO BLUES

Unlike Kansas City where blues and jazz were synonymous, in Chicago the

blues was strictly race music. A strong influx of southern, black bluesmen fromdown-home regions like Mississippi brought their country blues sounds northintact, where they found a ready market among the southern migrants who hadalso flooded into the urban area seeking work. During the years immediatelyfollowing The Depression. Chicago became the major city for race music, withvirtually every significant race artist a resident of the Windy City.

Signs were there even before the twenties had ended. Artists like Tampa Redand Memphis Minnie had already put Chicago on the race music map. in fact.Paramount, the label with the greatest number of race issues during its fifteenyear existence, had studios there. By bringing their country blues artists to townto record, they helped establish Chicago as a blues town. Urban blues artists whoas often as not used piano (rather than guitar) regularly teamed with countryartists (who almost always used guitar), forming a unique combination that wastermed Chicago blues.

Lester Melrose, a white businessman with a taste for the blues, was theindividual primarily responsible for the growth of Chicago blues in the latethirties. After selling out his share of a music publishing operation in 1926, hestarted recording race artists like the Hokum Boys and Big Bill. After thedepression, he became a contract agent for the existing big three companies andended up providing them with practically all of their race talent. Besideshandling Big Bill and Tampa Red, he also controlled the interests of WashboardSam, Jazz Gillum, Walter Davis, Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Minnie.Roosevelt Sykes, and Johnny Temple, among others. He was the William Morrisof the blues.

Following the depression, Chicago blues dominated the race field, and theLester Melrose machine dominated Chicago blues. The result was a lot of fineblues, including many with the classic "Bluebird beat" but unfortunately this wasnot enough to return race music to the powerful position it enjoyed prior to thedepression.

Meanwhile, many black orchestras, black vocalists, and black vocal groupswere welcome members of the pop music establishment and had a giant mixedaudience which made the race field seem even smaller by comparison, in theAugust 14. 1937 issue of Billboard magazine, the following records by blackartists were listed as "best sellers" by their respective companies: "Public MelodyNo. 1 "-Louis Armstrong: "Merry-Go-Round Broke Down"-Jimmie Lunceford;"Deep In The Heart Of The South"-Ella Fitzgerald; "Caravan." "All God's ChildrenGot Rhythm," and "I've Got To Be A Rug Cutter"-all by Duke Ellington: "StompyJones"-~Barney Bigard; "Smarty"-Fats Waller; "Sailboat In The Moonlight'-BillieHoliday; and "You'll Never Go To Heaven"-Henry "Red" Allen; mixed in with hitsby Shep Fields, Russ Morgan, Tommy Dorsey, Sammy Kaye, and others. Nocomparable popularity of any race recordings was noted.

^REPRESENTATIVE RACE AND JAZZ RECORDS:

CRAZY BLUESMamie Smitlj (OKeh 4169)FARE THEE HONEY BLUESMamie Smith (OKeh 4194)THE JAZZ ME BLUES/EVERYBODY'S BLUESLucille Hegamin (Arto9045)

ARKANSAS BLUES/I'LL BE GOOD BUT I'LL BE LONESOMELucille Hegamin (Ario 9053)ARKANSAS BLUESMamie Smith (OKeh 4446)CRAZY BLUESMary Stafford (Columbia A-3365)

DOWN HOME BLUESEtnel Waters (Black Swan 2010)HE'S MY MAN (You'd Better Leave Him Alone)Lucille Hegamin (Arlo9058)HOW LONG, SWEET DADDY, HOW LONGAlberta Hunter (Black Swan 2008)MISSISSIPPI BLUESLucille Hegamin (Arto9105)TRIXIE'S BLUESTrixie Smith (Black Swan 2039)YOU CANT KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWNMamie Smith (OKeh 430S)

AGUHAVATIN' PAPALucille Hegamin (Cameo 270)DADDY BLUESAlbena Hunter (Paramount 12001)DOWN-HEARTED BLUESAlberta Hunter (Paramount 12005)

HE MAY BE YOUR MAN BUT HE COMES TOSEE ME SOMETIMESLucille Hegamin (Ar to 9129)

I'VE GOT TO COOL MY PUPPIES NOWLucille Hegamin (Paramount 20151)

MAMIE'S BLUES/ALABAMA BLUESMamie Smith (OKeh 4658)

MEAN DADDY BLUESMamie Smith (OKeh 4631)

MY MAN ROCKS ME (With One Steady Roll)Trixie Smith (Black Swan 14127)

STATE STREET BLUESLucille Hegamin {Paramount 20127)THAT DA DA STRAINEthel Waters (Black Swan 14120)

1323

ANY WOMAN'S BLUESIBLUE MONDAY BLUESIda Cox (Paramount 12053)ANY WOMAN'S BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 13001 -D)BABY WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia A-3B8B)BLEEDING HEARTED BLUESLucille Hegamin (Cameo 397)BLEEDING HEARTED BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia A-3936)DOWN-HEARTED BLUES/GULF COAST BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia A-3B44)EVERY WOMAN'S BLUESClara Smith (Columbia A-3943)FATHER PREPARE METMY LORD'S GONNA MOVE THIS WICKED RACENorfolk Jubilee Quartette (Paramount 1203S)GRAVEYARD DREAM BLUESIda Cox (Paramount 12044)I AIN'T GONNA GIVE NOBODY NONEO' THISJELLY ROLLMamie Smith (OKeh4752)

JAIL-HOUSE BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia A-4001)LADY LUCK BLUESMamie Smith (OKeh 4926)LOVELESS LOVE/I'M GOING AWAY TO WEAR YOU OFF MY MINDAlberta Hunter (Paramount 12019)MAMA'S GOT THE BLUESSara Martin (OKeh 8045)MAMA'S GOT THE BLUES/OUTSIDE OF THATBessie Smith (Columbia A-39QO)SAD AND LONELY BLUESViola McCoy (Vocation 14632)ST. LOUIS GALBessie Smith (Columbia 13Q05-D)SAVE YOUR MAN AND SATISFY YOUR SOULEdna Hicks (Columbia 14001-D)SUGAR BLUES/ACHIN' HEARTED BLUESSara Martin (OKehB041)T'AIN'T NOBODY'S BIZ-NESS IF I DOBessie Smith (Columbia A-3B9B)WAIT IN' FOR THE EVENIN' MAILLucille Hegamin (Cameo 343)WAITIN' FOR THE EVENIN' MAILClara Smith (Columbia 13002-D)WHO'LL GET IT WHEN I'M GONE?Ethel Waters (Black Swan 14155)YOU'VE GOT TO SEE MAMMA EV'RY NIGHT (OrYou Can't See Mamma At All)Mamie Smith (OKeh 4781)

BLEEDING HEARTED BLUESJames P. Johnson (Victor 19123)

CRAWDAD BLUESBennie Moten (OKeh B100)DIPPERMOUTH BLUESKing Oliver (Gennet5132)HIGH SOCIETY RAGKing Oliver {OKeh 4933)

KANSAS CITY MAN BLUES/WILD CAT BLUESClarence Williams (OKefi 4925)

The R & B Book 7

a

^REPRESENTATIVE RACE AlSJO JAZZ REC2QROS=1924

ATOZ3LUESButterbeans and Susie (OKefi8163)BARREL HOUSE BLUESfWALKING BLUESMa Ramey (Paramount 12082)BQ-WEAVIL SLUES/LAST MINUTE BLUESMa Rainey (Paramount 12080)CALDONIA BLUESSippieWallace (OKeh8144)CRYING HOLY UNTO THE LORD/EZEKIEL SAW OE WHEELNorfolk Jubilee Quartette (Paramount 12217)DEEP RIVER BLUESRosa Henderson (Banner 1452)GOOD TIME FLAT BLUESMaggie Jones (Columbia 14055-D)HATEFUL BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14023-D)I OONT KNOW AND I DON'T CARE BLUESTrixie Smith (Paramount 12208)I'M A PILGRIM/SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTNorfolk Jubilee Quartette (Paramount 12225)MAMA DOO SHEE BLUESIda Cox (Paramount 12085)MAMA'S GOME, GOOOBYE/BUZZIN' AROUNDViola McCoy (Banner 1357)MEAN PAPA TURN YOUR KEYClara Smith (Columbia 14022-D)

MOONSHINE BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14018-D)PAPA'S LAWDY LAWOY BLUES/AIRY MAN BLUESPapa Charlie Jackson (Paramount 12219)PLEADING SLUESSara Martin (OKeh8161)PRAYING 3LUESTrixie Smith (Paramount 12232)ROAMIN' BLUESSara Martin (OKeh3104)SALT WATER BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14037-D)SHORTY GEORGE BLUESSippie Wallace (OKeh3106)SOSBIN' HEARTED BLUESSara Martin (OKeh8172)STRUT YO'PUODYRosa Henderson (Ajax 17055)TICKET AGENT, EASE YOUR WINDOW DOWNBessie Smith (Columbia 14025-0)WEEPING WILLOW SLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14042-D)WEST INDIES BLUESClara Smith (Columbia 14019-D)WILD WOMEN OONT HAVE THE 3LUESIda Cox (Paramount 12223)YOU OON'T KNOW MY MINDVirginia Listen (OKeh 8115)YOU DONT KNOW MY MINDClara Smith (Columbia 14Q13-D)

COTTON PICKER'S BALLFletcher Henderson (Vocalion 14759)EVERYBODY LOVES MY BABYClarence Williams (OKen81B1)I CAN'T GET THE ONE I WANTFletcher Henderson (Banner 1384)MOBILE BLUESFletcher Henderson (Vocalion 14800)SOMEBODY STOLE MY GALFletcher Henderson (Columbia 126-D)

192S

ALLEY RAT BLUESClara Smith (Columbia 14104-D)ARMY CAMP HARMONY BLUES'EXPLAINING THE BLUESMa Rainey (Paramount 12264)BITTER FEELIN' BLUESJosie Miles (Banner 1498)

CARELESS LOVE BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14083-D)EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAYSippie Wallace (OKeh8205)GO BACK WHERE YOU STAYED LAST NIGHTEthel Waters (Columbia 14093-D)IT TAKES A TWO-TIME PAPA (To Make AOne-Time Mama Mad)Rosa Henderson (A|ax 17116)

LOUISIANA HOO OOO SLUESMa Rainey (Paramount 12290)MISERY BLUESIda Cox {Paramount 12258)MY MAN SLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14098-D)NEW GULF COAST BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14109 D)NOBODY KNOWS THE WAY I FEEL DIS MORNIN'Clara Smith (Columbia 14058-D)OLD FASHIONED SARA BLUESSara Martin (OKefi 8249)POOR ME BLUESSara Martin (OKeh 8226)RECKLESS BLUES/SOBBIN' HEARTED BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14056-0)RIDE JOCKEY RIDETrixie Smith (Paramount 12245)THE ST. LOUIS SLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14064-D)SALTY DOG BLUES/SALT LAKE CITY BLUESPapa Charlie Jackson (Paramount 12236)SEE SEE RIDER BLUESMa Rainey (Paramounl 12252)THE WORLD'S JAZZ CRAZY AND SO AM ITrixie Smith (Paramount 12262)THE YELLOW DOG BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14075-D)'YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD OLD WAGONBessie Smith (Columbia 14079-D)

ALABAMY BOUNDFletcher Henderson (Banner 1488)18TH STREET STRUTBennie Moten (OKeh 8242)MEMPHIS BOUNDFletcher Henderson (Vocalion 15030)SHE'S SWEETER THAN SUGAR/SOUTH ST. BLUESBennie Moten (QKehB2S5)SOUTHBennie Moten (OKeh 8194)SUGAR FOOT STOMPFletcher Henderson (Columbia 395-0)

1926

BABY DOLLBessie Smith (Columbia 14147-D)BLACK SNAKE BLUESMartha Copeland (Columbia 14161-D)BLACK SNAKE BLUESVictoria Spivey (OKeh 8338)BOOSTER BLUES/DRY SOUTHERN BLUESBlind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount 12347)DEATH MIGHT BE YOUR SANTA CLAUSRev. J.M. Gates (OKeh 8413)DEATH'S BLACK TRAIN IS COMINGRev. J.M. Gates (Columbia 14145-D)THE DOWNFALL OF NEBUCHADNEZZARRev. J.C. Burnett (Columbia 14166-D)EARLY MORNING BLUES/WEST COAST SLUESBlind Blake (Paramount 12387)FO' DAY BLUESiNEW PRISON SLUESPeg Leg Howell (Columbia 14177-D)GIN HOUSE BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14158-0)GO WASH IN THE JORDAN SEVEN TIMESRev. J.C. Burnett (Columbia 14173-D)HE LIKES IT SLOWTrixie Smith (Paramount 12336)HE TOOK MY SINS AWAY/CRYING TO THE LORDBirmingham Jubilee Singers (Columbia 14140-D)HOME IN THAT ROCK/00 YOU CALL THAT RELIGION?Birmingham Jubilee Singers (Columbia 14163-0)1 HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY, COME UNTOME AND RESTBiddleviile Quartet (Paramount 12396)I'M GONNA DIE WITH THE STAFF IN MY HANDRev. J.M. Gates (Columbia 14159-0)JACK O'DIAMOND BLUESBlind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount 12373)LONG LONESOME BLUESBlind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount 12354)LORD HELP ME/THE GOSPEL TRAIN IS LEAVINGRev. J.C. Burnett (Columbia 14180-D)LOVE ME LIKE YOU USED TO 00Trixie Smith (Paramount 12330)

