Jeff Barnhart: Hal, we’ve been having great fun listening to the 1945 sides made by trombonist Kid Ory and his marvelous band. I have to think of all of our topics thus far, the subject of Ory in the 1940’s has garnered the most feedback, quite a lot of it international! So let’s not quit yet. We’re continuing this month with sides on Columbia from 1946 with the same personnel as 1945’s Crescent sides, excepting once again the clarinet chair shifts, this time from Darnell Howard to Barney Bigard. Hal, quite some time transpired between the Crescent sides of Nov. 1945 and the Columbia dates in Mid-October 1946, yet the band was very popular at the time. Was their tour schedule too heavy to allow more time to record during this period?
Hal Smith: The Ory band was definitely busy in 1946, with club dates around Los Angeles and in the Bay Area. In addition, several of the band members played on the soundtrack of the movie New Orleans and were also seen onscreen. They probably didn’t have any time left to spend recording. It is fortunate that Columbia managed to get the band into the studio, as the resulting sides were the last commercial recordings by “Papa Mutt” Carey, Buster Wilson, and Bud Scott with the band. Without those three musicians, the sound of the Ory band changed quite a bit in the next few years—and not always for the better.
First up from the recording session on Oct. 12, 1946, is the standard “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?” Everyone in the Ory band except Bigard would have heard this 1902 composition in their youth! They start with the traditional New Orleans introduction: the last eight bars of the song. Surprisingly, the ensemble follows a chorus with the verse. Ory didn’t include verses very often, so it is a welcome addition to this side. Buster Wilson’s solo is very reminiscent of Morton and on the clarinet solo, Bigard enters bouncing and swinging from the first note, buoyed by Minor Hall’s hi-hat. The final ensemble is a real romp and is worthy of a second listen just to focus on Bigard’s playing!
There are two takes of “Farewell To Storyville” (originally titled “Good Time Flat Blues” and reworked for inclusion in the movie New Orleans). Billie Holiday sang the number in the movie, but the vocalist on Ory’s record is Helen Andrews—a Kansas native and, at the time of the recording, an active participant in the Central Avenue music scene in Los Angeles. As a rule, Ory did not feature female vocalists with his band, so this side is a comparative rarity. The song is taken at a perfect slow, rocking tempo.
After the band introduction, Ms. Andrews sings the verse and chorus (a call-and-response; the band answering her phrases with Bud Scott’s voice the most prominent). Ory and Carey play a gritty brass duet with Hall’s hi-hat underneath, Bigard plays a wailing phrase, then the vocalist and band sing and play to the conclusion. There isn’t a lot of difference between this take and the alternate, except for the improvisation on the solo, a particularly pretty Morton phrase by Wilson on the last chorus and more prominent guitar in the mix. (Did someone move Bud Scott closer to a microphone)?
Helen Andrews stayed on to sing one more number: a duet with Bud on “Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho.” The performance starts with an otherworldly muted cadenza by Papa Mutt, a tom-tom pickup to tempo, and an ensemble chorus with a clarinet bridge. The vocal, with Bigard and Wilson providing terrific accompaniment, is a joy to hear. Bigard plays a great solo—as usual—followed by Ory, using his Magin & Mayer “Saxonette” mute and backed by Minor Hall’s afterbeats on the snare drum. He keeps the afterbeat going through two more choruses, with Papa Mutt’s ghostly vibrato prominent in the ensemble.
clarinetist Archie Rosati. Courtesy of Christer Fellers/The Kid Ory Archive
JB: Hal, it is indeed a boon that the band was able to make two dates for Columbia and I love ALL of this! The first thing that struck me is how the rhythm just locks in at the beginning of the first ensemble chorus of “Bill Bailey.” Ed Garland’s driving bass (he’s plucking hard here, not quite slapping) melds with Bud Scott’s steady guitar rhythm, Buster Wilson romping along in hot Jelly Roll style and those press rolls and accents provided by Minor Hall perfectly spice it up. I’d like to make a few observations about the harmonies the band uses. In the final four bars of the chorus, the band doesn’t use the traditional G7-C7-F progression, choosing to make the G7 a minor seven (so Gm7 or G-7). Without getting too theoretical, the G7 lends itself to the Ragtime era origins of the tune, while the Gm7 substitution gives this rendition a swingier, jazzier feel. Just that one chord change makes a huge difference!
