Kid Ory on Crescent: Darnell Howard Steps In

Jeff Barnhart: Gentle reader, last month Hal Smith and I had such fun listening to, discussing, and sharing with you some music recorded by the legendary New Orleans trombonist and pioneer of the “tailgate” style, Edward “Kid” Ory, we are continuing down that musical path this month. In fact, Hal, you mentioned the final two Crescent sessions from 1945 provided “some of the very best sides by the Ory ensemble”!

Last month, we concluded with four sides the band recorded for the Crescent label in March, 1945. Ory (trombone); “Papa” Mutt Carey (trumpet); Buster Wilson (piano); Bud Scott (guitar); Ed Garland (bass); and Minor “Ram” Hall would all return for both the September and November Crescent dates of the same year, but with a different clarinetist, Chicago-born Darnell Howard.

Although his stint with the Ory band was brief, Howard’s inclusion of the two sessions we’ll examine this time around seem to me to really lift the band. Right out of the gate, “Maryland, My Maryland” is perfectly executed and the band sails through the multiple sections, routines and counter-melodies. Darnell fit right in, didn’t he?

Hal Smith: Yes—Darnell Howard was one of the very best clarinetists in any of Ory’s bands! He sounds confident on every song; hot, but never forced with a wonderful, instantly recognizable tone and beat. He returned to the ensemble in 1955 when Kid Ory made a series of recordings for Verve. Darnell sounds great on those records too! “Maryland” is one that stayed in the Ory repertoire until the end, but it would be hard to beat this recording. It’s a perfect “marching” tempo but it swings, too. By the way, Turk Murphy told me that on his arrangement of the song, in the trumpet part the descending notes on the second strain are written to be played “straight” the first time (as Papa Mutt Carey played them) and with triplets on the repeat (à la Bunk Johnson).

I don’t know how anyone could keep their feet still while listening to “Down Home Rag.” The band swings from the first note, with Papa Mutt punching out the lead, Ory and Ed Garland syncopating the beat, Buster Wilson adding his usual Morton touches and Darnell Howard playing absolutely perfect ensemble parts. Darnell’s solo is inventive and inspirational. Ory’s solo is one of my favorites on all of his records. When Mutt puts the mute in and the band uses dynamics…what a sound!

The origins of “1919” were summed up by Ory historian John McCusker: “Music from the country”—a number of different songs and sources that Ory would have heard growing up. The title was the birth year of Marili Morden—one of the Ory band’s greatest advocates and the owner of the Jazzman Record Shop in Los Angeles. It’s often called “1919 RAG,” though it is more march-like. This recording is ensemble all the way, except for the clarinet and trombone duet the first time through the trio strain. For me, Buster Wilson steals the show with all those Morton fills, but Darnell Howard wailing on the last couple of choruses is quite an attention-getter too.

“Oh, Didn’t He Ramble” has the usual “Flee As A Bird” segment with Ory intoning the eulogy, a Minor Hall roll-off to a bright tempo (TOO bright for a funeral second line!), an ensemble and a vocal by Ory and Bud Scott (with a very odd vocal effect by the latter). Darnell Howard plays a characteristic solo over driving rhythm by Wilson, Scott, Garland and Hall. And Howard keeps increasing the musical temperature through the succeeding ensemble choruses, all the way to the end.

This is a pretty doggone good recording session, wouldn’t you say?

JB:  By ALL means, Hal!! The band is on fire on each selection from this September 8, 1945 session, and I wonder why only four sides were recorded that day…a contractual thing, perhaps? At any rate, my only additional comment regarding “Maryland, My Maryland”—and this could really be said about any of the sides we’re listening to—is how remarkable it is what variety and heat the Ory band generates in three minutes or under!

Wilbur Sweatman’s “Down Home Rag” was written in 1911, but bands (including several of your ensembles) still play it today! While Chicago-based publisher Will Rossiter took no chances trying to sell it (on the front cover of the sheet music, he labels the piece “The Greatest ‘Tango,’ ‘One-Step,’ ‘Trot’ of them all!!) Ory’s outfit leaves no doubt as to how they believe it should be played, ripping through each of the four distinct sections with gusto in a joyous romp! A four bar intro leads us to the three-note A-theme, which we hear twice (really the only simpler melody in ragtime is that of “The Twelfth Street Rag.”).

The B section follows the same harmonic pattern and lifts the final four bars from A. The form until the trio is AABBA, with all sections thus far in Bb. A four-bar interlude brings us to the trio in Eb. The melody of the D section sounds glorious with the three horns in close parallel harmony, achieving to my ear a small group swing sound (my wife Anne, who has a great ear, walked by when this part was on and commented “That sounds more modern than you guys usually write about”).

