THE HENRY“RED“ ALLEN – COLLECTION a non-commercial bio ...

THE HENRY“RED“ ALLEN – COLLECTION
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a non-commercial bio-disco-documentation
part - 1a: 1906-1934 here chapter -3:
with FLETCHER HENDERSON - June-1933 – Sept.1934
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part – 1b: Oct. 1934- Sept. 1940 here chapter -4:
with MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND Oct.1934 – Jan.1937
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with almost all the original sources:
reviews, previews, record-reviews through the years by controverse critics,
advertisements and photographs compiled out of
periodicals, newspapers, jazzbooks, LP-/CD-cover-notes
HENRY“RED“ ALLEN
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Jan., 7th, 1906 – Apr., 17th , 1967
a trumpeter between styles and generations
with an impression about the surrounding conditions and collegial performers ;
also about the most fascinating world of the black show-business and its social background
reported by the weekly black newspress papers and different jazz magazines
a n d h i s c l o s e s t m a n ,
J.C. HIGGINBOTHAM
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May, 11th , 1906 – May, 26th , 1973
by Franz Hoffmann
Kortumstr.270, D-44787 Brilon, Tel.: 0049-234-51621961; e-mail: hoff-franz@t-online.de
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July 2000 / with better typewritten press clips & more record-reviews June 2004 &Oct.2005
overworked for pdf-data March-2012

III
Contents:
BIO-DISCO part-1a: New Orleans / Luis Russell / different orchestras / Fletcher Henderson 253 pages
Introduction & other available books II
References and book reviews IV-V
Credits, Instrumental abbreviations VI
Label Abbreviations VII
Survey about clubs / venues in Harlem and Brooklyn VIII
INTRODUCTION: Martin Williams - “Henry Red” 1
Witney Balliett - “THE BUES IS A SLOW STORY” 10
Mississippi Rag Nov.93 – J. Lee Anderson – Henry Red Allen 14.1-14.8
Other general articles about Red Allen by Chilton, Goffin, M.Boujut 15
Chapter-1a: The Early Days 1906-27 in Algiers, New Orleans, gigs on the Mississippi 19
-1b: The Early Days 1927-29, first trip to New York then on the Riverboats 26
Albert McCarthy: Red Allen-Autobiography - The Early Days 32
Other articles by Pearlie Mae to P.Carr; Allen to John Lucas; & WYES-TV-1966 36
Algiers walking tour -by K.Herridge / Best of West - by K.Reckdahl / Jazzwalk´s lamppost 39a-39f
Chapter-2: 29-33 with the LUIS RUSSELL ORCHESTRA & first mixed bands 40
Longer articles by Pops Foster, Frank Driggs, Al Mc Carthy, Johnny Simmen, 43
Swing Music-36; Henk Niesen; Harald Grut, David Ives, 55
J.R.T.Davies & L.Wright Andrew Sylvester, Harry Walton, Barry McRae; 60
Keith Nichols – J.C.Higginbotham; Eddie Lambert; Jean Pierre Daubresse, 66-70
& Michel Andrico about L.Russell (p106-107); Al Nicholas about Jelly Roll 109
Chapter-3: Sept.31-May 1933 intermission with different orchestras incl.Charlie Johnson 114
Don Redman: Albert Mc Carthy 114
Rhythmakers: E.Lambert, Ch.Fox (p121); H.Panassié (p130-132); Peter Kunst 133
Articles by Spike Hughes, Ray Horricks, Nank Niesen, Max Harrison, 138
H.Panassié Peter Tanner, Stanley dance, BarrenMcRae, John Hammond 145
June`33-Oct.`34 with FLETCHER HENDERSON´s ORCH. & studio bands 148
Articles by: GEMS OF JAZZ (p156-157);W.C.A.:HENDERSONIA (p183-184) 184
BIO-DISCO part-1b: Mills Blue Rhythm Band 1934-36 / Day By Day Louis Armstrong 1937-40 301 pages
Chapter-4: 1934-1937 THE MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND & pick-up-bands 185
Ewin Hinchcliffe in Swing Music 5/35: RedAlllen – his records 202
Chapter-5: 1937-1940 LOUIS ARMSTRONG & LUIS RUSSELL & Bluesrecords 239
L.Armstrong: “Artists and Models”-247; “Every Day's A Holiday”-253; “Dr.Rhythm”-254/255/269;
“Going Places”-271/272; ”Swingin' The Dream”-300-302; different Fleischmann Yeast NBC-bcs
Jam-sessions, benefits: “Swing to Opera”-265; “Randall Islands”-273; Carnegie Hall-Oct.38:-289;
Jelly Roll Morton sessions - 264,306-311 ; Red Allen articles 286/287/311
ADDENDA: The Time Life article 1981 by Dick Sudhalter & John Chilton, incl. record reviews & photos, 336-360
INDEX for part-1a & -1b 361-366
ADDENDA: J.C.Higginbotham´s 1943 - “Warm Up” book for trombone –1 & -2 (solos to p-acc.) 27 pages
J.C.Higginbotham –solos 1928-41 transcribed by Ulrich Bela in 2001 64 pages
BIO-DISCO part-2 : 1940 –1953 173 pages
J.C. HIGGINBOTHAM - by John Chilton IV
HENRY”RED”ALLEN - by John Chilton V
Chapter-6: 1940-1947 OWN ORCHESTRA & avantgarde sessions 1
Articles by Rex Stewart `68, Red Allen`40, L.Feather, George Hoefer`42; CD.`44; Pat Harper `46;
Bill Kinnell `44-“HIGGY; Johnny Simmen `76; Red Allen `46; DB-Jan.47; J.C.Higginbotham`47;
Chapter-7: 1947-1954 REVIVAL BANDS 103
Articles by Herb Friedwald – G.Lewis on AMCD; G.Hoefer `52; Gus Kuhlman- Rustic Lodge
Ron Stayley `53-Higgy went Home; Thurman & Mary Grove `54; Douglas Hague `55;
INDEX for part-2 147
BIO-DISCO part-3 : 1954-1967/73 236 pages
Chapter-8: 1954-1961 THE METROPOLE ALL STARS part-1 1
“Metropole” by John Chilton: -2/-41; by Mc Carthy: -64-65; map of 52nd St.: -5
NPT-57: 29-35; Dec.57 Sound of Jazz: 36-39; Aug.58: A Great Day In Harlem: 54-55
1958 on ART FORD JAZZ PARTIES-WNTA-TV 46-59
Red Allen by G.Hoefer-1959: -60; Higginbotham by DB-59: -61; by G.Hoefer 1964: - 62
1959 with KID ORY on record session & Europa-Tour 71-85
Red Allen by W.Balliett –73; Kid Ory by J.Cooke -79; by G.Boatfield –80; by T.Standish - 82
Chapter-9: 1961-1965 OWN QUARTET - at the Metropole part-2, Embers, London House, e.t.c. 93
Martin Williams article – 97 &104; Chicago & All That Jazz –98; Don Ellis article – 111;
1964 with LOCAL BANDS on Tours through England 113-134
Chapter-10: 1965-67 The Avangarde Quartets, Monterey-65 on p142; Newport-66 on pp152-154; 138
“Higgy Comes Home” 1966-WAGA-TV & article by Dan Havens; 159-164
1966/67 with LOCAL BANDS on Tours through England 146-151/166-168
Final Days: funerals of Buster Bailey & Red Allen; Red Allen benefit; obituraries; 169-178
J.C.Higginbotham – last TV-69, article by B.Haughton 1970; obituary 1973; & addenda 179-181
INDEX for part-3 182-186
Survey about JAZZ ADVERTISED 1910-1967 187-190
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Survey about non-commercial audio-CD- series RA-CD-1-41 & JCH-CD-1-11 incl. many unissued sides 24 pages

discos & books:
Brian Rust: Jazz Records 1897-1942; 1969/1978
Codrich & Dixon: Blues & Gospel Records, 1969
Grunnet Jepsen: Jazz Records 1942-1962
Walter C.Allen: Hendersonia, 1973
Tom Bethell: Ceorge Lewis
Egino Biagioni: Herb Flemming, 1977
J. Chilton: Ride, Red, Ride, 1999
J. Chilton: Who´s Who Of Jazz, 1972;- S.Bechet, `87;
Eddie Condon: Scrapbook of Jazz
Driggs & Lewine: Black Beauty,White Heat; 1982
Robert Goffin: Histoire Du Jazz p266-268
William Gottlieb: Golden Age Of Jazz, 1979
Keepnews + Grauer: Pictorial History of Jazz `69;
Tom Lord: Clarence Williams, 1976
Albert McCarthy: Big Band Jazz, 1974
David Meeker: Jazz In The Moovies, 1977
Jack Millar: Billie Holiday, 1979
Rose + Souchon: New Orleans Jazz 1967
M.Selchow: Edmond Hall; 1988; Vic Dickenson;`98
Johnny Simmen: Le Point du Jazz no.13, 1977
Tom Stoddard: Autobiography-Pos Foster; 1971
Dr.Klaus Stratemann: Negro Bands On Film, 1981
dito: Duke Ellington-day by day,film by film, 1992
Ken Vail: The Life Of Billie Holiday, 1996
“ “ : Jazz Milestones, 1993
Bozy White: Eddie Condon Town Hall Concerts
Laurie Wright: Mr.Jelly Lord; 1980
.- VI -
REFERENCES
press papers 1910-1967
BAA=Baltimore Afro American(weekly)
CD= Chicago Defender (weekly)
LAT=Los Angeles Times (daily)
NYA=New York Age Defender (weekly)
NYAN=New York Amsterdam News (weekly)
NYT=New York Times (daily)
PC =Pittsburgh Courier (weekly)
VV = New York Village VOICE (weekly)
record-magazins:
Micrography (Dick Backer-NL)
Collector´s Items (John Holley)
Meritt Society (Jerry Valburn)
jazz magazines:
Down Beat;; Bulletin DHCDF(F); Coda (Can); Cadence;
Discophile (UK); Footnote(UK) Hot Revue(Ch); IAJRC;
Jazz & Blues(UK); Jazz(USA) Jazz(Ch.) Jazz(G-1949;)
Jazz Beat(UK); Jazz Forum(UK); Jazz Information; Jazz
Hot (Delauney); J. Journal Intern(UK); Jazz Monthly(UK);
Jazz Music(UK); Jazz Notes; Jazzology(UK) Jazz
Quarterly; Jazz Records (Art Hodes); Jazz Tango(F); Jazz
Tempo(UK); Jazz Times(UK); Jersey Jazz; Melody Maker
(UK); Mississippi Rag; orkestra journalien; Pick-up;
Playback; Record Changer; Record Research; Storyville
(Laurie Wright, J.R.T.Davies, How.Rye
Some words about the inclusion of complete book-passages:
This uncommercial documentation work is made in a very, very small edition for several Red Allen-Higginbo-tham-fans,
jazz researchers & writers and several jazz-libraries, which had often closed their shelves of rare & old magazins for
publicity. I am sure that all these own these books already. In my opinion the inclusion of:
Martin Williams´:”HENRY RED” in JAZZ MASTER OF NEW ORLEANS pp251-274
and parts of this as covernotes of Prestige-LP & -CD
Witney Balliett´s: “THE BLUES IS A SLOW STORY” in “IMPROVISING” p3-20
is a “must” of unshortened-use as “INTRODUCTION” of a “Red Allen-Documentation; as also
Albert McCarthy´s: RED ALLEN-Autobiography – “MAKE THEM HAPPY-THE EARLY YEARS” for the
first chapter, unfortunately Al never continued his work to issue his Red Allen-speech-tapes.
In contrast to these books, Jan Evensmo´s most important work JAZZ SOLOGRAPHY, Vol.8 with analyses of
Red Allen´s work of each session from the viewpoint by a Red Allen fan brings a good balance to the record-reviews of
controverse critics through the years. I let out Jan´s additional work
About the other performers of sessions with Red Allen and suggest the readers to look for the other
Volumes of his series: JAZZ SOLOGRAPHY SERIES: Vol 1: Leon Chu Berry; Vol 5: Lester Young 1936-42;
Vol 2: Henry Bridges, Robert Carroll, Herschal Evans, Johnny Russell; Vol 3: Coleman Hawkins 1929-42;
Vol 4: Charlie Christian, Robert Normann, Oscar Aleman (in Europe); Vol 6: Ben Webster 1931-43
Vol 7: Budd Johnson, Cecil Scott, Elmer Williams, Dick Wilson, 1927 – 1942; Vol 8: Henry Red Allen 1927-42
Vol 9: Bill Coleman 1929 - 1945, Frankie Newton; Vol 10: Roy Eldridge 1929–44;
Vol ll: Benny Carter 1927 – 1946; Vol 12: Dizzy Gillespie 1937 – 1943; Irving Randolph and Joe Thomas
Laurie Wright about Jazz Solographies Vol.-5,-7,-8 in
Storyville No.73(1977): … For those who have yet to encounter
this delightful series I will explain that a jazz solography
is intended to be used in conjunction with your
standard discography and evaluates all the known work of the
selected artist within the period covered. What it does not set
out to do is to compare one artist with ano-ther, and to gain
maximum benefit you are urged to read the introduction most
carefully before going on to the body of the book.
There are a number of ways you can employ these volu-mes.
If you are a relatively new collector of one of the artists
featured you can cheek what Evensmo has to say about sides
you have and then react on to see what others seem most
likely to be worth acquiring. If you've been at it a little longer,
you'll find the comments, usually brief and to the point,
stimulating and you'll be digging some of those half- forgotten
discs out of the shelves to see if you agree. You won't always,
of course, but if you can be persuaded to play them just once
with a newly awakened interest, it will have been worth while.
Apart from the critical assessment (with which you may or
may not agree) there is a great deal of factual informa-tion
here which goes beyond what can be expected in a standard
discography: the tempo of the performance; the part played by
the artist under consideration (whether heard solo, in
ensemble, etc.) and more.
Production is clean, neat an easy to read, and the only
possible reservation concerns the price, which with the
present unfavourable exchange rate, will make them
expensive for U.K. readers - which is a pity.
Finally, Evensmo asks for information on any items he may
have omitted. In the case of Red Allen I would suggest he
listens to matrix 403711-B by Butterbeans&Susie.

IV
NEW ORLEANS MUSIC September 2001
The Henry 'Red' Allen
& J.C. Higginbotham
Collection - a bio-discodocumentation.
by Franz Hoffmann ,
It's refreshing to find in this age, when many a book
about jazz that has clearly been thrown together with a
view to making money out of a likely 'market', to find a
work by those who treat detailed research as a labour of
love. Such a person is Franz Hoffmann who has already
gained acclaim from such authorities as John Chilton
for his series of books entitled, “Jazz Advertised”, a
remarkable series of press advertisements reproduced
from black newspapers between 1910 and 1967.
One of Hoffmann's passions is the life and work of Red
Allen and some time ago he compiled and published a
definitive discography of Red Allen and J.C. Higginbotham
in one paperback volume. Now he has reprinted
his discography which is a “must” for anyone who does
not possess the first edition. Apart from much detail of
each session Red ever recorded commercially, including
photos and press ads from each period. there is a section
dealing with tapes of unissued broadcasts and recording
sessions plus one for film and TV appearances. This, in
itself, is a major reference source but now the industrious
Hoffmann has come up with a three-part (at present)
work entitled: The Henry 'Red' Allen & J.C. Higginbotham
Collection - a bio-discodocumentation. The
first volume (Part 1a: 1906-1934) runs to 184 pages in
A5 format and is an enthralling compilation of material
Jazz Journal International August 2002 p14
THE HENRY 'RED' ALLEN & J.C.HIGGIN-
BOTHAM COLLECTION. Part 1b (1934-1940) &
Part 3 (1954-1967). Compiled and published by Franz
Hoffmann, (old address), Germany, PB. A5. 196 & 194 pp.
Franz made his considerable reputation with his seven
large volumes of Jazz Advertised In The US Negro Press;
essential source material for anyone involved in jazz
and black show-business research. Alongside this painsticking
project, Franz has published several editions
of Red and J.C.'s bio-discography. That work has now
been revised and extended for a superb four volume set
of which the above two books have come my way.
As well as conventional and comprehensive discographical
information on Red and JC, separately and
together, he includes a wealth of articles, reviews,
relating to both ,musicians' long careers, taken from the
Harlem press and including many reviews from all
sources over the years, much of it reprinted from obscure
magazines, accompanied by numerous rare photos.
Part 2 (1940-1954) follows a similar format and covers
over 150 pages. Part lb (1934-1940) I haven't caught
sight of yet but it should be available by now and I'm
sure will be equally meticulous, together with two
final sections covering 1954-1959 and. 1959-1967.
These compilations will provide an ideal companion
to John Chilton's “Ride Red Ride” and delight lovers
of Red and Higgy's work. The original Disco-graphy is
available direct from Franz Hoffmann at 15DM and
the 'Bio-Discos' cost, respectively: Part la: 20DM, Part
2: 15DM. Other volumes will be quoted pro rata.
Hoffmann's remarkable series “Jazz Advertised in the
US Negro Press 1910-67 and New York Times 1922-
50”, a compilation of some 21.300 press ads and photos
taken from microfilm, in seven A4 volumes, costs 60 DM
per volume and is great value. There are also three
similar volumes entitled “Jazz ,Reviewed” covering
New England 1910-49: 60 DM, Chicago 1910-49 and
New England 1950-67 due soon. Hoffmann refers to
his publications as “uncommercial small xerox editions”
but they are well-produced research tools nevertheless
and open up a new perspective on many facets of jazz
that have never been fully covered. For this invaluable
work Franz Hoffmann deserves our gratitude.
Mike Pointon Privately published:
Franz Hoffmann can be contacted at ..(old address)
advertisements and photographs from periodicals, jazz
books and record albums. These combine to provide a
fascinating critical commentary and an in-dept narrative
on the working lives and musical achievements of his
subjects. He draws his material from such a wide variety
of printed sources that I can guarantee that even those
with large jazz literature collections will be surprised at
the extent of previously undiscovered gems.
The books are clearly printed, nicely designed and
indexed. Each book costs a bargain 10 Euros and can
be obtained, together with volumes 1a and 2, from Franz
at the above address. Bob Weir
Book Reviews – Just Jazz Nov.2002 p18; Four Trumpets…Four Treatments by Mike Pointon
Roy Eldridge: Little Jazz Giant by John Chilton
Don Albert's Musical Life by Christopher Wilkinson
The H.Red Allen-J.C.Higginbotham Collection by F.Hoffmann
L.Armstrong's Cornet & Trumpet Work '23-28 by Ed Brooks
…
A trumpeter with a much higher profile, the immortal
Henry”Red”Allen, has also been biographed by John
Chilton, in “Ride, Red, Ride”, but Franz Hoffmann's
multi-part 'bio-disco-documentation' is an ideal companion
work dealing with every aspect of his recording
and touring career in loving detail. Where else would
one find contemporary ads from the Chicago Defender
(as featured in Hoffmann's invaluable compilations of
'Jazz Advertised in the Negro Press' series) alongside
take-by-take breakdowns of every tune Allen ever
recorded? (As well as his longtime musical companion,
the great trombonist J.C.Higginbotham). A wonderful
treasure trove of rare material. These fascinating A5
format paperbacks, together with the A4 Jazz Advertised
series can be obtained direct from Franz Hoffmann at
…
(reduced sample pages of Jazz Ad. at the end of this book)
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additional to Instrumental abbreviations on page-V
for many performances there are solo-routines with following abbreviations:
-ann = announcement, b = bars ; brk = break ; brd = bridge ; ens = ensemble work ; intro = introduction;
-Allen in ens = the musician is clearly audible; growl = growl-t / mute = muted trumpet or muted trombone;
-(ob=obligato work) indicates that the musician is improvising behind a vocalist; e.g: -vRA (ens-Higginbotham) 20b-
means 20 bars vocal by Red Allen with obligato work first by the ensemble then by Higginbotham

- 147 -
RUG CUTTER´S SWING
Chapter-3: June 33 - Oct.34 with Fletcher Henderson´s Band,
Fletcher Henderson Band in Jan.1934, left to right: Henry Allen, Keg Johnson, Joe Thomas, Claude Jones, Russell
Smith, unknown vocalist, Horace Henderson, Walter Johnson, Fletcher Henderson, Bernard Addison, Hilton
Jefferson, John Kirby, Russell Procope, Buster Bailey, Coleman Hawkins
W.C.A.-Hendersonia: Red Allen had played a couple of theater gigs with the Henderson band, but did not join fully until
June, 1933 for the opening date of the Hollywood Gardens. Fletcher had auditioned Red at the Rhythm Club
Martin Williams, 1967p266: "Henderson's test was fairly direct. He sat down at the piano and tried some difficult keys.
'When he hit those black keys, I followed him. "You're my man, " he said, ' Allen remembers, and Henderson hired him then
and there. WCA: Red regarded the Russell band with affection, and didn't really want to leave, but Fletcher got in touch with
him and asked Red to meet him (Fletcher) at an uptown drug store. Fletcher offered Red $90 per week, which was more than
Luis Russell was paying him, and Red could not refuse - besides, Henderson had the bigger reputation. The clincher was
when Russell Smith added his persuasive powers to Smack's.
Once into the Henderson band, Red found it to his liking; he could experiment, for example on the middle-eight of YEAH
MAN, which Horace Henderson liked so much that he scored it for the brass seetion. Horace's arrangements provided a
chordal background on which Red could improvise freely. In M.M. 7/7/34 Horace Henderson summed up this aspect of Red´s
work: 'He was one of the few trumpet players that I know who could run a diminished chord against a major and make it
sound good. He´d invert it on the end and come back to the chord. But he didn´t know what he was doing. '
Melody Maker 7/15/33p3 American News - by John Hammond
HENDERSON´S UP AND DOWNS - How Fletcher´s Now Famous Band
Was Nearly Extinguished
sought the services of another. But the Men would come in late, there would be
Many years ago, long before the name band was starting to disintegrate the morale a lack of tidiness, and “shoddy”
of Duke Ellington had been coined, was low, and work became scarce. For adequately described their playing. But
Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra was the almost a year the outlook was dark. At steady work and a new manager had their
leading bunch of coloured music-makers. the beginning of last winter only a miracle effect. Musicians soon were flocking
For seven years straight this band played saved the band from breaking up. around to hear Hawkins “cake-walkers”
at Broadway's Roseland Ballroom, and
Roseland Success
were gaping at the antics of Rex Stewart,
their fame became international. Here it In February of this year the Empire and the crowds were constantly
was Louis Armstrong made his New York Ballroom was built, and the owner, increasing. Five thousand people was the
debut. And Bennie Carter, Buster Bailey, remembering Fletcher's record-breaking rule on Saturday nights alone.
as well as countless other renowned run at Roseland which is dirtectly opposite, Fletcher's option was taken up, his pay
folk, first saw the Broadway limelight decided to try his luck with the group. It increased, and discipline rose proportio-
while working here.
was a fortunate decision for Mr. Decker nately. His reputation was speading so
Fletcher acquired a reputation-and also a to make, for without the Henderson far that it even reached the ears of Broad-
manager. For a few years the band name the Empire might have had pretty way. The result? He landed the greatly
toured the country, making considerable tough going.
coveted job of playing at the Hollywood
money. Then the leader and the manager When they came into this spot discipline Beer Gardens, which is probably the
had the inevitable arguments and Fletcher as well as salary was at its lowest ebb. largest placeof ist kind.

Too Mechanical
Even though his orchestra had improved
immeasurably during the past few months.
Henderson knew that all was not well.
There was no shading, no variety in
dynamics, and very little subtely. And
for this he blamed himself. Therefore he
decided to centre his attention upon
directing and making arrangements. he
engaged another pianist to take his place.
And he made a most felicitous change in
his brass section. Rex, though a show-man
of no mean ability, was consistently
overblowing. He knew what the crowd
liked, and he was going to give it to
them, band or no band. Henry Allen
plays third now, and there is all the
difference in the world.
- 148 -
Now they are proving their worth at the
Hollywood. With the magnificent
brother Horace at the piano the group
sounds better than it ever has-much,
much better. Most of the time they play
pianissimo, but their crescendos are as
thrilling as anything I can think of.
Believe me or not, this is just about the
smoothest band in the country. Words
cannot describe the rhythm section.
Kirby's tuba and bass playing is without
equal anywhere. He has been practising
hard on tuba, and has a legato style which I
have never heard before. At least he has
a good wooden bass. In the past-which
includes records-he used an alu-minium
instrument with no carrying tone.
Halliday on guitar just seems to be
made for the job. It isn't necessary for me to
rave about Horace. Everyone knows his
work in Don Redman's discs. Walter
Johnson is still a smooth drummer.
With this section as foundation, the band is
now the supreme example of what we
mean by swing.
It is perhaps unfortunate that the band
has no Duke to write for it. But people
like Henry Allen, who plays softly and is
even more grand than before, Hawkins-the
one and only-Higgie and Dickie Wells
are such improvisers that they practically
make up for the lack of a composer. The
band makes hot music in the true sense
of the word. ...
=========================================================================================
6/4/33 Sun., N.Y.C. Savoy Ballroom - Fl.Henderson Band pobably now including Red Allen NYAN:5/24/33
6/8-7/21/33 six weeks, Pelham,N.,Y.: Hollywood Garden - WABC(CBS)-bcs Fletcher Henderson Band incl.Red Allen
(NYAN:6/7/33p16; Billboard 6/17/p15)
Billy Jones, PC:6/17/33p6:2:"STARS THAT SHINE" - Fl.Henderson and band ope-ned at the Hollywood Garden last
Thursday, for an all summer stay. The Garden is in Pelham, N.Y. The band is also on the C.B.S. wire four nights a week. They
are at the Lefayette Theatre N.Y. with a revue, "Spanish Nights," this week… (Although"Henderson's Blue Harmony Boys," a
vocal group sponsered by Fletcher, appeared on the Lafayette-bill beginning 6/10 , this is out of interest for Red Allen)
NYAN:6/7/33p16: Fletcher Henderson has captured the enviable Hollywood Gar-
dens spot held down by Russ Columbo and Band last summer..... He will have a WABC wire four times weekly.
BILLBOARD, 6/17/p15: The Earl Carpenter and Fletcher Henderson orchestras will
supply the music at the Hollywood Gardens, Pelham,for the summer, opening 6/10.
John Hammond M.M. 6/24/33p5: … but, beginning to-morrow, Mr. Osborne is going to have some real competition. Down the
road a few miles. at the new and gigantic Hollywood Beer Gardens . Fletcher Henderson and his band will be
heard nightly.If anything is an improved Henderson band, what with Horace Henderson at the piano and Higginbotham plus
Dickie Wells on trombones. Directly across the pond is the Glen Island Casino where the Casa Loma are playing; and will
their races be red?
John Hammond, Melody Maker 7/29/33 'Fletcher's band is still knocking them dead at the Hollywood Gardens. Next fall
they go back triumphant to Roseland, where they will alternate each four weeks with Claude Hopkins."
Perhaps business wasn't any too good at the Hollywood Gardens therfore Henderson left.
Philadelphia TRIBUNE, 7/27/33 p11: FLETCHER HENDERSON BALKS AT PAY CUT Fletcher Henderson combo quits
the Hollywood Gardens in the Bronx at the end of this week for the Roseland Ballroom on Broadway. After six weeks at the
Pelham spot Henderson was asked to take a cut, but he preferred to hand in his notice. (
7/21/33 Fri., NYC., HENRY ALLEN AND COLEMAN HAWKINS & THEIR ORCH. : Red Allen (t, v) Dicky Wells (tb)
Hilton Jefferson(as) Coleman Hawkins(ts) Horace Henderson(p) Bernard Addison (g on 13616,bj on others) John Kirby
(b on 1316/-17, bb on -18/-19) Walter Johnson (d) Red Allen lists two alternate takes of 13618 and -19 from test-record
available on his cartridge-cassette – Together with J.R.T.Davies I can not hear any difference in opposite to an US-Cole-man
Hawkins-fan circle around Ren Mocklar are sure to believe differrences in clarinet and sax solos and it´s impossible to keept
the takes simultaneously.
/Suisa(I)JZCD362/GAPS/ HEP / Classics / Mosaic- /
13616-1-2 2:34 THE RIVER´S TAKIN´ CARE OF ME -vRA Me M12769/CBS 8227/ -070 /CD1028/(F)CD540/MD-8-251/
(Addams-Green) -Allen intro in ens 16b-saxes Sb-Hawkins 8b-vRA 16b-Allen in ens 8b-
13617-1 2:41 AIN´T CHA GOT MUSIC -vRA (Razaf-Johnson) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Henderson intro 4b-vRA 32b-Jefferson 14b-Allen lead 16+2b-Hawkins 16b-Wells 8b-
-Hawkins 8b-Allen lead 16b-Hawkins 8b-
13618-1 2:40 STRINGIN´ ALONG ON A SHOE STRING -vRA Me M12759/ --- / --- / --- / ---- / --- / --- /
-2?? 2:40 STRINGIN´ ALONG ON A SHOE STRING -vRA ?uniss.test 78”/ /RA-CD-C9/
(Adamson-Lane) -Allen 4b-Henderson 2b-Allen muted 32b-vRA 32b-Hawkins 24b-
13619-1 2:37 SHADOWS ON THE SWANEE (Young-Burke-Spina) Me M12759/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /MD-8-251/
-2 2:37 SHADOWS ON THE SWANEE (Young-Burke-Spina) ?uniss.test78”/ /RA-CD-C9/
John Hammond, Melody Maker 10/14/33: "Now that we've gone this far with bouquets for Brunswick, here comes a few
brickbats which will be hard to dodge. They recorded Hawkins and Henry Allen in four titles for their cheap labels. And the
results were absolutely dire. In the first place, the Brunswick moguls insisted on a banjo instead of guitar. They wanted the
discs noisy. And they forbade John Kirby to indulge in his legato tuba playing, but insisted on one of those pumping sounds.
Then arrangements were ruled out and everybody was made to play loud for all his worth. The best we can do is forget about it."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On The Wax by Julien Vedey in RHYTHM-Aug.34p38: I really can never hear the Brunswick records of Henry Allen, Junr. and
Coleman Hawkins and their Orches-tra without thinking of those good old days at the 43 Club when we all used to muck in
and play what we liked how we wanted. The two gentlemen in question are Stringing Along on a Shoe String this month which is
about as ridiculous in sound as it is in appellation. On the reverse side they play Ain't cha got Music ? which is a f'air question !
Somebody, ostensibly a negro, gurgles the lyric so badly that I nearly turned it off. Having heard it through I'm sorry I didn't.

Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews In
TUNE TIMES Aug.34 p601: Red and Hawkins
in Form – Br.O.1776: Allen-Hawkins: Ain´t Cha
Got Music / Stringing Along On …
I had been wondering when the Allen-
Hawkins' combination was going to produce
something unreservedly agreeable, and here
it is.
Ain't Cha Got Music fulfils the promise
which its title somehow suggests. It starts with
one of the now familiar Allen vocals, which I
consider to be more outstanding., in their own
way, than his trumpeting.
Then follows sixteen bars of extreme-ly
nice-toned and well-conceived alto playing -
something of a novelty in these discs.
After "Red" has played what is presumably
the verse, the other half of the Alliance
- 148a - Addenda
comes in with a very satisfac-tory chorus,
strewed with some excellent trombone. A
final ensemble chorus with "Hawk" tearing
off the middle bars, com-pletes this side.
Stringing Along is an excellent number
which doesn't seem to have become very
popular in this country-at least, I have not
heard it played very often. Unfortunately it is
not too recognisable in this version, although
good use is made in the solos of the
interesting chord changes.
The whole thing is very much in the style
of the older Armstrong renderings of commercial
tunes.
The chief item is another fine chorus by
Hawkins.
Full marks go to the rhvthm section,
particularly banjo and drums.
On The Wax by Julien Vedey in
Rhythm-Jan.35p43: If you like
Coleman Hawkins you can hear
him with his joint-maestro.
Henry Allen, Junr., in The
River's Taking Care of Me. For
my part the vocal was enough,
and if the river mill only take
care of that gentleman it will
have done good service. On the
obverse is Eddie Condon and his
orchestra playing, Home
Cooking. Appa-rently the cuisine
did not agree with this band, for
they sound slightly dyspeptic.
There are those, mind you, who
like this sort of thing. I prefer
my cooking plain.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Storyv.-43, Oct.72p36, Peter Woodford about GAPS 070-ALLEN-HAWKINS: Someday Sweetheart/Sister Kate/ The River's Takin' Care Of
Me/Ain't cha Got Music?/Stringin' Along On A Shoe String/ Shadows On The Swanee/Hush My Mouth/ You're Gonna Lose Your Gal/Dark Clouds / My
Galveston Gal/I Wish I Were Twins/I Ne-ver Slept A Wink Last Night/Why Don't You Practice What You Preach / Don't Let Your Love Go Wrong;
This little package, arriving simultaneous-ly with the Raretone-
24006/7 bonanza fills in the gap preceding the Collectors
Classic album of last year very neatly. A few eye-brows may
be raised at this chronological offering from the man who
took Chris Ellis so savagely to task for doing just this sort of
thing. My first comment must therefore be: Dear Mr. Gaps -
Welcome Aboard!!
Some critics have in the past labelled these sides 'Dance
Music', but assuredly if this be dance music, there was never a
reason to invent jazz. There is ample evidence that several of
these recordings were made at short notice, but there are lyrical
moments of Allen, explosive moments of Hawkins and
humorous moments of Dicky Wells which should be apart of
the education of every musician. It is quite astonishing that
these magnificent sides have not been the subject of a
previous reissue.
The pressing at present on the turntable has a surface rather a kin
to orange peel, but apart from a little crackle (from the original
pressings) reproduction is crisp and powerful. Highly
recommended - particularly to those who think that this might
not be their cup of tea.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frank Driggs 1990 on HEP-CD1028: Coleman Hawkins and
Henry 'Red'Allen, Jr's recording collaboration apparently
came about because of John Hammond's enthusiasm for their
work. Although Hammond makes no reference nor claims to
have produced their work, save for the Sept.33 date for EMI,
no one who knew him could doubt his interest.
In a 1978 interviewed Albert Marx, then learning the record
business as assistant to Brunswick Records recording supervisor
Harry Gray, remembered Hammond, with test pressing in
his hand - probably of the Dec.32 Fletcher Henderson sides -
coming to see Gray about getting a contract for the pair. Gray,
a decent but conservative man, referred Hammond to Marx
who shared his enthusiasm for the project.
Brunswick was the flagship label of the rag-tag complex of
bankrupt and near-bankrupt labels including the Plaza group,
and eventually, Columbia, Okeh and Vocalion, pulled together
under the umbrella of the Herbert J. Yates Consolidated Film
Corporation. Although this patchwork alliance seemed at
times to resemble the Austro-Hungarian empire, they were
able to field an impressive roster of contract artists like Bing
Crosby, the Boswell Sisters, Hal Kemp, Guy Lombar-do, Cab
Calloway and Duke Ellington and many more to give industry
leader Victor records stiff competition.
The initial recording made under Hawkins'name in March `33
featured some very good playing by Allen (muted and too far
away from the mike on Sweetheatt) on both selections, magnificent
Hawkins on Sweetheart and ordinary work by him on
Sister Kate. However, they violated a cardinal principle of the
record business of that day, in that they did not feature current
Tin Pan Alley tunes nor did they have vocals, and consequently
remained unissued for the next four decades.
Hammond and Marx retreated from their idealistic position,
and found that the only way Gray would accept another date
was if it was released featuring Red Allen singing as well as
playing trumpet. ARC had lost Louis Armstrong, a big seller,
when his manager let his Okeh contract lapse. Trying to sever
his relationship with the manager, Armstrong left for London
and when he returned in the autumn, signed with rivals Victor,
which was in a superior position financially.
With Allen made leader, Gray reluctantly allowed another
date to be scheduled in July, only this time, he made sure
commercial songs were used. Music publishers dominated the
pre-war industry, giving the best songs to the most commercial -
i.e. popular - artists, and jazz players got what was left.
River's Taking Care Of Me has little solo work and an unintentionally
funny Allen vocal, evidently trying to sound as
much like Armstrong stylistically as possible. This is a stock
orchestration. Much better are James P. Johnson's Aintcha
Got Music from the previous autumn's Connie's Inn revue and
a little known but melodically interesting Harold Adamson-
Burton Lane collaboration called Swinging Along On A
Shoestring. Allen, Hawkins, Dicky Wells and Hilton
Jefferson play well on these two sides and I'm sure Horace
Henderson must have put together the sketch or riffs used on
Music. These both feature Allen's singing in his own relaxed
style. Shadows On The Swanee which oddly has no vocal,
suffers from an awful stock arrangement which never lets
Hawkins, who seemed to like the tune, dig in enough to make
a good solo. This also has tuba and banjo. (continues)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about Ain´t cha got… / The River´s …A.500371
in Jazz Tango No.42, 3-34p19: Ain´t cha got music est la
meilleure des deux faces. Passons sur un médiocre refrain
vocal d´Henry Allen. Nous avons ensuite un excellent solo
d´alto (seize mesures) par Hilton Jefferson et des passages de
trompette un peu désordonnés d´Henry Allen. La meilleu-re
partie du disque est un magnifique solo d´Hawkins, inte-rompu
quelques instants par huit mesures de Dickie Wells, lui aussi
très en forme. Dans le «middle-part» du dernier
chorus, il y´a un passage extraordinaire, Hawkins fait
brusquement une réapparition et crée une courbe melodique d
une richesse moulé. Au moment où il termine ses huit mesures,
Henry Allen entre en scène prématurément dans une
sorte d´explosion de trompette, laquellé, jouée au même mo-
ment et dans une autre tonaité que le break final d´Hawkins,
produit une impression très curieuse.
Au verso, Henry Allen commence par jouer dans le style de
Louis Armstrong puis, ô surprise, les saxophones jouent un
passage des «Gars de la marine» (ils se fourrent partout, ceux-
Ià)-, John Kirby sur la contrebasse à cordes et Walter Johnson
sur la batterie produisent un rythme de qualité exeptionnelle
durant tout ce passage, Henry Allen chante ensuite un chorus
dans le style de Louis, en beaucoup moins bien, et le morceau
termine par quelques mesures d´improvisation collective,
Hawkins se distinguant sur le saxo ténor. Nous eussions de
beaucoup préféré entendre un chorus entier d´Hawkins à la
place du refrain vocal d´Henry Allen.
C´est un bon disque, qui aurait pas étre beaucoup mieux.

- 149 -
H.Panassié about “Stringin´…” / “Shadows …” 500372 in
Jazz Tango No.44, 5-34p16: Disque décevant.Nous avions déjà
dit qu´Ain´t cha got music et The river´s takin´ care of me par
le même orchestre n`étalent pas aussi bien qu'ils au-raient pu
I'être, mais alors que dire de ces deux nouveaux
enregistrements ! Il est vrai qu´Hawkins n`est pas responsable
de la médiocrité de ces exécutions.Les gens du studio
Brunswick de New York ont imposé, paraitil, des morceaux à
succès, et ont obligé Bernard Addison à troquer sa guitare,
contre un banjo. John Kirby à souffler à pleins poumons dans
son tuba, Walter Johnson à frapper sa cymbale de toutes ses
forces afin de faire le plus de bruit possible. Voilà pourquoi la
section rhytmiques est si ricule dans ce disque. Ne rythmique
est si ridicule dans ce disque. Ne vous en prenez pas aux
pauvres musiciens qui n`en peuvent mais!
Stringin´ along on a shoe string est la moins mauvaise des
deux faces. Ceux qui ont les moyens d`acheter un disque pour
24 mesures et qui aimen! Hawkins peuvent acheter ce disque
sans hésiter, car Hawkins nous donne un solo de ténor d`une
invention mélodique délicieuse, un ténor d`une invention
mélodique délicieuse, un de ses plus ravissants. Henry Allen a
quelques bonnes trouvailles sur la trompette et chante
convenablement.
Le verse est lamentable. L´arrangement est insipide. Hawkins
et Henry prennent ca et .. quelques mesures en solo, mais
quelle épouvertable section rythmique!
Ain´t cha got music, par le même orchestre était vingt fois
mieux. Rejouons-le pour nous consoler.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evensmo: The first of the Melotone sessions is a charming and attractive one. The atmosphere isfriendly and relaxed, and
everybody seems to have a splendid time. It is not a blowing session, however, and the soli are therefore rather polite and a
little formal. This does not mean that they are inferior in any way, only that the intense harmonic, melodic and rhythmic
fireworks have to give way to a more mellow illumination. Allen sings well, while his most interesting solo is trumpet solo is
to be found on ".. Shoe String".
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
prob.7/22 Sat.-mid.Aug., N.Y.C.: Roseland Ballroom engagements (Phil.Tribune 7/27/33P11)
8/early, Savoy Ballroom & Small's Paradise Breakfast Dances (J.Hammond/W.C.A.)
early Aug. or Sept.33, Astoria, L.I., film or synrhron sequences w. a band under leadership of James P.Johnson plus members of
Fletcher Henderson´s Orch. for the film "EMPEROR JONES", released through United Artists; cr. 9/29/33; Fl. 89 min. 9 reels,
B&W;prod.: John Krinsky, Gifford Cochran, dir.:Dudley Murphy; based on the play by Eugene O'Neill; script: DuBose Heyward;
music-score:J.Rosamund Johnson; Paul Robeson, Frank Wilson, Fredi Washington, Rex Ingram, Jimmy Mordechal, Dudley
Digges, Ruby Elzy, Harold Nicholas, The Hall Johnson Choir , Billie Holiday
appeared as an extra in a crowd scene, James P.Johnson (p) prominently featured in a
Harlem night club sequence; According to a report by John Hammond in M.M.
10/7/33,"the HENDERSON band recently made several sequences for EMPEROR
JONES, the new Paul Robeson film..". Dr.Stratemann: “lt is normally assumed that
these sequences were cut from the final release print. On the soundtrack, however, in
accompaniment to a dance act by H.Nicholas an orchestra of regular big band
instrumentation is heard which could well be the Henderson aggregation. Positive
identification is impossible though by aural means. For the interested reader, here s a
rundown of the first half, approximately, of the film's soundtrack. The second half
contains hardly any music at all.
Music: 1:50 Opening chants: Voodoo & Spritual -Hall-Johnson Choir,drums,hand-cl.
1:15 Let Me Fly (breaks off) -Paul Robeson & ch., v,studio-band
0:24 Same Train -Hall-Johnson Choir
0:37 St.Louis Blues (breaks off) -girls choir w.J.P.Johnson on dial
0:55 St.Louis Blues (fast tempo) -James P.Johnson-p behind dial
1:20 St.Louis Blues (medium tempo) -James P.Johnson-p behind dial
1:01 unident.tune (closing) -FL.HENDERSON ORCH.;-dH.Nicholas
0:55 CASA LOMA STOMP (ending fades) -same big band
0:30 unident.slow instrumental -same big band behind dial into
2:50 unident.blues number -v Ruby Elzy? with p acc.
0:25 same tune (reprise) -ditto
0:35 same tune (reprise) -ditto
1:43 John Henry & Water Boy -P.Robeson & Hall-Johnson Choir PC:11/18/33 & NYT:9/20/33p26 w.review
(review can be found in JAZZ AD.Vol.7)
In an unpublished taped autobiography by Al McCarthy “it was said” that Red Allen stated `the Henderson made rehearsals on
special music for the film but when the band arrived they were confronted with the studio-orchestra. Most of them went away,
but Red Allen who knew James P. Johnson from his theatrical rehearsal work in 1931 stayed and played the “trumpet against
the line” (as he told remembering his New Orleans days), that those who knew him would identify him.´
The orchestra-clip part is included on RA-CD-10/DVD-1 but it is only 0:56 long at all in contrast to Dr.Klaus Stratemann´s 2:25

- 150 -
8/18/33 Fri., NYC., FLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS ORCH.: Russell Smith, Bobby Stark, Red Allen (t) Dicky Wells
(tb on all titles) Sandy Williams(tb last two titles only) Russell Procope, Hilton Jefferson(c1,as) Coleman Hawkins (c1,ts)
Fletcher Henderson(p,arr) Bernard Addison(g) John Kirby (b) Walter Johnson (d) Horace Henderson (arr)
"Yeah Man" had been the title of a short-lived Negro musical of mid.1932 (see p-28). There was also a Harlem cabaret of that name.
all on Mosaic- MD-8-251/ /Co C3K575(3CD)/ Classics /HEP(UK)/
13827-1 2:47 YEAH MAN -aHH (Sissle-Robinson) Vo 2527/Co CL1685/CBS BPG62004/(F)CD535/CD-1016/
-2 2:55 YEAH MAN Vo test/Meritt-13/14/ /NEAT-RP-2016/
-Procope cl 32b-Stark 32b-Hawkins 32b-Allen 8b-Hawkins 9b (different soli between the takes)
13828-1 2:50 KING PORTER STOMP -aFH (J.R.Morton) Vo 2527/Co CL1685/ --- / --- / --- / --- /
-2 3:02 KING PORTER STOMP Vo test/Meritt-13/14/ / --- /
-Stark muted & saxes 24+16b-Procope cl 16b-Wells 16b-Hawkins 16b-Allen 32b-Saxes 16b-
13829-1-2 2:45 QUEER NOTIONS –aHH (Hawkins) Vo 2583/Co CL1685/ --- / --- / --- / --- /Topaz-CD022/
-Hawkins intro 4b-muted brass 32b-Hawkins 10b-Allen muted 16b-Hawkins 2+2b-
-Allen muted 8b-saxes lead 16b-Hawkins 8b-
13830-1 2:48 CAN YOU TAKE IT -aFH (F.Henderson) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-2 2:56 CAN YOU TAKE IT Vo test / Col. 35671 /GAPS(Du)090 / /NEAT-RP-2016/
-cl trio lead 4+32b-Hawkins 32b-Williams 24b-Jefferson as 24b-Allen 12b-Henderson 8b-
Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews In TUNE TIMES Jan.34 p287: Fletcher Puts Back the Clock – Br.-O.1659 Fl.Henderson
& his Orch.: Yeah, Man! / Can You Take It?
These two numbers, in style, are very much the Fletcher of
yore. And that means, strictly speaking, the bad old Fletcher.
Nevertheless, it is the Fletcher I was brought up on, the Fletcher
I liked and still like.
The tempo may be, and as a matter of fact it is, all over the
place, but where I would condemn another band for such
misdemeanour, I cannot find it in my heart to do so with
Fletcher, because that is one of the things which charac-terises
the band.
The band plays with such gusto, as if they really meant it, that
one excuses these lapses.
"Yeah, Man! " is distinguished by some really nimble drumming,
by Hawkins, perhaps not in his best form (nor would you be if
every man in the rhythm section was playing a different tempo !),
and by the gent. who plays the first trumpet bits which occur.
I don't know who this may be, but he is an old favourite of
mine, and no record of Fletcher's would be, for me, complete
without him.
I hope he is still in the band when it comes to London.
"Can You Take It?" is rather more calm and collected than "Yeah,
Man," chiefly because it is taken at a less breathless tempo.
On the credit side we have Hawkins again, Higginbo-tham, no
longer, unfor-tunately, with the band, Fletcher himself in an
entirely characteristic passage, and a nice piece of work by Henry
Allen, Jun., near the finish. We must not forget Kirby, too, whose
bass-playing is at all times a model of what it should be.
By the way, get a load of that unison pas-sage for the entire
band in the first chorus!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GIANTS OF JAZZ – HENRY ”RED” ALLEN Notes on the music by John Chilton; Time-life-Records , 1981
Mx 13828-1, - King Porter Stomp: Fletcher Henderson and His Orch., Rec. Aug. 18, 1933
In the summer of 1933 Allen signed on as a full-time member
of Fletcher Henderson's band. He made his recording
debut with Henderson on August 18, when the band went into
the studio to record, among other numbers, its celebrated flagwaver,
Jelly Roll Morton's King Porter Stomp. King Porter
was a crowdpleaser and a favorite of Henderson's as well. He
had already recorded the number in 1925 and 1928; in 1935,
when he joined Benny Goodman, it was one of the first
numbers he rearranged for the band. The version heard here
has even more fire and spirit than the others, and a good
measure of the credit can be given to the work of the band's
newest recruit.
Trumpeter Bobby Stark leads off the number with great
gusto and carries it through to the first solo. He follows the
theme fairly closely, but manages to inject some of his own
musical personality, showing that when everything was right
he could hit high notes with great verve.
Russell Procope follows with an unspectacular clarinet solo,
and then comes Dicky Wells on trombone. Wells plays with
confidence and considerable attack, but reveals little of the
individuality that later distinguished his work.
Coleman Hawkins opens his tenor solo with typical panache,
then begins to break up the timing of his phrases with
unsymmetrical patterns, an approach highly reminis-cent of
the way Alien often phrased a solo. As he reaches the end,
Hawkins seems to be in danger of running into the next
segment. But it is Allen's turn, and the trumpeter makes a
firm entrance-actually before Hawkins has com-pleted his
musical statement.
Allen's solo has an almost classical form. Early on, he plays
a dramatic descending run that spreads across four bars; it is
as rhythmically ingenious as it is melodically imaginative. In
the middle section he conceives a varia-tion on a phrase from
Rhapsody in Blue. Having wrung all there is out of that idea,
he moves into his last eight bars and concludes with an
ascending phrase that exactly complements his opening run.
Allen then drops back unobtrusively into the trumpet
section as the band moves into a penultimate chorus that
rings with the sound of Walter Johnson's swishing cymbals.
The performance ends with one of the most famous call-andresponse
patterns in jazz. This passage, a Hender-son
trademark, bears little resemblance to the original Morton
composition; it is more likely a brain child concei-ved at a
jam session and effectively inserted in the arran-gement. It
eventually came to be an integral part of the number, and no
orchestra of the swing era would have considered doing one
without the other.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 150a
7. Mx 13829-1 - Queer Notions: Fletcher Henderson and His Orch., Rec.August 18,1933
After King Porter, as traditional a number as any in the
repertoire, the Henderson band shifted gears abruptly and
launched into Queer Notions, a musical oddity written by
Coleman Hawkins and arranged by Fletcher's brother
Horace. As the title indicates, the piece reflects the jazz
world's desire at the time to experiment with the strangesounding
harmonies used by modern European classical
composers. This was an archetypal example of what was
then called "futuristic writing," and Allen takes to it like an
eager revolutionary.
The tune of Queer Notions is essentially a disguised reworking
of a standard 32-bar chorus format (AABA pattern). The
first six of each eight bars are clustered with discord, but the
last two bars resolve in the usual way. The most striking part
of the arrangement is the bold voicings: The deliberate
prominence given to the chording of Bernard Addison's
rhythm guitar in the first chorus is particularly effective.
Henderson's 1933 line-up was filled with talented improvisers,
but Henderson often chose to feature only his two
aces, Henry Allen and Coleman Hawkins, and the two share
pride of place as the only soloists here.
Following the ensemble chorus, Hawkins solos first, using
a new theme with orthodox chord progressions, an effective
contrast to the persistent dissonance of the main theme. As
composer he provides a series of lyrical ideas that fit in
neatly with the framework of the piece. Immedi-ately after,
Allen begins his improvisations on the original theme, the
opening bars of which extend the note selection at the soloists'
command to include almost any possibility, provided they return,
at the end of each eight bars, to the home base of E flat major.
Allen meets the challenge confidently and, mellowing his
tone by blowing into a derby, creates some very bold lines.
Adeptly coping with the seesawing from the chro-matic to the
more familiar diatonic harmonies, he super-imposes phrases
that would not have seemed incongruous in a performance of
the "free jazz" of 35 years later. Over-all, the mood is dark,
but at the end of each segment there is a short burst of jubilant
phrasing. Hawkins returns for the bridge. Its swirling
harmonies leave him room to emerge, this time less lyrical but
more daring.
The highlight of Allen's solo comes in the third and fourth
bars of the last eight when, at his most enterprising, he
ascends and descends in a pattern using the modal scale
instead of the more familiar diatonic. During the last ensemble,
Hawkins'solo is equally exploratory; here he bold-ly
spirals up extended chords with amazing confidence.
These solos are the main historical landmarks of the piece.
In retrospect, the composition (and its arrangement) can be
viewed as a rococo interlude from the immediate pre-swing
era period. In no way does this recording represent a turning
point in big-band orchestration, but historically it gives us an
early example of two master jazz musicians, Allen and
Hawkins, improvising in a highly exploratory way, testing the
strength of, and breaking through, the harmonic restrictions
that rigidly bound many jazz improvisers during the 1930s.
=======================================================================================
H.Panassié about King Porter Stomp / Yeah man A.500377 in Jazz Tango No.43, 4-34p17:
King Porter Stomp est une belle interprétation, bien que la précisément cette atmosphère qui me déplait; elle me paraît,
version du même moreau publiée récemment par la maison si je puis dire «anti-hot».
Columbia angalise soit supérieure. Ces deux versions ont du Quoiqu´il en soit, le solo d´Henry Allen dans ce King
reste éte enregistrées à prés d´un an d´inter-valle; la Porter Stomp ne saurait bénéficier du même argument que
composition de l´orchestre de Fletcher s`était modifée entre celui de Queer notions. C´est au début une suite de fàcheux
temps, Henry Allen et Dicky Wells ayant remplacé Rex et clichés, et ensuite une ligne mélodique du dernier pompier
Higginbotham. Ces deux derniers jouent sans la version rappelant à la fois certaines phrases d´Hérodiade et les
Columbia et s`y montrent au sommet de leur forme tandis que romances italiennes les plus sentimentales. Mais ce qui
Dickie Wells et surtout Henry Allen ne sont pas dépasse tout comme mauvais goût, c´est la phrase finale du
extraordinairement inspirés dans la version Brunswick. De solo, sorte de montée déclamatoire dépourvue du moindre
plus, l´atmosphére du disque Columbia est infiniment plus swing, et donc du véritable esprit du jazz.
enthhousiasmante.
J`avoue que le solo de Queer notions me paraît une
Ceci dit, le King Porter Stomp que publie aujourd`hui merveille à côte de celui-là.
Brunswick contient de très beaux passages, notamment un Pour bien montrer cependant que «je n`ai pas une dent»
solo prodigieux d´Hawkins au ténor. Le solo de trompette qui contre Henry Allen, je tiens à m´excuser d´avoir écrit le
se trouve au debut a pour auteur Bob Stark et non Joe Smith moins dernier que le travail de trompette dans Ain´t cha got
comme pourrait le faire eroire l´étiquette du disque. music (par Hawkins et son orchestre) était «désordonné».
Contrairement aux nouvelles d´Améri-que récentes, Joe Smith C´est une erreur matérielle. En réalité, Henry joue
n´est pas revenu dans l´orchestre de Flet-cher Henderson. admirablement dans ce disque (voilà précise-ment la
C´est un trompette nommé Joe Thomas qui a rem-place Bob maniere de lui que j`aime par opposition à celle du King
Stark. Mais ce dernier se trouvait encore dans l´orchestre Porter Stomp).Rien que pour les trois splendides solos de
lorsque l´enregistrement de ce King Porter Stomp a été Hawkins, Henry Allen et Hilton Jefferson, Ain´t cha got
effectué. Bob Stark ne joue pas mal du tout dans ce disque, music
bien que son style soit désordonné comme d´habitude et bien vaut la peine d`être acheté.
que certaines de ses phrases sonnent un peu faux.
Pour en revenir au King Porter Stomp , il faut louer
Le solo de trombone par Dickie Wells est assez heureux, l´arrange-ment pour saxophones que l`en entend durant la
dans l´ensemble. Quant au solo de clarinette, probablement du plupart des solos et surtout la facon inouie dont la section
à Russell Procop, je le trouve bien, sans plus.
des saxophones joue cet arrangement. Avec Hilton Jefferson,
Pour en finir avec les solos, je dois dire que celui d´Henry Procop et Hawkins, Fletcher Henderson possède un trio
Allen, qui se trouve dans la dernière moitié du disque, me presque unique.Les ensembles de la fin sont d´une belle
déplait entière-ment. Mon opinion sur le solo d´Henry Allen vigueur et le rythme exce-llent, grâce surtôut à John Kirby
dans Queer notions m`a valu quelques lettres indignées me (le contrebassiste).
faisant remarquer que ce solo avait «une très belle atmosphère Le verso Yeah man, est inférieur à cause des arrangements
orientale». D´autres lettres parvenues au sujet de mon article ensemble (pour les deux dernieres chorus) qui sont dans cet
sur «les erreurs de Mike» m´ont repreché de contester abominable style Casa Loma qui décidément sévit de plus
l´immense valeur d´Henry Allen. Ce dernier reproche m´est en plus: répétition symétrique de petites phrases puérites
particulièrement sensible. De ce que estime Louis Armstrong entre les cuivres et les saxos. C´est ennuyeux au plus haut
infiniment supérieur à Henry Allen, il ne faut pas déduire que point.
je n´accorde aucune valeur à ce dernier. Loin de là, ses solos Néanmoins cette face contient un autres merveilleux solo
de It should be you, Oh Peter, Margie, You´ll might get better, d´Hawkins remplis d`éclairs fulgurants. Il y a également un
Louisiana swing, Jamaica shout, etc., sont admirables et le assez bon solo de clarinette dú, je pense, à Russell Procop et
mettent au premier plan des grands trompettes hot. Mais cela un solo inégal de trompette dont l´auteur est Bob Stark.
n´empêche pas Henry Allen de jouer très mal, parfois. A mon Enfin Henry Allen prend huit mesures satisfaisantes vers le
avis, c`était le cas dans Queer notions. Je reconnais volontiers milieu de l´avantdernier chorus. Bon rythme avex le jeu
qu´il y a «une atmosphère orientale» dans son solo, mais c´est habituel de cymbale par Walter Johnson.

- 150b
H.Panassié about Can you take it / Queer notions A.500387
in Jazz Tango No.44, 5-34p17: Ces deux morceaux ont probablement
été enregistres le même jour que Yeah man et King
Porter Stomp. Ils remontent en tout cas à l´année derniére.
Can you take it est une interprétation de grande valeur, car
Fletcher Henderson laisse une place abondante à quelques-uns
de ses grands solistes au lieu de nous ennuyer par de médiocres
arrangements, comme il le fait trop souvent. Trois superbes
solos retiennent notre attention:
1) Un solo de 32 mesures par Hawkins sur le saxophone
ténor, qui joue d´une facon plus simple que de coutume, mais
non moins efficace. Est le meilleur solo du disque.
2) Un solo de 24 mesures (2 chorus de 12 mesures chaque)
par Dickie Wells au trombone. Dickie ne joue pas du tout ici
comme dans les disques de Spike Hughes et dans une manière
voisine de celle de Benny Morton. Il revient au style de Jimmy
Harrison; à ce point de vue les quatre premières mesures de son
second chorus sont particulièrement bien venues; ce sont du
reste les plus belles de tout le solo.
3) Un solo de 24 mesures (également deux chorus de 12
mesures) par Hilton Jefferson au saxo alto. Ce musicien joue
avec une aissance pleine de naturel et de calme que beaucoup
peuvent lui envier. Son style, dépourvu de recherches
techniques, est un des plus personnels que je connaise sur
l´alto.
Un autre élément d´intérêt dans Can you take it est la superbe
partie de contrebasse par John Kirby qui est mieux enregistrée
que dans la plupart des autres disques de Fletcher Henderson.
Le court passage de trompette par Henry Allen est sans intérêt
spécial. Le trio de clarinettes straight(dans le registre aigu) qui
se trouve au début du disque ne me paraît ni bon ni mauvais.
Au verso nous retrouvons Queer Notions déja publié par
Columbia il y a quelque temps. Les deux versions se
ressemblent assez. L´arrangement est le même et les solos ne
subissent presqu`aucune modification, Hawkins ne changeant
de facon notable que deux de ses breaks et Henry Allen
reproduisant son solo à atmosphère orientale (avec une
sourdine cette fois). La section rythmique est bien mieux
enregistée dans le disque Brunswick, tandis que la section
mélodique avait une meilleure sonorité dans le disque
Columbia. Seule grosse différence la version Brunswick est
exécutée sur un tempo beaucoup moins rapide. Je dois dire
que le mouvement de la version Columbia me plait davantage,
mais c´est peut-être une simple question de goût
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian Davis to Topaz TPZ-CD-022 in J.J.Dec.95:…there is his amazing avant garde composition of its time Queer Notions, and
throughout the big-toned, swinging, ever inventive up tempo work on innumerable tracks. After the (8) tracks with some
impressive Red Allen and that beautiful composition Heartbreak Blues, … (other reviews see 9/22-session)
8/19/33 NYC., WASHBOARD RHYTHM KINGS / BOYS: unknown personnel with poss. Frank Humphries, Dave Page(t)
Calvin Clement(tb) unknown 2as,ts,p,bj,b,wb,v recorded 8 sides for Mel. (see Storyville-34/-125). Often Red Allen was
mentioned as featured soloist on “I COVER THE WATERFRONT” but Allen was on New England tour with Henderson´s
band, started at 8/l8/33
late Aug.33-... New England tour: 8/19&21&22, Mass., South Lynnfield: Kimball's Starlight Ballroom; Waltham: Nutting-onthe-Charles;
Fall River - start of tour with Mrs.Jessie Costello; (Boston Post, 8/18&19&21/33; Phil.Trib.8/24/33p12)
John Hammond, Melody Maker, 9 Sep 33: Mrs. Jessie Costello - acquitted husband-murderess - touring New England with
Fletcher Henderson." Takes baton, according to variety, in one number. Then appearing one night with Ella at Cape Cod.
Fletcher just finished extended engagement at Hollywood Gardens. After his vaudeville tour, opens at Roseland.
John Hammond also reported that, after the Hollywood closing, Henderson played breakfast dances in Harlem at Small's
Paradise and the Savoy; suggested that Fletcher should be invited to bring a band to England; and disclosed that he was
touring New England with a "notorious show-girl" Mrs. Jessie Costello, who took the baton and led the band for one number.
(Meanwhile, wife Leora was forming her own all-girl band)
J.Hammond in DB 3/23/51p3: “..it was soon discovered that the men were incapable of making time…But the music was nothing
less than sublime, particularly since Red Allen was sitting in for Bobby Stark and the brass section had an added boost.”
according the Phila.Tribune 8/24/33p12: Mrs.J.Costello´s first appearance was in Fall River with Fletcher Henderson and
could not have been before Aug. 22nd.
George F. Frazier Jr. may have heard the band in the Boston area and writes., in JAZZ TANGO, September 1933, p. 6:
"The presence of Henry Allen in Fletcher Henderson's band has helped it immensely. It is a genuine thrill to hear Henry take
a solo, followed by the supreme Hawkins. The other evening, I heard Coleman improvise a chorus in SOPHISTICATED
LADY; few of his solos have been more moving. Allen's marvelous work is acting as a fine stimulant to the best of the
tenors. Speaking of SOPHISITICATED LADY brings me to mention Dickie Wells' playing of the trombone solo at the
beginning of the piece. When one compares it with Lawrence Brown's work on the same solo, it seems very poor. Dickie´s
high notes are thin.... it is surprising how maudlin certain of his breaks can be.
John Hammond in Melody Maker, 10/21/33: Irving Mills signed up Benny Carter "and has given him instructions to grab the
best men available, regardless of price. Bennie immediately went after Hawkins and Henry Allen, who hesitated, but turned
him down remembering that Fletcher has an unequalled bunch, after all. But Bennie is off to Chicago to capture Theodore
Wilson and Keg Johnson, a fine trombone player, and a tenor lad from Oklahoma City, about whom Mr. Carter can find only
praise."