As far as the verse, the band doesn’t take it in the traditional key of Dm, rather playing it in the key of F, the key the chorus is in. Since I do the verse every time I perform “Bill Bailey,” this was a bit jarring to me. If you listen closely to the line Barney Bigard is playing, it sounds like he was trying to play in Dm in a few spots. Nevertheless, the band romps through it, no-one’s hurt and we’re treated to those exciting piano and clarinet solos. I was impressed with the space Wilson left in between his phrases. By not overplaying and alternating between the melody and those Morton-like licks, he creates real heat. I’ve always loved Bigard’s tone and phrasing. He too, doesn’t simply play a barrage of licks. His spaces say as much as do his notes. Hal, I listened to the final ensemble SIX times, focusing on each player as the star except poor Bud Scott, who was under-recorded. It’s a one-chorus doctoral thesis on how to play polyphonic, New Orleans style jazz!
Archive
“Farewell to Storyville” fascinates me. Buster Wilson bangs out the melody on the piano behind Helen Andrew’s stentorian rendering of the verse, making me wonder if she asked him to help her out. He abandons this support on the chorus. The two highlights for me are the muted duet chorus between Ory and Carey and Ms. Andrew’s final sung chorus, where she really lets it rip! I wonder what necessitated an additional take? I hear that Helen Andrews is more confident on the second take, but you label it as an “alternate” take so was this one not used? The Ory-Carey duet offers more hot moments, and Wilson’s piano fingers between the final vocal chorus knocked me out! Hal, which one was released?
The dramatic opening on “Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho” is just killer!! In fact, this is one of my favorite sides yet. The tempo is perfect, stomping and testifying with everyone playing (and singing) for all their worth!!
Hal, I think my only gripe is I wish these sides could’ve been longer to give the band room for a couple more outchoruses, especially on “Bill Bailey” and “Joshua.” I guess I’ll just have to wait to hear what you now have in store for us!
HS: That rhythm section is really something, isn’t it? The late jazz chronicler Floyd Levin once told me that he thought Ory’s rhythm section was better than Count Basie’s! That’s open to debate, but we will hear even more of the incredible Wilson-Scott-Garland-Hall team on the remaining sides.
It’s very possible that Helen Andrews asked for some assistance with the melody on the first take of “Storyville” since she generally performed more contemporary material. The second take is listed as “alternate” on YouTube, but not on the American Music CD The Complete Kid Ory Columbia Session: 1946. I don’t know why it was designated as an “alternate,” but I am thankful for all of the takes from these sessions!
Moving on, we are treated to first and second takes of the song that Minor Hall called “Old Tige” (“Tiger Rag”). It would be difficult to choose which one to issue, though Ory bumped into one of Bigard’s breaks on the “B” strain of the “alternate” take. (That’s probably why it was an “alternate.”) There is so much to enjoy: The steady, driving but relaxed lead by Mutt Carey; Ory’s “singing” over the ensemble on the “B” strain and Bigard’s virtuoso breaks; the dynamics on the trio; Ory’s and Carey’s half-chorus solos and the rhythm section digging in—with Wilson to the fore, especially on the “alternate” take. Everyone plays looser on the “alternate”…maybe they figured that it was not going to be issued after Ory’s little mistake, so they just had fun playing, rather than going for a “take.” What do you think, Jeff?
