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BIG JOHN'S SPECIALS # 2 :
HOT FASCINATIONS - 1923 to 1935

1.Washin' the Blues From My Soul (Robison-Oppenheim). RUSS MORGAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA. (American) Odeon ONY-36094 (490074-A). NY, 5/20/1930. The Russ Morgan Manner was years in the future when this slash-and-burn hottie was recorded. Great arrangement; terrific trumpet.
2.My Baby Just Cares For Me (Gus Kahn-Walter Donaldson; from film "Whoopee"). BEN (BILL ??) BARTON'S ORCHESTRA. Unknown male vocal. (German) Ultraphon test pressing; mx. # 16021. Berlin, 1930. Nice hot version of the famous stock arrangement.
3.The Man I Love (George & Ira Gershwin). AUSTIN EGEN & THE WHISPERING ORCHESTRA. Voc. Austin Egen (in German and English). (German) Electrola test; mx. # BL-5139-2. Berlin, March 12, 1929. Featuring a full chorus of a heavily Tram-influenced C-melody saxophone. The English vocal chorus changes gender to "The Girl I Love".
4.No Trouble But You (Simon-Bernie). BEN BERNIE AND HIS HOTEL ROOSEVELT ORCHESTRA. Voc. Ben Bernie. Brunswick 3171-A (E-18766/8). NY, 4/15/1926. Excellent melody.
5.It's Unanimous Now (Green-Stept). FRANCES WILLIAMS, Comedienne with Orch. Brunswick 4499 (E-30595). NY, early August 1929. Terrific hot side; should be included in Rust's Jazz Records. Great Leo McConville-trumpet, and Jimmy Dorsey-clarinet. (NOTE: 2 takes were issued of this side).
6.Then You've Never Been Blue (Lewis-Young-Fiorito). FRANCES WILLIAMS, Comedienne with Orch. Brunswick 4499 (E-30597). NY, early August 1929.
7.My Blackbirds Are Bluebirds Now (Caesar & Friend). SAM LANIN AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Voc. Scrappy Lambert (as "Chester Hale"). Perfect 15061 (108410-2). NY, c. October 4, 1928. JACK TEAGARDEN-tb obbligato behind vocal !!
8.That Bran' New Gal O' Mine (Davis and Akst). YERKES FAMOUS FLOTILLA ORCHESTRA. Unknown male vocal (dig this: I consider this the FIRST RAP VOCAL!! Listen and see what I mean.) Yerkes Dance Records No. 3101-B (653-1); UNLISTED. NY, circa December 1923. (The label says: "Buescher Instruments Used", if anyone is curiousŠ)
9.She Wouldn't Do What I Asked Her To (Burt and Gottlieb). YERKES MUSICAL BELL HOPS. Unknown male trio- vocal. Yerkes Dance Records No. 3103-B (663-2). NY, circa December 1923. Straight-ahead jazz a la Memphis Five; excellent. UNLISTED in any discography.
10. There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth the Salt Of My Tears (Fred Fisher). ZAIDEE JACKSON, accompanied by Her Midnight Orchestra. (E) Parlophone R 257 (WE-2199-2). London, 1928. Fine.11. Oh! You've No Idea [sic] (Ponce-Dougherty). THE NIGHT CLUB ORCHESTRA (probably not Reser in this case). Unknown male vocal. (E) Duophone D. 4018 (E-28625-B). NY, November 1928. Superb hot Jimmy Dorsey-clarinet & alto sax !! ; also Leo McConville-trumpet.