PRATT CITY BLUESBertha "Chippie" Hill (OKeh 8420)SALTY DOG/MY BRAND NEW PAPAClara Smith (Columbia 14143-D)SKEEDLE LOO DOO BLUESWIESSIN' AROUNDBlind Blake (Paramount 12413)SOUTHBOUND TRAIN/BIRMINGHAM BOYSBirmingham Quartette (Columbia 14154-D)TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD/JUST BEYOND JORDANBlind Joe Taggart (Vocalion 1061)THAT BLACK SNAKE MOANBlind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount 12407)TROUBLE IN MIND/GEORGIA MANBertha "Chippie" Hill (OKeh83l2)

YONDER COME THE BLUES/STACK O'LEE BLUESMa Rainey (Paramount 12357)

BLACK BOTTOM STOMPJelly Roll Morton (Victor 20221)

EAST ST. LOUIS TOODLE-OODuke Ellington (Vocalion 1064)HEEBIE JEEBIES/MUSKRAT RAMBLELouis Armstrong (OKeh8300)HENDERSON STOMP *Fletcher Henderson (Columbia 817-0)THE KING OF THE ZULUS/LONESOME BLUESLouis Armstrong (OKeh 8396)LOVELESS LOVEFats Waller (Victor 20470)SMOKE HOUSE BLUESJelly Roll Morton (Victor 20296)SUGAR'SOOT STOMPKing Oliver {Vocalion 1033)

YES, I'M IN THE BAHREL7GUT BUCKET BLUESLouis Armstrong (QKen8261)

AFTER YOU'VE GONEBessie Smith (Columbia'14197'D)

ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BANDBessie Smith (Columbia 14219-D)

BACK WATER BLUES/PREACHIN' THE BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14195-D)

BARBECUE BLUES/CLOUDY SKY SLUESBarbecue Bob (Columbia 14205-D)BLACK DIAMOND EXPRESS TO HELL (1 & 2)Rev. A.W. Nix (Vocalion 1098)BLAKE'S WORRIED BLUES/TAMPA BOUNDBlind Blake (Paramount 12442)BROWN-SKIN GALBarbecue Bob (Columbia 14257-0)COAL MAN BLUESPeg Leg Howell (Columbia 14194-0)A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND*MEAN OLD BED BUG BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14250-D)THE GOSPEL TRAIN IS COMING/YOUR ENEMYCANNOT HARM YOU (But Watch Your Best Friend)Edward J. Clayborn (Vocalion 1082!IPS YOUR TIME NOW BUT MY TIME AFTER A WHILERev. J.C. Burnett (Columbia 14191-D)JIM JACKSON'S KANSAS CITY BLUES (132)Jim Jackson (Vocalion 1144)MATCHBOX BLUES/EASY RIDER BLUESBlind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount 12474)MEAN OLO BED BUG BLUESLizzie Miles (Banner 61 17)MISERY BLUESMa Rainey (Paramount 12508)MISSISSIPPI HEAVY WATER BLUESBarbecue Bob (Columbia 14222-D)MOANIN' AND GROANIN' BLUES/HOBO BLUESPeg Leg Howell (Columbia 14270-D)PRODIGAL SON/IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANEBiddleville Quartette (Paramount 12462)RABBIT FOOT BLUESBlind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount 12454)SEE THAT MY GRAVE IS KEPT CLEANBlind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount 12585)SEND ME TO THE 'LECTRIC CHAIRBessie Smith (Columbia 14209-D)SUN BRIMMER'S BLUES/STINGY WOMAN BLUESMemphis Jug Sand (Victor 20552)T.3. BLUESVictoria Spivey (OKeh 8494)

8 The R & B Book

'REPRESENTATIVE RACE AND JAZZ RECORDS:

1927 (c'td)

BILLY GOAT STOMPJelly Roll Morton (Victor 30772)

BLACK AND TAN FANTASIEDuke Ellington (OKeh8521)KANSAS CITY SHUFFLEBennie Moten (Victor 20485)

MR. JELLY LORD/WOLVERINE BLUESJelly Roll Morton (Victor 2106-1)

MOTEN STOMPBennie Moten (Victor 2095S)

POTATO HEAD BLUESLouis Armstrong (OKeh 8503)

SOME OF THESE DAYSFletcher Henderson (Vocation 1079)

WILD MAN BLUESLouis Armstrong (OKeh 8474)

WILLIE THE WEEPER/ALLIGATOR CRAWLLouis Armstrong (OKeh8482)

WILLIE THE WEEPER/BLACK SNAKE BLUESKing Oliver (Vocahon 1112)

BROWNSKIN MAMA BLUESfHEY HEY DADDY BLUESBlind Blake (Paramount 12606)

C.C. PILL BLUESBlind Blake (Paramount 12634)

COW COW BLUESCow Cow Davenport (Vocation 1198)

CREEP ALONG MOSES/DO YOU CALL THAT RELIGION?Bryant Jubilee Quartette (Gennett 6470)

DARK WAS THE NIGHT-COLD WAS THE GROUNDBlind Willie Johnson (Columbia 14303-D)

DOWNTOWN BLUES/BEDTIME BLUESFrank Stokes (Victor 21272)EMPTY BED BLUES (1 & 2)Bessie Smith (Columbia 14312-0)

FURNITURE MAN BLUES (1 & 2)Victoria Spivey (OKeh 8652)

GOIN' UP THE COUNTRYBarbecue Bob (Columbia 14316-D)HOT POTATOESBlind Blake (Paramount 12673)HOW LONG, HOW L'ONG BLUESLeroy Carr (Vocalion 1191)I WANT TO CROSSOVER TO SEE MY LORDNorfolk Jubilee Quartette (Paramount 12694)I WOULDN'T MIND DYING IF DYING WAS ALLNorfolk Jubilee Quartette (Paramount 12630)IF I HAD MY WAY I'D TEAR THE BUILDING DOWNBlind Willie Johnson (Columbia 14343-D)ITS TIGHT LIKE THATTampa Red/Georgia Tom (Vocalion 1216)

LOCK STEP BLUES/HANGMAN'S BLUESBlind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount 12679)MEAN OLD TRAIN BLUESLeroy Carr (Vocalion 1214)

MINGLEWOOD BLUESCannon's Jug Stompers (Victor 21267)SHOOTIN' STAR BLUESLizzie Miles (Banner 7025)SLOW AND EASY MANBessie Smith (Columbia 143B4-D)SPIDER MAN BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14324-D)TWO TONE STOMPLonnie Jonnson/Blind Willie Dunn (OKeh 8637)

WONDER WHERE IS THE GAMBLIN' MANNorfolk Jubilee Quartette (Paramount 12715)

CHERRYMcKinney's Cotton Pickers (Victor 21730)FOUR OR FIVE TIMESKing Oliver (Brunswick 4028)GEORGIA SWINGJelly Roll Morton (Victor 38024)I'M NOT ROUGHLouis Armstrong (OKeh 8551)KANSAS CITY STOMPJelly Roll Morton (Victor 38010)

KING PORTER STOMP/D NATURAL BLUESFletcher Henderson (Columbia 1543-D)A MONDAY DATELouis Armstrong (OKeh 8609)THE MOOCHEDuke Ellington (OKeh 8623)SOUTHBennie Moten (Victor 3B021)STRUTTIN' WITH SOME BARBECUELouis Armstrong (OKeh 8566)TAKE IT EAST/JUBILEE STOMPDuke Ellington (OKeh 41013)WEST END BLUES/FIREWORKSLouis Armstrong (OKeh 8597)

1929

CORRINE CORRINATampa Red/Georgia Tom (Vocalion 1450)THE DIRTY DOZENSSpeckled Red (Brunswick 7116)FAN ITFrankie "Half-Pint" Jackson (Vocalion 1257)HEAD RAG HOPRomeo Nelson (Vocalion 1447)HEY MAMA, IT'S TIGHT LIKE THATJim Jackson (Vocalion 1284)HONEY DRIPPER BLUESEdith Johnson (Paramount 12823)' I'M WILD ABOUT THAT THINGBessie Smith (Columbia 14427-D)INDIANA AVENUE STOMPMontana Taylor (Vocalion 1419)K.C. MOAN/MEMPHIS YO YO BLUESMemphis Jug Band (Victor 38558)LORD I JUST CANT KEEP FROM CRYINGBlind Willie Johnson (Columbia 14425-D)MAMA DONT ALLOW NO EASY RIDERS HERETampa Red/Georgia Tom (Vocalion 1429) •NAPTOWN BLUESLeroy Can- (Vocalion 1400)NOBODY KNOWS YOU WHEN YOU'REDOWN AND OUTBessie Smith (Columbia 14451-D)PINE TOP'S BOOGIE WOOGIEPine Top Smith (Vocalion 1245)PONY BLUESCharlie Ration (Paramount 12732)SCREAMIN' AND HOLLERIN BLUESCharlie Patton (Paramount 12805)SHADOW BLUESIvy Smith (Gennett 6B29)VIOLA LEE BLUESCannon's Jug Stompers (Victor 38523)WASTED LIFE BLUESBessie Smith (Columbia 14476-D)

AINTMISBEHAVIN'Fats Waller (Victor 22092)BASIN STREET BLUES/NOLouis Armstrong (OKeh 8630)BEAU KOO JACKEarl Mines (Victor 38043)(Wlrat Did I Do To Be So) BLACK AND BLUELouis Armstrong (OKeh 8714)CALL OF THE FREAKS/IT'S TIGHT LIKE THATLuis Russell (OKeh 8656)I CANT GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVELouis Armstrong (OKeh 8669)KANSAS CITY SQUABBLEBennie Moten (Victor 38091)MAHOGANY HALL STOMPLouis Armstrong (OKeh 8680)NEW CALL OF THE FREAKSLuis Russell (OKeh 8734)NEW ORLEANS BUMPJelly Roll Morton (Victor 38078)SATURDAY NIGHT FUNCTIONDuke Ellington (Victor 38036)SOME OF THESE DA YS/WHEN YOU'RE SMILINGLouis Armstrong (OKeh 871 7)TIGHT LIKE THIS/HEAR ME TALKIN' TO YALouis Armstrong (OKeh 8649)

BUMBLE BEE/I'M TALKING ABOUT YOUMemphis Minnie/Kansas joe (Vocalion 1486)HOWLING WOLF BLUES (1 * 2}"Funny Paper" Smith (Vocalion 155B)KILLING FLOOR BLUESKansas City Kitty/Georgia Tom (Vocalion 1565)

LOOSE LIKE THAT/BOOTLEGGER'S BLUESMississippi Sheiks (OKeh 8820)RAINY DAY BLUESLeroy Carr (Vocalion 1473)SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD/LONELY ONE IN THIS TOWNMississippi Sheiks (OKeh 8784)SOMEBODY'S BEEN USING THAT THINGFamous Hokum Boys (Banner 0712)STOP AND LISTEN BLUESMississippi Sheiks (OKeh 8807)TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD ANDLEAVE IT THEREBlind Willie Johnson (Columbia 14520-D)TRICKS AINT WALKING NO MORE/BLACK ANGEL BLUESLucille Bogan (Brunswick 7186)

AFTER YOU'VE GONE/ST. LOUIS BLUESLouis Armstrong (OKeh 41350}BABY, WONT YOU PLEASE COME HOMEMcKinney's Cotton Pickers (Victor 22511)BLUE TURNING GREY OVER YOULouis Armstrong (OKeh 41375)CHINATOWN, MY CHINATOWNFletcher Henderson (Columbia 2323-D)GETGOINGILIZALEEBennie Moten (Victor 23023)IF I COULD BE WITH YOU/CONFESSIN' (That I Lav* You)Louis Armstrong (OKeh 41448)IF I COULD BE WITH YOUMcKinney's Cotton Pickers (Victor 38118)MOOD INDIGODuke Ellington (Victor 22587)NEVER SWAT A FLYMcKinney's Cotton Pickers (Victor 23020)PANAMALuis Russell (OKeh 8849)ROCKIN' CHAIR/I AINT GOT NOBODYLouis Armstrong (OKeh 8756)SHAKE IT AND BREAK ITKing Oliver (Victor 23009)SWEET JENNIE LEECab Galloway (Banner 0847)THREE LITTLE WORDS/RING DEM BELLSDuke Ellington (Victor 22528)

1931

ANTS IN MY PANTS/RAM ROD DADDYBo Carter (OKeh 8897)C&ABLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Vocalion 1672)I'M SO GLADSkip James (Paramount 13098)LOW DOWN DOG BLUESLeroy Carr (Vocation 1605)MAMA'S ADVICEPeetie Wheatstraw (Vocalion 1620)ROOT MAN BLUES/CLOSE MADE PAPAKansas City Kitty/Georgia Tom (Vocalion 1600)SAME THING THE CATS FIGHT ABOUTBo Carter (OKeh 8858)SLOPPY DRUNK BLUES/ALLEY BOOGIELucille Bogan (Brunswick 7210)THING'S 'BOUT COMING MY WAYTampa Red (Vocalion 1637)