JB: Well, you’ve shared with me what has now become my favorite version(s) of “Tiger Rag!” Effortless, joyous swing throughout! I decided to listen to the released take first and couldn’t imagine how the alternate could be “looser” until I heard IT! Your postulation that the band was just having fun after Ory’s minor trip-up makes sense to me; as well, we’ve both been in the recording studio enough to know that it’s relaxing doing an alternate when you know you already have a good take in the can!
I have both observations and one big question. Beginning with the question: Did Mutt Carey originate the melodic variations on the A and B sections that I’ve not heard contemporary bands play, or were altered melody lines part of a long-standing New Orleans tradition?
HS: I have read that “Tiger Rag” was originally called “Play Jack Carey”—in honor of Mutt’s brother Jack. I haven’t heard that variation of the song, but it might have been what inspired Mutt to play the lead lines he chose. Or possibly he was remembering how Buddy Bolden played it. Or Freddie Keppard. He heard Bolden in person and was a great fan of Keppard!
JB: My observations are that on both takes Barney Bigard wends his sinuous way throughout, never overplaying but making the most intricate lines seem almost casual. His solo—with Ory and Carey riffing their support—on either take just made my face smile and my feet move! Once the band gets to the trio things really take off, and the shared chorus between Ory and Carey contains some of the most exciting music I’ve ever heard (just listen to Carey’s virtuosic break midway through the chorus!). And pianist Wilson plays with such abandon on the final chorus(es) I was breathless. [I know I sound like a broken 78, but I would’ve loved an additional outchorus or two.] It’s also exhilarating how different Bigard’s solos are between the two takes. Also Minor Hall changes his backing during Ory’s and Carey’s shared chorus and really goes to town on the final eight bars of the outchorus!
The next tune was recorded on Oct. 21, 1946. It is the shortest length of any of these sides but packs so much into the meager two-and-a-half minutes it doesn’t seem short. It’s a stomping version of “The Bucket’s Got A Hole In It” that seems almost haunting to me. During the final ensemble at the top of the tune and during Bigard’s solo, Wilson sneaks in a brief minor chord that seems very moving. I also love how Carey quotes one of Ory’s favorite figures to start his half chorus solo!! Bigard throws nearly every Morton trope possible into his eight bar solo and Ory moans through his mute for a full chorus. Carey plays a fanfare-like rhythmic figure on two high notes for all but the final two bars of the outchorus, testifying like Gabriel leading the band to a satisfying finish (for once, I’m not longing for another chorus; they gave everything they had during that one ensemble!).
Hal, you’ve been familiar with this material far longer than have I, so what stands out for you in this embarrassment of riches?
HS: “Bucket” is everything I admire about the Ory Band: Wonderful tempo, superb part-playing by the front line, pulsating rhythm, great solos and a last chorus that lifts you out of your seat!
“Eh, La Bas” is almost tame by comparison, but there is still plenty of heat in the horns, swing in the rhythm section and Ory sounds like he’s having the time of his life singing the Creole lyrics. My attention was drawn to the trombone playing throughout the recording. Ory didn’t play a lot of notes, but he made every one count—and his distinctive sound leaves no doubt of who is in charge.
Surprisingly, “The World’s Jazz Crazy” is played as an instrumental rather than a vocal. Bud Scott certainly could have done something with the lyrics, but I’ll happily settle for his full-chorus single-string solo instead! Wilson and Garland are spotlighted on this track as well, and the rhythm section does give credence to the comment by Floyd Levin that we mentioned previously!
Before we wrap up, what did you hear on “Eh, La Bas” and “The World’s Jazz Crazy” that caught your attention?
JB: It’s funny, but I hear different songs in “Eh, La Bas.” The first phrase is Cohan’s “Over There.” Weirdly, the second section reminds me of “The Hokey Pokey!” This is not to denigrate the tune (Ory’s composition?) at all. It’s just interesting. I loved Ory’s singing and the band’s vocal backing, but I especially dug Bigard’s clarinet solo, with Buster Wilson kicking the accompaniment in romping Jelly-style! And the final two ensembles are the most exciting of the session, with Carey playing SO blistering hot!
