ATE's DISCOGRAPHICAL RAMBLINGS

First a few new items...

MAL HALLETT

Mark Berresford writes: "Despite all editions of the standard discographies showing Mal Hallett as a clarinet and saxophone player, photographic evidence tells a different story. On all the photos I have seen of him with an instrument, it is a violin he is holding! Can anyone shed light on where the references to him as a saxophonist originate?"

Recorded evidence shows that Hallett had a fine band, but little seems to be known about his sidemen on these records; who, for instance is the fine dixieland clarinettist on the Pathe/Perfect of She's A Cornfed Indiana Girl? Aurally it suggests Johnny Costello, but has anyone have other suggestions - or more information on the personnel?

BILL WIRGES

Another one from Mark: the vocalist on the Pathe/Perfect of Shake That Thing is named on the labels as Bob Oliver. However, I own a Pathe test of this side (credited to "H. Reser Orch") and it identifies the vocalist as drummer, comedian and bit part actor Forrest 'Fuzzy' Knight. In the light of this it seems credible that it is he, not Tom Stacks on drums. Incidentally, the test shows the take number to be take 2.

PAUL WHITEMAN

Now one from myself. Columbia issued more alternate takes than is generally assumed. One that intrigued me for a long time is Whiteman's The Man I Love, of which two takes were issued. After I got Columbia 50068 with take 4, I acquired Regal RS1009, a Spanish issue, with take 2 (same coupling as the Columbia). Curiously I checked Trumbauer's solo but could hear no difference. Reading Don Rayno's comment in his fine Whiteman bio-discography ("considerable improvising and variation between the two takes") made me wonder even more. So I asked the help of Frank van Nus, winner of the Jean Goldkette award and an experienced arranger. He has a profound knowledge of Whiteman's music and confirmed that Tram was not improvising here at all. He did find small differences in the vocal and the various cymbal crashes.

ZACKIE MOORE

Paramount researcher Alex van der Tuuk (Netherlands) reports: "During my research on midwestern dance bands, I recently stumbled on this information about Zackie Moore. A March 1927 advertisement refers to a recent recording session in Chicago for Paramount. This is a so far unknown recording session which predates the known session of September 1927 by six months." Does anyone have information on such a session? There is also information that Zackie Moore recorded for Gennett and Okeh, according to a 1929 advertisement.

And now for a few updates...

LOUIS ARMSTRONG

Richard Rains and Charlie Crump have listened carefully to some of the Hot Sevens. They came to the conclusion that it is Honore Dutrey on trombone on Alligator Crawl and Potato Head Blues. On Melancholy Blues and Weary Blues, recorded the following day, it is a different man. Richard accepts this man as John Thomas, but Charlie believes him to be Kid Ory.

DUKE ELLINGTON

Both Richard Rains (UK) and Karl-Bernhard Rau (Germany) commented that Harmony 601-H is indeed by Ellington. The trumpet player is unknown to them (certainly not Metcalf). Karl-Bernhard thinks it's not Miley either but Richard suspects it's Miley playing subdued and straight. They agree that the trombone sounds like Nanton, the clarinet - later changing to tenor sax, could well be Bigard, the drummer certainly is Greer (the style, particularly his cymbal work) and the piano player, doubling tempo in his solo chorus, is absolutely fitting with the Duke of the period. Also Karl-Bernhard commented that some voicings in the very rudimentary arrangement are Ellingtonian, and he adds that the singing alto is typical of Hardwick.

Let me add that Mark Berresford and I listened carefully to all three of Duke's Harmony titles and we agree with both Karl-Bernhard and Richard. None of the three tunes was written by the leader, and the band may not have been familiar with them. This may explain why the band does not reach its usual high level. Until the file cards or new information prove us wrong, we’re happy to stick to them all being by Ellington.

Canadian collector and mellophone expert Phil Melick agrees with Hans Eekhoff's remarks about Dudley Fosdick's or Miff Mole's presence on various recordings. Here is Phil's comment:

Futuristic Rhythm - no mellophone at all. But isn't the trombone Miller, not Mole?

Out Where the Blues Begin - ditto.

That's A Plenty - Fosdick shows up on this last title. He's with Nichols in the ensemble after Fud's solo. And he plays the next solo, too. The later solo is trombone.

Crazy Rhythm - Fosdick takes upward running break in intro, and at very end. But I agree that the main solo is Mole.

Phil has useful advice for an instructive comparison of the two instruments: play the Don Voorhees Columbias of Clementine and Baby's Blue, back to back. Same band, same studio, same day. The solo on Clementine is Mole on trombone, while the solo on Baby's Blue is by Bill Trone on mellophone.

REX STEWART

Both Karl Bernhard Rau and Michel Pfau (Germany) inform us that all three takes of Rex Stewart’s Tea And Trumpets can be found in a seven cds Mosaic box, MD7-235, on disc III, tracks 15 (2:31), 16 (2:30), and 17 (2:29).

Finally an item to help me in my research of this great player bass saxophone player...

ADRIAN ROLLINI

In 2000 VJM featured John Newton's articles on the Brunswick Brevities. Brunswick had more such series including some with Red Nichols bands. In August 1930 Nichols recorded two or three so-called Heat Programs in which Adrian Rollini took part (solos *). There might be 24 matrix numbers involved but only 11 are known. Usually takes A and B were recorded. I don't hear Rollini on the other eight titles I've heard so far, the bass notes being played by a strong tuba player, probably Joe Tarto. This is what I know, very incomplete information - can anyone add to this?

XE33545 My Future Just Passed/ Oh, Baby!/ My Future Just Passed (**) A, pt. 2

XE33546 After You've Gone

XE33548 St. Louis Blues (**) F, pt. 1

XE33549 Call Of The Freaks (*) E, pt. 3

XE33550 The Sheik Of Araby (**)

XE33555 Strike Up The Band/ Alexander's Ragtime Band/ Strike Up The Band (**)A, pt. 1

XE33556 Black And Blue/ Ain't Misbehavin'/ Black And Blue (**) D, pt.3

XE33559 Sweet Georgia Brown/ I Ain't Got Nobody/ Sweet Georgia Brown (*)

XE34058 Ballin' The Jack/ Walkin' The Dog Ballin' The Jack (*) I, pt. 3

XE34059 Some Of These Days

XE34061 I Lost My Gal From Memphis/ Here Comes Emily Brown (**) H, pt. 2

For future contributions to this feature, please send your information to: - Ate van Delden, Vuurdoorn 16, 5666 AW Geldrop, Netherlands. Email: ate.vandelden@worldonline.nl