The Tailgate King: Kid Ory, Part Two

Jeff Barnhart: Welcome back, hot music enthusiasts! This month, we offer the sequel to our exploration of trombonist Edward “Kid” Ory. On July 14th, 1926, the same musicians who had called themselves the New Orleans Wanderers in the studio the day prior returned to record four more immortal sides, this time as the New Orleans Bootblacks. Hal, take it away! Hal Smith: The first song recorded on July 14, 1926 was “Mixed Salad.” There are some significant clams among the front-line instruments, but there is a nice ensemble spirit. Joe Clark takes a full chorus on alto sax and there are some wonderful breaks by banjoist St. Cyr and clarinetist Dodds. Ory doesn’t have much to do beyond playing ensemble parts, but you can definitely hear him playing his usual style. The first four bars of the verse on “I Can’t Say” are reminiscent of the chorus of “Papa Dip.” And the chorus of “I Can’t Say” bears a close resemblance to Turk Murphy’s composition “Something For Annie.” But, as they say in 2022: “It’s all good!” Johnny Dodds plays a lovely solo, followed by a lyrical muted cornet solo by George Mitchell. Again, Kid Ory is confined to ensemble playing and again, he plays the parts to perfection. Jeff, what details would you add to my descriptions above? JB: “Mixed Salad” lives up to its title! Clark rushes the bridge of the first chorus while Mitch