Thank you again for your contributions - it’s the readers who take the time to submit queries and responses that keeps this column going, so keep up the good work and, if you’ve not yet contributed, isn’t it about time that you did? Happy reading, researching and listening!

FINZEL’S ARCADIA ORCHESTRA OF DETROIT
The Editor has found a previously unpublished photo of this band that recorded for OKeh from 1923-25, and is reproduced below.  The photo is dated 9 January 1926 and the reverse gives a partial personnel: Dick Quinlan, Harry Hayes, Karl Ki——-, ——-Kreisel, Georgie Finzel, Jim Allen, Cass Burris. He suggests that Cass Burris is pianist Johnny Burris, who recorded with his own band for Gennett in 1929 with a personnel that included musicians who later in that year were members of the Casa Loma Orchestra. Any ideas on any of the other names?

TINY PARHAM ON VICTOR / HMV AND MARLOW HARDY ON COLUMBIA
Björn Englund (Sweden) writes that Jimmy McHendricks, drums with the Marlow Hardy orchestra and Jimmy McEndre, drums with Tiny Parham, should be the same man, but one of these names was spoken and misunderstood during an interview. Which one?

  And one more on Parham: his fine Cathedral Blues and Bennie Moten’s fine Hot Water Blues were coupled on Spanish HMV AE4580. Has this HMV AE series ever been   fully documented?

KING OLIVER ON BRUNSWICK (14 NOVEMBER 1928)
Björn also brings our attention to a mysterious King Oliver recording. In the mid-late 1920s Brunswick had the interesting habit of recording additional non-vocal takes for issue in some non-English speaking countries, including Germany. In the case of Slow And Steady two takes were recorded (E 28757-A/B) plus the additional take E 28757-German [sic!, see recording card in VJM # 103). But how could there be a “German” version of an instrumental recording?

SAM PRICE ON DECCA (1941)
Bo Scherman (Stockholm) via Björn Englund informs that the singer on Decca 8649 Lead Me Daddy Straight To The Bar, called Spo-De-O-Sam is aurally Sam Theard rather than Sammy Price as stated by Rust.

MONTANA TAYLOR WITH LIL JOHNSON ON CHAMPION (1935)
Bob Hitchens (UK) listened to Lil Johnson’s Champion session of 16 July 1935 and hears two different pianists. On Shake Man Blues and Evil Man Blues he thinks it is Montana Taylor and on the other two titles someone else. Any suggestions?

ALIX COMBELLE ON INDIAN HMV (1935)
JR6 gives three titles for Indian HMV N4451 : Sometimes I’m Happy, Avalon and Al’s Idea. The last two are also on Swing 24, but Sometimes I’m Happy is on no other issue, it seems. Were there two different issues of N4451? Was Sometimes I’m Happy actually issued?

KANSAS CITY SIX
Ulf Lundin (France) writes that, contrary to JR6, Pagin’ The Devil/Way Down Yonder in New Orleans was issued as Lester Young and his Kansas City Six on New York N.Y. 104, not 115. He also asks if any readers can supply details about this little-known label. Sutton & Nauck’s American Record Labels, 1891-1943 only lists earlier labels sharing the New York name – can anyone help?

HELEN MORGAN
The great American ‘torch singer’ and the original Julie LaVerne in the musical ‘Show Boat’ made several sides in England in 1927, two of which are listed in Jazz Records by virtue of their hot accompaniments. Mark Berresford advises that we can now add a third – Do-Do-Do on Vocalion B233 (and according to the inscription in the run-off area, Brunswick 129) features excellent trumpet work by Jack Jackson, and a baritone sax, probably Joe Crossman or Louis Martin. It is generally agreed that the small backing group was drawn from members of Ambrose’s Orchestra, and that the pianist and leader was probably Fred Elizalde; however, the label of B233, and that of the previously unreported issues of Lazy Weather on Vocalion and Kildare B223 both show that the pianist is in fact Leslie Hutchinson.