- 151 -
late Sept.-late Oct., N.Y.C.: Roseland Ballrooms,-Brooklyn & Manhattan in change with Luis Russell's band; Claude Jones (tb)
joined the band filling the place of J.C.Higginbotham who had left earlier;
(NYA:9/23;10/7/33pp7; PC:l0/21/33p6:2)
9/22/33 Fri., NYC., FLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS ORCH. : Russell Smith, Bobby Stark(t) Red Allen (t,v) Dicky Wells,
Claude Jones(tb) Russell Procope, Hilton Jefferson(c1,as) Coleman Hawkins(ts,cl) Horace Henderson(p,arr) Bernard
Addison(g) JohnKirby(b) Walter Johnson(d) unknown (vib on 265138) Fletcher Henderson (ld,arr) Will Hudson(arr)
Dec.DL/MFP/Prest./ Regal(F) /Family/ WR /Swing-SW/ Classics /
265135-2 2:32 QUEER NOTIONS -aHH (C.Hawkins) Co CB-678/ 5383 /1085/7645/REG1038/ (I)716 /SHB42/ 8453/54 /(F)CD535/
-Hawkins 4+l0b-Allen 18b-Hawkins 2+2b-Allen 8b-saxes & trumpets 16b-Hawkins 8b-
265136-2 3:15 IT´ S THE TALK OF THE TOWN RA-CD-3 /
265136-3 3:30 IT´ S THE TALK OF THE TOWN Co 2825-D/ 5384 / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
(Levingston-Symers-Neiburg) -aFH -Jefferson cl intro 4b-brass&saxes 4+4+4+4b-
-Hawkins 4b-saxes 8b-Allen 4b-Hawkins 32b-
265137-2 3:24 NIGHT LIFE -aWH (Will Hudson) Co CB-727/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Jefferson & Hawkins.intro-Henderson 8b-Allen 8b-Henderson 8b-saxes 24b-Stark 32b-Hawkins 18+8b-
265138-2 3:25 NAGASAKI -vRA, (Warren-Dixon) Co 2825-D/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-aHH -Hawkins 2b-Allen 2b-ens 4b-saxes 8+4b-brass 4b-vib 4b-Henderson 32b-
-vRA(cl & rhythm) 32b-Allen 64b-Henderson brd 4b-Wells 4b-Stark 4b-Hawkins 8b-
all issued 78” on: HEP(UK)CD-1016 / all on Mosaic- MD-8-251/ 265138 also on Best of Jazz CD4031
265136&-38 also on Cap.W 2139/Cap.(Au)T-2139; 265136 also on Dec DL 6025/C.I.D.(F)UM-233517/ Fonit(I)USA-DL-6026/
John Hammond, Melody Maker 11/4/33: "Nagasaki" [Henderson Col.] is a pretty swell disc. Henry Allen sings and plays in it;
two choruses of the latter. Horace Henderson has a whole chorus as well and Hawkins starts off the whole works. Aside
from two measures from the second trumpet at the beginning, the record as a whole is my idea of S.T. good."
CAB CALLOWAY-HOT RECORD CRITIC about Col.CB727 Nagasaki / Night Life– by “Mike” in M.M.4/14/34p7:
I ONCE rode in a train from Southhampton to Waterloo with
Cab (“I´m Happy When I´m Hi-de-Hiking”) Calloway. ….
Captain Calloway, you see gave me a “rave” speech about
Fletcher Henderson´s Nagasaki. On arrival at Waterloo I
pushed my way through reporters and photographers .. And
the result was that two gold braided messengers brought me
a special pressing of Fl.Henderson´s Nagasaki by return of
No.11 bus.
Upon playing it through I atonce took off my hat to Cab
Calloway. Whatever you may think of his vaudeville act
after the first three-and-half hours of scatting and such like
“hot jazz”, there is no doubt that Mr.Calloway is a good
judge of a record . Of course , I have never asked his opini-
on of these matters before ; but so far his judgement has been
100% correct.
Mr.Calloway´s enthusiasm for Nagasaki was founded
princi-pally upon the performance of Henry Allen, whose
record this is, for the most part. Red works hard in this
piece. He sings the vocal refrain, picks up his trumpet down
until he has played another chorus and liked it.
Before all this there is some ensemble swinging started by
Hawkins in the first bar. There is some effective leadplaying
by the tenor, too this opening chorus. Putting
Hawkins on the top line like this gives the whole sax section
an unbelievably vicious attack.
Then this is an unusual record for another reason . Horace
Henderson gets a whole chorus and several bridge-passages. It
is so long since we have heard so much of him in Fletcher´s
records that one had almost forgotten what a superb pianist
this youngster is.
Toward the end Hawk crosps up again with a short and
characteristic eight-bar solo. But this is Red Allen's record.
Night Life, on the other hand, is just Hawkins. The composition
(by Will Hudson) is a nondescript, rather Spiritualish
affair, pleasant, if rather full of good ol´ good clichés.
Horace Henderson pops in and out between various wholetone
ensemble pieces . Henry Allen has a long solo to keep
our minds on Henry Allen.
Of the rest, though he only has two solos between tutti passages,
I remember our Hawklns, playing in his best swinging
mannner with that incredible power which somehow never
destroys the beauty of his phrases.
As I cannot think of much more to say about Hawkins – at
least not until I break out into my periodical rhapsody after his
concert on the 22nd ins. - we have at great expense stuck a
picture of the master on this page.
And let me tell you, as one of the anonymous folk who met
him at Paddington, he is one swell and charming guy
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Impressions On The Wax, Rec.Reviews i TUNE TIMES Dec.33: “Hawk”and yet more “Hawk”:
Co.C.B.678: Fl. Henderson Orch.: It´s The Talk Of The Town / Queer Notions
At last honour is paid where honour is due, for the label
the first side says "Featuring Coleman Hawkins, Tenor
Saxophone," a remark,which is equally true of the reverse.
"Hawk" is so incomparable an artist that I reallv and truly
am at a loss for words when I have to try and put my
impressions on paper.
The extraordinary thing is that he was just as supreme
seven or eight years ago, and despite the fact that his style as
changed very little in that time he seems to improve with every
new recording, amazing me with his extra virtuosity where
one could be pardoned for thin-king no improvement possible.
"Talk of the Town" is taken at slow tempo, and I should like
to direct your attention to the passages near the commencement
where " Hawk " leads the section in melody, no
less than to the superb solo chorus which follows. What an
education for those with ears to hear !

"Queer Notions" is Hawkins's own composition,
largely based on whole-tones, and if not epoch-making
as such, is nevertheless an excellent vehicle for the
further glorification of the master. Notice how his
first solo passage "sends" you. In the last solo passage
he plays several harmonic notes which are outside the
compass of the instrument, and in a quick movement too.
What a man !
- 152 -
On The Wax by Julien Vedey in RHYTHM-May-34p41: Then. still
in the Columbia list, we have the wild and woolly Fletcher Henderon
playing that wild number Nagasaki. It is all very well done,
although none of -it means a thing (including the sepulchral vocal
by Henry Allen, fun., himself). On the other side, Night Life is one
of those things with a locomotive rhythm. I must say those saxes
are amazingly together throughout. And the trumpet is brilliant.
Apart from this, I could not tell you what Night Life is all about.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jazz Information II-14, Feb.41p82 about De 18169-QUEER NOTIONS: Coupled with the Washington solo is this Coleman
Hawkins composition, not the old Vocalion version but one made specially for English Columbia. Built out of simple dissonant
chords which recall Chant of the Weeds, the side features Hawkins at length, as well Henry Allen in some very weird playing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sinclair Traill in Jazz Journal Apr.56 about "TALK OF THE TOWN / NAGASAKI / TORCH SONG / NIGHT LIFE" Col.SEG7630;
How nice to see these old-friends back once again; in nice compact EP form. The recording is excellent and time has not
dimmed the exciting playing of this wonderful band. Coleman Hawkins was at the start of his career and he can be heard to fine
advantage on "IT´S THE TALK" (weakest number of the four); "TORCH SONG" (two rhapsodic choruses) and "NIGHT LIFE"
(blowing it very hot). The other musician to star on these is trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen. He sings and plays some very agitated
horn on "NAGASAKI", contributes a good chorus in medium tempo to "TORCH SONG", and is heard much in Armstrong
vein on "NIGHT LIFE". Henderson always fronted a good band. but it is doubtful if he ever had a better one than this.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stanley Dance (March-69) on Prestige PR-7645: … By this
time, Coleman Hawkins had not only become the star of
Henderson's starry band, but also an idol and inspiration
within the profession second only to Louis Armstrong. His
popularity abroad was immense, and the following year he
was to leave Henderson for a lengthy stay in Europe.His
presence dominates the Henderson session heard on the
album's first side.
Queer Notions is a Hawkins original shows the tenor saxophonist's
advanced harmonic thinking. Like Don Redman's
earlier Chant of the Weed, it is an example of the adventurous
spirit in jazz of the early '30s as well as the prevalent
fascination of "weird chords". The soloists are Hawkins and
Henry "Red" Allen, both of whom sound surprisingly comfortable.
The second chorus of It's the Talk of the Town, played entire-
ly - by Hawkins, was one of the most profoundly influential
improvisations in jazz, inspiring many young musici-ans years
before his more famous Body and Soul. The lyricism,
flowing phrases, and warm, romantic feeling gave it an appeal
that communicated beyond the imme-diate jazz audience.
Nagasaki is primarily a vehicle for Allen's infectious singing
and playing. His influence on the Harry Edison of Sent for
You Yesterday is notable in his trumpet chorus. Dicky Wells
and Bobby Stark get four bars each in the last chorus, and
Hawkins eight. Horace Henderson's excellent, Hines-inspired
piano is also heard to advantage. A better pianist than his
brother, he often played in the band while Fletcher conducted.
Many pianists had adopted the Fatha's style by this time, but
none of the pupils knew better how to incorporate it in a band
context than Horace. He is also heard on Will Hudson's Night
Life. The other soloists are Allen, Stark and Hawkins
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evensmo to 8/18 & 9/22: Allen takes his turn on every single side in his first recording sessions with the Fletcher Hen-derson
Orchestra. The results are satisfactory but not above average standard. Personally I enjoy most the comparison between
alternate takes on "Yeah Man" and "Can You...". Rather brief soli but all the same surprisingly different and well conceived.
"Queer Notions" is a little too queer and contrived to my taste, and "King Porter ..." is burdensome and in which you don't get
anything without a hard struggle. Allen plays his parts well, the variations are also notable, but my feelings are not much
aroused. "Nagasaki" is almost a showcase for Allen. I do not think Allen plays the 2 bars of intro as stated in "Hendersonia". He
sings well enough, but his solo contains a lot of fill-in phrases, something we are not used to with this inventive trumpeter. His
inspiration seems to be somewhat absent. Main impression: Sessions which are easily forgotten where Allen is concerned. (Not
necessarily so when other criteria are considered!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about It´s the Talk of the Town / Queer notions DF
1400 in Jazz Tango No.41, 2-34p17: It´s the talk of the town,
joué sur tempo lent contient un des plus délicieux solos de
saxo ténor qu´Hawkins ait jamails enregistré. Com-me ce solo
occupe un chorus entier de 32 messures et que le disque
contient deux chorus en tout. Hawkins occupe donc la metié
de l exécution. Il n´est pas besoin d´en dire plus pour montrer
l´intérét de cet enregistrement.
Le style d´Hawkins dans ce solo se rapproche certainement
moins de la manière si hot de One hour que de celle si exquise
de Nocturne (avec SpikeHughes). Mais l´invention
mélodique est d´une grande richesse ; la sonorité et les intonations
sont égale-ment ravisantes.
Il faut féliciter chaleureusement la maison Columbia d´avoir
men-tionné sur l`étiquette que Coleman Hawkins tenait le
saxophone ténor dans ce disque. Entin, un peu de justice !
L´autre chorus de It´s the talk of the town est un arrangement
d´ensemble vraisemblablement écrit par Fletcher Henderson.
Rien de spécial à en dire.
Queer notions est une exécution très vigoureuse qui bénéficie
d´un excellent enregistrement. Hawkins joue de nombreux
breaks et un solo de grande classe – comme toujours. C´est lui
qui a compose (et peut-être arrange ce morceau. Ce n´est
évidemment pas mal, mais Hawkins est certainement meilleur
soliste que compositeur.
Le rhythme est bon, avec une mention au drummer Walter
Johnson.
Mais Henry Allen, pour sa premiere apparition en disque avec
Fletcher Henderson, n´est pas heureux. Ses solos de trompette
sont terriblement ennuyeux;une suite de clichés empruntés à
Louis Armstrong, sans lien entre eux et joue dans le plus sucré
des styles legato. Aucune vie, aucune originalité dans ces
solos. C´est la forme du style hot, avec l´inspiration en moins.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about Nagasaki / Night Life DF1510 in Jazz Tango
No.47, 8-34p17: Ce disque de Fletcher Henderson a été
enregistré en octobre au novembre 1933 sous l´initiative de
John Hammond.
Nagasaki est une interprétation de grande classe Henry Allen
s´y distingue particulièrement, prenant trois des six chorus que
comporte l´exécution. L´un comme vocaliste, les deux autres
comme trompette hot.
Alors que chez Louis Armstrong,le chanteur est aussi merveilleux
que le trompette,chez Henry Allen le trompette est de
beaucoup supérieur.Son chorus vocal est certes agréable –c´est
même un de ses meilleurs – mais il n´offre rien d´extraordinaire.
Les deux chorus de trompette qui sui-vent (64 mesures en
tout) sont au contraire merveilleux et représentent peut-être ce
qu´Henry Allen a enregistré de mieux sur tempo rapide depuis
plus d´un an. Il n´y a plus ici de copie de Louis, mais un style
très personnel, avec des inflexions profondément émouvantes,
de belles intonations chaudes, des répétitions de notes et de
phrases extrêmement heueuses, une construction d´ensemble
tout à fait réussie. Notez la longue note pertétuellement
infléchie par laquelle s´ouvre le second chorus dont la valeur
expres-sive est immense. Henry est vraiment très inspiré dans
ce solo et nous voudrions qu´il joue toujours dans un style
aussi plein de tension.
Nagasaki contient un autre solo d´une valeur exceptionelle:
c´est un chorus entier de piano par Horace Henderson qui joue
dans un style plus sobre que jamais, avec des répétitions de
phrases magnifique-ment amenées. Horace est de beaucoup le
plus simple de tous les pianistes noirs. Pour construire des

- 153 -
phrases purement hot, il dépasse de beaucoup un Fats
Waller. Je ne sais trop pourquoi, il me fait penser à Joe
Sullivan, non que son style soit semblable mais parce qu´il
emploi, comme Joe, un style qui semble destiné à servir de
modèle facile pour ceux qui veulent apprendre à jouer hot
sur un piano. Hawkins n´apparaît comme soliste que pour
prendre la phrase du milieudu chorus final. Il est en grande
forme et emploie des phrases fougueuses et bondis-santes qui
me rappelle le style de son prodigieux solo sur Hello Lola par
les Blue Blowers.
Bob Stark prend un break de trompette au début du disque et
un autre juste avant le court solo d´Hawkins dont nous venons
de parler.C´est honorable,sans plus.
La section des saxophones joue magnifiquement dans le
premier chorus d´exposé oû Hawkins tient la première partie
sur le ténor presque tout le temps avec une force et une
flamme inouies. La section des cuivres est moins parfaite mais
elle exécute le dernier chorus avec une conviction qui rachète
le manque demise au point.
La section rythmique joue très bien, mais elle est mal
enregis-rée . Il semble vraiment impossible de bien
enregistrercette section de l´orches-tre Fletcher Hen-derson,
surtout avec le procédé Columbia qui réussit pourtant si bien
avec la section rythmique de Duke et la plupart des autres.
Night Life débute par d´excellents passages de piano dûs à
Horace Henderson et huit mesures de trompette d´Henry Allen
aussi splendides que le solo du verso. L´arrangement qui suit,
écrit par un certain Hudson, auteur de redoutables arrangements
en série pour les orchestres dont Irving Mills est le manager,
est mal-heureusement d´une banalité complète. Nous aurons
ensuite un chorus entier de trompette par Bob Stark dont les
mauvaises intonations et l´invention désordonnée nous font
regretter Henry Allen. Jamais d´ailleurs l´in-spiration de Bob
Stark n´a été aussi médiocre. C´est un de ses plus mauvais
solos . Hawkins relève le niveau du disque en prenant deux
solos, l´un de seize mesures, l´autre de huit, tous deuxbrillants
et bien découpeés. Les dernières mesures du morceau sont
terribles; on entend un interminable arrangement d´ensemble
qui ne consiste qu´ en formules fastidieuses et usées. C´ est
assommant. Les cuivres, du cóup, ne prennent plus intérêt à la
vie et jouent avec la plus parfaite nonchalance, laisant les
fautes et les maladresses s´accumuler avec indifférence. Mais
ce disque vaut la peine d´ etre acheté a cause de Nagasaki.
C´est un des meilleurs enregistrements pour entendre Henry
Allen et Horace Henderson.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié-Col.ESDF-1097Ep) in Bul.hcf-No.66/3-57:
Ces quatre interprétations datent de 1933 et l'une d'elles, it's the
talk of the town, a été publée dans le recuell 33 tours de
Fletcher Henderson en CID UM 233.517 (cf.chronique dans le
Buletin, No 50). Ce morceau, je vous le rappelle, contient un
des plus beaux solos que Coleman Hawkins ait enregistrés –
nous puvons même dire: un des plus beaux chorus de saxo
ténor dans l'histoire du jazz.
I've got to sing a torch song contient un autre solo de
Hawkins, à peine moins sesationel que le précédent et plus
long (ol occupe près des deux tiers de l'interpré-tation). La
sonorité de Hawkins est d'une hauté indicible, ses broderies
sur le thème d'une inspiration grandiose. Vous ne pourrez
vous fatiguer d'écouter ce solo.
Il est dommage que les deux autres intrétations comptent
parmi les moins bonnes enregistrées par Fletcher à l'époque.
Nagasaki met surtout en évidence Henry Allen, qui chante
un chorus et en joue deux à la trompette, quelque peu
fébriles. Il y a un plaisant solo de piano d'Horace Henderson
et, dans le chorus final, de brefs solos par Hawkins au ténor
(8 mesures), Dicky Wells au trombone et Bobby Stark `a la
trompette (4 mesures chacun). Night Life est un insipide
arrangement de Will Hudson. Henry Allen joe brièvement
vers le début, mais c'est Bobby Stark qui prend le chorus
entier de trompette; il n'est pas dans sa meilleure forme,
mais son jeu a plus de sensibilite que celui d'Henry Allen.
Hawkins joe superbement, mais pas assez longtemps. La
section rhythmique n'est pas très bien enregistée, mais on
entend suffisamment le
merveilleux jeu de contrebasse de John Kirby et l'on devine
que Walter Johnson swinguait ferme à la batterie.
Si vous n'avez pas déjà it's the talk of the town, je crois
que ce disque mérite l acquisition, malgré tout.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9/29/33 Fri., NYC., COLEMAN HAWKINS & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen(t) J.C. Higginbotham(tb) Hilton Jefferson(c1,as)
Coleman Hawkins(ts) Horace Henderson(p,arr) Bernard Addison(g) John Kirby(b) Walter Johnson or Sid Catlett(d)
W.C.Allen: Personnel with Johnson is from standard references; however John Hammond stated in Melody Maker 10/21/33
that Catlett played drums on this date. Except for Catlett, and for Higginbotham, then with Chick Webb, all men were from
the Henderson band.
all on Mosaic- MD-8-251/ /MFP/Prest./Regal/Family/ WR /Swin-SW/Classics/ HEP /
265143-2 3:38 THE DAY YOU CAME ALONG Parl.E R-1685/1128/ 7647/1047/ (I)717/SHB42/ 8453/54 /CD 587/CD1028/
from the film "Too Much Harmony" (Sam Coslow-Coleman Hawkins) /Top-1022
-Jefferson cl 16b-Higginbotham 8b-Jefferson cl brd 4b-Hawkins 32b-Allen 8b-Hawkins 4b coda-
265144-1 2:56 JAMAICA SHOUT (H.Henderson) test /RA-CD-3/
-2 2:59 JAMAICA SHOUT -aHH Parl.E R-1685/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Addison 4b&Allen 2b& Hawkins 2b intro-Allen 32b-Hawkins l6b-Allen 16b-Higginbotham 8b-
-Allen 8b-Hawkins 32b-Jefferson as 4b-Higginbotham 4b-Allen 4b-Hawkins 4b-
265145-2 3:28 HEART-BREAK BLUES - Parl.E R-1766/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /Best of J.
a B1ues Rhapsody (C.Hawkins) -Allen 32b-Hawkins 32b-Allen 8b-Hawkins 8b- CD4031
Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews In TUNE TIMES Dec.33: Hawkins Excels Himself Once More – R.1685 – C.Hawkins
Orch.: The Day You Came Along / Jamaica Shout
I see that part authorship of the first num-ber is attributed on the
label, to Hawk an interesting fact which, up till now, had
escaped my notice, and, ap-parently that of those who see to
these matters on the labels of all the other records of this number!
Anyway, here he is again, on top of his form once more in a
faultless solo in slow tempo on the first side; "Jamaica Shout "
contains probably the best examples of his playing in fast
tempo so far recorded.

- 154 -
I should mention the trombone play-er who plays some good
stuff, and Henry Aflen (Jr.!) who does the same, but has
developed an irritating habit of getting lost or strayed at the end
of breaks and solos. This is noticeable on several discs on which
he plays this month.I understand that John Hammond arranged
these recor-dings in New York. Many thanks, John
JazzInfo.II/4(9/40)p4: Springing a surprise on the record
industry. Decca last week reissued two Coleman Hawkins
sides recorded 1933 for English Parlophone. One of these,
the famous JAMAICA featuring Henry Allen,
J.C.Higginbotham…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAZZ CLASSICS by Robert Quinlisk in Jazz Information Vol.2 No.6; 10/4/40p11: The first batch of Col.reissues should be
ready when this appears in print, and will be reviewed in my next column. Meanwhile, Decca has sprung a little surprise of its
own by reissuing, two Coleman Hawkins sides, from English Parlophone, one of which was commonly thought to be Columbia
property.
This is the famous “Jamaica Shout”, recorded for Parlophone in November
1933, issued at that time on Okeh 41566 as well. The Okeh master was reissued,
not very long ago, by the Commodore Music shops on U.H.C.A. 55-56 -
by permission of the Columbia company. Now Decca, which owns the rights to
part, at least,of the Parlophone catalog, has issued the identical recording on
Decca 3358. Which is puzzling. Do both companies own “Jamaica Shout”?
The pick-up band which made "Jamaica Shout", “Heartbreak Blues” and “The
Day You Came Along”) included (line-up): With eight men this is technically a
small band. But the fourth melody instrument is an alto not a clarinet. In this, as in
the overall design of the music, the "Jamaica Shout" in an excellent example of
jazz scoring, in the modern manner, rather than of small band jazz. The arranging
is confined to simple ensembles, background figures for solos, and the pattern of
ensembles, solos, and breaks. It´s tasteful and intelligent, resulting in an
effective, unified piece of music.
After an introduction played by guitar, trumpet and tenor, the first chorus is all
ensemble. At first it's simple harmony, but toward the end of the chorus the individuals
are breaking away from the form in anticipation of the action that
follows: sixteen bars of solo apiece for Hawkins and Allen, shorter solos by
Higginbotham, Allen, and a full chorus taken by Hawkins.
Breaks by Jefferson, Higginbotham, Allen and Hawkins, alternating with written
passages of equal length, conclude the side.
It´s Hawkins´ date, and his two solos, with their big, brilliantly colored reed tone
and phrasing in which stiff series of notes are broken by light, fluid runs, are the
out-standing feature. Henry Allen's work cosists of a typically fine solos - note
how the first few phrases whip up tension - and an ensemble lead which shows
his characteristic tones, the strident “shouting” quality of his open horn. Since
there´s no really free (New Orleans) ensemble. Allen´s tendency to wild, jerky
playing is not on “Jamaica Shout”.
“The“ record of the month: Jamaica
Shout / Heartbreak Blueds. (UHCA-
Commodore) - DB-May-39p20:
Armstrong's Hot Seven Sides, as
previously noted, are superb. But I
confess the kicks on Jamaica and
Heartbreak come more often, and for
exception of Armstrong's solos, those
here are preferable.
Hawkins' tenor is the kind you are
always hoping you'll hear sometime. It's full
of short, stubby notes and a world full of
meaning. Hawk wastes none of these notes,
no matter how many he plays. Each means
something. And Henry (Red) Allen's trumpet
is amazing. Compared with his more recent
playing (this record was originally made in
November, 1933) Allen sounds like another
artist. Higginbotham, Kirby, Horace
Henderson, Bernard Addison, Walter
Johnson and Hilton Jefferson also are here.
Can't we have another reissue of Hawk and
Allen on Swingin' Along On a Shoe String,
made at the same time on Melotone?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evensmo: The two slower tunes in particular have excellent Allen, and "Heartbreak Blues" stands among my favorite pieces.
Note, however, his unusually mellow style at this time. It works beautifully in slower tunes, but seems a little, just a little,
indistinct at faster tempi. One could hear it on "Nagasaki" and "King Porter ..." in the previous session and on "Jamaica Shout"
here. Compare it with Luis Russell's "Saratoga Drag" and "Ease On Down", and you will see what I mean. Apart from these
specific, perhaps negatively surprising, comments to the trumpet playing, I must add that this session as a whole is very, very
beautiful and belongs among my most treasured ones.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“BRITAIN IN THE 30´s” by Denis Argent in Jazz Journal 4-63: …
We began to read the Melody Maker for further enlightment; its
showbusiness jargon had all the exotic charm of a private
slang-but along with the paper's slick gossip about musicians in
the "commercial" bands, and those in the Archer Street fringe,
we had record reviews by "Mike".
The fact that this pseudonymous patron of jazz was just back
from his New York recording trip, during which he had fallen
for the powerful playing of Hawkins and Henrv Allen, tended
to guide my tastes in 1933/4. Most of the records I bought at
that period (as well as the seven by Spike Hughes's own
orchestra) featured these two soloists. Was my Mike-guided
taste misguided? Some of the records such as Arabesque
(“dedicated to Joseph Szigeti” on the label) rnay have been
phonies ... but surely no phonier than some MJQ efforts with
their coy non-jazz titles?
Other record, I bought, carefree romps for soloists, did seem to
reflect the Harlem of the time. Such a tune as Aint cha Got
Music may have been a “commercial number” when Hawk and
Henry Allen recorded it - but it was a good lilting theme that
has survived to be recorded a few times by latter-day jazzmen.
A record like Jamaica Shout, which inaugurated
Parlophone's proudly-named Super-Rhythm-Style Series of
1934, was good enough to earn a place among the twenty
example records in Wilder Hobson's 1940 book American
Jazz Music. For years it was my most-played record; I'vebought
it in 1942 when my first copy wore out, and I still
enjoy it as the very expression of the cult-free thirties.
Listening again nowadays to some of Allen's rippling legato
solos, I wonder if he, rather than Roy Eldridge, was not the
precursor of Dizzy Gillespie. Harmonically he may have still
been fumbling far behind the new sounds which came to
fruition in bop; but at least he broke away from the
Armstrong domination, which one would have expected to
be strong in the Henderson band of the early thirties.
Ahead of its time or not, such playing was advanced enough
for most people who heard it. Friends tended to regard "hot
music" as a tuneless cacophony, and its addicts as cranks.
The music was not yet "respectable"...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stanley Dance (March.69)on Prestige PR 7647: The annals of
Jazz are full of astonishing figures,but Hawkins has few peers.
Musically active on a professional level since he was 15, he
has been a potent influence on the jazz music of five decades.
By 1926, he had become a master of his craft, and since 1929.
he has been a consummate artist, first setting the standard, the
setting the pace on the instrument he has made synonymous
with his name. Styles and stylists have come and gone, but
Hawk remains. Today, a bearded patriarch of jazz, he
sometimes feels inclined to take it easy, but he let there be a
bit of competition in the house or in the bandstand, and he will
rise to challenge at full throttle.
When the first of theese sessions was cut, Hawk was still a
member of the Henderson band, which he had joined l923.
This was his first date as a leader, and the sidemen are all
Henderson colleagues, including Horace Henderson, who did
the arrangements.
Co-featured as soloist is Henry"Red"Allen who is inspired to
give some of his greatest performances on record. Less prominently
hear, but making his presence felt when given the
chance, is J.C.Higginbotham, at the top of his game. The
rhythm section is very tasty and swinging, not least due to
Walter Johnson's subtle, light drumming (ask Jo Jones about
this underrated percussionist, who was the first to carry the

est on the cymbal) and John Kirby's_educated bass.
The Day You Came Along, one of Bing Crosby's earliest
hits, is a vehicle for Hawk´s balladic prowess. Louis Armstrong
and Hawking were the first masters of jazz ballad playing,
the first great architects of solo construction. Along with
“One Hour”(1929), this is one of the finest examples of early
Hawkins in his romantic, rhapsodic vein. His beau-tiful sound
alone would auffice to seduce the listener, but it is not used to
conceal a lack of ideas-indeed, Hawk al-most bursts at the
seams with imagination. His full solo chorus floats out of an
ensemble statement led by Jefferson's seldom-heard clarinet
and featuring a Higginbotham bridge.Allen comes in for his
bridge after Hawk's sermon, and makes the most of it. There is
a Havkins coda.
Jamaica Shout proves that swing as a musical concept
preceded the swing era by several years. Breaks by Bernard
Addison, Red Allen and Hawkins bring on the theme, stated
Frank Driggs 1990 on HEP-CD1028:
Much better results were produced in September when
Hammond, this time recor-ding the two again, with J. C.
Higginbotham on trombone, under the aegis of EMI, did The
Day You Came Along, a major Bing Crosby hit, and one of
Hawkins' favourite songs then, from Crosby's Paramount film
Too Much Harmony. The other two were sublime
instrumentals and all three have moments of supreme
creativity. These three sides of course were free of
commercial restraints of the day. It hardly needs stating that
the ballad The Day You Came Along has Hawkins fulminating
- 154a -
by ensemble. Then Hawk plays the verse solo, followed by
splendid Allen-trumpet (Higgy takes the bridge). A full chorus
by Hawk at his most spirited shows his majesty of sound and
mastery of swing, and another series of breaks by the
hornmen, with Hilton Jefferson leading off, conclude an
invigorating piece.
Heartbreak Blues is not a blues (subtitled “A Blues
Rhapsody”) but a lyrical Hawkins original-one of a handful
indicating that composition is a vein Hawk hasn't mined
sufficiently. Allen and the composer share solo honors
throughout, creating magnificient improvisations. This is
intensely romantic music, far removed from the Layman´s idea
of what 1933 jazz sounds like. A music capable of producing
such a work was no longer in some stage of development
pointing to future greatness, but already a full matured and
magnificent art. In fact, we'll be lucky if 1969 produces a
comparable masterpiece.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
in his most rhapsodic manner with a fine Allen solo to boot.
Jamaica Shout is Horace Henderson's instrumental
composition and arrangement and swings from note one.
Heartbreak Blues, Coleman Hawkins' own composition - and
arrangement? - is not a blues, but a blue ballad of the highest
order, and one which he plays superbly and with great
attention to the melody, almost as if he was hoping other
perhaps more commercial bandlea-der's might like the song
and be willing to play lt. He and Red Allen have unusually
wonderful rapport. These three titles are some of the best jazz
ever recorded. (continues)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about Jamaica shout / The day you came along R-1685(Engl.Parl.) in Jazz Tango No.43, 4-34p16:
Ces deux faces ont été enregistrées par les meilleurs
musiciens de l´orchestre Fletcher Henderson. John Hammond
a tou-tefois remplacé Dickie Wells par Higginbotham, en
raison de sa préférence pour ce dernier trombone (qui déjà à
cette époque n`était plus avec Fletcher Henderson mais avec
Chick Webb). (line-up)..
Les parties arrangées de Jamaica shout ont pour auteur Horace
Henderson. Celles du verso Coleman Hawkins.
Jamaica shout est de loin la meilleure des deux faces. Henry
Allen y prend un remarquable solo de trompette (24 mesures)
et Higginbotham se distingue à differents endro-its. Mais ce
qui donne à cette face une valeur exception-nelle, ce sont deux
solos inouis de ténor par Hawkins, le premier de 16 mesures,
le second de 32 mesures. Hawkins nous avait déjà donné deux
solos incomparables sur le tempo rapide, celui d´Hello Lola et
celui de Darktown strutters ball (tous deux avec les Mound
City Blue Blo-wers). Je n´hésite pas à placer les solos de
Jamaica shout au moins aussi haut que ces deux là. Hawkins y
montre plus que jamais ses dons d´invention stupéfiants et sa
flamme d`exécution unique. Dans ce disque, il « arrache de
vrais morceaux du ciel », selon la belle expression de Jacques
Maritain.
Dans The day you came along, exécution sur tempo lent, le
centre de l´enregistrement est encore un long solo d´Hawkins.
Malheureusement le grand saxophoniste s´est laissé aller pour
une fois, à un vain étage de technique et son solo, bàti à l´aide
de traits interminables, ne présente aucun intérêt, saut dans les
toutes-premières mesures qui sont d´une majesté splendide.
Henry Allen, par contre, prend huit mesures de trompette d´un
bel accent mélancolique et Horace Henderson nous donne une
remarquable partie de piano comme accompagnement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about Heart-break blues /(Ol´Man River) R-
1766(Engl.Parl.) in Jazz Tango No.45, 6-34p16: Heart
break blues a été enregistré par les mêmes musiciens que
Jamaica shout dont nous avons parlé dans la chronique de mat.
Il y a ni introduction ni conclusion : tout sunplement deux
longs solos qui occupent le disque entier, le premier par
HenryAllen, le second par Hawkins.
Henry est, cette fois, au sommet de sa forme. Sur ce tempo très
lent,il joue dans un style simple, calme frémissant, qui touche
beaucoup. Il n´imite plus Louis Armstrong, comme dans Biffly
Blues ou Patrol wagon blues mais joue d´une manière
presqu´entièrement personnelle. Ses intonations dans le
registre grave de la trompette sont fort belles. Voi-là
certainement un de ses meilleurs solos.
Hawkins joue dans son style semi-melancolique Nocturne et
It´s the talk of the town. Lui aussi est en grande forme. Son
invention est ici aussi simple, aussi sincére qu´elle était
compliquée et artificielle dans The day you came along.
Certaines de ses phrases sont d´une ligne ravissante,
particulièrement celles de la seconde moitié du solo on dirait
qu´Hawkins s`échauffe peu à peu et que les idées se pressent
de plus en plus chez lui à chaque mesure. C´est d´une beauté
inouie.
Disque magnifique. La chaleur de interpretation est vrai-ment
extraordinaire. C´est un des enregistrements le plus emouvants
que nous possèdions de ce genre.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE FLETCHER HENDERSON 14 STILL ON TOP CD:9/30/33p9
NEW YORK, Sept.29. – Fletcher Henderson
and his band continue to augment
the record of success which has held up
just as a matter of history longer than any
other headlining Race band.
Now the calm-faced and popular leader
returns to his old love, the Roseland, in
New York, at 5oth St. and Broadway,
and is attacking weeks at the Manhattan
dance hall, however, and in Brooklyn's
Roseland.
Recording has been renewed with
Columbia, and the show has been
“Dressed up.” In fine-business is
thriving for the former Atlanta university
scholar-athlets.
The new Henderson band uniform,
by the way, is a black and white broadcloth
tuxedo, with the maestro in solid
white.
Claude Jones, trombonist, who was,
originally with the Henderson organi-
zation, has left Don Redman's band,
where he has played six months, to return
“home” to the Roseland.
With the return of John Henry Hammond
Jr., the young white producer and
agent, it became known that eight
Parlophone records, the French recording
organization, will be made by
Henderson. This is the first time that an
American Colored band /cut
(recorded for an European label.)

- 155 -
10/3/33 Tues., NYC., HORACE HENDERSON & HIS ORCH. : same as 9/22/33 - Fletcher Henderson (ld, arr)
/Dec.DL/Prest./Regal/Family/ WR /Swing/Classics/Best of J./
265150-2 2:52 HAPPY FEET (Ager-Yellen) Parl.E R-1792/ 5383 /7645 /1108/(I)716 /SHB42/ 5383/CD-587/ CD4041/
-Henderson 32b-Allen 8b-Wells 2+16b-Procope? cl 16b-Hawkins 2+4b-
265151-1-2 3:15 I'm RHYTHM CRAZY Now -aHH Parl.E R-1743/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /Mosaic /
(Fl.Henderson-I.Mills) -saxes 16b-Jones muted 8b-saxes 8b-brass 16b-saxes 4b- MD8-251/
-brass 12b-Hawkins 32b-Stark 32b-Wells 32b-
265152-1-2 3:06 OL' MAN RIVER -vRA (Kern-Hammerstein) Parl.E R-1766/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-brass intro-saxes 16b-brass 8b-saxes 4b-brass 4b-Henderson brd 4b-vRA 32b-
-brass brd 4b-Allen 32b-Hawkins 16b-Hawkins 6b-sazes 4b-
265153-2 3:04 The Anniversary of MINNIE THE - Parl.E R-2031/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
MOOCHER´S WEDDING DAY from the floor show revue "21st Cotton Club Parade" of 1932
-aHH (Arlen-Koehler) -saxes lead 32b-Wells 32b-Allen 32b-Hawkins 16b-
-Allen & saxes 8b-Hawkins 8b-brass lead 16b-Procope cl 8b-brass lead 8b-
265154-1-2 3:17 AIN'T CHA GLAD (F.Waller-F.Henderson) Parl.E R-1717/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-aHH -trumpets 4b-saxes & brass 32b-Jones 16b-trumpets 8b-Allen 8b-clarinets 16b-Hawkins 8b-
265155-1-2 3:36 I'VE GOT TO SING A TORCH SONG Col.E CB-701/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
from "Gold Diggers of 1933" (H.Warren-A.Dubin)
-saxes intro 2b-ens 16b-Allen 8b-ens 8b-Henderson 4b-Hawkins 32+24b+coda-
265151 & -52 also on M.F.P.1128/ 265153 also on CDS J.Clas.RPCD610/ 265145 & 265152 also on JAZZ Great CD040/
Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews
In TUNE TIMES Apr.34: Two Moods
Parl.: Horace Henderson Orch.: Ol´ Man
River / C.Hawkins Orch.: Heart-Break Blues
Here, on one disc, are representative
examples of two of the most important and
diametrically opposed-moods in "jazz."
O1' Man River is happy, carefree, and
lacking in undue cerebral commotion,
as all good swing music should be;
whilst the other side (of which the new,
and apt, designation explains itself),
features the performers in thoughtful,
introspective vein. That is why I think
that what I shall henceforth refer to as
the " Blues Rhapsody " style is probably
the most significant of jazz styles.
And for this reason : it gives the truly
inspired musician, such as Hawkins, a
proper breathing space in which to
formulate the musical words which are
clamouring to give expression to the
thoughts inside himself. Therefore, I
call it a "thoughtful" style, as distinct
from swing music, which is essentially
thoughtless, although that does not mean
that no thought is required to produce it.
However, let's cut the cackle and get
on to a description of O1' Man River,
which is one of the most light-hearted
pieces of swinging I have encountered
for many months.
The fast tempo at which it is taken puts
an entirely new complexion on what
was always a good tune.
The introduction and first chorus constitute
a perfect example of simple and
effective orchestration, and although the
brass are ragged in places, it does not
seem to matter.
Henry Allen, Jun., must have been in
form on this occasion, for he swings a
most entertaining vocal, and with scarcely
a stop for breath, proceeds to do
the same thing again, but this time
through the medium of his trumpet.
This is quite the best chorus I have ever
heard "Red" play, especially the middle
eight bars, which are a gem of whimsicality.
In spite of that I am afraid he
will have to improve his tone and find
better ways of rounding off a chorus
before he can be classed as a really
great performer.
What could be more exuberant than
"Bean" Hawkins's entry into the arena?
You know how tongue-tied I am when
talking about Hawkins, so I think we
will leave it at that, except to remark
that it sounds as if he had been originally
intended to take the whole chorus, for
the brass begin the middle eight bars
ppp, and then come up when they
realise that "Hawk" is not playing.
Another.fine ensemble chorus completes
this side.
The swing generated throughout by the
rhythm section is nothing more or less
than enormous.
Heart-Break Blues is a simple affair,
consisting, as it does, of the "usual"
eight bars of chords once repeated, the
middle eight being the same thing a
fourth higher, and it simply provides
another opportunity for "Hawk" and
"Red," the last again in great form, to
pour out their souls.
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Melody Maker Feb.2-35-Hot Records Reviewed – Minnie The Moocher – Parl.R 2031 –
Horace Henderson & his Orchestra: Minnie The Moocher´s Wedding Day / Eddie Condon´s Orch.: Makin´Friends
MINNIE THE MOOCHER is a young
woman whose mere name makes me
bad tempered. It reminds me of her
impertinent gate-crashing at Duke
Ellington's first concert and how tour
thousand people whom I had hitherto
considered intelligent suddenly became
"fans" in the very worst sense-indiscriminate,
hysterically enthusiastic, and
undeserving of Duke's music at all.
I was reminded rather of this sort of
indiscrimination last Sunday when I
went to hear Kreisler. I remember how
there had been wild applause at Duke's
concert for the earlier (and officially
expected) part of his programme, but it
was not until the junk turned up in the
person of M. the M. that the fans really
gave way and showed what they had
been waiting for.
And with Kreisler it was much the
same. Eight thousand people applauding
makes a goodly sound, so one
imagined that a Handel sonata, the B
Flat Partita of Bach -which was a
superb piece of unaccompanied playing,
almost ruined for me at any rate by the
ghastly acoustics of the Albert Hall-and
a Mozart concerto which was exquisite
enough to make one demand the best in
the way of accompaniment (by which I
mean an orchestra instead of the dreary
piano we got) were the music the folks
had come to hear.
Like hell it was. When Kreisler played
Caprice Vienitoise as an encore, they
bawled the roof off. Ask Harry Berly if
I am not speaking the truth. He was there.
It's all very depressing anyway.
When I saw that H. Henderson had
gathered together his boys to impose
Minnie The Moocher once more on a
long suffering scribe I feared the worst.
The number. what's more, has a supertitle
which I did not notice on the label
at first. Which made things more ominous.
It reads The Anniversary Of M. The M.'s
Wedding Day.
Imagine My Embarrassment
That, I feared at once, meant laboriously
unfunny lyrics and hi- de-blahs
and the rest of the incidental noises that
accompany this young woman through
life. The only time I shall be at all
interested in the dame will be when we
get to the day of her funeral and then
there's no guarantee that we shall not
have to follow her career through the
after life.
Imagine my embarrassment, however,
when, on playing this record through I
found that the anniversary played little
part in the tune. As far as my uneducated
ears could judge, the H.Henderson
gang were occupied only with the original
wedding day. Probably, like me,
they hoped that she never lived long
enough to have an anniversary.
Above all, I was relieved to hear that
there were no lyrics, no scat shouting.
That Minnie the Moocher, far from
being celebrated, was merely an excuse
for the boys to go to town.
What boys? If You are ever privileged
to study the gramophone record
collection of Local Boy Hughes you will
come across albums containing nearly
two thousand records (and six hundred

are nothing to do with jazz). Many of
these albums bear the title: “My Boys,
1933."
Don't Judge by the Label
This somewhat proprietary announcement
conveys more to the owner of
the records than It did to me at first. I
expected to find just the records made
by the Carter-Hughes firm two years
ago though I knew there were not
enough to fill three or four albums.
Again, It would need three or four
hundred albums to hold the entire 1933
output of "the boys" who have at one
time played with Local Boy at Decca,
- 155a -
for many famous recording angels found
their way down to Chelsea in the earlier
days: Goldberg, Max Farley, Bill Harty,
Lew Davis, Billy Amstell, Jack Jackson,
Sylvester Ahola, George Hurley, and a
gang more whose names I do not know.
Album of Swing Players
On opening the albums, however I find
that they, contained various swing
records featuring the coloured players
who made the Hughes records in America:
Carter, Allen, Wells, Hawkins,
Russell, Sydney the Drummer.
Horace Henderson's record will. Undoubtedly
find its way to one of these
albums, for Dickie Wells, Red Allen,
and Hawkins do most of the. swinging
that goes on around Mrs.M. the M. (née
Miss M. the M.).
The mention of these three names
ought to be a guarantee of the quality of
the record, should it not?
Added to this guarantee we have
pleasure in giving away, entirely free of
charge, a background of as good swing
as one would expect from the Horace
Henderson aggregation.
This sort of record keeps me from going
bughouse at this job. …
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impressions On The Wax – Rec.
Reviews - In TUNE TIMES April-35:
Parl.R.2031 - H.Henderson Orch.: Minnie
The Moocher´s Wedding Day / Eddie
Condon: Makin´ Friends:
The Horace Henderson disc is a cheerful
affair which has no great virtues.
Hawkins and Henry Allen disport themselves
in much the same way as usual.
The reverse will doubtless cause great
repercussions in Holland and elsewhere.
Condon plonks his banjo, and the bass
player does some peculiar, and overloud,
things. The label ascribes the
trombone and vocal to Teagarden, but " I
hae ma doors." At least, the vocal might
be Teagarden, but Red McKenzie and he
often sound quite similar. The trombone
doesn't sound a bit like him, or my old
cars are letting me down.
--------------------------------------------------
On The Wax by Julien Vedey in
RHYTHM-May-34p41: Then. still in the
Columbia list, we have the wild and
woolly Fletcher Henderson playing that
wild number Nagasaki. It is all very well
done, al-though none of -it means a
thing (including the sepulchral vocal by
Henry Allen, fun., himself). On the other
side, Night Life is one of those things
with a locomotive rhythm. I must say
those saxes are amazingly together
throughout. And the trumpet is bril-liant.
Apart from this, I could not tell you what
Night Life is all about.
------------------------------------------------
Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews
In TUNE TIMES Jan. 34p289:
Col.C.B.-701: A Treat from Fletcher –
Fl.Henderson: I´ve Got To Sing A Torch
Song / New King Porter
What a pleasure it is to be able to recommend
unreservedly a record of Fletcher's.
I have the softest of soft spots for this
band as you know, and there is no need
for "buts" this time.
"Torch Song" is simplv described. The
first, and only, ensemble chorus is
notable for the beautifully deliberate
playing of all concerned, especially the
saxes : Henry Allen plays a fine middle
eight bars, and through it all Kirby
pursues his sonorous and dignified way.
Owing to the amazingly mellow tone
which he can get from the tuba, and to
the fact that I have only been able to
play this record on a portable, I couldn´t
say for certain whether it is tuba or
string bass.
After that it is, quite literally, Hawkins,
Hawkins all the way; one and
three-quarter choruses and a coda for
luck, to be exact. And I can only say that
he is as astounding as ever.
The reverse was made, I believe, in the
pre-Allen period, and is a veritable feast
of good things, culminating with one of
the "stock" codas which loses nothing
for being unoriginal.
Two different men give us exhibitions
of how to play the trumpet as if you don't
give a damn, and they're both good; the
lamented Higginbotham tears off some
truly colossal stuff, and, of course, "Hawk"
contributes his usual quota. Behind it all,
the saxophones display some more of
their stock accompanying rhythms, of
which I never grow tired. I cannot let
this record go by without calling
attention, once again, to the amazing and
absolutely characteristic sound which
the band creates. It always gives me the
impression that they are using some
strange and unknown instruments to
which no other band has access.
Change the needle
before each time you
play this record, or
you'll soon have to
get another!
---------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jazz Information II-14, Feb.41 about DE-18171,-18172:
…They're among the best recorded examples of Henderson's
later style: powerful large-band performances with lifting rhythm
driving ensemble riffs and plenty of solos. The individual
spotlight goes most frequently to Allen, Hawkins and Wells. The
better sides are Happy Feet and Rhythm Crazy, the latter
previously available on a U.H.C.A. reissue.
Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews
In TUNE TIMES June-34 p496: Parl.R.1792
Horace Henderson: Happy Feet /
Choc.Dandies: Blue Interlude:
Although I presume that Horace
Henderson mostly uses men from his
brother Fletcher's band, in which he is
pianist, for these recordings, he always
seems to make them sound quite
different (and better), a bit of a feat.
These Horace Henderson discs are
rapidly taking on a character of their
own. I must award 100 per cent. for the
first chorus of Happy Feet, in which
Horace plays some very nice piano
against organ by the band and a truly
colossal swing from the rhythm section,
helped in no small measure by some
very "tight" side-drum work. After this
comes a good deal of nice ensemble
work, until Henry Allen crashes in with
a typical effect, and paves the way for a
fine trombone solo. This is followed by
a very peculiar few bars of clarinet trio
against "stop" chords on the after-beat,
which sounds like a " take-off" of
Fletcher's band ca.I927.
Then more ensemble and a few bars
from "Hawk," not reallv enough for him
to get going, and so to a thrilling wholetone
finish.
On the reverse Benny Carter's "Dandies"
play a beautiful slow number of Benny's in an
adequate manner. Benny's fault of playing
sharp is rather noticeable in the middle of the
first chorus, but don't let that worry you. The
trumpet which follows is not particularly good,
but the tenor in the middle bars is great.

Orchestras $3.50
A A SERIES OF SUPERB JAZZ CLASSIC.
---------------------------------------------
GEMS OF J A Z Z
---------------------------------------------
VOLUME 4 - featured artists:
COLEMAN HAWKINS
BENNY CARTER
FLETCHER HENDERSON
HENRY "RED" ALLEN
LEON "CHU" BERRY
TEDDY WILSON
HORACE HENDERSON
GEORGE CHISHOLM
MAX KAMINSKY
FLOYD O'BRIEN
BUCK WASHINGTON
and many others
DECCA HISTORICAL JAZZ ALBUMS
A-200. GEMS OF JAZZ - Vol. 1 - Featuring
Mildred Bailey, Jess Stacy, Gene Krupa, Israel
Crosbl, Meade Lewis, Joe Marsala, Bud Freeman
$3.50
A-201. GEMS OF JAZZ - Vol. 2-Featuring
Gene Krupa, Bunny Berigan, Pete Brown, Jess
Stacy and Israel Crosby $3.50
A-242. GEMS OF JAZZ - Vol. 3 - Featuring
Buck Washington, and Orchestras of Joe
Venuti, Fletcher Henderson, Spike Hucghes
& Horace Henderson $3.50
A-249. GEMS OF JAZZ - Vol. 4.- Featuring
Benny Carter and C.Hawkins $3.50
A-324. GEMS OF IAZZ - Vol. 5 - Fearuring
Orchestras of Art Hodes, Jimmie Noone and
Jimmy McPartland. $3.00
A-32. THE BOB CROSBY SHOWCASE -
Bob Crosly & His,Orchestra, Bob Crosby's
Bob Cats with Soloists $2.60
A-121. CHICAGO JAZZ ALBUM -.Eddie
Condon, Jimmy McPartland and George
Wettling's -131. FIVE FEET OF SWING-Bob
Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Dorsey Bros., Glen
Gray and Chick Webb Orch. $4.25
A-132. DIXIELAND JAZZ - Bob Crosby and
His Orchestra $2.60
A-133. WOLVERINE JAZZ - Bud Freeman &
Summa Cum Laude Orchestra $2.50
A-135. JIMMY DORSEY IN "CONTRASTING
MUSIC"-J.Dorsey & Orchestra $2.60
A-137. BOOGIE WOOGIE MUSIC-Featu-ring
Bob Zurke, Joe Sullivan, Tommy Linehan,
Milton Raskin, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson,
Mary Lou Williams, Cleo Brown, Honey Hill
and Meade "Lux" Lewis $2.60
A-138. CHICK WEBB MEMORIAL ALBUM
Chick Webb and His Orchestra, Chick Webb
and His Little Chicks, with vocals by Ella
Fitzgerald and Taft Jordan $2.60
A-144. NEW ORLEANS JAZZ - Louis Armstrong,
Red Allen, Zutty Singleton, Johnny
Dodds and Jimmie Noone Orchestras $3.50
A-159. BLUES Sung by TEDDY GRACE $2.25
A-153. BLUES ON PARADE -Woody Herman
and His Orchestra $2.60
A-102. ANTHOLOGY OF HOT JAZZ - The
Colored Immortals - Coleman Hawkins, Louis
Armstrong, Sidney Bechet with Noble Sissle,
Duke Ellington, Johnny Dodds Fletcher
Henderson, Albert Ammons: Zutty Singleton,
Art Tatum, Earl Hines, Andy Kirk, Jimmie
Noone Orchestras $2.60
A-103. ANTHOLOGY OF HOT JAZZ-The
White Immortals - Crosby's Bobcats, Delta
Four, Dorsey Bros., Bud Freeman, Casa Loma,
New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Red Norvo Sextet,
Muggsy Spanier, Joe Venuti's Blue Four,
Adrian Rollini & Whiteman's Swing Wing
Orch. $2.60
- 156 -
GEMS OF JAZZ
- A Series of Superb Jazz Classics -
Volume 4
DECCA ALBUM No. A-249
COMPLETE ON SIX TEN-INCH RECORDS
----------------------
CONTENTS:
18251 STAR DUST-Saxophone Solo Carmichael-Parish
WELL, ALL RIGHT THEN! –SaxophoneSolo Hawkins-Johnson
COLEMAN HAWKINS
With Freddy Johnson at the Piano
18252 LOST IN A FOG-Saxophone Solo D. Fields-J.McHugh
COLEMAN HAWKINS
With Stanley Black at the Piano
I AIN'T GOT NOBODY-Saxophone Solo S. Williams-R. Graham
(And Nobod Cares For Me)-
COLEMAN HAWKINS
With Buck Washington at the Piano
18253 IT'S THE TALK OF THE TOWN-Fox Trot
J. Levinson-Syines-Nelburg
FLETCHER HENDERSON And His Orchestra
Featuring Coleman Hawkins
NAGASAKI-Fox Trot Warren-Mort Dixon
FLETCHER HENDERSON And His Orchestra
Featuring Henry "Red" Allen
18254 I'VE GOT TO SING A TORCH SONG-Fox Trot Warren-Dubin
FLETCHER HENDERSON And His Orchestra
Featuring Coleman Hawkins
NIGHT LIFE- Fox Trot Will Hudson
FLETCHER HENDERSON And His Orchestra
Featuring Henry "Red" Allen and Coleman Hawkins
18255 BLUE INTERLUDE-Slow Fox Trot Carter-Mills-Kurtz
ONCE UPON A TIME-Fox Trot Carter-Mills
THE CHOCOLATE DANDIES
Directed by BENNY CARTER
18256 SOMEBODY LOVES ME-Inst. Fox Trot
Gershwin-DeSylva-McDonald
PARDON ME, PRETTY BABY Rose-Klages-Meskill
BENNY CANTER'S INTERNATIONAL ORCHESTRA
With COLEMAN HAWKINS
Continuing the series of important jazz works offered in earlier GEMS OF
JAZZ albums (A-200, A-201, A-242), DECCA presents Voumet four containing
six superlative double faced records by musicians who have long boon the
inspiration of the entire profession. The saxophone virtuosi, in particular, are the
undisputed leaders in their field. A man never plays his instrument like himself,
but always as Coleman Hawkins, the late Leon "Chu" Berry, or Benny Carter
play theirs. Other stylists appear on these twelve sides, and all are equally
famous. ...
Volume four differs from the previous GEMS OF IAZZ in one respect only.
The' music on these recordirigs might almost be called New York or Harlem
style exclusively. Although all styles actually date back to the origi-nal New
Orleans type of solo (particularly the trumpet work contained herein), this
music developed in New York throughout the thirties.
Today this kind of playing is rightly famous, and the most popular of all.
Where the other Decca gems offer a variety of styles, this one adheres to the
Harlem of the post-crash era, the days when Duke Ellington and Fletcher
Henderson were the undisputed Kings of the Hill.
IT'S THE TALK OF THE TOWN - Although Coleman Hawkins' name
was inextricably linked with Fletcher Henderson's, it was not until his last
couple of years with the band that he was featured extensively as the star soloist
of the group in numbers built specially around him.
Recorded in 1932, this side is one of several made during that year which gave
Hawk the prominence he deserved. The band at that time consisted of Russell
Smith, Bobby Stark and Henry "Red" Allen (trumpets); Sandy Williams and Dicky
Wells (trombones); Hilton Jefferson and Russell Procope (alto saxes); Coleman
Hawkins (tenor sax); Horace Henderson (piano); Bernard Addison (guitar);
Walter Johnson (drums) and John Kirby (bass).
Even in the first cliorus, played by the band, the listener is immedately
conscious of the presence of Hawkins through the unusual trick of having his
tenor Sax lead the reed section, Fletcher only used three setxes at that time
instead of the four or five to which we are accustomed today, but Hawk's tone
made them sound as full as could be desired of any section.

A-233 Boogie Woogie Music – Vol.2 – Pete
Johnson, Lux Lewis, Parrish, Sugar,
Linahan, Kersey, Zurke and Rico $2.25
A-184. FOR DANCERS ONLY- Jimmy
Lunceford and His Orchestra $2.23
A-252. JAM AND JIVE - Comedy Dialogue
with Jazz Band. Wingy Manone and Eddie
Marr with Wingy Manone's Band $2.00
A-207. QUINTET OF THE HOT CLUB OF
FRANCE -Vol. 1 – Guitar by Reinhardt
and Hot Fiddle by Grappelly $3.50
A-334. QUINTET OF THE HOT CLUB OF
FRANCE -Vol. 2 - With Django Reinhardt
and Stephane Grappelly (Hot Fiddle) $3.50
A-214, KANSAS CITY JAZZ - P. Johnson, J.
Turner, Mary Lou Williams, Kirk, Page,
Basie and Durham & their Orch. $3.50
A-316. DRUMMER BOY - Featuring Bauduc,
Krupa, Carlson, Webb, Singleton,
McKinley, Pollack, Daniels, Downs,
A-152. COUNT BASIE AT THE PIANO - Fox
Trot Piano Solos of 10 Famous Blues
with Rhythm Accompaniment $2.25
A-218. ONE O'CLOCK JUMP - by Count
Basie Orchestra $2.60
A-233. LOUIS ARMSTRONG CLASSICS -
Orchestra with vocal choruses and
trumpet solos by L.Armstrong $2.25
A-240. BLACKSTICK - Fox Trots feat. Clarinet
solos by J.Dorsey, W.Herman, B.Goodman,
D.Plol,J.Noone, J.Marsala, J.Dodds,
Pee Wee Russell and S.Bechet $2.25
A-244. SAXOPHONIA-Fox Trots featuring
Tenor sax solos by C.Hawkins, H.Evans,
L.Young, D.Wilson, "Chu" Berry, E.Miller,
B. Freeman and B. Webster $2.25
A-246. ALTO SAXOLOGY - Fox Trots feat.
Sax Solos by J.Dorsey, B.Carter, J.Hodges,
P.Brown, L.Jordan, W.Smith, , R.Procope
M.McEachern & R.Williams $2.25
A-254. SLIPHORN - Fox Trots featuring Trombone
Solos by Tommy Dorsey, Bobby
Byrne, Jack Teagarden, Miff Mole, Joe
Nanton, Al Leopard, J.C.Higginbotham,
Benny Morton, George Brunies, & Lew
Davis Trombonte Trio $2.25
- 157 -
A few bars of Red Allen's trumpet are heard before Hawk takes the spotlight in
the second chorus. With an ideal background of sustained chords by the band,
Hawkins weaves through the chord changes of the tune in his most rhap-sodic and
fascinating vein for an entire chorus. A short passage by the band follows, but it
is Hawkins' chorus which stamps this record with importance.
NAGASAKI - This tune has become one of the most-used of all standards for
jammlng purposes in the past decade, but the Henderson version was about
the first important recording by a hot jazz orchestra of what had originally
been a comedy song from a musical show.
Hawkins steps into early prominence with a lick in the introduction and a lead
part in some of the sax section phrases during the first chorus. Horace
Henderson, talented younger brother of Smack, takes ove.r for a very solid solo,
with occasional ensemble interruptions.
Then Red Allen's vocal, husky-toned, humorous and intensely rhythmic, takes
the spotlight. From then on it's almost entirely Red's side, with some of his
plaintive and oddly-phrased solo work. The staunch support of the rhythm
section throughout is an outstanding feature. Bobby Stark and Coleman
Hawkins have brief solo flashes in the concluding chorus.
I'VE GOT TO SING A TORCH SONG - Recorded a few days after It's The
Talk Of The Town , this side is even more of a one-man show, for Hawk has
almost two whole choruses to himself at medium-slow tempo. Red Allen,
however, distinguishes himself in the release of the opening band chorus.
Notice Horace Henderson's short piano interlude before Hawk takes off. And
don't overlook the unusual effects achieved in the background, particularly the
unexpected tutti chord in the middle eight bars.
Hawkins displays magnificent technique in his long solo here, yet he never
sacrifices good taste to indulge in a display of showmanship; technique to him is
merely the means to an end, an end which he has seldom achieved more
attractively than in this outstanding performance.
NIGHT LIFE - Most original hot jazz compositions start out with a melodic
theme and continue with solo variations on its chord' structure. Nigbt Life is
unusual inasmuch as it has no melodic basis, going right into a Horace Henderson
piano solo and continuing with alternating riff ensembles and solos.
Of special interest is the passage for the reed section, which shows not only the
limitations imposed on an arranger by the use of only three saxes, but also the
ingenuity with which they could be partly overcome by careful voicing,
Nowadays, of course, almost every name swing band has live reeds.
Bobby Stark's crisp, volatile trumpet chorus is a highlight of the performance.
Hawkins, always at his best in these brisk tempos and with encouraging
brass crescendos in the background, comes through with some terrific stuff. His
tone has never sounded better, in person or on wax.
Once again at special credit is due to the rhythm section, in particular to
Horace Henderson for his neat fill-ins towards the end,
Prices do not Include Federal, State or Local Taxes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Hammond In Melody Maker 3/10/34p21: Begging to Differ : Mike´s reviews are beginning to astonish me a bit. ....
Rhythm Crazy. on the other hand, is one of my very pet tunes, and I think Fletcher's band did a swell job with it, if we forget
about Bobby Stark's chorus. "Mike" found the melody not good enough to repeat. I suspect he's mistaken. The theme is quite
irresistible, and I suggest. he plays it over a few more times.
About Rhythm Crazy I also have to disagree with Messrs. Panassiél and Niessen, who frowned on Dickie Wells' solo. I'm
probably crazy, but it seems neat, ingenious and very charming.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassie about Parl.R2031 "Minnie The Moocher" in Jazz Hot,Apr.1936: this record contains some full ensembles and an
excellent tenor chorus by Hawkins. Dickie Wells and Henry Allen take a chorus each, but are not specially inspired.
(Backside: E.Condon-MAKIN´ FRIENDS w.M.Mezzrow).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stanley Dance (March-69) on Prestige PR-7645: The session
was made under Horace Henderson's name for contractual
reasons. Recorded with only one microphone, which permitted
the proper grouping of the sections, it gives, in John
Hammond's opinion, a very accurate impression of the
sound of the Henderson band. The opener is a superior
performance of Rhythm Crazy, as arranged by Horace,
who always worked close to the pattern established by his
brother. The ensemble texture is particularly pleasing, and
the whole group swings with an almost insolent ease. The
soloists are Claude Jones, Hawkins, Stark and Wells.
I've Got to Sing a Torch Song follows a routine similar to
that on It's the Talk of the Town. After a gentle ensemble
chorus (bridge by Allen), Hawkins weaves his magic with
the beauty of tone that then brought both challenge and
despair to many an aspiring musician.
Despite the ominous title, all is well in the handsome instrumental
interpretation of Minnie the Moocher's Wedding
Day. After a bold and highly personal statement from Dicky
Wells, there are characteristic solos by Allen and Hawkins,
followed by eight bars from Russell Procope on clarinet.
Those who expressed surprise when Procope took over im-
portant clarinet roles in the Ellington band, were evidently
unfamiliar with his earlier work on the instrument in the
Henderson and Teddy Hill bands.
Ol' Man River matches Nagasaki on the previous session as
a showcase for the energetic Allen's trumpet and vocal talents,
although Hawkins surges in swinging to steal the side.
Fats Waller's Ain't Cha Glad is in the smooth, all-purpose
vein Henderson applied to pop songs for dance purposes.
Straight solos by Jones and Procope contrast with the more
impassioned utterances of Allen and Hawkins.
Happy Feet has the younger Henderson's piano treble ringing
through the ensemble in the Fatha's approved fashion, and
solos by Allen, the boldly declamatory Wells, and Hawkins.
There is also a charming clarinet trio, soon to be banished so
needlessly from jazz as a period device, although Henderson
clung to it longer than most.
Through his arrangements for Benny Goodman, Fletcher
Henderson was yet to play a vital part in the Swing Era a few
years distant. This album is another of those that show how he
had anticipated it all.