CHANT OF THE WEEDDon Redman (Brunswick 6211)FREAKISH BLUESLuis Russell (Victor 22815)HEEBIE JEEBIESChick Webb (Vocalion 1607)KICKIN' THE GONG AROUNDCab Calloway (Brunswick 6209)LIMEHOUSE BLUES/ECHOES OF THE JUNGLEDuke Ellington (Victor 22743)MINNIE THE MOOCHERCab Calloway (Brunswick 6074)ST. JAMES INFIRMARYCab Calloway (Brunswick 6105)SOME OF THESE DAYSCab Calloway (Brunswick 6020)SUGAR FOOT STOMP/CLARINET MARMALADEFletcher Henderson (Columbia 2513-D)TIGER RAGMills Bros. (Brunswick 6197)TWELFTH ST. RAGDuke Ellington (Brunswick 6038)YOU RASCAL YOU/WHEN IT'S SLEEPY TIME DOWN SOUTHLouis Armstrong (OKeh 41504)

The R & B Book 9

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; REPRESENTATIVE F5AGH AND *JAZZ RECORDS*

B AD BLUESBumble See Slim (Vocation 1720)FISHIN' SLUESMemphis Minnie (Vocalion 1711)LONG BLACK SMOKE 9LUESJoshua White (Banner 32527)MIDNIGHT HOUR BLUESLeroyCarr (Vocalion 1703)OUTDOOR BLUES/WHERE IS MY GOOD MANMemphis Minnie (Vocalion 1698)POLICE STATION BLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Vocalion 1722)

I GOT RHYTHMDon Redman (Brunswick 6354)IT DONT MEAN A THING (If It Ain't Got That Swing)Duke Ellington (Brunswick 6265)NAGASAKIDon Redman (Brunswick 6429)NEWTIGEHRAGLouis Armstrong (OKeh 41557)THE REEFER MANCab Galloway (Brunswick 6340)

1933

BLACK AND EVIL BLUESfLITTLE BROTHER BLUESJoshua White (Banner 32631)COLO COUNTRY BLUES (Lousy Dime Blues)Buddy Moss (Banner 32696)EVIL WOMANWalter Davis (Bluebird 5228)HIGH BROWN CHEATERJoshua White (Banner 32795)HOWLING WIND BLUESWalter Davis (Bluebird 5077}LOW COTTONJoshua White (Banner 32858)M £ O SLUESWalter Davis-jBluebird 5031)RED CROSS SLUES/YOU GONNA NEED MEWalter Roland (Banner 32822)TOO TOO TRAIN 8LUES/BULL COW BLUESBig Bill (Banner 32653)

HARLEM AFTER MIDNIGHTMills Blue Rhythm Band (Victor 24442)HARLEM CAMP MEETINGCab Galloway (Victor 24494)I'VE GOT THE WORLD ON A STRINGLouis Armstrong (Victor 24245)LONESOME NIGHTSfBLUE LOUBenny Carter (OKeh 41567)MOTEN'S SWINGBennleMoten (Victor 23384)NAGASAKI/ITS THE TALK OF THE TOWNFletcher Henderson (Columbia 2825-D)PRINCE OF WAILSBennieMoten (Victor 23393)HOSETTAEarl Mines (Brunswick 6541)SOPHISTICATED LADY/STORMY WEATHERDuke Ellington (Brunswick 6600)

1934.

BARRELHOUSE WOMANLeroyCarr (Vocation02791)BLACK GAL, WHAT MAKES YOUR HEAD SO HARDJoe Pullem (Bluebird 5459)BLUES BEFORE SUNRISELeroy Carr (Vocalion 02657)HARD HEADED WOMAN/SERVE IT TO ME RIGHTBig Bill (Banner 33314)HURRY DOWN SUNSHINELeroyCarr (Vocalion02741)LONG TALL MAMASMISTRUST1N' MAMA SLUESBig Bill (Banner 33085)MAN. MAN, MAN/LAST YEAR BLUESWalter Roland (Banner 33073)MILK COW SLUESKohomo Arnold (Decca 7026)NEW443LUESRoosevelt Sykes (Bluebird 5323)NOBODY'S BUSINESSBo Carter (Bluebird 5704)RAMSLIN' MIND SLUESTallahassee Tight (Banner 33246)RED CROSS MAN'NEW MUSCLE SHOALS BLUESBessie Jackson (Banner 33072)

BIG JOHN SPECIALFletcher Henderson (Decca 214)COCKTAILS FOR TWODuke Ellington (Victor 24617)DARKTOWN STRUTTER'S BALLLuis Russell (Melotone 13146)JAZZNOCRACYJimmie Lunceford (Victor 24522)JITTERBUG/TONC ABOUT MIDNIGHTCab Galloway (Victor 24592)LETS HAVE A JUBILEEMills Blue Rhythm Band (Columbia 2963-0)RUG CUTTER'S SWINGHenry Allen (Perfect 15994)SOLITUDE/MOONGLOWDuke Ellington (Brunswick 6987)STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOYChick Webb (Columbia 2926-D)SWEET GEORGIA BROWN/THAT'S A-PLENTYEarl Mines (Decca 182)WHITE HEATJimmie Lunceford (Victor 24568)ZAZZUHZAZCabCalloway (Victor 24557)

1935BIG BED BLUESBlind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 03123)DIRTY MOTHER FOR YOUMemphis Minnie (Decca 7048)QONT DOG YOUR WOMANTampa Red (Bluebird 5929)DRINKIN' MY BLUES AWAYTampa Red (Bluebird 6211)FATTENING FROGS FOR SNAKESLEMON SQUEEZING BLUESBumble Bee Slim (Vocalion 03005)FIFTY-FIFTY WITH MEBo Carter (Bluebird 6024)GOOD WHISKEY BLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Vocalion 02978)HEY, LAWDY MAMABumble Bee Slim (Oecca 7122)IN THE EVENING (When Tha Sun Goes Down)Leroy Carr (Bluebird 5877)KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OF HERBig Bill (Bluebird 6188)LOOKING FOR MY WOMANBlind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 02956)LOUISE LOUISE BLUESBig Bill (Vocalion 03075)MEAN TOM CATTampa Red (Bluebird 5878)MORE GOOD WHISKEY BLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Vocalion 03119)PLEASE WARM MY WIENERBo Carter (Bluebird 6058)POLICY DREAM BLUESBumble Bee Slim (Vocalion 03090)PUSSY CAT BLUES *Bo Carter (Vocalion 03091)SAIL ON, LITTLE GIRL, SAIL ONBumble Bee Slim (Vocalion 02865)SOMEBODY'S BEEN PLAYING WITH THAT THINGBlind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 03014)VICKSBURG SLUESLittle Brother (Bluebird 6072)

AVALON/SWANEE RIVERJimmie Lunceford (Decca 668)DON'T BE THAT WAYChick Webb (Decca 483)HARLEM HEATfTHERE*S RHYTHM IN HARLEMMills Blue Rhythm Band (Columbia 3071-D)HONEYSUCKLE ROSEFats Waller (Victor 24826)I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELFA LETTERFats Waller (Victor 25044)IN A SENTIMENTAL MOODDuke Ellington (Brunswick 7461)MISS OTIS REGRETS (She's Unable io Lunch Today)CabCalloway (Brunswick7504)OLD MAN MOSELouis Armstrong (Decca 622)RIDE, BED, RIDEMills Blue Rhythm Band (Columbia 3087-D)RIGAMAROLEWillie Bryant (Victor 25038)ROSETTAmODY AND SOULHenry Allen (Vocation 2965)RUNNIN' WILD/FOUR OR FIVE TIMESJimmie Lunceford (Decca 503)

SOMEBODY STOLE MY GALFats Waller (Victor 25194)TRUCKIN'Duke Ellington (Brunswick 7514)WHAT A LITTLE MOONLIGHT CAN DOTeddy Wilson (Voc: Billie Holiday) (Brunswick 7498)WHAPS THE REASON (I'm Not Pleasing You)Fats Waller (Victor 24889)WHOSE HONEY ARE YOUJROSETTAFats Waller (Victor 24892)

AFTER THE SUN'S GONE DOWNLeroy's Buddy (Decca 7179)BIG FOUR BLUESLeroy Carr (Vocalion 03349) ^BLUES AT MIDNIGHTWalter Davis (Bluebird 6228)DIRTY MOTHER FOR YOU/SHE LEFT ME COLD IN HANDThe Honey Dripper (Decca 7160)FALLING RAINWalter Davis (Bluebird 6410)GET 'EM FROM THE PEANUT MAN (Hot Nuts)Georgia White (Decca ?152)4HARD DRIVING MAN/UPSIDE DOWNBumble Bee Slim (Decca 7220)LET ME SQUEEZE YOUR LEMONBlind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 03302)LETS GET DRUNK AND TRUCKTampa Red (Bluebird 6353)MEAT CUTTER BLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Decca 7187)MISTREATED LOVE BLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Vocalion 03273)MY WOMAN MISTREATS MEBig Bill (Vocalion 031 70)RIDE MY MULEBo Carter (Bluebird 6315)SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GOBig Sill (Vocalion 03400)STOP TRUCKIN' AND SUSIE-Q . . .Tampa Red (Bluebird 6755)SWEET HONEY HOLEBlind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 03254)TERRAPLANE BLUESRobert Johnson (Vocalion 03410)TIRED OF YOUR LINE OF JIVBHOW LONG, BABY, HOW LONG

• Leroy's Buddy (Decca 7258)TROUBLE IN MINDGeorgia White (Decca 7192)TRUCKING MY BLUES AWAY No. 2Blind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 03324)WHEN I GET MY MONEYBumble Bee Slim (Vocalion 03410)WHO'S BEEN HERE SINCE I BEEN GONE?Leroy's Buddy (Decca 7233)YOU DONE LOST YOUR SWINGLeroy's Buddy (Decca 7194)YOU GOT ME WORRY iN-

Tampa Red (Bluebird 6532)

BROWN GALLil Armstrong (Decca 1092)CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUSFletcher Henderson (Vocalion3211)ECHOES OF HARLEMDuke Ellington (Brunswick 7650) -FROGGY BOTTOMAndy Kirk (Decca 729)ITS A SIN TO TELL A LIEFats Waller (Victor 25342)LOTTA SAX APPEALAndy Kirk (Decca 1046)THE MUSIC GOES ROUND AND ROUNDLouis Armstrong (Decca 685)MY BLUE HEAVENJimmie Lunceford (Decca 712)(This Is) MY LAST AFFAIRJimmie Lunceford (Decca 1035)NO REGRETSBillie Holiday {Vocalion 3276)OOH! LOOK A THERE, AINTSHE PRETTYFats Waller (Victor 25255)ORGAN GRINDER'S SWINGJimmie Lunceford (Decca 908)RED RHYTHMMills Blue Rhythm Band (Columbia 3135-D)UNTIL THE REAL THING COMES ALONGAndy Kirk (Decca 809)YOU TURNED THE TABLES ON METeddy Wilson (Brunswick 7736)

1O The H & B Book

^REPRESENTATIVE RACE AND JAZZ RECORDS:

1937 133S 1939

ANGEL CHILDWalter Davis (Bluebird 7064)BACK DOORWashboard Sam (Bluebird 7001)BLUEBIRD BLUESSonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird 7098)CROSS ROAD BLUESRobert Johnson (Vocalion 03519)CUT OUT BLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Vocalion 03444)EARLY IN THE MORNINGSonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird 7302)FROM FOUR UNTIL LATE/HELL HOUND ON MY TAILRobert Johnson (Vocalion 03S23)GOOD MORNING, SCHOOLGIRLSonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird 7059)I BELIEVE I'LL DUST MY BROOMRoBert Johnson (Vocalion 03475)ITS A LOW DOWN DIRTY SHAMEOllie Shepard (Decca 7384)JIVING MAN BLUES/I'M WISE TO YOUR SWEET LINE OF JIVELeroy's Buddy (Decca 7394)NEW LOUISE. LOUISE BLUESJohnnie Temple (Decca 7337)NIGHT TIME IS THE RIGHT TIMEThe Honey Dripper (Decca 7324)PEETIE WHEATSTRAW STOMPPeetie Wheatstraw (Decca 7292)ROSETTA BLUESRosetia Howard/Harlem Hamfats (Decca 7370)SHAKE 'EM ON DOWNBukka White (Vocalion 03711)STREAMLINE WOMANWalter Davis (Bluebird 7329)SWEET HOME CHICAGORobert Johnson (Vocalion 3601)THROW YOUR YAS YAS BACK IN JAILBlind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 03420)WRONG IDEATampa Red (Bluebird 7276)YOU TALK IN YOUR SLEEPCasey Bill (Vocalion 03437)

ANNIE LAURIEJimmie Luncetord (Decca 1569)BORN TO SWINGLil Armstrong (Decca 1299)CARAVAN/AZUREDuke Ellington (Master 131)CLOUDY ,Andy Kirk (Decca 1208)DIMINUENDO IN BLUE/CRESCENDO IN BLUEDuke Ellington (Brunswick 6004)FOR DANCERS ONLY/COQUETTEJimmie Lunceford (Decca 1340)I'VE GOT TO BE A RUG CUTTER/NEW EAST ST. LOUIS TOODLE-OODuke Ellington (Master 101)KEEPIN' OUT OF MISCHIEF NOWFats Waller (Victor 25618)LOCH LOMONDMaxine Sullivan (Vocalion 3654)MANHATTAN JAMCab Galloway (Variety 612)ME, MYSELF AND IBillie Holiday (Vocalion 3593)THE MEANEST THING YOU EVER DID WAS KISS MEFats Waller (Viclor 25536)THE MERRY-GO-ROUND BROKE DOWNJimmie Lunceford (Decca 1318)ONE IN A MILLIONFats Waller (Victor 25499)ONE O'CLOCK JUMPCount Basie (Decca 1363)PIANOLQGYEarl Mines (Vocalion 3501)RHYTHM JAMMills Blue Rhythm Band (Variety 546)HOCK IT FOR MEChick Webb (Decca 1586)ROSEROOMFletcher Henderson (Vocalion 3511)SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREETLouis Armstrong (Decca 1560)SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREETLionel Hamplon (Victor 25592)WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOPAndyKnK (Decca 1303)YOU SHOWED ME THE WAYChick Webb (Decca 1220)