Without the lyric, “The World’s Jazz Crazy” sounds a LOT like “Ballin’ The Jack” to me but missing the harmonic progression during bars 7-8. Most effective is the “chase” chorus with an almost Rock-n-Roll piano figure alternating with Ed Garland’s swinging bass. How lovely to have Bud Scott take a ride; he sounds great! An abrupt ending is punctuated by Minor Hall’s splash cymbal. And that’s a wrap.
But is it? Hal, when you sent me the list of sides, there was one final tune. “Creole Bo Bo” is actually “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star” with the final two bars repeated twice! We get some more of Ory’s Creole singing. While it’s the not the most exciting song, I have a question. Was Creole spoken in the Ory household? Along with English? Instead of? Any insights would be great, Hal, along with some final comments about this and the alternate take, as well as what you’d like to see us do next month.
HS: Mutt and Ory on the outchorus of “Eh, La Bas” sound glorious! I agree with you that it is the highlight of the second session. You can hear why it was so popular with Ory’s audiences through the years.
A note on “The World’s Jazz Crazy”…I heard a broadcast from Club Hangover in San Francisco where the Ory band played “Ballin’ The Jack.” Pianist Don Ewell and Ed Garland did that exact same call-and-response chorus. Don probably heard the chords the same way you did and channeled Buster Wilson!
“Creole Bo-Bo” reached a worldwide audience thanks to Columbia’s distribution. Ken Colyer’s Jazzmen recorded the song in the U.K. in 1963. That performance features plenty of Mutt Carey-influenced playing by Ken, but he didn’t attempt that Creole vocal! As far as I know, Kid Ory spoke at least some Creole to daughter Babette, but it is doubtful that he conversed with his wife Barbara that way.
Between the two takes, the second one is played at a little brighter tempo and has a solo by Buster Wilson instead of Barney Bigard. It is difficult to choose between the two, but I would go with the “alternate,” for the neat solo by Buster and the ragtimey trumpet playing by Mutt on the outchorus. And that was a wrap for the “classic” Ory band. The only other recordings with this same lineup were made in 1947 at the “Green Room” of the C.I.O. Hall in San Francisco. Two CDs of the material were released on the American Music label, but all the tracks play back about a half-step fast.
I hate to bring the Ory discussion to a close. Maybe in the future we can talk about one of his later bands, with the great Don Ewell on piano? Meanwhile, I suggest we consider writing about some live performances (in different parts of the country!) that influenced us in our musically-formative years. What do you think?
JB: I’m all for that, my friend…although I’ve a feeling we could fill a year’s worth of columns with that subject! Looking forward.
Remember, faithful readers, any tune we discuss is readily available online for you to listen to while reading (In fact, the online TST has links to click). Doing so will greatly enhance your experience beyond taking our words for it. (Really, how can you read things like “Isn’t it amazing that he chose that particular mute” and not be at least a little curious?) See y’all next month!
LINKS
COLUMBIA (Recorded in Los Angeles 10/12/46 and 10/21/46).
Ory; Carey; Barney Bigard, clarinet; Wilson, Scott, Hall; Helen Andrews, vocals
Farewell To Storyville (Helen Andrews, vocal)
Farewell To Storyville (Helen Andrews, vocal) alternate take
Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho (Bud Scott and Helen Andrews, vocal)
Creole Bo-Bo (Kid Ory, vocal) alternate take
Jeff Barnhart is an internationally renowned pianist, vocalist, arranger, bandleader, recording artist, ASCAP composer, educator and entertainer. Visit him online atwww.jeffbarnhart.com. Email: Mysticrag@aol.com
Hal Smith is an Arkansas-based drummer and writer. He leads the El Dorado Jazz Band and the
Mortonia Seven and works with a variety of jazz and swing bands. Visit him online at
halsmithmusic.com