- 158 -
Graham Boatfield in Jazz Journal 7-57 about: (Parl.GEP 8614): Old Man River; Ain't Cha Glad; Happy Feet,.Rhythm Crazy
;These titles … show just how durable is such big band music from that period - easy, swingy, full of punch and good
humour. The arrangements are attractive, and most of the solo work full of interest. Dicky Wells' unique trombone style is
prominent in "Rhythm Crazy" and "Ain´t Cha Glad", both of which show his very warm and vocal manner. Also present are
Coleman Hawkins and Red Allen, although Allen's vocal on "Old Man River" is not outstanding. A pity, for of all jazz
singers, he can be one of the most appealing. I strongly recommend this disc, with only one minor reservation : we are still
waiting for a real collection of Luis Russell's best work, undoubtedly the finest big band music of the thirties.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evensmo: The quality of Allen's playing seems to vary from tune to tune in this period. On "…Torch Song" he plays his very
best in slow medium tempo. "Happy Feet" features a brief, but firm and inventive solo, also of the very highest quality.
"Minnie ..." and "...Glad" have fine soli but these are not above his average high level of performance. "Ol' Man River",
however, I find below par. Maybe the tempo was too fast, but this does not usually constitute a problem. The trumpet solo,
however, is far from distinct in its execution, it seems as though Allen stumbles over the valves to put it bluntly. His singing.
on this tune is far better. Note: My critical comments, again, do not concern the session as a whole, which I think is
marvellous.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frank Driggs 1990 on HEP-CD1028: Within a week Hammond and he acknowledged making both these dates, was back in
the studio again with the entire Fletcher Henderson band this time under younger brother Horace's direction and using his
arrangements rather than those of his better known older brother.
Each of the six selections has outstanding playing, fine work by the band, above average section work, fine rhythm playing,
and the solo work by the creme de la creme of the jazz world in October, 1933.
Hawkins'solo feature is Harry Warren's I've Got To Sing A Torch Song trom the film Golddiggers of 1933 and again he sticks
fairly close to the melody until the last chorus where he bursts forth in his most rococo fashion. Red Allen has a beautiful
chorus as well. Allen's feature was Jerome Kern's OI 'Man River with singing and horn work and so competitive were these
players that Coleman Hawkins almost steals Allen's thunder on this side. I´m Rhythm Crazy Now is a Fletcher Henderson
composition but arranged by Horace. This has a wonderful Bobby Stark trumpet solo and is interesting because Coleman
Hawkins leads the saxes. Ted Koehler-Harold Arlen's Cotton Club tune Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day has an erupting
Dicky Wells' solo full of drama. This is the Henderson band on top of the jazz world. (continues)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about Ain´t Cha Glad /(Once Upon The Time) in
Jazz Tango No.43, 4-34p18: …La verso est bien médiocre,
par contre, Horace Henderson et son orchestre, ce n´est rien
d´autre que Fletcher Henderson. Malheureusement l´orchestre
joue un arrangement commercial et insipide dont Fletcher
Henderson peut rougir car on a rarement écrit quelque chose
d´aussi vulgaire. Les seuls bons passages sont huit mesures
d´Hawkins fantastiques de puissance et de véhémence, et
huit mesures au trompette par Henry Allen. Dickie Wells
prend un solo de trombone de seize mesures mais il n´etait
pas dans un bon jour. Bonne section rythmique. C´est tout.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about Rhythm Crazy in Jazz Tango No.44, 5-34
p18: Le thème de Rhythm crazy est exposé dans les deux
premiers chorus, d´abord par les trois saxophones, ensuite
par les cuivres bouchés. Ce thème, écrit par Fletcher Henderson,
me plait beaucoup car il est d´un style simple, d´une
ocurbe ingénieuse et d´un style très jazz. Je préfére l´exposé
des saxophones à celui des cuivres.
Le reste de l´exécution consiste en solos. Le premier est
exécuté par Hawkins au saxo tenor avec cette incomparable
sonorité, ces intonations amples et cette fécondité d´ínvention
qui nous sont devenues familieres. Je ne me lasse pas
d´ecouter ce passage.
Le solo suivant qui a pour auteur Bob Stark est assez
inauvais ; c´est le seul moment du disque vraiment médiocre.
Bob Stark joue faux et se montre dépourvu d´inspiration. Il
aurait bien mieux valu coutier ce solo de trompette à Henry
Allen (il est vrai qu´il faut ménager les susceptibilités des
musiciens et leur faire partager le travail des solos !)
Enfin nous avons un chorus de trombone très original par
Dickie Wells (avec une sour dine). Une excellente répétition
de phrase assure à ce solo un cachet savoureux et bien personnel.
Il semble que Dickie Wells abandonne un peu l´imitation
de Benny Morton pour revenir à son style d´autrefois.
Ce n´est pas un mal.
Notons encore huit mesures de trombone par Claude Jones
intercalées dans le premier chorus.
La section rythmique joue superbement mais souffre d´un
enregistrement flou. L´atmosphere de cette exécution est
très excedante. Dans l´ensemble c´est un des disque les plus
réussis de Fletcher Henderson.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about Ol´Man River /(Heart-break blues) R-1766
(Engl.Parl.) in Jazz Tango No.45, 6-34p16: Ol´man river,
joué par l´orchestre d´Horace Henderson (c´est à dire celui
de Fletcher Henderson) n´est pas aussi bon. C´est un tort que
de nous donner un premier chorus à peu prés straight par les
saxos : nous connaisons trop la théme pour nous y intéresser
ou alors il aurait fallu l´arranger d´une facon plus originale.
Le second chorus est chanté par Henry Allen dans en style
haletant à la Armstrong qui est d´un effet excellent . Henry
est moins heureux dans le chorus suivant qu´il joue a´la
trompette d´une manière trop fiévreuse et désordonnée ; ses ce
simil cri du coq « coc, coc, coc, coc, coc, coc té ! » et le break
final qui est totalement dépourvu de significa-tion.
Heureusement les deux derniers chorus sont très réussis, l´un
grâce à Hawkins qui trouve une fois de plus le moyen
d´innaissons, l´autre grâce à l´arrangeur (est-ce Horace
Henderson ?) qui fait répéter par l´ensemble de´ orchestre
quelques phrases d´un grand swing. C´est d´une belle ampleur.
John Kirby se distingue sur le contrebasse. Ecoutez-le
notamment pendant la partie vocale d´Henry Allen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about Happy Feet /(Blue Interlude) R.1792 in Jazz
Tango No.45, 6-34p16: Nous retrouvons l´orchestre de Fletcher
Henderson avec une superbe interprétation d´Happy feet, qui
est infiniment supérieure à celle d´Ol man river.
Entre autres élêments d´intérêts, Happy feet présente celui de
nous permettre enfin d´entendre un long solo de piano
d´Horace Henderson. Horace joue dans un style assez staccato
d´une sobriété presqu´unique, et ce solo fait très bien ressortir
ses qualités. Nous avons certaine-ment là un des meilleurs
pianistes hot. La construction de ce chorus est un modèle
d´élégance, d´équilibre. Chaque phrases est d´une structure
spécifiquement hot.
Comme autres solos, nous avons un passage de 16 mesu-res
par Dickie Wells au trombone qui joue avec sa force
coutumière et fait, à un moment donné, une curieuse incursion
dans les notes suraigues de son instrument. Quelle fougue
chez ce musicien !
Henry Allen prend 8 bonnes mesures de trompette et Hawkins
fait aussi une très courte apparition pendant le dernier chorus.
Ce qui domine dans cette exécution, c´est l´arrangement.
J´ignore qui a su écrire des ensembles aussi simples et aussi
ingénieux mais il est certain qu´on pouvait difficile-ment
mieux utiliser un theme comme Happy feet. Prenez par
exemple la petite modification (en quelque sorte une
amplification) apportée à la phrase principale du morceau dans
le dernier chorus ; le résultat est étonnant.A d´autres endroits
la section des cuivres et celle des saxophones développent
simultanément une partie parallèlle où joue alternativement un
fragment de la même phrase. A un autre moment les
clarinettes poussent une série de cris exclamatifs tandis que la
section des cuivres entière joue dans le chapeau faisant
entendre un bruit sinistre, tout à fait comme les cuivres de
Duke dans It don´t mean a thing. Et l´orchestre joue cela avec
un coer, une furie renversante. Grand swing. C´est là un des
plus beaux disques de l´orchestre Fletcher Henderson.

- 159 -
10/7/33 Sat., & 10/9 Mo. & 10/10 Tu. & 10/13 Fr., Roseland: WABC (CBS)-broadcasts: FLETCHER HENDERSON ORCH.
“Fl.Henderson is at the Roseland in Brooklyn and in a few weeks will trade the place with Luis Russell, now at the
Roseland, Manhattan…” NYA:9/23/33p7; / "Fl.Henderson & orchestra., formerly at the Hollywood Gardens in Pelham, are
now located at the Roseland Ballroom , where he is heard at the serie hour of 1 a.m. or thereabouts over C.B.S."
(PC:l0/21/33p6:2) / “After a long absence, Fletcher Henderson is again at Roseland Ballroom on
Broadway, his name eating up the electric current. Fletcher and his boys do not seem to have struck their full stride – a few
weeks, no doubt, will tell a different story. – Since written above, we learn that Fletcher has been transferred to Brooklyn
and Claude Hopkins is at the Manhattan Roseland. Luis Russell has gone to Boston and the management will alternate the
three bands in the three places” (Percy Outram in NYA:10/7/33p7)
W.C.A.: As far as I know, they only stayed for one single week at the New York Roseland; The Times radio program show
"Henderson Orch." broadcasting over'WABC (CBS) at 1 AM on Sat.,Oct.7 (actually Sunday morning), and the following
Monday, Thuesday and Friday, then no more. Claude Hopkins remained there into the spring of 1934, and bands like
Charlie Barnet and Joe Haymes occupied the opposite stand. So Henderson hit the road again. …
10/16/33 NYC. BENNY CARTER & HIS ORCH.: Eddie Mallory, Bill Dillard, Dick Clark (t) J.C.Higginbotham, Fred
Robinson, Keg Johnson (tb) Benny Carter (cl,as) Wayman Carver (as,fl) Glyn Paque (as) Johnny Russell (ts) Teddy
Wilson (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) Ernest Hill (b) Sid Catlett (d)
265160-1 Devil´s Holidays Col.2898-D/Classics CD-530/
265161-1 Lonesome Nights OK 41567 / --- /
265162-2 Symphony In Riffs Col.2898-D/ --- /
265163-2 Blue Lou OK 41567 / --- /
10/30/33 Mo. - Wheeling, W.Va.: Pythian Temple, Palm Gardens; Hallowe´en eve dance,
PALM GARDENS IS SPOT FOR BIG AFFAIR MONDAY - Ace Promoters Back Dance PC:10/28/33p6:2
Wheeling, Oct.26 – In keeping with their bring to Wheeling dance-lovers a Palm Gardens, where the dance will be
policy of bringing to the public the “New Deal” is dancing, and the staged. All old and new friends are
greatest dance bands in America and the booking of Fletcher Henderson for a urged to meet their friends after and
finest in high-class entertainment, Fletcher
Henderson & his famous Roseland
special engagement is the newest one before the dance in Wheeling's finest
orchestra, direct from New York, will be
of a group of ace bands which the entertainment palace, situated in the
presented at a big Halloween novelty promoters have booked for this West colored Pythian Temple. The hours
dance Monday night Oct .30 , by Virginia metropolis.
will be from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Wheeling´s feature Attraction Dance All the gay and merry spirit of the Come out and frolic with Fletcher
promotors.
Hallowe'en season of glorious 'midst novelties, horns, confetti, strea-
The well-known group of progressive autumn will be in vogue in the mers, hats and marvelous music, the
men who compose the Feature Dance beautiful new
Feature Attraction Promoters urge.
Attractioncombine have determined to
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PC:10/28/33p6:2: AWAITED IN WHEELING -(same picture as in.Hendersonia fig.13): Fletcher Henderson's famous
Roseland Ballroom orch., sensation of New York and the East, will appear for a special dance engagement in Wheeling Mo..
Due to-Fletcher's popularity in the W.Va.city, a record breaking crowd is expected.
10/31/33, Tu. - Louisville Ky.: Madrid Ballroom; Hallowe'en night dance (Metronome Dec.33p20); & tour of one nighters
c.early Nov.33, one week, Washington - Howard Theater with stage show (Metronome, Dec.33/WCA:Hendersonia)
11/9/33 NYC., ALLEN - HAWKINS AND THEIR ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) Benny Morton (tb) Edward Inge (cl, as)
Coleman Hawkins (ts) Horace Henderson (p) Bernard Addison (g,bj) Bob Ysaguirre (b) Manzie Johnson (d)
(occasionally through 1933/34 Red Allen played with Don Redman's Orch. for short engagements and used members of both
orch. for recording sessions. The alternate takes are from Red Allen's own Cartridge cassette.)
/CBS-/GAPS/HEP(UK)/Classics/Mosaic-/
14282-1 2:56 HUSH MY MOUTH If I Ain' t Goin' South Me M-12858/68227/ -070 /CD-1028/CD-540/MD8-251/
(Singler-Cleary-Hoffmann) -Allen lead-saxes-vRA 32b-Inge-Morton-Inge-Hawkins-Allen 8b+in ens 8b-
14283-1 2:57 YOU'RE GONNA LOOSE YOUR GAL -vRA Me M-12842/ --- / --- / --- /CD–551/ --- /
-2 2:58 YOU'RE GONNA LOOSE YOUR GAL -vRA test/RA-CD-3/ --- /
(Young-Monaco) -Allen lead-Morton-vRA 44b-Hawkins-Inge-Allen in ens 12b-Hawkins brd-Allen coda2b
14284-1 2:58 DARK CLOUDS -vRA ( (Boretz-Samuels) Me M-12858/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen intro 4b-Hawkins 30b-Henderson-vRA 30b-Henderson-Allen ab-Morton-Allen coda-
14285-1 2:58 MY GALVESTON GAL -vRA (Harris-Adlam) Me M-12842/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-2 2:58 MY GALVESTON GAL -vRA test/RA-CD-3/ --- /
-Allen lead-saxes-vRA 32b-Morton~Inge-Henderson-ens-Hawkins 8b-ens-
Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews In TUNE TIMES May-34 p442: Br.01709 Wasty Opportunity – Henry Allen-Coleman
Hawkins Orch.: Hush My Mouth / My Galveston Gal
One would have thought that Henry A. and Coleman H. get
enough "Gut-Bucket" playing in Fletcher Henderson's Band
without resorting to it (and not to such good effect as
Fletcher H.) when they get the chance to produce some-thing
a little different. Whilst granting that improvisation can be
adequate and even entertaining in a small band such as this,
most of the playing on both sides of this record, except for an
ensemble chorus which probably was played from music, is
aggravatingly messy. To add to the enormity of their crime, I
have seldom heard either " Red " or the usually impec-cable
Bean" play such poor solos.
Can it be that a certain grou of negro musicians in New'
York are getting so much recording that they haven't time to
give proper thought and attention to each session ?
And with all due respect to 'the "No Offence Department" of
contemporary, after hearing Henry Allen's singing and
playing on this record, I must in-sist on nominating him s a
candidate for the title of “the Nat Gonella of America” (joke).

Frank Driggs 1990 on HEP-CD1028: After the sublime
September-October dates for EMI, the reality of the Depression
era 1933 is again at hand. Despite this, and though not
great pop tunes, all is not lost because one never loses true
creativity when Red Allen and Coleman Hawkins are in the
studio. This time Morton, Inge,Ysaguirre, and Johnson, are
on hand. They were working nearby at Billy Rose's mobbacked
nightclub the Casino De Paree on Broadway.
I neglected to mention earlier that tuba and banjo were
still big considerations even in 1933 and certain songs
seemed to need these two instruments for background. They
were used on a July date, and whether or not Harry Gray
had asked that banjo be used for the November date may
never be known, but it seems as if Bernard Addison's fluent
guitar is miked more closely than normal as if to compensate
for the loss of the more percussive sound of the banjo. It is
- 160 -
an interesting aural experience and offers a rare chance to hear
some fine solo work done under Allen's vocals.
The best of these sides is the little known Allen Boretz-
Walter Samuels tune Dark Clouds. Allen plays magnificently
on this somewhat unusual melody. It is interesting to listen to
the diffidence of Coleman Hawkins on the Phil Harris hit My
Galveston Gal. He barely plays the melody than tosses the tune
away in what can only be called careless virtuosity. Once again
these are stock orchestrations but musicians of this calibre are
almost always capable of surmounting them to make inspired
statements. Benny Morton has some good moments and I've
always enjoyed Ed Inge's spike personal clarinet work.
Coleman Hawkins left the sinking Henderson band in March,
1934 for what turned out to be a five year European trip full of
music, romance and travel. Red Allen continued his all-star
dates for four more years.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evensmo: This session is, like the previous one on Melotone, very good but not exciting. The ambiance is utterly attrac-tive,
but Allen's contributions are rather modest. He is principally featured as a vocalist, and there is surprisingly little trumpet
playing to be heard. The most interesting title is probably "Dark Clouds", but there is some questionable detail. Apart from
that noted above, Allen's trumpet is heard in the ensemble playing but without solistic value.
H.Panassié about 500373 You´re gonna lose your gal / My
galveston Gal in Jazz Tango No.50, 7-34p15 Disques Hot-:
Ce disque rachéte les paiteuses exécutions du même orchestre
intitutées Shadows on the swanee et Stringin´along on a
shoe string. Cette fais la section rythmique n´a pas été contrainte
à mal jouer ; aussi fournit-elle un excellent travail.
John Kirby sur la contrebasse et Bernard Addison sur la guitare
meritent une mention particulière. Le dernier nommé
accompagne superbement les passages chantés dans You´re
gonna lose your gal et se distingue aussi dans les derniérs
chorus. Bernard Addison est indubitablement un des meilleurs
guitaristes.
Henry Allen conduit très agréablement sur la trompette les
ensembles du début et chante encore mieux. Dickie Wells
nous donne un solo de trombone mou et inconsistant mais
Hawkins est lui-même, comme dirait « Mike » (ce qui en
l´occasion vaut bien les termes de splendide, superbe, etc.).
Il y a une bonne improvisation collective vers la fin, au
cours de laquelle on entend des breaks de trombone très
intelligents et une partie de clarinette fort convenable.
My Galveston Gal serait beaucoup moins bien sans un admirable
solo de trombone (24 mesures) exécuté par Dickie
Wells. Il est curieux de noter comme le style de ce musicien
change d´une année à l´autre. Dans les disques de Spike
Hughes, Dickie joue avec une fougue énorme, une sorte de
férocité brutale, un vibrato bruyant et écrasé. Au contraire,
dans cet enregistrement effectué quelques mois plus tard, la
puissance demeure, mais un certain calme semble s`étre
installé dans le jeu de Dickie, une sorte de tranquillité qui
rappelle Jimmy Harrison. D´autre part ce solo est joué avec
une acuité tranchante, une attaque ultra-sèche absolument
semblables à celles de Benny Morton (si je n´avais pas êté
averti, peut-être aurais-je attribué ce solo de trombone à
Benny Morton).
Quoi qu´il en soit, c´est là un des meilleurs solos de Dickie
Wells, sinon le meilleur. J´imagine que les deux phrases
contenues dans les auitièmes et neuvièmes mesures de ce
chorus doivent jeter Freddie Johnson dans un violent état
d`excitation (la seconde phrase très particulièrement).
Le «middle-part» de ce chorus est joué à la clarinette,
probablement par Hilton Jefferson. Bon mouvement.
Les inflexions prolongées de Dickie Wells qui suivent ce
passage de clarinette sont enthousiasmantes au plus haut point.
Le reste de l´exécution est moins intéressant. Le passage
chanté est fastidieux, l´ensemble du début aussi. Le der-nier
chorus d´ensemble est assez réussi, mais les breaks d´Hawkins
intercalés ca et là sont moins étincelants que de coutume.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié about 500374 Dark clouds / Hush my mouth in Jazz
Tango No.50, Nov.-34p15-: Tout en étant agréable à entende,
ce disque est nettement indigne des remarquables musiciens
qui se trouvent dans l´orchestre. Hawkins prend un solo très
mélodique dans Dark Clouds, mais comme il est loin de sa
ravissante bro-derie de Heart break blues ! Sa sonorité ellemême
n´est pas aussi bonne, ce qui est peut-être dû à l´enregistrement.
Dans Hush my mouth, Hawk redevient presque luimême,
mais il a faitde nombreux solos supérieurs à celui-là.
Henry Allen chante convenablement dans chacune des deux
faces et prend aussi quelques mesures de trompette vers la fin
des exécutions. Hilton Jefferson prend un cho-rus de clarinette
dans Hush my mouth avec une sonorite acide fort déplaisante ;
d´ailleurs aucune idée intéressente dans ce solo. On entend à
perne Dickie Wells.
La section rythmique est probablement celle qui fournit le
meilleur travail dans ce disque J.Kirby nous plait par son jeu
aisé de contrebasse à cordes dans Hush my mouth mais c´est
surtout Bernard Addison qui fournit, surla gui-tare, un superbe
travail harmonique et surtout rythmique dans les deux faces.
Pour une fois, ce musicien est remarquablement bien
enregistré sa partie est facile à suivre d´un hout du disque à
autre.Ses accentustions rythmiques sont d´une efficacité
extraordinaire. Quel grand guitariste !
========================================================================================
Several sources list Allen on the following session. This might be possible because Allen was lent out for Don Redman for
about one week by Fletcher Henderson without own engagement after the early November week at the Howard Theater,
Washington D.C. and before the opening date at 11/18 at the Harlem Opera House, NYC..
With exception of 14315 I miss any trademarks of Red Allen. In Jan.1934 Red allen played again with the Redman band at
Connie´s Inn and has been present on two recording sessions.
11/14/33 Tues., NYC., EARL HARLAN & HIS (DON REDMAN´S) ORCH.(*BOB CAUSER & HIS CORNELLIANS):
Shirley Clay, Sidney DeParis, possibly Red Allen (t) Gene Simon, Fred Robinson, Benny Morton (tb) Edward Inge,
Rupert Cole (cl,as) Jerry Blake (cl,as,bars) Don Redman (as,v,ld,arr) Robert Carroll (ts) Don Kirkpatrick (p,arr) Talcott
Reeves (bj,g) Bob Ysaguirre (b) Manzie Johnson (d,vib) Chick Bullock (v)
/ Classics-/
14298-1 2:55 OUR BIG LOVE SCENE -vCB (Freed-Brown) Me M-12840/JazzArch.JA-5/(F)CD553/RA-CD-2a/
-ens-Morton inl-ens-vCR(ens)-ens-Inge-?DeParis-ens-Morton-ens-Inge in ens-
14299-1 2:57 AFTER SUNDOWN -vCB (Freed-Brown) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-saxes in ens-vCB(ens)-Mortan in ens-ens-
14315-1 2:54 PUDDING HEAD JONES -vcB *Me M-12848/ --- / --- / --- /RA-CD-3
-Redman & Carroll in ens-vCB(ens)-possibly Allen-ens-
14316-1 3:0l MY OLD MAN -vCB --- / --- / --- / --- /
-?DeParis in brass section-vCB(Morton in ens)-Carroll-Inge-Carroll-Inge & Carroll & ens-
14317-1 2:51 TIRED OF IT ALL -vCB Me M-12867/ --- / --- / --- /
-ens-Redman & Carroll in ens-ens-Carroll-?DeParis mute-vCB(ens)-ens~Redman in ens
14318-1 2:51 KEEP ON DOIN' WHAT YOU'RE DOIN' -vCB --- / --- / --- / --- /
-ens-vCB(ens)-?DeParis in ens-?DeParis-Morton-ens-

- 161 -
mid. or-late Nov.33, NYC: Savoy Ballroom - Fl.Henderson's Orch.,& four other bands
J.Hammond in Mel.Maker 12/9/33p9: ... Fletcher Henderson's band has been making a tour of one-nighters the past few
weeks with success. They ended it all with a triumphant appearance at the Savoy, heading a list of five bands. Fletcher has
seldom been better. The crowd of Harlemites surged around the band and gaped in amazement..
.
11/18-24/33, NYC., Harlem Opera House; in stage show,FLETCHER HENDERSON & ORCH. also feat.singer Cora Green,
dancer Roland Holder; Jackie Young, Johnnie Vigal, Slim&Eddie, Troy"Bear"Brown, 12 chorines, Movie: ANN VICKERS,
the band was booked from 11/18-21 but held over by popular demand (NYAN:1/15/33p7 & NYA:11/25/33p6)
late Nov.-late Dec.33 tour of one-nighters, known engagements:
11/30/33 Thurs., Pittsburgh: Pythian Temple, Victory.Ball and Dance Contest w. Fl.Henderson´s orch. (PC:11/25&12/9/33
then: Columbus; Lane Askins; Indianapo1is; Cleveland; Kansas City: Cherry Blossom Inn - battles of Hawkins,
Lester Young, Hershal Evans, Ben Webster; 12/l0 Chicago: Savoy Ballroom; 12/13, Nashville; 12/22, Lansing, Mich.; 12/25,
Detroit: Graystone Ballroom (W.C.Allen)
FLETCHER HENDERSON AWAITED TURKEY DAY NIGHT–N.Y.Maestro To Preside At Big Victory Ball
- To Name Courier Prize Winners At Pythian Temple Affair – Capacy Crowd Expected - PC:11/25p6:2
Fletcher Henderson, styled the colored
king of Jazz, and from everything we
can learn, deserving of the title, is booked
to appear at the Courier´s big Victory
Ball in Pythian Temple Thanksgiving
night. - The Contest winners will be
announced and the official notification
made of the young women who will
win the beautiful Packed Oldsmobile
and Chevrolet cars.
The Scholastic and Eagles football
teams, who clash at Greenlee Field,
will also attend.
We are told that King though Fletcher
is, he does all his own arrangements
instead of entrusting this task to one of
his vassals. The sesult of this strict
attention to duty is the hottest tune to
be played anywhere, anytime. When his
boys start to play to the waving of his
baton, you are transported on the wings
of their music to Harlem and its removed
tempo of living.
How this holder of a Bachelor of Science
degree drifted into the orchestra field, no
oneseems to know, but at some point in
his placid career, the natural rhythm of
song and music that seems to reside in the
soul of every colored man, took
possession of him and from that point on
he was either blessed or damned, as you
prefer, to express his emotions in the
cadenen-ces of jazz.
For eight consecutive years Henderson's
boys blew their saxes and toot their horns
at the Roseland Ballroom, New York,
while the dance-lovers of the Metropolis
who patronize this popular ballroom
wiggled and squirmed to their peppy,
soul-stirring refrains that's a record that
no other colored orchestra has ever been
able to equal - eight years on Broadway
and in one spot.
For two seasons he held forth at Connie's
Inn in Harlem and now he did pack them
in. Everyone went to hear him-young and
old, blase and thrill-seeker, cosmopolite
and surburbanite. His fame spread from
Maine to California by word of mouth and
via the air waves of the Columbia
Broadcasting network.
He has made dance records for every
recording company in the country.
Something that is indeed rare for even the
very best of them.
You'll be missing a real treat if you fall to
join the party of beau and sweetheart, man
and wife, boy and girl friend, to be held on
Thanksgiving night at his popular ballroom.
PC:12/2/33p9:2: Fletch is NOT bringing ANYBODY with him but his bandsmen! For heaven´s sake, don´t you think the
man wants a little solitude ! PC:12/9/33p7:2: Fletcher Henderson looked good … the ole so and so.
W C.A.-Hendersonia: After this Pittsburgh date, they may have gone to Lane Askis´ in Columbus, Ohio, which is known to
have booked him; and Whitney Balliett and Ross Ruseell quote a story about Coleman Hawkins, at the Cherry Blossom Inn
in Kansas City with the Henderson band, sweating as he battled local tenor men like LESTER YOUNG, HERSHAL
EVANS and BEN WEBSTER. Feather says that Hawk didn't show up one night, and that LESTER subbed for him, on
clarinet and tenor. Dicky Wells also remembered the Cherry Blossom session.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hawk squawks! – THE BATTLE OF THE TENOR KINGS – by Mary Lou Williams in Melody Maker 5/1/54:
Hot Lips Page was the life of many a Kaycee jam session. AFTER A SOLOIST HAD BLOWN NINE OR TEN CHO-
RUSES Lips would start a riff in the background which the other horns picked up. Not many arrangers could improve on
Lips when it came to backing up a soloist. Of course, we didn´t have any closing hours in these spots. We
could play all morning and half through the day if we wished to, and in fact we often did. The music was so good that I
seldom got to bed before midday. It was just such a late morning session that once had Coleman Hawkins hung up.
Fletcher Henderson came to town with Hawkins on tenor, and after the dance the band cruised round until they fell into the
Cherry Blossom where Count Basie worked….Prohibition had been lifted and whisky was freely on sale. The Cherry
Blossom was a new night club, richly decorated in Japanese style even to the beautiful little brown-skinned waitress.
The word went around that Hawkins was in the Cherry Blossom, and within about half an hour there were Lester Young,
Ben Webster, Hershel Evans, Herman Walder and one or two unknown tenors pilling in the club to blow.

- 162 -
Bean didn´t know the Kaycee tenormen were so terrific, and he couldn´t het himself together though he played all morning. I
happened to be nodding that night, and around 4 a.m. I awoke to hear someone pecking on my screen.
I opened the window on Ben Webster. He was saying: “Get up, pussy-cat, we´re jammin´and all the pianists are tired out now.
Hawkins has got his shirt off and is still blowing. You got to come down.”
Sure enough, when we got there Hawkins was in his singlet taking turns with the Kaycee men. It seems he had run into
something he didn´t expect. Lester´s style was light and, as I said, it took him maybe five choruses to
warm up. But then he would really blow; then you couln´t handle him on a cutting session.
That was how Hawkins got hung up. The Henderson band was playing in St.Louis that evening, and Bean knew he ought to
be on the way. But he kept trying to blow something to beat Ben and Hershel and Lester.
When at last he gave up, he got straight in his car and drove to St.Louis. I heard he´d just bought a new Cadillac and that he
burnt out trying to make the job on time. Yes, Hawkins wasking until be met those crazy Kansas City tenormen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fletcher Henderson's Band Fletcher Henderson's Ace
Band
Lionel Hampton and Floyd Campbell
praised several jamsessions of Red
Allen & ZuttySingleton vs Jabbo
Smith & Floyd Campbell &
Carroll Dickerson in Chicago after
Henderson´s concerts 1933 & 34.
----------------------------------------
Nashville Gets Henderson Band
Nashville, Tenn. Dec.8.-Fletcher
Hen-derson and his orchestra will play
here Dec.13. The program calls for one
hour and half concert and floor show.
Following this feature the social elites
will dance to the tune of Henderson´s
Roseland and Hollywood Garden
Broadcasting orchestra. CD:12/9p9
At Savoy Dec.10 CD-12/2/33p9:
Fletcher Hendersonand his famous
Columbia Broadcasting band from New
York City will play at the Savoy ballroom
Sunday Dec.10.
For eight consecutive years Henderson's
boys blew their saxes and tooted their
horns at the Roseland ballroom, New
York city, while the dance lovers of the
metropolis, who patronise this popular
ballroom, wiggled and squirmed to their
peppy, soul-stirring refrains. That is a
record that no other Colored orchestra has
ever been able to equal - eight years on
Broadway and in one spot. Just think of it!
And for two seasons he held forth at
Connie's Inn in Harlem. And how he packed
them in. Everyone went to hear him,
young and old, blase and thrill seeker,
cosmopolite and surburbanite.. His fame
spread from Maine to California by word
of mouth and via the air waves of the
Columbia Broadcasting network. He has
made dance records for every recording
company in the country.
Fletcher Henderson was one of the first
orchestra leaders to make a national reputation
for himself and band. He has been
kept so busy in and around New York city
for the past few years that he has seldom
made apersonal appearance in Chicago.
The last time he appeared in Chicago was
about a year ago when he was booked in
the RKO-Palace theatre in the Loop.
Henderson's engagement at the Savoy
ballroom will be his first dance engagement
in Chicago in almost five years.
At the Savoy CD-12/9/33p8
Fletcher Henderson and his famous
band come in the Savoy ballroom next
Sunday Dec.10. This will be Henderson's first
dance engagement in Chicago for a period
of more than four years, although he did
appear with his band at the RKO-theatre
abou a year ago.
Henderson was one of the first orches-tra
leaders to establish a national reputa-tion
for himself. Fletcher was well known along
Broadway long before either Duke
Ellington or Cab Calloway was heard of.
He brought out Louis Armstrong as one of
his features about six or eight years ago. In
fact, Louis Armstrong came to Chicago with
Henderson's band and stayed here after one
of the band's engagements.
During the past few years Henderson
has been playing at the Roseland ballroom
on Broadway in New York city and
holds the record for a continuous
engagement at one place on Broadway.
Some time ago he was featured in the
famous Connie's Inn, in Harlem.
Fletcher Henderson has probably made
more phonograph records than any other
orchestra. His Coast to Coast Columbia
Broadcasting programs were one of the
outstanding features of that prominent
chain.
Fletcher Henderson's engagement at the
Savoy ballroom next Sunday isan
important date-his band and the type of
music he plays is exceptional-and this is
an unusual opportunity to hear him.
Jack Ellis in the CD:12/16/33p9: “…Henderson left something not only for the fans but also for the musicians to talk
about" This was, incidentally, Red Allen's first trip to the Windy City. And "Prohibition" was now a thing of the past,
having been fully repealed as of Dec.5 , when Utah ratified the 21st Amendment . Other dates in the midwest followed,
ending up at the Graystone for the holiday week, succeeding Gene Coy´s orchestra. They returned to New York in time
for a New Year's Eve gig at Rockland Palace.
12/31/33 Sun., NYC., Rockland Palace - 9p.m.-9a.m. New Year´s Eve Breakfast Dance, “Harlem Ace Club” - Cab Calloway´s
Cotton Club Orch., Fletcher Henderson´s Orch., Santo Domingons
NYA:12/23p7 & 12/30/33p9
early 1934 (one week – Albany, N.Y., Palace Theater (WCA:Hendersonia p306)
1/ …-1/28 Sun. – New England States – dance tour, then in and around N.Y.city
MILLS ARTIST BUREAU SIGNS FOR FLETCHER HENDERSON (PC:2/3/34p6:2)
NEW YORK, Feb.1 - Postponing the much
discussed European engagement until xxx
in the spring, Fletcher Henderson, well known
orchestra leader and pianist, signed on the
dotted line with Irving Mills last week,
who will guide the destinies of Henderson
and his orchestra for the next two years.
Coming in last Monday from a dance tour
of the New England States and scheduled
to sail on Friday for London where several
week's engagement awaited his arrival, he
was persuated by the manager of the race's
leading name bands to postpone his trip
until later and till many theatre dates in and
around New York City, and surrounded by
a unit yet to be produced.
Irving Mills, head of the Mills Artists Bureau, is
manager for Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Blue
Rhythm and Jimmy Lunceford, and has been accredited
with their overwhelming success. …
As a break in date for Fletcher Henderson
and his orchestra under the Mills banner,
they open Saturday at the Lafayette and
then engagements which have promised
him the busiest two years of his career.

- 162a -

- 163 -
Red Allen played the first week of 1934 with Don Redman at Connie´s Inn and recorded two sides with this band; either
before the Theater-week in Albany with Fletcher Henderson´s orchestra or instead of.
Here is the REDMAN BAND pictured 1932, recorded with Red in Sept./Oct.1931 and with those musicians he made his
own records in 1933: Sidney DeParis-Benny Morton-Shirley Clay-Fred Robinson-Manzie Johnson-Leonard Davis-
Claude Jones-Horace Henderson-Don Redman-Edward Inge-Talcott Reeves-Robert Carroll-Bob Ysaguire-Rupert Cole
1/5/34 & 1/9/34 NYC., DON REDMAN & HIS ORCH.: same as 11/14/33 but def.with Red Allen (t) Harlan Lattimore(v)
14536-A 2:57 I WANNA BELOVED -vHL (Rose-Heyman-Green) Br 6745/Coll.´s Must(I)M8002/Classics-CD553/RA-CD-3/
-ens-vHL-Allen 8b-ens-
14559-A 2:41 GOT THE JITTERS -vDR (Rose-Webster-Leeb) Br 6745/Coll´s 12-5/CBS(UK)-52539/ --- / --- /
-saxes-brass-saxes-vDR-ens-Inge-ens-
Evensmo: A brief but beautiful solo on “…Loved”.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews in TUNE TIMES May-34 :
Br.01744 - Each Way Bet - Don Redman & his Orch.:
Got The Jitters! / I Wanna Be Loved
Here, after a sadly long Redman-less period, is the latest effort of
the master.
I am sorry to have to say that, on the whole, neither of these is up
to the lof-ty standard he has set himself, although they stand out, as
usual, beside the colossal amount of trash with which one has to deal.
With his usual flair for this sort of thing, Redman has picked a
thoroughly topical theme in Got theJitters. The jitters are apparently
the American. Equivalent of the dithers, and if you have never
suffered from this complaint, and don't know what it is, you are
lucky!
In the characteristic Redman conver-sation-piece, Don takes the
part of the Big Business Man who has no time to enjoy the Fruits of
His Labours. This particular B.B.M., it must be admitted, has an
extraordinarily squeaky voice !
The ensemble playing is as precisely perfect as ever (probably due
to the fact that Redman's is one of the few coloured groups which
ever take the trouble to
rehearse); but the rhythm section, apart from the drummer, who
produces some devilishly exciting high-hat cymbal work in the first
chorus, does not seem to be so "helpful as of yore.
I do not take a good view of either the alto or clarinet solos.
The reverse is yet another example of how to be commercial and
still be a marvellous band. Harlan Lattimore (the "coloured
crooner") is again featured, but he does his stuff in a manner. entirely
suited to the number. His vocal is followed by a swell spot of
rude and healthy trumpeting, which I consider to be the pièce de
résistance of both sides. Once again, arrangers who are anxious to
get out of the rut would do well to study both these performances.

- 164 -
Back in New York in early 1934, Fletcher Henderson´s band auditioned for a job at the Cafe de Paris on Broadway, along
with CHARLIE JOHNSON and DON REDMAN. "Price was a factor in filling this job" (NYA:2/24/34p6), and it was Redman
who landed there, not Henderson. Chick Webb replaced Redman shortly after, for ten weeks. (W.C.A.:Hendersonia)
plans for trip to Europe W.C.A.-Hendersonia: Meanwhile, the "something big this winter" that John Hammond had writ-ten
about earlier (Hendersonia p.289) was revealed as consisting of some ongoing negotiations between Hammond, in this
country, and British band leader Jack Hylton. The object was to settle on arrangements to bring the Fletcher Henderson band
to London. His plans included the addition of soloists like Jack Teagarden (tb) and Gene Krupa(d)! It even got as far as the
announcement of a sailing date: "New York, Jan.26 - Both Cab Calloway and Fletcher Henderson, princes of jazz, are bound
for London, England, according to the latest information. Henderson leaves on Jan.26," (CD:1/27/34p9)
But of course this trip never did come off - Hammond reported it "postponed" till April or May - but even this fell through.
Red Allen and Jack Wilson recalled that the tour was just about set, and the men were quite disappointed that they never got
to go. Instead, Cab Calloway's band went while Henderson remained here, coming under new management by a very active
booking agency: "Fletcher Henderson, with his band, has joined Ellington, Calloway, and other name leaders under the
sponsorship of Irving Mills" The contract was reputedly for two years, and Mills soon obtained a recording contract with
Victor for them. It was Mills who sent Calloway to Europe, putting Henderson off till Cab should return. Mills got Henderson
a week at the Lafayette Theater and later that month, the band was booked to play the Junior Prom
personnel changes In Dec.33 & Ja./Feb.34: Joe Thomas(t) for Stark (Dec.); Keg Johnson(tb)for Wells; Buster Balley(cl,as)
rejoined; Melody Maker, 10 Feb 34 American Notes: Irving Mills has signed Fletcher Henderson's band. Buster Bailey
added on 4th sax (2nd ts & cl). Keg Johnson has replaced Dickie Wells on trombone (2nd). Several people being tried out as
Bobby Stark´s successor.
Buster Bailey returned: W.C.A.-Hendersonia: ... There were personnel changes too, illustrated by the photo, which was
probably taken in the period Jan.-Feb.,1934. Note the addition of a male vocalist! John Kirby has been listed as recording with
Chick Webb in Dec.1933, but this date is too soon for his departure from the Henderson band. The return of Buster Bailey to
the fold as fourth sax and featured clarinetist must have taken place about January:
George Frazier in Notes from America - JAZZ TANGO No.41, Feb.1934p9:…Fletcher Henderson has made several changes
in the personnel of his Band. Joe Smith (Thomas), a superb musician has replaced Bobby Starke. The most interesting
addition to the band …is Buster Bailey. For the past years he has been in Noble Sissle's very corny outfit where his playing
undoubtedly suffered a good deal. With Fletcher he should be the Buster of old, the Buster of whom the colored refer to as 'an
awful man' - which is their manner of saving that he in very, very good. He will have the stimulus of a magnificent swing
rhythm section which includes Horace Henderson, Walter Johnson, and Addison. He will have likewise the marvellous
improvisation of HAWKINS and ALLEN as incentives to his creative powers. All lovers of the hot owe a debt of gratitude to
Fletcher for having rescued one of the really great clarinettists from stagnation."
Also it is the begin of the sustained cooperation with Red-Buster-Higgy up to the years at the Cafe Metropole (mid '60's)
interrupted by some separate ways (late '3os-4os) !
2/10/-2/16/34 - NYC., Lafayette Theater, Irving Mills presents Fletcher Henderson's new band;Eddie Rector(dancer), Mary
Straine (singer), Hilda Rogers, Georgc Williams, Willie Jacknon, Ray Moore, Three Salesmen, 12 Careyettes. (NYA:2/7p8)
2/17/34 Fri., NYC.: Savoy – Scottsboro Defense -“Great Entertainment and Dance” Bessie Smith, Mildred Bailey,Helen
Morgan, Harpo Marx, Buck & Bubbles, Alexander Kirkland; Benny Carter´s Orch., Fletcher Henderson´s Orch.
AT THE LAFAYETTE NYA-2/17p6:
Having cleaned the Chicago much out
of the house, the Lafayette presents one
of their interesting shows to their patrons
this week. Fletcher Henderson and his
band provide all the snappy music that
is needed. Eddie Rector, tap dancer
extraordinary, proves why he ranks high
9,4
NYAN:2/7&14/34p7;NYA:2/10&17/34p6=
above the mob and the audience calls for
more and gets more. The Flying Lindys,
a white couple, show that they have fully
mastered the lindy-hop and Hilda Rogers
make up with a pleasing personality what
she lacks in vocal art.
The three Singing Salesmen had better
hawk their wares in some other city, and
the same goes for the Three Little Words.
Mary Straine did her share of blues and
Willie Jackson and George Williams,
comedians, were funny in spots, but
still the old cry of finding something
that people haven't heard several times
before. A fairly passable bunch of
“Carey-picked” chorines do some fast
stepping and with such a delightful
screen offering as “Going Hollywood,”
with Bing Crosby and Marion Davies,
the Lafayette says, “Come up and see
us sometime this week.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IN SCOTTSBORO BENEFIT NYA-2/10/34p6 & advert. at NYA-2/17/34p3
Harpo Marx, Buck and Bubbles, Helen
Morgan, Bessie Smith, Mildred Bailey,
Alexander Kirkland, Bennie Carter
and Orchestra, Fletcher Henderson
and Orchestra, with Heywood Broun
acting as master of ceremonies, will
perform at an entertainment and dance
5,2
for benefit of the Scottsboro defense, at
the Savoy Ballroom on Friday
evening, February 16. The affair is
being presented under auspices of the
National Committee for the Defense
of Political Prisoners.

- 165 -
2/23/34 NYC., BENNY MORTON AND HIS ORCH. Henry Red Allen(t, v) Benny Morton(tb) Edward Inge(c1,as)
Jerry Blake(c1,as,v,arr) Ted McRae(ts) Don Kirkpatrick(p) Bobby Johnson(g) Billy Taylor(b,arr) Manzie Johnson(d)
152717-2 is an European take dubbed from -l; perhaps the same for 15720-2=-1?;
152717-1 3:12 GET GOIN´ -v&aJB (Conrad-Oakland-Drake) Co 2902D/Meritt-13/14/ /RA-CD-2/
-3 3:15 GET GOIN´ -v&aJB Co 2902D/J.Document VA-7999/Class.CD906/CDS J.Clas./RA-CD-3/
-vJB-ens-McRae-Kirkpatrick-Blake as-Morton-Inge cl-Blake as-Allen 22b-ens- RPCD610/ --- /
152718-1 3:03 FARE THEE WELL TO HARLEM -v&aJB --- / --- / --- / --- /
(Hanigham-Mercer) -ens-McRae-Inge cl-Morton-Blake as-Allen 32b-Inge cl-Allen coda-
152719-1 3:o6 TAILOR MADE -aBT (Billy Taylor) Co 2924D/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen in ens intro 4b-saxes-Allen 16+Bb,McRae brd-Inge cl-Morton-Inge-Kirkpatrick-Blake-Allen in ens 8b-
152720-2 3:03 GOLD DIGGER´S SONG -vRA (Warren-Dubin) --- / --- / --- / --- /
(not-1) from "Gold Diggers of 1933" -Morton-vRA 32b-McRae-Inge cl-Morton-Kirkpatrick-Morton-Allen 36b-
Red Allen to Geoge Ellis in Jazz-Beat, July 1964: Henry remembered a recording of "The Gold Diggers Song" with Benny
Morton in 1934. This number was full of the BLUE SKIES ARE ROUND THE CORNER kind of philosophy so typical of the
years immediately following the depression. "We're in the money, we've got a lot of what it takes to get along" was a part of
the lyric. On the session "Red" sang his own version - "I got myself some money, the skies are so sunny". "Two days after the
record was issued, the landlord came around to say how glad he was to hear the good news" "Red" chuckled at the recollection.
John Hammond in Melody Maker 3/10/34p21: Recording Activities - Benny
Morton : This whole day has been spent in making some tunes by Benny
Morton and a very good band down at Columbia, either for Okeh or Columbia
release. Perhaps the personnel is not ideal, but for the most part it is pretty swell.
There were five guys from Redman's orchestra, Benny Morton, Edward Inge,
Jerry Blake, Mansy Johnson, and Don Kirkpatrick. Henry Allen officiated on
trumpet. Bill Taylor on tuba and bass, Bobby Johnson, guitar, and Mac Ray on
tenor sax. The four tunes were Get Goin', Fare Thee Well to Harlem, two slightly
above average commercials, Tailor Made (a title which will infuriate "Mike,"
because Bill cornposed it) and. We're in the Money. The last tune was really
superb. Benny Morton, Red Allen, Mac Ray and Jerry Blake all take extra
special choruses, and the swing to colossal. Good Tune :Bill Taylor's tune is
also most attractive, and I suspect that you´ll like the playing. The other two
are both pretty good commercial titles … perhaps a bit more than that.
Jazz Information II-14, Feb.41p70: Benny Morton´s own recording of Gold
Diggers´ Song is perhaps most interesting for its revival of a completely
forgotten hit-tune of post-depression days (“We're in the money …”). The
record, tho-roughly arranged and rather heavy, isn´t very impressive. Solos are
by Morton´s: trombone, expert in tone and style, Ted MacRae´s tenor (he plays
Happy Caldvell's striking style) and Henry Allen's trumpet.
Evensmo: It seems that Allen is on his way upward a period of certain unevenness in his playing in comparsion with the
fantastic period around 1930. One may still have some critical remarks to make, but on the whole Allen is playing very well
on all titles. I will not choose a particular favorite, just recommend the whole session, not only for Allen but for all the
participants. The two takes of "Get ..." are rather similar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Chilton; Time-life-Records , 1981: The Gold Digger's Song: Benny Morton and His Orch.,
On February 23, 1934, trombonist Benny Morton, then a
member of Don Redman's band, cut four sides for Columbia
as leader of a pickup group that included Red Allen. "With
Allen," Morton said later, "you have two guns-you've got the
horn and you've got the voice." Morton made good use of
both in the last number that was cut that day.
The real name of this Al Dubin-Harry Warren song is We're in
the,Money, and it was sung by Ginger Rogers in the film Gold
Diggers of 1933. A lighthearted vamped introduction leads
into an expressive rendering of the melody by Morton, with
Ed Inge on alto sax providing an eight-bar Benny Carterish
solo on the bridge. Red Allen's nicely phrased vocal comes
next. By 1934, Allen's confidence as a singer had greatly
increased, and here he skillfully and genially conveys the
optimistic mood of the lyrics, imbuing the end of each vocal
line with an effective vibrato. He phrases the busy lyrics of
the bridge as if he were playing the tune on the trumpet.
Then, transferring one of his instrumental devices to voice, he
breaks up the timing of the last four bars of the song to add
some zest to the chorus ending.
Tenor saxophonist Teddy McRae then plays a competent
half chorus in the manner of Coleman Hawkins, and Jerry
Blake follows along on clarinet, using up most of his solo
playing long quotes from Yankee Doodle and Pagliacci. Benny
Morton thereupon plays a thoughtfully improvised chorus,
interspersed by eight bars of poorly recorded piano.
At this point Allen takes a superbly executed four-bar break
that carries the band into a new key, and he follows with his
solo. This trumpet performance, like his vocal, radiates joy.
Here the phrasing is less choppy than in the vocal, and it is
full of daring time lags-an unmistakable Allen hallmark. The
bridge begins with a long sample of alternate fingering, so
swiftly played that it sounds almost like a trill. Allen then
plays five bars of flowing phrases in which he seems to hover
above the bar lines before he returns to on-the-beat phrasing,
as if to announce that his last eight bars are to be a sturdy
rideout. In this section he uses a half-valved "crying" effect to
stomp the record to a lively conclusion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2/24?/34 weekend, New Haven, Conn.: Yale University; Junior Prom. (CD:2/24/34/WCA)
2/late-early March `34 (one week) - Paterson, N.Y.: Regent Thtater (Billboard 3/3/34; WCA-Hendersonia)
FLETCHER HENDERSON´S BAND TO PLAY AT YALE´S NEXT PROM CD:2/24/34p9
New York, Feb.22 - Fletcher Henderson
and his band, who recently hosted the
promotional colors of Irving Mills over
their bandstand, will be one of the featured
“name”orchestras to play at the celebrated
junior prom at Yale university in New
Haven, Conn. this week-end.
Of all the Colored band leaders, Yale
men and their jovely dancing partners
love Henderson best personally. They are
allured by the caperings of the shouting
of Calloway, intrigued by the
haunting color schemes of Duke
Ellington, invigorated by Kinney´s
Cotton Pickers, but none of these has
the personal following of Henderson.
Students and their “girls” crowd the
bandstand with Henderson, ask him to
play for them intimately and softly some
of his unpublished works and inquire
about the latest arrangements.
This recognition is possibly due to the
subtle recognizing of the scholarly and
gentlemanly background and intel-lect of
the suave, tasteful Atlanta univer-sity
alumnus, theson of two of the educational
pioneers in the Colored race.
At any rate, the news “Fletcher Henderson
is coming” strikes a very popular
acclaim in the ears of the Elis.

- 165a -
3/6/34 Tu., NYC., FLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS ORCH.: Russell Smith, Joe Thomas, Henry Allen (t) Claude
Jones, Keg Johnson (tb) Buster Bailey (cl) Russell Procope, Hilton Jefferson (cl,as) Coleman Hawkins (ts) Fletcher
Henderson (p,arr) Bernard Addison(g) John Kirby(b) Vic Angle (d) Charles Holland(v) Will Hudson,Russ Morgan(arr)
/ RCA- / RCA-/ RCA- /RCA-LPM/-AXM2/ RCA-/HEP-CD/
81787-1 3:15 HOCUS POCUS (Will Hudson) BB B-5682/LPV501/730566/430710/ -10121 / 5507 /741071/ -1009 / * /
/ RCA- / RCA-/RCA-RD/RCA-LPM/Bluebird/
-2 3:15 HOCUS POCUS uniss.78"/LPV556/730584/ -8049 / -34024 /NL-90413/ / --- /Neatw.-RP2016/
-tb&saxes 32b-Bailey 32b-Hawkins 32b-saxes 16b-Allen 16b-tb&saxes 16+6b+coda-
81788-1 3:17 PHANTOM FANTASIE (R.Morgan) uniss.78"/ / --- / / --- / --- /
/ RCA- /RCA-LPM/-AXM2/ RCA- /
-2 3:09 PHANTOM FANTASIE Vi-24699/ /430710/ -10121 / 5507 /741071/ --- / * /**/
-muted brass intro 8b-?Allen mute 6b-Henderson 2+4+2b-Hawkins 32b-Henderson lb-
/ RCA- / RCA- / / RCA- / /RCA-RD/
81789-2 3:28 HARLEM MADNESS -vCH,-aFH --- /130429/430671/ --- / --- /730548/ --- / * / -7598 /
(Ned Williams-Fl.Henderson) -trumpets intro-Hawkins 2+8b-saxes gb-Hawkins 16b-Henderson 2+2+2+2b-
-Bailey 8b-brass 8b-Bailey,16b-vCH(Allen mute) 32b-saxes 8b-Jefferson as 8b
81790-1 3:03 TIDAL WAVE -aWH (W.Hudson) BB B-5682/RCA430710/Blueb.NL904131/ --- /741071/ --- / * /
81790-2 3:04 TIDAL WAVE -aWH unissued 78” /RA-CD-3/
-Hawkins 32b-Henderson 6+6+6b-muted brass 8b-Allen 8b-brass 8b-
-Hawkins 6b-Bailey 6+6b-saxes 6b-Bailey 6b-saxes 8+8b-
* also on Classics(F)CD 515/ &RCA-J.Trib.74321226182-2CDs / ** on JazzGreats CD-040 / all on Mosaic-MD8-251/
Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews in TUNE TIMES, Feb.35 p298: HMV-B6562 – Fl.Henderson: Hocus Pocus ; Tidal Wave:
I was a little disappointed with Hocus Pocus, although it is In spite of that, Hudson is not a coloured man, although he
pleasing enough on the whole. The ensemble displays much certainly knows as well as anyone else the sort of stuff they like
of that raggedness which I imagined had been eliminated once to play. Although up till now he has been chiefly concerned with
and for all As a number Hoccus Pocuss is just another turning out "pot-boilers" for the Mills office, as I say, they have
sixteenbar excuse for solos and ensemble " riffin'."
been good Tidal Wave procures him honourable mention because
But do not imagine that there is any-thing Casa Loma-esque it shows that he is also capable of departing, suc-cessfully, from
about it. The tempo is that medium swinging one (known to the beaten track.
those of us who have "done" Harlem, as " Savoy ") at which The number is played at breakneck tempo, but with rhythm. It
Fletcher excels, and the composer, Will Hudson, is no Eugene is difficult to give a word - impression of it. In parts, in fact in
Gifford, thank heavens. Joe Venuti had an identical orchestra- general theme, it is reminiscent of a certain kind of tzigane music.
tion with him when he came to England, and I was privile-ged
to hear the British band which was formed for him rehearsing
it one morning. I must say that the saxophone section, which
consisted of Harry Hayes, Bob Wise, Norman Malone and
Buddy Featherstonhaugh, made a quite as good, if not better,
showing with the quartet than do Fletcher's men in this
instance, which shows that there are men in this country who
could make really a good band if only they would get together
sometime. But to return to Fletcher's record.
Clarinet takes two choruses. Why? Then "Hawk" takes two
more. In the first he slurs a n d wanders about in a somewhat
aimless fashion, but in the second he wakes up just sufficiently to
show that he hadn't, at that time, for-gotten how to swing.
After another ensemble chorus, just to show there's no illfeeling,
"Red" Allen takes over, but is only allowed one
chorus. Why ? "Red" has certainly improved out of all
knowledge of late. The other day I heard some recently
recorded and as yet unreleased Henderson opera, in which
Mr. Allen excels himself. But I shall probably be able to tell
you more about that quite soon.
Two more ensemble choruses which are exhilarating, in spite of
being messy, com-plete the record, which fades out, more or less,
on a familiar rhythmic device.
Tidal Wave brings me once more to the subject of Will Hudson,
who is again the composer. Hudson has long been more than just
a name to me, if not to you. It has appeared frequently enough on
the labels of swing records played by negro bands, and always on
good ones.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Albert McCarthy about RCA-LPM-10121(G), in Jazz Monthly 2/70:...The final session includes two banal numbers by Russ
Morgan - PHANTOM and TIDAL- and a typical empty Will Hudson riff theme in HOCUS, but on PHANTOM and HOCUS
there are fine Hawkins solos, the latter also including a typically adventurous contribution by Allen. The arrangement of
PHANTOM is fussy and cluttered, that of TIDAL sounds like a reject from the Casa Loma book, and one can only marvel that
the soloists could rise above such crippling handicaps
John McDonough about the Allen sampler RCA-556 in
Down Beat 5/1/69, Rating *****: (cont.:) From the Oliver
performance of 1930, we jump ahead to 1934, represented
by HOCUS PO-CUS, an exquisite track by the Fletcher
Henderson band - a simple ca11-and-response riff played
with velvet suppleness at moderate tempo. In addition to a
beautifully intoned performance by the band, there is also
as fine a solo as Buster Bailey ever blew, and a
magnificent chorus by Coleman Hawkins which floats like an
intoxicating cloud over the chords whispering by the band. Then
comes Allen, mature and unique, with a style that was no doubt
being heard by Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge, and perhaps even
Dizzy Gillespie. (By the way, why doesn't 'Victor stop spreading
its Henderson material so thinly and devote an entire LP to it!)
(cont.1957)
.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evensmo: Definitely too little trumpet playing on this session. Two fine but brief soli on Hocus Pocus and a weakly re-corded
but seemingly satisfactory obbligato on Harlem… and then we are through. Tidal Wave is too fast even for Allen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

H.Panassieé in Bul.bcf-No.67/4-57 about RCA-130249(10”)
Harlem Madness a été arrangé par Fletcher Henderson luimême.
Mis à part un chorus vocal commercial, c'est une
excellente inter-prétation. Les solistes y sont Hawkins au
ténor, Buster Bailey à la clarinette et, plus briévement,
Fletcher au piano et Hilton Jefferson au saxo alto. Hawkins est
un musicien don't on n'a jamais fait le tour; il n'existe aucun
autre enregistrement où on l'entende jouer comme dans
- 166 -
Harlem Madness. Quant au solo de clarinette, il compte par-mi les
meilleurs que nous avons de Buster Bailey. Les phrases de Buster
sont d'une ligne mélodique ravissante et Buster fait sonner sa
clarinette superbement. Le seul ennui, dans ce Harlem Madness, c'est
que le batteur habituel de l'orchestre (Walter Johnson) absent, a été
remplacé par un Blanc, Vic Angle, don’t le moint qu'on puisse dire
est qu'il ne swingue pas beaucoup; mais le jeu de contrebasse de
John Kirby compense la faiblesse de la batterie
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GIANTS OF JAZZ – HENRY ”RED” ALLEN Notes on the music by John Chilton; Time-life-Records , 1981
Mx 81787-2 - Hocus Pocus. Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra, Rec. March 6,
Two weeks after the Morton date, Allen recorded once more
with the Henderson band. Although Henderson usually relied on
the arrangers from his own band, for Hocus Pocus, the first
number recorded, he turned to an outsider, Will Hudson.
Hudson, a talented composer who was also a staff arran-ger for
Irving Mills, had, to quote Stanley Dance, "an ear for uptown
tiffs." Hocus Pocus confirms that. Hudson's favorite device was
to feature a single note or phrase com-mon to all chords of the
piece, and play it against changing harmonies. Here he has the
trombonist carry a single repeated note as the saxophone section
highlights the changing harmonies with a series of riffs. The
ensemble choruses, presented like this, serve as a framework for
solos by three of Henderson's star improvisers.
Buster Bailey comes first with a clarinet solo that displays all his
familiar dexterity, ingenuity and detachment; as usual, Bailey
contributes brilliant light but little heat. All that changes instantly
with the next soloist. It is Coleman Hawkins, playing two
masterly choruses on tenor sax, a study in sustained
lyricism that builds relentlessly to its conclusion.
The third man up is Red Allen, who contributes an ultrarelaxed
16 bars. He seems content to swing through a succession
of interrelated passages, the sum total of which is a
perfectly conceived exercise in musical maturity.
But even in this mood of restraint, Allen is no less authoritative
rhythmically. His opening phrases are cleverly
syncopated, but the magic Allen touch comes at midpoint,
where he anticipates the following bar with great poise and
agility. There is also a fine moment later on when he
cannily inserts a descending semitone figure that brightly
accents the offbeat, a subtle touch in an ingenious solo.
The version of Hocus Pocus heard here is the rare second
take, never issued on 78, probably because of some almost
imperceptible flaws in the final chorus. But Allen's solo on
take two more than compensates for any minor imperfections.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
W.C.A.:Hendersonia: The first recording date under the new Victor contract took place on March 6th, featuring a new tune of
Fletcher's called HARLFM MADNESS, which later got air play via Adelaide Hall on broadcasts from the Cotton Club. THIS
WAS COLEMAN HAWKINSI LAST DATE WITH THEM: Hawk did indeed sail for England ... Hawk soon established
himself an an outstanding attraction in his own right, and he was to remain in Europe for five years.
(And on several occasions he tried to motivate Red Allen to follow him to Europe)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Red Allen Special" by Johnny Simmen 1976, In Le Point Du Jazz no-13: Coleman Hawkins, when he was in Europe (1934-
39) the first time, mentioned Red Allen frequently and he seemed to like his playing very much. When Harry Pfister once asked
him how he explained the radical changes in Red´s playing in the years between Russell and Hender-son, Hawk replied that
Red had copied Louis Armstrong In the 20s end until about 1933 but that at that time he started listening to him(Hawk) end that
he tried to play some of the things Hawk did on the saxophone, on the trumpet. Hawkins referred Harry to both versions of
QUEER NOTION'S . He added that he found Red´s playing "even more interesting than before" but expressed doubts that
"Red could go far with that style because a saxophone is a saxophone and a trumpet is a trumpet. The saxophone allows a lot of
flexibility while the trumpet doesn't give you the same possibilities."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
W.C.A.-Hendersonia, p293-295: The loss
of Hawkins, after almost eleven years
with the band, did not find Fletcher
unprepared for a replacement. He enticed
LESTER YOUNG away from the Count
Basie band in Kansas City:
----------------------------------------------------
John Hammond in Jazz Quarterly, No.3:
The first time I heard of Lester was in
1933, when Fletcher Henderson returned
from a midwestern tour. Smack had been
having trouble with some of the prima
donnas in his band .... he was toying with
the idea of firing his whole orchestra and
using Basie´s men as the nucleus of a brand
new band ... Fletcher did vow that he
would bring in 'that strange young tenor
mean' at the first opportunity ... Within six
months the time came when Hawkins quit
... Fletcher played his hunch, borro-wed
some money and brought Lester to New
York. He arrived one day in 1934, came up
to the Cotton Club where Smack was
rehearsing and auditioning....
----------------------------------------------------
W.C.A.: This recognition of Lester, TWO
YEARS before his first recordings, says
much for the munician's grapevine! But to
their eternal discredit, the musicians in
Henderson's band, other than Smack
himself, did not dig Lester's "new sound,"
more like in alto or C-melody than a tenor.
Lester Young with Fletcher Henderson´s orchestra. ca. March – July 1934:
Lester Young, in DB:3/7/56p9: "I had a lot
of trouble there. The whole band was buzzing
on me because I had taken Hawk´s
place. I didn't have the same kind of sound
he had. I was rooming at the Henderson´s
house, and Leora Henderson would wake
me early in the morning and play Hawkins´
records for me so I could play like he did.
I wanted to play my own way. but I just
listened. I didn't want to hurt her feelings....
---------------------------------------------------
Red Allen in Balliett´s 'The Blues Is A
Slow Story': I was in the band for a year,
and during that time Coleman Hawkins
lest and Lester Young replaced him. He
only stayed a couple of weeks. He had a
light tone and it just didn't fit with the
arrangements, which called for a rich,
deep sound. But I was happy for Lester to
be in the band, because his father and my
father had played together In New
Orleans. Ben Webster took his place...
---------------------------------------------------
Leonard Feather, 1950p.3: "They expected
me to sound like Hawk," recalls Pres. "But
why should I blow like some-one else!
We got to New York in '34 feeling the
draught all the way and they rang the bell
on me.... I asked Fletcher to give me a
letter of release saying that he hadn't
fired me, and that was it."
John Hammond in Jazz Quarterly,
No.3: That wonderful tone which is so
admired today was swallo-wed up in
the reed section and barely audible
in solos. The other musici-ans urged
Fletcher to send him back immediately,
and within a couple of weeks Lester
was back scuffling with Basie, while
Chu Berry was blowing with
Henderson.
---------------------------------------------
W.C.A.: When asked about his latter
statement, John Hammond told me
that Chu Berry did in fact play with
the band a short while, after Lester
left, to be replaced in turn by Ben
Web-ster. Actually, Lester went to
Andy Kirk´s band rather than back
to Basie at this time. "Henderson
liked the big, gutty-saxophone style
of tenor men Ben Webster, then a
member of the Kirk entourage. 'I
sure would like to get Webster from
you,' Henderson opined..."
The duration of Lester's stay with
Henderson has been variously
stated as anywhere from two weeks
to six months. The best estimate is
that he lasted from late March until
about mid July, which would make
it 12 to 14 weeks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 167 -
April l934, Fletcher Henderson Orch. on Western Tour
3/31/34 -Detroit: dance; start of a tour, then to Columbus, O.; Toledo,O; Chicago; Davenport; Des Moines, Ia.; Omaha, Neb.;
St.Joseph, Mo.; Kansas City; St.Louis; Evansville, Ind.; Louisville; Lexington, Ky.; Huntington, W.Va.; Bluefield, W.Va.;
Charleston, W.Va.; Wheeling, W.Va.; (CD:4/14/34p9) 4/8/34, Sun.- Chicago: Savoy Ballroom; opposite Mills Blue Rhythm Band.
(CD:4/7&4/14/34) 4/12/34,Univ.Daily Kansas, courtesy of Dennis Hess; 4/13/34 - Lawrence: University of Kansas, Memorial
Union Building; Senior Cakewalk, dance, Broadcast, (CD:4/21/34; Univ.Daily Kansas 4/8&12&15/34; WCA)
4/29/34 - Albany, N.Y.: The Edgewood (roarhouse) (Herb Schultz, diary to W.C.A.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLETCHER HENDERSON AND BLUE
RHYTHM OUTFITS IN JAZZ BATTLE
CD-7/4/34p8: Mills Blue Rhythm and
Fletcher Henderson's famous band will
engage a battle of jazz at the Savoy ballroom
next Sunday night. Both of these bands,
owned by Irving Mills, are rated at the top of
the profession and there isevery indicationthata
record crowd will be on hand to
hear them fight it out musically.
The BlueRhythm outfit has Lucky Lucius
Millinder as leader, while Fletcher leads his
own band. Lucky, formerly employed as maestro
at the Regal theatre and Cotton clubs, New
York and Chicago, is one of the finest showmen
in the game and will undoubtedly steal
apart of the musical menu during the evening's
entertainment. The Blue Rhythms are in
Kansas City now but are making one night
stands on route to Chicago for the big “fight.”
Fletcher is Popular
Coming of this pair of bands means plenty
of enthusiasm here as both are extremely
popular. Millinder received his start here
before going to Paris and London where he
was acclaimed by royalty and musical critics,
alike. His first public appearance was at the
Sunset café as a dancer and later featured
artist in the Grand Terrace café. He then
moved to the Cotton club on the West side
to supply the music with his own band for
friends of Al Capone, who owned the club.
Millinder will be making his second appearance
here in as many months having played
the Regal theatre a few weeks ago, but
Fletcher has been absent from Chicago for
more than six months.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago Hands All Its Music Honors To
Lucius Millinder by Rob Roy CD-4/14/34p8
Chicago dance lovers turned out to witness
a battle of jazz, musically, between Fletcher
Henderson and Lucky Lucius Millinder's Blue
Rhythm band last Sunday night at the Savoy
ballroom and left well pleased. The patrons
had gone to the ballroom to be entertained
with music as Harlem dishes it up, and wound
up roaring its approval of Millinder's performance
before the blue rhythms and the perfect
jazz strains of both bands. 'Twas a night of
nights for dancers, one that will not be forgotten
soon. While both Fletcher and Mills' Blue
Rhythms lived up to expectations, 'twas the
work of Millinder that kept the house packed
from early evening until well past midnight.
Then at the same time it was the playing of
Fletcher Henderson's band that kept a number
of musicians standing around the bandstands
until almost morning. The musicians, and
there were many from local bands who
attended, seemed to prefer Fletcher's band,
but the dancing public went hook, line and
sinker for Millinder's antics and the Harlem
strains of the band he led.
Both Popular : Both bands steamed out
of Chicago with the stamp of local approval
following them. Fletcher Henderson went
to Des Moines, Iowa, while Millinder is
taking his Blue Rhythm crew to Detroit.
Battle of Music Last Sunday
CD-4/14p9
The battle of music at the Savoy last
Sunday night was one of the greatest
ever held, we believe, in this beautiful
ballroom. There's a lot we could
say about these two popular bands,
but you must have seen and heard
them for your self. In Fletcher
Henderson's band we find Hilton
Jefferson, Russell Procope, Lester
Young, William'Buster'Bailey, sax;
Russell Smith, Joe Thomas, Henry
Allen, trumpet; Claude Jones, Frederick
Johnson, trombones; Bernard
Addison, guitar; Elmer Jones, bass
fiddle; Walter Johnson, drums; and
Horace Hendersonm piano.
Lucius Millinder's line-up is
Crawford Wethington, Joe Garland,
Eugene Mikell, sax; Hayes Alvis,
business manager; Edgar Hayes,
Bennie James, O'Neil Spencer
rhythm; Shelton Hemphill,
Wardell Jones, Andy Anderson,
George Washington, Henry Hicks,
brass, and Lucius Millinder doing
the fancy work. Johnny Long's
Trou-badours played earlier in
the evening, holding the “rug
cutters” until the big shots took
the stand.
Advertisement for a dance at the University
of Kansas, 4/13/1934; from University
Daily Kansas ,4/12 court.D.Hess to W.C.A.
--------------------------------------------------
Jam Session At Panama Tavern
Lionel Hampton and Floyd Campbell
praised several jamsessions of Red Allen
& Zutty Singleton vs Jabbo Smith & Floyd
Campbell & Carroll Dickerson in Chicago
after Henderson´s concerts 1933 & 34.
WANT FLETCHER HENDERSON
London bookers have been after Fletcher
Henderson and his band who have enjoyed
some vogue here in America but had
become antiquated with conditions and
the like for some time. However, they
remember Hender-son abroad, and, as a
result, he is going over on an English
music hall tour. Cab Calloway,after
playing two concerts at the Salle Pleyel
in Paris, embarked Wedenesday (25th)
for the U.S.A. They played two weeks of
concert one-nighters throughout the
Netherlands BAA:4/28/34p9
------------------------------------------
FLETCHER HENDERSON ON
WESTERN TOUR BAA:4/14p20
New York -Fletcher Henderson and his
orchestra , recently added the group of name
bands under the direction of Irving Mills, is
making a six weeks´ tour of the middlewest
and south, playing one night dance
stands. Two new men men have joined
the Henderson band, Elmer James, bass
player, and Lester Young of Kansas
City,one of the most celebrated saxo-phone
players in the music world. The
Henderson itinerary includes Detroit,
Columbus, Toledo, Chicago, Davenport,
Des Moines, Omaha, St. Joseph,
Kansas City, St.Louis, Evansville,
Louisville, Lexington, Huntington,
Bluesfield, Charleston, Wheeling.