BIG LEG WOMANJohnnie Temple {Decca 7547)BLUEBIRD BLUES. PART 2Sonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird 7979)BROWN SKIN WOMANOllie Shepard (Decca 7448)BUCKETS GOT A HOLE IN ITWashboard Sam (Bluebird 7906)DONT YOU MAKE ME HIGHBlue Lou Barker (Decca 7506)DONT YOU MAKE ME HIGHYas Yas Girl (Vocalion 04455)GET YOUR YAS YAS OUTBlind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 04519)GONEBoots and his Buddies (Bluebird 7596)GOOD OLD 51 HIGHWAYJazzGillum (Bluebird 7718)HIGHWAY 51 BLUESCurtis Jones (Vocalion 03990)LOVE WITH A FEELINGTampa Red (Bluebird 7822!MISTAKE IN LIFEThe Honey Dripper (Decca 7438)NEW SAIL ON LITTLE GIRLJazzGillum (Bluebird 7524)NEW SHAKE 'EM ON DOWNBig Bill (Vocalion 04149)OL* MAN MOSEYas Yas Girl (Vocalion 04545)PHANTOM BLACK SNAKEWashboard Sam (Bluebird 7601)REEFER HEAD WOMANJazzGillum (Bluebird7615)ROCK IT IN RHYTHMTampa Red (Bluebird 7743)SATURDAY NIGHT BLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Decca 7498)SHAKE 'EM ON DOWNBo Carter (Bluebird 7927)SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GOWashboard Sam (Bluebird 7403)THE TRAIN IS COMINGiDOWN ON MY KNEESThe Honey Dripper (Decca 7483)TRUCKING LITTLE WOMANBig Bill (Vocalion 04205)WE GONNA GET HIGH TOGETHERTampa Red (Bluebird 7538)WHAT IS THAT SMELL LIKE GRAVYJohnnie Temple (Decca 7456)

EASY RIDERErsKine Hawkins (Bluebird 10029)ECHOES OF HARLEMCootie Williams (Vocalion 3960)EVERY TUBCount Basie (Decca 1728)FDR JONESCab Galloway (Vocalion 4498)FLAT FOOT FLOOGIESlim and Slam (Vocalion 4021)I LET A SONG GO OUT OF MY HEARTDuke Ellington (Brunswick 6108)I'M IN THE MOOD FOR SWINGLionel Hampton (Victor 26011)THE JEEP IS JUMPINGJohnny Hodges (Vocalion 4386)JEEP'S BLUESJohnny Hodges (Vocalion 4115)JUMPIN' AT THE WOODSIDECount Basie (Decca 2212)KING PORTER STOMPErskine Hawkins (Bluebird 7839)MARGIEJimmie Lunceford (Decca 1617)MESS-A-STQMPAndy Kirk (Decca 2204)NEW BLACK AND TAN FANTASYDuke Ellington (Brunswick 8063)SENT FOR YOU YESTERDAYHERE YOU COME TODAYCouni Basie (Decca 1880)A-TISKETA-TASKETChick Webb/Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 1840)TUTTI-FRUTTISlim and Slam (Vocalion 4225)TWO SLEEPY PEOPLEFats Waller (Bluebird 10000)UNDECIDEDJohnKirby (Decea2216)VOL VISTU GAILY STAR/JUMP SESSIONSlim and Slam (Vocalion 4346)

BAD LUCK BLUESSonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird 8265)BIG FOUR BLUESWalter Davis (Bluebird 8261}DIGGING MY POTATOESWashboard Sam (Bluebird 8211)EASY WAY BLUESPeetie Wheatstraw (Decca 7641)FIGHTING LITTLE ROOSTER/OH YESBig Bill (Vocalion 05205)GOODSUZIEJohnnie Temple (Decca 7643)HAVE YOU SEEN IDA B/44 BLUESThe Honey Dripper (Decca 7586)I WANT JESUS TO WALK AROUND MY BEDSIDESelah Jubilee Singers (Decca 7607)I WANT SOME OF YOUR PIEBlind Boy Fuller (Vocalion 05030)I'M TIRED OF FATTENING FROGS FOR SNAKESRosetta Crawford (Decca 7584)INSURANCE MAN BLUESSonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird 8034)JUST A DREAM/BABY I DONE GOT WISEBig Bill (Vocalion 04706)LOVE IN VAIN BLUESRobert Johnson (Vocalion 04630)PLEASE DONT THROW ME DOWNTampa Red (Bluebird 8179)SUGAR WOMAN BLUESOllie Shepard (Decca 7602)SUSPICIOUS BLUES/I'LL BE UP SOMEDAYWashboard Sam (Bluebird 8076)TAKE MY HAND, PRECIOUS LORDSelah Jubilee Singers (Decca 7598)TRAVELING SHOESSelah Jubilee Singers (Decca 7628)UP TODAY AND DOWN TOMORROWJohnnie Temple (Decca 7632)YOU CANT SELL 'EM IN HEREBig Bill (Vocalion 04829)

ADDRESS UNKNOWNInk Spots (Decca 2707)BABY WONT YOU PLEASE COME HOMEJimmie Lunceford (Vocalion 4667)BLAME IT ON MY LAST AFFAIRCount Basie (Decca 2284)BODY AND SOULColeman Hawkins (Bluebird 10523)CHERRYREDJoe Turner/Pete Johnson (Vocalion 4997)FLOYD'S GUITAR BLUESAndy Kirk (Decca 2483)HOLD TIGHT (Want Some Seafood Mama)Fats Waller (Bluebird 10116)HONEY HUSH/YOU MEET THE NICEST PEOPLE IN YOUR DREAMSFats Waller (Bluebird 10346)I WANT THE WAITER (With The Water)Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 2628)IFIDIDNTCAREInk Spots (Decca 2286)JIVE AT FIVECount Basie (Decca 2922)THE JUMPIN'JIVECab Galloway (Vocalion 5005)THE JUMPIN'JIVELionel Hampton (Victor 26304)JUST FOR A THRILL/IT'S FUNNY TO EVERYONE BUT MEInk Spots (Decca 2507)LESTER LEAPS IN/DICKIPS DREAMCount Basie's Kansas City Seven (Vocalion 5118)MY PRAYERInk Spots (Decca 2790)FANASSIE STOMP/DO YOU WANNA JUMP CHILDRENCount Basie (Decca 2224)RIDIN'ANDJIVIN'Earl Hines (Bluebird 10351)ROYAL GARDEN BLUES/BLUE SKIESJohn Kirby (Vocalion 5167)SCANDAL IN A FLATBenny Carter (Vocalion 5112)TAINT WHAT YOU DO (It's The Way That You Do It)Jimmie Lunceford (Vocalion 4582)WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING INLouis Armstrong (Decca 2230)WIZZINGTHEWIZZLionel Hampton (Victor 26233)YOUR FEETS TOO BIGFats Waller (Bluebird 10500)

The R&B Book 11

The record industry was smiling in 1940. Swing was king, and juke boxes,motion pictures, and radio all helped catapult record sales close to the 100million mark. As the industry prospered, so did black music. The Big Three con-tinued to look to black music to provide hefty sales in the white communitythrough name jazz artists, and in the black sector via race and jazz stars.

Victor-Bluebird entered the forties in excellent shape, with a line-up featuringFats Waller, Erskine Hawkins, Lionel Hampton, Earl Hines. Coleman Hawkins,and Duke Ellington. While Victor's race catalog was relatively small, it tooclaimed a respectable share of what seemed to be a shrinking commercial idiom.Newcomers Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup. Lil Green. Memphis Slim. Big Maceo, andSt. Louis Jimmy joined a roster that already included Tampa Bed, WashboardSam. and Walter Davis. Though quantity was down, quality was up. Witness suchBluebird classics of the early forties as "Going Down Slow," "Key To TheHighway." "Romance In The Dark," "Why Don't You Do Right?" and "WorriedLife Blues."

Victor's arch-rival Columbia-OKeh did quite well with a catalog inherited fromthe American Record Company, which included such jazz luminaries as CountBasie, Slim Gaillard, Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson, and JimmieLunceford, and race favorites Big Bill, Blind Boy Fuller, Memphis Minnie, andBrownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, as well as newly signed Roosevelt Sykes andChampion Jack Dupree. Also included were the "pop" vocal groups theCharioteers and the Golden Gate Quartet.

Meanwhile. Decca had already signed to its impressive roster most of the actsthat would make it the decade's top label for commercial black music. AlthoughDecca maintained a special series for race material (as did Victor and Columbia),the label occasionally displayed a more progressive attitude toward black music.Race artists like Leroy's Buddy, Georgia White. Johnny Temple, and OllieShepard were listed in the label's race catalog alongside jazz-oriented artists likeSkeets Tolbert and His Gentlemen of Swing. Louis Jordan and his Tympani Five.Buddy Johnson's big band, and the King Cole Trio. Decca also sought to providehotter instrumentation for some of their top blues artists. For instance, theybacked Johnny Temple with a jazz combo including Buster Bailey (clarinet) andHenry Allen (trumpet) on "My Pony," and Peetie Wheatstraw with anaccompaniment by Jonah Jones (trumpet), Lil Armstrong (piano), and Sid Catlett(drums) on "Pocket Knife Blues." in addition, Decca's strong pop catalog listed EllaFitzgerald, Andy Kirk, the Mills Brothers, and the label's latest superstars, the InkSpots.

The ink Spots vocal quartet, easily identified by tenor Bill Kenny'and baritoneHoppy Jones, became the darlings of the record buying public and scored hitafter hit, starting with their million-seller "If 1 Didn't Care" in 1939. The Ink Spotsjoined the ranks of the label's top pop acts, Bing Crosby. Jimmy Dorsey and theAndrews Sisters, and went on to become the top male vocal group of the decade,thus providing considerable impetus to the post-war, black, vocal groupexplosion.

REPRESENTATIVE RECORDS

BODY AND SOULBillie Holiday (OKeh 5481)

BOOG-ITCab Calloway (OKeh 5444)

BOOGIE WOOGIE ON ST. LOUIS SLUESEarl Mines (Bluebird 10674)

BOTTLE IT UP AND GOTommy McClennan (Bluebird 8373)

CENTRAL AVENUE BREAKDOWN/JACK THE BELLBOYLionel Hampton (Victor 25652)

CHAIN GANG BLUESChampion Jack Dupree (OKeh 05656)

A CHICKEN AINT NOTHIN' BUT A BIRD • 1Louis Jordan (Decca 8501)

DEEP FORESTEarl Hines (Bluebird 10727)

DIGGING MY POTATOES No. 2Washboard Sam {Bluebird 8554)

DOLEMITEErskine Hawkins (Bluebird 10812)

DOWN AND OUTWalter Davis (Bluebird 8367)

FIVE O'CLOCK WHISTLE - 2Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 3420)

FIVE O'CLOCK WHISTLEErskine Hawkins (Bluebird 10854)

FLYING HOMELionel Hampton (Victor 2659S)

I MISS YOU SOCats and the Fiddle (Bluebird 8429)

I WANT A LITTLE GIRL-3Count Basie (OKeh 5773)

I'LL NEVER SMILE AGAINInk Spots (Decca 3346)

I'VE BEEN OEALIN- WITH THE DEVILSonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird 8580)

rr HURTS ME TOOTampa Red (Bluebird 8635)

JUNCTION BLUESErskine Hawkins (Bluebird 10790)

KEY TO THE HIGHWAYJazz Gillum (Bluebird 8529)

LEAD ME TO THAT ROCK/I WANT JESUS TO BE AROUNDMitchell's Christian Singers (OKeh 0594B)

MEMORIES OF YOUInk Spots (Decca 2966)

NEW HIGHWAY No. 51Tommy McClennan (Bluebird 8499)

NEW ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLUESLeroy's Buddy (Decca 7760)

NIGHT HOPBenny Carter (Decca 3294)

POMPTON TURNPIKE '<Louis Jordan (Decca 8500)

ROMANCE IN THE DARK .Lil Green (Bluebird 8524)

ROOT MAN BLUESWalter Davis (Bluebird 8490)

SLOW FREIGHTBenny Carter (Vocalion 5399)

SO LONGCharioteers (Columbia 35424)

STEP IT UP AND GOBlind Boy Fuller (OKeh 05476)

STOP PRETENDING (So Hep You See)Ink Spots (Decca 3288)

STOP PRETENDING (So Hip You Sea) • 4Buddy Johnson (Decca 7684)

STRANGE FRUITBillie Holiday (Commodore 526)

SWINGIN' ON C .Jimmie Lunceford (Columbia 35725)

'TUXEDO JUNCTIONErskine Hawkins (Bluebird 10409)

WE THREE (My Echo, My Shadowand Me)Ink Spots (Decca 3379)

WHAT IS THAT SHE GOT?Big Bill (OKeh 05601)

WHEN THE SWALLOWS COME BACK TOCAPISTRANOInk Spots (Decca 3195)

WHISPERING GRASS (Don't TellThe Trees)/MAYBEInk Spots (Decca 3258)

BRIEFLY

Celle Burke's "When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano." written andproduced by Leon Rene, ended up on both Varsity and Decca. Although it didvery little for Celle Burke, it made lots of dough for Rene via cover versions bythe Ink Spots who reached No. 4 on Billboard's pop top ten. and Glenn Miller,whose version hit No. 10...Buddy Johnson got off to an auspicious start with hisfirst Decca platter "Stop Pretending (So Hip You Seel." The tune drew coversfrom the Ink Spots and from swing bands Tommy Reynolds (OKeh) and BobbyBvrne (Deccal.

