June 2024 - Paul – and some of that Jazz

From the Record Shelves #269 – I Lost My Gal from Memphis – This tune is often played at a murderous tempo; at least this is what happens when it comes into the hands of a French jazz band in traditional jazz style. Especially the reed players love to show off their skills (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #268 – Any Woman’s Blues – Today it’s time for a Bessie Smith recording. I tend to take her for granted and thus forget to listen often enough to her fabulous output on records. This is not one of her more spectacular ones, and with just rudimental (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Studio #35 – Stars Fell on Alabama – Trombonist Jack Teagarden is associated with this tune for me because he sang and played it on the second LP that I bought in my life, “The King of the Blues Trombon” volume two. There are recordings of it by many, and today (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #267 – Savoy Blues – Now I happen to stumble upon a Kid Ory’s Creole Jazz Band recording again. The LP presents interesting things meant to be “gap filling for collectors”.This one from AFRS Jubilee Broadcast and was recorded in Hollywood (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #266 – Tell Me Who – We are presented with a radio rarity from January 1929. The National Radio Advertising Company made transcriptions, recorded in Brunswick’s studios on 12’’ 78 rpm records. The shows got their name after the different (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Studio #34 – Take Me In You Arms – I heard this for the first time about 60 years ago on an LP with the fine singer Ruth Etting in a sentimental rendition. But I think that it can also be used as an instrumental tune to jam on (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #265 – Panama – There are no details of personnel or recording dates on this LP, probably because they feared that they might be infringing the copyright laws. Of course, I know something more about those recordings from about 1940–45, and if (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #264 – South Side Strut – A very good 1957 “Good Time Jazz” release is spinning. It always puts me in a good mood; it is so well recorded and well played, and even the sleeve is funny, with good information on the back. “Piano Professor” Don Ewell is (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #263 – Waiting at the End of the Road – The great songwriter Irving Berlin is the man behind this sad but beautiful song. We played and recorded it with my band Paul and his Gang, and last year I played it at a dear friend’s funeral. My first encounter (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Studio #33 – Am I Blue? – Here is another very attractive and useful tune, to be arranged or just played in a jam. Ethel Waters can be seen in an early film singing it. Later versions by Billie Holiday and others have dropped the verse. Normally it’s played in F but (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #262 – It’s Tight Jim – Today I listen to a Paramount record that is surprisingly good considering that it’s not among the most famous ones. Trombonist Preston Jackson plays very well and is the composer of the tune, which has one part (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #261 – Linger Awhile – I was old enough to work, and I had some money to spend. I went and ordered some records. It took time, but finally I got a letter saying that they had one of them, and it was this one. Was I disappointed? No way (…) read more and listenread more and listen