- 168 -
After the 4/13 Fri. University of Kansas “Cakewalk Ball the student newspaper 4/1534p1 wrote: “There was something in the
jungle beat of Fletcher Henderson´s rhythm that did things to our supposedly civilized university students at the Senior
Cakewalk Friday evening. When Henderson offered the “Call Of The Wild,” only a restraining thread of Puritan decorum
prevented many of the young men from dragging their partners out by the hair in the good, old cave-man
fashion…...Although every number was roundly applauded, the playing of “I Got Rhythm” and the “Carioca” won the
warmest reception from the dancers. Probably the greates compliment paid the orchestrawas the way many of the Hill´s
musicians hung around the visiting organization with the wide-eyed admiration of the small boy meeting the President…
5/1/34 Tu., NYC., HENRY ALLEN AND HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) Dicky Wells (tb) Buster Bailey (cl,s) Hilton Jefferson
(as) Horace Henderson (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) John Kirby (bb on 15146,b on 15147/-48/-49) Walter Johnson (d)
(All except Wells & Kirby were in Fl.Henderson's band) /GAPS /Coll.Clas.(Dan)-/ Classics- /
15146-1 2:45 I WISH I WERE TWINS -vRA Me M 13045/ -070 /CC-55/COCD-2/(F)CD551/
-2=4 I WISH I WERE TWINS -vRA?., Me test on ?M 13045 re-recorded
(Loessner-DeLange-Meyer) -Allen intro 4b-Jefferson 32b-Bailey 32b-vRA 32b-Jefferson 14b~Allen lead 2+16+32b
15147-1-2 2:56 I NEVER SLEPT A WINK LAST NIGHT ~vRA Me M 13045/ -070 /CC-55/COCD-2/ --- /
(Razaf-Simon) -Jefferson intro 4b-Wells lead 16b-Allen mute 8b-Allen lead 8b- -vRA(Henderson) 32b-
-Wells 8b-Allen 8b-Jefferson 6b-Bailey brk-Bailey in ens 6+4b-
15148-2 3:03 WHY DON'T YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH Me M 13016/ --- / --- / --- / --- /
-vRA (Whiting-Schwartz-Johnson) -saxes 8b-vRA 32b-Jefferson 16b-Henderson 6b-Allen lead 8b-
15149-1-2 2:45 DON'T LET YOUR LOVE GO WRONG -vRA --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
(Sigler-Goodhart-Hoffmann) -saxes Bb-vRA 32b-Wells 16b-Jefferson Ob-Wells 8b-Bailey 16b-Allen 16+8b-
Evensmo:This is a very pallid session, there seems to be very little
inspiration, and the whole set-up is a disappointment. The atmosphere
is somewhat corny and not even rhumba rhythms are
avoided. The only acceptable number is "I Never..." where two
brief but well constructed soli are refreshing. On "... Twins" there
is also some able trumpet playing but very far from what might
have been. Let us not forget, though, that all tracks contain nice
singing.
WCA-note: On Mo.5/7/34, Matrix 15148-3 (WHY DON´T YOU
PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH ?) was recorded, Helene
Chmura, formerly of Columbia Records, says this was a dubbing
or re-recording of 15148-2, however. A stamper was made, but
was not used on any known issues. All except Wells and Kirby
were members of the Henderson band.
on Thu.7/12/34, Matrices 15146-3 and -4 (I WISH I WERE TWINS)
were recorded; Helene Chmura likewise says these were dubbings
or re-recordings of takes -1 and –2. Stampers of both -3 and -4 were
made. and -4 was approved; it is rumored that some copies of the
issued versions used 15146-4, but no such copies have come to light.
5/4/34 Fri.- Philadelphia: Kit Kat Club; "The Horn & Hardart
Benefi-cial Association No.2 Present FLETCHER HENDERSON
and his 15 musical artists ... " 9:30 PM to 1:30 AM. "45c by ticket
purchased in advance from Horn & Hardart Employees." Philadelphia Tribune, 4/26/34
WCA:Hendersonia: The Henderson band may have been out of the city until the very end of May. The orchestra was
advertised to appear on following midnight benefits. Later reviews of these shows did not mention Henderson in the list of the
performers, although he was back in N.Y.C. to open a week at the Apollo at 6/1/34. Nevertheless the following benefits will
show good impressions about the showbusiness 1934.
Melody Maker, 16 Jun 34 American Notes: Fletcher Henderson's band has Choo and Red Young, ts; Buster Bailey, cl/as;
Jeff, lst as. Higginbotham will be around next month. FH bidding.
Walter Johnson & Red Allen; Buster Bailey & Red Allen
(courtesy: Duncan Schiedt)

- 169 -
5/26/34, Sat.- NYC., Apollo Theater; benefit for NAACP-COURIER Defense Fund, midnight show, with many performers
listed on the below advert., previews and reviews; Luis Russell´s band was the regulary week band at the Apollo 5/25-5/31
evening shows; Henderson's band listed in advance publicity, but not in later reviews of the event.
Glittering Stars Of Stage, Screen, Radio and Night Club Rally For Mammoth Midnight Benefit, May 26,
At 125th Street, The Apollo Theatre by Maurice Dancer (theatr.ed.) (PC:5/19 & 6/2/34 ;similar in the BAA:5/26/34p9)
New York, May 17 - The big wheels in the executive offices of the N.A.A.C.P. and THE PITTSBURGH COURIER are
turning by night and by day. They are continously grinding out new plans for the successful promotion of the Inaugural
Benefit Show, which to be exact, is the first of a series of benefits to raise funds for the National Association for the
advancement of Colored People. The place, date, and the time is all act. … the same being the new 125th Street Apollo
Theatre in New York City, Saturday,
May 26 and the time is twelve o'clock
midnight. The actors, actresses and
performers of all descriptions are
sending in their pledges of support
and this will undoubtedly be one of
the greatest benefit shows ever to be
staged in Harlem.
Bill Robinson Co-Chairman
A survey of theatrical circles substantiates
the claim that the “people
of the theatre” are always willing to
render their services for so worthy a
cause. Rain or shine, hot or cold,
sick or well, they never fail when
called upon to display their talents.
The N.A.A.C.P. and THE PITTSBURGH
COURIER has been adjudged worthy
of the support was the recently
installed “major” of Harlem and the
world's greatest tap dancer, Bill
Robinson. Bill has declared him-self
in by accepting the co-chairman-ship of
the State of New York, which gives
him the power of supervi-sing all
work in raising funds for this
National Defense Fund.
Other Stars In
The Pittsburg Courier is overjoyed at
the way things are shaping up and it is
now a certainty that the first benefit
show will be a huge success. Other
than Miss Ethel Waters, the
inimitable star of the current Broadway
musical smash hit “As Thousands
Cheer,” who has promised
J.C.Johnson to sing his composition
“Little Black Boy,” as the Defense
Fund's theme song, there will be a
parade of Broadway and Harlem
stars which will dazzle the eyes of the
most consistent theatre-goer.
Others who have so graciously
promised their co-operation are Cab
Calloway, who only recently returned
from a successful European tour and at
present is filling a fifteen week tour
of the East and mid-West.
Mr.Calloway will fly in from
Philadelphia where he's booked for the
Earle Theatre during the week of
May 25th. Jimmie Lunceford and his
popular Cotton Club orches-tra will
come down to 125th Street from the
“aristocrat of Harlem,” with their
new kind of distinctive music.
Josephine Hall, for years a Cotton
Club feature, as well as abroad, Aida
Ward, another former Cotton Club
star and equally as popular with the
radio fans for her marvelous
renditions over the “Harlem
Serenade” period, and Adelaide
Hall, star or the current Cotton Club
Parade, have been asked to export
their superb renditions and charming
personalities from the Apollo stage.
----------------------------------------------
Still More To Do Their Hit
Luis Russell and his “Old Man
River” orchestra which features
Tiny Bradshaw and only recently
returning to New York following a
Southern dance tour, will be there.
So will Fletcher Henderson and
his well-known recording
orchestra, Eddie South, the dark
angel of the violin, and a Chicago
favorite who made his New York
debut at the Apollo two years ago,
is anxious to return to that stage for
the cause. Lucky Millinder, who is
finishing his Louisville (Ky.) hotel
engage-ment with Mills Blue
Rhythm band, will be on hand with
Edgar Hayes, the piano wizard.
Coming from smart Syracuse night
rendezvous and billed as the world's
greatest pianist at the Cotton Club,
where he's become a nightly sensation,
is Rudy Smith, who will make
his initial New York theatre bow
at the benefit. Willie Bryant and
his marvelous dance band from the
Savoy as well as Danny Small and
his orchestra, from “Harlem on
Parade,” will more musical strains.
Ralph Cooper, Harlem's favorite
son and popular Apollo Theatre
master of ceremonies, will be at
home in assisting in the direction
of the program. Taking possession
of the mike, Artie Belle McGinty,
better known as “Mandy Lou,” of
the Old Gold Hour, with Waring
Pennsylvanians, will share her platter
of laughing with George Williams,
Gallie DeGaston, Pigmeat Markman
and Johnny Lee Long.
Those who have offered to heat
the stage for the old master, Bill,
are Derby Wilson and Ford, Bowie
and Dailey. Presenting a dark
version of the “Moor of Venice,”
will be Thomas”Fats”Waller, the
Columbia Broadcasting feature,
with his stooge Bud Allen, Hall
Johnson Singers, made famous
with the “Green Pastures” and
“Run Little Chillun'” will shake
the walls with their unique arrangements.
The WOR feature,
Virginians and Donald Heywood's
choir, will be other features.
Other Pledges Sure
Although many of the performers
who have been requested to appear
have not had time to xxxx their
answers, we are xxxxxxx that all
of those who are able to be in the
city on May 26 and not prevented
by working hours will be certain
to appear.
-------------------------------------------

- 170 -
BENEFIT SHOWS-HERE DREW THOUSANDS-APOLLO THEATRE HAS A SENSATIONAL WEEK
– Midnight Show Nig Success; Robinson Revues Still Going Over Big NYAN-6/2/34p..
The 125th Street Apollo Theatre went During his stay at the Apollo, Tiny that included Ethel Waters, Bill Robin-
into one of his biggest week's closing last also was broadcasting what they claim to son, Stepin Fetchit, Etta Moten, Eddie
Saturday night. The regular show opened be his favorite, nowadays-“I May Be South and his boys, Cab Calloway and
the night previous with a Clarence Robinson Better, Honey, But I'm Not Well At All.” Nicodemus, Jimmie Lunceford, The Pope
presentation which shows this producer Miss Edith Wilson, one of Leslie's stars Sisters, Aida Ward, Aida Brown, Gallie
easily continuing on the course which of the “Blackbirds,” Johnny Lee Long, deGaston and Willie Jackson, FatsWaller
has made his revue something to look Pigmeat Markham, Taps Miller, the and Andy Razaf, W.C.Handy, Rubberlegs
forward to.
Three Drifters and Carlisle and Rosa Williams, Doris Rheubottom, Amy
Mr. Robinson's ladies of the ensemble, of rounded out a stage show which had Spencer and Al Moore, the Nicholas
which there are sixteen, executive their splendid support on the screen in “Little boys, Lucky Millinder, Ralph Cooper and
work with a verve and fash that keep them Caesar,” with Edward G.Robinson. a number of others.
to the fore as the best arrayof chorines in The climax was capped on Saturday And in all it was a big week for the
any theatre in this part of the country. night when a “standing room only” Apollo, what with the audition night
Ralph Cooper had a splendid combination crowd saw one of the best arranged thronging them to the doors, followed
of talent to bring on when he dashed on midnight presen-tation get under way and bythe Lindy hoppers, who also taxed
the stage in “The Round-Up” with his ended with more than $1,000 added to thecapacity of the house, with a spirit of
chaps and the other paraphernalis of a the treasury of the N.A.A.C.P. Thiswas all around good followship pervading
real go-getting cowboy.
the Pittsburgh Courier's Defense Fund everything and comenting the good
Tiny Bradshaw returned in front of Louis Benefit, staged by Maurice Dancer, relations of the place with thousand
Russell's
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------band
and again sent them. which brought out a host of entertainers patrons.
N.A.A.C.P. BENEFIT IS HEADING SUCCESS NYA:6/2/34p4
Maurice Dancer was too modest to come Next a comedian (whose name I just The Winners: The high spot of the
out and take a bow on Sunday morning can't remember) made an unannounced show – a whole act put on by Bill
but he deserves the bouquets just the entrance and using Cab asstraight man Robinson and the Nicholas Brothers
same, “popgun” criticism not with standing. collected many laughs. He was droll and with Putney Dandridge. The kids
A packed house and a program par funny. Cab closed his act with 'Minnie tapped, Bill tapped, Putney yodeled the
excellence were a real triumph for him. the Moocher.'
tiny kid imitated Cab, then Bill tapped
Squeezing through the dense crowd I Ford, Bowie and Taylor tapped, then out with them “Bill Robinson Stomp”
found my sixth row seat (thanks, Maurice) Bill produced Ada Brown with her perfect and the audience had a swell time.
and amused myself looking the audience
over – a reprensentative crowd – till
56 and she delighted with two numbers.
Etta Moten graciously obliged and we
Luis Russell's band struck up the
Bill turned the program ever to Ralph
kept her as long as we could, even the
overture at 1:25 a.m.
Cooper, who introduced “Rubberlegs”
“Forgotten Man.” Greta Lewis (white)
from “Three's a Crowd,” sang and danced.
A temporary master of ceremonies Williams but from the 90 per cent of She wasn't up to standard but the audience
announced “Mr. Schuyler, representing singing he did he should be called “Rub- was courteously gracious in their
the Pittsburgh Courier.” There was no berneck” Williams. He wasn't so hot and applause.
applause. From the wings shuffled an neither was George Williams and Gallie Lucky Millinder again-trying to
aging Negro in an ill-fitting tuxedo. He de Gaston, blackface comics, who came introduce “Fats Waller and Andy
mumbled something so faint it didn't next. They couldn't live in that pace. Razaf, but Stepin Fetchit hogged the
reach the orchestra players. The only The classic event of the morning – spotlight and teased him and Lucky just
word I caught was N.A.A.C.P. Here Eddie South, his violin and his soothing couldn't take it. Stepin finally lay down
some rude persons booed and catcalled. orchestra. did they get a big band? I'll say. to rest and the boys of Tin Pan Alley got
The speaker bowed sheepishly and Stormy weather! Here comes Ethel going with a resume of their songs well
shuffled of sideways. Sex I to myself, Waters – “Little Black Boy” “Harlem at received.
“So that's the great fire-eating lecturer its Best,” and they wouldn't let up till she Then I eased on out. I don't think there
xxxxxxx. Well, I'm the dirtiest name !” sang, “Stormy Weather.”
was much more. It was some-thing to
For a curtain-raiser the “Three Drifters” STEPIN FETCHIT-Say that guy is five o'clock. I would have been sorry to
drifted in taps and then shot from the funniest when he is just himself. He miss the Hall Johnson singers, the Pope
rear made a dramatic entrance for Lucky brought a check from Winnie Sheehan, Sisters, W.C.Handy and Adelaide Hall, if
Millinder. He introduced Doris Rheu- Fox executive; Photographer Campbell they had appea-red, but I am glad I
bottom, who sang as only Doris can.
Then “Mayor” Bill Robinson took the
took a flash of Bill, Stepin and Cooper.
passed up those sepia movie star fairies –
stage to deafening applause. Bill asked
Then Stepin grinned while Alma Hubbard
shame on you, Maurice!
Anyway the affair was an unquali-fied
for a control of the applause and
sang “Trees.” The girlie has a voice.
success, artistically and finan-cially and
immediately threw Cab Calloway into Cooper trotted out the Apollo mascot, Maurice Dancer deserves much
action. And Cab and his boys gave us “Brother Brody,” a real rib tickler. commendation! Here's mine, old bean ! –
action, “Hi de his” and “Ho de hos” and Al Moore and Ann Spencer did a V.E.J.
a new song, “Zazu.” He introduced Aida classic dance and Jack “Stevedore”)
Ward who sang “Love is the Sweetest Carter made a Communistic speech.
Thing” and an encore.
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5/29/34 NYC., Lafayette Theater; annual benefit show for Harlem Branch, Children's Aid Society. Again, Henderson's band
listed in advance publicity, but not in the later review of the events. The inclusion of both pre- and reviewed benefit concerts
give a good example of the colorful benefit scene with many performers and personalities of those years .
BOYS BENEFIT HAS GREAT BILL - Splendid Array of Artist Assembled for Harlem Children's Center NYAN-5/26/34p6
The Boy's Advisory Committee of the Lydia Roberti, star of “Pardon My Healy was active in last year's show
Harlem Branch of theChildren's Aid English,” and current smatch hit, “Roberts,” and has promised to bring up several of
Society announces that they are ready for has also commented to appear. This will his former associates of the Ha-Ha-Club.
their greatest midnight benefit to be be Miss Roberti's first Harlem Adelaide Hall, international favorite and
hold, Tuesday, May 29, at the Lafayette appearance. A native of Poland, she present star at the aristo-crats of night
Theatre. Bill (Bojangles) Robinson is has been a tremendous success in clubs, has also consented to appear
living up to his name by taking an active Hollywood and on Broadway.
between shows.
interest in this benefit to send Harlem's Dan Healy, one of the show world's real Other Cotton Club favorites include the
youth to camp this summer.
nobleman, will again officiate at the ”mike.“ record breaking juvenile dance team,

- 171 -
Pops and Lewis, and the beautiful new- Miss Monette Moore, formerly of and his boys. The Ubangi Club and
comer from Brooklyn, Miss Lena Horne “Flying Colors,” will be on hand. Francis Small's Paradise will send their dancing
“Fats” Waller, undoubtedly the best Carter, from the Sunset Gardens, will appear ensembles.
organ and piano player Harlem ever tur- with Miss Moore. Assisting with Healy The Cordovors Sisters, the Palmer
ned out, will play several of his will be Harlem's own Ralph Cooper, who Brothers, Alston Burleigh's Radio Choir,
currently popular compositions. bows to no one in the field as a master of fresh from its triumphs with the Seth
Hamtree Harring-ton, now starring in “As ceremonies. Dickie Wells, night club Parker's NBC-feature, and in last week's
Thousands Cheer,” and Maude Russell, impressario and formerly one of the successful Westchester County affair,
in the name stun-ning production, will country's keenest dancers, along with will render a group of spirituals. Tiny
also be on hand.
Allan Drew, the cigar smoking star from Bradshaw, Al Moore and Amy Spencer,
But the parade of Broadway celebre- the Ubangi Club, will assis Dan Healy. Ford Boowey and Daly, the sensational
ties will not stop here. Jack Carter, well Some of the orchestras slated to appear Miller Bros, Four Step Brothers, Foster
known for his work in “Porgy” and are Fletcher Henderson, Buddie Walker and Batie, the Wilson Trio, Sammie
“Harlem,” will represent a scene from and his Buddies, Pipe Davis and his Cont- Watson, Sil Bennett are among other on
the revolutionary smash hit, “Stevedore.” inental favorites, John Mason and his the bill. The show starts promptly
Miss Ada Brown, another favorite, and Midnight Serenaders, and Edddie South midnight.
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HARLEM BENEFITS BAA-2/6/34p8 Lou Holtz and Jack Benny On Benefit
Harlem is the greatest place in minute turn, it would require eight hours and Program For Harlem Playground
the world for benefit shows. ten minutes to let the following do their stuff. NYAN-5/26/34p5: The Harlem Center
When a sponsorer plans a benefit
Boy's Advisory Committee is all set for its
he does it with a vengeance.
,
Annual Camp Benefit to be held at the
First he gets the name of every Pops and Louie, Louis Russell, Fats Waller, Lafayette Theatre midnight, May 29. The
actor, performer, orchestra Lulu May, Tiny Bradshaw, Dickie Wells, array of taken who have consented to
leader, dancer, singer, and even Maude Russell, Miller Bros., Taps Miller, appear thus far includes some of Broad-
stage hand, I suppose, and puts Lena Horne, Ada Brown, Gladys Bentley, Mae way's biggest attractions. Dan Healy will
his name on the program.
Alix,
again act as master of ceremonies. “MyFran,”
The imposing list is enough to Ford, Bowie and Daly, Four Step Bros., Lou Holtz will entertain the audience with
frighten the average theatre- Dan Healy, Phil Scott, Three Flash Steppers; his delightful foolery. Holtz will entertain
goer away, unless he is plan- Lou Holtz, Chilton and Thomas , Elsie Williams, theaudience with his delightful foolery.
ning to take a week off just to Buck and Bubbles, Eddie South, Adrea Razof, Holtz, along with Jack Benny, famous
see theshow. And the most Chuck and Chuckles, Rubberlegs Williams, Broadway wit and radio sensation, will be
remarkable things about it all is Hamtree Harrington, Red and Struggle, making his first appearance in Harlem.
that Harlemites have seen every George Murphy, Cardova Sisters, Palmer Bros., Miss Adelaide Hall, charming star from
performer advertised so often Elsie Williams, Derby Wilson, Allan Drew, the Cotton Club Revue and international
that they know their routines by Al Moore and Amy Spencer, Foster and Batle, favorite, will lift her lovely voice in song.
heart.
Monette Moore, Frances Carter, Jack Carter, Hamtree Harrington and Maude Russell,
Just to give an idea of how
ENSEMBLES:
of the “As Thousand Cheer” cast will
Harlem goes for such things, let Cotton Club, Small's Paradise, Ubangi Club appear, as will Miss Lena Horne,
us run through the names that Fletcher Henderson's orchestra, beautiful new comer of the Cotton Club.
were scheduled to appear at the Pike Davis's Continentals, Miss Ada Brown, famous for her work in
Harlem Children's Center Alston Burleigh's Radio Choir, “Brown Buddies.” Fletcher Henderson
benefit at the Lafayette Theatre Buddie Walker and his Buddies and his famous orchestra, soon to appear
Tuesday night.
at the Cotton Club, Leroy Smith and his
Mr.Ringling, of the circus fame, Fortunately, for the audience and the actors band; Chicago favorite, Eddie South,
could not have lined up more themselves, only about one-fourth of scheduled John Mason's Midland Serenaders and
people, and if each did a ten-
attractions generally show up. Buddy Walker.
-----------------------------------------------------
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SPLENDID ARRAY OF TALENT AT LAFAYETTE NYAN-6/2/34 MANY STARS AT BENEFIT SHOW
The Harlem Center Benefit Really well to check up and then realize it is BAA-6/9/34p8: NEW YORK - That Grand
Topped All Others Here well to fraternize with some of the Old Man of the American stage, George
They charged Stepin Fetchit with performers so that he can at least get M.Cohan, made his first trip to Harlem last
trying to “hog the bill“ at the Apollo things right. He was Miss Perry at the week to appear on the benefit midnight
Theatre last Sunday night, but Stepin Lafayette when that lady did not come show program for the Children's Aid
must have been felt at home at the to town, and is still in Chicago, and the Society sponsored by the director of the
Lafayette Theatre at the Tuesday chatter of Foster and Beatty he attribu- Harlem Playground, George Gregory.
midnight benefit in behalf of the Harlem tes to Worthy and Thompson.
Nowhere in America has Mr.Cohan
Branch of the Children's Aid Society, Others on the card included the char- received such an ovation as was accorded
for he was given as big an ovation as ming Ada Brown, Pops and Louie, him at the Lafayette. So moved was he that
George M.Cohan (the original Yankee who really stampeded the house; he promised to attend any benefit forworthy
Doodle Boy), Dan Healy, Lou Holtz, Eddie South and his orchestra, the causes when and if called upon.
Minovitch and his HarmonicaBoys and Blue Rhythm orchestra with Lucky On the same program were Harpo Marx
a host of others that made up the best Millinder, the Carribean Serenaders, with his harp, Borah Minnevitch and his
array of talent seen ata midnight special Bill Robinson and Putney Dandridge, Rascals; Dan Healy of Cotton Club fame;
show in manyyears.
George M.Cohen, Stepin Fetchit, Lou Lou Holtz, the champion master of ceremo-
I sincerely hope that my good friend Holtz, Minovitch and his three nies; the Miami Beach Serenaders, a white
Vere E. Johns of the New York Age harmonica players, two white and one organization with a colored soloist and
was not present at this affair, for in the colored, a white orchestra that plays leader; Pike Davis Continental Band with
current issue of his paper he has a at Miami, Fla., and which comes over Chilton and Thomas and the famous
number of stars in the Leslie show who the air during the winter; Adelaide “Blackbirds” chorus from Lew Leslie's show;
were not in the show, and he has two Hall, Chilton and Thomas, Harpo Lucky Millinder and the Blue Rhythm
dancers supposedly getting off a line of Marx. It was a great night for George Boys, Pops and Louie; Chuck and
chatter which isall wrong, Sandy all Gregory andthe kids that come under Chuckles; Buck and Bubbles; Adelaide
wrong. My Johns account of Leslie his supervision at the Center, for it Hall; Stepin Fetchit; Clark's Serenaders,
show at the Lafayette caused quite a was the best performance for the same Bill Robinson; Eddie South; Ada Brown;
laugh, and Brother Johns would do cause which is an annual affair. and many other artists who willingly aided
the cause.

- 172 -
6/1-7/34 - NYC. Apollo Theater; "An Irving Mills Artists Bureau Presentation FLETCHER HENDERSON and his ORCH. with
Charles Holland, Eddie Hunter and Speedy Smith, comedians of Lew Leslie's 'Blackbirds of 1934', Andrew Tribble - Southern
4 - Izzy Ringold - Al Moore & Amy Spencer The 3 Cyclones - Clarence Robinson's Plantation Capers with 16 Girls & Ralph
Cooper; Movie: "BIG PAYOFF". (NYA: & NYAN:6/2/34)
Jack Schiffman in WCA-Hendersonia: the whole Henderson orchestra was paid only $950 for this week!
New York Set To Welcome “New”Fletcher Henderson Band CD-6/2/34p9
NEW YORK- June 1.- The air waves
will swing with the rhythm of Fletcher
Henderson and his orchestra commencing
June 16, for that date this
well-known aggregation succeeds
Jimmie Luncefor and his band at the
famous Cotton club in Harlem.
Henderson will broadcast nightly
from 11:30 to midnight (E.D.S.T.) and
on Thursdays and Sundays each week
via the NBC network from midnight
until 12:30 (E.D.S.T.).
Lunceford and his boys commence
a long dance tour on June 16, including
the eastern, New England and middle
western states.
Fletcher, his nickname is “Smack,”
was born in Cuthbert, Ga., on Dec.16,
1898. His father was a schoolteacher
who inspired Fletcher's pursuit of
academic study. Irma Henderson, his
sister, also was a schoolteatcher; his
brother, “Little Smack,” is one of the
finest pianists in the orchestra business
and a member of Fletcher's unit. Fletcher
is a graduate of Atlantic university,
where he received the degree of A.B.
( clas of 1920). Music as a vocation
was not on his mind when he began
his studies. He aspired to be a great
chemist. The lure of the piano and
backing in the theatrical spotlight
finally won out.
His first engagement was at the Club
Alabam, a Broadway night club. In
1924 Fletcher married Leora Meoux,
who herself is an accomplished
musician (trumpet player). Fletcher's
rise to the top has been steady and
sure; he was no overnight sensation
but rather an attraction that won
public favor and kept building it; he
feels that if he were not the piano
player, conductor and arranger that
he is, he would have been a teacher
of chemistry or mathematics.
Among his hobbies he lists
football and bridge, and every once
in a while a little spot of billiards.
He prefers to play hot music
because he feels that his orchestra
is best fitted to project that type. His
ambi-tions run to writing and
arranging all types of music. His
brain is filled with melodies
begging for expression; his “Harlem
Madness,” ehich he recorded for
Victor, is definite evidence of his
originality and capability in writing.
Fletcher is just one-half inch short
of six feet and his weight average
about 187. He has a charming, gentlemantly
manner and a modest, warming
personality. He is not the shouting
temperamental type of leader; he
gets results quietly, calmy and efficiently
now on his way to a prominent
spot on the theatrical horizon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apollo This Week NYA-6/9/34p4
Recovering from its benefi success,
the Apollo Theatre gives us a show
that richets from the elegant Fletcher
Henderson to the droll Humor of
Eddie Hunter.
1. Fletcher Henderson and his boys
play hot jazz with a refined quality
about it and the maestro himself,
modest and unassuming, is so friendly
and gentlemanly that you want to like
what he has to offer. Not playing for
Harlem shows all the time they were
a trifle behind pace in occasional
numbers. Charles Holland has a sweet
crooning voice and the audience
liked the entire setup.
2. Eddie Hunter whom I consider one
of a bare half-dozen Negro comedians
who possess any talent, contents himself
with a plain burnt cork makeup
without the “baboon” mouth that
ise used by others. This is preferable.
His perpetual state of “nervousness”
makes laughs all the time and
his “goodness gracious” is a tickler.
Both his sketches are good-the “hair
straightening” one is stale and
should be retired. He was
assisted by Speedy Smith and
Andrew Tribble. The radio skit
received spontaneous applause,
which is rare.
3. The chorines at the Apollo under
Clarence Robinson's management
have becomr a feature of their shows
and really enter into the spirit of
their work. Their interpretation of
Robinson's “Black Moonlight” is worthy of a
Broadway house and is enhanced by –
4. Al Moore and Amy spencer, a clever pair and
classical dancers who hold their own in various
types of interpretive routines.
5. Ralph Cooper, shed of any traces of filth, is a
likeable m.c. this week and I do wish he
would stay that way. His impromptu adlibbing
with the chorines is clever.
6. Izzy Ringold has a strong, melodicus voice
and knows how to put over her songs, though I
do think she overdoes her acting and moves
around the stage too much. She is also a good
dancer.
Also : The 3 Cyclones fill in with the usual
tapping routine and the Southern 4 Quartet are
not much to write home about.
The screen offering, “The Big Pay-off” is a tense
police yarn. V.E.J.
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ADDENDA to page 165: Impressions On The Wax Rec.Reviews In TUNE TIMES, Feb.35 p298: HMV-B6562 –
Fl.Henderson: Hocus Pocus ; Tidal Wave:
I was a little disappointed with Hocus
Pocus, although it is pleasing enough on
the whole. The ensemble displays much
of that raggedness which I imagined had
been eliminated once and for all As a
number Hoccus Pocuss is just another
sixteenbar excuse for solos and ensemble
"riffin'."
But do not imagine that there is anything
Casa Loma-esque about it. The
tempo is that medium swinging one
(known to those of us who have "done"
Harlem, as " Savoy ") at which Fletcher
excels, and the composer, Will Hudson,
is no Eugene Gifford, thank heavens.
Joe Venuti had an identical orchestration
with him when he came to England, and
I was privile-ged to hear the British
band which was formed for him
rehearsing it one morning. I must say
that the saxo-phone section, which
consisted of Harry Hayes, Bob Wise,
Norman Malone and Buddy
Featherstonhaugh, made a quite as
good, if not better, showing with the
quartet than do Fletcher's men in this
instance, which shows that there are men
in this country who could make really a
good band if only they would get
together sometime. But to return to
Fletcher's record.
Clarinet takes two choruses. Why? Then
"Hawk" takes two more. In the first he
slurs and wanders about in a somewhat
aimless fashion, but in the second he wakes
up just sufficiently to show that he hadn't,
at that time, forgotten how to swing.
After another ensemble chorus, just to
show there's no illfeeling, "Red" Allen

- 173 -
cont. from p.172:
takes over, but is only allowed one more or less, on a familiar rhythmic like to play. Although up till now he has
chorus. Why ? "Red" has certainly device.
been chiefly concerned with turning out
improved out of all knowledge of late. Tidal Wave brings me once more to the "pot-boilers" for the Mills office, as I
The other day I heard some recently subject of Will Hudson, who is again the say, they have been good Tidal Wave
recorded and as yet unreleased composer. Hudson has long been more procures him honourable mention
Henderson opera, in which Mr. Allen than just a name to me, if not to you. It because it shows that he is also capable of
excels himself. But I shall probably has appeared frequently enough on the departing, successfully, from the beaten
be able to tell you more about that labels of swing records played by negro track. The number is played at breakneck
quite soon.
bands, and always on good ones. tempo, but with rhythm. It is difficult to
Two more ensemble choruses which In spite of that, Hudson is not a coloured give a word - impression of it. In parts, in
are exhilarating, in spite of being messy, man, although he certainly knows as fact in general theme, it is reminiscent of
complete the record, which fades out, well as anyone else the sort of stuff they a certain kind of tzigane music.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6/16/34 instead a job of the Cotton Club replacing J.Lunceford -nightly WMCA broadcasts –11:30-0:00 & Thurs.& Sun. each
week NBC-network from 0:00-030 -, Lucky Millinder & his M.B.R.B. got the job and Fletcher went back on the road
of one-nighters until early July. Fletcher Henderson left the Mills Artist bureau and his new manager became Moe Gale,
owner of the Savoy Ballroom ! , look at the article below deated 7/1/34
CD:6/23/34p6: 'Henderson has a fine band but it does not play the 'Night club stuff' ,on the same order that Cotton Club
patrons have been taught to admire,' claiming that Millinder's B.R.B. was a better choice in this respect This switch was a
nice break for Lucky Millinder but another in a long chain of misfortunes for Smack !....
BAA: 6/30/34p9: Fletcher Henderson and his orch. will play one-night dance stands until after the Fourth of July
NYAN:8/4/34p6: Things are going
badly for Fletcher Henderson right
now, after everything was set at the
Cotton club, including signed contracts.
The owners of the club suddenly
changed their mind and asked
for the Blue Rhythm Band,thus
displaying their usual bad taste in
music. Irving Mills did the best he
could, but the Cotton Club gents are
not folk to argue with. Comprenez !
At the risk of sounding monotonous ,
I want to say that the band has never
been as good as it is now. At the
Apollo they knocked the audience
dead.The manager of the rival Lafayet-
te told me that it was the greatest band he
had heard in a theatre in many years. But
Mills' office cannot get bookings for him.
So Smack may again change his alligiance.
And the funny things about it is that the
band has now got just the qualities that
were lacking in the records last winter.
Instead of Henderson opening at the Lafayette Theater for the week of July,7, the Wen Talbert Orchestra & Choir was
advertised...! And there's nothing in the media about an Henderson engagement at the Royal Cotton Club in Chicago´s Loop;
.... Likewise, there are no known Roseland dates during this period; Percy Outram comented that Fletcher was "out of the
picture" at Roseland now. (W.C.A.:Hendersonia p.298)
7/14/34 NYC., Savoy Ballroom – Fletcher Henderson & his orch. vs. Chick Webb & his
Band; Moe Gale, the owner of the Savoy, became the the magager of Henderson and surely
Smack had now played several times at the Savoy, but only this advertisement is known.
FLETCHER HENDERSON NO LONGER WITH IRVING MILLS, CD:7/14/34p7
NEW YORK, July 13 - Two leading bands,
once under the management of Irving
Mills, who handled Duke Ellington and
Mills Blue Rhythm bands, are no longer
under that banner. These are Fletcher
Henderson and Jimmy Lunceford, it is
said.
Lunceford was the first to go and in July 5
Henderson severed with the promoter.
Lunceford came right out of the Cotton
Club and began his tour for dance engagements
as an outsider; rather because this
was one way for him to bring about the
ousting of a former handler. And even
then the main trouble with the hookup was
the unwillingneds of the Henderson group
to take orders from a travelling
secretary no one on the caravan liked,
according to report.
Fletcher joined Mills a few months ago
and at that time it was freely predicted
that the hook-up wouldn't held for long,
many arguing that Duke Ellington would
get the choice bookings and all the others
would be asked to take what was left.
Perhaps the thing that brought about the
break was the change in plans that had
Henderson going into the Cotton Club for
the engagement that Blue Rhythm now
fills. There was no expanation sent the
press for the shift in bands but rumors
went flying high and fast. Maybe this is
the final break between Fletcher and
Irving.
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7/28/34 Sat. NYC., HENRY ALLEN AND HIS ORCH.: Henry Allen (t,v) Keg Johnson (tb on 15471/-72) Claude Jones (tb
on 154724/-74) Buster Bailey (cl,as) Hilton Jefferson (as) Horace Henderson (p,arr) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b)
Walter Johnson (d)
/Col.Clas.(Dan)- / Classics- /
15471-1-2 2:47 THERE'S A HOUSE IN HARLEM FOR SALE Me M-13145/CC-13/COCD-2/(F)CD-551/
(Van Heusen-H.Arlen) -Henderson 4b-Allen 16b-Jefferson 8b-Johnson 8b-Bailey 16b-Allen 16b-
15472-1-2 3:03 PARDON MY SOUTHERN ACCENT -vRA Me M-13096/ --- / --- / --- /
(Mercer-Malnek) -Johnson 8b-saxes 8b-vRA 32b-Johnson 16b-Bailey 16b-p brd-Allen 16b-Jefferson 8b-
15473-1-2 2:43 RUG CUTTER SWING (Henry Allen) Me M-13145/ --- / --- / --- /Best of J./JAZZ Greats/
-Bailey 32b-Jefferson 16b-Henderson 8b-Jefferson 8b-Allen mute 48b-Johnson 8b-Allen mute 8b- /CD-4031/ -CD-040 /
15474-1-2 2:53 HOW'S ABOUT TOMORROW NIGHT -vRA Me M-13096/ --- / --- / --- /
(Koehler-Bloom) -Allen mute lead 16b-saxes 8b-Allen mute lead 8b-Jefferson 16b-Bailey 8b-
-Jefferson 8b-vRA 32b-Henderson 4+16b-Allen lead 16b-

-174
HILTON JEFFERSON by Joost Van Praag, Jazz Hot June-36:
Among the very great alto players Hilton Jefferson should be
placed. Whereas many rather great alto players clearly show an
influence of Johnny Hodges or Bennie Carter or of both, he has
almost a quite undependant style. If you take Edgar Sampson you'll
find a marked influence of the two greatest alto players; take
Charlie Holmes and you'll notice that he plays in Hodge's style. In
Hilton Jefferson we faintly notice an influence of Carter and
Hodges and more over an influence of Hawkins. In spite of these
influence his style has become personal to the extreme.
It is rather difficult to judge how his tone does sound in reality as
his tone seems hard to record well. Even in records wherein the
rest is well recorded the tone of Jefferson sounds thin. On other
records he has the dark tone and volume of a tenor sax, so that I
suppose that this latter tone gives the right impression of his tone.
You can hear him play that way in records of Theodore Wilson
such as "It is too hot for words"(last sax-solo) and "What A Night
What A Girl" (first solo after the vocal). In the latter, the whole
way of playing is more that of a tenor, but rather simple end very
melodic. In many other records he is playing like that, but then the
recording does not justice to his tone.
When you want to appreciate Hilton Jefferson as much as I do, I
must advise you to listen carefully to the records I'll, going to talk
about. For instance, there are moments that this playing becomes
so melodical that we should speak of contilenes,just as with Johnny
Hodges. But there is a great difference between them. Hilton
Jefferson in these cases is very on the melancholic style and even
plays like that in pieces which are not particularly sad such as
CAN YOU TAKE IT by Fl.Henderson. I draw your attention to
the intonations and phrases in the 23rd 24th bar of this solo.
Let us hear next his short solo in RUG CUTTER SWING by Fl.
Henderson. Such pure melody with such a melancholic tinge has
never been played by Benny Carter, though his tone might
resemble to that of Carter here. Especially the simple first bars
could not have been played by anyone else but Hilton Jefferson.
Those who did not know that Jefferson had a marvellous tone in
reality, thought that it was Bennie Carter.
In the meantime the high point ni all the solos I know of Hilton
Jefferson is his solo in RUG CUTTER SWING by Henry Allen.
Melancholy, melodic beauty and the greatest simplicity that is
possible are combined here, and especially after the eight bars
piano solo by Horace Henderson. This is the most thrilling and
moving saxophone playing you can imagine.
I must say a word or two on his simplicity . When he is playing
in the most simple way as he does in the latter RUG CUTTER
SWING, in Fletcher Henderson's CAN YOU TAKE IT
and a few others I did not mention, you'll find, that he
makes such use of slow triplets. He is playing more
simple then, than Johnny Hodges or anybody else. In A
HOUSE IN HARLEM FOR SALE by Henry Allen his
solo is still more simple, his style resembling here to that
of. Johnny Hodges, though his vibrato is greater.
If you listen carefully now to the other records in which
you might have thought the playing of Hilton Jefferson
weak, you'll find that the melodic beauty is always there,
and that it.must be the recording who made you think so,
the more so whereas in the same records the others
soloists sound wel1, making you think that it was not the
fault of the recording.
You'll observe how astonishing grat is the variety in his
style. Here he plays in a pure tenor style, there he plays
plaintively and exceptionally melodically. His style is so
personal that the influences we noted are just vague
indications and nothing more. Whence, Hilton must
belong to the great saxophonists.
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RUG CUTTER´S SWING - Swing Music 1936p57: I made
a discovery the other day that gave me a bit of a headache. I
found that many of the more or lese recently issued Henderson
records had two Henry Allen in them: one very good and
the other in the not so hot class. The snag is that the the very
good one seems to be a gent named Randolph (Irving not
Zillmer) and only the bad one is actually our `Enery.
I listened to a few of the Blue Rhythm records like “Ride, Red,
Ride”, and decided that Red was either hitting the lush or had
outgrown even the largest size in hats. Whatever the reason, he
was playing horrid trumpet. He always had a ten-dency to slide
down the scale after a high note. That was all right because he
seemed to do it intentionally. But recently those slides sound
like the result of inability to hold the note … a bad sign in a
trumpet pllayer.
Now this seemed a pity, for I had always looked upon Red as
one of the few more-than good lads. But just as I was giving
up hope along came a record with Henry playing trumpet in it.
Unfortunately I have an idea that it is not particularly new. If
that is the case it just stands as an example of what Red can
and always should do. If it happens to be new, well, that´s all
right. He has turned over a new leaf.
Vocalion 8 is the record: "Rug Cutter Swing" and "House in
Harlem for Sale."
You all know the first number. This version is better than
Fletcher's, I think. Henry plays a lot of muted trumpet in it, but
it is not his side. Buster Bailey steals it completely with an
amazing clarinet chorus. It amuses me to read eulogies about
this and that clarinet player with never a mention of Buster.
How is it folk cannot see that he is a mile ahead of them all
with the possible exception of Barney, though he realli plays
an instrument of his own? It is easy to play clarinet in a slimy
style. It is easy for the best exponent to slide from one high
note to another, instead of hopping from note to note. To play
it like Buster does, every note a note, is not so easy. And he
has an amazing fund of ideas. His style of phrasing is
unmistakable, but he rarely plays the same thing twice. When
we think of the first-class musician who always play the
number thing, whatever they rnay call the number, we can
appreciate Bill Bailey better.
I am afraid the stock of the white exponent of jazz falls lower
and lower with me. I try to defend my own race by saying
that they produce large quantities of excellent clarinet players
though they may fail in other directions. And then I think
Buster and Barney. `S a pity, but there you are.
Babbling about Buster has made me forget the rest of this
side, but I seem to remernber some rather odd tenor in it. I
cannot play it again, tbough, for I must get on to its backing,
this article originally being intended to deal primarily with
Henry Allen. Before I go, though, I must tell you About the
rhythm section. Grand … sounds like Chick´s …than which
there is no higher praise. Guitar and bass are too much. The
drums, of course, cannot be heard ... which is exactly as it
should be.
You remember “Dowsy Blues”? This is much the same. Not
so polished; not so martially grand; but in the same vein.
Henry playing long, low notes, and holding them. Slow
tempo, with a triumphant bass leading the way.
Buster plays a grand chorus here, too, but he does not stand
above Henry as he did on the other side. Don't imagine that
there is anyting outstandingly classic about this disc. There is
not. In some ways it is kind of ordi-nary. But coming, as it

does,at a time when Henry Allen is very much in my bad
books, and I hope in yours, it reminds us that he could,
and can no doubt, play rather grand trumpet.
Jazz is an odd kind of business. The more I know about
it the less I understand it. Why should the most carefully
arranged sessions almost invariably flop, while those
fixed up at the last minute generally manage to come
off? Why should the records that are supposed to be so
good actually be so bad, and those that nobody bothers
about the best? Why should Roy Eldridge come second
in a popularity contest for trumpet players arranged by
an American journal, with Bix first and Louis third,
when anybody with half
An ear should realise that he is one of the calamities of
jazz? And why does Henry Allen not realise that he was
at his best in “Drowsy Blues” and stick to that style. If he
did it would mean more records like "House in Harlem"
instead of the "Ride, Red, Ride" type of horror. But who
cares, anyway? Jazz is like life: a serious business that
- 175 -
must never on any account be taken seriously. If it is, the best in
it is missed. So I am going. to quit groaning and listen to this
record again ... both sides.
* * *
Red's second Vocalion(No.18-2/6)—it is his second, isn´t it ?
Any way, the one after "Rug Cutter" and "House in Harlem". …
"Whose Honey Are You?" is good, without being quite so satisfactory
as the others. Not such a very good tune, and Red does
not sing it frightfully well, but he plays nice trurnpet. And so he
should, with Lou Russell, Paul Barbarin and Pops Foster behind
him ... three of the lads of the old brigade. This disc should be
included under the Lou Russell heading, I think. It´s nearly the
same. Except that Lou did not have Buster Bailey with him. I am
tempted to start all over again about the Bailey boy, but you may
take my enthusiasm for granted. Nice little record, this. The kind
of thing that coloured pick-up bands can churn out at a minute´s
notice and then forget they have ever made. Quite a contrast to
the carefully prepared and much ballyhooed flops that we are
supposed to listen to with awe, don't you think?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hank Niesen, Jazz Hot, No.6, 1935/36
First of all on “Perfect.” Here have been issued in
the last months a score of marvellous recordings,
the best of which is perhaps: HENRY ALLEN AND
HIS ORCHESTRA Rug Cutter Swing; House in
Harlem for sale (also Melotone M 13145)
Red Allen has made more discs for Perfect, some
of them under the “Hot Dance Records” label, and
some under “Popular Dance Rec”ords, but this is
the only one I ever heard. And Boy, it is swell! The
combination was: … That's to say, the half of
Fletcher's band.
These recordings are certainly better than those by
the Allen-Hawkins All-StarOrchestra. Not because
the players are better, but because for once the boys
played as they liked, to know, soft swing music.
Furthermore on one session things some-timesfit
better than on another. There are so many things
that are necessary for really a fine disc, that mostly
there is something missing. But on this one the
playing and general atmosphere was superb.
Henry Allen, Buster, who is marvellous, Hilton
Jefferson, really one of thefinest alto players, Keg
Johnson, Horace Henderson and the rhythm section,
all are magnificent. I should like to draw special
attention to Henry Allen on trumpet, who sounds
more intimate, natural, and unforced than usual. On
of his finest efforts here, showing that he is still
improving. I don't know which of the two sides I
prefer, both are equally fine, and one day I should
like to hear the others also.
Melody Maker 6/20/36: HENRY ALLEN´s SURPRISE
The Rest Of The Month´s Records - Reviewed by “Rophone”
Henry Allen & His Orch. in Rug Cutter Swing and House In
Harlem For Sale on Vocalion No.8, provide the surprise of the
month. Since he joined the wooly Millinder outfit, Red Allen has had
few chances to make the sort of records he likes to make, but this
must be chalked up as the very best Allen in recent years-the type of
disc we hear all too seldom nowadays.
Rug Cutter Swing starts with Horace Henderson´s favourite lick,
before branching out into a succession of choruses on the unusual
chords. I suspect that this, rather than Smack´s, must have been the
original Rug Cutter recording, for it has more freshness and a more
natural, suitable tempo than the other version.
Delivering the Goods
Jefferson´s alto chorus is wearing out rapidly on my copy. Buster
Bailey delivers the goods in grand fashion. Red himself, with the
mild, resigned style of his last few bars, brings a sense of
unexpectedness and almost of humour.
House in Harlem is a bigger treat still. Red in a minor key, pouring out
his heart on the trumpet, can be very touching when you are in the
mood; and Buster´s solo harmonises admirably with that same mood.
The only guy to disappoint here is Keg Johnson, who flounders about
most unpleasantly on the trombone, but fortunately only for eight bars.
As for the rhythm section, with Horace, Elmer James, Lucie and
Walter Johnson, there is all the swing you would expect, and more.
Put this one right at the top pf your “must” list. *****
It is good to see that the Vocalion folks are doing their best to follow
up “Mike´s” suggestion that the British public is not sufficiently
blues-conscious. In my colleague´s own words:”If all this numbers,
all the compositions jazz has produced, were lost, and only the blues
remained, I should not be at all upset.” Me too! …
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Records reviewed bv John Hammond in
RHYTHM-July-36p11: Vocalion- 8: Henry Allen &
his Orch. - Rug Cutter Swing / House In Harlem:
These are both excellent recordings about the last of
Red's really good onnes.His Rug Cutter is infinitely
better than Henderson's, for the recording is better,
the band more at case and the solos far more
inspired. Red himself is wonderful, the rhythm
section surpri-singly solid and Buster better than
usual.
On the other side the band does all it can with a
banal Broadway ballad. Horace, Higgie and Red
cover them-selves with honours.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Evensmo: This is something quite different from the
last session which was rather disappointing. Here we
find Allen in good shape. My favorite track has
always been "... House In Harlem". Not only because
Allen plays beautifully, particularly on his eight pure
solo bars, but because the melody, the arrangement
and the overall atmosphere are rather unusual. The
other three tracks are also relaxed and nice with good
soloing. Particularly noteworthy is the fast "Rug... ".
----------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassié in Jazz Hot July-36, Vol.8:
This disc was recorded towards the end of 1934 by the following
musicians: …., that is, the best musicians of Fletcher Henderson's
orchestra at that time. I agree entirely with those who think that this
disc is the best of all those yet issued byVocalion in Europe.
Rug Cutter's swing contains two magnificent solos: one by Buster
Bailey on clarinet, with a very rich melodic line, splendid tone
andsplendidly powerful playing, the other by Hilton Jefferson on
alto, and perfect from all points of view. It is probably the best solo
Hilton Jeffer-son has recorded and it proves abundantly that he is
one of thegreatest alto players. His tone is very pleasant, his
intonations very warm, and his melodic invention is as instringuing
as it is original. Re-read what Joost van Praag said about him in No.9
of JAZZ HOT.
Henry Allen's muted trumpet solo, on the contrary, is far from
being satisfactory. It is totally lacking in “punch”, and the melodic
line is very vulgar. In a solo of this type we can clearly grasp all
Henry Allen's inferiority to com-parison with a musician like Cootie.
The rhythm section is first-class with a special word of praise for
the guitarist.
Henry Allen plays better in House in Harlem for sale. But it is
once again Hilton Jefferson and Buster Bailey who give the
principal interest to this record. Horace Henderson is excellent
on this side. Only, Keg Johnson is a deception on trombone.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

- 176a -
GIANTS OF JAZZ – HENRY ”RED” ALLEN Notes on the music by John Chilton; Time-life-Records , 1981
Mx 15471-1 - There's a House in Harlem for Sale: In
1933, Allen and Coleman Hawkins had joined forces in a
few sessions for the American Record Company as
coleaders of the Allen-Hawkins Orchestra, a collection of
musicians recruited mainly from the Henderson band. The
recordings, issued under labels such as Banner, Oriole and
Romeo, were distributed exclusively through chain stores,
and were not available on the general market. Before long, it
developed that the Allen voice was a major drawing card and,
when Hawkins left for England in the spring of 1934, Allen
was kept on for a few more sessions, this time as the sole
leader. On each date there were usually one or two nonvocal
numbers; on the July 28 session one of these was
There's a House in Harlem for Sale. It is a little classic.
It starts with a four-bar piano introduction, then Allen slurs
up to the opening note of the chorus and quickly sets the
mood of the piece. The tune's opening, rising from its tonic
note to a ninth over a minor chord, seems tailor-made for
him: He often used that note progression in his own
improvisations. Allen was gifted with the ability to state a
written theme in a way that suggested that he was improvi-
sing it and, this is a perfect example of that skill. He
proceeds into the second eight bars with an improvised
lead-in that embellishes the melody perfectly.
After playing 16 bars of inspired, intense trumpet, Allen
allocates the next eight to Hilton lefferson's elegant alto
saxophone and the rest of the chorus to trombonist Keg
Johnson, whose sensitive lip-trills add a nice touch to his
interpretation.
Buster Bailey opens the next chorus, and his is a curious
performance. Before this session, he had worked along-side
Sidney Bechet in Noble Sissle's Band, and the New Orleans
reed player's influence is unmistakably imprinted in this solo.
To round off the effect, Bailey occasionally adds a heavy,
uncharacteristic, Bechet-like vibrato to his long notes.
Allen re-enters on the bridge to improvise a passionate
solo that makes full use of the temporary move from minor
to major key. He blows a forcefully direct middle-register
phrase, then immediately repeats it an octave lower. During
the next four bars he switches to a higher register for a
brief , graceful, multinote excursion that takes him into the
final reprise.
It would have been well within Allen's range capabilities to
have taken this last section up an octave, but during this period
he was continually exploring the possibilities of low-register
effects.. He was never tempted to try to keep up with Louis
Armstrong's ever-increasing high register, which during that
era was powerful right up to a top G. Allen's ending note is
almost an octave lower than that, but it is played so expressively
that it would be difficult to think of a more satisfying finale.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mx 15473-1 - Rug Cutter's Swing: Henry Allen and His Orch. , Rec.July 28,1934,
Rug Cutter's Swing was the second instrumental number
recorded that July 28, and it was obviously meant for dancing.
The onset of the swing era is evident here not only in
the title but in the content and structure of this Fletcher
Henderson composition, which is typical of the simple but
catchy rifflike tunes that were soon to flood the market.
In the opening chorus Allen's muted trumpet states the
melody, discreetly backed by long notes played by the
ensemble, and aided by some crisp guitar work. A long,
spiky clarinet solo follows (all traces of Bechet have now
magically disappeared from Buster Bailey's playing).
Jefferson comes on next to play a solo of well-shaped
phrases, confirming that he was a talented improviser as well
as one of the best lead-alto sax players of his era. The
bridge is played by Horace Henderson.
The rest of this number belongs to Red Allen. Swing
trumpet playing in the 1930s was often very loud, harsh and
lacking in subtlety. Here Allen gives a lesson in how it
should be done. His solo offers all the best elements of
swing era playing with none of the excesses, and the total
result is on a much higher plane of music than the theme on
which he is working. He takes a truly fascinating approach
to his improvisations, as though saying to himself, "I
am improvising on a riff tune. What could be more appropriate
than to superimpose other riffs on that sequence?"
That is what he does. Each of his phrases could well have
been the basis for another riff tune; each is a completely fresh
idea. The common link is the unmistakable Allen rhythm
touches. Several of his phrases are more clipped than usual,
and he introduces an entirely new element by growling out the
last notes of his first chorus.
Interestingly enough, when improvising on the bridge of the
same chorus, the non-riff part of the composition, Al-len
makes no attempt to create anything resembling a riff.
Incidentally, his playing on the bridge gives a perfect
example of his unorthodox timing: In the third bar he begins
playing a long note in an unexpected place and carries it through
to the fifth bar, ending it at an equally unlikely moment.
In the second chorus the bridge is played by Johnson. Then,
in the last eight bars, Allen shows what happened when his
imagination preplanned an ending: His fingers fall on a very
swinging one-bar phrase that he repeats several times,
building up to an effective climax.
Allen plays throughout-in presenting the theme and in his two
solos-with a cup mute. He rarely used a mute, the cup variety
least of all, perhaps because that sort of mute is the most
difficult with which to project individualism tonally. He used
one here because he felt the tone color was apt for the
arrangement, but he avoided using a mute whenever he could.
"I want to blow my horn," he once explained. "Open. Clear.
With a mute you can cheat, make your playing sound better
than it is. Play the horn wide open. You cannot lie."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 176 -
Again plans for an European tour: WCA-Hendersonia: Ben David, director of the house of Selmer in London, has found the
Henderson orchestra better than all those which he had heard and wished that Jack Hylton or he could have this group
brought to Europe next winter .... (John Hammond, in Jazz Tango, 9/34) John Hammond was also trying to book the
following all-star orchestra for a London gig: Doc Cheatun, Charlie Teagarden, Bill Coleman (t) Jack Teagarden, Will
Bradley, J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Benny Carter, Edgar Sampson, Chu Berry (s) Teddy Wilson (p) Red Norvo (xyl) Lawrence
Lucie (g) Hank Wayland (b) Bessie Smith (v)
These hopes for a Henderson-European tour were dashed again this summer or fall, because the American Federation of
Musicians banned Ray Noble from bringing his English orchestra to the U.S.A., and the British Musicians' Union soon
retaliated in kind. John´s statement that they were "working steadily" was hardly true. He later admitted that they "spent more
time laying off then working" (Down Beat, 3/23/51).
poss. sumer 1934 - Westfield, N.J., Shady Rest Country Club. Jack Stine recalls seeing Red Allen in the band
(W.C.A.:Hendersonia p.3o6)
summer,34 - tour of South, playing several tobacco warehouses. (Irving Randolph to W.C.A.)
mid.Aug,34 – Henderson band on tour Pittsburgh-,without *Red Allen, H.Jefferson, R.Procope (W.C.A.)
*Red Allen gigged with Charlie Johnson's band - Dick Brill reports that Red Allen once left Henderson briefly for a gig with
Charlie Johnson, coming back to Fletcher for a short while before the band broke up !
8/25-8/31/34, NYC., one week at Harlem Opera House. Stage Show, with "Snakehips" Tucker (dancer); "Sephia Gloria
Swanson"(pansy act); Monette Moore (singer); Four Brown Specks; Ray Moore; Ventriloquist Holmes; Sandy Brown; Apus
Brooks; George Wiltshire; Deanie Larry; Twelve Careyettes. Movie: MURDER ON THE BLACKBOARD, with Edna Mae
Oliver and James Gleason; (NYAN&NYA:8/25/34); NYA:9/1/34p4:
FLETCHER HENDERSON´S BAND PLEASES AT HARLEM OPERA
The throng that crowded the HOH
Saturday, Sunday and Monday, causing
Messrs. Schiffman and Sterling to
hang out the SRO sign as early as
Saturday noon, came in anticipation
ofseeing a good show, and although
Sepia Gloria Swanson was there with
“her” repulsive “she-male” glorifying
act, Addison Carey produced a good,
though rather risque, revue.
Fletcher Henderson, thethird in a
series of college bred maestros, headlines
the current show. Playing a
variety of songs that ranged from,
“Hour of Parting” to “Limehouse
Blues,” the audience wouldn't be
satisfied until the band had played
the National anthem of Harlem –
“Nagasaki.” Chas. Holland, former
Norfolk choir singerwas heard to
good advantage doing the vocals in
two selections. Mr. Holland has one
of the sweetest and most natural
voices heard on local stages.
Holmes, the ventriloquist, gave a
clever type of performances, pregnant
with good clean humor.
Addison Carey worked the semblance
of continuity into the revue.
The candle light dance routine and
the good night them, injected spasmodically
throughout the latter part
of theshow, are worthy of a brief
mention.
Brooks, Burns and Co. succeeded
(at last) in being funny.
“Snake Hips”Tucker, contortionist
extraordinary, has developped hiswaving
to a point where it is one of
the higher arts-so far as he id
concerned. He was forced to take
eleven curtain calls.
Monette Moore contributed the
song that she put over with a degree of
success during her stay at the
Sunset “Them Cat's Can't Dance,
They Got Ants in Their Pants.”
Also
When “Gloria Swanson” made
“her” appearance my spirits drooped;
when she sang “I'm a Big Fat
Mama With the Meat Shaking on
My Bones.” I became discusted; but
when “she” showed “her laundry” I
had a sinking sensation in the pit of
my stomach akin to the feeling one
has on his first ocean trip.
A talkie “Murder on the Blackboard”
and a serial, “The Red
Rider” complete the bill.
early Sept.34 - one week-Henderson´s band (not known if incl.Allen) in Montreal, Quebec: Palais D´Or Ballroom
(PC:9/8/34; Louis Hooper; WCA-Hendersonia)
9/11/34 Tu., NYC., FLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS ORCH. : Russell Smith, Irving Randolph, Red Allen (t) Claude
Jones, Keg Johnson(tb) Buster Bailey(c1) Russell Procope, Hilton Jefferson(as) Ben Webster(ts) Fletcher Henderson (p
on the lst title) Horace Henderson(p on the other three) Lawrence Lucie(g) Elmer James(b) Walter Johnson(d) Benny
Carter(arr)
/ AofH/Dec.DL/DecDL/CorCOPS/MCA(F)/Classics/HEP/
38598-A 2:42 LIMEHOUSE BLUES -aBC (Furber-Braham) Dec 157/AH-61/ -9228 /-79228/ -1912 / 510060/ CD535/1009/
-W.Johnson intro-Allen 32b-Bailey 32b-Johnson 8+8b-Webster 30b-trumpets 16b-
-trombones 8b-trumpets 8b-;
38599-A 3:04 SHANGHAI SHUFFLE -aFH (Rodemich-Conley) Dec 158/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / -- /
-saxes 32b-Bailey 32b-Randolph 32b-Procope 8b-
38600-A 2:54 BIG JOHN SPECIAL -aHH (F..Henderson) Dec 214/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-saxes lead 32b-Randolph 16b-Jefferson 8b-Randolph 8b-Henderson 8b-,saxes 8bHenderson 8b-
-trumpets brd-Allen & Randolph 16b-; -arr.H.H.
38601-A-B 2:49 HAPPY AS THE DAY IS LONG (Koeler-Arlen) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
from "Cotton Club Parade” -aBC; -saxes 32b-Jones ? 32b-Webster 32b-Allen 32b-Jefferson obligato 4b and coda-