NOTES

1-and His Tympani Five (allDeccas except Nos. 27634.27784,278061 and Alaanins

2-ana Her Famous Orchestra3-V: Jimmy Rustling4-V: Buddy Johnson/Mack Sisters

12 The R & B Book

Race music started to come back, but at the expense of down-home blues. Infact, the resurgence of the race idiom was due to the increasing popularity ofjazzier blues records in the ghettos of the northern cities and the rural sectionsof the deep south. This demand was met rather easily, because the desire of mostwhite and black musicians since the advent of the swing era had been to createhotter commercial sounds. Consequently, mainstream jazz artists were edgingout blues purveyors even in rural Mississippi. This point is driven home by thefollowing quote which appeared in Mike Howe's Chicago Breakdown:

'In his fascinating research into Library of Congress material Tony Russell un-covered a listing of the records on the Clarksdale (Miss.I jukeboxes of September1941 and out of 108 listings from five jukes - Messenger's Cafe, the ChickenShack, the Dipsy Doodle, Lucky's and the New Africa - only about 20 werestrictly blues. The most popular artists, found on every box. were Count Basie.FJIS \Valler. Lif Green. Louis Jordan and Waller Davis. Overall there were tworecords bv Big Bill, one each by Jazz Gillum. Washboard Sam. Sonny BoyWilliamson and Peette Wheatstraw and • the only items which could beconsidered country blues - one by Blind Boy Fuller (Good Feeling Blues) and thesole example o( the local tradition. Tommy McLennan s Whiskey Head Man.'...."

This is a vivid example of the shift in taste of the black population towardmusic that was essentially jazz/blues. At the top of the list were Big Joe Turnerand Jay McShann, both of whom continued to produce neo-classic blues soundslike those popularized by the Count Basie organization. Jay McShann's••Confessin' The Blues" (which featured vocalist Walter Brownl was the first hit inthe jazz/blues idiom to be considered a race record.

Of course, the boogie-woogie craze which reached epidemic proportions in theearly forties furthered the cause of hot race music. It was not unusual to find re-issued pressings of Speckled Red's "The Dirty Dozens" and Romeo Nelson's "HeadRag Hop" mixed in with Will Bradley's "Beat Me Daddy. Eight To The Bar" and"Down The Road A Piece" in the record collections of the era's white jitterbugs.And. other masters of boogie-woogie like Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson alsofound a new. massive, white audience.

One thing that will become clear as the forties unfolds is the paramountimportance of jazz figures to the creation of rhythm and blues. They were theones who were the vital link between the jazz era and the R &, R;rock and rollera. Some were in action with name bands: Cootie Williams with Duke Ellington.Jack McV'ea with Lionel Hampton, and Billy Ecksu'ne with Earl Hines. to name buta few. There were also a number of future R &. B personalities whose experiencewas gained with lesser known jazz bands and whose popularity would easilyeclipse that of the bands they were formerly associated with. For instance, tenorsaxman Hal Singer and drummer johnny Otis were one-time members of LloydHunter's Serenaders, an unheralded outfit from the Omaha area. Other territorybands also had their share of noted personnel. Included among these were theTexas area bands of Don Albert (Uoyd Glenn-'34, Jimmy Forrest-'38, andAnnisteen Allen-'391. Milto$ Larkins (Eddie Vinson. Arnett Cobb-'36. IllinoisJacquet. and T-Bone Walker-'39l, Terrenee Holder (Jesse Stone-'29. Buddy Tate,Earl Bostic, and Lloyd Glenjf'301. and the Omaha-based Nat Towles organization(Preston Love. Hal Singer-'42, and Noble Watts-'SOl. Los Angeles was a hot areafor Curtis Moshy (Les Kite-'28. Celle Burke-'30. and Red Saunders-'33l. CharlieEchols (Peppy Prince, Jim Wynn-'31, Jack McVea. Lorenzo, and Otis Flennoy-'33l,and Sammy Franklin's Rhythm Rascals (with whom Joe Liggins spent time in thethirties!

Few territory bands could count on the crucial help of radio and recordsbecause theif. tours managed to avoid New York and Chicago, the nation's topmedia centers Thus they failed to reach a national audience. Although manywere probably the equal of big name bands, who knew? They were just in thewrong place most of the time. One bandleader who finally did gain nationalattention was Ernie Fields, whose rock and roll remake of "In The Mood" broughthim a measure of fame in 1959, nearly thirty years after he started. Among themembers of Ernie's early Texas-based outfits were Roy Milton-'31, Rene Hall-'33,Hal Singer-'41. King Kolax-'42, and Warren Lucky-'44.

AFTER HOURS-;Erskine Hawkins (Bluebird 10B79)

ALL THAT MEAT AND NO POTATOESFals Waller (Bluebitd 11102)

CITY CALLED HEAVENUna Mae Carlisle (Bluebird 11271)

CONFESSIN' THE BLUES/HOOTIEBLUES 2Jay McShann (Decca 8559)

CORRINE, CORRINAJoe Turner/Ari Tatum (Decca 8563)

DIG THESE BLUESFour Clefs (Bluebird 8655)

DRY BONESDelta Rhythm Boys (Decca 6522)

DUPREE SHAKE DANCEChampion Jack Dupree (OKeh OE104)

ELMER'S TUNECharioteers (OKeh 6390)

FLAMINGO • 3Duke Ellington (Victor 27326)

•41 BLUESPeter Cleighton (OKeh 06375)

GOD BLESS THE CHILDBMlie Holiday (OKeh 6270)

GOING DOWN SLOWSt. Louis Jimmy (Bluebird B889)

.GOIN' TO CHICAGQ.BLUES 1Count Basie (OKeh 6244)

I DQNT WANT TO SET THE WORLDON FIREInk Spots (Decca 3987)

I FEEL MY TIME AINT LONGSelah Jubilee Singers (Decca 7847)

I SEE A MILLION PEOPLE (ButAll I Can See Is You)Una Mae Carlisle (Bluebird 11181)

IF I GET LUCKYArthur "Big Boy" Crudup (Bluebird 8858)

JAVA JIVEIDOI WORRY?Ink Spots (Decca 3432)

4ELLY,JELLY-5Earl Hines (Bluebird 11065)

JUMP FOR JOY-6Duke Ellington (Victor 27517)

KEY TO THE HIGHWAYBig Bill (OKeh 06242)

KNOCKIN'MYSELF OUTLil Green (Bluebird 8659)

ME AND MY CHAUFFEUR BLUESMemphis Minnie (OKeh 06288)

PINEY BROWN BLUES • 7Joe Turner (Decca 18121)

PLEASE. MISTER JOHNSON - BBuddy Johnson(Decca 8507)

RING, TELEPHONE, RING/PLEASE TAKE A LETTER, MISS BROWNInk Spots (Decca 3626)

ROLL'EM PETE-9Joe Turner/Pete Johnson (Columbia 35959)

SAXA-WOOGIELouis Jordan (Decca 8560)

SOUTHERN EXPOSURE/TROYON SWINGBuddy Johnson (Decca 8562)

SWEET LORRAINEKing Cole Trio (Decca 8520)

TAKE A LITTLE WALK WITH MERobert Lockwood (Bluebird 8820)

TAKE THE "A" TRAINDuke Ellington (Victor 27380)

THERE'LL BE SOME CHANGES MADEUna Mae Carlisle (Bluebird 11036)

UNTIL THE REAL THING COMES ALONGInk Spots (Decca 3958)

WALKIN' BY THE RIVERUna Mae Carlisle (Bluebird 11033)

WE'LL MEET AGAINInk Spots (Decca 3656)

WEE BABY BLUESJoe Turner/Art Tatum (Decca 8526)

WHEN I BEEN DRINKINGBig Bill (OKeh 06303)

WHY DONT YOU DO RIGHT?Lil Green (Bluebird 8714)

WORRIED LIFE BLUESBig Maceo (Bluebird 8827)

NOTES

1-Fea*. Avery Parrish. piano soloZ-V: Walter Brown (1,2)

Charlie Parker's first recording (1.2)3-ana His Famous Orchestra (all

Victor issues)V: Herb Jeffries

4-V: Jimmy RushingS-V: Billy Edistine(nen>e

often appears as Eckstein onHines' Bluebird issues)

e-V: Herb Jeffries7-antf His Fly Cats6-V: Ella Johnson9-Reissue of Vocation No. 4607C39)

BRIEFLY

It was a very big year for pianist/vocaiist/composer Una Mae Carlisle (she wasFats Waller's protege), thanks to her hot decks "Walkin' By The River" and "I SeeA Million People"...In the pop world, Tommy Dorsey's gospel-swing fusion "YesIndeed" (composed by arranger Sy Oliver) spent fourteen weeks on Billboard's•Top Ten Best Selling Singles" list and reached No. 4. The cut featured a vocalduet between Oliver and thrush Jo Stafford...Billy Eckstine drew raves for hisvocal performance on Earl Hines' "Jelly, Jelly."

The H & B Book 13

A number of events, both in and out of music, affected the record industry in1942. On the outside, the most important and far-reaching was the Second WorldWar and the problems it forced on the industry. First, big name swing bands fellinto disarray as key personnel were drafted, causing leaders to raid other bandsfor replacements. Secondly, the war caused shellac shortages, limiting theamount of records that could be pressed. And, thirdly, gas rationing curtailedlive performances by hindering bands' travel plans and diminishing fanattendance.

But, as destructive as the war was, an American Federation of Musicians strikecalled on July 31 added the final blow to the record industry's already escalatingwoes. Union members, which included just about every working musician, werenot allowed to record for the duration of the strike.

It wasn't all bad news, however. On October 24. Billboard magazine, the mostinfluential record biz trade paper, inaugurated its "Harlem Hit Parade " This wasthe first time that the popularity of records within the black communiiv hadbeen measured by a trade journal. The list of records selling to blacks isrevelatory. Duke Ellington, the Ink Spots. Earl Mines. Cab Calloway. JimmieLunceford. and others who were more in line with swing/jazz than blues/racewere the dominant figures. It is also interesting to note the appearance of PaulWhiteman on the Harlem chart, by virtue of "Trav'lin' Light," which featured aclassic performance from Billie Holiday using the name "Lady Day."

Aside from the established names that filled the "Harlem Hit Parade," a relativenewcomer, Louis Jordan, would prove to be a catalvst for musical change. Louis,who learned his trade with Chick Webb's orchestra during the late thirties,played an exuberant brand of jazz, using boogie-woogie rhythms and nils, andalthough his combo was only one third the size of the normal big band, there wasno sacrifice in excitement. His Tympani Five swung! Their arrangements wereshort, sweet, and snappy. Louis was his own vocalist, and an excellent one atthat, capable of singing the niftiest of novelties or tearing off a solid blues tune.Like other race artists with a jazz background, his records had tremendousappeal across racial lines, many of his hits becoming giant pop sellers as well asperennial ghetto favorites. The single that really kicked it off was the double-sided smash 'Knock Me A Kiss" b/w 'I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town."Interestingly enough. Louis was cataloged as a "sepia" artist (Decca's way of say-ing "race"), and thev covered "Outskirts Of Town" with Jimmie Lunceford. whowas presumed to have a larger while following. Both versions ended up selling toa mixed audience.

Another hot Decca artist whose swing-oriented records scored directly withblack audiences was Lucky Millinder and his big band, which included suchmusicians as Bill Doggett (piano), Panama Francis (drums). Dizzy (iillespie(trumpet), and Tab Smith (alto sax). Lucky had been around since the earlythirties, when he fronted the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. During the forties, he hada succession of top-notch vocalists including Trevor Bacon. Bosetta Tharpe.VVynonie Harris. Annisteen Allen. Bull Moose Jackson, and Big John Greer. LikeLouis Jordan, his records also enjoyed substantial crossover success.

Meanwhile, the seeds of an avant-garde movement in jazz were being planted.It would be called "bop" and its leading exponents IDiz. Monk, Bird, etc.) werequietly working out in small jam sessions at places like Minion's Play House inNew York City. During these early experimental years, little was being recordeddue to the strike, but the die was cast for jazz-art to take precedence over jazz-fun. Indeed, the "fun" seemed more and more to be taking place on the racenovelties that Louis Jordan and Lucky Millinder were presenting. Meanwhile, the"Harlem Hit Parade" detailed the mix of black musical interest that would shortlybecome known as rhvthm and blues.

