Wild Cherry
TAX m-8002
Today we hear some territory jazz. San Antonio, Texas had several big bands in the thirties and one of them was led by the drummer Boots Douglas. That the music is rare you can understand from the battered picture on the sleeve, the only one existing of the band.
The tune may not be their best, but I think it is interesting because of their choice of tempo. I guess that they use a stock arrangement or a transcription of Don Redman’s original score that was recorded twice in 1929 under different orchestra names. Redman is also the composer of the tune.
After the lead trumpet player’s sweet exposition of the melody with plenty of vibrato comes the saxophone chorus. When you have the earlier versions in your head you may feel that the record is played back at the wrong speed. But it is nice to hear Redman’s for the time advanced voicings played slowly and then the trumpet is back in the same mood as before. The territory bands offered variation and personality to the jazz spectrum. The year of recording is 1935 and the correct name of the tune is just Cherry so the title is quite funny considering the relaxed tempo.