Taking their name from a show written by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, a small group led by Don Redman recorded in the late ’20s as the Chocolate Dandies. Redman also used the name for some McKinney’s Cotton Pickers record dates but during the early ’30s the name was picked up by other musicians, notably Benny Carter, who used it for a string of fine recordings he made with Coleman Hawkins and others. Carter revived the name in the early ’40s, again with Hawkins in the band and often creating timeless miniature masterpieces of small group jazz.

Thanks to Uncle Dave Lewis for his help with this page.

Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
Blue Interlude (Benny Carter)	10-10-1933	New York, New York	Decca 18255
Birmingham Break-Down (Duke Ellington)	10-13-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 8668
Bugle Call Rag (Irving Mills / Jack Pettis / Elmer Schoebel)	12-3-1930	New York, New York	Columbia 2543-D Columbia 36008
Cloudy Skies (Coleman Hawkins)	12-3-1930	New York, New York	Columbia 35679
Dee Blues (Benny Carter)	12-3-1930	New York, New York	Columbia 2543-D Columbia 36008
Four Or Five Times (Hellman / Gay)	10-13-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 8627
Goodbye Blues (Benny Carter)	12-3-1930	New York, New York	Columbia 35679
Got Another Sweetie Now (Harrison)	12-3-1930	New York, New York	Columbia 36009
I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me (Clarence Gaskill / Jimmy McHugh)	5-25-1940	New York, New York	Commodore 1506-B
I Never Knew (Ted Fiorito / Gus Kahn)	10-10-1933	New York, New York	Columbia 2875
I Surrender Dear (Gordon Clifford / Harry Barris)	5-25-1940	New York, New York	Commodore 1506-A
Krazy Kapers (Benny Carter)	10-10-1933	New York, New York	Okeh 41568
Once Upon A Time (Benny Carter)	10-10-1933	New York, New York	Okeh 41568 Decca 18255
Puducah (Don Redman)	10-13-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 8627
Smack! (Leonard Feather)	5-25-1940	New York, New York	Commodore 533
Stardust (Hoagy Carmichael)	10-13-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 8668

Artist	Instrument
Cuba Austin	Drums
Chu Berry	Tenor Saxophone
Benny Carter	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Vocals, Arranger
Sid Catlett	Drums
Langston Curl	Trumpet
Roy Eldridge	Trumpet
Ralph Escudero	Tuba
Coleman Hawkins	Tenor Saxophone
Jimmy Harrison	Vocals
Horace Henderson	Piano
Ernest Hill	Bass
Clarence Holiday?	Guitar
Benny Jackson?	Guitar
Lonnie Johnson	Guitar
Claude Jones	Trombone
Max Kaminsky	Trumpet
John Kirby	Bass, Tuba
Lawrence Lucie	Guitar
Mezz Mezzrow?	Drums
John Nesbitt	Trumpet
Floyd O’Brien	Trombone
Don Redman	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Vocals, Arranger
Todd Rhodes	Piano
Prince Robinson	Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Milton Senior	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
George Thomas	Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Vocals
Bobby Stark	Trumpet
Dave Wilborn	Banjo, Vocals
Teddy Wilson	Piano