REPRESENTATIVE RECORDSBABY, PLEASE OONT GOBig Joe Williams (Bluebird 8969)

BLUES IN THE NIGHT (My MamaDone Tol'Ma) ?Cab Galloway (OKeti 6422)

BLUES IN THE NIGHT (My MamaDone Tor Me»(1 a 2)Jimmie Lunceford (Decca 4125)

"C" BLUESBarney Bigard (Bluebird 11581)

THE "C" JAM BLUESDuke Ellington (Victor 27856)

DON'T TELL A LIE ABOUT ME, DEAR(And I Won't Tell The TruthAbout You)Ink Spots (Decca 18383)

EASY STREET - 2Jimmie Lunceford (Decca 18534)

EV'RY NIGHT ABOUT THIS TIMEInk Spots (Decca 18461)

THE FOUR CLEFS WOOGIE - 3Four Clefs (Bluebird 11587)

GIVE ME A 32-20Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (Bluebird 9019)

GONNA HIT THE HIGHWAYWashboard Sam (Bluebird 8997)

HAYFOOT-STRAWFOOT - 4Duke Ellington (Victor 20-1505)

HE'S A JELLY-ROLL BAKERLonnie Johnson (Bluebird 9006)

I FEEL SO GOODBig Bill (OKeh 06688)

I GOT IT BAD AND THATAINTGOOD-SDuke Ellington (Victor 27531)

I GOT IT BAD AND THATAIN'T GOOD 6Earl Mines (Bluebird 11374)

I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU ON THE OUTSKIRTS OFTOWN/ITS A LOW DOWN DIRTY SHAMELouis Jordan (Decca 8638)

I'M GONNA MOVE TO THE OUTSKIRTS OFTOWNBig Bill/Chicago Five (OKeh 06651)

I'M GONNA MOVE TO THE OUTSKIRTS OFTOWN/KNOCK ME A KISSLouis Jordan (Decca 8593)

I'M GONNA MOVE TO THE OUTSKIRTS OFTOWN - 7Jimmie Lunceford (Decca 18324)

IT HAD TO BE YOUJimmie Lunceford (Decca 18SQ4)

THE JITTERBUG WALTZFats Waller (Bluebird 11518)

KEEP YOUR HAND ON YOUR HEARTLit Green (Bluebird 8949)

LETS BEFRIENDSLil Green (Bluebird 8895)

MAMA MAMA BLUES*SMALL TOWN BOYLouis Jordan (Decca 8627)

MR. FIVE BY FIVE • 8 '•Freddie Slack (Capitol 115)

PERDIDODuke Ellington (Victor 27880)

PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THEAMMUNITIONRoyal Harmony Quartet (Keynote 101)

PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THEAMMUNITIONSouthern Sons (Bluebird 30-0806)

RIDE, RED, RIDELucky Millinder (Decca 4146)

ROCK ME-9Lucky Millinder (Dacca 1S353)

SHADY LANE BLUESSonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird 8914)

SHE'S GONE WITH THE WINDBig Sill (OKeh 06630)

SHOUT, SISTER, SHOUT! - 10Lucky Millinder (Decca 18386)

,S.K. BLUES (1*2)launders King (Rhythm 3)

STORMY MONDAY BLUES - 11Earl Hines (Bluebird 11567) .

TAKE IT AND GIT -72Andv Kirk (Decca 4366)

THINGS AINT WHAT THEY USED TO BEJohnny Hodges (Bluebird 11447)

THIS IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR/ •JUST AS THOUGH YOU WERE HEREInk Spots (Decca 18466)

TROUBLE IN MIND/BIG FAT MAMA • 13Lucky Millinder (Decca 4041)

UNLUCKY WOMAN • 14Pete Brown (Decca 8613)

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO ON AGAIN (All OverTha Worldj/THAT'S ALL -15Lucky Millinder (Decca 18496)

BRIEFLY

Benny Goodman's R. & 8 connection on three of his smash hits: "Jersey Bounce"one of the writers was Tiny Bradshaw), "Idaho" (written by Jesse Stone), and'Why Don't You Do Right?" la swing cover of Ljl Green's gigantic raceflit)...another early race/swing entry: Bob Crosby's version of Big Bill's "LouiseLouise Blues" b/w Kokomo Arnold's "Milk Cow Blues." released in 1938...Firstindie label appearance on Harlem Hit Parade: "Praise The Lord And Pass TheAmmunition" by the Royal Harmony Quartet on Keynote (N.Y.).

MOTES1- V: Cab Galloway/Palmer Bros.3-V: Trurnmy young3-Featuring Theodore Roosevelt

Marshall, piano4- V: Ivy Andeeson (her name also

appears as Me)5- V: Ivy Andersone-V: Billy Eckstine, Madeline

Greene. Three Varieties7-V: Dan GrissomQ-V: Ella Mae Morse8-V: Rosetla Tharpe

10- V: Rosetta Tharpe11-V: Billy Eckstine12-and His Clouds at Joy (all Oeccas

except Nos. 78782 & 18919)13-V. Roseffa Thaepe in.

Trevor Bacon 1211«-V: Helen Humes15-V. T. Bacon (1), R. Tnarpe(2)

14 The R & B Book

HOT CHARTThe 1943 Hot Chan shows the real roots of rhythm and blues; a mixed bag of

musical styles and sounds ranging from the blues of Tampa Red and Arthur "BigBoy" Crudup to the pop harmony of the Mills Brothers, the jive novelties of LouisJordan, and the sophisticated jazz of Duke Ellington.

This year saw the chart debut of the influential King Cole Trio (Nat Cole-piano,vocals: Oscar Moore-guitar; Wesley Prince-bass), whose laid-back Decca platterswere a refreshing departure from the heat of the swing era. Crucial to the trio's

For best results assRCA Victor Needles

iRD30-0813-A

DONT CRY; BABY-FoxTrotXJimmy Mitchell-Sammy Lowe)

Erstcine HawWnsCTheTwentieth Century Gabriel>

-. . and his Orchestra jVocal ref rain iy Jimmy Mitchell >y

1 DON'T CRY. BABYErskine Hawkins (Bluebird 304813)

2 DONT QET AROUND MUCH ANYMOREDuke Ellington (Victor 26610)

3 SENTIMENTAL LADYfA SLIP OF THE LIP (C«l Sink A Ship)Duke Ellington (Victor 20-152B)

4 DONT GET AROUND MUCH ANYMOREInk Spots (Dacca 18503)

5 PAPER DOLLMills Bros. (Dacca 18318)

6 SEE SEE RIDER BLUESBea Booze (Decca 6633)

? I CANT STAND LOSING YOUInk Spots (Oecca 18542)

STRAVLIN'LIGHTPaul WhitemanfLady Day (Capitol 116)

8 APOLLO JUMPLucky Millinder (Decca 18529)

10 LETS BEAT OUT SOME LOVEBuddy Johnson(Decca 6647)

11 DONT STOP NOWBunny Banks Trio (Savoy 102)

12 WHATSTHE USE OF GETTING SOBER (WlwnYew Gonna Get Drunk AgalnTVTHE CHICKS IPICK ARE SLENDER AND TENDER AND TALLLouis Jordan (Decca B645)

13 ALL FOR YOUKing Cole Trio (Excelsior 103/Capitol 139)

14 THAT AINT RIGHTKing Cole Trio (Decca 8630)

15 FROM TWILIGHT TIL DAWNCelle Burke (Exclusive 100/Capitol 136)

sound were Nat's vocals: cool. hip. and bluesy (sort of an up-to-date Leroy Carrl.Although all of Nat's Decca sides were issued on the label's sepia series, he hadthe support of a mixed audience.

Probably the most influential hit record of the year was Lionel Hampton's .remake of "Flying Home." In retrospect, few would ever consider "Flying Home"B & B or rock and roll, but Illinois Jacquet's soaring saxophone solo, the highpoint of the disc, became the precedent for all the horn blowers in the lateforties, jazz critics would write tiff that type of thing as "exhibitionism." a chargeoften leveled at Hamp later in the decade.

BRIEFLY

'. .The Rene brothers sold Celle Burke's "From Twilight Til Dawn" and King

Cole's "All For You" to Capitol (Otis and Leon were R & B's first independentproducers!..New labels: Herman Lubinsky's Savoy (N.J.) had their firstchartmaker, "Don't Stop Now" by the Bunny Banks Trio, while Joe Davis chartedwith Beverly White's version of" the same tune on his Beacon label (Joe wouldbecome a familiar name to fifties' R & B enthusiasts via his Jay-Dee and Davisoperations)...Andy Kirk's "Hey Lawdy Mama" was right in the current jazzy bluesgroove. It even drew cover action from Miss Rhapsody (Viola Wells) onSavoy ..Meanwhile. Decca Records settled with the AFM (Victor and Columbiawouldn't until next year) and had seventeen of the top 30 race discs of ine year.

CABIN IN THE SKY/TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVEElla Fitzgerald (Decca 3490)COMIN' IN ON A WING ANDAPRAYERGolden Gate Quartet (OKeh 6713) .FLY RIGHT, BABYLonnie Johnson (Bluebird 34-0708)HE KNOWS HOW TO KNOCK ME OUTBonnie Davis (Savoy 104)HONEY STEALIN- BLUESDr. Clayton (Bluebird 34-0702)LONELY BOY BLUESTSEPIAN BOUNCE-;Jay McShann (Oecca 4387)

TOP ARTISTS11NK SPOTS (1.310)2 DUKE ELLINGTON (1.291)3 ERSKINE HAWKINS (1.053)4 KING COLE TRIO (B73)*5 BUDDY JOHNSON (833)6 LOUIS JORDAN (614)7 MILLS BROS. (609)B WEE BEA BOOZE (598)"9 PAUL WHITEMANfBILLIE HOLIDAY (578)

10 LUCKY MILLINDER (534)11 BUNNY BANKS TRIO (506)*12 CELLE BURKE (377)'13 FOUR VAGABONDS (346)'14 ANDY KIRK (269)15 LIONEL HAMPTON (26B)16 COUNT BASIE (248)17 TAMPA RED (227)IBBOONE'S JUMPING JACKS (226)'19 FREDDIE SLACK (216)20 JAY MCSHANN (206)21 ELLA FITZGERALD (156)22 SONNY BOY WILLIAMS (120)'23 BEVERLY WHITE (119T24 GOLDEN GATE QUARTET (22)25 ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP (11f25 LONNIE JOHNSON (11)25 DR. CLAYTON (11)25JAZZGILLUM (11)

16 IT CANT BE WRONG)COMIN' IN ON A WING AND A PRAYERFour Vagabonds (Bluebird 30-08)5)

17 FIVE GUYS NAMED MOBTHAT'LL JUST 'BOUT KNOCK ME OUTLouis Jordan (Oecca 8653)

IB BABY DONT YOU CRYBuddy Johnson(Decca 8632)

18 HEY LAWDY MAMAAndy Kirk (Decca 4405)

20 FLYING HOMELionel Hampton (Decca 18394)

21 RUSTY DUSTY BLUESCount Basis (Columbia 36675)

22 LET ME PLAY WITH YOUR POODLETampa Red (Bluebird 344700)

23 PLEASE BE CAREFUL (II You Can't B* Good)Boone's Jumping Jacks (Decca 8644)

2« COW-COW BOOGIEFreddie Slack (Capitol 102)

25 GET ME ON YOUR MINOrf HE JUMPIN' BLUESJay McShann (Decca 4418)

28 BICYCLE BOUNCEErskine Hawkins (Bluebird 11547)

27 MY HEART AND I DECIDEDElla Fitzgerald (Decca 18530)

28 RUBBER BOUNCESonny Boy Williams (Decca 8651)

29 DONT STOP NOWBeverly White (Beacon 111/Joe Davis 7112)

30 IF I CARED A LITTLE BIT LESS (And You CindALiltltBIIMon)Ink Spots (Decca 18528)

MEANOLC 'FRISCO BLUESArthur "Big Boy" Crudup (Bluebird 34-0704)NIGHT WATCHMAN BLUESBig Bill (OKeh 6705)OH! MISS JAXSONfWASHINGTOK WHIRLIGIG - 2Charlie Barnet (Decca 18547)ROSE ANN OF CHARING CROSSFour Vagabonds (Bluebird 30-0811}ROSIE THE RIVETER!I HAD THE CRAZIEST DREAMFour Vagabonds (Bluebird 3041810)STALIN WASNT STALLIN'Golden Gate Quartet (OKeh 6712)TELL ME MAMAJazz Gillum (Bluebird 34-0707)

BAND VOCALISTS1 JIMMY MITCHELLS (863)2 BILLIE HOLIDAY (578)3 BONNIE DAVIS (506)*4 WARREN EVANS (312)*5 JUNE RICHMOND (269)6 JIMMY RUSHING (248)7 ELLA MAE MORSE (216)8ALHIBBLER (134)'9 WALTER BROWN (102)

tO RAY NANCE (73)'

TOP LABELS1 DECCA (5.742)2 VICTOR (2.752)3 CAPITOL (1.521)4 SAVOY (471)-5 COLUMBIA (235)6 BEACON (84)-

NOTES•\-V: Jimmy Mitchells2-Oriffinaf title: "Never No La-

ment" Issued in 79403- Johnny Hotfges so/o (1)

V: Ray Nance (2)6-Sft/p Layton, trombone so/o

Leclr Day is Billie Holiday10- V: Buddy Johnson11-V: Bonnie DavisIS-V: Celle Burke with 3Shades

anrf 4 Dreamers-name alsoappears as Ceele Burke, asCelle Burke on Ammar

..No catalog number onExclusive issue but file listsitem as No. 100

1B-V: Warren Evans19- V: June RichmondZt-V: Jimmy RushingSS-V: Chester Boone24-V:0/a Mae MorseSS-V-.AIHlBBlarm W.Bnmntll27-antf Her Famous Orchestra29-flntf The Blues Chasers

1-V: Walter Brown (1}2-V: Peanuts Holland (II

The HAS Book is

HOT CHART

Two-year-old Capitol Records zoomed to the top of the charts, thanks to thenewly acquired King Cole Trio and Benny Carter, and drew some long overdueattention to California's recording potential. Leon and Otis Rene, already hot.scored on their Excelsior/Exclusive labels with another King Cole item 'Tm Lost.'and "Mexico Joe (The Jumpin' Jivin' Caballerol" bv ex-Ellington warbler IvyAnderson. Both Capitol and Excelsior/ Exclusive were the first solvent West Coastindies.