And there’s so much more to mention: Buster Wilson’s ultra-syncopated hits on the D section, Darnell Howard’s soaring solo statement and what is now one of my favorite Ory solos as well. Just listen to how Ram Hall drives the band through the ensemble that follows it! To hear this tune live by this band, when they weren’t limited to the time constraint of a recording, must’ve been a silver box moment.

Hal, I’m so glad you mentioned the origins of “1919” as I’ve heard so many spurious theories and stories (“That was the year it was written” and “That was the number of the tune in the book” among them). I’d say that Wilson’s fully-textured pianistics give this side an almost manic intensity but he never gets out-of-control. Mutt Carey’s growling trumpet phrases—and the way he leaves plenty of room for Ory and Howard to add their voices—are also a highlight for me. In fact, I listened to this one six times before I could move on.

Although I’m aware of how historically important is “Didn’t He Ramble,” I admit it’s not a favorite of mine. And this tempo is almost ridiculously spritely; I can see the marchers falling all over themselves trying to keep up. That being said, the nonpareil rhythm section and Howard’s driving filigrees during the final ensembles would make this version the one I’d go to if someone insisted I hear this tune. I can’t think of another recording that does it this well.

Hal, can they keep it up for the next session?

HS: I think so. The Nov. 3 recording date starts off with “Ory’s Creole Trombone,” first recorded by Ory’s band in Los Angeles in 1922. Not only was it the first commercially-released recording by an African-American jazz band; the personnel included Papa Mutt Carey and Ed Garland! 23 years later, they really brought the heat for this Crescent recording. Ory’s slides, smears and syncopations are absolutely wonderful. Darnell plays exactly the right thing at the right time throughout the side—including a couple of beautiful low-register breaks.

Papa Mutt, who sounded a lot like Freddie Keppard on the 1922 record (particularly when he played into a metal derby) summons another legendary New Orleans hornman on the repeat of the trio…on the seventh and eighth bars, Mutt plays the figure that Bunk Johnson whistled to illustrate Buddy Bolden’s style. That whole chorus by the Ory band puts a chill up my spine every time I hear it! And when Ed Garland brings the band back after the final break, what a fantastic last chorus! By the way, Bunk Johnson claimed that the origin of this number was Ory “trying to play ‘Car-Bar-Lick Acid,’” a 1901 rag by Clarence Wiley. There are similarities, but give Ory credit for one of the best “test pieces” for the trombone since the days of Arthur Pryor.

Next is “Weary Blues” with the “short” introduction rather than the half notes. In my experience, when the intro is played this way, the song is usually called “Shake It And Break It.” Ory plays the breaks on the first strain and the ensemble continues to play all the way into the trio. Darnell’s solo is just as great as you would expect and Ory follows with some correlative phrases and plenty of huffing and puffing. Mutt plays into a mute when the whole band re-enters and changes the entire dynamic. Two more choruses follow, with the rhythm section playing with a wonderful, relaxed feel. Minor Hall switches to the hi-hat, giving a totally different sound to the rhythm.

Ory was 13 when Scott Joplin published “Maple Leaf Rag.” As popular as the tune was, you have to assume that Ory heard it almost immediately and most likely included it in the repertoire of his earliest bands. This recording certainly follows Joplin’s directive that “It is never right to play ragtime fast.” What a beautiful DANCE tempo! For this recording, the band only plays the A and B strains one time apiece. It is all ensemble until Darnell solos on the trio (listen to Ory’s fantastic sliding phrases). Ory himself plays a solo, with the other two horns riffing behind. Mutt’s mute work, Garland’s syncopations, Wilson’s Jelly Roll phrases and the interplay between Ory and Howard really make this a standout side. Also, notice that the last four bars of the D strain are closer to “All The Girls Go Crazy” or “Bucket’s Got A Hole In It” than Joplin’s original music.

The last song from Nov. 3 is “Original Dixieland One-Step.” Ory must have really liked this one, as it turns up on numerous broadcasts and live recordings, on the soundtrack of The Benny Goodman Story, and on a 1956 Ory recording for Good Time Jazz. As with all the songs from the Crescent sessions, the band takes the song at a good dance tempo (a LOT slower than it is usually played). Again, the routine is abridged: A-B-Trio. Dig the “handoff” from the horns and Minor Hall to the solos by Darnell Howard and Ory. Though Ory basically plays the melody of the trio for his solo, it is very effective. And hear Darnell Howard wailing when the full band re-enters. Man, he was on fire!

