Stomp Off 1001 - Dickbaker.org

Carroll Dickerson’s Savoy Orch, 5/25/28,Broadway 3990, 3853 et al. Just Rose saysLC SONIC.Bubber Miley, 7/3/30, Victor V-38146. JustRose, says LC SONIC.Fats Rhythm, 1/12/40, Bluebird B-10624.Razaf-Johnson-Rose says LC SONIC.The copyrights:Black Maria; novelty stomp, by Fred Rose,arr. by Archie Bleyer; pts., with words. 4to.orch. © May 4, 1930; 2 c. May 7; E pub.15237; Paull-Pioneer music co., New York.But oops, get a load of this:Jitterbug tree; w Andy Razaf & J. C.Johnson, melody from Fred Rose's BlackMaria, rev. Thomas (Fats) Waller, pf. sc. TedEastwood. © Jan. 19, 1939; E pub. 74333;Paull-pioneer music corp., New York.It looks like their intention was to create a newsong based on Fred Rose’s old melody, but itended up getting recorded (by Fats) andpublished under the old Black Maria title.Black Mountain Blues (Henry Cole)Rusty Taylor /Southern Stompers 1028Orig. Bessie record was Columbia 14554-D.Review of a 1984 recording of it in Englandpoints out that the "’Black Mountain Blues’ istake on the old Bessie Smith number creditedhere as H. Cole. ‘Black Mountain Blues’ isoriginally written by J.C. Johnson (James C.Johnson).”Search on title plus Johnson and Coleactually finds more hits on Cole than Johnsonas composer, but what we have seems to bemore authoritative.But oops! I found a nice, clear picture of theoriginal Columbia 14554-D label, and it creditsCole. Seems to me we have to switch back toCole unless we find some hard evidence thatthe label is a mistake.2013 review: Let’s take another look. Rec.Bessie 7/22/30, Columbia 14554-D, HJCA 608,Temple 552. Credit on Columbia label clearlyCole.Copyright? Can this be it?Black Mountain blues; words and melody byJames Crawford. © 1 c. Apr. 28, 1931; Eunp. 38737; J. C. Johnson, New York.In the index, this shows up as a tune titleunder J. C. Johnson’s name--but as copyrightregistrant, not composer. Can somebodyalong the way have seen that and come to theconclusion that J.C. wrote it? But what aboutJim Crawford? There’s nothing else like this inthe books for 1929-31.Another curious point: James Crawford hastwo titles copyrighted in 1931, Black MountainBlues and its flip side Hustlin’ Dan. AndCrawford is credited as composer on theHustlin’ Dan label.What a mess! No way to be sure that thecopyright entry above is really our song. Theonly “hard” evidence we have is “Cole” on therecord label. Johnson simply comes out of leftfield. Anybody got any ideas?Bill Haesler found another Blues song by Colein the period: Mary Dixon’s “Fire and ThunderBlues,” rec. 8/24/29, Columbia 14459-D; labelcredits Cole, but alas, it wasn’t copyrighted1929-30.And also “All Around Mama” by Mary Dixon6/20/29, Columbia Columbia 14442-D. AndHah! “All Around Mama” copyright:All around mama; words and music byHenry Cole. [Words and melody only] © 1 c.July 16, 1929; E unp. 8914; J. C. Johnson,New York.J. C. Johnson again! But that was the onlysong copyrighted by Henry Cole in 1929. In1930 he had “You Can’t Stay Here No More,”recorded by Clara Smith 12/31/29, Columbia14497-D--copyright filed by James Johnson!It would appear that Johnson the publisherhad an in with Columbia to get his blues songsrecorded, and that one of his blues writers wasHenry Cole.But Bill Haesler broaches a novel theory: ThatHenry Cole and James Crawford were bothpseudonyms for J. C. Johnson. His mainevidence is this:Years ago my dear mate, local singer90-year-old Kate Dunbar, corresponded with aBessie Smith 'authority' (who worked for a timeat the LoC). He provided her with histranscriptions of all the Bessie Smithrecordings, with notes.Kate looked up "Black MountainBlues/Hustlin' Dan" for me. He too notes: H.Cole with the comment "probably apseudonym for James Crawford equals J CJohnson."Presumably, from LoC sources.But Bill also points out that the label ofColumbia 14411-D, Ethel Waters singing “MyBaby Sure Knows How to Love,” creditsCrawford and Rafe--but the copyrightregistration for that song isMy baby sure knows how to love; words byAndy Razaf, music by J. C. Johnson. [Wordsand melody only] © 1 c. Apr. 4, 1929; Eunp. 5352; J. C. Johnson, New York.Well, this is another case where the last andonly piece of evidence may be the originalcopyright deposit for “Black Mountain Blues.”Sure would be nice to get somebody into theMRR at LC for this and for the Hill-Williams“The stuff is here, let’s get gay.”Black Mountain Rag (Tommy Magness)St. Louis Ragtimers 1267Not in LC copyright files, says M. Caulfield.“Black Mountain Rag” by Tommy MagnusBut aha! Google search 5/5/11 turns up“Performed by Chet Atkins on his D’Angelicoguitar. Originally released 1953 on ChetAtkins’ Gallopin’ Guitar, RCA. Recordingprovided courtesy of Sony MusicEntertainment.”But there’s more. A search on “TommyMagnus” does indeed find a couple of hits onhim as as the fiddle player with Roy Hall andHis Blue Ridge Entertainers. But it also finds abook that the Google project has put online, IfTrouble Don't Kill Me: A Family's Story ofBrotherhood, War, and Bluegrass by RalphBerrier. It talks at great length about RoyHall’s group and its genius fiddle player,Tommy Magness. Berrier says that a bigboost to the band’s success came when theRoanoke Times wrote about them, but that thecaption to the photo of the band in that articlemisspelled Tommy’s name as Magnus, whichBerrier called “a common mistake.”Now a search for Tommy Magness gets azillion hits about his brilliant career inbluegrass, including playing with Bill Monroe--AND lots of hits identifying him as thecomposer of “Black Mountain Rag.”What would we have done without theinternet?Black Pepper Stomp (Henry Davies)Henry’s Bootblacks 1149Henry Davies is the founder/leader of theband.Black Sheep Blues, The(Gus Kahn–Phil Baker)Le Petit Jazzband de Mr Morel 1344This is kind of a tough one. Most sources citejust Phil Baker, a couple cite SpencerWilliams, BUT LC copyright book says w.Kahn, m.. Baker, and the labels of Gennett5263, 9/20/23 by Black Dominoes, and PatheActuelle 021076, 1/5/23, by New Synco JB,both site Kahn-Baker.Black Snake Blues (Victoria Spivey–Jesse J. Johnson)Peruna Jazzmen CD 1003