- 177 -
9/12/34, Wed., NYC., same but: Procope & Jefferson (as, cl) Fletcher (p on the first two) Horace(p, on the last two) Russ
Morgan(arr) Alternate take of WRAPPIN´IT UP has been rumored; some European pressings of -A were dubbed from B.
38602-A 3:07 TIDAL.WAVE -aRM (R.Morgan-Trask) Dec 213/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-saxes & trombones 32b-Webster 32b-F.Henderson 6+6b-saxes Ob-f.Henderson 6b-muted brass 8b-
-Allen 8b-muted brass 8+2b-jefferson 2b-Bailey 6+6+6+6b-; (Cf. Vi-version 3/6/34)
38603-A 2:59 DOWN SOUTH CAMP MEETING -aFH (Henderson) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- --- /
-saxes lead 28b-Allen muted 24b-Jefferson brd 2b-Allen 2b-saxes & brass 28bclarinet trio & brass 4+32b-
38604-A-B 2:45 WRAPPIN´ IT UP "The Lindy Glide" -aFH Dec 157/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
(Henderson) -saxes lead 32b-Jefferson 32b-Allen 8+16b-brass & clarinets 8b-Bailey 8b-sax 8
38605-A 2:45 MEMPHIS BLUES -aFH Dec 157/ Neatw.CD-RP2016/ / --- /
-B 2:45 MEMPHIS BLUES -aFH (W.C.Handy) Dec 158/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-saxes 12b-Webster over brass 12b-Johnson 16b-Webster (high-ts) or Procope(as) & brass 12b
-Jefferson 4+4b-Randolph 12b-
9/15-9/21/34 - Philadelphia: Lincoln Theater: Fletcher Henderson Orch.& Stage show, with Alex Lovejoy, Bert Howell,and
dancing chorus. (Philadelphia TRIBUNE 9/13/34; W.C.A.-Hendersonia)
9/25/34 Tu., NYC., as 9/12 but: & Benny Carter (as,arr) Fletcher (p on 38724, -25, -28) Horace (p on -23, -.28) Will Hudson(arr)
38723-A 3:03 WILD PARTY -aWH (W.Hudson) Dec 342/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / CD527/ --- /
-Bailey intro 8b and obligato 32b-saxes 16b-Bailey 8b-saxes Bb-Johnson 16b-Jefferson 8b-
-?Johnson 8b-Allen muted 16b-Webster 8b-Allen muted 8b-Bailey obligato 16b-
38724-A 3:02 RUG CUTTER'S SWING -aHH (Allen-Henderson) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen muted 32b-Bailey 16+8b-Jones 6+6b-Jefferson 8b-Jones 6b-Webster 16b-
-Johnson 8b-Webster 8b-saxes 16b-Allen 8b-Allen muted 8b-
38725-A 2:51 HOTTER THAN 'ELL (= YEAH MAN) -aHH Dec 555/ --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
(F.Henderson) -?Jones 32b-Bailey lead 4b-Bailey 28b-Allen 32b-Webster 32+8b-
38728-A 2:41 LIZA (All The Clouds `ll Roll Away) -aFH --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
from Ziegfield´s “Show Girl" (Gus Kahn-I.& G. Gershwin) -F.Henderson intro 8b-chimes-saxes 32b-?Randolph
8b-H.Henderson 4b-Carter 32b?Randolph 8b-?Johnson 16b-Procope 8b-?Keg Johnson 8b-F.Henderson 8b-
38726-27 are by Casa Loma Orch.; 38729 by the Buccaneers; all Dec.-sides on: MCA(USA)GRP-CD16432”TIDAL WAVE” (1931-34; 21 sides)/
9/25/34 & unknown date bc-studio-rerecorded with added Red Allen(t) toFLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS ORCH. : Russell
Smith, Irving Randolph, Red Allen (t) Claude Jones, Keg Johnson(tb) Buster Bailey(c1) Russell Procope, Hilton Jefferson
(as) Ben Webster(ts) Fletcher or Horace Henderson(p,arr,ld) Lawrence Lucie(g) Elmer James(b) Walter Johnson(d)
Aircheck 3:00 RUG CUTTER SWING -v? (H.Allen) rec.by Squirrel Ashcraft/ RA-CD-10 /
-saxes 12b-Allen 4b-saxes 6b-muted trumpets 8b-
--- 2:57 WILD PARTY (W..Hudson) --- / --- /
-Bailey intro 8b-obligato 32b-Allen & reeds 16b-Bailey 8b-Allen 8b-Jones 16b-Jefferson 8b-
-Jones 8b--Allen t over Randolph muted-t 32b-saxes & brass 32b- with Bailey obligato 16b-
according W.C.Allen: c.Aug./Sept.34, unknown location, broadcast “The fact that the same soloists and routines are heard as
on the corresponging Decca versions, indicates that these were made about the same period of time, before the band broke up
in November. They might have been made during engagements in Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburg or other midwest cities.
Another possibility would be from broadcasts at the Roseland Ballroom late Sept.. There is a great deal of static and distortion
on the tape available to me; the ballance is poor, one trumpet being very close to the mike. Someone can be heard scatting on
the first title, and it does not sound like Red Allen.”
Evensmo: The sound is utterly lousy, and I dare not comment upon the musical value. The presence of two exellent
trumpeters also compounds the situation. The muted parts on “Rug…” are similar to the Allen-Melotone recording and are
definitely played by Allen. “Here comes Henry” is being shouted in the open horn solo, but no such proof is needed.
However, on a substantial part of the number another trumpeter - possibly it is Irving Randolph - plays very well. These two
execute a duet which I feel would have been a real collector´s gem if the sound had been better
Hoffmann: In fact it is a rerecorded session of 9/25/34 Decca-records with unknown broadcaster (v) Red Allen added on(t)
same like Charly Parker did so later playing on broadcast to his own record.
Billy's “Talkin´To Ya” in Hot Record Review – SWING MUSIC Aug.35p155 about Br.02039-2/6: Happy as The Day /
Wrappin´it up: What strikes me most about
“Wrappin´it up” is the likeness to Don Redman's arrangements.
Horace certainly put his term of office with Don to
good use. But if he hasn't already he will soon find that one
band's meat is another's poison.
Don't forget Don arranges for his own band so anything
with Redman arrangement qualities should only be given to
Redman´s boys to play. But wy should I write in praise of
Redman and his orchestrations? You already know how
supreme he and his boys are. If not - my! - what a pity! He's
the greatest craze in New York City - among the discerning
lovers of Swing music. So be wise - take heed - and be
discerningly concerned.
Here am I - wrappin´ it up for Don when - I should be
unwrapping Smack's "Wrappin': it up".- This arrangement,
has proved a little too difficult for the boys - perhaps, the
tempo is too fast. Still, due praise should be awarded to
Henry Allen, who is a really wonderful lead trumpet as well
as a soloist. Though not so supreme as the best known
trumpet plaver - or should I say - the best - unknown -
trumpet player ? The noticeable onces will observe how - in
one of the solo passages - Henry sounds just 1ike the trumpet
in Don's band - but then - so.too is this boy wonderful – I
have listened to this side - time and time again - Wait ! - Just
once again - Yes – I still the same about this side. - You see
- It wasn't wrapped up - carefully enough. On the other side,
we come - to what reallv is meat for Fletcher's '.band. The
lions had been well fed this day - Lots of chewing …

- 178 -
Leonard Feather about Big John Special –9marks / Limehouse Blues
10 marks on Br.01985-2/6 in Swing Music May-35p65:
There is little to choose between these two swell sides, though
Limehouse wins on the perfection of the solos and glorious,
glittering arrangement. In the reverse Henry Allen starts one solo off
rather too wildly.
Benny Carter arranged Limehouse Blues, and has produced the
most successful version since Ellington's. The first chorus is dead
straight, with nothing remarkable in the scoring; but after this the
boys get going. The second chorus by Allen on trumpet, and the
third by Buster Bailey on clarinet, defy description. Allen's phrasing is
extraordinary; you can never anticipate what he is going to do next;
yet, without indulging in patterned repetitions, he gives an impression
of perfect symmetry. Bailey's clarinet tone is thin, almost
flutelike, but he crams his chorus with excitement. Though he is not
afraid of semi-quavers, he never gives the impression (like, say Joe
Crossman in his less happy efforts) that hewants to squeeze in as
many notes as possible. There is method in his madness.
Keg Johnson's trombone solo and the tenor work later on are less
enchanting, but the dynamics of the ensemble show that this must
have been one of those days when the band really had rehearsed.
Big John, owner of the Seventh Avenue ginmill in Harlem, should
certainly be proud of the tune. Horace Henderson has dedicated to
him. Here again, thesection and ensemble work is irreproacable, and
thewhole thing gives infinite pleasure to the jazz connoisseur. Good
for Henderson. And better still for us.
Leonard Hibbs about Memphis Blues / TidalWave
Br.02116-2/6 in „Swing“ Record Review 1936p287:
These two sides were made at the greatest of all
Smack's sessions. The one from which we had Rug
Cutters Swing, Hotter than Hell, etc. It is one of the
grandest band swing records ever. Memphis has very
little solo work but it is a model for all jazz arrangers
to work from. The swing is there from the word go.
Saxes take the first chorus with a short interlude from
Ben Webster's tenor. Shortlived but inspired passage
from trombone, alto, and Red Allen serve to show off
the brilliance of the band as a whole. Tidal Wave is no
less good in spite of being what it is. The perfor-mance
is infinitely better than that on H.M.V. It is so much
lighter and it has even more swing than Memphis.
Fletcher has almost-not quite-succeeded in tearing
away the flashy clothing from what is in its naked-ness
a good example of the traditional march themes so
beloved of negroes. Ben Webster takes the first solo,
and is followed by Horace Henderson who is
interrupted for a few bars by the sax team and is
followed in his turn by Red and Buster at the top of
their form. After this the record threatens to fade out
because of the cumber-some figures in the original
arrangement, but the band breaks free from thses
fetters and marches off to town in style.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SURREALISTIC ASPECT OF SWING MUSIC by ………………. in JAZZ HOT poss.1935/36 p13:
The rich surrealism to be found in swing music is well worth (following sides are described and will be listed due to the
the notice of both the swing student and the surrealist. To the recording dates:1.Rug Cutter´s Swing (9/34), 2. Bessie Smith´s
former it is further indication of the broad scope of swing as a Backwater Blues (see Ruby Smith 3/9/39), 3)“Mean Old Bedbug
form of expression; to the latter it presents a truly great Blues”7/26/32).
surrealism spontaneously,.and independently developed. How have these musicians been able to express themsel-ves
Contemporary surrealism often tends toward the affected end so well from the surrealist viewpoint? What has ope-ned the
forced, a product of a too conscious school whose ambition door for them into this mental world of superin-tense
along that line is greater than the means of attainment at hand. emotions ?
In swing, it is handled by capable artists, no longer It is true that in all well rendered complex music the notes
undesirably hampered by technique, and who have no con- have the effect of completely surrounding and sustaining the
ception of surrealism as a conscious effort. Swing's surrea- listener in much the same manner that the dreamer is
lism approaches in quality that of Shakespeare and Poe in that surrounded by his dream. In both instances the individual is
it is to be found as an aspect only, or perhaps as a means; but made to feel the main figure in the procedure and the reason
never as an artistic and in itself.
for the existence of the dream or music. In swing music
Swing music's surrealism, though ever present. is stressed in especially, with its accent on the hot, the terrific tension
several noteworthy instances that represent the work of both produced causes emotion close in strength and density to that
white and coloured artists. If is to be found in varying inten- experienced in the world of super realities. The extremes of
sity - here in pure form, there in elusive suggestion - much as emotion reached by normal minds under-neath this tension
it has done through the works of the accepted masters of are sufficient; but with the further and not infrequent
surrealism.
stimulation of gin and « weed » it should not be difficult to
In “Rug Cutter's Swing” by Fletcher Henderson (Am.Decca bridge the gap between the real and super real. The
342B) a coloured orchestra presents a surrealism of the most excursions which swing has made into the world of
subtle type to be found in swing. Considered from the surrea- surrealism have been most successful. The two seem
list viewpoint, each separate rhythmic note takes on a faun- admirably suited to the demands made upon each other. With
ting familiarity. Where have they been experienced before? the interest in surrealism becoming more intensive, it is
Why do they sound so familiar. They are heartbeats ! - a possible that swing, in future hands, niight carry development
sound with which we have been intimate ; since before birth, more appropriately than the existing mediurns. It might be the
truly the most personal of all sounds. The two were not asso- rnosk appropriate ac-companiment to one of the greatest
ciated at first because in the orchestration each heartbeat has surrealistic possibi-lities - the motion picture with sound.
been so slowed down and rnagnified that each infinitesimal Swing records have been employed to accompany existing
vibration stands apart, sharp and clear. A sound, the equiva- movies of this type, but not with a very specific effect in
lent of a single wave length, becomes a drumbeat or the qui- view, nor with accurate synchronization. Wathever direction
ver of the saxophone reed. This intense auditory analysis has these future efforts shall take, they are well justified by that
existed only as a surrealistic power. It is the manner in which surrealism already apparent in swing music
a heartbeat is heard under the influence of anaesthetic.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Hammond in Melody Maker Sept.7-35-Hot Records - Br.02039 Fletcher Henderson: Wrappin'lt Up/
Happy As The Day Is Long: So much never intrudes itself; the writing is achieved through the use of ingenious
nonsense has been written about this unpretentious and well-nigh perfect tricks, brilliant, flashy solos and a terrific
record of Fletcher's that I am tempted to music for dancing.
tempo. In its way it is clever Benny
take up the cudgels in defence of it- The solos in this record are quite Carter stuff, but a little more sincerity
particularly the magnifi-cent first side, remarkable. Hilton Jefferon's alto cho- would have been in order.
which is both a compo-sition and arrangerus ranks with the best ever recorded Br.02038 Ellington: In A Sentimental Mood has
ment of Fletcber's - not, brother Horace's. for-phrasing tone and style, while Red only its first chorus to recommend it, since it is
Wrappin'lt Up has that looseness, ease Allen indulges in some exciting pyro- Harry Carney blowing his, bari-tone. But the
and grace which are so definitely parts technics. Nor can one overlook Buster beginning has Otto Hardwick at his most
of the Henderson musical make-up. It is Bailey's bit in the last chorus.
schmaltzy; the second chorus finds Rex
imitating Red Allen, and the rest of the
so different from the work of Don The other side is the very antithesis to disc has Lawrence Brown playing.in a style
Redman that it hardly seems necessary Wrappin' It Up and Fletcher's pecu- which cannot be mentioned in a family
to point out the fact. The arrangement liar talent. The impact of the music is newspaper.

Lawrence Lucie by Barren McRae, Jazz Journal 2-62 –
continues: … On one of the recording sessions with Benny
Carter, Lucie first met critic John Hammond, who was supervising
many band recordings at this time. Hammond, always
well thought of by musicians, was very friendly with Fletcher
Henderson and, when the Benny Carter band folded, introduced
Lucie to Smack. This was in 1934,and although Coleman
Hawkins had left and the greatest days passed, it was still a fine
band. Russell Smith took the sweet trumpet solos while Irving
Randolph and Red Allen shared the hot work....People who
knew this band frequently say that their records did not
- 179 -
do them justice. Nevertheless, they produced occasional
records of real merit such as Memphis Blues. Lucie's
swinging guitar is superb throughout, but is especially felt
behind trombonist Claude Jones' good solo. The final chorus
achieves a great buoyancy as it swings to a typical Henderson
climax, spurred on by Lucie and James in particular. Few
guitarists can have opened with a band of this standing
without a single rehearsal, but this is exactly what Lucie did.
Rug Cutter's Swing and Down South Camp Meeting illustrate
how quickly he became an integral part of this famous
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------orchestra.
Red Allen to George Ellis & Peter Clayton in Jazz Beat, July 1964: On the subject of the 1934 Henderson sessions he was
most enlightening. Both Peter Clayton and myself found it,difficult to recognise with certainly Allen and Irving Randolph when
the records were re-issued here recently (AoH 61), but "Red" had no such trouble. "Will we disturb anyone". He glanced
around and slid the mute into place. "RUG CUTTERS SWING was me - it was my number any-way" he said. "LIMEHOUSE
BLUES was me too, but now, you take BIG JOHN´S SPECIAL. Remember this solo!" He played note for note from the
record. "That was Randolph, but later after the ensemble"-he broke off again to illustrate musically - "that was me". What do you
say
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------to
a man with a memory sharp enough to remember not only his own solos, but the next man´s too! ...
Imppressions On The Wax - Hot Record Reviewed by “MIKE” (L.Hughes) In TUNE TIMES March-35: -
STAR SELECTION – Br: - Henderson Heats Hell -Hotter Than Hell; Rug Cutter's Swing.
I am convinced that every man in this of that title with which I was familiar. could, and all the time the rhythm section
band, from Fletcher down, is nuts. But But why should I worry ? Hotter than produce that galloping effect which they
nicely nuts, you understand. And I like Hell has reminded met hat I was perhaps alone seem able to manufacture. "It
them for it. We know that the band is not not enthusiastic enough about Yeah sends you," as they say in Harlem.
exactly the last word in refinement and Man!, and provides me with a heaven- After such an emotional experience as
precision, indeed, we should pro-bably sent opportunity to repair the omission, visiting Fletcher's brighter and warmer
not like it so well if it were, but few will for it is just as good, if not better. inferno, rug cutting seems a tame
deny that, in nearly every case, they go It is played at that rousing break- occupation, not to say one which is
all out for it with unexam-pled ferocity neck tempo which Fletcher seems to difficult to visualise.
and élan. Now and again, as here, the favour just now, and with a gusto that Nevertheless Rug Cutter's Swing is
result is electrifying.
is indescribable. Perhaps it i s really good, too. pparently the only thing which
Now I will tell you a little story, but I not a performance of a standard distinguishes it from other kinds of
shall neither draw a conclusion nor point which rightly ought to be starred as swing is a slightly bizarre little melody,
a moral.
the best of the month, but the plain if 'you can call it such, which trumpet plays
About twelve months ago there was fact is that I have not had such a kick in the first chorus. After which the boys
issued, by the same company and by the out of any-thing else.
forget about rug cutting and go to town
same band, a record which was practically Everyone goes mad, Hawkins goes once more in the good old way. But our
identical to this one in rou-tine and crazy, Red Allen goes berserk, and trumpet pops up again at the end, just to let
orchestration. But it was cal-led Yeah in the last chorus but one, saxes and us know that they haven't forgotten what
Man !, and it did, in fact, bear a faint brass shriek yeah! at one another as tune they're playing.
resemblance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------to
a number
plainly as musical instruments possibly
H.Panassie about Dec F-49003 in: Jazz Hot No.4, 1935: …This Limehouse blues, on the reverse side, has been arranged
record is one of Fl.Henderson´s last discs made with his old out by Bennie Carter. It contains four solos. The first one is
fit made in Sept.1934 (line-up). Horace Hender-son composed played by Irving Randolph. I would say Randolph rather than
Big John's special in honor of “Big John”, the famous owner Henry Allen, as this chorus sounds more like the first trumpet
of'one of New York's ginmills. “The most striking thing about solo in “Big John's Special” than like the other. The
“Big John´s Special” is the very marked effect that Don construction of this solo is clever and appeals to me more
Redman has had on Horace Henderson, who arranged the than the trumpet solos of the reverse side.
number. The opening ensemble, particularly, is so simliar to Buster Bailey takes the following chorus on the clarinet. His
Don's work that you would almost be prepared to swear that he technique is marvellous. His tone is thinner than the other
had a hand in lt.” These lines come out of Eric Ballard's record great clarinettist's, but still very fine. Buster's fault is that he
review in the May issue of Hot News. He could not have written plays too many notes, and this fault is very notice-able here,
better. The beginning of the record sounds absolutely like Don though there are some good ideas in this chorus.
Redman's band. On the other hand, it's possible that some of I am not at all interested in the third solo, which is played by
Don Redman's records were arranged by Horace Henderson, Keg Johnson on the trombone. This musician, who is able to
while he was in the band. That would be a good explanation, do great things, sometimes delights in playing in the high
but I don't know if it is the right one.
register without reason at all.
The arrangement is very fine, and I particularly like the brass In the last solo, we are able to study one of Hawkins' best
ensemble in unison written in a marvellous hot style.
imitators: Ben Webster. Webster succeeds in imitating
The best part by far of the solo work is Horace Henderson's Hawk's tone, far better than the other tenor players I know.
piano chorus. It´s marvellous; the way he begins his second But what a difference in the inspiration! Of course, Webster
solo is “just too bad”.There are two trumpet solos: the first one has good ideas but they can never bear compari-son with
(second chorus) is played by Irving “Mouse”Randolph. His Hawkins' inspiration. The end of this chorus shows how
phrasing and his tone are very much like Henry Allen's, only much he lacks the genial outburst of “Bean”. His phrasing,
his playing is not so emphatic and his vibrato not so strong. But too, is not so easy.
you would swear it was Henry.
It is clear that Bennie Carter has given way too much to the
Henry Allen takes the other solo (the 16 first bars of the flashy side, in his arrangement. it is very good all the same. I
fourth chorus), which burst out in a tremendously wild like all the ensembles, including the last chorus. I expect that
manner.I don´t like much such an objective way of playing. I a lot of people will say that this chorus sounds too much like
would not say that the trumpet work in this record is bad; still it “Casa Loma”. That is a wrong impression, as in the “Casa
does not give me much pleasure. I don't appreciate these Lorna's” records a whole ensemble chorus consists of one or two
sinuous and complicated phrases and I much prefer the kind of phrases only, repeated without interruption. On the contrary,
style played by a Tommy Ladnier or a Muggsy.
in this chorus, the same phrase is only heard during the first
The middle-part of the second chorus is taken by Hilton Jefferson eight bars. Then Bennie changes and introduces something
on the alto, who plays in his usual quiet and delicate style. new. The band plays this arrangement very well, better than in
most of Fletcher's recording.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

H.Panassié in Jazz Hot No.5, 1935 about Down south .. /
Shanghai Shuffle on Decca F-49010 There is no doubt
that this record is one of the best Fletcher Henderson ever
recorded. And for the first time we have the opportunity to
appreciate Fletcher Henderson as arranger. Till last year
Fletcher had someone or other to make his arrangements.
Since a while ago he does them himself and shows off as
one of the greatest arrangers.
Down south camp meeting, particularly being not only
arranged but composed by Fletcher Henderson, shows very
well his personality. Thestructure of this piece is very
unusual: three different themesare played successively
twice each. The first one lasts 24 bars, the second 28 and
the third 16. The 28 bars theme has the 32 bars character
a,a,b,a, but is different in this way that the “middle part”
(b), is exception-naly 4 bars long instead of 8. Between
each one for these themes there is a fine modulation written
by Fletcher, and the whole thing fits perfectly.
Thewhole band plays the first theme, then HenryAllen
gets off on the trumpet. Then a modulation, and the
saxophones play the second theme, followed by the brass
section. A new modulation and three clarinets play the third
theme in the low register then three clarinets again but in
another tonality. The arrangement is perfectly simple, and
that is the marvellous part of it. Nothing flashy, only a solid
structure to help the swing. The composition itself is very
neat and justit. It is pure swing music.
The band answers exactly to the need of such a composition. I
don't know if there have been many rehearsals to it, but
Fletcher's band has seldom been so perfect. The saxophone
section plays wonderfully and the attack and the power of
the brass section is amazing. And how they all play !! The
brass and the saxes play with such joy in the first chorus,
Hilton Jefferson and Henry Allen play the modulation
leading from the first to the second chorus with such swing,
then the attack of the last brass chords in the conclusion is
so magnificent.
Shanghai shuffle is nearly as good. This new version is
high above Buster Bailey's and his Chocolate Dandies.
After the verse come the first two choruses arranged in a
very hot style for the saxophone, then for the brass, and it is
splendid. The swing here is again amazing. Buster Bailey
takes a beautiful solo on the clarinet, very much like the
one he plays in his version (but listen to the background in
'Fletcher's). The weak point is Irving Randolph's chorus on
the trumpet, but the last chorus is played marvellously by
thewhole band, except for the middle part played on the alto
sax by Hilton Jefferson. Don't fail to notice thechord played
by the brasss section in the beginning of the piece, between
two saxophones phrases. It is not often that such a
marvellous attack can be heard.
------------------------------------------------------------------
It surely is one of the best records released his year.
H.Panassié about Wrappin'it up / Happy as the day .... on
Decca M-39001 in Jazz Hot, Dec.35: Wrappin' It up is a
com-position and an arrangement by Fletcher Henderson in
the purest jazz style, entirely in the same spirit as Down south
camp meeting which I spoke about last month. I think that
Wrappin' It up must be considered as among the finest of
Fletcher Henderson's recordings. In this disc you can hear an
admirable alto sax solo by Hilton Jefferson. Here is a musician
with an entirely personal style who sacrifices nothing to
virtuosity. I have the feeling that he is the most perfect of
all negro alto saxophonists, with the exception of Johnny
Hodges and Bennie Carter. His melodic invention is exquisite,
and his playing is very affecting, on account of its warm
and living tone. The only bad passage in the record is an
eccentric trumpet solo by Henry Allen, who is more nervous
than ever. He gives himself up to acrobatics which are
all the more annoying because they are so fright-fully out
of place in the simple and direct tons given to the rest of the
interpretation. But all the ensemble passages are very fine in
quality. The orchestra plays with the same attack and the
same precision which had already delighted us in Down
south camp meeting and Shanghai shuffle. Here is a
record which can serve as an example to all jazz musicians.
Happy as the day is long is far from being as satisfactory
as Wrappin' It up. The arrangement well written by Bennie
- 180 -
Carter. It is much better than the orchestration which Bennie did of
Limehouse Blues for Fletcher's same combination, but it is not
the best Bennie Carter. All the same the hot sax quartette in the
second chorus is not lacking in some of the qualities which are to
be found in all saxophone ensembles arranged by Bennie. The last
chorus is also good, the orchestra playing it very well. The soloists
on this side are Ben Webster (tenor), Irving Randolph (trumpet)
and probably Claude Jones (trombone). 'I'hese solos are quite
agreeable, but contain nothing outstanding.
On the whole, this interpretation of Happy as the day is long,
with its brilliant but superficial character, is entirely opposedto
homogenelly and model putity of Wrappin' It up .
------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassic in Jazz Hot. Junc-36 about Tidal Wave / Memphis
Blues on Br. – 505030 This record by Fltcher is not the best of
the series he made in the autumn of 1934, a series which inclu-des
Wrappin' it up, Shanghai Shuffle. The arrangement of Memphis
Blues is oldish, boring and ridicu-lous and the soloists are not very
inspired. All the same, there are two short alto sax passages by
Hilton Jefferson which are really admirable. Tidal Wave had already
been recorded for Victor. and the two versions offer the same
qualities and the same defects: excellent solos and inspired music
and arranging by either Will Hudson or Russ Morgan. Buster Bailey
takes a clarinet chorus at a pleasant speed and with very hot tone.
Ben Webster on tenor is plainly not as good as Hawkins in the
H.M.V. version, but his playing is fairly satisfactory. The piano
seems to be by Fletcher himself rather than by his brother Horace.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassie in Jazz Tango No.57 June 1935p20 about F 49.003
Limehouse Blues / Big John Special:
Nous voyons. apparaitre pour la première fois de Fletcher
Henderson dans le catalogue Decca. Il s'agit en effet là des
enregistrements effectués par la nouvelle Compagnie américaine
Decca - effectués avant qu'aient surgi les difficultés multiples
auxquelles cette Compagnie doit faire face maintenant aux Etats
Unis. On sait que Fletcher Henderson n'a plus d´orchestre à
proprement parler, mais qu'il réunit comme la plupart des autres «
vedettes du disque » (en Amérique et ailleurs) des musiciens,
pour les séances qu'il arrive à trouver ci et là. Il se sert en partie
d'arrangements de Bennie Carter et c'est le cas pour son
Limehouse Blues. Il n´y a pas moins de six chorus, dont le
premier et dernier sont purement orchestraux et les autres instrumentaux.
Le second chorus de Henry Allen à !a trompette est
particulièrement réussi; celui de clarinette est surchargé de notes
et ressemble à quelque exercice difficile de clarinette ; il est de
Buster Bailey ; le quatrième est joué par l'orchestre avec une part
prédominente de Benny Morton au trombone ; enfin au cinquième
on entend - assez mal d'ailleurs - un saxo-ténor assez quelconque.
La batterie joue avec beau - coup de «swing», de même la guitare.
Big John Special est beaucoup moins réussi ; il n'y a guère que le
solo de piano à mentionner, et le second solo de trompette de
Henry Allen. L'arrangement est ennuyeux au possible.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerald Lascelles in Jazz Journal 11-63 about AoH-AH61: The
reissue of these interesting tracks by Fletcher Henderson is a
logical extension of the "Study In Frustration" albums we had
earlier this year and the excellent Smack (Ace of Hearts AH41). It
has an even more important significance in that was the band and
the arrangements which enabled Benny Goodman to. remodel his
own group to the stage where, a year later, their public inpact
virtually launched the swing era of jazz. It was easy to be wise
after the event, but every aspect of Fletcher's arrangements
appears in later works by Goodman, who eventually hired him as
pianist and arranger. Ironically this was, apart from a few
composer credits, almost the only recognition Henderson
received for the tremendous part he played in paving the way to
fame and fortune for so many less experts but commercially
acceptable musicians. The main soloists are Red Allen, Keg
Johnson, Buster Bailey, and Ben Webster, but in some ways it is
the ensemble which interests me most in these sessions. Here
Henderson attempts to clean up the messy, frilly section work of
his earlier bands, especially in the reed department, so that there
is a much more concise co-ordination between reeds and brass.
My particular favourites are Wrappin' It Up and Down South,
both of which are absorbed into the Goodman book. Wild Party
boasts a certain frenzied element which is typical of the band, and
both Big John and Rug Cutter embrace the idea of the "new"
sound in its fullest sense. No one should find it difficult to enjoy
and appreciate this swinging music.

- 181 -
MadelaineGautier;Bul.D.H.C.F. No.50/Aug.55pl4 FLETCHER HENDERSON - Microsillon 33 tours (CID UM 233.517) groupant
Down South camp meeting, Big John Special, It's the talk of the town, Hotter than 'ell sur une face; Wild party, Rug cutter's
swing, Wrappin' it up, Happy as the day is long au verso (ce recueil est le No.13 de la collection «Chefs-d'Oeuvre du Jazz» que
publie CID depuis quelques mois). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Il y a si peu de disques de Fletcher Henderson trouvables en
France que nous saluons l'aoparition de ce microsillon avec
une joie particulière. Fletcher a vraiment eu un des meilleurs
ochestres dans l'histoire du jazz, et ces interorétations datent
d'une de ses plus brillantes périodes ; Sept.`34, sauf It's the
talk of the town qui a été enregistré un an plus tôt. Je
m'empresse de vous dire que ce microsilon est d'une qualité
technique inespérée. L'orchestre sonne presque aussi bien que
dans les 78 tours originaux.
Down South camp meeting a toujours été considéré, à juste
titre, comme un des chefs-d'oeuvre de Fletcher Henderson.
Com-posé et arrangé par Fletcher lui-même, le morceau
comprend trois thèmes, dont deux d'une structure peu
habituelle. Le premier, long de 24 mesures (forme A, B, A) est
d'abord exposé par les saxos, avec réponses ou ponctua-tions
des cuivres ; puis il sert de tremplin à des variations de
trompette par Henry Allen qui est, ici, assez bien inspiré. Un
interlude exécuté par Hilton Jefferson ou saxo alto et Henry
Allen à la trompette amène le second thème, long de 28
mesures, qui présente le caractère des thèmes classiques de 32
mesures A, A, B, A, avec cette différence que le « pont » (la
phrase B) n'est long que de 4 mesures au lieu de 8. Ce thème
est joué deux fois, d'abord par les saxos, ensuite par les
cuivres avec accompagnement des saxos. Un nouvel interlude
amène ensuite le troisième theme, un 16 mesures sans pont,
exécuté deux fois lui aussi, en trio de clorinettes, d'abord dans
le grave puis dans l'aigu, avec « réponses » des cuivres. Tout
cet arrangement, d'une structure simple et exemplaire, est
conçu en vue du swing, et l'orchestre le swingue effectivement
comme il le mérite. Remarquez la formidable attaque
d'ensemble des trompettes lorsqu'ils ponctuent la partie des
saxos ou des clarinettes et, en particulier, lorsqu'ils exécutent
la phrase ascen-dante par laquelle se termine l'interprétation. La
section rythmique n'est pas moins à la hauteur. Si l'on perçoit
mal la partie de batterie de Walter Johnson, celle de
contrebasse ressort très bien et l'on constate qu'Elmer James
swingue dans le style de Pops Foster, légèrement mitigé de
l'influence de John Kirby.
Big John special a été composé et arrangé par Horace
Henderson, frère de Fletcher, qui y tient le piano. Il est possible
qu'Horace tienne le piano (à la place de Fletcher) dans
plusieurs autres interprétations de ce recueil, mais c'est le seul
morceau dans lequel on puisse l'identifier, car c'est le seul qui
contienne des passages de piano en solo ; et le style à la Earl
Hines d'Horace y est bien reconnaissable. Les autres solistes
sont Irving Mouse Randolph et Henry Allen à la trompette qui
apparaissent dans cet ordre. Randolph est bon mais Henry
Allen joue de façon trop emphatique. A noter aussi un court
mais plaisant passage de saxo alto par Hilton Jefferson (« pont
» du chorus de Randolph). Quant à l'arrangement, il est d'une
excellente facture et rappelle les orchestrations qu'Horace
Henderson écrivit pour Don Redman ou cours des 'années
précédentes.
It's the talk of the town est le seule interprétation lente du
recueil. La premier chorus est un exposé du thème par
l'ensemble de l'orchestre, le second est un des plus beaux
solos, de saxo ténor que Colemon Hawkins ait jamais joués.
“C'est ce chorus, me dit un jour Don Byas, qui me décida à
abandonner le saxo alto pour le ténor” Hawkins y fait preuve
d'un lyrisme extraor-dinaire, créant de belles phrases bien
décou-pées, admirablement enchaînées dans un esprit très
voisin de celui de Louis Armstrong. Ce n'est pas du tout le
Hawkins de Body and Soul; c'est plutôt le Hawkins de One
Hours, celui qui a tant influencé Herschel Evans, Chew et
tant d'autres saxos ténor au début des années 30. L'excellent
enregistrement permet de jouir parfaitement de sa sonorité
ample, massive et veloutée, et de la force inouie avec Iaquelle
il attaque chaque note dans les phrases « staccato ».
Hotter than 'ell n'et autre que le morceau-riff, dû à la plume
de Fletcher, qui fut d'abord intitulé Yeah Man. Count Basie
l'alma tellement qu'il l'inscrivit au répertoire de son orchestre
une huitaine d'années plus tard, sans modifier quoi que ce soit
à l'arrangement (il l'enregistre en V-disc). Fletcher Henderson
enregistre ce morceau une première fois en 1933 sous le titre
de Yeah Man, mais la version de 1934, celle du présent
recueil, est supérieure parce que les puissants chorus de riffs
d'ensemble sont bien rendus par l'enregistrement. Les solistes
sont ici Buster Bailey, qui joue de la clarinette avec une
fascinante volubilité, Henry Allen, inégal à la trompette, et
Ben Webster ou saxo ténor qui attaque son chorus par une
phrase particulièrement attrayante. Mais ce sont surtout 1e
swing et la flamme de l'orchestre dans l'exécution des riffs
d'ensemble qui rendent cetteinterprétation fort excitante.
Composé par Will Hudson, arrangé par Russ Morgan, Wild
Party offre des ensembles d'un style plus conventionnel,
encore que
l'orchestre les fosse bien sonner par son impétuosité d'exécution.
Buster Bailey y joue de la clarinette de façon éblouissante.
Les autres solistes sont Hilton Jefferson (saxo alto), Ben
Webster (saxo tenor), Keg Johnson (trombone), Henry Allen
(trompette), ce dernier moins bon que les autres.
Le thème de Rug cutter's swing est bôti sur une phrase qui
était très employée à Harlem vers le début des années 30. A en
juger par le style, l'arrangement parait dû à la plume d'Horace
Henderson, bien qu'il semble que Fletcher y ait collaboré. Les
principaux solistes sont Buster Bailey, jouant de la clarinette
avec beaucoup d'inspiration dans un style très « legato » ; et
Ben Webster au saxo ténor, qui a de bien jolies trouvailles. On
entend plus brièvement Claude Jones et Keg Johnson (dans
cet ordre) ou trombone et Hilton Jefferson au saxo alto. Ce
dernier ne joue que 8 mesures mois quel admirable petit solo,
extraordinairement chantant ! Et quelle belle sonorité ! C'est
Henry Allen qui expose 1e thème à la le trompette bouchée ou
début et à la fin. Notez la superbe partie de contrebasse
d'Elmer James.
Wrappin' it up est assurément une des meilleures interrétations
qu'ait enregistrées l'orchestre de Fletcher. Composé et
arrangé dans un style impeccable par Fletcher lui-même, ce
morceau est de la même veine que Down South camp
meeting. L'interprétation s'ouvre par un chorus d'ensemble
superbement swingué (avec, de la part des cuivres, cette
cinglante attaque d'ensemble que je vous signalais tout à l'heure).
Le second chorus n'est pas seulement le plus beau solo
qu'Hilton Jefferson ait enregistré, mais encore un des plus
beaux chorus de saxo alto dans l'histoire du jazz. Il n'en met
pas plein l'oreille, certes, et lorsque je l'entendis pour la première
fois en 1935, il ne me fit aucune impression. Et puis, un beau jour,
je réalisai subitement son extraordinaire beauté. En musicalité
pure, cela vaut du Benny Carter. Le swing est délicat, discret, mais
il est assurément très intense. C'est le contraire du swing
forcené à la Bostic. C'est un genre de swing souple,
extrêmement nuancé, très proche du swing des musiciens de
La Nouvelle Orléans. Quant au dévelop-pement mélodique, il
est d'une merveilleuse continuité. Chaque phrase est
admirablement bien trouvée et s'emboite à la perfection avec
la précédente. Pou, entendre des solos aussi parfaitement
développés, il faut aller, chercher les plus grands jazzmen : les
Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Johnny Hodges. Il est
seulement dommage que la sonorité d'Hilton Jefferson n'ait pas
été enregistrée de façon plus volumineuse ; mois, si elle est
rendue de façon un peu maiqre, on perçoit chaque note fort
distinctement, cor il y a la clarté à défaut du volume.
Incidemment, je crois que ce solo est une pierre de touche ; un
peut très bien prendre plaisir à l'audition d'Earl Bostic et ne
pas comprendre le jazz , mais seuls ceux qui comprennent le
jazz peuvent sentir toute la beauté de ce solo d'Hilton
Jefferson.
Le 3° chorus de Wrappin' it up est joué par Henry Allen
(trop emphatique une fois de plus), sauf 8 mesures d'ensemble
vigou-reusement swinguées. Le 4° chorus, en dehors de 8
mesures par Buster Bailey à la clarinette, est un arrangement
d'ensemble magistra-lement écrit, les clarinettes dialoguant un
moment avec les cuivres.
Happy as the day is long, enfin, est une orchestration de
Benny Carter. On y entend notamment un brillant quatuor de
saxos écrit dans le style si caractéristique de Benny. Les
solistes y sont Claude Jones, excellent au trombone, Ben
Webster au saxo ténor, Henry Allen à la trompette et (très

ièvement) Hilton Jefferson au saxo alto. L'exubérance de
l'arrangement, avec çà et là les feux d'artifice typiques de
Benny, forme contraste avec les autres orchestrations du
recueil. La section rythmique est plus ou moins bien
enregistrée selon les interprétations, mais dons toutes on
entend fort bien la contrebasse, et cet Elmer James swingue
vraiment de façon trans-cendante. Dans Wrappin' it up, en
particulier, il est formidable. Ce recueil eùt été parfait s'il y
avait eu Shanghai Shuffle, un des meilleurs Fletcher de
cette période.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J.Evensmo: Had there ever been any doubt of Allen's
abilities as a big band trumpeter (and why should be
there?!), these twelve sides definitely cast it aside. Allen
seems to thrive like a fish in water and does an excellent job
all over. To highlight some particular titles is difficult but
let's try! The muted solo on Wild Party and the logical
- 181a -
pensive open horn on Down South .. must be mentioned
first. Or may be Big John … ? … Hell and … Up have
particularly “angry” contributions, almost Eldridge-esque.
Rug Cutter has a very fine open horn solo, while Tidal
Wave is definitely moresuccessful than the Bluebird recording.
Limehous … is a little too fast for Allen's top level trumpet
(Borthen protests at this point), while Happpy … is rather
arranged and not veryexciting. But on the whole, his
contribution here is very successful, and he assists in making
these some of the most valuable Henderson's sides. Evensmo-
Note: The trumpeter Irving Randolph is soloing nicely on
… Shuffle, Big John … and Memphis Blues. 'Mouse' has
always belonged to my favorite trumpeters, and there can be
no doubt that Allen was a great inspriration to him.
Thesesoli and many others from later dates prove this. But
this discussion belongs in another solography Vol.12.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Clayton on AoH AH 61: This LP is particularly interesting, since it shows at what point the tendeny to write 'scurrying'
reed part was beginning to die out. All.the tracks here were made in the space of a fortnight in 1934, yet because of the way
the parts are written, there´s somethingdistinctly more modern to my ears about Camp meeting and Wild party than some of
the others. Henderson must at this time have been almost on the 1ast lap of his evolution as the arranger who would give.the
Goodman band some of its distinctive sound the following year with things like King Porter Stomp. And in Wrappin' it up he
achievesat one point almost the reed sound that Glenn Miller was to bring to sweet, treacly perfection some years later.
He didn't always get the crispness from his bands that he might have done, and from the technical point.of view there is an
untideness and roughness here and there (for instance, a.rather messy ensemble passage just before Buster Balley's entry on
Hotter than 'ell). But always a great jazz feeling, for he filled his bands with great players from Coleman Hawkins in 1923,
through Armtrong and Joe Smith and Ben Webster and Red Allen to Chu Berry In 1937.
The solo work of this particular band is mostly shared between Henry Allen, Buster Bailey, Ben Webster and Keg Johnson,
and Benny Carter is present on four sides. But Irying Randolph was there too, and I wouldn't like.to swear, for instance, that
all the trumpet work is Allen's. Take Big John special. The two trumpet solos seems to have different characteristics, but I'm
neither discographer nor musician enough to be quite certain. Further Ben Webster's tenor has an occasional blandness that
makes me wonder if, just sometimes, it's really Hilton Jefferson's alto. But theese points, though interesting, are academic, and
don't affect by one jot the impact of the music. This is a very fine band, and I don´t think you have to be neck deep in history
to enjoy it. But if you are. then added pleasure should come from the fact that most of these sides have not been around for a
very long time. One Of them, indeed, hasn't been issued here atall, as far an I know - Liza.
This collection shows a certain kind of jazz on the very threshold of the swing era. Henderson's fame was shortly to be
overshadowed and enormously exceeded by Benny Goodman´s and others and although he was probably the first to put on
paper the musical ideas which led to swing's remarkable popularity, he himself never really shared it directly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GIANTS OF JAZZ – HENRY ”RED” ALLEN Notes on the music by John Chilton; Time-life-Records , 1981
Mx 38603-A - Down South Camp Meeting: Fletcher Henderson and His Orch., Rec. Sept. 12,1934
One of Fletcher Henderson's most enduring works was
Down South Camp Meeting. It ranks among his greatest
compositional achievements and is played here by what was
probably the best band he ever had. The group was soon to
disband and Henderson never again led such a strong
musical aggregation.
One of the stars he would soon be losing was Red Allen.
This record shows what a serious loss it was. Five years had
elapsed since Allen's first recordings with Luis Russell, and
in that time he had changed his big-band soloing tactics. As
a younger man he had tended to burst forth, opening his
solos with phrases that made his audience sit up and take
notice, often using up his best ideas at the start. By 1934,
more often than not, he had taken to beginning stealthily and
gradually winning over even a casual listener by the
succession of developments he created within his solo.
Here he glides through a subdued, poised opening to what
is a gem of a solo. In the second four bars, Allen suddenly
switches to emphatic on-the-beat playing, hitting four
quarter notes as regularly as a metronome's tick. After that
he starts scattering phrases across the bar lines, hitting notes
a fraction before or after the beat, resolving many of them
into the rich sound of his lower register. The last of these
phrases are all heavily tinged with blue notes, and the
passage comes to a climax with a powerful return to on-thebeat
phrasing that leads Allen logically to his finishing note.
The rest of the number is arranged. The band launches into
an effective tension-building interlude that resolves into the
next strain, and then the saxophones and the brass pass the
theme back and forth for two choruses. There is another
interlude, the clarinets take up the theme and the arrangement
comes to an end with a terse and cleanly played phrase from
the brass section.
Most jazz analysts agree that a sense of "time," the inborn
ability to place notes within a musical phrase so as to get the
maximum rhythmic impetus from them, is the most important
of a great jazzman's gifts. Allen possessed an abundance of
that skill, but he had a highly individual concept of time. He
swung in his own very personal way, never using stock
phrases to whip up excitement. The invigorating effect of his
playing came from his ability to carry his listeners surefootedly
through complex phrases; he presented his ideas so
expertly and confidently that listeners never lost the thread.
Most of Allen's improvisa-tions, if written out, would look
daunting even to the most expert sight reader.
Down South was one of the first numbers that Henderson
adapted for the Benny Goodman band. Goodman's version,
recorded two and a half years after Henderson's, is some-what
more restrained, but it follows the same general pattern-and
Harry James in his trumpet solo demonstrates that he has
listened closely to the work of the master.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 182 -
late Sept34 -broadcasting, network – NYC., Roseland Ballroom- Fletcher Henderson band incl.Red Allen (PC:9/29/34)
l0/1/34 Mo., Pittsburgh.. Savoy Ballroom.- Fletcher Henderson & Orch. PC:9/29 & l0/6/34
W.C.A.:Hendersonia: The Courier stated that the band had "just finished a nation-wide
radio "hookum from the Roseland Ballroom in New York City" and that "so good is the
band that they are merely stopping here for a night en route to Cleveland ..." (Sept.29)
The men stayed at the Bailey Hotel again, and the register was published in the Courier a
week later. - incl. Red Allen & Buster Bailey , probably the last time with
the Henderson band before his recording date l0/4/34 with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band
SAVOY MONDAY – FAMED ROSELAND BALLROOMGROUP HERE FOR NIGHT
Maestro of Music World Will Head Great Musical Unit – First Time Here At
Popular Prices – On Way To Cleveland´s Cotton Club PC:9/29/34p8:2
Fletcher Henderson, maestro of the music
world, and the first nationally-known orchestra
leader, will make a one-night when he
and his famous Roseland Ballroom Orchestra
swing into their “hot rhythms” for the
edification of Pittsburgh dance lovers.
His band, rated once more among the
outstanding musical units of the year, is
without a doubt the greatest aggregation of
its kind in the country, and his appea-rance
here after several years absence should
draw a record crowd.
Local folk can remember Henderson from
the days a couple of yearsago when his band
was the sensation of the old Show Boat…
local white night club, located on the water
front. And the hand he has this year, which
worked during the summer on the Atlantic
City boardwalk, and just finished a nationwide
radiohookup from the Roseland
Ballroom in New York City, certainly
needs no introduction.
So good is the band that theyare merely
stopping here for a night an route to Cleveland,
where they follow Don Redman into
the Cotton Club there, reputed to be the
“hottest spot” in the middle west.
The band will appear here, working at
popular prices for the first time.
Admission price is50c plus tax.
10/2-10/29/34, Henderson & band at Cleveland- Cotton Club ; possibly still with Buster Bailey ! who could not have been on
the recording date l0/4/34 then.
After engamement in Detroit, early November the great Henderson band broke up! Fletcher couldn´t obtain sufficient bookings to
meet his payroll. With immense reluctance - and a broken heart - he disbanded the legendary Henderson orchestral
W.C.A.-Hendersonia: In retrospect, the instrumentals stand up very well, and even the 'pop' sides with singers, that Victor
was so fond of recording, burst forth with an occasional torrid chorus from Hawkins or one of the trumpeters. There were
small-band dates led by Red Allen and Coleman Hawkins, singly and collectively. There were outside instru-mental
arrangements by men such as Gene Gifford, Will Hudson and Russ Morgan, and lots by a new inside arranger, Horace
Henderson. Some of these charts were flagwavers, at tempos that Fletcher Henderson never tried. There were the occasional
instrumental ballads - I hesitate to call them'firsts' but at the moment I cannot think of an earlier Hawkins 'ballad' treatment of
a pop tune than his feature on IT'S THE TALK OF THE TOWN. And Hawkins later said that QUEER NOTIONS presaged
the types of chord changes later used by the bopsters. One of the small-band sides, DON'T LET YOUR LOVE GO WRONG,
even got the rhumba treatment!
The recordings from this period which I personally find most memorable would include HONEYSUCKLE ROSE and KING
PORTER STOMP, from the 1932 Col.date, in classic arrangements; NAGASAKI, featuring Red Allen, which became very
popular in Harlem; HOCUS POCUS, of which a second take was recently issued on a RCA Victor "Vintage" LP, signalling
the return of Buster Bailey; an excellent small-band RUG CUTTER´S SWING, as well as the full-band version on Decca;
and classic arrangements of DOWN SOUTH CAMP MEETING and WRAPPIN' IT UP on Decca, presaging the many
arrangements which Fletcher was to do for Benny Goodman.

- 183 -
W.C.Allen: Detailed Comparanion Of Six Titles (here shortened on sides with Red ALLEN)
Any enthusiast familiar with the recorded output of the Swing Era has learned to recognise certain arrangements of familiar
tunes, by characteristics such aa the length and content of the intro, the sequence of solos and ensemble passages, certain
figures or riff patterns which were used, and the ending. Some recognizable features of Henderson arrangements include the
descending figure used an the intro to I'VE FOUND A NEW BABY. the sax and brass interplay on WHEN BUDDHA
SMILES; the ensemble finale of AFTER YOU'VE GONE, the 'wedding malrch' intro to MINNIE THE MOOCHER´S
WEDDING DAY; the grating brass intro and first chorus of BLUE SKIES; the ensemble riffs after the vocal in BETWEEN
THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA; the cascading brass figures in CHANGES; the trumpet intro and C&R finale
of KING PORTER STOMP; and the "Henderson riff" in the last chorus of HONEYSUCKLE ROSE.
I have made a detailed conparasion of all the available versions of six tunes: DOWN SOUTH CAMP MEETING;
HONEYSUCKLE ROSE; KING PORTER STOMP; STEALING APPLES, SUGAR FOOT STOMP; and WRAPPIN' IT
UP. All of these had been recorded by both the Henderson and Goodman bands, as well an on occasion by other bands, all
from the same or similar Henderson arrangements. The results are extremely interesting.
One hears stories, for example, that bands of that period "always played a hit arrangement exactly the same way, just like on
the record." At least in Goodman's case, this is simply not so. Unfortunately, there are not enough Henderson air checks
available to show whether he did play them the same way each time, or not; on the contrary, the three available air checks of
his SUGAR FOOT STOMP are all identical in routine. I hope this publication will bring to light further Henderson air
checks which would confirm his musicians' statements that the band would take off on extended versions on occasion.
It turns out that, although some selections such as WRAPPIN' IT UP are "set pieces" played pretty much the same way each
time, others existed in a variety of "sub-arrangements" and variations of routine or riff patterns. The best arrangements could
be shortened to fit the exigencies of a recording or broadcasting time slot, or expanded if the mood were right.
…
These six titles - two New Orleans-based classics, two 32-bar jam session favorites, and two orchestreted original compositions,
are available in a large number of versions. They show a surprising amount of differences between different
performances of the same tune, end are evidence of the working out of these variations in rehearsal, and even of spontaneous
departures from the score during actual broadcasts. A full study along these lines would only further confirm that the
glories of the big band era - when the floor of the Savoy Ballroom would spring up and down in resonance with 3ooo
dancers and 12 or 14 musicians, using only rudimentary amplification - are indeed all what we remember them to be !
KING PORTER STOMP This venerable Jelly Roll Morton warhouse had been recorded by Henderson In 1928, in what
Fletcher himself described as a heard arrangement. Although.the prototype 1932 recording was credited as a Henderson
arrangement, it was actually based on some ideas of Charlie Dixon ( himself a very gifted arranger), according to Sandy
Williams! Henderson's 1932 and 1933 recordings consisted of the following skeleton:
Unit I (24 bars): trumpet opening solo; Unit II (4 bars): ensemble bridge;
Unit III (a series of 16-bar improvised hot solos, designated A, B, C, etc.);
Unit IV (16 bars): saxes lead with brass; Unit V (16 bars): brass and saxes, C&R; Unit VI : ascending finale, 2 bars.
These recordings both led off with Bobby Stark, trumpet, end there were six chorusse each in Unit III:
12/9/32 (OK 41565): III-A, Stark (t); B, Hawkins (ts); C, Sandy Williams (tb); D, Rex Stewart (muted-t); E and F,
J.C.Higginbotham (tb).
8/19/33 ( Voc.2527): III-A, Stark (t); B, Procope (cl); C, Wells (tb); . D, Hawkins (ts); E and F, Red Allen (t).
Chick Webb - Thesaurus transcription, from 1939, follows a.similmr arrangement but with modifications:
Unit I: Stark trumpet; omit II, no bridge passage; III-A, tenor sax; B, brass & trombone, trading 4´s; C, tenor sax; V
(sic), brass and saxes, C&R; resume III-D and E, Sandy Williams trombone; F, alto sax; G, trumpet; H, tenor sax; IV,
sub tenor sax & brass 8, brass 8; V end VI, as for Henderson version.
In Fletcher's arrangement for Goodman, there are some changes:
Unit I: solo trumpet 14 bars, unison brass 2, same solo trumpet 8; Unit II: same ensemble bridge, followed always by
Unit III-A: arranged saxes, 16 bars; then Units III-B,C,D, etc: improvised solos as before
Unit IV: as before, but C&R Units V&VI: as before
DOWN SOUTH CAMP MEETING
This was an "orchestrated original composition" with the Henderson imprint all the way through, and was played
pretty much the ease way every time, except for a truncated version played occasionally in 1943. It does not lend itself
to jamming. The full routine, as set down on the original Henderson Decca recording, was as follows:
Intro: ensemble, 4 bars;
Unit I: (24 bars): saxes & brass 8, brass & saxes 8, saxes & brass 8;
Unit II: Henry Allen trumpet solo (on Unit I harmonies), 24 bars;
Unit III (8 bars): Hilton Jefferson, alto sax, end Allen trumpet, trading 2-bar figures;
Unit IV (28 bars*): saxes & trumpets 16, saxes only 4, saxes & trumpets 8;
Unit V (28 bars*): brass & saxes 16, saxes 4, brass & saxes 8;
Unit VI (4 bars): bridge, ensemble & clarinets;
Unit VII (32bars): clarinets & brass, C&R, 4, then clarinets 4, alternating in this patterns
Ending: Unit VII continues for 1 extra bar.
(NOTE*: This in an unusual structure; the 4-bar sax segment replaces the 8-bar "B"strain, or middle-eight," in the
usual 32-bar AABA sequence.)
Of the numerous Goodman versions which I have heard, only two follow the identical routine as on the above
Henderson recording:
6/6/35 (Thesaurus 127-B): with Pee Wee Erwin trumpet, II.
7/19/38 (Camel Caravan): with Harry James trumpet, II;
Goodman himself was on vacation at this time, end Harry was "straw boss" in his absence.
On most other versions, Goodman's clarinet took over Unit II In place of a trumpet solo: ...

- 184 -
WRAPPIN´ IT UP
This tune is another "orchestrated original composition" written and scored by Fletcher Henderson from the ground up.
The original Henderson recording (Decca 157) goes like this:
Intro: ensemble, 8 bars; Unit 1 (32bars): saxes & brass 16, brass & saxes 8, saxes & brass 8, with an extra 1-bar brd;
Unit II: Hilton Jefferson alto sax, 32 bars; Unit III: Red Allen trumpet 8, ensemble 8, Allen 16 bars;
Unit IV: Brass & clarinets, C&R, 8, Buster Bailey clarinet 8, saxes 8, ensemble 8, No coda.
Instead of the usual AABA chorus (Unit), these are ABA´C units. Someone once remarked that Harry James, on
Goodman's Victor recording of this title, "imitated" Red Allen's solo: I think he missed the point - that Fletcher wrote
out the solo, just as he did the opening solo on KING PORTER STOMP or the Oliver choruses on SUGAR FOOT!
Even Goodmen, in the same slot on the 1935 transcription, plays a solo quite similar to Red Allen´s.
The various Goodman versions are closely similar to the Henderson, but in slower tempo: …
The two Rex Stewart "Alumni band" versions reportedly are from charts which were updated by arranger Brick
Fleagle; Unit IV in particular is different. The 1957 Jazztone runs for almost 6,5 minutes, and instead of a unified set
piece, Units II and III are replaced by a string of solos, which everyone getting their two cents in, something Fletcher
never intended with this number: "
***********************
J.C. HIGGINBOTHAM
The playing of J. C. Higginbotham, Dickie Wells, Vic
Dickenson, Benny Morton, and Trummy Young best
typified the swing era - hard-driving, riff-styled lines
that roared out of the ensemble. Higginbotham's lusty,
exuberant choruses were first heard in the Luis
Russell Band of the late 1920s. Later he played with
Fletcher Henderson, Lucky Millinder, Louis
Armstrong, and Henry (Red) Allen.
Like Teagarden and Harrison, Higginbotham was
influ-enced by Armstrong's trumpet, but his
adaptation of the style was more directly adjusted to
the deep, gutsy sound of the trombone.
Higginbotham's solo version of Honeysuckle Rose,
transcribed below, is taken from a recording by the
Fletcher Henderson Band:
It is filled with examples of Higginbotham's strong,
blustery style. The swing feeling - a more subtle
rhyth-mic development - saturates every note. Since
the solo is based almost completely on even eighthnote
and quar-ter-note patterns, the importance of the
swing accent for each of these notes is self-evident. In
the final six bars, in fact, Higginbotham actually plays
a long sequence of quarter-note triplets that retain a
deep sense of swing. It would be difficult to say
whether the Ab and Bb in Bar 3 were really intended;
regardless, they work and sug-gest - as do several
other points (Bars 12 and 13, for example) - that
Higginbotfiam had an unusually original tonal
imagination.
Higginbotham was one of the important predecessors
of the modern players. However, if any single
trombonist can be said to occupy a transitional role, it
is Trummy Young, who was influenced by
Higginbotham but who was also aware of the newer
developments of the late '30s and early '40s.
Also important as a transitional figure was Bill Harris,
who played in the Woody Herman Band in the middle
and late '40s with a unique, strongly vocalized style
that owed a great deal to Higginbotham and to
Dickenson's quixotic humor.

