China Boy
CD The Old Masters mb109
Frank Trumbauer undoubtedly did his best recordings in company with Bix Beiderbecke and any of his records post that period is bound to be a disappointment, but nothing prevents us from listening and enjoying with less expectation. “Tram” still had a recording contract in 1934 and on this session the Teagarden brothers Jack and Charlie contributes jazz quality of the highest order.
We hear an unissued second take. The tune with its challenging key change in the middle became a favorite jam object in dixieland context. But here it’s heavily arranged apart from solos by “The Three T’s”, that had a short-lived group under this name at the time.