Richmond Rarities

The Jazz Oracle label, which was recently purchased by Upbeat, has a very valuable catalog of 1920s jazz that fortunately Upbeat is making widely available. One of their sets, Richmond Rarities, includes all of the recordings made by four territory bands: Alex Jackson’s Plantation Orchestra, Alphonse Trent, Zack Whyte’s Chocolate Beau Brummels, and Red Perkins’ Dixie Ramblers. While the playing is not flawless on these vintage recordings from 1927-33, one can easily understand why these ensembles were working so regularly in the Midwest; they had so much spirit and enthusiasm and were up-to-date in their repertoires. Alex Jackson’s ten-piece unit only includes one slightly recognizable name, tuba player Bob Ysaguirre who later played bass with Red Allen. Their four numbers are joyfully primitive with “Jack Ass Blues” and “When Erastus Plays His Old Kazoo” being particularly memorable. Pianist Alphonse Trent and banjoist Zack Whyte are the best-known of the four bandleaders. Trent’s eight titles include such notables as trumpeters Irving Randolph, Peanuts Holland, and Harry “Sweets” Edison (in his earliest recording), trombonist Snub Mosley and, most notably, violinist Stuff Smith at the start of his career. Their eight selections (spanning 1928-33) include “Louder And Funnier,” “Nightmare,” “I Found A New Baby,” and hot versions of “After You’v