I Had Someone Else Before I Had You
CD Timeless CBC 1-042
A hundred years from today, but backwards, we had March 16, 1925; that was a Monday. A group including Red Nichols, Jimmy Dorsey, and Adrian Rollini cut a record of a pop tune. The idea of forming this studio group came from Ed Kirkeby, the manager of the New York-based orchestra The California Ramblers. He had excellent contacts, among others, the many different record companies, and he saw that there was a chance to do even more business with a small group with a bit of a novelty image.
First he named it logically “The Little Ramblers,” but since their main novelty was a little instrument handled by Rollini, called Goofus by himself and Couesnophone by its producer, the name of the versatile group became Goofus Five.
So what did they do in the Okeh studio that morning? After a couple of introductory saxophone breaks and a Nichols lead in the verse, Jimmy Dorsey, who was quite new to the Kirkeby organization, takes a high-register alto sax solo in the whimsical style of the day.
Nichols, playing with a straight mute, is next, well supported by Tommy Felline’s banjo in a chorus shared with Rollini’s goofus. Nichols reenters shortly with a beautiful open cornet sound, followed by piano, played by Irving Brodsky. Now it’s time for Rollini with his main instrument, the bassax, to demonstrate “sweet” versus “hot” interpretation of the melody. Another break by Dorsey follows, and then Nichols leads the ensemble out, displaying the “flutter tongue” in a break. Stan King is handling the cymbals.
They made many recordings like this, and it’s delightful to hear a portion of their output with such a light, playful touch.