FESS WILLIAMS’ JOY BOYS ON VOCALION
Richard Rains writes to correct an old discographical mistake: Fess Williams’ Joy Boys on Voc 15690 has a brass bass and not a string bass. And here is some more on Fess:

FESS WILLIAMS ON VICTOR
Fess’ final Victor sessions are creating some confusion. Matrix 63305-2 of  Everything Is O.K. With Me is listed as unissued but both Mark and I report a copy of Vic 23003 with this take. Does anyone have a copy with take 3? The Jazz Oracle CD claims to use take 1 from a Victor issue. So that’s another unknown issue.
 
  Both mine and Mark’s copies are coupled with Just To Be With You Tonight 63304-5. Were takes 4 and 5 actually issued as suggested in JR6.

CLARENCE WILLIAMS AND HIS BLUE MOANERS ON EDISON (1929)
Now that we have a few more takes by Fess Williams, it is time to take some away too. K-B. Rau (Germany) is revising the Clarence Williams’ discography. Clarence Williams and his Blue Moaners on Edison have been listed with a personnel of Fess Williams band members since Eva Taylor recalled having been accompanied by members of this band. But when listening closely to Moanin’ Low and Come On Home the following personnel can be identified: Ed Allen (cornet), Charlie Green ( tbn, compare with Bessie Smith´s Keep It To Yourself/N.O. Hop Scop Blues March 27, 1930), Clarence Williams  (p), Cyrus St. Clair (bbs), probably Floyd Casey (dms, wbd) and Eva on the vocals. But there also is a very beautiful clarinet/alto player of the Creole school, very much in the manner of Jimmy Noone and much too good to be unknown. Does anybody have an idea who he could be?

CLIFFORD HAYES’ LOUISVILLE STOMPERS (NOT) ON VICTOR
Richard Rains (UK) queries whether Victor V-38022, Old Chord’s Stomp/Yes, actually exists. Despite it being listed in Les Docks’American Premium Record Guide, he has never seen a copy advertised for sale, nor was it included on the Frog CD of the Clifford Hayes Victors. He said that he queried this with John R.T. Davies, who said that the EMI Archive (based at the appropriately-named London suburb of Hayes!), which has file copies of nearly every issued Victor, did not have a copy. Does anyone want to admit to owning it, or even knowing of a copy?

AND NOW A FEW REACTIONS...

BOB POPE (VJM #162)
Geoffrey Wheeler (Indiana) writes that “Canover” should be “Nolan Canova” who was the band’s “boy” vocalist. “Dixie Lee Southern” is a performer pseudonym that combines the “Dixie Lee” of “Dixie Lee Crosby” and the “Southern” of actress Ann Sothern. Wheeler has a large file on Pope and plans a monograph.

ARTHUR ROSEBERY IN ODEON / PARLOPHONE LO-3000 MATRIX SERIES
Björn Englund (Sweden) and Steve Walker (UK) gave answers to the questions in VJM #162. Details of the LO 3000 (“London Odeon”) matrix series can be found in The Lindström Matrix Series by Lotz and Englund (in The Lindström Project, volume 1, revised edition, Vienna 2011, p 135.

LO 3000-3001 London, 7 June 1928 (this is Arthur Roseberry, issued as Pall Mall Players). Mx LO 3003 was recorded in London too, on 5 August 1931, and LO 3004-3008 in Paris on 17 March 1932.  Only LO 3000-3001 are by a dance band.


TO CLOSE WITH ADRIAN ROLLINI, AS USUAL
I have had much - appreciated help from many VJM readers  to acquire Rollini’s music but I am still missing a few recordings that are essential to hear.

  Who can help me to the following 1927 Ted Wallace titles (issued on OK, Od, Par and AR  - and all formats accepted here!)
3 Jan: Usen’t You Used To Be My Sweetie / If All The Stars Were Pretty Babies
17/18 March: Nesting Time / For Mary And Me
27 June: Love And Kisses
Also any title from Bert Lown session of 14 June 1933. This may have Rollini too.


Any reactions, thoughts, comments or contributions to: Ate van Delden, Vuurdoorn 16, 5666 AW Geldrop, Netherlands.

Email: ate.vandelden@worldonline.nl  Thanks.