- 184a -label-scans- 18 -

- 184b -label-scans-19

- 184c -label-scans-20

- 184d -label-scans-21

- 184e -label-scans-22

- 184f -label-scans-23

THE HENRY“RED“ ALLEN – COLLECTION
===========================================================================
a non-commercial bio-disco-documentation
part – 1b: Oct. 1934- Sept. 1940 here chapter-3:
with the
MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND Oct.1934 – Jan.1937
=======================================================
with almost all the original sources:
reviews, previews, record-reviews through the years by controverse critics,
advertisements and photographs compiled out of
periodicals, newspapers, jazzbooks, LP-/CD-cover-notes
HENRY“RED“ ALLEN
-------------------------------------------------------- -
Jan., 7th, 1906 – Apr., 17th , 1967
a trumpeter between styles and generations
with an impression about the surrounding conditions and collegial performers ;
also about the most fascinating world of the black show-business and its social background
reported by the weekly black newspress papers and different jazz magazines
a n d h i s c l o s e s t m a n ,
J.C. HIGGINBOTHAM
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -
May, 11th , 1906 – May, 26th , 1973
by Franz Hoffmann
Kortumstr.270, D-44787 Brilon, Tel.: 0049-234-51621961; e-mail: hoff-frant@t-online.de
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 2000 / with better typewritten press clips & more record-reviews June 2004 &Oct.2005
overworked for pdf-data March-2012

III
Contents:
BIO-DISCO part-1a: New Orleans / Luis Russell / different orchestras / Fletcher Henderson 253 pages
Introduction & other available books II
References and book reviews IV-V
Credits, Instrumental abbreviations VI
Label Abbreviation VII
Survey about clubs / venues in Harlem and Brooklyn VIII
INTRODUCTION: Martin Williams - “Henry Red” 1
Witney Balliett - “THE BUES IS A SLOW STORY” 10
Mississippi Rag Nov.93 – J. Lee Anderson – Henry Red Allen 14.1-14.8
Other general articles about Red Allen by Chilton, Goffin, M.Boujut 15
Chapter-1a: The Early Days 1906-27 in Algiers, New Orleans, gigs on the Mississippi 19
-1b: The Early Days 1927-29, first trip to New York then on the Riverboats 26
Albert McCarthy: Red Allen-Autobiography - The Early Days 32
Other articles by Pearlie Mae to P.Carr; Allen to John Lucas; & WYES-TV-1966 36
Algiers walking tour -by K. Herridge / Best of West - by K.Reckdahl / Jazzwalk´s lamppost 39a-39f
Chapter-2: 29-33 with the LUIS RUSSELL ORCHESTRA & first mixed bands 40
Longer articles by Pops Foster, Frank Driggs, Al Mc Carthy, Johnny Simmen, 43
Swing Music-36; Henk Niesen; Harald Grut, David Ives, 55
J.R.T.Davies & L.Wright Andrew Sylvester, Harry Walton, Barry McRae; 60
Keith Nichols – J.C.Higginbotham; Eddie Lambert; Jean Pierre Daubresse, 66-70
& Michel Andrico about L.Russell (p106-107); Al Nicholas about Jelly Roll 109
Chapter-3: Sept.31-May 1933 intermission with different orchestras incl.Charlie Johnson 114
Don Redman: Albert Mc Carthy 114
Rhythmakers: E.Lambert, Ch.Fox (p121); H.Panassié (p130-132); Peter Kunst 133
Articles by Spike Hughes, Ray Horricks, Nank Niesen, Max Harrison, 138
H.Panassié Peter Tanner, Stanley dance, BarrenMcRae, John Hammond 145
June`33-Oct.`34 with FLETCHER HENDERSON´s ORCH. & studio bands 148
Articles by: GEMS OF JAZZ (p156-157);W.C.A.:HENDERSONIA (p183-184) 184
BIO-DISCO part-1b: Mills Blue Rhythm Band 1934-36 / Day By Day Louis Armstrong 1937-40 301 pages
Chapter-4: 1934-1937 THE MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND & pick-up-bands 185
Ewin Hinchcliffe in Swing Music 5/35: RedAlllen – his records 202
Chapter-5: 1937-1940 LOUIS ARMSTRONG & LUIS RUSSELL & Bluesrecords 239
L.Armstrong: “Artists and Models”-247; “Every Day's A Holiday”-253; “Dr.Rhythm”-254/255/269;
“Going Places”-271/272; ”Swingin' The Dream”-300-302; different Fleischmann Yeast NBC-bcs
Jam-sessions, benefits: “Swing to Opera”-265; “Randall Islands”-273; Carnegie Hall-Oct.38:-289;
Jelly Roll Morton sessions - 264,306-311 ; Red Allen articles 286/287/311
ADDENDA: The Time Life article 1981 by Dick Sudhalter & John Chilton, incl. record reviews & photos, 336-360
INDEX for part-1a & -1b 361-366
ADDENDA: J.C.Higginbotham´s 1943 - “Warm Up” book for trombone –1 & -2 (solos to p-acc.) 27 pages
J.C.Higginbotham –solos 1928-41 transcribed by Ulrich Bela in 2001 64 pages
BIO-DISCO part-2 : 1940 –1953 173 pages
J.C. HIGGINBOTHAM - by John Chilton IV
HENRY”RED”ALLEN - by John Chilton V
Chapter-6: 1940-1947 OWN ORCHESTRA & avant-garde sessions 1
Articles by Rex Stewart `68, Red Allen`40, L.Feather, George Hoefer`42; CD.`44; Pat Harper `46;
Bill Kinnell `44-“HIGGY; Johnny Simmen `76; Red Allen `46; DB-Jan.47; J.C.Higginbotham`47;
Chapter-7: 1947-1954 REVIVAL BANDS 103
Articles by Herb Friedwald – G.Lewis on AMCD; G.Hoefer `52; Gus Kuhlman- Rustic Lodge
Ron Stayley `53-Higgy went Home; Thurman & Mary Grove `54; Douglas Hague `55;
INDEX for part-2 147
BIO-DISCO part-3 : 1954-1967/73 236 pages
Chapter-8: 1954-1961 THE METROPOLE ALL STARS part-1 1
“Metropole” by John Chilton: -2/-41; by Mc Carthy: -64-65; map of 52nd St.: -5
NPT-57: 29-35; Dec.57 Sound of Jazz: 36-39; Aug.58: A Great Day In Harlem: 54-55
1958 on ART FORD JAZZ PARTIES-WNTA-TV 46-59
Red Allen by G.Hoefer-1959: -60; Higginbotham by DB-59: -61; by G.Hoefer 1964: - 62
1959 with KID ORY on record session & Europa-Tour 71-85
Red Allen by W.Balliett –73; Kid Ory by J.Cooke -79; by G.Boatfield –80; by T.Standish - 82
Chapter-9: 1961-1965 OWN QUARTET - at the Metropole part-2, Embers, London House, e.t.c. 93
Martin Williams article – 97 &104; Chicago & All That Jazz –98; Don Ellis article – 111;
1964 with LOCAL BANDS on Tours through England 113-134
Chapter-10: 1965-67 The Avantgarde Quartets, Monterey-65 on p142; Newport-66 on pp152-154; 138
“Higgy Comes Home” 1966-WAGA-TV & article by Dan Havens; 159-164
1966/67 with LOCAL BANDS on Tours through England 146-151/166-168
Final Days: funerals of Buster Bailey & Red Allen; Red Allen benefit; obituraries; 169-178
J.C.Higginbotham – last TV-69, article by B.Haughton 1970; obituary 1973; & addenda 179-181
INDEX for part-3 182-186
Survey about JAZZ ADVERTISED 1910-1967 187-190
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Survey about non-commercial audio-CD- series RA-CD-1-41 & JCH-CD-1-11 incl. many unissued sides 24 pages

- 185 -
Chapter-4: RIDE, RED, RIDE & BODY AND SOUL
Oct. 1934 - Feb.`37, Red Allen with the MILLS BLUE BAND;
together with Eddie Condon & Joe Marsala in first mixed bands at 52nd street, N.Y.C.;
own pick-up-studio bands;
subbed- also in orchestras of Duke Ellington 1935-37 and Louis Armstrong 1935-37
MBRB mid.1935: Lucky Millinder (dir)-Lawrence Lucie (g)-Shelton Hemphill (t)-Crawford Wethington (s)-Wardell Jones
(t)-J.C. Higginbotham (tb)Gene Mikell (cl,s)-Red Allen (t)-George Washington (tb) Buster Bailey (cl,s)-O´Neill Spencer
(d)-Joe Garland (reeds)-Elmer James (b)-Edgar Hayes (p) (alternate still shows the band in action on page- )
personnel-corrections of the M. B. R. B. : I made several corrections of the recorded sessions in contrast to the Rust-disco &
record-/CD-covers. These resulted on negro-press-, Radio-Pictorial notes and interviews with several musicians:
Red Allen & Lawrence Lucie had left Fletcher Henderson Oct.2nd 1934 to join Lucky Millinder's M.B.R.B..
Gene Mikell is present on the 10/4/34 session confirmed by himself (see solo-routines).
Hayes Alvis is present too and left the band May-35 in Washington for Duke Ellington. He was replaced then by
Elmer James (who had left the Henderson band fall-`34 for Benny Carter, he took part on the 12/28/34 Buster Bailey session
as with members of both bands- the M.B.R.B. & Benny Carter). His first appearance on the Allen session at 7/19/35 was after
he joined the MBRB in May-35. James was replaced by John Kirby in Oct.`36 (first press note) other sources say Aug. `36.
J.C.Higginbotham, out of full time music in 1934, had not joined the band for regularly member before late Jan./early
Feb.`35. It may be possible that he occasionally played with the band after the 12/19/34 Chuck Richards session whilst he took
part on the 12/28/34 Bailey session..
It is reported, that Red Allen brought his old friend Nat Story into the band for fall 1934 until early 1935 and very probably
he is present on some recording sessions of this period. Gene Mikell remembers him in the band but doesn´t remember
whether or when he replaced Henry Hicks, nor how long he stayed with the band.
Buster Bailey had left Henderson early Nov.`34 to play with the whole band under leadership of Benny Carter one week at
the Apollo Theatre of 11/16-22/34. Then he joined the MBRB. He returned to "Smack" in Oct.`35 and was replaced by
Willie Humphrey (Lawrence Lucie interview) who stayed until June `36 (John Chilton). Tab Smith had not joined the band
before the quote in “Radio-Pictorial 3/27/36” which lists Humphrey besides others, but not Tab Smith and not(!)Joe Garland.
Other personnel changes in late 1936 incl. Ed Hall, Johnny Williams, or Millinder´s 2nd parallel orch. incl. Charlie Shavers
of late Dec. until Feb.`37 and even a third one under leadership of Edgar Hayes (who had left early Nov.'37) are without of
interest for this disco. solo-routine of all 1934/35 sides identified by Gene Mikell

- 186 -
since 6/16/34 until early Jan.35, NYC., Cotton Club , nightly WMCA-broadcasts – L.Millinder & Mills Blue Rhythm Band
CD10/13/34p6: WONDER WHAT has happened to Lucky Millinder and the
Blue Rhythm Band! They are still at the Cotton Club in New York, of course,
but such little fuss is being made about 'em. Usually the band Mills has on the
"home grounds"(Cotton Club) gets all the noise, but in this case you hear all
about Duke and Cab and nothing about Lucky Millinder, and the stories come
from Mills' own publicity department too....
CD11/17/34p7: BLUE RHYTHM BAND ADDS 2 MEN TO CAST - New
York, Nov.16-Changes in the personnel of the Mills Blue Rhythm band under
leadership of Lucky Millinder have brought Henry Allen, Jr., trumpet player and
Lawrence Lucie, guitar player, into the ranks of the orchestra at the Cotton club.
Millinder and the Blue Rhythm band will definitely be held over at the Harlem
rendezvous for the advent of the new floor show, now in rehearsal.
NYA-l0/20/34p5: Lucky Millinder and the M.B.R.B. are still delighting the ofays
up at the Cotton Club...
Oct.1934
Lawrence Lucie in “The World of Swing” by Stanley Dance: … Red Allen and I offered more money to go with the Blue
Rhythm Band. We were with Fletcher Henderson in Cleveland at the time and the future was pretty uncertain. We told
Henderson how we enjoyed the band, but there was a chance to make some money. Fletcher thought it was allright for us to
go, so we left and went to the Cotton Club as members of the Mills Blue Rhythm Band.
Phil Schaap Interview with Lawrence Lucie part.1 from a 3rd Red Allen-programm:
Oct.Nov.1980 KPCC-FM “RED ALLEN life & records with interviewed musicians” by P.Schaap, prod.West End Café-m.c.)
1st program in the 20´s – early 30´s; 2nd 0f the 30´s (both unknown interviewed persons) ; 3rd of the 40´s interviewing 1st part
Sammy Price; 2nd part: Lawrence Lucie part-; 4th of the 50´s & 60´s with L.Lucie-continue and Sammy Price part-2.
P.S.: Did you know Red Allen through records or in person Louis, but they put it together in a different way. Louis put it
before you met him in a band ? Did you know about him on together by playing something very melodic, mavbe holding a
the scene ?
note. Red put it together by having a terrific ear of listening to
L.L.: Oh, yes, I. knew about him. The first place I met him the chords and knowing what the chords were and he played
was at the Rhythm Club and the first place I heard him play more notes than Louis did. He continued to play like that
was at the Savoy with Luis Russell's Band. I was amazed, I until, I think, Fletcher Hender-son's Orchestra, then later on as
was just as excited of his playing as I was when I heard he got to Lucky Millinder's Orchestra he started cutting down
Louis Armstrong in the same band at the same ballroom. on notes, because he became more commercial and he tried to
They were both very exciting players, Red was something get more melody and tried to go over with the public more,
special even at that time. I heard Red first and then I heard but when I first heard him he was just playing trumpet, he he
Louis second.
was playing a lot of notes, and he'd take a lot of notes almost
P.S.: So you got a pretty unique way. Most people heard like a saxo-phone, in the way, when he wanted to play great
Louis, then Red. Do you feel that Red is in the Armstrong- execution and he had a very good low register. He needed to
school of trumpet playing ? L.L._ That's the big question make lower notes and get a big hand on making the low
because Red did not sound like Louis. I think Red had a notes. He had that technique, later on he started doing little
unique style and a style of his own. In my opinion, Red had things differently. One thing I also admired about Red, he had
his own style, when Red took a solo (I happened to be lucky a great ear, like most New Orleans players. I could play the
to play in the band with both trumpet players) that's when chords down to a new song, just once and he'd remember all
you could tell that Red had a style of his own. He would take of the changes - just once.
a solo and Louis would take a solo and two different sounds. We got together before we did the sessions. I got to be his
(Phil Schaap at this point just reminds listeners that main man on the sessions. We got the whole thing together
Lawrence Lucie was in the Louis Armstrong Band when before we went into the studio and I would go to Red's house
both Louis and Red were in that Band).
and that's how we became so close and I know him so well. A
And Red was not the type really to copy, but he admired new tune, he'd play the chords down once, I'd get the changes,
Louis very well, but he was so deep into his own tradition sometimes I'd have the piano copy and have to put some
and his own trumpet playing. I understand that Red's Father progressions in and straighten the changes out, but once we
was a trumpet player and Red was set in his style, but he played it down, he could hear it on the band-stand, he could
admired Louis, he had a lot of Louis' clichés, I think, but he hear chords and also play from the chords, he did both. I was
didn't sound like Louis when he played them.
the sort of musical director. (Phil Schaap interposes just
(At this point, Phil Schaap remarks about Red and Louis' before this to suggest that Lawrence Lucie was a type of
tones). But he had so much confidence in himself until he musical director)
was pretty satisfied with what he was doing, it seemed like We knew what was going on and I was like, It wasn't a
he'd be copying it all, it was different with Frank Galbreath. musical director, but they had another name for it. I forget
Frank sounded near-like Louis, he wanted to sound like now. The guy who would get the music together before the
Louis, he loved Louis so much, but Red would just keep musicians get there.
playing his own style. Even though he sang, he reminded P.S.: So you met Red at the Rhythm Club at the same period
you of Louis with his feeling, he had a spiritual feeling like you were admiring his playing with Luis Russell at the
Louis and many traits of Louis, but I still think it was two Saratoga Club and things like that. How did you find him at
different styles. I think Red was very original and so was the Rhythm Club, did you get to know him personally or did
Louis. (Phil Schaap commnts about the Luis Russell Band you know him from the jam sessions?
and the jazz solos). P.S: Would you say Red Allen's style L.L.: Just to say "hello" like everyone else did. Everyone
was fully nature at this time ?
came in kind of friendly, have fun and socialise. P.S.: So
L.L.: Yes I think so, the only thing Red was playing much the start of your real relationship would be the Band ?
lower, he was playing more himself, just as he played when L.L.: Fletcher Henderson's Band when we became friendly.
he was in New Orleans. Red is very easy for me to talk about P.S.: And you joined that in the Spring of 1934 ?
because he was a man who I admired for his ability not only L.L.: Yes, Spring, of 1934.
as a. person. Red as a trumpet player had a touch of genius P.S.: And you noticed that Red had modified his playing a
like Louis. He knew what he wanted to play in his solo and little bit.
he could put it together instantly and so did
End of part-1 of the L.Lucie interview. Unfortunately I never got access of the second part nor of the complete four
KPCC-FM respectively the original East-coast programmes on cassettes or literary. Can anybody help ?

Red Allen in conversation with John Chilton: I guess
the reaction was natural, we joined what had previously
been a 'family band', Higginbotham, Buster and yours
truly were sort of intruders, but the guys relaxed when
Irving Mills spelt it out that the move was for the good of
the band. We really got to know the guys when we
worked a residency at the Cotton Club. We played there
often. The resident band was either Duke Ellington or
Cab Calloway, and we used to replace either when the
were away. Throughout all this action I continued to
make small band recordings under my own name, most
were for the record company that Irving Mills ran, and I
guess it is well known that his name found its way on to
many records (by name bands) as a composer. A guy
would record his own tune, then, when the record came
out he'd look at the label and find out that he had a composer,
maybe even two, who hadn't added or altered a
- 187 -
single note, yet they took even shares. It was all part of
the music business in that era. One day I happened to see
Irving Mills when I was visiting his office, he passed me in
hurry and said 'Allen, I´m glad you´re keeping out my
standards'- that was just about the sum total of his
collaboration! But I have to agree that it was Irving Mills
who set up the recording deals, he was in control of that
situation. He'd send me a letter confirming that a record
date had been set and enclosed a list of possible tunes to
be recorded. I'd read down the list and if I'd never heard
of the tune I'd think 'That looks a nice title'. I´d let the
office know which songs looked likely and they'd get the
publishers to send the song copies. The material on offer
was usually stuff that all the big-selling stars had rejected.
Sometimes I'd already heard a tune on the radio that was
on the list, and that was a big help in judging whether it
was right for our recordings.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Albert McCarthy –“Big Band Jazz”pp 255-256: …
Musically, Mills Blue Rhythm Band was a highly efficient
unit with a number of good soloists. It failed to rise
from the ranks of the secondary units of its day mainly
because it never really established an identity. …
In the autumn 1934, the band's solo strength received a
fillip with the arrival from the Fletcher Henderson band
of Henry 'Red' Allen and Buster Bailey, who brought
with them trombonist J.C.Higginbotham. Over the next
two years, the band recorded for the US Columbia label,
with its sound becoming more modem as the swing era
got under way. Its greatest success on record was Ride,
Red, Ride, a feature for Allen which he concludes with
an exhibitionistic solo. Allen was clearly the outstanding
soloist with the band; his rhythmically adventurous
playing is heard to advantage on his own Algiers Stomp,
St Louis Wiggle Rhythm and Midnight Ramble...
After the success of the recording Ride, Red, Ride in
1935, Henry 'Red' Allen was offered the leadership, but
because of his liking for Millinder, he declined.
Another interesting musician was alto soxophonist Tab
Smith, whose floating, light and highly distinctive style is
well featured on St.Louis Wiggle Rhythm, Red Rhythm
and In a Sentimental Mood. Blue Mood sees a reversion
to Ellington pastiche, with Buster Bailey taking the theme
in the style of Barney Bigard. Mills's staff arranger Will
Hudson contributed Mr Ghost Goes to Town, a trite theme,
despite which Smith, guitarist Lawrence Lucie, and Allen
have fine solos, with Allen showing unusual rhythmic
freedom.
Far too many of the band's recordings at this time featured
totally expendable vocals by Chuck Richards, a mannered
popular singer of slight merit. However, the titles on
which Richards sings are seldom devoid of solos. Smith's
airy and relaxed contribution to Jes' Natch'ully Lazy and
Allen's beautiful closing solo on Shoe Shine Boy provide
reasonable compensation for Richard's cloying vocals.
With a much changed personnel, the band made its final
records for the Variety label during 1937, among them
good performances of Chappie Willet's Blue Rhythm
Fantasy and Prelude to a Stomp. A year later it disban-ded,
an occurrence which received almost no publicity.
10/4/34 NYC., LUCKY MILLINDER (v, dir) AND THE MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: Wardell Jones, Shelton
Hemphill, Red Allen (t) prob. Henry Hicks, George Washington (tb) Eugene Mikell (c1,as,bars) Crawford Wethington
(c1,as) Joe Garland (ts, c1, bars, arr) Edgar Hayes (p, arr) Lawrence Lucie (g) Hayes Alvis (b) O´Neil Spencer (d) Chuck
Richards (v) Alex Hill (arr) all three items on RA-CD-3a/ SWINGIN´ also on Best of Jazz CD4031
/Jazz Arch/ Everybody/ Classics /Arch.ofJ./
16035-A 2:50 SWINGIN´ IN E-FLAT -aGW (G.Washington) Co 3038D/ JA-10 /(S)Lp1013/(F)CD686/3891102/
-ens-Garland-Mikell-ens-Garland-Allen 32b-Hayes-ens-
16036-A 2:46 LET´S HAVE A JUBILEE -aAH (A.Hill-I.Mills) Co 2963D/ --- / --- / --- / --- /
-ens-Allen muted-t 8b-Mikell-Hayes-ens-Washington-Allen-Mikell-ens-Garland-ens-
16037-A 3:03 OUT OF A DREAM -vCR (E.Hayes-G.Washington) --- ./GAPS(DU)170/ --- / --- /
-Washington-Hayes-vCR-Jones growl-t-vCR-
BAA:9/29/34p6: Writing New
Show for Cotton Club N.Y.-
Ted Koehler and Rube Bloom are
writing the book and score for the
new floor show a t the famous
Cotton Club in Harlem, which
will have its premiere early in
October.
Koehler is the writer of "Stormy
Weather" from an earlier club
revue, and Bloom is better known
for his "Song of the Bayou."
Auditions are being held daily at
the club for new talent and chorus
rehearsals have begun.
Lucky Millinder and the Mills
Blue Rhythm Band will remain at
the club for the premiere of
the new show. It is probable
that Cab Calloway and his
orchestra will replace them on
or about December 1.
BAA:10/20/34p6:
Lucky to Stay at Cotton
Club N.Y. - (MN)-Lucky
Millinder and the Mills Blue
Rhythm Band will be held
over at the Cotton Club for
the new floor show, which
will have its premiere this
month.
Ted Koehler and Rube Bloom
are writing the book and
score for the new revue,
which will be similar in style
and character to the shows
which originally made the
Harlem spot a favorite
rendezvous.

- 188 -
NYA-10/20/34p5: Lucky Millinder and the MBRB are still delighting the ofays up at the Cotton Club
10/12-18/34, NYC., Harlem Opera House – “Cotton Club Revue” with Lucky Millinder & M.B.R.B. with Chuck Richards,
O'Neil Spencer, Pops & Louie, Meers & Meers, Lena Horne, Lethia Hill, Roy Atkins, Willie Jackson, Avon Long,
Dynamite Doctor,etc. (unfortunately I miss my copied review-NYAN-10/20/34p14)) advert..& preview-NYAN:10/13/34p14
one week in late-1934 (as also in 1935 and 1936) at the RKO-Palace Theatre, B´way at 47th St. (surely around engagements at the
Loew´s Theatre circuit) - Lucky Millinder & his MBRB feat. “Edgar Hayes, Red Allen, O´Neil Spencer” fronted by Dickie
Wells (entertainer, m.c.) reported by Dickie Wells in his a detailed life-story, part.4 - NYA: 7/2/49p4
CD11/24/34p7: COTTON CLUB'S NEW SHOW GETS CRITICS' O.K.
New York, Nov.23-The new edition
of the Cotton Club's show presented
Sunday night scored a tremendous hit
with first nighters who pleaded for more
long after the scene had shifted to dancing.
The production is studded with
stars. The Blue Rhythm band with Lucky
Millinder as leader, supplies the music
and does a fine job of the assignment.
The stagers are the Nicholas brothers,
Meeres and Meeres, Lethia Hill, “John
Henry” of radio fame and his choir;
Ophelia and Pimento and a fast stepping
chorus.
There was plenty of click to the production
despite the fact that it was in its
first evening. The Blue Rhythm band
will remain in the production for
another three weeks before taking to
the road. Another Irving Mills band will
take the place vacated about Dec. 1.
Oakland, who wrote the melodies for
the Ziegfield Follies of 1931, “Americana,”
Joe Cook's “Hold Your Horses“
and others, has written some grand
tunes for the Cotton Club, including
“Jingle of the Jungle,“ “Like a Bolt
from the Blue,” “Sidewalks of Cuba”
and “I'm a Hundred Per Cent for You.“
11/23/34 NYC., Rockland Palace, - Dance with the MBRB – Kaiser Marshall´s Band – Louis Metcalf´s Band & others
below-NYAN:10/13/34p14 NYAN:11/17/34p4
LOOKING AT THE STARS –
Lucky and Clara
by R.Matthews BAA-10/27/34p6
TRY TO FORGET
Try to forget, won't you ?
All You have meant to me,
And all I've meant to you, too;
I'm sending back to you
The things you sent to me.
Your day dreams. Your gay dreams.
Your glad dreams. Your mad dreams.
Don't forget will you ?
That mem`ries haunt me, too ;
Here's what they want me to do.
To go on just doing my best to forget
So I'll be remembering you.
The words above may only be the
lyric to a radio song to some folks,
but I'm dedicating it to the 'Lucius
(Lucky) Millenders, who had their
final(?) quarrel last week.
According to reports, they are going
to undo the minister's mistake via the
legal route. But I've heard that report
so many times before. But this time it's
serious, their friends say, and nothing
but melting papers will cure their.
This was once looked upon as the
theatre's perfect romance, if theatre
romances can reach perfection. It was
in Chicago that Lucky and Clara met.
He was an up and coming producer of
floor shows and she was-well Chicago
was good to Clara. She had money, she
had clothes, she had whatever her heart
desired, but she did not have love. And
being young she needed romance badly
and being young also, Lucky was the
answer to craving.
To accept Lucky, however, meant giving
up the maternal blessings that were hers,
blessings which she had shared with
him when he was making his way.
Clara made her decision and turned to
the stage as a career.
Here Lucky proved her inspiration.
He forced her to be more than a
chorus girl by making her take roles
that she thought she could not do. She
would cry in the wings when she had to
step out of the line to
do a bit. Finally she
got more confidence
and became one of
the stage's most
delightful soubrettes.
Lucky did not stand
still either. Once he
organized his own
band and toured with
some success, but his
big break came when
he was picked as
maestro for Irving
Mill's Blue Rhythm
Band, which he has
been conducting with
success for some-time
at the Cotton Club.
Their varying careers
took them along different
paths - and people
began to speculate.
The gossips had them
separated finally that
Clara Townsend

time when Clara, in a fit of anger,
is alleged to have tossed a bottle of
ink over Lucky's $60 broadcloth
white uniform while he was directing
his orchestra, but they were soon
back in each other's arms.
- 189 -
The gossips had them separated when
Clara went back to Chicago, the place
where their careers had their infancy,
but the burning wires and person-toperson
calls soon had them back
together again.
11/28/34 Wed.,NYC: Rockland Palace, - Thanksgiving Eve
BREAKFAST DANCE - 7 Bands: Glen Gray & Casa Loma
Band, Abe Lyman, Rudy Vallee, Duke Ellington, Claude
Hopkins, Ozzie Nelson, M.B.R.B. & Cotton Club Revue -
sponsered by the Cotton Club NYA:11/24/34p2
NYAN:11/17/34p10: Cotton Club Dance for the
Christmas Basket Fund – Dancing Harlem will have its
chance to dance all night at the big benefit break-fast
dance to be stayed by the Cotton Club on Thanks-giving
Eve, Wednesday, Nov.28, at Rockland Palace, with the
cream of America's musical talent furnishing the music.
In addition to the presentation of the complete new Cotton
Club revue and the rocking rhythms of Cab Calloway, the
Hi de Highness of Hi de Ho, it was learned this week that
the reigning maestros of Manhattan had volunteered their
services to keep the festivities from dark to dawn in an
effort to swell the coffers of the Christmas Fund for the
benefit of Harlem´s needy.
The management of the Cotton Club has definitely assured
that the following array of musical monarchs will
positively appear in person with their bands: Glen Gray,
Abe Lyman, Rudy Vallee Ozzie Nelson, Claude Hopkins
and Lucky Millinder.
And now the gossips say they are
through because Clara, in an alleged fit of
jealousy, used a knife on her young
husband when he was too friendly with a
Cotton Club cutie. Are they really through?
Can they really forget. We'll wait and see.
12/5/34 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Red Allen (t) prob. Nat Story,
George Washington (tb) Buster Bailey (c1) Gene Mikell (c1,as,bars) Crawford Wethington (as,cl) Joe Garland (ts,
c1,bars,arr) Edgar Hayes (p,arr) Lawrence Lucie (g) Hayes Alvis (b) O´Neil Spencer (d) Chuck Richards (v) Alex
Hill, Will Hudson (arr) Lucky Millinder (dir.,arr) all below six items on RA-CD-3a/
/Jazz Arch/ Everybody/ Classics /Arch.ofJ./
16271-1 2:53 AFRICAN LULLABY -aEH (E.Hayes-I.Mills) Co 3038D/ JA-10 /(S)Lp1013/(F)CD686/3891102/
-ens-Washington-Garland-Mikell & Washington-Allen 2b-reeds-Jones in ens
16272-1 3:01 SOLITUDE -vCR (E.DeLange-I.Mills-D.Ellington) Co 2994D/GAPS-170/ --- / --- /
-ens-vCR(Garland)-reeds-Allen 8b-Hemphill muted-t in ens-
16273-1 2:41 DANCING DOGS -aWH (W.Hudson) Co 3044D/Jazz Arch. Co 3044D/ JA-10 / --- / --- / --- /
-ens-Mikell as-brass-Jones growl-t-Garland-Bailey-ens-
12/11/34 NYC., CHUCK RICHARDS & HIS ORCH. on Br. & Vo.; same as 12/5/34;
16465-1 3:oo LOVE'S SERENADE -vCR (E.Hayes) Vo 2867 /GAPS-170/ / --- /
-reeds-vCR-reeds-Hayes-reeds- (similar tune as “Solitude”)
16466-1 2:44 KEEP THE RHYTHM GOING -aJG (J.Garland) Co 2994D/ JA-10 / --- / --- / --- /
-Garland bars & Allen growl-t in ens-Jones growl-t-ens-
16467-1 3:03 LIKE A BOLT FROM THE BLUE -vCR (Oakland-Parish-Mills) Vo 2867/GAPS-170/ / --- /
-Hayes intro-vCR (Hayes & Lucie)-Hayes-Allen 8b-Washington-vCR-
Impressions On The Wax - Rec.Reviews In TUNE TIMES, April-35: Br.O.1983:
Noteworthy Accompaniment - Chuck Richards: Love's
Serenade / Like A Bolt: Chuck Richards is a new one on
me. His singing is pleasant, without being remarkable,
but the accompaniment to Love's Serenade makes it
quite one of the pleasantest records I have dealt with this
month. I don't know whose band it may be, but they
put up a sterling show with plenty of "atmosphere."
There is some nice guitar work , and a really fine sax section
Evensmo about 10/4/ 12/5 and 12/11/sessions: Among
underrated swing orchestras of the nineteen thirties, one is
more underrated than the rest. For some inexplicable reason,
very few people have ever discovered this source of
joy. Maybe it's because the 78's are very rare these days,
but on the other hand, they are rare because too few were
pressed at the time, and only a handful were issued in
Europe. Even today where the pirates make LP's of almost
everything, Mills Blue Rhythm Band seems to be neglected.
The band swings better than 95% of its competitors at
the time, the arrangements are varied but mainly good, the
soli are on a high level, and the overall atmosphere and
passage with soprano leading, which might almost make
one suspect that some, at any rate, of Duke's band are
taking a hand.
I hazard a guess that it is Mills' Blue Rhythm Band. If so,
they make a better job here than they did with their band
record of the number.
inspiration are magnificent. Allen, in company with
Higginbotham, is the band's main soloist, and he thrives! He
is not featured so much on the first sessions as later on but
he offers some prime examples of his creative power. Just
listen to "Solitude", "Like A Bolt …" and "African
Lullaby"! ! Only 18 bars together, but beautiful and more
valuable than hours of routine work "… Jubilee" has a brief
but sparkling muted solo, also in the top category. The only
disappointment is heard in "... E Flat", the solo here is rather
loose and without much content. I fear that the prices of the
beautiful blue Columbias with MBRB will not get lower
after these comments !!!

- 190 -
12/19/34NYC., CHUCK RICHARDS (v) acc.by: Red Allen (t) Benny Morton (tb) Buster Bailey (c1) Charlie Beal (p)
Lawrence Lucie (g) Billy Taylor (b)
all three items on RA-CD-3a/ Classics /
16523-1 2:52 BLUE INTERLUDE -vCR (Benny Carter) Vo 2877/GAPS-170 / /(F)CD710/
-Bailey intro-vCR(Bailey-& Hayes)-Morton-vCR (Allen)-Allen coda-
16524-1 2:43 A RAINBOW FILLED WITH MUSIC -vCR (E.Hayes) --- / --- / / --- /
-Bailey-vCR (Hayes & Bailey)-Allen muted t 16b-vCR (Allen)-
16525-1 2:55 DEVIL IN THE MOON -vCR (I.Mills) Br.01990/ --- / / --- /
-Hayes-vCR (Allen & ens)-Bailey-vCR-Bailey-vCR (ens)-
H.Panassié in Jazz Tango No.57, June`35p20-Disques Hot-
about Chuck Richards Et Les Blue Rhythm Boys – A
500546 Blue Interlude / Devil In The Moon: Chuck
Richards est encore un chanteur nègre qui a mal tourné.
Doué incontestable-ment d´une belle voix, il s´en sert pour
interpréter le plus fadement possible – goût améri-cain – des
airs connus de Benny Carter, Alex Hill, etc., auxquels Irving
Mills a voulu donner plus d´importance en faisant ajouter
des paroles d´une bêtise indescriptible.
Les Blue Rhythm Boys qui sont censés d´accompagner
Chuck Richards se réduisent au strict minimum,
dont on ne peut guère citer qu´une clarinette sympathique
H.Panassie, Jazz Hot No.5, 1935 Br.500546: Chuck
Richards is a very agreable straight singer. The themes
BLUE INTERLUDE; DEVIL..., he chooses are excellent.
The accompaniment is good. Buster Bailey plays
a red hot clarinet solo in DEVIL…
Evensmo: The session as such can not by any means be called exciting to a jazz enthusiast, but when Henry Allen is
present something is bound to happen. While he sticks to plain ensemble in "Blue Interlude" and "Devil …" he
executes a brilliant muted solo in "… Rainbow …" and suddenly the value of the record is doubled many times.

- 191 -

- 192 -
screen work & prerecordings prob. 10/18 & 19/34, NYC.. Paramount studios - sound short film: "SYMPHONY IN BLACK" –
A Rhapsody of Neqro Life - DUKE ELLINGTON &
HIS ORCH. (& members of the MBRB on
screen only): In 1935-37 Red Allen subbed
occasionally in Duke´s Orch. and in an inter-view
in Jazz Journal-8-55, Red stated, that he is to be
seen in Duke's film "SYMPHONY IN BLACK".
Duke had used several members of the MBRB,
mannaged by Irving Mills too, posting for the
picture work but not for the Soundtrack-work. (In
fact the date of 3/12/35 for the sequence with
Billie Holiday, who never is to be seen on screen
together with the orch., given by a film projectionist
to Steven Lasker/Jack Millar was of wrong
source. The presence of Bessie Dudley who
returned from UK 12/28/34 is questionable.)
Very very probably the film sound-track & the
scene with the MBRB-members was recorded
around 10/18 & 19 when both bands had freetimes
of engangements (read Steven Lasker´s
article 5/1/05). Benny James (?on screen) had left
the MBRB before 10/4/34 replaced by L. Lucie,
his possibly presence due to his friendship w.
H.Alvis; Ruth Ellington was of the opinion that
it was Clarence Holiday. B. Bailey joined the
MBRB in Nov. & Higginbotham (both not present)
joined in late Jan.35. Fred Jenkins left Duke´s
band late Dec.34 (see Dr.Stratemann: ”Duke
Ellington-day by day, film by film”). The film
was mentioned in CD-11/3/34p8: "New York
after Dark" column of the "Duke Ellington just
made another short. There's no stopping him!"
Following personnel is to be seen on screen only:back row, left to right: Hayes
Alvis(b) ?Benny James(g) O´Neil Spencer (tymp) Sonny Greer(d) unknown (vib)
Fred Guy (g,bj) poss. Billy Taylor (b); middle row: Red Allen, poss.Rex Stewart,
Arthur Whetsol, Cootie Williams, Freddy Jenkins(t) Joe Nanton, poss. Henry
Hicks, Juan Tizol, poss.Lawrence Brown, poss.George Washington(tb) Front
row: Otto Hardwick, Harry Carney, ?Crawford Wethington, Joe Garland,
Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard (reeds); Duke Ellington(p) not on screen
together with this above orch.: Billie Holiday, Snakehips Tucker, Bessie Dudley
Lps: Biograph-M2/Privateer(F)102/SandyHook-2068/MAX-1001/Meteor1005
CDs:JAZZ UP(I)TB3035/6/7/Sandy Hoo-2068/I Maestri Del J.(I)”12-2/
9:00 part-1: The Laborers ( part of "Jealousy" used as intro ) film/video:VSL-10042/Storyv.SV6033/ RA-DVD-1
part-2: A Triangle: Dance ( based on"Ducky Wucky" ) - Tucker, Dudley --- / --- /
Jealousy (original music) --- / --- /
Blues ( based on "Saddest Tale" ) -vBillie Holiday --- / --- /
part-3: A Hymn Of Sorrow (original music) --- / --- /
part-4: Harlem Rhythm (based on "Merry-Go-Round") danced by S.T. --- / --- /
12/23/34 Sun.,N.Y.C.: ….-broadcast - Star Casino - "Monster Breakfast Dance" l0 Bands: Casa Loma Orch., Cab Calloway,
Rudy Vallee, Teddy Hill, Abe Lyman, Dorsey Brothers, Claude Hopkins, M.B.R.B., Bama State Collegiates, Mills
Brothers; - sponsored by the Ubangi Club (NYA12/22/34p2)
Ballroom and Band Vol.1/3, Jan-35: Mills Blue Rhythm Band is back at the Cotton-Club with some fresh blood in
the persons of Red Allen and Lawrence Lucie. Maybe Mr. Mills will remember when he is over here that we are
still waiting for his long promised band. With the personnel alterations it should be better than ever.
Ballroom & Band Jan.35p17-“News From The States” by George Frazier Jr.: Mill's Blue Rhythm Band has made
several changes in its personnel. Red Allen has left Fletcher to join this group. I am aware that "Mike" considers
Allen superior to Louis. It speaks worlds for the distorted taste of a critic who has a tremendous following. Don't
misunderstand me, however. Red is a honey. I know of no coloured trumpeter who tops him - with the obvious
exception of Satchel-Mouth himself. He will add a welcome note to the Blue Rhythm Band's music. His licks are
very fine, while his singing pleases me immensely. Lawrence Lucie a grand swing guitarist, went from Fletcher to
the Mills' outfit at the same time as Allen.

- 193 -
Ballroom & Band vol.1/4, Feb.35: So Buster Bailey has followed Henry Allen to the B.R.B.! Lucky Millender! But he
may not keep his new captures very long for it is common knowledge that the great Coleman Hawkins is to lead a
band of his own with Red Allen and some of the other boys who were with Fletcher Henderson. Let's hope he
achieves his ambition and leads such a band-over here.
12/28/34 NYC., BUSTER BAILEY AND HIS SEVEN CHOCOLATE DANDIES: Red Allen(t) J.C. Higginbotham (tb)
Buster Bailey (c1) Benny Carter (as) Charlie Beal (p) Danny Barker (g) Elmer James (b) Walter Johnson (d) Fletcher
Henderson(arr); W.C. Allen: “This can be considered the ”first Henderson-revival" recording session. Sidney Mills´ notebooks
revealed that Fletcher Henderson was paid $15 each for three arrangements: CALL OF THE DELTA and SHANGHAI SHUFFLE,
which were recorded, and I´M RHYTHM CRAZY NOW , which was not recorded. Take 16446-2 is rumored, but not confirmed.
Mx 16443 to 16444 by Leroy Carr; 16447-49 are private recordings.
16445-1 3:10 CALL OF THE DELTA (Bailey-Mills) Vo 2887 / Rarities-14 /Classics CD904/ RA-CD-3/
-2 3:07 CALL OF THE DELTA Co 35677/ Meritt-13/14/Neatwork-RPCD2031/RA-CD-2/
-Beal intro 2b-Bailey 16b-Higginbotham 4b-Beal 4b-Bailey 6b-Allen 2+16b-Carter 8b (different solis)
16446-1- 2:52 SHANGHAI SHUFFLE (Rodemich-Conley) Vo 2887 / Rarities-14 / Classics CD904/ RA-CD-3/
-Carter 8b-Bailey 32b-Allen 16b-Carter 14b-Allen break-Bailey lead 14b-Higginbotham 8b-
Melody Maker 3/25/35-Hot Records Reviewed by Mike: How Many "Chocolate Dandies"?
Dec.F5492 - Buster Bailey and his 7 Chocolate
Dandies: Shanghai Shuffle / Call Of
The Delta - THIS record is an example
of misguided direction on the part of
the authorities. The title, "Chocolate
Dandies," once chosen, is indissolubly
associated with "THE Chocolate Dandies."
"Chocolate Dandies" to more
recent connoisseurs means Benny
Carter and a few of his chosen friends.
There is no reason why Buster Bailey
should not have his Seven Chocolate
Dandies, for he is a tolerable clarinet
player of a not very inspired kind. But
why on earth have Buster
Bailey's Chocolate Dandies when
Benny Carter is one of the players in said
combination? It is rather like having
Leonard Hibbs in Swing Music May-35p65: De F5492:
This was rather a disappointing record for me. I had a
feeling that it should have been one of those records that
everyone should have; and it just misses the realisation of
that feeling. It's all rather too heavy. “Shanghai
Shuffle” is the better side, and this would be one of the
grandest things if only Brunswick had not issued
Henderson's record of it. It swings all right, and without
any of the tendency to plod that “Call of the Delta” has.
You had better get this record. It has some beautiful
chorusses by Henry Allen, Jnr., Benny Carter and
Buster Bailey, the remaining five beeing Elmer James
(bass), Walter Johnson (drums), Charles Beal (piano),
Danny Barker (guitar) and Higginbotham (trombone).
H.Panassie, Jazz Hot No.4, 1935 to 500525
Here is the personnel of the group which recorded this
disc a few months ago: ...line-up...
Shanghai shuffle is by farthe best of the two sides. This
is a swell number. Buster Bailey takes a whole chorus and
does much better work than in Limehouse Blues with
Fletcher Henderson, maybe on account of the slower
tempo, which is much more suited to this style. Buster's
solo is really smart. Henry Allen and Bennie Carter play
the next solos. Henry starts off marvellously but does not
keep up the same standard. Bennie Carter is as good as
ever, and his straight part in the middle of the first
ensemble chorus, is splendid.I very much like Buster
Bailey's breaks in the ensembles. The rhythm section is
first class, Walter Johnson being especially good on
drums.
Call of the Delta is a peculiar composition of Buster
Bailey, who plays the straight melody in the first chorus. Henry
Allen takes the first half of the second chorus in a < legato >
Kreisler playing ftrst violin in the
orchestra that accompanies Joe
Flutenpusch's "rendering" of the
Beethoven concerto.
Benny Carter, in charge of a band,
exercises an influence on the proceedings
which his mere presence as a
rank-and-filer does not. In Shanghai
Shuffle he plays pleasantly, but the
band as a whole, its performance and
general lack of atmosphere, are
something that could never be if it
were Benny Carter and his Chocolate
Dandies.
It seems to me that American Decca
was unnecessarily short-sighted in this
matter-uncommercial even, for Benny
Carter's name on a label is a guarantee
of quality, of personality, which these
Bailey recordings lack entirely.
Unnecessary Comparison
But you will enjoy these numbers for
all that, for there are glimpses of
Henry Allen and his elusive, intriguing
trumpet-playing - Red Allen, who
is always being compared with Louis,
as if you can compare two entirely
different things ...
What American Decca is doing,
just putting Benny Carter into other
people's bands, I cannot think. Does it
not know that Carter is a name in
Europe, that it is a name that stands for
one of the few interesting things that
remain in jazz-invention?
style very typical of him these days. Then Bennie Carter
plays straight the eight following bars and his tone and
intonations are wonderful 8he really is as good when he
plays straight or hot) and the whole band takes the last
eight bars.
A very good record indeed especially Shanghai Shuffle.

- 194 -
Hot Records Review by Leonard Hibbs in RHYTHM-Jan.39p25: Parl.R2612, 3s - Buster Bailey ...: Call Of The Delta /
Shanghai Shuffle: Very swell jazz, indeed. - Because it is a re-issue and many of you will already have the Decca
pressing, I would in the ordinary run of these reviews . not say much about this one. I must confess, though, that this
is another record I was not too keen on when it was first
released.
In my "Swing Music" review for May, l935, I said it was
disappointing. That was both unfair and inaccurate.
It is as good a record as you would expect from the bunch
of Henderson boys who made it. Henry Allen, Benny
Carter, Higginbotham, and Buster Bailey with .a rhythm
section consisting of Charlie Beal(p) Dan Barter (g)
Walter Johnson(d) and Elmer James (sb).
Both sides feature excellent solos by mostly everybody in
the band, and the only thing is that Shanghai Shuffle (the
better side) has not quite the same terrific build-up as has
Henderson's Brunswick record of the same tune.
Out of the twenty-one new discs, only this one is a reissue:
-
Evensmo: The two takes of "... Delta" demonstrate clearly
Allen's abilities as an improviser. While the main lines are
the same, there are variations in every bar. The sides,
evaluated in total, are beautiful, and Allen is an extra
benefit. Take-1 is definitely the better take, the
introduction of take-2 in particular has technical
shortcomings. However, both takes contain beautiful
soloing. "Shanghai Shuffle" has a sparkling solo of the
very best quality, perhaps the best from the session
NYA:1/12/35p4 and in other size in thePC:1/12/35p8
1/11 Fr.-1/17/35, NYC., APOLLO THEATRE: Lucky Millinder & M.B.R.B. & Chuck Richards, Eunice Wilson, Henrietta
Loveless, Three Brown Buddies, Lethia Hill, Anise & Aland, Eddie Green....
Blue Rhythm Band Coming to Apollo
NYA-1/12/35p4: The stage revue at the
125th Street Apollo Theatre the week
beginning Friday, January 11 is “Modern
Rhythm” in its fullest sense. Clarence
Robinson has conceived rhythmic ex-
pression throughout the stage entertainment.
Heading the program is
Lucky Millinder and his Blue Rhythm
Band, an orchestra that plays sweet
melodies and smoldering jazz with
equal facily swinging from “Stardust” to
“White Heat” with joyous abandon and
perfect rhythm. Radio fans and phonograph
record enthusiasts acclaim this
band one of their favourites and they
will undoubtedly prove just as popular
with discriminating Apollo audiences.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NYA1/19/35p4: 'Lucky Millinder And 2 Young Dancers Please The Apollo Patrons'
Anise and Aland, young dancers, steal Henrietta Loveless, prima donna built, the chorus work is not so good-at least at
the spot at the Apollo this week and it is sings a couple of solos well with a the show I saw. The fault lies with
gratifying to see members of our group forceful and mellow soprano, and individual girls.
doing something besides tapping and Eunice Wilson delights with a soothing “365 Nights in Hollywood,” is an
strutting. These two start off with the contralto, then bursts into a whirlwind amusing picture, featuring James Dunn
regular routine and then go into a whirl- of hot dancing to complete the act. and Alice Fay.
wind of quite original steps and strong The Three Brown Buddies do a By The Secretary
and the girl graceful, shapely and pretty. routine tapping act.
Why doesn't the brownest of the
Using them as a central figure, Clarence Lethia Hill of the Cotton Club got Brown Buddies ever close his mouth !
Robinson gives the patrons an exquisite
some applause with three very sugges-----------production
number with 15 chorines and a
tive cabaret songs that should be kept Look at that chorine, she is so tired
in a cabaret where our boys and girls she won't even more her feet with the
staircase setting with four different kinds can't get at them-gives them ideas. others. ----------of
lightning-quite a treat!
Eddie Green, Jimmy Baskette and I know a boy and a girl who went
Lucky Millinder and his Blue Rhythm Ralph Cooper provide the comedy wrong once through listening to these
Band whoop it up plenty and Lucky is a interludes as usual. If only they could cabaret songs.
regular Leaping Lena. Edgar Hayes at the find real endings of some of the sket-------------piano,
Chuck Richards doing some good
I really think the show deserves three
ches that start out so swell. With the
crooning add much.
daggers – L.M.(exit secretary.)
exception of the production number
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/19/35, Elizabeth - Ritz Theatre and then dance tour: York, Pa., Baltimore, Md., and Washington;
BAA-1/26/35 & CD-1/26/35p7: "LUCKY MILLINDER TO MAKE NEW TOUR" –N.Y.-Lucky Millinder and the
MBRB featured at the Cotton Club and on the- radio for many months, have begun a long route of theatres and
dance engagements, having been replaced at the Harlem Club by Cab Calloway. Lucky and the band appear at the
Ritz theatre in Elizabeth beginning Jan.19 and play dances in York,… and Washington. The combination has been
improved by the addition of two men, Henry(Red)Allen, trumpet, and Buster Bailey, sax and clarinet.
NYA-1/26/35p5:...Lucky Millinder, who finished a theatrical engagement despite a badly sprained ankle. Like a
hardy trooper, he didn't even let a sour expression tell his audience of his pain, which was so acute be had to fall
into a pair of crutches the second he´d leave the stage...
late Jan.35, N.Y.C. – prob. one week, PARAMOUNT THEATRE – MBRB (BAA-2/2/35p9 - L.Millinder...)

late Jan.35, N.Y.C. – prob. one week, PARAMOUNT
THEATRE – MBRB (BAA-2/2/35p9 - L.Millinder...)
"LUCKY MILLINDER - A LITTLE GUY, WHO-
LIVES UP TO HIS NAME" by Ralph Matthews,
BAA-2/2/35p9 They call him. Lucky Millinder and he
lives up to his name. He's the luckiest little guy in show
business. But it isn't all luck that put him on top of the
big three of orkdom. A gang of it is talent and a lot of it
is nerve and a lot of it (he confesses) is luck or being
at-the right place at the right time..
He was born in Anniston, Ala., 24 years,ago and
opened his eyes.in Chicago.Before he knew what-it
was all about he had made his first long jump. Since
then he has traveled plenty. He has been in many of
these United States, but never below Alabama, yet he
has traveled in England and Europe.When he was just
a kid he was producing floor shows in a number of
Chicago´s best known clubs in the days when
gangsters of the Windy City were in the show business.
He washed his hands of.this and headed for Harlem
where the gangsters were just as active, but not so
popular as the-Capone gang.
Part of his luck lies in having Clara Camp-bell for a
wife. He wasted so much money that now-she collects
and give him an allowance. He spends it quickly, but
she won't give him any more. Those nights he stays at
home.
Two years ago he was put in front of Mills Blue
Rhythm Band, one of the best units on the air, after
several maestros had been tried out. He seemed to
be what the doctor ordered for this organization, as
under his baton it has forged to the place where it
ranks with Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway.
He is different from either of the other leaders of the
Mills stable because he is distinctive. His greatest
appeal lies in his energy. He does every-thing but stand
on his head while directing. He jumps up on top of the
piano. Last week at the Paramount he slipped and
sprained a ligament in his leg and had to finish his act
on crutches.
He has just finished almost a year in the Cotton Club.
He has funny ideas about music. He believes that
musicians must live their music. He never objects to
his musicians' getting drunk if they want to, because he
thinks that is a typical form of expression. He doesn't
believe that a morally-perfect person can play gutbucket
music. A hot trumpet player, for instance, who
mutes his horn with a toilet plunger and gets real
Harlem music, is not the type of persons who would
normally sit home every night with his wife or teach
Sunday school. The two don't mix. A man must feel his
music, he believes.
Such ideas, however, are not permitted to interfer with
business. If four member of a band say that a man was
drunk he is convicted and fined $25. If he is ten
minutes late for an engagement he is fined $2o and if
he fails to show up at all he is fined $25. He saves $5
by reporting sometime. If he is caught smoking
reefers on the job he is fined $50. If his handkerchief is
the wrong color for his uniform he is fined $2 and the
same for not having his shoes shined. The band has six
uniforms. Edgar Hayes, the pianist, is one of the best in
the business and can do more with "STAR DUST"
than any other player can do with any other piece. He
arranges most of the numbers. Lucky believes in hard
work and a good time. He calls himself a salesman. He
sells his number and his band to the public.
Unlike some big-named guys he
works just as hard for colored audiences as he does
for white. Lucky believes that a performer should
not turn his back on his own race regardless of how
high he gets.
They make you, he declares, until you get up high
enough for the others to accept you; and then when the
ofays tire of you they hold you up until you can get
something new and stage a comeback. His christian
name is realy Lucius.
195 -
“LUCKY MILLINDER” “The one and only,”
whose coming to town for a week's engagement at the
Stanley theatre downtown, with his famous Mills Blue Rhythm
band, and a sizzling show. Lucky, whose radio voice has spoken
to millions of people from the famous Cotton Club in New York
City, will here with his famed pianist, Edgar Hayes, Nicodemus,
sensational comedian, Lethia Hill, Josie Oliver, Five Percolators
and others. PC:2/9/35p9:2

- 196 -
1/23/35 NYC., HENRY ALLEN & HIS ORCH. : Red Allen (t, v) Pee Wee Erwin (t) George Washington (tb) Buster
Bailey (c1) Luis Russell (p) Danny Barker (g) Pops Foster (b) Paul Barbarin (d) /BELIEVE IT –2 on RA-CD-12
/Coll.Classics(Dan)/Classics/
16671-1 3:08 BELIEVE IT BELOVED -vRA (Whiting-Schwartz-Johnson) Me M-13304/CC-13/COCD-2/(F)CD551/
-Russell-Erwin muted t-vRA 24b-Bailey-Russell-Bailey-Allen t 24b-Washington-Allen & Bailey
-2 3:08 BELIEVE IT BELOVED uniss.78"/Epic-3252/Neatw.-2031/ --- /Epic-5059/Time-Life
-Russell-Erwin muted t-Bailey-Russell-Bailey-Allen t 48b-Washington-Allen-
16672-1 3:08 IT´S WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE (Schwartz-Adarn) Me M-13304/CC-13/ --- /(F)CD551/
-Allen intro 4b-Erwin muted t-Bailey-Erwin muted t-Allen 32b-Russell-Allen 8b-
16673-1 2:53 (We're Gonna Have) SMOOTH SAILING -vRA Me M-13322/ --- / --- / --- /JAZZ Greats/
(Sherman-Lewis-Ager) -ens-Bailey-vRA 32b-Washington-Allen 64b- CD 040
16674-1 2:45 WHOSE HONEY ARE YOU -vRA (Gillespie-Coots) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen intro 8b-lead in ens-vRA 32b-Washington-Bailey-Allen 24b-vRA coda- /CDS-RPCD610/
Pee Wee Erwin to Johnny Simmen, ca.1976: "I liked everything
Red played. He was a great musician. The 5 numbers I had
the honour of making with him, are from his Henderson
period, perhaps his happiest musically and personally."
Melody Maker 9/5/36 p5:The Rest of the Month's Records
Reviewed by "Rophone": Vocalion 18: "Whose Honey Are You?":
in the Allen side Buster takes a chorus which is perfectly.
formed, phrased and executed. Red Allen does his stuff
instrumentally and vocally to good effect, and there is a coda
that tickles me a lot. Louis Russell's rhythm section makes
this almost as solid a disc as Red's Rug Cutter Swing, which
is saying plenty.
H.Panassie, Jazz Hot Nov.36- to Vo.18p18: Whose honey are you
has a fantastic clarinet solo by Buster Bailey. Only rarely have
I heard this musician play so well. From the first to the last bar,
it is real fireworks, with a melodic generosity which overwhelms
you. BusterBailey is undoubtedly one of the greatest clarinettists,
and this chorus is terribly hot. The rest of the record
is not in the same class, but the rhythm section (with Luis
Russell on piano is satisfactory. I don't know who takes
the trombone solo, but it is pretty bad The backing isa
really pitiful performance by Don Redman's orchestra.
Evensmo: This is r really an exciting session! A session
which makes several of the previous ones seem pale and
insignificant in comparison. Above all one notices the
thrilling ambitions expressed in the trumpet-playing. Nothing
seems to be too complicated not to be tried, mostly with great
success. The best soloing is found on "It's Written ..." which
has a beautiful intro and a long complex solo. "Whose Honey
..." is also a marvellous piece of inspiration, it does not
matter at all that there are minor flaws. "… Sailing" sails
along at full storm with a rather simple but highly effective
solo. The two versions of "... Beloved" are so different from
each other that it's a must for the collector to have both. He
throws out fantastic ideas at great leisure. One might say that
it is possible to do things too complicated. and Allen is
getting close to this point here. Mr. Borthen and I disagree
slightly, and we urge you to judge for yourself. The non-vocal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------take-2
seems to be the better one.
George Washington, by Grayson Mills in J.J.I.Nov.1960:
...George can be heard in a way that will not be forgotten if
one listens to a few of his rare but magnifcent solos. One is his
beautiful blues chorus on Hot Bones and Rice with Charlie
Johnson's orchestra. Here his tone, his ideas and his execution
would appeal to modernist and traditionalist alike. Another
gem of his improvisational skill is evident on Red Allen's
Believe it Beloved . He is also heard to good advantage on
Louis Armstrong's Decca Hot Seven records of the early 4os.
He takes a solo worthy of J.J.Johnson at his best, with Benny
Carter on Malibu. But the best idea of his range and virtuosity
is to be gained from his solo towards the end of the M.B.R.B.
's Everything Is Still Okay.. “I've been on hundreds of records
but you couldn't actually say I was on them from a recognition
standpoint.You see, Higgy got all the solos. You couldn't
blame the leaders. He was the public´s boy and he also played
a mess of trombone.” On other takes he is immersed with
men like Red Hicks and Dickie Wells and so the situation
was always much the same - "I'm just that unfortunate. Everytime
I'd leave one group for another, like Fletcher Henderson´s,
I would get to thinkin' - 'oh boy, here´s my chance to have
some-thin' to. say, ' and then boom ! There would be Higginbotham.
" Perhaps George´s classic however, is not his work
with Johnson, but his arrangement of Ride Red Ride, the great
M.B.R.B.'s record which is rich in humpour, feeling and
virtuosity. Recorded in 1934, it was a starting glimpse
into the future, bringing to mind that work done by
J.J.Johnson and Kai Winding some twenty years later.
Seated across from this interviewer, George broke into a
broad grin when Jazz Man Record Shop's Don Brown
spun it for him. As he and Higgie drove through the two
chorus introduction, George hummed in unison, employing
his hands with an imaginary trombone. It was the first
time he had heard it in hears....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
John Chilton in Time Life-article (look p354); Believe It
Beloved: A few weeks after the Down South Camp Meeting
session, Allen left Henderson to become part of the Mills
Blue Rhythm Band. But he continued to record under his
own name, and in January he made one more set of
recordings for the chain stores. The first number out was
Believe It Beloved, introduced a few months earlier by Fats
Waller on Victor. With one exception the group was composed
of veterans of the old Luis Russell band (including the
leader himself and others who had played with Allen at one
time or another. The newcomer was Pee Wee Erwin, a young
white musician who was brought in to play lead trumpet
with a Harmon mute on the opening chorus.
"Personally," Erwin explained years later, "had I played
with Red Allen's band in those years, I would not have played
an initial chorus that way. It was what the recording
supervisor wanted. People, even in those days, were trying to
do something a little different, and he wanted me to play with
a mute in the idiom that Henry Busse used in order to contrast
with Red's later solo." Busse was, of course, the play-itsweet-and-corny
cornet star of the Paul Whiteman orchestra;
he was rarely heard without his mute. Erwin, an excellent hot
trumpeter, does indeed sound like Busse here.
After Erwin's chorus, Bailey picks up the melody and gives
it a warm-hearted rendering with Russell featured on the
middle eight bars. These first two choruses are merely a
prelude to Allen's sensational solo. Since Allen did not have
to bother with a vocal he used the extra space to stretch out,
playing two choruses containing dozens of intricate phrases
full of fervent expressiveness. It was stream-ofconsciousness
jazz, less restricted than anything that Allen
had previously recorded.
His first eight bars are filled with ingenious crosscurrents of
rhythm, so elaborate that in places he is actually playing in a
time signature different from that of his side-men. The middle
eight bars, during which he unexpectedly stretches up to a top
C sharp, are more economically phrased, but the last section
of the first chorus is packed with amazingly complicated
double-time runs. Any listener might wonder how Allen will
extricate himself from this web of intricacies. No problem-he
fills the entire first bar of the next chorus with a soulful blue
note and then plays several phrases that are punctuated by
single-note drops into the low register. He slurs upward to
play the first note of the bridge, and once he has struck that
note he elegantly reduces his volume-a masterful touch.
During the last section, Allen selects only a few notes from
the actual melody, linking them chromatically by quickly
sweeping through every note between them. The section
ends as unexpectedly as it began, and typifies the
unpredictability of this inspired soloing. The storm over,
trombonist George Washington plays a muted version of the
melody for 12 bars, then hands over to Pee Wee Erwin,
whose open trumpet brings the side to an orderly conclusion.
Erwin always remembered the event as one of the ' proudest
moments of his young life. "I was just along for the ride," he
recalled, "but it was a wonderful experience playing alongside
my musical heroes."

