(Image from Shorpy (woman drummer!); go direct to the 8tracks site)
These are some songs that I really like. They all feature singers, and they’re all (mostly) smaller bands. A few of these are songs that have more commonly known versions. These are the versions I like at the moment. I’ve picked songs that are a little salty – not too sweet.
title artist(s) album bpm year song length
Some Of These Days Julia Lee, Clint Weaver, Sam ‘Baby’ Lovett Kansas City Star (disc 1) 210 1946 2:02
Shake It And Break It Joe Turner Complete Jazz Series 1938 – 1941 177 2:59
That’s What You Think Putney Dandridge Complete Jazz Series 1935 – 1936 185 1935 2:43
Swing, Brother, Swing Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith and his Cubs) Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith 1925-1937 231 1935 2:52
Knockin’ Myself Out Lil Green (acc. by Simeon Henry, Jack Dupree, Big Bill Broonzy, Ransom Knowling) 1940-1941 104 1941 3:03
If You’re A Viper Rosetta Howard acc. Harlem Hamfats (Herb Morand, Odell Rand, Horace Malcolm, Joe McCoy, Charlie McCoy, John LIndsay, Ransom Knowling, Fred Flynn, CHarlie McCoy) Let Me Tell You About The Blues: New York (Part 2) 126 1937 3:13
Stop It, Joe Rosetta Crawford acc. by James P. Johnson’s Hep Cats (Tommy Ladnier, Mezz Mezzrow, Teddy Bunn, Elmer James, Zutty Singleton) Mezz Mezzrow: Complete Jazz Series 1936 – 1939 158 1939 3:17
That Too, Do Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra (Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing) Moten Swing 123 1930 3:20
How Do They Do It That Way? Henry ‘Red’ Allen and his Orchestra (JC Higgenbotham, Albert Nicholas, Charlie Holmes, Luis Russell, Will Johnson, Pops Foster, Paul Barabarin), Victoria Spivey and the Four Wanderers Henry Red Allen And His New York Orchestra (disc 2) 139 1929 3:20
On Revival Day (A Rhythmic Spiritual) (06-09-30) Bessie Smith acc by James P. Johnson, Bessemer Singers Bessie Smith: Complete Jazz Series 1929 – 1933 1930 2:56
I haven’t chased down the year for that excellent version of ‘Shake It and Break It’. That song came to my attention via an ILHC youtube clip of Andreas Olsson and Crista Seipp competing in the showcase category. I adore this version of this song.
It reminded me of that Julia Lee song, which is super awesome. I adore ‘Some Of These Days’, and that is currently my favourite.
I’ve just bought a bunch of Putney Dandridge, and some of it is a bit lame. In the earlier days he just rocks his awesome timing and lovely, bouncy style. Not to mention the badass vibrato, but after a while he’s obviously trying to cash in on Fats Waller’s vocal style. Laaame. But I like this song, and I quite like this version.
‘Swing Brother Swing’ is great, though we usually hear the Billie Holiday version(s). I like Willie the Lion Smith a whole lot, and I like this version. I’ve played it for dancers quite a few times and they like it too.
Lil Green is rockhardawesome, and responsible for the best version of ‘Why Don’t You Do Right?’ This song ‘Knockin’ myself out’ is one the Asylum Street Spankers do, and it’s about drugs. I like her delivery.
‘If You’re A Viper’ is also about drugs. Rosetta Howard is the foshiz. The Harlem Hamfats had a bit of popularity with American dancers a little while ago, but I’m not convinced they’re all that. I like Howard, though. She actually did some neat stuff with Henry Red Allen, Barney Bigard and Sid Catlett in 1939, but I like the viper song.
‘Stop It Joe’ has one of those melodies that just gets stuck in your brain. The band is pretty spankingly good.
‘That Too Do’ is one of my favourite Bennie Moten songs. Jimmy Rushing’s lyrics include bits of a song which most people know as ‘Every Day I Have the Blues’. But ‘That Too Do’ has someone playing piano accordion and has a sort of droning, miserable style that suits the lyrics. The best bit is nearer the end, where the band shouting and the muted trumpet do some awesome call and response.
Victoria Spivey. And Henry Red Allen. That’s all I need to say, really.
And, of course, Bessie Smith, shouting.