1 STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT/I CANT SEE FOR LOOKIN'King Cole Trio (Capitol 154)

2 INTO EACH LIFE SOME RAIN MUST FALL/I'M MAKING BELIEVEElla Fitzgerald/Ink Spots (Decca 23356)

3G.I.JIVBIS TOU IS OR IS YOU AINT (Ma1 Baby)Louis Jordan (Oecca 8659)

4 CHERRY RED BLUESCootie Williams (Hit 7084)

5 MAMP'S BOOGIE WOOGIELionel Hampton (Decca 16613)

8 TILL THEN/YOU ALWAYS HURT THE ONE YOU LO¥£Mills Bros. (Decca 18599)

7 GEE, BABY, AINT I GOOD TO YOU?/I REALIZE NOWKing Cole Trio (Capitol 169)

8 DO NOTHIN' TILL YOU HEAR FROM MEDuke Ellington (Victor 20-1547)

3 WHEN MY MAN COMES HOMEBuddy Johnson(Decca 3655)

10 RATION BLUES/DEACON JONESLouis Jordan (Decca 8654)

11 MAIN STEMDuke Ellington (Victor 20-1556)

12 SWEET SLUMBERLucky Millinder (Decca 18569)

13 I'M LOSTBenny Carter (Capitol 165)

14 COW COW BOOGIE (Cuma-TI-YIYI-Ay)Ella Fitzgerald/Ink Spots (Decca 18587)

15 MY LITTLE SROWN BOOK/SOMEONEOuke Ellington (Victor 20-1584)

161 LEARNED A LESSON, I'LLNEVER FORGET5 Red Caps (Beacon 7120)

17 HURRY, HURRY/POINCIANABenny Carter (Capitol 144)

18 I'M LOSTKing ColeTrio (Excelsior 105)

19 I'LL GET BY (As Long A31 Have You)• InK Spots (Decca 18579!

291 STAY IN THE MOOD FOR YOUBilly Eckstine (DeLuxe 2000)

21 BODY AND SOULColeman Hawkins (Bluebird 30-0825)

22 CHERRYErskine Hawkins (Bluebird 30-0819)

23 IT'S ONLY A PAPER MOONKing Cole Trio (Capitol 20012)

24 SOMETIMES I'M HAPPYLester Young (Keynote 604)

25 DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU DREAMInk Spots (Decca 18563)

28 SALTY PAPA BLUESDinah Washington (Keynote 606)

27 IS YOU IS, OR IS YOU AINTCootie Williams (Hit 7108)

281 DONT MIND •,Duke Ellington (Victor 20-1598)

29 EVIL GAL BLUESDinah Washington (Keynote 605)

30 JUST YOU, JUST MELester Young (Keynote 603)

31JUSTFORYOU5 Red Caps (Beacon 7119)

32 LESTER LEAPS AGAINLester Yougg (Keynote 1302)

33 GOING OUT THE BACK WAY/PASSION rjLOWERJohnny Hodges (Bluebird 30-0817)

34 NO ONE ELSE WILL DO5 Red Caps (Beacon 7130)

35 JUST ONE MORE CHANCECozy Cole's All Star Band (Keynote 1300)

36 ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREETLionel Hampton (Victor 25592)

37 BOOGIE WOOGIE BALL5 Red Caps (Beacon 7121)

38 MEXICO JOE (The Jumpin1JlYln'Caballero)Ivy Anderson (Exclusive 3113/Excelsior 101)

39 TESS'S TORCH SONG (I H»d A M*n)Ccotie Williams (Hit 7075)

40 BACK DOOR STUFF (112)JTmmie Lunceford (Decca 18594)

Although the big three, Victor, Columbia and Decca. had controlled the recordbusiness since the mid-thirties, signs that the industry might regain its pre--depression anarchy were in the wind. And it was within the race market that thesigns were most visible. As early as 1942 new labels like Keynote, Savoy, andBeacon were rolling. This year the indie trend continued as Hit Records enteredthe Harlem Hit Parade. Cootie Williams, an ex-Ellington trumpeter, led his ownband and put Hit Records on the hit charts with "Cherry Red Blues." "Is You Is. OrIs You Ain't" (both featuring vocalist Eddie Vinson). and "Tess's Torch Song,"which introduced songstress Pearl Bailey. The Braun family's DeLuxe Recordsset up shop in Linden. N.J., releasing the first singles by Billy Eckstine and hiscritically acclaimed orchestra featuring Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon.Despite the problems that hampered the industry, the recording scene was stillattractive enough to lure these adventurous souls, or perhaps they saw anopportunity to jump in while two of the three majors were still crippled.

This year also marked the recording debut of nineteen-year-old DinahWashington, one of the premier vocalists of jazz and rhythm and blues. Jazzcritic Leonard Feather was sufficiently moved by her performance with LionelHampton's band to set up an impromptu recording session during ChristmasWeek of 1943. Using six members of Hamp's band, he provided Dinah with fourtunes he had just written. They were issued on Keynote and two of them "EvilGal Blues" and "Salty Papa Blues" made the charts but Dinah's stay with the labelwas short-lived. After some singles for Apollo and another classic hit with LionelHampton ("Blow-Top Blues" also written by Leonard), she joined MercuryRecords in 1947, where she became the label's most consistent R &. B and jazzperformer

BRIEFLY

Lots of sepia smashes on Billboard's pop survey: King Cole Trio's "StraightenUp And Ply Right." his first pop hit (No. 9); Ella Fitzgerald/ink Spots' "I'm MakingBelieve" b/w "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" (No. I/No. S); Louis Jordan's"G.I. Jive" b/w "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (Ma Baby)" (No. 3/No. S); the MillsBrothers' "You Always Hurt The One You Love" b/w "Till Then" (No. I/No. 81;Duke Ellington's "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me" (No. 101; and the Ink Spots'"I'll Get By" (No. 7).

GOQD-FQR-NQTHIN' JOBHAUNTED TOWN ;Lena Home (Bluebird 30-0823)HURRY, HURRY -2Lucky Millinder (Decca 18609)I'M WOKE UP NOW/BAD ACTING WOMAN - 3Big Bill (OKeh 6724)MY IDEALMaxine Sullivan (Decca 18555)

TOP ARTISTS1 KING COLE TRIO (1.999)2 INK SPOTS (1,727)3 DUKE ELLINGTON (1.686)4 LOUIS JORDAN (1.344)5 ELLA FITZGERALD (1.232)6 COOTIE WILLIAMS (978)'7 BENNY CARTER (859)8 LIONEL HAMPTON (787)85 RED CAPS (696)*

10 MILLS BROS. (646)11 BUDDY JOHNSON (607)12 LUCKY MILLINDER (525)13 LESTER YOUNG (437)'14 SILLY ECKSTINE (2861*15 COLEMAN HAWKINS (275)*16 DINAH WASHINGTON (265)'17 ERSKINE HAWKINS (222)18 JOHNNY HODGES (109)*19 COZY COLE (107)*20 IVY ANDERSON (901*

MY MAMA DONT ALLOW MEArthur "Big Boy" Crudup (Bluebird 34-0717)ONCE TOO OFTENElla Fitzgerald (Decca 18605)THESE YOUNG MEN BLUES/SO GOODBea Booze (Decca 865B)YOU GONNA MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE/I AINT FUR ITTampa Red (Bluebird 34-0711)

BAND VOCALISTS1 EDDIE VINSON (899)'2 ELLA JOHNSON (607)'3 TREVOR BACON (525)*4 DICK GREY (522)*5 HERB JEFFRIES (376)*8 SAVANNAH CHURCHILL (337)*7 JIMMY MITCHELLS (222)8 IVY ANDERSON (172)*8 PEARL BAILEY (79)*

10 WYNONIE HARRIS (11)*

TOP LABEILS1 DECCA (5.539)2VICTOH (2.131)3 CAPITOL (2.051)4 HIT (873)*5 KEYNOTE (6001*6 BEACON (556)7 EXCELSIOR (349)*8 DELUXE (253)*9 OKEH (11)

NOTES

4-V: Eddie VinsonAlternate title: "Red Blues"

^Original title: "Concerto ForCootie " issued on Victor No. 28588in 1940

8-V: Ella Johnson12-V: Trevor Bacon13-V: Dick Srey\S-V-. Herb Jeffries f1>17-V: Savannah Cnurchllt(l)20-w/m DeLuxe All Stars21-fle/ssue of Bluebird No. 1Q523C39)22-Reissue of Bluebird No. 1QS40C39)

29-A: Lionel Hampton SextetZf-V: Eddie Vlnson28-V: Ivy Anderson2S-A: Lionet Hampton Sextet3B-A: Originally Issued In 1937

with the same number38-A: Celle Burke Ore/?.39-V: Pearl Bailey

1-Relssue of Bluebird No. 1 }037('41)(tlReissue of Bluebird No. 11O93t'41)(i)A. Charlie Bar net Orcn (12)

Z-V: Wynon/e"Mf. Blues"Harris3-and his Chicago Five (1)

16 The R & B Book

1945 heralded the end of the war, the end of the strike, the beginning of theend of the swing era, and with it the decline of jazz in the world of pop music.But, there was still a place where jazz remained commercial. The so-cailed racefield was filled not only with blues artists like Tampa Bed and Roosevelt Sykes,but also swing stars tike Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Erskine Hawkins, LuckyMillinder, Lionel Hampton, Ella Btzgerald. Andy Kirk, Cootie Williams, and othermainstream jazzmen and women of the thirties and forties.

* HAROBWTBSEB jft IJCCIVSIJr ® TfcjflL O*l*g< Tl 'J *fa MASTEH?5 SERIES 'f. • •-'1,267 A \V

.WteH VO'CAZ,

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."iittti" WHHt litiaon, Atte « B»!f Otis

Jretiinntt, PiMn

The chart for the year clearly shows that black folks were listening to amixture of jazz-flavored blues/blues-flavored jazz, jazz-pop a la the King ColeTrio, and pre-war race/blues (mostly by the Lester Melrose crew). The term"race," with its cottonfield image, was obviously a poor one with which to tag agroup of records that were predominantly jazz, but the very act of measuringthe relative popularity of these historically divergent sounds (which Billboard didwith its "Harlem Hit Parade" apd now its "Top Juke Box Race Hits") served noticethat cracks were starting to appear in the wall which had stood between therace and jazz idioms for twenty years.

While some hits were clearly jazz and others were clearly race, shouters likeJoe Turner and Wynonie Harris were turning out blues records that had muchin common with both idioms. This made it difficult, if not impossible, todetermine where they belonged. Jazz or race? No one really knew or cared.When they sold, they fit comfortably on the race chart.

The cause of black popular music was furthered by a gigantic leap in the.number of independent record companies. At first, indies like Savoy and Beaconsought to fill the need for records in ghetto jukeboxes. They soon discovered thatit was easy to move 'em if they could make 'em. But, there was difficulty findingshellac and pressing facilities. Demand for product exceeded supply.

Since the majors had most black stars under contract, indies had to take achance with new, untested acts, and many of the artists they tapped were ex-members of the woefully under-recorded territory bands. Joe Liggins wasneither a well known jazz nor race figure when Leon Rene signed him to acontract with Exclusive Records, but his first release "The Honeydripper" quicklyestablished Joe as one of the idiom's giants. Musically, "The Honeydripper" was ajazz record with strong blues and boogie-woogie features, son of a biues-shuffie,which was not very uncommon for the jazz sound of the period. Joe, in fact, hadwritten it while he was still a member of Sammy Franklin's Rhythm Rascals. But,what set this jazz record apart and certified it as a race record was its salespattern. Like the Chicago blues of Roosevelt Sykes. who covered it (after all, hewas the original Honeydripper), the disc barely managed to get out of the ghetto.But no matter, it was the first of many smashes for Joe Liggins. and for ExclusiveRecords.

Another "unknown" Pvt. Cecil Gant had the left-field race smash of the year."I Wonder" made its first appearance on Billboard's race chart in late 2944 andstayed on for aver twenty-six weeks. This rags to riches story was detailed byHerb Abramson in his article "The Birth of Rhythm and Blues" which appeared inthe December 1952 issue of Rhythm and Blues magazine.

"A Mr. Nelson, came into possession of an old and battered record press, whichhe set up in his garage in Los Angeles, starting the 'Gilt-Edge' label. Then, as heonce told the story to me, he was walking along the street in Hollywood when hestopped before an Army truck which was engaged in helping to sell War Bonds.Between speeches, entertainment was provided in the form of hoi boogiewoogie piano, played on an old, worn, upright, by a slight colored G.I Nelsonsays that he had never heard boogie woogie and he thought the pianist wasterrific. After the show he approached the G.I.. whose name was Cecil Cant,with the proposition to record some 'boogie woogie.' Gant accepted with alacritybecause he had been strictly a non-professional up to this point. The records ofthe pianist alone, with no other accompaniement. were made a few days later.To fill up the back of 'Cecil's Boogie.' Gant sang a song he had written, called 'IWonder.'Nelson pressed up some records, using whatever compound he could obtain.These 'Gill-Edge' records were very strange looking, indeed; just about as thickas a buckwheat cake, and just as rough, with the title rubber-stamped on theblank white labels. But they mid! ."