Earlier, you pointed out Minor Hall’s playing on “Down Home Rag.” I just want to point out how much music and how much variety he was able to produce by concentrating on the snare drum. On these records, there is a whole world of sound in those press rolls! Minor Hall was the first New Orleans drummer I heard on record and his drumming has been one of the major influences on my own playing.

Jeff, do you think these final four Crescent sides kept the flame lit?

JB: I’m putting on my fireproof suit on now! Several things stand out for me on “Ory’s Creole Trombone.” First, I notice that most current bands play it too fast. This is a stompy, danceable tempo and, especially as it’s chosen by the composer, JUST perfect!! Also, Ory delays his break on the B section so that it becomes 17 bars long! Hal, Ory starts the break on the 1922 recording in the same place, but he shortens the phrase so that it all comes out evenly. Do you think this “longer break” to accommodate the entire phrase was something the band worked out ahead of time or did it perhaps gradually morph into Ory adding some beats to include the entire phrase during their years of playing the tune on gigs?

HS: I’m guessing that Ory just kept playing it that same way. Musicians who worked with him (and some astute Ory fans) have mentioned that he often played something that sounded like a mistake, but kept playing it the same way so it wouldn’t seem to be a mistake!

JB: Ha!! Fats Waller was famous for the same thing.

Wrapping up my comments on the tune, Buster Wilson is again putting in some awesome fills, goosing the ensembles along, and Howard’s clarinet break during the second “dogfight” was a delightful surprise! Finally, when I read your comment on Bunk Johnson’s reference to “Car-Bar-Lick Acid,” I immediately sat down and played it through. Other than the identical two-bar phrase that opens the rag (found in bars 3-4 of “Ory’s Creole Trombone”) there’s not a single comparison I could hear, and by 1922, that phrase was no doubt being widely used in improvisations throughout the land. I think Mr. Johnson was overstating his case or had a taste of sour grapes on his tongue.

I was confused the first time I heard Artie Matthew’s 1915 tune “Weary Blues” referred to as “Shake It And Break It” because of the 1920 tune written by Lou Chiha and H. Qualli Clark by the same name. However, once I heard the words often sung when the tune is performed with the alternate title, it made sense (“Shake it and Break it and hang it on the wall” etc…). Mercifully, although Ory’s group uses the short note intro, they leave these lyrics out! We’ve discussed before how we’re both fans of the polyphony created by New Orleans ensembles and these guys give it to us in gallons!!! Once again, I’ll mention that the medium tempo makes the silences in the intro very dramatic and THIS is the tempo modern bands would do well to emulate. Oh, and I love Ed Garland’s slap bass on this side!

Hal, the band’s rendition of “Maple Leaf Rag” is fascinating to me.

First, I agree the tempo is PERFECT! Second, Buster Wilson’s Jelly Roll influences are no more clearly exhibited than here! The tempo allows him to stomp and syncopate a la Mr. Morton throughout!!! I’m sorry the band didn’t play the A and B sections twice (or return to A before going to the trio) because they performed each section so wonderfully! Finally, I heard what you mentioned when I listened to this: rather than adhering to Joplin’s original harmonic changes in the final four bars of the D section, they use those of the tunes you mention AND of that phantom section we studied when we examined “Panama” a few years back. (TST, May-June, 2021).

I do love the tempo on “Original Dixieland One-Step” and actually find Ory’s playing the melody for his solo to be so refreshing after Howard’s virtuosic clarinet acrobatics; it’s such a pretty melody and tailor made for the trombone! Nice that you shared Minor Hall’s influence on your drumming, Hal. As I was listening, I was hearing figures and grooves you play!

Darnell Howard sounds like he was having a ball on these recordings, and it’s a shame he disappears from Ory’s band until a decade later. However, WHO can complain about the clarinetist assuming the chair on the next set of sides?

HS: There is nothing at all to complain about regarding Barney Bigard’s fantastic clarinet work on the sessions Ory recorded for Columbia in October, 1946. Bigard’s imaginative playing is just as fluid and his tone just as gorgeous as on the records he made with Morton, Ellington and Armstrong. Unfortunately, the 1946 dates were the last commercial recordings which included Papa Mutt Carey on trumpet with the Ory band. But he certainly brought his “A-game” to those performances!

There are eight sides, plus three alternate takes, from the Columbia session. Jeff, what do you think about saving these recordings for another article? We might also be able to include a couple of recordings by the post-Mutt Carey version of the Ory band.

JB: I’m all in, partner!! This was a great time and I’m looking forward to the next one! Go Ory!!