Although his was basically a hotel dance band, Straight appreciated jazz and some of his recordings for Paramount are among the best jazz records made by a white band in the early 1920’s. His Brunswick recordings are slightly more “Hot Dance” in nature but there are plenty of excellent solos especially on the Vocalion sides and the very rare German issue of non-vocal take of Too Busy. Although Straight didn’t record after August 1928 he remained active as a bandleader until his death in 1940 when he was hit by a speeding car in Chicago.
by Hans Eekhoff (from the liner notes of Brunswick/Vocalion Odds & Bits 1926-1930 on Timeless Records)
If you would like to order the Timeless Records’ CD of Brunswick/Vocalion Odds & Bits 1926-1930 you can do so direct from Timeless Records.
Thanks to Bob Palmer and Shane Davis for their help with this page.
| Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
| Arkansas Mule (Jimmy Clark) | 9-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20264-A |
| Bathing Beauty Blues (A. Lawrence / R. Cooper ) | 9-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20264-B |
| Buddy’s Habits (Charley Straight / Arnett Nelson) | 6-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20244-B |
| Deep Henderson (Fred Rose) | 5-28-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3224-A |
| Do You, Don’t You? (Vocal Chorus by the Vagabounds) | 8-25-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 4026 |
| Easy Melody (Conley / Rodemich) | 10-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20271-A |
| Everywhere You Go (Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano) (Shay / Goodwin / Fisher) | 1-16-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3797-B |
| Forgetful Blues (Fred Hamm / Henry Winston) | 12-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20291-A Puritan 11291 |
| From Midnight Till Dawn (Torey / Wimbrow / Abbott) | 5-23-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3944 |
| Hen Pecked Blues (Jules Buffano) | 6-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20244-A |
| Her Beaus Are Only Rainbows (Alfred Bryan / George Meyer) | 5-28-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3203-A |
| Hi-Diddle-Diddle (Coon / Keidel) | 3-10-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3136-B |
| Hobo’s Prayer (Senter / Hirsch) | 5-28-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 15388 |
| Hobo’s Prayer (Senter / Hirsch) | 5-28-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3224-B |
| It Made You Happy When You Made Me Cry (Walter Donaldson) | 9-9-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3326 |
| Just A Night For Meditation (Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano) (Young / Lewis / Pollack) | 5-23-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3945 |
| Last Night I Dreamed I Kissed You (Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano) (Kahn / Lombardo) | 5-23-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3944 |
| Last Night I Dreamed I Kissed You (Kahn / Green / Lombardo) | 5-23-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick A-7797 |
| Love, My Heart Is Calling You (Joe Young / Sam M. Lewis / J. Cooper) | 9-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20265-B |
| Minor Gaff (Arlack / George) | 5-28-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 15388 |
| My Ohio Home (Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano) (Kahn / Donaldson) | 1-16-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3797-A |
| My Sunflower Maid (Smith / Wheeler / Eysoldt) | 12-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20291-B Puritan 11291 |
| Nesting Time Vocal Trio by Keller Sisters and Lynch (Monaco / Dixon) | 3-21-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3516-B |
| Persian Rug (Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano) (Gus Kahn / Neil Moret) | 3-17-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3899 |
| Rose Of Sunny Italy | 9-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20265-A |
| Sentimental Baby (Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano) (Palmer) | 3-17-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3900-B |
| Side By Side Vocal Trio by Keller Sisters and Lynch (Harry Woods) | 3-21-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3516-A |
| Stealing To Virginia (Gus Kahn / Walter Donaldson ) | 9-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20266 |
| Sweet Henry The Pride Of Tennessee (Harry Akst) | 10-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20271-B |
| Sweet Southern Breeze (Gus Kahn / Ted Fiorito) | 1-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3076-B |
| Sweet Sue – Just You (Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano) (Will Harris / Victor Young) | 3-17-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3900-A |
| Talking To The Moon (Baskette / Little) | 1-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3076-A |
| Tell Me Tonight (Connor / Little) | 8-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3324-B |
| That Old Gang Of Mine (Billy Rose / M. Dixon / Ray Henderson) | 9-1923 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 20266 |
| That’s What I Call Keen (Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano) (Gus Kahn / Ted Fiorito) | 1-17-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3899 |
| That’s Why I Love You (Donaldson / Ash) | 5-28-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3203-B |
| Too Busy Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano (Miller / Cohn) | 5-23-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3945 |
| Too Busy (Miller / Cohn) | 5-23-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick A7792 |
| Waiting And Dreaming (Vocal Chorus by the Vagabounds) (Miller / Cohn) | 8-25-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 4026 |
| What A Man! (Williams / Donaldson) | 3-10-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3136-A |
| What’s The Use Of Crying (Kindel / Forbstein) | 8-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 3324-A |
| Artist | Instrument |
| Gene Caffarelli | Cornet |
| Bob Conselman | Drums |
| Guy Carey | Trombone |
| Joe Gist | Clarinet, Alto Saxophone |
| Randall Miller | Trombone |
| Leo Murphy | Violin |
| Wally Preissing | Tenor Saxophone |
| Dale Skinner | Clarinet, Alto Saxophone |
| Frank Stoddard | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone |
| Charley Straight | Piano, Leader |
| Bob Strong | Mellophone, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Violin |
| Frank Sylvano | Banjo, Vocals |
| Hannah and Dorothea Williams | Vocals |
| Ike Williams | Tuba |
