Rare Bob Scobey Recordings: Feelin’ The Spirit

Bob Scobey (1916-63) was a solid trad jazz player who initially gained some recognition for his playing as second trumpeter with Lu Watters’ very influential Yerba Buena Jazz Band in the 1940s. After going out on his own in 1949, Scobey had success with his own Frisco Jazz Band before cancer cut short his life in 1963. Scobey made most of his recordings as a leader for the Good Time Jazz, Verve, RCA, and Jansco (the latter was later reissued by Jazzology) labels. However the performances on Feelin’ The Spirit are mostly a mystery. They are transcriptions from 1958 that were recorded for SESAC (information not included in the CD’s liner notes) and were probably never released before. No discographies show Scobey recording with this particular lineup (trombonists Ralph Hutchinson and Doug Skinner, clarinetist Jack McConnell, pianist Floyd Bean, Bob Short on tuba, drummer Dave Black, and Clancy Hayes on banjo, guitar and vocals) although Hayes was an important part of his band for five years. The repertoire, other than “Too Much Mustard” (the two versions of the ragtime era standard are sung by Hayes), is comprised of obscure originals. Has anyone ever heard of such songs as