. The significance of the Joe Liggins and Cecil Gant hits cannot be minimized, forthey demonstrated to anyone following black music that the field was absolutelywide open. Any artist and any label, large or small, could make it if the groovewere there. The startling fact that two unknowns on two tiny labels were able towithstand cover attacks by established black performers on powerful labels(both The Honeydripper" and "I Wonder" were heavily covered) was not lost onthe entrepreneurs who were just getting their first taste of the recordmanufacturing business. From nowhere to number one was, in 1945, a realisticgoal, and a whole bunch of new indies were willing to try.

The Rene's Exclusive-Excelsior operations quickly set the pace. Ivory JoeHunter, accompanied by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers, bowed on the racecharts with "Blues At Sunrise," as did Herb Jeffries (an ex-Ellington vocalist) with"! Left A Good Deal In Mobile," accompanied by Joe Liggins' band. "Fla-Ga-La-Pa"by comedian Tiromie Rogers, and Jimmy Bushing's classic version of "AroundThe dock," on which he was backed by Johnny Otis' big band, both clicked.Johnny also did well with his instrumental "Harlem Nocturne." Unlike Exclusive-Excelsior, the Gilt-Edge label did not diversify. Instead, they relied on Pvt. CecilGant to bring home the bacon. He had twenty of the label's next twenty-fivereleases.

California was rapidly becoming a hotbed of race recording activity. This yearsaw the debut of three sturdy West Coast independents: Aladdin. Modern, andSpecialty. Aladdin (originally called Philo) was owned by the Meaner brothers,who had a strong interest in jazz (they got involved in the biz by promoting jazzconcerts), and all of their releases to 1949 bore the designation "Jazz Series,"whether they were by Lester Young or Ughtnin' Hopkins. Their first issuesmade noise • Illinois Jacquet's "Flying Home," Wynonie Harris' version of"Around The Clock," and Jay McShann's "Merry-Go-Round Blues" featuring bluesshouter Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford, but the single that put Philo onsound footing was "Be-Baba-Leba" by ex-Basie vocalist Helen Humes. This wasone of the earliest and best of the onomatopoetic masterpieces to feature theslanguage of bop.

Another brother team • Joe, Jules, and Saul Bihari - launched their ModernMusic label with a popular series of solo piano boogies by stylist Hadda Brooks.Art Rupe's Juke Box (shortly renamed Specialty) sold about 70,000 copies of theirfirst release "Boogie *V by the Sepia Tones. Also on their early roster were TheBlues Man (George Vann), The Blues Woman (Marion Abernathy), and their topartist of the decade, Boy Milton.

In the east, Manor (NJ.-N.Y.) had entered the field as Regis a few years earlierwith a mixture of gospel, blues, and jazz issues by the Dixie Hummingbirds,Ralph "Bama" Willis, Tab Smith, and Tiny Bradshaw. Now, as Manor, theyboasted a roster which included the Coleman Brothers, Deek Watson and theBrown Dots, Georgia Peach, and Savannah Churchill, fresh from her stint withBenny Carter's orchestra.

New Vork-based Apollo, like Manor, had a line-up of citified blues andgospel acts. Among diem were Georgia Peach, Jack McVea/Rabon Tarrant,Wynonie Harris, and Dinah Washington, but the label's biggest record wasanother version of "Around The Clock," by Willie Bryant ('The Mayor ofHarlem") accompanied by the Tab Smith Septette, probably the best sellingversion of that tune.

National (N.Y.), owned by Al B. Green, hit the charts with newly signed Billy

The R & B Book 17

HOT CHART

Eckstine »"A Cottage For Sale"! and the Joe Turner/Pete Johnson combine f'S.K.Blues"). Ironically, one of National's biggest records during 1945 was a country &western smash • Dick Thomas' original version of "Sioux City Sue."

Savoy's roster expanded to include jazz favorites Helen Humes (with LeonardFeather's Hiptet), Cozy Cole, Don Byas, Tiny Grimes, Charlie Parker. SlamStewart, Lester Young, Errpl Garner, and Dexter Gordon, and race artistsRubberlegs Williams, Lloyd Thompson, Cousin Joe, and the blues team ofBrownie McGhee and Sonny Terry.

RECORDINGSnv- west sih SIBEEItos ANGCIES 13. CAI

1 THE HONEYDRIPPER (1 ft 2)joe Liggins (Exclusive 207)

2 CALDONIAISQMEBODY DONE CHANGEDTHE LOCK ON MY DOORLouis Jordan (Dacca 8670)

3TIPPIN'INErskine Hawkins (Victor 20-1639)

41 WONDER/CECIL BOOGIEPvt. Cecil Can! (Gilt-Edge 500/1)

5 WHO THREW THE WHISKEY IN THEWELLLucky Millinder(Oecca 18674)

6 MOP! MOP!/YOU CANT GET THAT NO MORELouis Jordan (Oecca 8668)

71 WONDERRoosevelt Sykes (Bluebird 34-0721)

8 SOMEBODY'S GOTTA GOCootie Williams (Hit 7119)

9 STRANGE THINGS HAPPENING EVERY BAYSister Rosetta Tharpe (Decca 3669)

10THATSTHE STUFF YOU GOTTA WATCHBuddy Johnson(Decca 8671)

11CALPONIAErsKine Hawkins (Victor 20-1659)

12 THE HONEYORIPPERJimmie Luneeford (Decca 23451)

13 BEDLAM'S BOOGIELionel Hampton (Decca 18719)

148E-BABA-LEBAHelen Humes (Philo 106)

151 LEFT A GOOD DEAL IN MOBILEHerb Jeffries (Exclusive 208)

18 ROCK ME MAMMA/WHO'S BEEN FOOLING YOUArthur Crudup (Bluebird 34-0725)

17 I'M A SHY GUYKing Cole Trio (Captlol 2QB)

18 S.K. BLUES (142)Joe Turner/Pete Johnson (National 9010)

19 I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT*DONT YOU KNOW I CARE (OrDon's You C*a> To Know)Duke Ellington (Victor 20-1618)

20THEHONEYDRIPPERRoosevelt Sykes (Bluebird 34-0737)

21 IF YOU CANT SMILE AND SAY YESKing Cole Trio (Capitol 192)

22 BLUES AT SUNRISEIvory Joe Hunter (Exclusive 209)

23 PUT ANOTHER CHAIR AT THE TABLE/I WISHMills Bros. (Decca 13663)

24 I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHTElla Fitzgerald/Ink Spots (Decca 23399)

25 A COTTAGE FOR SALEBilly Eckstine (National 9014)

28 JIMMY'S BLUESCount Basie (Columbia 36831)

27 KEEP YOUR ARMS AROUND MBCOOL DISPOSITIONArthur "Big Boy" Crudup (Bluebird 34-0738)

281AINT GOT NOTHIN' BUT THE 3LUE3Duke Ellington (Victor 20-1623)

291 WONDERLouis Armstrong (Decca 18652)

30 ITS ONLY A PAPER MOONElla Fitzgerald (Decca 23425)

31 I'M TIREDPvt. Cecil Gant (Gilt-Edge 506)

32 LONESOME LOVER BLUESBilly Eckstio^e (National 9015)

33 THINGS HAVE CHANGEDBig Macao OBIuebird 34-0735)

34 FIFTEEN YEARS (And I'm Still Stnlng Tim*}Erskine Hawkins (Victor 20-1685)

35REDBANK3OQGIECount Basie (Columbia 36766)

38 LOVER MAN (Oh, When Cm You B«?>Billie Holiday (Decca 23391)

37 DETROIT BLUESTampa Red (Bluebird 34-0731)

381 WONDERWarren Evans (National 9003)

39 I'LL LIVE TRUE TO YOUTab Smith (Decca 8661)

40 THE GRASS IS GETTING GREENERPvt. Cecil Gant (Gilt-Edge SOS)

Super Disc originally was located in the Big Apple, but by 1948 they had movedto Washington, D.C. Though their roster was filled with black talent (ViolaWatkins. Bull Moose Jackson, the Singing Crusaders), their best selling disc wasArthur Smith's original country rocker "Guitar Boogie" (which eventually endedup at MGM with most of the other Super Disc masters).

In the midwest, Syd Nathan's King Records started to carve a solid niche in thecountry field, while sister label Queen was formed to deal with black music.Initial releases were by Bull Moose Jackson Ihis version of "The Honeydripper"),the Chubby Jackson Sextet, Slim Gaillard, and ex-Jay McShann waller WalterBrown.

Although the majors, especially Decca and Victor-Bluebird, were outpacingeveryone (their combined points - 8.690 - were more than double the indies totalpaints), the future of black popular music was brewing in the cauldron ofindependent record company activity. 1945 was the year in which it started tocome together, but if anyone had any inkling that happenings in the race sectorwere going to change the course of the entire music industry within ten years,they gave no indication.

BRIEFLY

Some strong crossover activity during 1945: Louis Jordan's smash "Caldonia"reached No. 6 on Billboard's pop singles chart (as did a cover version by WoodyHerman), Jimmie Lunceford's version of "The Honeydripper" hit No. 10, DukeEllington's "I'm Beginning To See The Light" made it to No. 6, the Mills Brothers' "IWish" hit No. 10, and Lucky Millinder's "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well"featuring Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris reached No. 10..."The King Cole Trio." apackaged set of 78 RPM discs, made the top spot on Billboard's album survey andstayed there for a smashing twelve weeks. Meanwhile, a boogie-woogie set byPete Johnson &. Albert Ammora (Victor) titled "Eight To The Bar" reached No. 2.

BLUES ARQUNDTHE CLOCK (142)Willie Bryant/Tab Smith Septette (Apollo 364)BOOGIE No. 1Sepia Tones (Juke Box 100/500)DADDY-DADDY-}Savannah Churchill (Manor 1004)FLYING HOME (1* 2)Illinois Jacquet (Philo 101)GEE, AINT I GOOD TO YOU - 2Delta Rhythm Boys (Decca 18650)THE GENERAL JUMPED AT DAWN/I WILL BE HOME AGAINGolden Gate Quartet (OKeh 6741)HE MAY BE YOUR MAN - 3Helen Humes (Philo 105)

TOP ARTISTS1 LOUIS JORDAN (1.472)2 ERSKINE HAWKINS (1.305)3 JOE LIGGINS (1.179)*4 PVT. CECIL GANT (1.037)*5 ROOSEVELT SYKES (8S9)ALUCKYMILLINDER (669)7 DELTA RHYTHM BOYS (624)*S KING COLE TRIO (562)9 ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP (551)

10 DUKE ELLINGTON (SOS)11 COOTIE WILLIAMS (473)12 ELLA FITZGERALD (460)13 BILLY ECKSTINE (451)14 COUNT BASIE (412)15 SISTER HOSETTA THARPE (409)*18 BUDDY JOHNSON (401)17 JIMMIE LUNCEFORD (398!IB LIONEL HAMPTON (393)19 HELEN HUMES (327)*20 HERB JEFFRIES (318)21 JOE TURNERfPETE JOHNSON (293)*22 IVORY JOE HUNTER (250)*23 MILLS BROS. (249)24 INK SPOTS (245)25 LOUIS ARMSTRONG (225)2SBIGMACEO (2021*27 BILLIE HOLIDAY (174)28 TAMPA RED (173)30 WARREN EVANS (155)

I AINT MAO AT YOU. PRETTY BABY - 4"Gatemoutn" Moore (National 6001)JIMMY'S 'ROUND THE CLOCK BLUES-HARLEM NOCTURNE-5Jimmy Rushing;Johnny Otis (Excelsior 142)JOHNSON & TURNER BLUESJoe Turner/Pete Johnson (National 9011)MY BABY'S BUSINESSJimmy Rushing/Johnny Otis (Excelsior 141)RQCKIN'THE BOOGIEHadda Brooks (Modem Music 113)SAIL ON BOOGIE-ST-Bona Walker (Rhumboogie 4000/33)SWINGIN'THE BOOGIEHadda Brooks (Modem Music 102)

BAND VOCALISTS1 WYNONIE HARRIS (669)2EDDIEVINSON (473)3 ELLA JOHNSON (401)4 ACE HARRIS (399)*5 JIMMY RUSHING (258)6ALHIBBLER (226)7JOYASHERRILL (217)*8JIMMYMITCHELLE (201)9TREVOR BACON (145)

10 KAY DAVIS (130) *

TOP LABELS1 DECCA (4.55S)2 VICTOR (3.213)3 EXCLUSIVE (1.347)4 GILT-EDGE (932)*5 NATIONAL (761)*6 CAPITOL (492)7 HIT (438)8 COLUMBIA (430)9 PHILO (3031*

10 MODERN MUSIC (22)*

NOTES1-and Ms Honeydrippers (all

Exclusive ana Special!'/14-A: Bill Doggett Octet15*1: Joe L/ggins Graft.

. -——. 19-V: J. Stierrittm. A. HloblerlZ)5-V: Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris 22-A J. Moore's Tftree Blazers8- V: Eddie Vinson 28- V: Jimmy Rushing

10- V: Ella Johnson 28-y: Kay Davis. At Afioter11-V: Ace Harris 30-wlrn Toe Delta ftnyrnm Boys12-wtth The Delta Rhythm Boys M-V: Jimmy Mitchells

III

38-V: Trevor Bacon1-ana Her All Star Orchestra2-with The Gulf Coast F/veZ-A: Bill Ooggett OctetA-A: Dallas Bartley ami hisSmall Town BoysS-J. Rushing vocal on (7)onlyB-A: Marl Young Orcti.

:LOVERS * BUDDY JOHNSON EDDIE CLEANHEAD VINSON * … · en * counts * muddy waters * four buddies *...

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