Focus on Bennie Moten:1928-30

Jeff Barnhart: My erstwhile collaborator, Hal Smith, needs a while to erst on other projects this time around and requested I invite a guest. I’ve found one! Joining me from his European tour is internationally celebrated musician and arranger Dan Barrett; he’s agreed to join me in the ongoing conversation regarding the development of Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra, even though we’ll be collaborating from ten time zones apart, so please excuse any jet-lag-induced nonsense! We’ll concentrate on the years 1928-1930, emphasizing those sides on which William “Count” Basie assumed the piano chair full-time. Dan, thank you for joining me! 1928-30 were pivotal years in the evolving style of the Moten band, during which it absorbed key members of Walter Page’s Blue Devils, including pianist William “Count” Basie, Eddie Durham (gtr; tmb; arr.), Oran “Hot Lips” Page (tpt) and Jimmy Rushing (vocals). Before we get into specific examples, could you offer a brief recollection of your first encounter with these sides? Dan Barrett: Jeff, I’m so glad you invited me to “sit in” for our friend Hal Smith in discussing the important and influential Benny Moten band. I was in high school when I first heard several of the band’s recordings. Of course, I flipped! In fact, it may have been Hal Smith himself who played Moten’s recording of “Kater Street Rag” for