-196a - scans- 24 - scans of bands w. Red Allen &/or J.C. Higginbotham 1934-40
12/19/34 12/11/34
12/28/34 Lasker 12/28/34 ebay

-196b - scans- 25 -
1/23/35 Imp(G) Deenik 1/23/35 Crump
1/23/35 Crump 1/23/35 Crump
1/23/35 1/23/35

- 197 -
1/25/35 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Red Allen (t) prob. Nat Story, ?J.C.
Higginbotham; George Washington(tb) Buster Bailey(c1) Gene Mikell (c1,as, bars) Crawford Wethington (c1,as) Joe
Garland (ts,bars,arr) Edgar Hayes (p,arr) Lawrence Lucie (g) Hayes Alvis (b) 0´Neil Spencer (d) Chuck Richards (v)
Will Hudson, Alex Hill (arr) Lucky Millinder (dir)
/SwingFan/Everybody/ Classics /
16700-1 2:41 BACK BEATS -aAH (A.Hill-Woods-Mills) Co 3020D / Lp-1019/ Lp-1013 /(F)CD710/RA-CD-3a/
-Hayes & ens-Allen muted t 16+8b, .......... tb on bridge-Hayes-Allen t-ens-Garland
16701-1 2:54 SPITFIRE -aWH (W.Hudson) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-ens-Allen 8+8b-Garland-ens-Bailey-Garland-Mikell as-ens-
16702-1 3:11 BROWN SUGAR MINE -vCR (Joe Garland) Co 3044D/GAPS(DU)170/ --- / --- / --- /
-?Higginbotham?-vCB-saxes-Hayes-reeds-brass-
Swing Music June-35p91 to Co FB1065-1/6:
I think that these two sides are about the worst that
Columbia could have chosen for one of their all too
rare appearance in these columns. I was talking to a
man the other day who made out such a good case for
Will Hudson that I almost believed him. In fact, I did
until I came home to Spitfire. Even Henry Allen,
whom I admire a lot, does not impress on this record,
and poor Buster Bailey has little or nothing to do.
Backbeats is a composition of Alex Hill's, but even
he appears to have caught the Mills phobia now that
he has a whole-time job of work. By the way, I am working
whether Alex plays piano on this record. It's more like his
playing than Edgar Hayes's. Anyway, this is the better side. L.H.
------------------------------------------------------.
Jazz Information 10/3/39p2-Collector´s Items: … The MBRB,
Co3044D, couples Brown Sugar Mine to Dancing Dogs, not
to Swingin´In E Flat….
Evensmo: Two excellent contributions in fast medium tempo,
forceful and inspired, equally attractive with or without mute.
Co 3020-D is, by the way, recommended in its entirety, it's a
marvellous record!
Feb.1935 - J.C.Higginbotham (re)joined the band after a brief absence from music scene in 1934. Chilton says in 'Who
Is Wo' that Higgy joined the M.B.R.B. in summer 1934. Possibly he omitted against in late 1934, nevertheless, I do
not believe his presence on the Oct./Dec.34-sessions,given by Rust.
BAA-2/16/35: "WEBB TROMBONIST DRAWS ATTENTION" - J.C.Higginbotham joined the M.B.R.B.;
J.C.Higginbotham, trombonist in Chick Webb´s orchestra, is attracting the attention of the critics nightly. Jay was
formerly with Fletcher Henderson. It is reported that he has been tendered a contract to join the M.B.R.B. for a
ten week tour.
Hot From Harlem in HOT NEWS 4-35: "HIGGY" - Jay C. Higginbothem to you - is back and has joined Red Allen and
Buster Bailey in the Blue Rhythm Band. This outfit is fast developing into one of the best around town, and is playing
to capacity wherever it goes.
Hot News Vol.1/3, June 35: Irving Mills is featuring names with his Blue Rhythm Band. He advertises the band with Chuck
Richards, Edgar Hayes, Red Allen, and Bill Bailey. Good business. Names like those should not be buried.
MY ALL-HOT IDEAL,
by George Frazier, Jr.
in Ballroom & Band Feb.35p11:
ALL-HOT CREW
Clarinet Barney Bigard
Alto Sax Johnny Hodges
Tenor Sax Coleman Hawkins
Baritone Sax Harry Camey
1st Trumpet Arty Whetsel
Ride Trumpet Red Allen
Ride Trumpet Muggsy
lst Trombone Tommy Dorsey
Ride Trombone Jack Teagarden
Ride Trombone Benny Morton
Piano Teddy Wilson
Guitar Dick McDonough
Drums Gene Kruppa
String Bass Al Morgan
A YEAR ago this writer had the boldness
to select an all-hot band. If he had
been astute enough to keep the synthetic
combo to himself, everything would have
been just ducky. But having published it,
he had to take the consequent medicine.
There were correspondents who wrote in
to inquire why Mr. Liebert Lombardo
had not been chosen as one of the trumpets.
… That seems the most reasonable
explanation for this writer's daring to
select another all-hot band. ….( CREW)
Nine of the above musicians are coloured,
five white. This represents the general
proportion of able improvisers contributed
by the two races. Louis Armstrong's name
is omitted because the great one has gone
completely commercial.
The profundity of Red Allen's genius
never dawned upon this writer until a few
weeks back when the superb trumpeter
joined Mills' Blue Rhythm Band. The
piano position, held down these many
years by Earl Hines, goes to a newcomer,
Teddy Wilson. Those who, doubt Wilson's
ability would do well to listen to his solo
in Bennie Goodman's Columbia of "As
Long As I Live." It is an exquisitely
fashioned improvisation that cares terrific
swing.
Tommy Dorsey, whose tone is out of
this world, annexes the first trombone
chair in preference to Lawrence Brown,
a fellow with an annoying tendency to
blow his horn sharp. …
2/8-14/35 Pittsburgh: Stanley Theatre: PC-2/9/35p9: "LUCKY AND GANG HERE FOR WEEK" Lucky Millinder and
his famous B.R.B., direct from the Cotton Club in New York City, open a week's engagement at the Stanley Theatre,
downtown, tomorrow (Friday). The show comes in as a stage unit, with many of the outstanding feature of the Cotton
Club, including Edgar Hayes, gifted pianist, Nicodemus, Leitha Hill, Josie Oliver, 5 Percolators, and others;
(look at thephoto on page 195) ; BAA-2/23/35p8: Monday night, Chick Webb played at ... Pittsburgh. Lucky
Millinder's boys were at the Stanley Theatre the same week, and although they were all supposed to be guests of a
local paper at a roller-skating dance, etc., they piled in to see Chick and the boys. Chuck Richards, Edgar Hayes, The
Five Percolators, Josie Oliver, Sally Gooding, Billy (Pittsburgh Savoy) Eckstein, Gertrude (Night Hawks) Long and
yours truly were all on the little room off the band-stand holding a private dance from time to time...
"MILLINDER HITS NEW HIGH AT PITTSBURGH" BAA3/2/35: Pittsburgh - Gross receipts at the Stanley Theatre
during the engagement of Lucky Millinder and the MBRB was so far above normal that the theatre tried to hold the
attraction for a second week, but previous booking made it impossible. The Blue Rhythm Band, which established a
reputation with radio broadcasts from the Cotton Club in Harlem, is play theatres in Easton and Allentown, at the Street
Theatre in Worcester Mass.; and at the Taft Theatre in Cincinnati
"MILLINDER.TOURS" 2/15/35 Lincoln Theatre, Philadelphia; 2/22 Howard Theatre Washington; Stanley Theatre,
Pittsburgh; State Theatre, Easton, Pa.; Colonial Theatre, Allentown, Pa.; 3/1/35; Street-Theatre in Worcester Mass.;
Taft Theatre, Cincinnati; late March: Savoy-& Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh (BAA:2/16&23/35; 3/2&9&30/35)

- 198 -
BLUE RHYTHM – Stanley, Pittsburgh , Feb.8; Var. 2/27/35(to 2/8-14/35)
Essentially a band presentation act, this
one featuring Lucky Millender and his
Mills Blue Rhythm band, is being sold
here as a unit. Misses out a bit on that
classification, but could easily make the
grade with perhaps a line and a polish on
the routining.
As it is, the lay-out is a bit too monotonous,
a band number and a specialty,
another band number and another specialty,
etc. Outfit rates high musically,
specializing on those rhythmic discords
and arrangements by Edgar Hayes, outfit's
pianist, are topnotch. Incidentally,
Hayes seems to be more or less the backbone
of the organization. At least two
numbers, 'In a Dream' and 'African
Lullaby,' are announced as his compositions
and there arealso two solo spots
alloted him and he goes to town on both
of them.
Orchestral high spot is the 'Black
Rhythm' fantasy, purporting to show
the evolution of rhythm, and effectively
heightened by lighting effects which
play shadows on a curtain in the background.
Only complaint about the band
is that ist stuff, which brilliantly played
and arranged, is too similar.
First specialist is Josie Oliver, snakehips
exponent and a lively little hoofer
who puts over the single routine she has
to dell. Followed by the Five Percolators,
boys, who start out in a rash of hide-ho
harmony and wind up in a series
of flashlight dance specialities. Not as
strong on the terp as most sepia turns
of this kind, but they're all good
salesmen, so it doesn't matter. Same
goes for Sally Gooding, who handles
the vocal end. Voice only ordinary, but
she gives out at the right time and
covers up her short-commings with a
personality that makes it a cinch. She's
also helped by a mugging trombonist
who comes down from the stand. Miss
Gooding is a last-minute addition to the
unit, substituting for Leitha Hill.
Next-to-closing is Nicodemus, who
supplies the only comedy except for
usual by-play of bandsmen. A cinch
here, despite the fact that he sticks to the
chatter too long. His eccentric hoofing,
bearing out the lazybones character he
has previously established, is tops and
sends him off- a show-stopper.
Millender himself is a minor league
Calloway, but with plenty of personality
and energy to carry him places on his
own. He better not lose that Hayes bird,
though. Cohen
2/15/35 Lincoln Theatre, Philadelphia; 2/22 Howard Theatre Washington; State Theatre, Easton, Pa.; Colonial Theatre,
Allentown, Pa.; 3/1/35; Street-Theatre in Worcester Mass.; Taft Theatre, Cincinnati; (BAA:2/16&23/35; 3/2&9&30/35)
mid.-March-35, one week again at the Stanley Theatre Pittsburgh; BAA-3/30/35: “MILLINDER IN PITTSBURGH”.
Going vacecille, I discover that Lucky Millinder & the MBRB played the Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh last week,
(They're heading for Chicago.) Supporting his show are Josie Oliver, Five Percolators, Sally Gooding, substituting for
Lethia Hill, and Nicodemus, lazybones himself. An Eastern weekly describes Millinder as a "minor league
Calloway", but with plenty of personality and energy to carry him places on his own.
3/20/35 Wed., Pittsburgh: Savoy;
BAA-3/9/35: Pittsburgh: Oh well! Lucky Millinder's band will play for a swing at the Savoy in Pittsburgh - so we hear!
"LUCKY MILLINDER AND MILLS FAMOUS BLUE RHYTHM BAND AT SAVOY MARCH 20"
Lucky Millinder and his famous Mills
Blue Rhythm band, who not long ago
thrilled patrons of the Stanley theatre
downtown, will play a special dance
engagement at the Savoy Ballroom on
Wednesday evening, March 20. The
coming of “Lucky,” the personality boy
of the maestros and his splendid broadcasting
dance orchestra is eagerly awaited
by local music and dance-lovers.
Many of the outstanding dance orchestras
of today are branded for a particular
style or type of music which they
persist in playing.
Lucky Millinder and his Mills Blue
Rhythm band, who will appear, in
person, at the Savoy Ballroom Wednesday,
Mar.20, are very often harshly
accused of being just another “hot” band.
But this is not true. On the contrary,
the sweet melodies which this aggregation
is capable of producing, is fast becoming
the subject of conversation among
musical circles throughout the country.
This band has a “different” style which
places it in a unique category, apart from
Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, or say
other prominent musical outfit.
They have a wide range which includes
both the sweetest dance melodies
and the hottest, syncopated rhythm that
the modern dance orchestra is capable
of producing!
The Mills Blue Rhythm orchestra
does possess “individuality.”
Advance tickets for this big dance are
on sale at the Granada theatre box
office and at the Lincoln Drug Store in
East Liberty. PC-3/9/35p9:2&8:2
PC-3/9/35p8:2
“DANCE_LOVERS AWAIT COMING OF LUCKY MILLINDER WED”
PC-3/16/35p8:. PC-3/30/35p8:
Lucky Millinder and his famous Blue The Mills Blue Rhythm orchestra is PITTSBURGH, Pa.- Lucky
Rhythm orchestra will take this town by one of the most famous operating over Millinder and his Mills Blue
storm !
the Mills Brothers chain and has played Rhythm Band drew the largest
Already indications are the big dance in long engagements in the Cotton Club house of the year last Wednesday
the beautiful Savoy Ballroom Wednesday, and many of the most outstanding night nite when they played the Savoy.
featuring Lucky Millinder and his clubs and ballrooms in America. They More than 1400 cash customers.
wonderful Blue Rhythm orchestra will set have also won a large following over And have they got a “swing
now attendance records.
the air, where they are rated among band.” But with “Red”Allen,
Lucky and his melodious orchestra the nation's best They feature both Edgar Hayes, Bus Bailey and
recently appeared at the Stanley theatre, sweet and hot music.
the rest of 'em, what aggregation
downtown where they received an ovation, One of the biggest crowds in the wouldn't be good. And the boy
and local dance fans who heard them have history of the Savoy is expected to turn what croons. Wot-a-voice.
been anxiously awaiting their appearance out to give Lucky and the boys a rousing WOT-A-VOICE !
here for a dance engagement.
ovation.

- 199 -
3/21/35 Thur., Steubenville: Half Moon Inn; "STEUBENVILLE AND OHIO VALLEY TOWNS ANXIOUS TO HEAR
"LUCKY" MILLINDER - PROGESSIVE VIRI SINUS CLUB PRESENTS FAMOUS BLUE RHYTHM BAND AT
HALF MOON INN, FINEST BALLROOM IN TRI-STATE DISTRICT, ON MARCH 21" PC-3/9/35p9:
STEUBENVILLE, O., Mar.7 – This
town and this valley is all excited over its
“day of days” on Thursday evening, March
21, when Lucky Millinder and his famous
Blue Rhythm band featuring the one and
only Edgar Hayes at the piano, comes to
town for a single engagement.
The attraction, booked by the Viri Simus
club, a progressive social and athletic organization
of 50 young men, is the answer to
the dream of the Valley for years.
Lucky Millinder and his famed band
poss.early April, an engagement in Chicago
prob.4/14-20/35, one week, Cincinnati: Public
Theatre – M.B.R.B. CD-4/20/358
4/22/35 Easter Mo., White Plains, N.Y., OS-WE-GO
CLUB - M.B.R.B. with Chuck Richards
LUCKY TO PLAY FOR EASTER PROM
Lucky Millinder,and the MBRB has been
selected by Avis B.Fields, well known producer
of New York, to play the 5th Annual Gala
Easter Parade of the popular Oswego Club,
which will be held at the beautiful Westchester
County Center, White Plains, N.Y. BAA-4/20/35
just out of the nationally known Cotton
Club in New York, have become
radio's greatest favorites, and their
appearance in this section ends a war
between rival promoters.
At Half Moon Inn
The dance will be staged at the
beautiful Half Moon Inn three miles
north of this city on Route 7.
Securing of this exclusive spot
by the Viri Simus club makes of the
affair a double attraction.
For the Half Moon Inn, with its
gold and tinsel trimmings, its public
address system, which allows those
lilting tunes to permeate every corner
of the massive dancing palace, its
lights made soft and intimate by large
Japanese lanterns, its booths and
tables, its massive bandstand, is an
attraction within itself.
The club announces half hour
street car service and taxi rates of ten
cents per person.
NYA-4/20/35p3:
CROONING ONLY BAD HABIT OF CHUCK RICHARDS
By Dot Anderson in BAA-3/9/35p9
Chuck Richards, who is now the
vocalist with the Mills Blue Rhythm
Band, is a pleasant looking, clean
young fellow, who has sung his way up
among the best.
Chuck was born in Baltimore, Md.,
twenty-one years ago. Went to school
there; graduated from Douglass Hi.
His first commercial warbling was
done over the Dixie network of CBS,
for a public utilities company.
He sang with an all “phift” band,
and listeners-in did not know his
race. He left Baltimore for New York,
where he landed on his feet with Mills.
Chuck has been married three years;
has two sons of whom he talks by the
hour. Has no bad personal habits. No
smokee , no drinkee; loves milk. Eats ice
cream by the quart. Finds recreation in
walking, or attending musical shows. Is
an ardent follower of sports.
Starred in football and track.
Prefers Oxford gray or brown suits,
blue shirts. Looks at all times like an ad
of “what the well-dressed man should
wear.”
Swing Music March 35: "BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES" ALLEN, HENRY “RED” :
Coloured trumpet player, said
by many to be the logical
successsor to Louis Armstrong.
First came into prominence in
records on Okeh with Luis
Russell's Orchestra, when his
style was definitely based on
Armstrong's. He also recorded a
large number of titles on Victor
under his own name with a
similar combination. In 1932
and 1933 he did some excellent
recording with coloured and
mixed orchestras. By this time he
had begun to evolve a personal
style, as can be heard in the Eddie
Condon discs: Bugle Call Rag,
etc. When he joined Fletcher
Henderson's Orchestra in 1933, it
was becoming increasingly easy
to recognise him as soon as he
began to play. His best-known
record with his group was
Nagasaki, in which he played two
fine trumpet choruses and sang
the vocal in his rather rough and
(un)attractive tones.
Three months ago he left
Henderson to join the Mills Blue
Rhythm Band, in which he will be
the most important asset. He was
heard in the American records of
Spike Hughes and in a series of
Brunswick titles made by a small
band which he conducted in 1934,
in conjunction with Hawkins. The
latter has the greatest admiration
for “Red's” playing and hopes to
bring him to Europe soon to
prove his value in person. L.G.F.

- 200 -
4/29/35 NYC., HENRY ALLEN & HIS ORCH. : Red Allen(t, v) Dicky Wells(tb) Cecil Scott(C1) Leon Chu Berry(ts)
Horace Henderson(p) Bernard Addison(g) John Kirby(b) George Stafford(d)
/CollectorsClass./ Classics- /Best of J./TimeLife
17395-1 3:03 ROSETTA -vRA (E.Hines-Woods) Vo 2965/ CC-13/C0CD-2/(F)CD-551/CD 4031/
-Allen intro 4b-Allen 32b-Chu Berry-vRA 32b-Berry-Wells-Allen 32b-
17396-1 3:07 BODY AND SOUL -vRA (Heyman-Sour-Eylon-Green) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 31b-Berry-vRA 31b-Henderson-Allen 16b-Allen coda-
17397-1 2:58 I´LL NEVER SAY "NEVER AGAIN" AGAIN -vRA Vo 2956/ --- / --- / --- /
(Woods) -Allen in ens 32b-Wells-Scott-Wells-vRA 32b-Berry-Allen 8b-Allen in ens 8b-
17398-1 2:45 GET RHYTHM IN YOUR FEET (And Music In Your Soul) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-vRA (Robinson-Livingstone) -Berry-Allen mute in ens 32b-Berry-vRA 32b-Henderson-Allen 16b-ens-
Evensmo: From the very first Vocalion recording session under
his own leadership, Allen has a firm hand, trumpet and voice.
"Rosetta" seems to define a standard format for the solo layout on
this and later sessions. First a trumpet solo rather straight as a
presentation of the theme, then a vocal chorus, and after some soli
by sidemen, Allen returns with a solo where his improvisational
talents are exploited to the utmost. The standard is on the average
quite marvellous. To single out details are difficult, so
overwhelming is the task. I will just say this: Play the last part of
"Rosetta", "Body …" and "... Feet" and you will hear one of the
greatest jazz musicians ever!!!
CHOO BERRY – Swing Music 1936p20: Choo´s imagination can
be weird. I think in so much as tone is concerned he would blend
well with a Chicago style band. His curiously sour – almost-off-toneharmonies
are sometimes in the true Chicago tenor tradition.
He is on the tenor what Henry Allen is on the trumpet - a carefree
humorist at heart. You only have to listen to the Allen-Berry "Get
Rhythm in Your Feet," where obviously they enjoy together the most
magnificent wisecrack to hear how compatible they are. Each is the
ideal complement to the other. A better match is to my mind than are
Hawk and Allen. Take for instance "Your Gonna Lose Your Gal."
Here the actual playing, swing, and phrasing, is unimpeachable but
the pleasantly childish exuberance of the other record is lacking.
Henry Allen has to behave himself for once and moderate his blowing to
suit Hawk's atmosphere.
Hawk, even in his lightest moments, gives the impression of sophistication.
Perhaps this is why he is so often the sensualist that Choo, being too
much of a practical joker, never is. The most sensual phrase in Jazz is
Hawk's lead to his second solo in Goodman's "O1' Pappy." I never quite
know exactly what it savours of. Certainly it has nothing to do with
venerable old pappies. This is jazz at its best worst - or worst best! Even in
his crude and harsh moments Bean seems to be studiedly and not
spontaneously rough. Listen to how he gets away in the Celestial Beings'
“Darktown Strutter´s Ball.” This is crude and I can think of no solo into
which Bean puts more punch; he sounds like a dog worrying a bone, but I
can never feel that this is as spontaneous and happy as "Choo." Rather does it
give me the impression that Bean is in a temper and is relieving himself
through his reed.
But crude or sensual, Hawk is capable of the complete volte-face. You have
only to play "Heartbreak Blues," "The Day You Came Along," or
"Arabesque," apotheosis of all that is best in one kind of iazz and immortal
products of a richly-coloured imagination, to have him play havoc with your
heartstrings.
Choo, as far as I know, has only played in one rhapsodic number: with Red
Norvo in “With All My Heart and Soul.” His work here is superb. In
everything but perhaps maturity of soul it compares more than favourably
with any sixteen bars in this vein that Hawkins has ever recorded.
Although Hawk´s style is similar throughout all his strongly emotional
pieces, he has the faculty of being able to play several fast numbers of the
same tempo in variously different styles. In his record of “Jamaica Shout”
we find him playing Choo´s game of long unbroken phrases where his style
seems too laborious and heavy to carry this off as does Choo, whose playing
is so remarkably light. The only clue that he is playing lies in his tone which
seldom changes. The exception to this rule is to be found in his little solo
after the second trombone passage in the Dandie's "Bugle Blues", where his
tone is almost as weird as Choo's. He clucks away like a hen, at the same
time producing a solo well nigh perfect for this setting.
Leon Chu Berry
The secret of Hawk's success lies, I believe, largely in his realising the necessity of being able thus to modify his style to suit
a particular atmosphere far more efficiently than can anyone else. Choo´s lack of experience probably accounts for his
weeakness here. Except in a change as from an out-and-out fast number to a slow he will not mould his style to suit his
surroundings.
Whatever the pundits may say, both Choo and Bean will remain my inseparable companions. The appetising tang of the one
bringing out the satisfying warmth of the other.
More reviews about Rosetta & Body & Soul in the Time Life article to be found in the Addenda of this book on pp-336-360;

- 201 -
NYAN & NYA-4/27/35p10: "Announcements from the Mills' Artist Bureau for a new all-colored revue with the M.B.R.B. "
5/l0 Fr.-16/35, NYC - HARLEM OPERA HOUSE: M.B.R.B. & Chuck Richards, Nicodemus, Amanda Randolph, John
Mason, George Wiltshire, Susaye Brown, Freddie Robinson, Bunny Briggs, Six Abominations,.dance-contest Mo.-night;
5/14/35 Tu. WNEW-broadcast - 60 min. from Amateur Night at H.O.H. - feat. M.B.R.B. - George Wiltshire (m.c.)
"BLUE RHYTHM BAND IN SHOW PACKED WITH SWEET MELODIES AT H.O.H." NYA-5/18/35p4
Rhythm and melody hold full
sway at the Harlem Opera House
this week and 'tis truly an enjoyable
reign. The Blue Rhythm
Band under the guiding baton of
the dynamic little Lucky Millinder
take the center of the stage, both
literatively and figuratively,
playing an assortment of tunes
which range from the indescribably
thrilling sweetness of their
theme song, the ever popular
“Stardust” to the low, pulsating,
sense intoxicating scorching
rhythm of deep jazz. Chuck
Richards, vocal artist with the
band and Edgar Hayes, pianist
extraordinary, are each featured in
turn as is Red Allen trumpeteer.
They're all good.
There is little more of the show.
Nicodemus, who is best known
for his “Hot Cha, Razz M'Tazz
Jazz” and his extreme “fatigue”
gets the feature spot and scores,
Susaye Brown, a personable little
woman, sings fairly well and
dances much better. Amanda
Randolph still retains traces of
her ability as a comedienne but
her appearance is rather brief.
Bunny Briggs, a little youngster
with a very husky voice, stops
the show with his performance.
Not so much his singing as his
dancing. If you haven't yet learned to “truck”
he can certainly show you a few things. John
Mason and his fellow cork artist get together
with George Wiltshire in two sketches
which are fairly funny but also very old.
The six Abominations are again thrown
on the stage with a chorus. They wear long
pants throughout the show this time -
probably so that they may be more easily
identified from the regular girls. I still think
that the chorus has a legitimate kick about
having to be so near them.
Childhood's gift to Hollywood, Shirley
Temple, gets together with Lionel Barrymore to
make “The Little Colonel” a period of real
enjoyment. Bill “Bojangles” Robinson plays
his part exceedingly well - and that doesn't
mean the dancing along either. – STB
NYA-5/11/35p4 PC:5/11/35p9:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AMATEUR NIGHT IN HARLEM - George Wilshire, Lucky Millinder and Blue Rhythm Band, Guesters
60 Mins. Sustaining; WNEW, New York Variety 5/22/35p38:
This is amateur night in Harlem No.2,
as it follows in direct line WMCA's program
started when ABS set up temporary
offices at WNEW's headquarters. It has
continued, however, as a regular station
broadcast since the demise of the
network.
They are identical in pattern. No special
auditions beforehand, no announcer
holding the crowd down or playing the
way which prepared copy. Aspirants
are fresh and green. This au naturel air
is the best entertainment point.
Stage band supplies the music with
the theatre assuming extra costs. Most
of the warblers bring their own accompanist
along to make their solo more
elegant. Lucky Millinder and his Blue
Rhythm Band was the stage attraction
this week, and made the syncopation
beaucoup warm. George Wiltshire
m.c.'ing and doing nice job.
If a contestant does not make the
grade pronto, the house evidently is
on his neck in a jiffy. Negroid talent
goes in for the snappy ballad instead of
the expected Harlemania. When one
does pick a “St.Louis Blues” or
“Milenberg Joys,” he is flying colors.
Harlem audiences seem to take a
sadistic delight in bloodcurdling response.
Din is terrific over the air.
Patrons somehow manage to sneak
sirens, cow-bells, etc., past the doormen
for their own self-expression.
poss.5/23 Fri.-5/30/35, Washington: Howard Theatre - M.B.R.B. personnel-changes: BAA-6/15/35; NYA-6/6/35: …
… Hayes Alvis has left to play string bass for Duke Ellington, and Elmer James has succeeded him with the M.B.R.B.
HAYES ALVIS JOINS DUKE ELLINGTON´S ORCHESTRA PC-8/10/35p2
DETROIT, Mich. Aug.8 – When Hayes
Alvis, bass player with Duke Ellington,
was confronted with the problem or
whether or not to join Duke's band
some weeks ago, you can bet that he
had no easy task in making up his mind.
That is, making up his mind so as to
cause the last confusion. Three very
important things flashed across his mind
in his attempt to make a fair, profitable
decision. First could he step into the
shoes of Braud, reputed by many as the
best bass player in the business, and
expecially so after he had been penned
by Ripley ? Second, could be on such
short notice adept himself to this new
style of music, with which he was
unfamiliar ? Third, would his sudden
changes affect the organization of
which he was then a member ?
Of course he wanted to be with
Duke. Every ambitious musician
wants to be. But he was not the
selfish type that thought of only
himself, nor was he conceived, but
could Lucky Millinder, the band he
was with, get someone to replace him
on the same short notice. Sleepless
nights and eatless days played no
minor part in his attempt to make the
propper ver-dict. Finally the decision
was made. He, Hayes Alvis would
make the change.
He has adopted himself to Duke's
style just as though he had been a
member of the organization for years,
which means that he has filled Braud's
place rather competently.
(cont. about H.Alvis' change on p 203)

- 202 -
56 & 57 SWING MUSIC May, 1935
R. EDWIN S. HINCHCLIFFE
discusses a much talked
about young Negro artiste, and
“red” allen
--------------------- his records
“What a grand team Allen and Hawkins make.”
WHEN Luis Russell's “Jersey Lightnin'” was issued on
Parlophone in 1930, a new trumpet-player shot like a
meteor into the world of Jazz. This was not, of course,
Henry Allen, Junr.'s first recording issued this side of the
Atlantic, for he played in a number of discs that Louis
Armstrong made with the Russell gang, especially “St.
Louis Blues,” but it was the first time that he really
thrust into the limelight.
At that time, I was well and truly under the spell of Armstrong,
then at the zenith of his glory. But the furious hellfor-leather
playing of “Red”Allen in this disc made me
take notice that there were other negro trumpet player
besides the great Louis. It was a queer, unsettling kind of
playing; tense excitement allied with terrific swing and a
masterly technique. Shortly after this first Russell disc
came “Louisiana Swing” – much the same type of number
with the same rather irresponsible trumpeting. “Panama”
and “High Tension,” also were in a similar vein, and
Allen began to take pride of place after Louis.
To-day, Louis Armstrong is not the artist he was, and
“Red” is one of the most talked-of personalities in jazz - and
also one of the most misrepresented. The Armstrong fanatics
do not like him because he is the most serious rival on
their idol, and many others do not like him because of
his, at times, rather florid and involved phraseology.
Now “Red” is by no means perfection, but on all-round
form he is certainly the most satisfying trumpet player
extant. For he not only has a grand technique and range
over the instrument, but he possesses also a remarkable
facility of phrasing and a compelling sincerity of expression.
In his early records on H.M.V. with his own
orchestra (Luis Russell's, if everybody had their due!) he
decidedly shows the influence of Louis, both in his vocals
and his phrasing. (“Patrol Waggon Blues” is a good
example of this.) But this likeness to Louis is not unnatural
when you consider that “Red” had been playing second
trumpet to him.
The Armstrong-tendency still shows in “Red's” vocals, but
on trumpet he has built up a style all his own, with an
entirely individual phraseology, marked by a very
strong attack. In fast numbers, especially those recorded
with Russell on Parlophone, and the discs made when he
was with Henderson, he displays an elegant inventiveness
of colourful and flowing phrases, an intricate pattern of
melody and rhythm. I would describe him in this mood as
the negro counterpart of Bix (*). This, of course, sounds
far-fetched. I do not, however, mean that their styles are by
any means similar, so far as phrasing or tone is concerned.
But there is the same exuberance, those sudden flashes
of humour, which characterised so much of Bix's work,
in these “rush” solos by Allen. Listen to the former's
sudden outburst from the ensemble in the last chorus of
Tram's “River-boat Shuffle,” but then hear Henry Allen's
short solo in Henderson's “Happy Feet.” There is much the
same spirit behind both these fragments of playing, and the
same comparisons can be drawn from certain other records.
In Blue and Pensive Moods
The simile stops at this. In his blue moods, “Red” is an
entirely different person. Take, for example, “Heartbreak
Blues.” Here we have just Allen and Hawkins, in front of a
small band, crying their hearts out. Note the low register
that Allen uses here, his restraint and quietness, the whole
atmosphere of his playing. One is convinced that in this he
really does feel the way he is playing. It is a genuine
“heartbreak blues”-no savageness of despair, just resignation
and a tranquil but real sorrow; a fine example of sincerity
and feeling in jazz. Allen here compares favourably with
Armstrong-at-his-best. There is a different atmosphere
altogether in “New Call of the Freaks”; a defiant sorrow,
tinged with fierce anger. This is more powerful playing than
“Heartbreak Blues” grimly moving where the other was
pathetic. And incidentally, all very grand jazz.
“Red” is also a swell exponent of the so-called “Chicago” style,
even though he does not usually play that way. Just get a
load of him with Pee Wee Russell swinging in the discs
with Billy Banks, and the two sides with the “Chicago
Rhythm Kings,” – real gut-bucket, this, and does it swing!
I'll say !
Some of Allen's best discs were made in 1933, with
Coleman Hawkins's Orchestra on Parlophone, the Hawkins-
Allen Orchestra on Brunswick, and Hughes's Negro
aggregation on Decca. With the two former orchestras (one
and the same, if you like) his playing is particularly
felicitous. A small all-star bunch, including a grand rhythm
section (with Horace Henderson, Holiday and Johnson, how
could it be otherwise?) just playing quiet swing music,
entirely lacking in roughness or crudity. What a grand team
Allen and Hawkins make. The playing of each is the perfect
complement to the other - indeed, their personalities, as
imagined from their recording seem to have much in
common. Both can rhapsodise, gut-bucket, or be involved,
and always their playing has the divine spark of sincerity.
It is the occasional involvedness of “Red” Allen, his
delight in playing brilliantly-coloured phrases, which
make his detractors charge him with insincerity.
There is no ground for this absurde charge. All minds do
not work alike; some prefer to use simple patterns, others
more complicated ones. It is the natural tendency of the latter
type to do so, but this does not in any way show lack of
sincerity, seeing they are following an instinctive bent.
Allen's disc taken in the order of their recording, show a
definite advancement throughout, and a building-up of a
completely individual style. There is never any falling -
cont.on next page

203 -
off in his own high standard. His swing has always
been terrific, but the passing of time has brought a
restraint which in no way marks his natural spontaneity,
an ability to play quietly without any consequent loss
of vigour. His tone is always clear, without that
coarseness which sometimes creeps into the solos of even
some of the best negro trumpeters. In Henry Allen we have a
player who can follow in the footsteps of Louis, without
any accusation of copying; a player who may in time even
surpass the true artistic Louis we all knew and admired
so much. I, at least, am confident that, excellent as is
“Red's” present standard, his best is indeed yet to come.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THESE RECORDS ALL FEATURE
HENRY ALLEN, Jnr.
BRUNSWICK
Billy Banks' Orchestra
O1561 Oh Peter / Margie
O1590 Bugle Call Rag / Spider Crawl
Chicago Rhythm Kings
O1737 Someone Stole Gabriel's Horn
Who Stole The Lock?
Hawkins-Allen Orchestra
O1664 Dark Clouds /
You're Gonna Lose Your Gal
O1709 Hush My Mouth / Galveston Gal
O1776 Aintcha Got Music ?
String Along on a Shoe String
O2005 The River's Taking Care of Me
Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
O1659 Can You Take It? / Yeah Man
O1904 Shanghai Shuffle /
Down South Camp Meeting
O1974 Rug Cutter's Swing /
Hotter Than Hell
O1985 Limehouse Blues /
Big John's Special
Luis Russell and His Orchestra
O2002 Case On Dawn
COLUMBIA
Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
CB678 Talk of the Town/Queer Notions
CB701 I've Got to Sing a Torch Song
(“Red” is not in the backing).
CB727 Nagasaki / Night Life
DECCA
Spike Hughes and His Orchestra
F5101 Sweet Sorrow / Air in D Flat
F3972 Sweet Sue / How Come You
Do Me Like You Do ?
F3717 Firebird / Donegal Cradle Song
F3639 Arabesque / Fanfare
F3836 Music at Sunrise/Music at Midnight
HIS MASTER'S VOICE
Henry Allen, Junr. and His Orch.
B6426 I Fell In Love With You
B6487 It Should Be You
B6377 Patrol Waggon Blues
B6377 Swing Out
BD103 Feelin' Drowsy
Fats Waller and His Buddies
B6390 Ridin' But Walkin'
B6549 Won't You Get Off It, Please?
(*) also Jerry Wexler compared Red Allen with Bix Beiderbecke,
Jerry Wexler in RHYTHM AND THE BLUES,
1993:p20-21:... I was simmered in a slow-cooking gumbo of
New Orleans jazz, small Harlem combos, big bands, Western
swing, jukebox race music, pop schmaltz. The talismanic
names would include Louis Armstrong, Red Allen, Duke
Ellington, Bob Willis, Riley Puckett, The Harlem Hamfats,
Gene Austin. „Hot rhythm stimulates me, deep rhythm
captivates me,“ sang the sublime Billie Holiday ...
I'm a product not solely of the Swing Era but all those
ingredients that melded into swing ...we loved the giants of
swing - Fletcher Henderson and Jimmy Lunceford's marvelous
big bands, the ethereal solos of Bix Beiderbecke, the hunfry
buzz and natural rasp of Roy Eldridge's fiery in-your-face
horn, and, always, the ineffable trumpet playing of Red
Allen....
p44-45: ... Sunday afternoon, when I'd head over to 52nd
Street to join my pals at Jimmy Ryan's for one of Milt
Gabler's fabulous jam sessions.... „There was a moment
there,“ Max Kaminsky later wrote in his autobiography, „in
1941-42, at the Ryan sessions, when hot jazz seemed at it
purest. At Ryan's the music was the thing, and when a
musician was building a solo, you never heard a sound from
the audience. You could feel them listening.“ ...
Occasionally Shirley and I would spend an afternoon on 14th
Street, where I'd comb the used-record bins for hidden gems.
The notes of Red Allen's „Meet me in the Moonlight,“ for
example, remain written across my heart. It was an accidental
purchase; I didn't know what I was in for, didn't know that
for the next fifty years Red would remain my favorite
instrumentalist, a much neglected virtuoso who was
unfairly compared to his fellow Louisianian Louis Armstrong, in
spite of the fact that Allen's unex-pected tonal leaps and
sophisticated sense of harmonics were futuristic., far
closer to the beboppers of the forties than to the preswingers
of the twenties. ...
p255: ... The next morning I was still going at it, explaining
everything to everything, dispensing cosmic information with
sagacity of an Old Testament profet. I saw into the center of
HIS MASTER'S VOICE
(so far unissued here).
Allen's Orchestra
B4985 Singing Pretty Songs (backed
with “I Fell In Love With You”)
Luis Russell's Orchestra
B4881 You Rascal, You
B4897 Freakish Blues
B4907 Goin' To Town
PARLOPHONE
Coleman Hawkins and His Orch.
R1685 Jamaica Shout /
The Day You Came Along
R1766 Heartbreak Blues
Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra
R1792 Happy Feet
R1766 Old Man River
R1717 Aintcha Glad / Rhythm Crazy
R2031 Minnie the Moocher's Wedding
Luis Russell and His Orchestra
R 740 Jersey Lightnin'
R 795 Louisiana Swing
R 934 Muggin' Lightly
R 963 Panama
R1064 High Tension
R1273 Doctor Blues
R1645 New Call of the Freaks
R1669 Song of Swanee
R1882 Feeling the Spirit
the rose, into the mystery of all consciousness, explaning the
origin of matter and structure of Red Allen's trumpet solos. I
wouldn't shut up, and my hunch is that, despite the logorrhea,
I wasn't unentertaining ...
p314: .. I have tapes by the side of my bed, tapes that get me
through the night. It's music that´s close to my heart ... I love
the lyrical trumpet players – Bobby Hackett, Warren Vache,
Bix Beiderbecke – and I´m blessed to have many recordings
by haunting saxist Frank Teschemacher. I love Red Allen –
like Bix, was ahead of his time.

- 204 -
Hayes-Alvis-change: Peter Carr owns a copy of the telegram that Duke sent Alvis on May 22, 35 to the Howard
Theatre, Washington, c/o M.B.R.B., 'You join band Philadelphia Friday May 31th, Duke'. Hayes told Peter that he
played with the M.B.R.B. one night (that must have been May 30) and the very next night played for Duke.
(In contrast to Rust's personnel of M.B.R.B. sessions Oct.1934-35 and in conformity with Chilton -saying that
Alvis worked with the M.B.R.B. from 1931 until mid 1935-, I have not found any source in the negro press, that
Alvis was replaced by James in 1934, whereas I found sources saying that James remained the Henderson band
until he joined with other members Benny Carter in late 1934 and then Millinder in June 1935.
6/5/35 Wed., NYC broadcast APOLLO THEATRE - Ralph Cooper's Amateur Nite with MBRB the below review
means probably the week when-Earl Hines´ Orch. was at the Apollo Theatre followed Don Redman 5/24-30.
Amateur-Nites regulary at Wednesday with different bands.
"RADIO REVUE" - N.Y. is presenting Amateur Night in Harlem for a full hour... with Gulph(sic) Cooper as MC
... Lucky Millinder and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band was the stage attraction, dishing out the syncopating tunes to
fever pitch... (BAA-6/15/35)
Hot News June-35p6: Irving Mills is featuring names with his Blue Rhythm Band. He advertises the band with
Chuck Richards, Edgar Hayes, Red Allen, and Bill Bailey. Good Business. Names like those should not be buried.
on tour South,'35: Red & Pearlie Mae-Henry Sr.& Juretta Allen - Edgar Hayes-Higgy-Lawrence Lucie
poss.6/7 Fr.-6/13/35, M.B.R.B. completed a date at the Lincoln Theatre in Philadelphia, to be
followed by a dance tour of the South until late June-35; Jacksonville, Ga., Columbus
Ga., Nashville, Birmingham, (BAA:6/15/35)
6/18/35, Chattanooga, Tenn.; CD-6/15/35p9:MILLS BLUE RHYTHMS TO CHATTANOOGA
6/14-Much enthusiasm is being displayed over the announcement concerning the personal
appearance of Lucky Millinder and his Mills Blue Rhythm band in this city on June 18.
The great band with its individually styled jazz has been heard and talked about by the
majority of this city's dance and music lovers, but few have had the opportunity of seeing
them "in the flesh."
6/20/35, Atlanta: Sunset Garden; Knoxville, Bluefield W.Va., Pittsburgh, Pa., Harrisburg, and then back to New York.
“LUCKY MILLINDER ON A SOUTHERN TOUR” by Floyd Snelson in BAA:6/22/35: Atlanta. Ga. – Lucky Millinder
and the Blue Rhythm Band feat. Edgar Hayes and Chuck Richards, appeared at the Sunset Garden here Thursday.
The present tour, the farthest south the band has played, is taking it to ….(see above tour details)
6/23/35, Pittsburgh: Stanley Theatre - M.B.R.B. with stage show , 6/24/35 Mo. Pittsburgh, Savoy – then Harrisburg
"LUCKY MILLINDER AT SAVOY MONDAY" (PC-6/22/35p8) .(not all readable, but above info.)
THE SOUTH HAILS MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND; ON LONG TOUR by Floyd G.Snelson, CD-6/22/35p9
Atlanta, Ga., June21 – The heat wave,
with an avalanche of spontaneous jazz
rhythm in the wake of Lucky Millinder
and the MillsBlue Rhythm Band is captivating
the South, taking it unaware
and sweeping it off its feet. The molten
heat was set a fire at the Sunset
Gardens Thursday night when several
hundred peered on in amazement.
Lucky shared honors with Edgar Hayes,
noted pianist, who some folk say
makes three pianos out of one, while
Charles Richardson, the silver voiced
tenor of the Bing Crosby variety, gave
an artistic touch to the occasion with
his splendid songs over the load speaker.
Speaking of loud speakers, Edgar
Hayes is probably the first one to
connect his piano-forte with the
resonant speaker for dull carriage.
"Stardust," the Millinder theme
number, was indeed a masterpiece. I
have heard scores of arrangements
and renditions of the sweet number,
but never before have I heard such
wonderful music.
With due respect to my many other
musical friends I think this outfit is
the last word in hottest of the so-called
hot jazz. Besides the excellent arrangements,
each musician appears to aspire
to the role of an individual artist.
They all seem to clamour for the hight of
perfection in every delivery.
Splendid team work and more action
than any band in the business are his
strong points. The acrobatic antics and
automatic gyrations of Lucky Millinder
with his human baton is some-thing not
entirely new, but a great improvement and
more thrilling than its predecessors.
Buster Bailey and Gene Mikell to the
reed section, Henry Allen and Wardell
Jones did the heavy parts. Higginbotham
and Washington made their instruments
quite conspicuous in the brasses, the latter
singing over the mike effectively.
The Blue Rhythm band appears not to
relish the brand new and short lived song

hits of tin pan alley, but seems to prefer
the more to date and seasoned numbers.
The old numbers in new jackets were
highly flavoured with the latest and most
modern doses of jazz-mania; just as
Body and Soul, Darktown Strutters Ball,
- 205 -
Rosetta, St. Louis Blues, Nagasaki,
Devil in My Heart, Just You, What´s
The Reason ?, Tiger Rag, and others.
Edgar Hayes is given credit for the
unusual arrangements that bring out
the best that is in them.
The present tour, the farthest south the
band has played is taking them to Jacksonville,
Columbus,Ga., Nashville, Birmingham,
Chattanooga,Knoxville, Bluefield,
W.Va., Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and
then back to the homeolate in New York.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Swing Music Aug.35: "THE BLUE RHYTHM BAND" - Baron Lee and his boys have been out of town with their Cotton
Club Revue, whilst Lucky Millinder's Blue Rhythm Band has been taking the South by storm. This latter has become a
swell outfit, Edgar Hayes is still featured in solos on piano; Higgy and Washington stand out in the brass section, as do
Henry Allen and Wardell Jones. Buster Bailey and Gene Mikell are leading lights in a great reed section. And, fortunately,
this is one of the few bands that doesn't bother about pop tunes and prefers to stick to the old favourites. STARDUST,
their theme number, is becoming hackneyed over here nowadays, but the Millinder treatment is something new.
M.B.R.B.mid.1935: Lucky Millinder -Lawrence Lucie - Shelton Hemphill - Crawford Wethington - Wardell Jones - J.C.Higginbotham
- Gene Mikell - Red Allen - George Washington - Buster Bailey - O´Neill Spencer - Joe Garland - Elmer James - Edgar Hayes
7/2/35 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Red Allen (t) George Washington,
J.C. Higginbotham (tb) Buster Bailey (c1) Gene Mikell (c1,as, bars) Crawford Wethington (c1,as) Joe Garland (ts,
bars ,arr) Edgar Hayes (p,arr) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) O´Neil Spencer (d) Chuck Richards (v) Will Hud-
son, Alex Hill (arr) Lucky Millinder (dir.,v) all six sides on RA-CD-3a
/JazzPan./GAPS/Classics/Everybo-/CDS-RPCD610/
17759-1 2:59 RIDE, RED, RIDE ! -vLM&ch, -aWH (Millinder-Mills) Co 3087D/ LP-3 /Lp170/CD 710/-dy 1013/JAZZ-CD040/
-vLM-tbns-Mikell-Garland-Allen mute 16b-Bailey-vLM-Allen 64b, ens brks-
17760-1 2:51 HARLEM HEAT -aWH (W.Hudson) Co 3071D/JazzArch/ / --- / --- /Arch.of J. /
-Hayes-saxes&brass-Allen 18b-ens-Garland-Washington-Bailey- /-JA-10 / /-3891102/
17761-1 2:55 ONCE TO EVERY HEART -vCR (Kahn-Romberg) Br 7534 / / --- / --- / --- /
-ens-vCR-Hayes-Washington-ens-
7/9/35 NYC., as above
17796-1 2:40 CONGO CARAVAN -aJG (J.Garland) Co 3087D/J.P. LP-3/ --- / --- /
-Mikell in ens-ens-Bailey in ens-Allen 16b-Garland-Higginbotham-ens, Spencer brks-ens-
17797-1 2:58 THERE´S RHYTHM IN HARLEM Co 3071D/ -JA-10 / / --- /Phonstatic/ --- /
(= IN THE MOOD) (Garland) -Garland in ens-ens-Washington-Jones-Garland-Jones-ens- /NOST7657/
17798-1 2:27 TALAHASSE (Hayes-Kurtz-Mills) Br 7534 / --- / / --- / / --- /
-ens-Garland-ens-Garlnd-Bailey-ens-Mikell-tbns-Hayes-ens-Allen 8b-ens-

- 206 -
Red Allen ”In My Opinion” J.J.I.Sept.64p18-19: “Ride, Red, Ride”
Blue. Rhythm Band. RCA Victor RD 27045: Lucky Millinder
played a big part in the original recording of that number and it
was his idea in the first place anyway.
Thanks for playing it to me. Another great guy, who I see often,
Lucky Millinder and another close friend of Walter Pichon's.
There was a fine pianist with that band, Edgar Hayes. He disappeared
from the scene in New York and is now living in California.
I hear he is still playing and that is good, for he was surely a
very fine pianist. That Blue Rhythm Band were a good band to
work for we worked the Cotton Club most of the time, which was
the top club of that kind in New York at that time. The kind of
resident band was either Duke Ellington or Cab Calloway and we
used to replace either when they were away. I don't know if we
were good or fit enough to take their place, but that is what we
did. And of course we did tours ourselves. That Ride Red Ride
happened this way. In those days one always recorded in even
numbers one never did three or five, they were always in evens
for the two sides of the record. Well we recorded Ride Red Ride,
but when they played it back, we got a 'no' on it. So Lucky that
day recorded three numbers only, so that we should have to come
back again to fill in the odd side. But to save expense they
decided to use Ride Red Ride after all, so not to have to bring us
back for another date. As it happened it turned out big, and
became a big seller. And I have Lucky to thank for that.
Lawrence Lucie by Barren McRae, Jazz Journal 2-62 – continues:
…He was soon on the move again and towards the end of 1934
joined the Lucky Millinder Orch., a band that receives scant
attention from jazz fans but which was one of the really great
touring show bands. Lucie actually considers Millinder to be one
of the all time great band leaders. Certainly there were some fine
records cut, after Millinder had established himself as leader of the
MBRB. This was a very exciting outfit, with such gifted soloists
as "Scad"Hemphill, Red Allen, J.C. Higginbotham, and Buster
Bailey… Harlem Heat is a fine record of the band at this
time and the lift of the rhythm section is especially felt behind
Higgy´s wonderful solo and in the dynamic last chorus. This
almost indefinable 'lift' – something that is so often missed in
modern big bands - is also well in evidence on Ride, Red Ride a
wonderful instrumental, and Lucie's own personal favourite.
Leif Anderson on J.P.LP-3: "Ride,Red,Ride" is a "Tiger Raggish"
production number that eventually, as the title suggests, turns into
a trumpet-feature for Red Allen. The record very nearly wasn't
issued. Allen and the band played it in the studio and it was
waxed, but the record company men didn't like it and finally
released it only because they had to have something to put on the
back of a number they did like (Congo Caravan). It hit. "Congo
Caravan" is an original by saxophonist.Joe Garland (later famous
as the author of hit instru-mental "In the Mood" hear, also the
theme of "There's Rhythm In Harlem"). The orchestra manages a
dark dangerous sound as it forces it´s way through this `jungle´
number. There are solo spots by Allen,Mikell and Higginbotham to light up proceedings. The overall tonal color turns a bit
lighter towards the end and we might assume that the caravan safely reaches its destination.
Evensmo: 'The big feature number for Allen is "Ride, Red, Ride", and one expects something real great. However, one is in
for a disappointment. The number is made for money and not for music, given an ultrafast tempo (some parts have a medium
tempo), unfit for improvising, and a corny arrangement. Allen does his best, and the beginning of the long fast solo is
fierce and well contrived, but on the whole this is not a very interesting Allen item. The reverse is much better and
contains a very fine 16-bar solo in a proper arrangement. Play this one instead! Also, "Harlem Heat" and "Tallahassee"
have fine trumpet, the last one in particular warms your heart!
Another review by John Chilton about Ride, Red, Ride in the Time Life article in the Addenda at the book´s end.
sheet of “Harlem Heat”-trumpet solo,. look page 231a
Variety 7/3/35p44: After Loew´s State, N.Y., stage booking week of July 12, Lucky Millinder´s band resumes
barnstorming tour for summer.
Variety 7/10/35p53: Lucky Millinder in for three-day recording service for Brunswick; then resumed his tour.
Variety 7/17/35 WNEW´S Amateur Night from Harlem Opera House, N.Y., on Tuesday nights has faded from the
ether.Station and house management failed to hit it off, so weekly series was jerked. – This leaves WMCA alone in the
amateur field in Harlem picking up the Apollo, Harlem, ams on Wed. 11-12 p.m. However, WNEW has anightly series
from the Ubangi club, Lenox Ave.
7/12-25/35 two weeks, at Loew´s State Theatre; "LUCKY MILLINDER SCORES AT STATE" by Ted Yates in
BAA-7/27/35p8: N.Y.- Lucius (Lucky) Millinder is scoring at Loew's State on Broadway. Millinder is hectic activily
personified in front of MBRB. Chuck Richards, bronzed vocalist, was marvelous. He pleased to the extent that word is
being passed around a new high for certain calls at Loew's State.
NYA.:7/20/35p9: … There are several other sepians appearing on the Main Stem at present. Lucky Millinder and his
Blue Rhythm Band have been wowing theatregoers all week at Loew´s State Theatre, with speciality work by
“Snakehips”Tucker. …

- 206a - scans- 26 -
1/25/35 Enoch 1/25/35 ebay
4/29/35 rare reverse Voc-label-ebay ^ 429/35 Kasche
six 78-record set (ebay) 4/29/35 (1941 reissue; backs.: Armstrong-Dear Old Southland)

- 206b - scans- 27 -
7/2/35 full Range (alternate label to p206) 7/2/35 Crump
7/2/35 (red-sic) ebay 7/9/35(lilac-sic) L.Mercer
7/9/35 (Aussi) ebay 7/9/35 ebay

- 207 -

- 208 -
7/12-7/25/35 N.Y.C.: two weeks Loew's State Theatre on Broadway - stage show with M.B.R.B.; Three Dukes; Earl
"Snakehips" Tucker; & Billie Holliday (probably only in the 2nd week:) & Ralph Cooper's band; (possibly this was
the week with Billie mentioned by Ad De Haas in Jazz Hot Apr.36(!) or there was one more other week, possibly in
early Dec.35 or Feb.36 - look there)
Adv.-NYT:7/12/35p17 (without reviews)
"LUCKY MILLINDER AT LOEW'S N.Y."STATE" - LUCKY "TRUCKS ON DOWN"
IN GREAT FASHION AT STATE – Edgar wonderful night. Edgar Hayes, the
Hayes Gets Ovation by Ted Yates, PC- pianist, is popular with the Broadway
7/27/35p7 New York, July 25. Torrid crowd. Hayes was given quite an ova-
weather, or no torrid weather. There's tion as he “went to town” at intervals.
no stopping him – the Harlem-maestro, The Millinder orchestrations are
Lucius“Lucky”Millinder “trucked on classy-their delivery smart. I like the
down” to Loew's State and cut up a old favourite, “Stardust” best, still.
musical mess.
Billy Holliday, a “hot” spot entertainer,
Millinder is hectic activity personified in who short-lived her midiocre spot with
front of Mills Blue Rhythm Band. a group of picked musicians labeled as
The last time Millinder appeared on Ralph Cooper's band, makes her ap-
Broadway the critics raved. This morpearance. Though this girl with her
ning's 6 a.m. edition screamed words of odd, but pleasing vocalizing of rhythm
phraise for the man from Harlem town. tunes can be heralded as a coming
The evidently, still holds his own. You sensation she is not being handled
have got to be good, real good, to strike properly. We had thought after seei-
gold twice in the same place you know. ng her in front of the Cooper musical
Chuck Richards, bronzed vocalist, was aggrega-tion that she was good for at
marvelous. He pleased to the extent that least an extensive three week's tour.
word is being passed around that he has Maybe she's on big time new. Any
established a new high for curtain calls way Miss Holliday has the goods.
at Loew's State.Year after year of Earl “Snakehips”Tucker, the original,
concentrated effort, Millinder reveals the master of that nimble shivery ,
that he possesses extraordinary talent. quivery dance, does his twisting rou-
His performance before his band is a tine, pleased everyone. With a new
twang to it, Earl adds a fancy bit of “trucking”
to his routine. Got to see him when he comes
your way.
The three Dukes are sensational. They are the
spice of the bill, clever dance team. Plenty of
class to these boys.
7/19/35 NYC., BOB HOWARD & HIS ORCH. ?Bill Dillard(t) Cecil Scott(cl) Sam Allen(p) Lawrence Lucie(g) Richard
Fullbright(b) Cozy Cole(d)
39725- Lost My Rhythm, Dec 513/Rar.No.49/
-ens-?Dillard muted-Scott-?Dillard muted-vBH (Lucie-1st t-break-2nd t-brk)-
-Sam Allen--Lucie ?Dillard muted-?Allen hand-muted in ens-vBH&ch-ens
39726-A I´m Painting The Town Red Dec 524/ --- /
-? two t in ens-Sam Allen-Scott-Sam Allen-vBH(Scott)-?Allen hand-muted -Scott-?Dillard muted in ens-Lucie-ens-
RED ALLEN records with Bob Howard for Decca: Al Vollmer: "on 11/10/78 I did an interview with pianist Bob Howard
and he recalled Henry Allen being on some of his records. So far, we have not been able to locate on what sides. I played
many of the records for Bill Dillard who questioned his own presence on the several sides he was supposed to be on
(7/10&18&19/35) so the personnel on all of the Bob Howard´s is in doubt. Bob Howard had nothing to do with selecting
the musicians, so he can't be of much help."
On Al´s letter I had sent a tape to Cozy Cole including also the July-35 and 4/3/36 sessions. Cozy couldn't identify Red
definitively but clearly remembered that Red was present on one or two Bob Howard-Decca-sessions.
The best chance for Red´s presence with Bob would have been this 7/19/35 session when he recorded with Cecil Scott &
Lawrence Lucie the same date his own Vocalion-session. But I miss any Allen-trademarks with exception that there might
be a 2nd hand-muted-trumpet in ensemble work immediately after the 3rd muted-t-solo on mx39725. Possibly that Red
Allen has been only guest on one January, July or on 4/3/36 sessions or that he possibly played one or two chorus.

- 209 -
7/19/35 NYC., HENRY ALLEN & HIS ORCH. : Red Allen (t, v) J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Albert Nicholas (c1) Cecil
Scott (ts) Horace Henderson (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) Kaiser Marshall (d)
/CollectorsClas. /Classics/
17845-1 2:39 DINAH LOU -vRA (Koehler-Bloom) Vo 2913/CC-13/C0CD-2/CD-551/
-Allen 30b-Nicholas-vRA 30b-Scott-Higginbotham-Allen 16b-
17846-1 2:49 ROLL ALONG PRAIRIE MOON –vRA Vo 2997/ --- / --- / --- /
(Fio Rito-McPerson-Von Tilzer) -Lucie-Allen mute & Nicholas 24b-vRA 32b-
-Allen shouts to Scott-Allen shouts to Higginbotham-Allen 8b-Allen in ens 8b-
17847-1 2:41 I WISHED ON THE MOON -vRA (Parker-Rainger) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Higginbotham-Henderson-vRA 30b-Higginbotham-Allen mute 8b-Nicholas- Allen 8b-Allen in ens 8b-
17848-1 2:50 TRUCKIN´ -vRA (Koehler-Bloom) Vo 2998/ --- / --- / --- /
-Higginbotham-Allen 24b-Higginbotham-vRA 32b-Henderson brd-Higginbottham-Allen 16b-Scott-ens-
KAISER MARSHALL by Johnny Simmen in Storyv.No.41/June-72:
The fact that J.C.Higginbotham takes 48 bars on Red Allen's ROLL
ALONG PRAIRIE MOON was spontaneous and entirety unexpected.
The solo routine had been arranged so that Higgy would take 32bars
and Red the last chorus (also 32bars). However, when the recording
came to be made Higgy blew so great, that on the spot, Red urged him to
go on and play half of his own solo as well . Kaiser used to say that it
was wonderful that musicians could record under such circumstances.
He also felt that few leaders would have done what Allen did. In his
opinion Red was a "fine man".... Don't ask me which are Kaiser´s best
records. There are too many where this great musician can be heard.
Listen to him with Fletcher Henderson (from about 1924 on), the Red
Allen date of l9th July, 1935. All four sides -… and all the sides Kaiser
made for Mezzrow's "King Jazz" label-1945 &47
Evensmo: "Truckin' " has the best solo here, a fine logical structure of
16 bars executed with full control. "Dinah Lou" is also among the
notable contributions. "I Wished ..." is rather uneven, the muted solo
is a mess, but he concentrates masterfully in the finale with open
horn."Roll Along .." is all right without any special merit. In all,
a nice session but not by a long way up to the previous Vocalion
session.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SWING Record Review by Leonard Hibbs 1936p287:
“Truckin'” and “I Found a Dream.” Panachord 25809 -1/-.
I have not included this record because it is in many ways a
masterpiece, but it is a swell piece of swing music for
dancing. And if Red Allen is a trifle lugubrious in his
singing, his trumpet playing is as good as ever it was. Edgar
Hayes has a somewhat light touch to play in such a small
band as this and the credit for the grand rhythm must be laid
at the door of the rest of the rhythm section.
"The Rest of Records Reviewed" by "Rophone", Melody
Maker 10/17/36p6.: Roll Along Prairie Moon / Algiers
Stomp. Vocalion 29: Prairie Moon, a swing Western to
end all Westerns, really hassome of the excitement of a
genuine jam session, with Red's frantic cries of "Take
another one, Higgy!" and "Talk to 'em, Cecil Scott! "
This is a grand combination of first-rate jam music and
good, unsophisticated humour. (cont.8/5/36)
8/1/35 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: same as 7/2/35, Red Allen(t,v)
/ GAPS- / Classics- /
17922-1 2:40 WAITING IN THE GARDEN –vCR (unknown) Co 3083D/(DU)170/(F)CD710/ RA-CD-3a/
-ens-?Hemphill-saxes-vCR-ens-
17923-1 2:45 DINAH LOU -vCR (Koehler-Bloom) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-ens-Hayes-vCR-Allen 18b-Higginbotham-Bailey-ens-vCR-
17924-1 3:07 COTTON (Koehler-Bloom) Co 3078D/ --- / --- / --- /
-saxes-Hayes-Garland-Hayes-Mikell-vCR-Allen & ens 16b-Higginbotham-ens-
17925-1 2:36 TRUCKIN' -vRed Allen (Koehler-Bloom) --- / -JA-10 / --- / --- /Arch.of J./
-ens-Hayes-ens-vRA 32b-ens-Allen 16b-Higginbotham-ens-vRA&ch coda- /3891102/
Red Allen about John Kirby on Col.CG 33557: “He could. charm the
birds down from a tree. And women – boy, that guy sure knew how to operate.
He could get any woman to do anything for him; gals who guys had been
trying to make since I don´t know when and deal, then John comes along and
whamee! That was it.”
Evensmo: While "Dinah Lou" with Allen's own group was good, this
version, slightly slower, is unforgettable. Not because it is particularly
complicated, but because it is a pure, simple, forceful and melodic
presentation such as only a fully mature artist could make it. In addition to
this, "Cotton" and "Truckin' " both contain excellent soli, among the best
with the MBRB.

