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The Halfway House Orchestra was named after a dancehall called the Halfway House that was halfway between New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain.
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The group was led by Abbie Brunies, brother of George Brunies. Barataria and Pussy Cat Rag are the last recordings of Leon Roppolo. Members of the Halfway House Orchestra also appear on one other record accompanying singer Alberta Brown. Another of the Brunies brothers, Merritt led the Friars Inn Orchestra.
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Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
Barataria (Leo Adde / Bill Eastwood) | 1-22-1925 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Okeh 40318-B |
I Don’t Want To Remember (unknown) | 4-15-1926 | New Orleans, Louisiana | VJM |
If I Didn’t Have You (Glyn Lea Long) | 12-17-1928 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 1959-D |
I Hate Myself For Lovin’ You (unknown) | 4-26-1928 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia |
It Belongs To You (Albert Brunies / Glyn Lea Long) | 4-13-1926 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 1041-D |
I’ll Go Back To That Dear Old Pal O’ Mine (unknown) | 4-27-1928 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia |
I’m In Love (Albert Brunies / Glyn Lea Long) | 4-13-1926 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 681-D |
I Want Somebody To Love (Glyn Lea Long) | 10-24-1927 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 1263-D |
Just Pretending (Glyn Lea Long) | 12-17-1928 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 1959-D |
Let Me Call You Sweetheart (Friedman / Whitson) | 9-25-1925 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 476-D |
Let Your Lips Touch My Lips (unknown) | 4-26-1928 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia |
Love Dreams (Brown) | 4-26-1928 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 1542-D |
Maple Leaf Rag (Scott Joplin) | 9-25-1925 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia |
New Orleans Shuffle (Bill Whitmore) | 9-25-1925 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 541-D |
Pussy Cat Rag (Albert Brunies / Charlie Cordilla / Mackie Marcour) | 1-22-1925 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Okeh 40318-A |
Since You’re Gone (Levy / Glyn Lea Long) | 4-13-1926 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia |
Snookum (Bennett) | 4-13-1926 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 1041-D |
Squeeze Me (Fats Waller / Clarence Williams) | 9-25-1925 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 541-D |
Tell Me Who Vocal refrain by Johnnie Saba (Albert Brunies / Paley / Van Hook) | 4-27-1928 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 1542-D |
When I’m Blue (Glyn Lea Long) | 10-24-1927 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 1263-D |
Won’t You Be My Loving Baby? (unknown) | 4-15-1926 | New Orleans, Louisiana | BRS |
Wylie Avenue Blues (Albert Brunies / Diaz / Mistier) | 4-27-1928 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Columbia 01437 |
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Artist | Instrument |
Sidney Arodin | Clarinet, Tin Whistle |
Leo Adde | Drums |
Albert Brunies | Cornet, Leader |
Charlie Cordella | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone |
Bill Eastwood | Banjo |
Glyn Lea “Red” Long | Clarinet |
Mackie Marcour | Piano |
Chink Martin | Tuba, Bass |
Angelo Palmisano | Banjo |
Emmett Rodgers | Drums |
Leon Roppolo | Clarinet, Alto Saxophone |
Johnny Saba | Vocals |
Bill Whitmore | Piano |
Redhotjazz.com was a pioneering website during the "Information wants to be Free" era of the 1990s. In that spirit we are recovering the lost data from the now defunct site and sharing it with you.
Most of the music in the archive is in the form of MP3s hosted on Archive.org or the French servers of Jazz-on-line.com where this music is all in the public domain.
Files unavailable from those sources we host ourselves. They were made from original 78 RPM records in the hands of private collectors in the 1990s who contributed to the original redhotjazz.com. They were hosted as .ra files originally and we have converted them into the more modern MP3 format. They are of inferior quality to what is available commercially and are intended for reference purposes only. In some cases a Real Audio (.ra) file from Archive.org will download. Don't be scared! Those files will play in many music programs, but not Windows Media Player.