12. If You Want the Rainbow You Must Have the Rain (Rose-Dixon-Levant). VAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA (PETER VAN STEEDEN). Vocal Roy Strom. Supertone 9272-A (GEX-2037). NY, c. August 14, 1928. Terrific! (Mint copy in original sleeve; found for a dollar, June 2001, in central New Jersey antique shop. Sometimes, it still happens!!)
13. Sweet Lorraine (Burwell-Parish). "MANHATTAN MADCAPS" (listed under Carl Fenton, but sounds exactly like the band on it's flip, Peter Van SteedenŠ) Vocal Jerry White. Supertone 9272-B (GEX-1467-B). NY, 6/22/1928. Excellent Bixian hot trumpet.
14. Ten Little Miles From Town (Kahn-Schoebel). "HARRY PAUL AND HIS ORCHESTRA" (PAUL SPECHT'S ORCH.) Voc. Male trio (including Johnny Morris). (E) Duophone D. 4005 (E-28210-A). NY, 9/13/1928. (Last instrumental chorus identical to the Paul Ash Columbia record; stock or special arrangement??)
15. My Ohio Home (Kahn-Donaldson). THE WABASH DANCE ORCHESTRA (directed by Red Nichols). Voc. Scrappy Lambert ("Glenis Burt" in the Brunswick files; no name mentioned on label). (E) Duophone D. 4005 (E 28199-B). NY, Sept. 11, 1928. Miff Mole-tb; Fud Livingston-cl.
16. Bless You! Sister (Robinson and Dubin). "SI HIGGINS AND HIS SODBUSTERS" (California Ramblers!). Voc. Arthur Fields (as "Si Higgins"). Harmony 739-H (146782-2). NY, 7/23/1928. (3rd title from session; unlisted). Excellent hot side.
17. The Prune Song (De Costa and Crumit). "SI HIGGINS AND HIS SODBUSTERS" (Fred Hall's Orch.) Voc. Arthur Fields (as "Si Higgins"). Harmony 739-H (147000-3). NY, Sept. 1928 (unlisted, oddly). Bob Effros t; scat vocal-Fred Hall.
18. Brainstorm (Joe Sanders). DEBROY SOMERS BAND ("Recorded In A Public Hall"). (E) Columbia 4334 (A-5137-2). Wigmore Hall, London, 3/30/1927. A VERY different Debroy than we've been accustomed to hearing (and the only Somers title to be listed in Rust's Jazz Records). The label gives the tempo as: "Erratic Blues" (obviously more than just a mere "fox trot").
19. Just Like A Melody Out Of the Sky (Walter Donaldson). JAY WHIDDEN AND HIS BAND from the Carlton Hotel, London. (E) Imperial 1934 (4935-3). Superb arrangement; excellent piano (book says Bobby Probst, but I vote for Bert Read), and Tony Thorpe-tb. London, 8/16/1928. (from Alex McK CDR).
20. Blonde Women (Friedrich Hollaender; from film "The Blue Angel"). OTTO FRITZ & HIS SYNCOPATORS. (E) Parlophone R 723. Berlin, 1930. (Alex McK CDR).
21. The Popular Pair (Jeanette). THE OPAL AND PEARL DANCE ORCHESTRA. Vocal Eddie Grossbart. (E) Siemens DF-377 (SM-2-1). London, c. 1928 1930. An advertising record for the Opal and Pearl brand of lightbulbs, produced by the Siemens Company, Ltd.!! (The lyrics are really a singing commercial). And, with hot solos, too. Fascinating. (Alex McK CDR). Sax section sounds like some Ambrose guys are in there. Hot trombone like early Pee Wee Hunt.
22. Shine (Mack, Brown & Dabney). THE RADIO RHYTHM RASCALS. Vocal Val Rosing. (E) Columbia FB 1236 (CA-15457-1). London, Nov. 18, 1935. Magnificent Len Fillis Hawaiian guitar work here! Fine hot piano by Bruce Merrill. Unlisted in Jazz Records. (Rosing very Crosby-ish on this track).

23. Whispering (Schonberger). THE RADIO RHYTHM RASCALS. Scat vocal by Val Rosing (one long paean to Bing Crosby!!). (E) Columbia FB 1236 (CA 15459-1). London, 1935. Rosing uses every scat trick in Bing's 1935 library on this one. (Again, unlisted in Rust's Jazz Records).
24. Sweet Little You (Bibo). EDGAR JACKSON AND HIS DANCE BAND (At the Spider's Web, Bushey). Vocal Bill Airey-Smith. (E) Decca F. 3156 (GB 4833-2). London, Sept. 5, 1932. "Old Favourites In Modern Style, No. 4" (Nat Gonella-t; Lew Davis-tb; etc.)
25. Oh! How I Love My Darling (Leslie, Woods). EDGAR JACKSON AND HIS DANCE BAND (At the Spider's Web, Bushey). Vocal Bill Airey-Smith. (E) Decca F. 3156 (GB-4832-2). London, Sept. 5, 1932. "Old Favourites In Modern Style, No. 3". (Again, Gonella-t; Lew Davis-tb; etc. This and the previous track were arranged by Stan Bowsher).
26. I've Got A Sweet Somebody To Love Me (Ryan-Handman). HAL KEMP AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Voc. Skinny Ennis. Brunswick 6071N (E-35872). NY, 2/18/1931. Superb hot side, w/ Bunny Berigan-t, and John Scott Trotter-p (and arrangement).

JOHN L, July 2002.