Miff Mole and his Molers was basically a pseudonym for Red Nichols Five Pennies. They used this name when recording for the Okeh Company. Red Nichols and Miff Mole were one of the most prolific recording teams in the 1920s. Their cool, thoughtful style sometimes called the New York School or Chamber Jazz, left many Jazz critics and musicians cold, but in retrospect I think you can hear that they were on to something. In many ways they were exploring similar ideas as George Gershwin was, but in a more hip and swinging way.

Their version of “Imagination” is a successful example of what they were trying to do. It might not be the hottest Jazz in the world, but it is very chic and urbane, a little time capsule of 1920’s sophistication. Things got a little rougher when the Austin High Gang blew into town fresh from Chicago on the 1929 tracks, with “Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble” and “Windy City Stomp“. Four other Molers songs were released as Sophie Tucker accompanied by Miff Moles Molers.

It is interesting to note that the song “Crazy Rhythm” features the unusual instrument the mellophone. Dudley Fosdick was the mellophonist, and it was a sort of alto horn, pitched in Eb. The Molers 1928 recording of “Crazy Rhythm” is always a “fooler” for noticers who try to figure out if it’s a valve trombone or something – the mellophone sounds kind of like a low cornet with bad head cold.

Fosdick spent much of his post Red Nichols career with Guy Lombardo, and until the end of Lombardo Band under Guy’s leadership, the second trumpet book required mellophone “double”. – Mark Heter

Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
After You’ve Gone (Henry Creamer / J. Turner Layton)	9-24-1929	New York, New York	Okeh 41445
A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight (Metz)	3-7-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40784-A
Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin)	1-26-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40758-A
Birmingham Bertha (From Motion Picture-“On With The Show”) (Harry Akst / Grant Clarke)	7-12-1929	New York, New York	Okeh 41273
Crazy Rhythm (From “Here’s Howie”) (Meyer / Kahn)	7-27-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 41098
Davenport Blues (Bix Beiderbecke)	3-7-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40848
Feelin’ No Pain (Fud Livingstone)	8-30-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40890
Harlem Twist (Fud Livingston / Chauncey Morehouse)		New York, New York
Honolulu Blues (Goldstein)	9-1-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40984
Hurricane (Paul Mertz)	1-26-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40848
I Can’t Break The Habit Of You (Razaf / Beal / Causer)	2-10-1937	New York, New York	Vocalion 3468 20692-1
I Can’t Break The Habit Of You (Razaf / Beal / Causer)	2-10-1937	New York, New York	Vocalion 3468 20692-2
Imagination (Fud Livingston)	8-30-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40890
I’ve Got A Feeling I’m Falling (Link / Fats Waller)	4-19-1929	New York, New York	Okeh 41232
Love And Learn (Heyman / Schwartz)	2-10-1937	New York, New York	Vocalion 3468
Lucky Little Devil (Mort Dixon / Harry Woods)	2-6-1930	New York, New York	Odeon 36043 490037-1
Lucky Little Devil (Mort Dixon / Harry Woods)	2-6-1930	New York, New York	Okeh 41371 490037-2
Moanin’ Low (From Musical – “The Little Show”) (Dietz / Rainger)	7-12-1929	New York, New York	Okeh 41273
My Gal Sal (Paul Dresser)	9-1-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40932
Navy Blues (Turk / Ahlert)	2-6-1930	New York, New York	Okeh 41371 490036-1
Navy Blues (Turk / Ahlert)	2-6-1930	New York, New York	Odeon 36043 490036-2
Original Dixieland One-Step (Nick LaRocca)	8-30-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40932
Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble (Spencer Williams)	7-6-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 41445
Some Sweet Day (Rose / Jackson / Olman)	1-26-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40758-B
That’s A Plenty (Lew Pollack)	4-19-1929	New York, New York	Okeh unissued W401816-A
That’s A Plenty (Lew Pollack)	4-19-1929	New York, New York	Okeh 41232 W401816-B
That’s A Plenty (Lew Pollack)	4-19-1929	New York, New York	Okeh unissued W401816-C
The Darktown Strutter’s Ball (Shelton Brooks)	3-7-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40784-B
The New Twister (Lillard / Krise)	9-1-1927	New York, New York	Okeh 40984
Wild Oat Joe (From – “The New” American) (Kahn)	11-26-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 41153
Windy City Stomp	7-6-1928	New York, New York	HRS
You Made Me Love You	9-24-1929	New York, New York	Okeh
You Took Advantage Of Me (Rodgers)	7-27-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 41098
You’re The Cream In My Coffee (From The Musical “Hold Everything”) (Buddy De Sylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson)	11-26-1928	New York, New York	Okeh 41153

Artist	Instrument
Vic Berton	Drums
Ray Baudac	Drums
Eddie Condon	Banjo
Jimmy Dorsey	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Tommy Felline	Guitar
Dudley Fosdick	Mellophone
Lennie Hayton	Piano
Stan King	Drums
Manny Klein	Trumpet
Carl Kress	Guitar
Gene Krupa	Drums
Eddie Lang	Guitar
Fud Livingston	Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Leo McConville	Trumpet
Dick McDonough	Piano
Miff Mole	Trombone
Phil Napoleon	Trumpet
Red Nichols	Cornet, Trumpet
Adrian Rollini	Bass Saxophone
Babe Russin	Tenor Saxophone
Arthur Schutt	Piano
Joe Sullivan	Piano
Joe Tarto	Tuba
Frank Teschemacher	Clarinet