- 210 -
8/2/35 NYC., PUTNEY DANDRIDGE (v) & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t) Buster Bailey (cl,as) Teddy Wilson (p) Lawrence
Lucie (g) John Kirby (b) Walter Johnson (d)
/ Classics / Timeless Hist. /
17934-1 2:43 I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE -vPD Vo 3007/Rarities-26/(F)CD-846/CBC 1-923-2CD/ RA-CD-4/
-Wilson-Allen in ens 16+8b, Bailey brd-vPD (Allen t 8b & mute 8b)-Wilson-Bailey-Allen 8b-vPD-ens-
11935-1 3:06 ISN'T THIS A LOVELY DAY -vPD Vo 3006/ --- / --- / --- / ---- /
-Allen intro 8b-Bailey as-Wilson-vPD (Allen mute 24b)-Allen 32b-vPD-& Allen-
17936-1 2:57 CHEEK TO CHEEK -vPD --- / --- / --- / --- / ---- /
-Wilson intro-vPD (Allen in ens), Allen brk 4b-Wilson-Bailey-Allen in ens 16b-
17937-1 2-.36 THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK -vPD Vo 3007/ --- / --- / --- / ---- /
-Bailey intro-vPD (Allen mute 26b)-Allen mute 16+8b, Lucie brd-Wilson-Bailey-vPD-Allen 4+2b-
17938-1 2:58 SHINE -vPD (Dabney-Mack-Brown) Vo 3024/(bad)--/-27/ --- / --- / ---- /
-3 2:56?..SHINE -vPD Vo test exists (source G.Ellison (UK)in the 80s)
-Bailey intro-vPD-Allen 32b-vPD-Wilson-Bailey-Allen in ens 16b-vPD (Allen in ens 16b)-
Evensmo: There may be many opinions about Putney (I love
him!!!), but apart from that discussion there is no doubt
that his records contain marvellous soli by many of the
greatest improvisers in jazz. Allen, Eldridge, Berry and
Wilson are only a few. On this session Allen seems to have
a wonderful time. His soloing on "... Lovely Day" and
"Shine" is masterly. Note particularly "Shine", his style is a
little bit different from the usual one, being more staccato
but equally effective. He plays also beau-tifully with mute,
especially in. the obbligato parts, but also in a nice solo on
"... Think".On "Cheek ..." and "... Love" his contributions
are not so prominent but still executed with taste and style.
Michael Brooks on Col.CG 3357 (John Kirby album)
ISN'T THIS A LOVELY DAY ? The unexpected
success of the Fats Waller Rhythm records on Victor and the
advent of the juke box opened up a new source of work for
the jazz musician. Quickly a whole masquerade of Waller
imitators blossomed on the major label, women as well as
men: Tempo King and Amanda Randolph on Bluebird;
Bob Howard, Cleo Brown and Lil Armstrong on Decca;
Haven Johnson, Dick Porter and Putney Dandridge on
ARC-Vocalion. John Kirby particularly suited to these
casual small group session, laying down a clean swinging
beat and at this time he was one of the busiest black
musicians around. JOHN HAMMOND: “Putney
Dandridge was a very popular entertainer who was a lousy
pianist. He used to accompany Bojangles Robinson. He
made two sides for Vocalion and then I persuaded them
to bring in Teddy Wilson and the difference was
staggering.” This tune came out of the Astaire-Rogers Top
Hat one of the best movie musicals of the '30s. Fred,
posing as a hansom-cab driver, lures Ginger into the park,
there is a summer storm, the take refuge in an abandoned
bandstand and – well, yes, as this is the '30s they go into
their dance, and why not? Here, Red Allen screams
derisively at such frivolous behaviour, Bailey's light-toned
alto takes a half-chorus, Teddy crisply gets down to
business, then Allen returns to the attack, jeering behind
Dandridge's vocal. Then a full 32-bar solo from Allen,
spraying notes across the beat like a small boy gleefully
urinating against a brick wall.
Look Addenda-p356: Timelife-article: Isn´t It A Lovely Day
Louis "Putney" Dandridge
July/Aug-35 ~ Red Allen subbed in Duke Ellington's Orch. (as he did often from 1934-37; Leonard Feather &Red Allen)
July/Aug –35, NYC, one night (during a MBRB 'rest' period) at ADRIAN ROLLINI'S TAP ROOM: Adrian Rollini
(vibe,bs,m.c.) with a quartet of Red Allen, Buster Bailey, Bernard Addison, Pops Foster; other personnel of the
recording session 6/14/35): Wingy Manone, Joe Marsala, Adrian Rollini, Putney Dandridge, Carmen Mastren, Sid
Weiss, Jeanne Burns; ... ; Red Allen & Buster Bailey were replaced by FreddieJenkins & Cecil Scott.
Lionel Hampton´s Cuff Notes, BAA-6/17/39p10: ... Henry Red Allen was the first colored musician to play in the first
mixed band on 52nd Street. He played a few nights then rejoined Lucky Millinder..."'
Leonard Feather described the above sessions-in several reviews about his first USA-trip. At the first time in:
“THE UPTOWN LOWDOWN” in NYAN-8/31/35p7(subbed in Ellington's band) , later: in following articles:

- 211 -
"FOR RED" -'Feather's Nest' - by Leonard Feather In Down Beat 6/1/67:
One of the first whose tireless hospitality helped make me
feel less of a stranger in town was Red Allen, who suggested
that I hoin him after a record session and spend an evening
listening to records in his 1st floor apartment near Sugar Hill
(on St.Nicholas Place near 152nd Street).
“My chief surprise at Red´s place,”I wrote in the Melody
Maker, “was the huge pile of records he has in which he is
featured as bandleader. Under his own name he has made
literally scores of titles on Vocalion, Melotone, and other
low-price labels, featuring J.C.Higginbotham, Luis Russell,
and Pee Wee Erwin, the little trumpet player from Ray
Noble´s band.” (These pickup combo dates, recorded off and
on from 1933 through `37, would make a splendid subject for
a Columbia reissue project.) …
"Red Allen is such a fine artist and such an agreeable,
gentlemanly fellow that it seems a shame he hasn´t yet quite
reached the top. The Mills Blue Rhythm Band doesn't really
'send him,' but he ,has to make money. The other evening he
was off to play a one-night engagement with Ellington,
filling in for an absentee. I commented that many of us would
be delighted if he could fit in permanently with the Duke."
That affiliation , of course never materialized; had Elling-
ton hired him, the quality and quantity of Allen's recorded
legacy would have been immeasurably greater, for he was just
the type of individualist for whom Ellington could have
designed perfect settings (the miniature jazz concerto concept
was pioneered by Duke In 1936). Allen was never to earn the
security of an Ellington setting…
I recall another priceless night (July-1936). It happened
during the hottest week in Manhattan´s history, with 52nd St.
jazz temperatures to match. The Hickory House unveiled a
new group billed as Joe Marsala and Eddie Condon's
Chicagoans. A brilliant 19-year-old find was playing piano; his
name was Joe Bushkin. And on opening night, wearing the
same uniform as the white musicians, not just sitting in but an
actual member of the band was Red Allen. Such sights were
astonishing in those days of total segregation.
But it was only a one-nighter for Red as things turned out; he
was obliged to return to the Blue Rhythm Band. (His replacement
was another Negro trumpeter, Otis Johnson. Marsala
was the first in his field after Benny Goodman to buck U.S.
society.) But Red came back and sat in whenever be could.
"creating noises," I observed. "the quantity of whose volume is
equaled and surpassed by the quality and perfection of his style."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Life with Feather-part IV "-by Leonard Feather in Down Beat 4/8/1965:
MY MOST DURABLE RECOLLECTION of the musicians quit the job, and the rest of us walked out in anger and
I met during those first visits to New-York between 1935 and sorrow.
'39 is the memory of their unfailing hospitality and kindness. Little by little, I was learning about the strange folkways of
With their generosity helped make me feel at home, perhaps my U.S.society. …
deep concern for the music contributed a little to the raising of A strong compensation for the confusion between art
their morale, which was in dire need of help.
and entertainment was the happy camaraderie that
For example, during an evening(in summer 1935) at the existed among musicians and divergent backgrounds. In
apartment of Red Allen, Red´s charming wife showed me his 1964 a jazzman is generally pigeonholed: Wild Bill
press-clipping books, and I found that many of them were from Davison is a Dixielander; Wilber DeParis plays New
Melody Maker and then glanced at some of his fan mail and Orleans jazz; Ornette Coleman is avantgarde; Dizzy
found it was predominantly from Europe.
Gillespie plays bop and Art Blakey hard hop; Benny
"It is amusing," I wrote in Melody Maker, "to see the tech- Goodman exemplifies swing. They all live in compartniques
employed by fans to secure photographs, biographical mentalized worlds that rarely overlap. In 1936 there were
details, and answers to all sorts of questions concerning no such sharply drawn style lines; a musician might
records that Red forgot about years ago. "
switch back and forth between various types of band and
Allen had just returned from a job filling in for an absen-tee combo jobs.
in the Duke Ellington Band (Feather´s article in NYAN- Teddy Wilson's and Lionel Hampton's small recording bands
8/31/35p7). I commented how well he would fit with Elling- of the later 1930s symbolized the real freedom that existed.
ton permanently and how regrettable it was that he had to The brand of music represented was fairly stable from one
make money by playing with the Blue Rhythm Band, "which session to another, yet on one date the trumpeter might be
doesn't send him at all." ….
Roy Eldridge, on another Chris Griffin or Jonah Jones,
It was at Adrian Rollini´s Tap Room, a small and crudely Buck Clayton, Red Allen, Harry James, or Bobby Hackett.
furnished cellar below the President Hotel, that I met Stearns. He Other sidemen on the dates might be drawn from the bands
had just completed plans for the reissue of some classic jazz of Ellington, Basie, Goodman, James, or Calloway.
records and had arranged for them to be distributed in the From this list it can be correctly inferred that Wilson and
United Kingdom through another dedicated underground worker, Hampton like most in the inner jazz circle, did not consider
Jeff Aldam, of Hot News.
the music the private preserve or exclusive creature of any
The evening at the Tap Room ended abruptly when Rollini ethnic group. We laughed and shrugged off the occasional
objected to an employe's sitting with the customers. The Uncle Tom song concepts like All Dark People Are Light
employe was Red Allen, and the customers were Red Norvo on Their Feet, and we never had to contend with the kind of
and Mildred, Stearns, John Hammond, Felix King, and I. Allen thinking that says the light-on-feet are the only, authentic
and
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buster Bailey, who had opened that night, immediately - blues people…
Aug.35, Fletcher Henderson wanted to form a new band. He sent for Red Allen and his friends; but only Bailey joined
in Oct.35. NYA-8/17/35: Rumor is rife that Claude Hopkins´ orch., Fletcher Henderson and the Blue Rhythm Band
are all due for a change of musicians – some musicians leaving one ork and going to the other …
George Frazier Jr., Jazz Hot, July/Aug.35p11: Fletcher has a profitable contract with Roseland Ballroom management for
next fall, and it seems likely that he will have many of his former stars back. Red Allen, Higgy, Kirby, Pops Smith, and
Buster Bailey may rejoin him. …
"RUMOR ALLEGES CONTRACTS MAY NOT BE RENEWED - Ned Williams Said to Be Out of Organization
After Split With Mills - Bands Have Been Loafing Plenty This Summer." By Staff Correspondent PC-8/24/35p6
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug.22-Is the Mills Artist Bureau, the day or so ago, that Duke Ellington, It is claimed that Ned E.Williams,
organization which rode to a position of Lucky Millinder and Cab Calloway, pioneer of the organization, and the
undisputed power and wealth on the crest the tree big colored units in the office, man who “did the business” with the
of enthusiasm and "big money" which may refuse to sign new contracts with promotors when the bands were first the
followed in the wake of the Ellington and Irving Mills, when their present “rave” of the country, has split with
Cab Calloway oraze, on way out with contracts expire.
Mills over Cab Calloway.
these bands?
Ned Williams Fired
Then too, there is the big question mark
Harlem, Broadway and the entire That there is some truth to the rumor around the continued postponement of
theatrical world is a-buzz this week, is manifested by drastic changes which the sailing of Duke Ellington for London.
following a rumor which seeped out a have occurred in the office recently.
(cont.next page)

(cont.:) Just what is behind it ? It has
been known that Duke and his boys have
had plenty of time to themselves this
summer, and that their routings and
bookings have not been nightly.
Lucky Millinder, too, has had plenty of
idle moments. The band went to Cincinnati
and a mix-up in their booking kept
them idle for quite some time. Recently,
however, the orchestra has been playing
more regularly. They are at the Apollo
this week.
Duke it is claimed, has been playing
“return” dates in certain spots with such
regularity that his popularity in those
sections is on the wane. And Duke, it is
intimated, wants to know why.
- 212 -
Why the White Control
And up and down the streets of
Harlem among the theatrical folk, one
can sense a feeling of big things about
to happen.
“Why the white control over all things
Negroid?” appears to be the pet question
of the day.
These people point out that the other
race has sat in big offices and swivel
chairs for years and dominated a picture
that should be entirely sepia. They
claim that white booking agents and
promoters have made fortunes off
Negro bands and artists, buying them
for whatever they want and selling
with their booking percentage, they have
“crashed” the big money, by a
complicated salary arrangement, which
usually leaves the performer behind the
w.k. “eight-ball.”
It is said by these men that if three
organizations of the calibre of Duke,
Lucky and Cab, with their appeal to fans
all over the country, would head up an
agency of their own, something of a
revolutionary nature in the history of
sepia stage, radio and screen stars would
occur.
As we said before, it's merely a rumor,
and we're passing it on.
them to the highest bidder. Not satisfied
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8/16 Fr.-8/22/35 NYC - 8/17 WMCA-bc Midnite Benefit, 8/21 WMCA-bc Amateur Nite - APOLLO THEATRE - Lucky
Millinder & the M.B.R.B. , Myra Johnson, Baby Cox, Dink Blink and Dink, Conway and Parks, Pigmeat, etc.
American News (Sept.35)Ad.DeHaas, Jazz Hot No.5,1935 - although in my opinion they might have been featured in a
: Lucky Millinder and the MBRB were at the Apollo last more worthwhile number. I like Lucky Millinder as a leader.
week. Unfortunately I dropped in on a Sunday on which Although not a musician in the strict sense of the word, he
day the stage show is always cut short a few numbers. always seems to send the band. Chuck Richards, vocalist of
Nevertheless the show was enjoyable enough. The band the Blue Rhythm band did OUT OF A DREAM (written by
played AFRICAN LULABY and TIGER RAG (heaven knows Edgar Hayes) and YOU´RE ALL I NEED. Chuck is a singer
why). TIGER RAG featured Henry Allen and Buster Bailey of sweet type of songs but never fails to please me.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NYA-8/17/35p4: New Cotton Club Show Packing Them In At The 125th St.Apollo Theatre
Rearranged for presentation on the stage, Sally Eilers in “Alias Mary Dow.” Parks, Pigmeat, Jimmy Baskette, John
the new Cotton Club on Parade, is provi- Lucky Millinder Next Week Mason and the 16 Careyettes.
ding the biggest box office draw this theatre Lucky Millinder and the Mills Blue Amateur Midnight Benefit
has had in many months. Heading the cast Rhythm Band will head the bill at the Ralph Cooper's amateur show will be
is Claude Hopkins band, Butterbeans Apollo for the week beginning Friday, presented as a midnight benefit Satur-
and Susie, Lena Horne, Miller and Mantan, August 16. There will also be an origiday, August 17. More than 200 amateurs
Cora LaRedd, Cryor, Babe Matthews, Joe nal revue by Addison Carey, which will participate in the pro-gram and a
Smothers, Babe Wallace, Sonny Boy, and will include Myra Johnson, Baby Cox, long list of professional talent will also
Juan Hernandez. The screen attraction is Dink Blink and Dink, Conway and be on hand to encou-rage the talent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NYA-8/31/35p4: At The Apollo Last Week
Lucky Millinder and the Blue Rhythm Brown, the dancer, is alleged to have the star dressing room on the ground
Band closed a week at the Apollo Theatre lost 5 suits of clothes. And it is said floor. The door was securely locked,
which marry of the musicians will be a that Leroy Smith's bandsmen lost protecting Lucky's open wardrobe
long time forgetting. Thieves played clothes on their last appearance at trunk packed with street clothes and
havoc with the musicians and some of this theatre.
stage uniform.
the performers. Does the theatre need Wednesday night at the Apollo is Talking about the band, hearing it
more watchmen or better watchmen ? rehearsal night for the incoming show Thursday at the six o'clock show it
Gene Mikell lost 2 saxophones and his and at the stage exit persons were sounded somewhat unpolished and
clarinet, Shelton Hemphill is minus his going and coming from 12 midnight overbalanced, the brass prepondering and
trumpet. Edgar Hayes, pianist, will have until 3 or 4 a.m. Edgar Hayes says something woodwind – maybe some
to buy a new uniform suit and a he told “somebody” the door of the mutes were also stolen which caused
travelling bag. George Washington, musicians' room needed a lock. their infrequent use by toe brass.
trombonist, pants disappeared. Ralph Lucky Millinder was lucky, having
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prob.late Aug-35, NYC - Loew's State downtown: M.B.R.B. with Billie Holiday, Chuck Robinson(sic), NYAN-9/7/35p7
mid.Sept-35, Uttica: Stanley Theatre ; Olean: Haven Theatre then tour of one-nighters
CD-9/14/35p8: Lucky Millinder´s recording of Harlem Heat with the M.B.R.B. has been voted one of the hottest
records this season…Lucky can be seen at the Stanley Theatre, Uttica, and the Haven Theatre, Olean, this week after
which engagement he goes on an extended tour of one-nighters.
9/23 & 9/29/35,Mo.&Sun. - Pittsburgh: Savoy Ballroom; 9/22-9/28/35 Granada Theatre, - stage show MBRB
MILSS BLUE RHYTHM BAND AT SAVOY Sept.23, To Bring Stardust - PC:9/14/35p6:2
The various musical aggregations of Every singer or radio personality ap- Irving Mills, discoverer of the band and
today are easily identified by an indipreciates the fact that the proper mate- many more stars, joined the two
vidual melody, which is now known as rial is a major contributing factor to his together – and they have remained
the theme song.
or her individual success. That is why steadfast through the years.
“Star Dust,” one of the sweetest and such entertainers as Morton Downey, Lucky Millinder, leader of the band, is
most outstanding refrains ever to be Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Paul one of the most versatile young men
associated with an orchestra, is the tune Whiteman, Kate Smith, Rudy Vallee, ever to wave a baton. He dances and
which immediately reminds listeners and many of the other more prominent gyrates in front of the band in amazing
that Lucky Millinder and the Mills Blue stars of today, are identified by a theme and untiring fashion.
Rhythm Band who will appear in per- song.
Sweet melodies - and torrid, primitive
son at the Savoy Ballroom are about to The Mills Blue Rhythm Band will jazz arrangements are included in the
be heard on Monday, Sept.23.
always be linked with “Star Dust,” enviable range of the Mills Blue
because from its early formation, Rhythm orchestra.

- 213 -
"LUCKY MILLINDER - SAVOY DANCE TO FEATURE M.B.R.B." PC-9/21/35p7 (unreadable); below PC-9/28/35p7
BAA-l0/5/35p9: "LUCKY HARD ON BATONS" - N.Y.- The life of a baton is short in the hands of Lucky Millinder,
dynamic leader of the M.B.R.B. What with Lucky´s energetic enthusiasm and galliranting gyrations the baton death rate
is astounding.
NYAN-10/5/35p7:...Lucky Millinder, dynamic leader of M.B.R.B., is starting a back-of-an-envelove-lyrie-writing-club.
mid - Oct. - Moulin Rouge Cafe : Red Allen, Don Redman, Paul Bass, George Dewey Washington, Pete, Peaches and
Duke, etc.; NYAN-11/2/35p7: ... Mike´s..the Moulin Rouge Cafe, is flourishing again in the game spirit as it did before
"repeal", with many of the old-timers about from sunny to sunset. Paul Bass, Don Redman, Red Allen, Pete, Peaches and
Duke, George Dewey Washington, and many of the Ubangi and Cotton Club lassies frequenting the "hot" spot...
MIKE IS DEAD - Archie Seale in NYA:11/30/35p4:
Mike the congenial and lovable host of the Moulin
Rouge Café. He was a true character in the night life of
Harlem, he was a friend and father to most of the
theatrical world of Harlem who gathered there nightly to
make merry and talk shop. He never had too much to say,
always quiet and unassuming, his council on the love
affairs and business of the gang was always sought. He
made the Moulin Rouge famous during the prohibition era
and as a result the place was always crowded. He knew
how to cater to his patrons and one never had to worry
about his bill if he should happen to find himself short on
any occasion (and there were many such occasions, we
assure you) when the hard luck story was told to Mike he
would say, O.K. pay it the next time you come in …
Many who frequented the place never knew that the place
was christened the Moulin Rouge, to them it was Mikes'
and never any-thing else. Recently this place was closed
and reope-ned but the trade seemed to have fallen off and
Mike, failing in health, took it too much to heart and had
a collapse. Almost any night you could have rubbed
elbows with Cab Calloway, Ethel Waters, Lucky
Millinder, Bill Robinson, Adelaide Hall, Willie Bryant,
George Dewey Washington, Aida Ward, Louis Armstrong,
Jack Carter, Leonard Harper, Ted Blackmon,
Duke Ellington, Monette Moore, Ralph Cooper, Pete
Peaches and Duke Rudolph Brown, Johnnie Yates, Joe
Outlear, Billie Holiday, Earl (Snakehips) Tucker,
“Bumpy” Johnson, and practically all the girls of the
theatre. He was always kind to the boys
and girls of the fourth estate, and you were always
sure to meet Bessie Bearden, Ted Yates, Geraldyn Diamond,
Maurice Dancer, Billie Rowe, Malcolm Fulcher, Gloria Harding
and Roi Ottley at some time or other gathering copy
FAREWELL: It is mighty hard saying goodbye to you Mike, it's
got to be done, it'll be awfully hard on me to know that when I
push the door of the Moulin Rouge Café you won't be there, and
I know the rest of us will feel the same way. Without you the
place will be just another spot … and so for all your kindness
and the happiness you have brought us while you were here I am
going to ask one favour for you … and I know that it'll be
granted … Please, dear God, since you had to take Mike away
from us, don't let him go too far in the interior of heaven. Just
give him a spot at the cross-bads where, when the rest of us
leave this earth for parts unknown, we can drop in and say hello
… cause to his face was white we loved him and claimed him for
our own … and so you Mike, so-long but not goodbye …
NYA-l0/26/35p7 (gratulation to the N.Y. Age

- 214 -
10/21/35, NYC., This Putney Dandridge session is not with Red Allen BAA-11/2/35p14---
10/late/35, Washington: prob. Howard Theatre then short date at Paramount, (NYA-l0/26/35p6)
late Oct./early Nov.35, NYC., short date at the Paramount Theatre (after the week at the Howard theatre)
NYAN:10/26/35; (As usually when a band plays only short days at the Paramount Brooklyn, there´s
nothing to be found in the NY-Times but the film-program “Crusades” opening 10/24/35)
11/5/35 Tues., Boston, State Ballroom - Lucky Millinder & M.B.R.B.
BAA-11/5/35p14: MILLS BLUE RHYTM BAND IN BOSTON NOV.5 - The dance patrons of
Boston and surrounding towns are anxiously awaiting the initial appearance of Lucky Millinder
and the M.B.R.B., scheduled for Tuesday evening, Nov-5. at the newly renovated State
Ballroom.
This musical aggregration noted for its scintillating melodies was featured for a long time over the NBC
and ABS Networks, direct from the famous Cotton Club in Harlem. From all reports Lucky and his
boys promise to be the season's outstanding dance attraction in these parts.
NYAN-l0/26/35p7: ... Buster Bailey has joined Fletcher Henderson's band... Lucky Millinder
returns to the Apollo stage to whoop it up... (next date M.B.R.B.at Apollo 11/23/35 !)
DownBeat, Nov.35p4: …Fletcher Henderson is continuing to quietly grab all the talent. Some
time ago, Teddy Wilson had an audition for that Times Square venture in Parisienne, the
French Casino, with an all-star group which included Chu Berry and Roy Eldridge. Both of
these boys were then with Teddy Hill. As a result of the enthusiastic reception by the Casino
management, they both left Teddy on the same day for the new job, which promptly washed up
for reasons unprintable. It was an easy stage from there to Fletcher Henderson at Roseland,
N.Y. Chu joined Fletcher at once, and Roy, after alternating the Famous Door with Red Norvo
for a couple of weeks, is now slated for the Henderson aggregation. Meanwhile, Fletcher has
annexed Buster Bailey and John Kirby. So It looks like the old days once more. We're waiting
to hear that Henry Allen has signed up.
American News, by Ad De Haas, In Jazz Hot, No 6-Nov./Dec.1935p15: Fletcher has been playing Roseland for the
past few months and there were rumors that he was planning to reorganize the band. However some of the men that
were reported to join Henderson didn't know about it themselves. I was lucky enough to drop in Roseland and see
Fletcher just at the moment that he had made up his mind about certain changes .... Here are 5 boys that will join the
band before the month is over: Elmer Williams (sax); Buster Bailey(cl,as); Chu Berry (ts);
John Kirby(sb); and Ed Cuffee(tb). And it may be only a matter of time when RED ALLEN, Procope, Horace,and maybe
some of the others will join. You may take my word that Fletcher is getting ready for some big things. Beginning Oct.27th,
the band will be featured over N.B.C. network 3 times a week.
"G.T.S." in Metronome Nov.1935, p.38: …Scheduled to join (or already joined) are: RED ALLEN, plenty hot
trumpeter; Higginbotham, ditto trombone; Buster Bailey, sizzling clarinet; Chu Berry and Ben Webster, considered
to be the greatest colored sax men in the country; John Kirby, sensational bassist recently with Chick Webb, and
possibly Roy Eldridge, ace trumpeter with Teddy Hill... what an outfit that should be ... thoroughly deserved for
such a fine gent as Henderson.
NYA-11/3/35P5: M.B.R.B. is making several changes in the personnel of the band
11/8/35 NYC., HENRY ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Gene Mikell (cl,as) Joe Garland
(ts) Edgar Hayes (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) O'Neil Spencer (d)
/Col.Classics.(Dan)/ Classics /
18253-2 3:12 I FOUND A DREAM -vRA (Gorney-Hartman) Vo 3097/CC-46/CO-CD-13/(F)CD575/
-Hayes-Allen & Higgy 24b-Higgy in ens-vRA 30b-Hayes-Allen 12b & coda
18254-1 2:55 ON TREASURE ISLAND -vRA (Leslie-Burke) Vo 3098/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen intro 4b-Allen 24b-Higgy-vRA 30b-Hayes-Mikell cl-Hayes-Mikell as-Allen 22b-
18255-1 2:57 RED SAILS ON THE SUNSET -vRA (J.Kennedy-H.Williams) Vo 3097/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen mute intro 4b-Allen mute 31b-Mikell-vRA 32b-Higgy-Mikell-Higgy-Allen 14b &coda-
18256-1 3:13 TAKE ME BACK TO MY BOOTS AND SADDLE -vRA Vo 3098/ --- / --- / --- /
(Powell-Whitcup-Samuels) -Hayes-Allen 40b-Higgy-vRA 54b- (Hayes)-Mikell-Higgy-
-Hayes-Higgy-Mikell-Allen in ens 16b-
John Chilton “Ride Red, Ride”p85: The format adopted usually
allowed Red (on trumpet) to skilfully re-interpret the first
chorus of the melody, often enhancing the composer´s original
lines. His laid-back timing on 'I Found A Dream' and 'You' are
perfect examples of a a great jazz melodist at work. But Red´s
daring spirit is never far away and surfaces during his
unaccompanied introduction to 'On Treasure Island' – trumpeter
Cootie Williams was so impressed by this burst of brilliance
that he made it the basis for his introduction to 'Chasin´
Chippies' recorded three years later.
Evensmo: A fine, even session with all items featuring Allen at
his best. Whether the theme concerns the Southern Seas or the
Dusty Prairie the musical results are still 100% jazz and 100%
quality. The overall atmosphere is very good, the whole group
seems happy and relaxed on this date. If I have to point out
some particularly attractive details, I reluctantly offer you the
last soli on "Red Sails ..." and "Take Me Back. ..... However,
each trumpet solo here is worth listening to with solemnity, they
don't make them that way anymore!

- 215 -
mid-Nov.35, Elisabeth, Ritz Theatre - M.B.R.B ; BAA-11/16/35p9: - "RIALTO GOSSIP": ...L.Mjllinder, dynamic maestro
with the MBRB, is demonstrating his right to the title of world's champion leaping leader on the stage of the Ritz
Theatre in Elizabeth. this week. RIDE, RED, RIDE and CONGO CARAVAN as recorded by Lucky, still remain best
sellers. (same also in BAA-11/25/35); NYAN-11/2/35p7: ... The great one, Lucious (Lucky) Millinder, and his band
are doing nighty nice at the Ritz, Elisabeth, N.J....
mid-Nov.35, Astor, Reading Pa. - M.B.R.B. NYAN-11/16/35p13: ... Lucky Millinder and his band featured with a brilliant
revue at the Astor, Reading Pa....
11/22Fr.-11/28/35, N.Y.C. - APOLLO THEATRE - 27/11 Wed. WMCA-bc Amateur Nite - LUCKY MILLINDER &
M.B.R.B. & Chuck Richards, Nicholas Brothers, Chapelle & Read, the Four Pennies, The Baby Smalls, The Three
Giants of Dusty Fletcher, George Williams & Ray Moore BAA:11/25/35p9
RIALTO GOSSIP BAA:11/16p8:
N.Y. - Cab Calloway and his Cotton
Club orchestra have arrived on
the cost in no uncertain terms. A
letter from Los Angeles reports the
following highlight: "Special police
escort to mayor's office at city hall.
Introduced at the city council's meeting,
while in the midst of official.
"Business was suspended as Cab
had to do 'Minnie the Moocher' without
musical accompaniment and all
the officials joined lustily in the
chorus. Cab's first week grossed
$24,000, necessitating a return
engagement."
Duke Ellington and his famous
orchestra, after a happy (box office
and otherwise) week at Loew's New
York State, travel on to the hippodrome
Theatre, Baltimore, for the
week beginning Friday, November 8.
Duke Ellington's latest opus, entitled
"Reminiscing," which he and his
orchestra recorded for Brunswick
(four ten-inch sides) has real music
critics listening and applauding prerelease.
A new Paramount short,
"Symphony In Black," featuring
Duke Ellington, has studio execs
calling for more.
Lucky Millinder, dynamic maestro
with the Mills Blue Rhythm
Band, is demonstrating his right
to the title of world'& champion
leaping leader on the stage of the
Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth, this week.
"Ride Red Ride" and "Congo
Caravan," as recorded by Lucky,
still remain best sellers.
ELABORATE SHOW ON CARD AT
THE APOLLO – MILLS BLUE
RHYTHM BAND AGAIN FEATURES
POPULAR LUCKY MILLINDER
NYAN-11/23/35p13:
A show which has all the earmarks
of being one of the most elaborate
that Harlem has seen in many moons
is slated for a week's engagement at
the Apollo Theatre beginning this
Friday. The cast sounds like a list
of the outstanding musical comedy
entertainment in the East today.
Among those taking part in the production
are the Mills' Blue Rhythm
band, conducted by Lucky Millinder,
featuring Chuck Richards, the renowned
vocalist and Edgar Hayes, one
of America's outstanding pianist;
the Nicholas Brothers unquestionably
America's leading juvenile stage
and screen stars.
Noma, the fan dancer, returns after
a long absence and will again wave
her ostrich feathers, while Pigmeat,
Mason and Baskette will supply the
comedy. The Three Buds, said to be
a sensational singing trio which has
been one of the novel delights of
the theatrical seasons in the Southwest,
will be making their first ap-
pearance here, and the Four Bobs,
an acrobatic dancing team, will also
make their first appearance in
Harlem next week. Others on the
bill include Mercea Marquis,
Maude Russell, and Gypsy Rico
and the Sixteen Harperettes.
“Charlie Chan in Shanghai,” a breathless
mystery drama will be the talking picture …
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"BLUE RHYTHM BAND TO THRILL AT APOLLO" PC-11/30/35p6 brings the same preview as the above NYAN:11/23
MILLS' BAND HITS BIG AT THE APOLLO THEATRE – ENTIRE SHOW CONSPIRES TO MAKE FINE
ENTERTAINMENT FOR LARGE AUDIENCES NYAN-11/30/35p13
The Apollo Theatre goes on with fine
rhythm and romances revues. Lucky
Millinder came to town with “Chuck”
Richards and Edgar Hayes, and with
Lucky hoofing and his lads singing it was
a treat. Leonard Harper moves up the
ladder each week in the league standing of
A-No.1 producers of brilliant stage shows
as his offering of last week clearly
indicated.
The Three Buds, a new guitar swinging
trio, with puh-lenty of class, were given a
great big hand. Their arranger proved his
ability when he put together a flock of
tunes which the boys handle in a tricky
wah-wah manner.
We found the Four Pennies a clever tapping
unit, but they did not do much, therefore
much cannot be said about them.
Noma, the fan dancer, returned in a new
dance and new feathers to razzle an overflow
audience. Lighting effects were
extremely smart as this act was unfolded.
Probably something quite unexpected
took place which prevented our not
getting a glimpse of Grant Paige, the
Columbia Pictures “amateur find” who
was slated to co-star on the bill. Anyway,
his successors provided good
entertainment. The comedy was of the
highest variety (Pigmeat Markham of
course!) and when the Team of Baskett,
Mason & Markham begin wise-cracking,
the result is an outburst which puts one
in mind of a volcano eruption. It is too
bad that the team has been signed to
return to Philadelphia for another
fifteen weeks. Just in from a recordbreaking
performance in Quakertown,
we had hoped that this comedy act
would be with us a while; however, it
is best to give the provinces a laugh -
Philadelphia needs that much.
Too much cannot be said of Richards'
vocalizing of „Broken Dreams,“ his
own composition, by the way. Playing
and singing new tunes the Mills Blue
Rhythm band with Lucky Millinder
conducting satisfied everyone. Even
yours truly stood in line for a half hour -
but, I have no complaint, it was Lucky
Millinder's blue rhythm, and - I like it.
Hot from the Cotton Club, direct from
Hollywood, and presto (!) they came
from the cinema (Broadcast of 1936) the
Nicholas Kids danced typical
Harlemese. Show-stoppers, these kids,
they always emerge the hit of the bill.
They were that when we saw them at
Mr.Schiffman's Apollo Theatre.
Warner Oland in another one of his mysterious,
masterful detective jaunts-this time,
“In Shanghai!“-was the flicker presentation.
It was perfect silver sheet stuff.
Other short subjects (the Metrotone
movies), showing Haile Salassie, got ist
share of handclapping-but Mussolini, he
got a grand booing-were offered. Rather
nice bill, last week's. – T.Y.

- 216 -
LUCKY MILLINDER AND BAND CLICKS AT THE APOLLO THEATRE - NYA-11/30/35p4:
Lucky Millinder and his Mills Blue ferent to Harlem audiences.
Chuck Richards, singer with the
Rhythm Band at the Apollo this week is Surely, if the orchestra, as they all orchestra, sang in his usual refined
giving a good account of themselves. The do, appear in neat and trim uniforms manner.
orchestra seems better than ever, playing on the stage should not the leader The Nicholas Brothers are deservedly
with a marked degree of coordination and harmonize with the musicians in great favorites and the audience enjoy-
balance. The powerful brass section not appearance.
ed the singing and dancing of these
over shadowing the woodwind. The Edgar Hayes's „African Lullaby“ juveniles, who are booked for the
raucousness has disappeared and the tonal played by the orchestra was well coming Broadway Follies.
quality of the orchestra is good. Such was received by the audience and of course “Noma” the fan dancer, the 4 Gobs,
my impression of the Saturday supper the audi-ence insisted on his playing tap dancers (very good) “Pigmeat,” the
show.
“Stardust“ in his own inimi-table way. Apollo's favorite comedian, and other
Lucky in a full dress white flannel suit Robert Garland, one of the six contributed to a good bill. Leonard
was immaculate, in contra-distinction of players elicited applause by the Harper certainly did put together a great
some leaders who appear on the Apollo playing of his own composition, show. “Charlie Chan in Shanghai” is the
stage careless of their appearance or indif- „Keep Rhythm Going.“
picture feature.
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NEGRO BANDS HAVE MADE RAPID STRIDES IN RECENT YEARS by Richard Mack, NYA-10/26/35p6
Success is not a matter of moments. The
ephemeral popularity of a person a project
or an institution is not the true of
greatness. That comes only with proven
worth over a period of time.
And so it is with The New York Age ,
which after fifty years , is still among the
leaders of present day journalism. This is
no mean feat, but rather the proof that
honest journalism, trenchantly written and
fearlessly presented means ultimate
success and continued fame and respect.
The success of The York Age makes no
one happier than it does three of the outstanding
colored orchestras and personalities.
These three, Duke Ellington,
Cab Calloway and Lucky Millinder,
while not as old as The New York Age,
have enjoyed and still do enjoy a popularity
that for show business is considered
longer than fifty years.
Their individual talents, their unique
personalities and a severe application to
their work have made them “tops” in their
chosen profession.
Duke Ellington, as a musician and a
composer has been recognized by
authorities the world over as a leader of
modern music. “Creator of a new vogue
in American dance music” he has been
called and Percy Grainger, Leopold
Stokowski and Paul Whiteman stand
ready to back that statement to the hlit.
Ellington's 'Mood Indigo, ' 'Black and Tan
Fantasie,' 'Solitude,' and 'Sophisticated
Lady' have made for him a niche in
musical circles not easily to be slipped out
of. His latest composition, 'Reminiscing'
marks a complete departure from his other
works and is anxiously awaited by
thousands.
His success at the Cotton Club is too
well known to bear repeating. Completing
his successful engagement there he
toured the entire country playing theatre
dates. Then he went to England where
his reception was tremendous. Returning,
he again made a tour and will play at
Loew's State Theatre in New York on
October 25th.
His picture work has been very
noteworthy. He was featured in the
Mae West picture, “It Ain't No Sin.”
He was also seen in “Check and Double
Check” and in “Murder At The Vanities.”
In addition he made a number of exceptional
short subjects which are billed
above the feature in many theatres.
Ellington at present is contemplating
a concert tour which will take him to
key cities and musical centers all
through the land.
Cab Calloway, “the most amazing
personality in the world of music, has
popularized a manner of singing that
seems destined never to die down. His
hi-de-hi-ing and ho-de-ho-ing have set
nations agog.
Cab, who popularized the never-tobe-forgotten
'Minnie The Moocher,'
'Jitter Bug,' 'Zah Zuh Zaz,' 'Kickin' The
Gong Around' and 'Minnie The Moocher's
Wedding Day' also made a phenomenal
success at the Cotton Club
where he played for many, many
months.
Then motion pictures for which he
made a number of shorts. They caught
the public fancy and he appeared in last
year's “Big Broadcast” for Paramount.
The reaction was so favorable that he
was signed to appear in “International
House.”
Then Cab toured the country with
amazing success. Europe of course
followed and in England, Cab had the
staid Britishers hi-de-hi-ing with him
from the audience.
Back from England, Cab again toured
the country, Just now he is in Hollywood
having been engaged to appear in the
Fanchon and Marco house. A pictures
contract looms with Cab being the lead.
Lucky Millinder, leader of the Mills
Blue Rhythm Band , is a dynamic,
individual whose enthusiasm and
undying energy has made him popular
as well as interesting. He followed Cab
into the Cotton Club and emulated his
success. The signature “Star Dust” is
recognized everywhere as the
orchestra's trade mark and people have
come to wait for it as a mark of an
enjoyable act.
Lucky has been playing dance dates
and theatre dates. He has just returned
from a successful engagement in
Washington and will shortly make a
short subject for Paramount.
The success of these three orchestras
and their leaders is also attributable to
the wise handling of their personal
manager, Irving Mills, who discovered
them and built them up to national
figures through sagacious publicity and
exploitation.
These men are living examples, as
well as The New York Age, that
success comes from having some-thing
that is wanted by others. They have
something and they present it in the best
possible manner.
---------------------------------------
Variety 12/4/35p38:
MILLS-AM.RECORD CORP.
RENEW DISC CONTRACT
Irving Mills yesterday (Tuesday)
closed a new agreement with the
American Record Corp. which expands
considerably his operations as an
impressario and producer for the
recording combine which includes such
labels as Bruns-wick, Columbia and
Vocalion.
Mills will be able to develop his
stylistic specializations through the
artists which he controls. Bands which
Mills has available for such allocation
are Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Ina
Ray Hutton, Mills Blue Rhythm band,
Benny Meroff, Hudson-deLang, Red
Norvo, Red Allen and Wingy
Mannone, while the vocalists include
Monette Moore and Chuck Richards.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CD:11/30/35p10: In the October Music Survey as conducted and checked each month by “Variety,” the first four places
in New York´s sale of music is held by the Mills Blue Rhythm band. The list is headed by a composition written for
trumpeter Henry”Red”Allen, entitled, “Ride, Red, Ride.”
prob.early to mid Dec.35, Detroit , Fox Theatre : one week with MBRB – special guest Joe Louis ; source NYAN-
6/20/36p19:”Millinder And Band Play Joe Louis Visit”(look p222 when the MBRB guests Joe Louis´camp at 6/11/36);

- 217 -
12/20/35 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Red Allen (t;v) George Washington
(tb,v) J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Willie Humphrey, Crawford Wethington (cl, as) Gene Mikell (cl,as,bars) Joe Garland
(ts,bars,arr) Edgar Hayes (p,arr) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) O'Neil Spencer (d) Chuck Richards (v) Lucky
Millinder (v,dir.) Buster Bailey joined Fl.Henderson's band in Oct.1935; he was replaced by New Orleans man Willie
Humphrey who belonged to the band until June'36. Tab Smith has not joined before late Apr.'36; -John Chilton says June-36.
/ GAPS
18419-1 2:55 BLUE MOOD (E.Hayes-I.Mills) uniss.78" / Meritt-10 /(DU)170/ RA-CD-3a/
-2 2:59 BLUE MOOD uniss.78' /JazzPan.LP-3/ --- /Classics-710/ --- /
-ens-Garland-Mikell-Garland-brass-reeds-Hayes-Hill in ens,Hayes brk-tbn-Hayes-ens-
18420-2 2:56 E-FLAT STRIDE uniss.78" /JazzArch.JA-10/ / --- /Arch.of J.13891102/RA-CD-4a/
-saxes-Hayes in ens-Allen 32b-brass-saxes-Higgy-
18421-1 2:43 BROKEN DREAMES OF YOU -vCR Co 3111-D/ / --- / --- / --- /
(Kerr-Spitanly) -Allen intro 4b-vCR-Heyes-reeds-Allen 8b-saxes-
18422-1 2:47 YES! YES! -vLM&ch --- /JazzArch.JA-10/ / --- /J.Classics RPCD-610 / --- /
-ens-Garland-ens-Higgy-ens-vLM&ch-Hayes-Allen 16b-Humphrey-vLM&ch in ens-
Leif Anderson on J.P.LP-3: “BLUE MOOD” is a suggestive, Ellington flavored mood piece. Buster Bailey sings the
theme on his clarinet. Gene Mikell plays a short alto solo and there is a straight trumpet passage probably played by
Wardell Jones. This number has never before appeared on record. (review by Evensmo – look 1/21/36 session).
12/23/35-1/20 or Feb.36, Baltimore: Club Astoria – WCBM-broadcasts –
M.B.R.B. adv. BAA-11/2/35p14----
BAA:12/21/35: "CLUB ASTORIA TO OPEN HERE": On Monday
night 12/23 Harold Mason will open his club Astoria at 1309-11
Edmonson Avenue. It is without exception the most beautiful and
most modern this side of New York. It has been built from top to
bottom with the idea of convenience and comfort of the guests. In
keeping with the management's plans for the best of everything in all
of its services rendered, Lucky Millinder & the M.B.R.B. featuring
Chuck Richards and Edgar Hayes at the piano will be on hand….
BAA-1/18/36: ... Lucky Millinder remains in Club Astoria, Baltimore
until 1/20 after an original one-week booking. The band opens in
Houston Feb.7th, with-Nina Mae McKinney, Harris. and Howell and
Chuck Richards in the supporting cast.
BAA-1/18/36p17: SCENES IN BALTIMORE´S NEWEST
CLUB ASTORIA-WCBM broadcasts .
1) ORCHESTRA LEADER AT WORK: Two studies of Lucky
Millinder directing the M.B.R.B., now playing at Club Astoria,
Baltimore's new $2o.ooo night-center. Photo at left shows the maestro
with a wrist watch strap around one finger and a slip of paper on which
his broadcast numbers are growled. From these two things he times his
nightly radio program.
2) AND THE MUSIC GOES ROUND AND ROUND - Gay night
club dancers enjoying Lucky Millinder's music at Club Astoria in
Baltimore, last Friday night.

- 218 -
Variety 1/8/36p53: Lucky Millinder stays at Astoria club, Baltimore, until Jan.20, a three weeks ´extension on original
one booking. Went in Dec.23.
1/21/36 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: same as 12/20/35
/ Classics /
18547-2 2:40 SHOE SHINE BOY -vCR (Kahn-Chaplin) uniss.78' /JazzPan.LP-3/ /(Dan)710/ RA-CD-4a/
-brass-Hayes-vCR-ens-Garland-ens-Higgy-Allen 16b-Allen code
18548-2 2:54 MIDNIGHT RAMBLE (xxx) uniss.78' / --- / / --- / --- /
-Washington-ens-Garland-Washington-ens-Garland-Mikell-Allen 12b-
Leif Anderson on J.P.LP-3: "SHOE SHINE BOY" was one of the top hitsongs of 1936. Strangely enough this
version by the Blue Rhythm Band never saw the light of day during the 78-era. The boys play the number straight,
except of course Henry Allen, who turns in another exciting solo. "MIDNIGHT RAMBLE" is another first. It's a
medium swinger with solos by Higgy, Garland (tenor), Mikell(alto) and Allen.
Evensmo to 12/20/35 & 1/21/36: I must admit it, I love the MBRB! Its records seem to me to contain an optimum
mixture of rugged individualism and effective cooperation. They swing like hell, the arrangements may be sweet
sometimes but with a special charm, and the soli are great. These sessions are probably the greatest of them all. Here
you have all variations, from the sweet "Broken Dreams ..." to a gay and swinging "Yes! Yes!", with several
unforgettable tunes in between. Allen's contributions are among his very best, particularly in the slowest tunes,
"Shoe ..." and "Broken Dreams ..." have some timeless trumpet playing. "Yes! Yes!" beats the two medium titles
narrowly, "E Flat Stride" has some minor flaws, and "... Ramble" is to me somewhat paler than expected. However,
the trumpet section on "... Ramble" is marvellous!! Final note: Mr. Borthen insists that I quote him saying that "E
Flat Stride" is fantastic, and that I ought to upgrade "... Ramble". So there you are!
1/23/36 Tenth Anniversary of the M.B.R.B - Lucky Millinder (& Mrs.Clara Towsend Millinder) & the MBRB celebrated
their tenth anniversary 1/23; they have a new unit featuring Bud Harris, Bert Howell, Paul Harris, Edith Wilson, Pops
& Louie & the Three Rhythm Queens, Edgar Hayes, Chuck Richards and Red Allen, the ace trumpeter are the
featured names in the orchestra. (BAA-2/1/36)

SWING MUSIC 1936p8: … Copying
is the greatest evil I have ever met in
my life as "amateur du hot." It is so
useless! Take the example of Louis
Armstrong. Every-one copied him, but
only those who understood the spirit
succeeded. They had a style of their own
too, as Tommy Ladnier, Muggsy, Henry
Allen and now probably Bunny Berigan.
For years the Duke was the idol of the
British fan. Everyone played "Echoes
of the jungle" and "The Mooche" and
no one succeeded, of course. Three
years ago it was Henry Allen and Hawkins
who were gods. There was but one
trumpet player and his name was
"Red," and for tenor-tooters the name
"Bean" was enough to send everyone
sky-high. But did it ever strike you that
those two artists cannot be copied?
- 219 -
Every tenor-player that imitated Hawkins
was lost, really. Only "Choo," who rather
tried to understand the underlying idea, is
worthy of our attention to-day, but the rest
…oh, goodness!
The public with all respect, is narrowminded
and unable to adore more than
one particular hero at the same time. A
year ago it was Teddy Wilson, whose star
went up. And everyone started imitating
him, forgetting the days of Louis, Duke,
Henry and Hawk. Imagine all those pianoplayers
trying the Wilson style now !
To-day it is Bennie Goodman, who is the
fans' favourite. Johnny Mintz, Artie Shaw,
Arthur Rollini and Julian Matlock at times, all
play like Brother Bennie. And so do the stars
over here. With the result that I hate to listen to
any clarinet player now with the exception of
one or two of the wiser stalwarts, who stuck to
their own and personal styles. …
1/24 Fr.-1/30/36, Pittsburgh - one week at the Stanley Theatre: Variety 1/29/36: HARLEM INVADES PITT. – Jan.28.
Downtown deluxers due for a run on colored band units. First of them, Lucky Millinder´s, came to Stanley Friday (24),
while following week. Alvin, pencilling in another flesh attraction after three weeks of straight pictures, gets Earl
Hines and half-dozen other acts.
1/31 –2/6/36 one week at the Capitol Theatre, Wheeling, W.Va. .- M.B.R.B. - & show ROCKIN' IN RHYTHM
Then on South West Tour until late March-36; Variety-1/29/36p46: INT´s COLORED UNIT – Lucky Millinder
band unit is set for the Texas Interstate time after eastern theatre date. Opened at Stanley Pittsburgh, Jan.24, then to
Capitol, Wheeling, W.Va. Millinder will do three-half weeks in Texas, opening in Houston Feb.7. Three Rhythm
Queens, Edith Wilson, Harris and Howell and Paul Harrison comprise the unit.
2/7/36 Fri., Houston, Texas (BAA-1/l8/36); CD-8/2/36p8: N.Y. 2/7 - M.B.R.B. closed a successful run at the
Capitol Theatre, Wheeling W.Va., and moved into Texas. They open at Houston Friday.
Variety 1/8/36: Nina Mae McKinney with Mills Unit on Int`state: Irving Mills has booked MBRB unit for a tour of
the Interstate time opening Houston, Feb.7. In addition to the band, unit will include Nina Mae McKinney, Harris
and Howell, Chuck Richards and others.
MBRB on South West Tour: BAA-2/22/36p10: Dallas, Texas - the MBRB are appearing at the Majestic Theatre here
this week, in their production, ROCKIN' IN RHYTHM
BAA-2/29: "Clara Townsend Millinder writes a long letter concerning the success of the MBRB and unit now touring
the far South West".
BAA-3/14: L.Millinder & his Blue Rhythm boys are snowing 'em under with rhythm down in the Lone Star State.
probably at any date on this tour in Feb. or March one week at a Chicago theatre with special guest Joe Louis
Radio Pictorial 3/27/36: personnel of the MBRB –Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Henry Allen (t) George
Washington, J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Crawford Worthington(sic) (1st as) Eugene Michael(sic), Willie Humphries (as,cl)
Edgar Hayes (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) O'Neil Spencer (d) Chuck Richards (v) Lucky Millinder (ld); (note
the absence of Joe Garland, whilst Tab Smith will join later the band)
3/27/36 Fri. Pittsburgh, Savoy - planned dance with MBRB / Pythian Temple-J.Lunceford planned .
PC-3/28/36p7: “LUCKY MILLINDER AND BAND, IN TOWN, CAN'T PIAY BECAUSE SAVOY IS DARK;
LUNCEFORD IS 40 MILES FROM CITY-AND IT COULD AS WELL BE 40,ooo - Thursday-Pittsburg´s dance
hall, preparing for land-slide business and a real test of popularity, are still in the “dark” today.
Because neither Jimmie Lunceford, affectionately known as the “Harlem Express,” nor Lucky Millinder were able to play
last night. Lucky, who arrived with his band Tu. Evening, wasn´t able to go on the bandstand at the Savoy ballroom
because there were no lights. Lunceford, whit his famous orchestra was within 40 miles of Pittsburgh early yesterday
afternoon, but it could just as easily have been 40.000 miles. …
4/1/36 NYC., HENRY"RED"ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Willie Humphrey (cl,as)
Cecil Scott (ts) Norman Lester (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) Cozy Cole (d)
/Coll.Classics(Dan)/ Classics /
18907-1 2:53 THE TOUCH OF YOUR LIPS -vRA (Ray Noble) Vo 3215/CC-46/COCD-13/(F)CD-575/
-Lester-Allen 30b-Lester-vRA 30b (Lester)-Higgy-Allen 24b-
18908-1 3:04 LOST -vRA (Ohman-Mercer-Teetor) Vo 3214/ --- / --- / --- /Epic LN24027
-Allen 16b-saxes-vRA 32b-Lester-Higgy-Scott-Allen 32b-
18909-1 3:13 I'LL BET YOU TELL THAT TO ALL THE GIRLS -vRA --- / --- / --- / --- /
(Tobias-Stept) -Allen 24b-Higgy-vRA 24b-Higgy-Allen 32b-Scott-Allen 22b-
18910-1 3:00 EVERY MINUTE OF THE HOUR -vRA (N.& C.A.Kenny) Vo 3215/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen mute 16b-Humphrey cl-vRA 16b-Scott-Higgy-Allen 26b-
J.Hammond & Frank Driggs on Epic LN 24o27: There were understandably many ways to handle the "pop"song. One
of the most common was to sing it (or play it) straight, as Red Allen does on "Every Minute Of The Hour". Red was at
JOE MARSALA's JAM SESSION AT THE HICKORY HOUSE in the mid-Thirties and at various times worked-often
with trombonist J.C.Higginbotham - at other clubs, including the ONYX and JIMMY RYAN´S. His ballad-like vocal
opening - a cross between, say, Russ Columbo and Billy Ecksteine - is in startling contrast to the crackling trumpet solo
that comes on like a dancer's break, following spots by Higgy and Cecil Scott, the latter on tenor sax. As was usual with
Henry's small recording bands, there was a good rhythm section.
John Chilton about “Lost” in Time-Life article in the Addenda at the book´s end

- 220 -
Evensmo: The standard of these early Vocalion sessions is fantastic. To be a real "critic" one has to find something
negative now and then, but how is this possible here? Again we find a long series of brilliant soli, each better than
the last. "Lost" is my great favorite, the closing solo truly demonstrating Allen's masterly rhythmic capabilities
combined with a melodic inventiveness almost unequalled. Each one of the remaining three items has not only its
charm but its permanent place in the history of jazz. The breaks of Cozy Cole send Allen and us far away, and we
never return completely!
PC-4/11/36p7: - GRAND TOWN by Earl Morris: Chic.,4/9.-Irving Mills seems to be losing his throne as an ace band
manager. The only band under his management which .seems to get steady work with towns in proximity is Lucky
Millinder. Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington have been forced to jump 300 to 1,000 miles to play dance dates.
Irving Mills seems unable to place his bands in big spots. Why! Duke should be doing a commercial on the radio, or
some large hotel or cafe spot. The same applies to Cab Calloway. Noble Sissle's manager gets these ace spots. What
is wrong with the ace promoter, Irving Mills ! Jimmie Lunceford, Ruth El1ington, Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines
never make long distance hop records.
"JELLY ROLL MORTON - The Man who really invented Jazz is not permitted to play it" - BAA-4/11/36p11: ...
GREATEST JAZZISTS - With that Mr. Morton assumes full responsibility as the creator of jazz music: jazz music
is a still in its infancy. He also states that few musicians really understand jazz. However among these few were
Freddie Keppard, the first great jazz trumpet player followed by King Oliver, Buddy Petit, Milt Carey, Louis
Armstrong and Red Allen, all great trumpet players of bygone days with she exception of Louis Armtrong who tops
the present crop and Red Allen. He adds to this list the names of George Bache, Sidney Bachet, Big Eye Louie,
Clem Raymond, Wade Waley,...
mid.April 36, one week - Norfolk, Va., then theatre tour PC-4/18/36p7: "L.MILLINDER IN NORFOLK" - April.16:
L.Millinder, diminctive and dynamic director of the M.B.R.B. hearing his name, is "going to town" this week with
his stage unit. Mrs. Millinder is with her husband. / BAA-4/25/36: "L.Millinder & The MBRB began another tour of
theatres at Norfolk,Va."
early May 36 – at Baltimore – Hippodrome - MBRB & show BAA:5/9/35 look below note
5/3/36 Sunday - WIP broadcast 10:30-11 P.m. - Philly Theatre Show w.M.B.R.B. NYA-5/9/36p9: MBRB & Chuck Richards
made a terrific half hour... BAA:5/9/36: L.Millinder & the MBRB are playing to packed houses. Caught him Saturday
as he went to town for the Quaker Cityites.
5/8 – 5/14/36, N.Y.C. – Apollo Theatre – WMCA-bc -: M.B.R.B. with Pops and Louie; Chuck Richards, Pops & Louie,
the juvenile dance team sensation, who topped the show at Baltimore's Hippodrome, last week, are appearing with the
M.B.R.B..at the Apollo Theatre in N.Y. - BAA-5/9/36
Ad.DeHaas, Jazz Hot,June-36 "American News": The Apollo
Theatre in Harlem keeps on featuring big colored name bands,
with a new orchestra thrown in for good luck every now then.
New bands last months were W.C. Handy's St.Louis Blues Orch
.... and Willie the Lion'Smith.... Another Orchestra which I
always like to see back at the Apollo again is Lucky Millinder's
Mills Blue Rhyhm Band, an organization counting amongst its
personnel such prominent men as Henry Allen Jr., Higginbotham,
Lucie, Elmer James and Edgar Hayes, the latter having
become sort of famous through his songwriting and arranging.
They tell me he's quite an organist as well.
The Blue Rhythm band play nicely but somehow I regret never
having had the opportunity to hear this outfit play for a dance.
On the stage they have to go through a lot of flashy stuff, notably a
number called Ride, Red, Ride, featuring Red Allen, played
much too fast to be interesting and a honey for any trumpetplayer
to crack and split his lip on. Of course Red doesn't. I
understand it costs Lucky a new pair of socks each time he has
to "jump" through this number. It's a lot of fun anyway.
Keep The Rhythm Goin´, a nice swingy composition by Joe
Garland, the band's tenor sax was played very nicely. So was
Christopher Columbus, the old Harlem riff, immortalized by
Choo Berry. Chuck Richards as usual killed the ladies.
A newcomer amongst the female vocalists is Lois Moore, win-
er of a Harlem amateur contest and featured on the same bill with the Blue Rhythm Band. An excellent Blues voice
in the Billie Holiday tradition and plenty of good ideas, notably in Call Me Sweetheart. She's the daughter of Gene
Moore of the New York Age,...
POPS AND LOUIE & MILLINDER´S TO OPEN AT APOLLO FRIDAY NYA-5/9/36p8:
Mae Whitman's juvenile wonders, Pops
and Louis, will share honors with Lucky
Millinder and the Mills Blue Rhythm
Band at the Apollo Theatre for that week
beginning Friday, May 8. Pops and Louis
are one of the outstanding juvenile teams in
the country. Their sweet singing and
unbeatable dancing are a rare
combination. Lucky Millinder and the
Blue Rhythm Band have just returned
from a successful road-tour. Chuck
Richards is still vocalist with the band,
and Edgar Hayes is at the piano.
The supporting cast of the revue, which is
being staged by Clarence Robinson,
includes Sandy Burns, Apus Brooks
and George Wiltshire, Doris Rheubottom,
The Three Rhythm Queens, Taps
Miller and a fast stepping chorus.
The talking picture feature will be “Cheers
of the Crowd,” a mystery thriller.
NYA-5/16/36p8:SEEING THE SHOW
with Joe Bostic: There is a better than
average show on the boards at the
Apollo this week. It isn't a blue ribbon
show at all , but there is ninety minutes of
passing entertainment that will answer
your demand for diversion. There is
singing profusely throughout, a bit of
dancing, some comedy, Lucky Millinder's
band and a great stepping chorus
paced by Ristina Banks.
Chuck Richards walks off with the
individual honors without so much as
drawing a deep breath. This superlative
young baritone after three years of
promise, has at last reached the crest of
his ability and the result is the most
exciting band soloist performing. Too

ad that pettiness denies him the billing
and features he deserves.
Pops and Louis, the most refreshing of
the juvenile acts, sing and dance their
way right into the hearts of everyone
present. Best of all, they haven't acquired
the affected sophistication that's so
offensive in juveniles.
The three Rhythm Queens who can
dance to suit the King's taste fall somewhat
below some of their previous
performances. They still make a bright
spot on the bill though.
Lucky Millinder and his band work
- 221 -
themselves up to a terrific pace and
give the customers plenty of that well
known hotcha, Ride Red Ride” and all.
Doris Rheubottom almost creates a
panic by delivering a number without
the aid of the “mike” but she falls in
line ad seeks it, aid for her second
number. Doris really sings though.
Tap, Miller scores heavily singing “In
Old Yazoo” but the tap dancing market
has long since reached the saturation
point, even the good ones.
Lois Moore, a graduate of the amateur
hours, delivers so hugely that I wouldn't
be surprised to see her launched on a
successful career. She definitely has
something that a little coaching will
certainly bring out.
Too much praise can't be spent on that
chorus as it’s the dancingest unit of
them all for my money. Add to that the
artistry of Ristina Banks and you have
something.
Real novelty is achieved by the production
department in the cleverly conceived
and excised opening and closing.
Oh yes, Sandy, Apus and George are
there cutting up crasy capers.
5/20/36 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: same as 12/20/35, Tab Smith (as) added
/JazzPan./ Classics /
19296-1 3:00 RED RHYTHM -vLM (H.Allen) Co 3135-D/ Lp-3 /(F)CD-710/RA-CD-4a/
-ens-Garland-Allen 8b-Higgy-Smith-vLM-Allen 32b-ens-
19297-1 3:12 EVERYTHING IS STILL OKAY -vCR (Higginbotham) Co 3l34-D/ --- / --- / --- /
-ens-reeds-vCR-saxes-Hayes-Higginbotham-Higginbotham code-
19298-1 3:04 JES' NATCHULLY LAZY -vCR&GW (Stone-Tharpe-Bishop) --- / --- /(F)CD-731/ --- /
-reeds-Smith-Washington-Smith-vCR & GW-Allen 6b-
19299-1 2:53 ST. LOUIS WIGGLE RHYTHM (Millinder-Smith) Co 3135-D/ --- / --- / --- /
-ens-Allen 34b-Smith-saxes-Hayes-ens-Humphrey-ens-Smith-brass-
Leif Anderson on J.P.LP-3: "RED RHYTHM" closes this fine set of Harlem bigband music. It s a fast-paced swingnumber
written by Henry Allen who also plays a first rate-solo. There is no doubt that Allen is the star performer on this LP. If
proof is needed to ascertain Allen's rightful place alongside Louis Armstrong as the most important jazz trumpeter of the
mid 30's we think this LP provides just that. "EVERYTHING IS STILL OKAY" is credited to J.C.Higginbotham. Chuck
Richards sings, there are some fine sax passages, a bit of piano and an almost straight half-chorus and a coda by the
composer. "JES NATCH´ULLY LAZY" is a charming melody presented by the brilliant alto sax of Tab Smith in the
first chorus. Chuck Richards and trombonist George Washington duet their way through the somewhat "period" lyrics and
Allen's trumpet comes in for the last few bars. "ST.LOUIS WIGGLE RHYTHM", written by Tab Smith and Lucky
Millinder, opens side Two with another wild Allen solo. Tab plays some brilliant alto passages, Edgar Hayes turns in a
short piano spot and there is fine section work all over.
Evensmo: In particular, the longest solo on "Red Rhythm" is noteworthy, but so also are the other contributions
quite satisfying. Mr. Borthen is very fond of "St.Louis ... ". The brief solo on "... Lazy" should have been much
longer! All four sides as a whole are beautiful.
5/21/36 NYC., HENRY"RED"ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Cecil Scott (cl) Happy Caldwell
(ts) Jimmy Reynolds (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) Walter Johnson (d) (no as-work by Tab Smith can be heard)
/Col.Classics(Dan)/ Classics /Best of J./
19300-1 2.:57 YOU -vRA (Adamson-Donaldson) Vo 3244/CC-46/COCD-13/F)CD-575/CD-4031/
-Allen 56b-saxes-Higgy-vRA 60b-Caldwell-Allen in ens 8b-
19301-1 3:05 TORMENTED -vRA (Will Hudson) Vo 3245/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen intro mute 8b-vRA (Reynolds) 32b-Reynolds-Allen 14b-Reynolds-Allen code-
19302-1 2:53 NOTHING'S BLUE BUT THE SKY -vRA (Newman-Spina) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 30b-Higgy-vRA 32b-Reynolds-Scott-Reynolds-Caldwell-Allen 8b-Caldwell-ens-
19303-1 2:41 WOULD YOU -vRA (Freed-Brown) Vo 3244/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 24b-reeds-vRA 32b-Higgy-Allen 32b-
HAPPY CALDWELL, by Edgar"Spider" Courance (ts-player in Freddy
Taylor's band), Jazz Hot Nov-36: I have been knowing Happy Cauldwell for eight
years, and I think he is one of the best tenor-sax men in New York for swing
music. I worked with Happy for one year in "Tiny Bradshaw Band". I really
enjoyed play-ing with him. When he takes a chorus, he makes the band swings
with him. He likes to play. You do not have any trouble hearing him because he
likes to play loud. He has made some records this past summer with Henry Allen
Jr. They are all very good and Happy is really swinging on all of them .... Happy
does not play like other tenor players. He has a style all of his own and it is very
good. Anyone who likes swing will like Happy because he swings from the first to
the last note.
Evensmo: There is some disagreement between Mr. Borthen and me on this and
the later Vocalion sessions. Even if all four sides are first-rate, I do not think they
are as important as those discussed earlier. The reason for my feelings is the overstandardised
set-up; the surprise elements are fewer. I admit, however, that one
may fall into the trap of believing Allen's introductions to be straight, and not
notice that his superb craftmanship is still present in a less obvious way than
before. "You" is a good example of this. Well, at least we agree that "Tormented"
has the most interesting solo, and also that the last solo on "Would You?" contains
some unusual details.

- 222 -
5/22 Fr.-5/28/36, N.Y.C.: LOEW's STATE THEATRE - L.Millinder & M.B.R.B. with Chuck Richards, Edith Wilson,
Pops & Louie (possibly the band and show took another week at the State Theatre) CD-5/23pl0; BAA-5/30p8 one
date during this week -prob.5/27/35 Wed. WABC-bc Amateur Nite- at the Apollo Theatre,-.Chuck Richards &
members of the M.B.R.B. together with Cab Calloway added
atraction to the reguary NOBLE SISSLE SHOW
BAA-5/30; (such: double guest engagements on two
theatres are often reported by the negro-press, either for
shows on different times-evening & particularly at Sat.
midnight shows- or at the Wed. Amateur nights).
NYT:5/23/36p13: The Loew´s State headline honors are
divided this week between Al Shayne of the radio and
Lucky Millinder & his MBRB. Included with the latter are a
number of speciality artists: Pops & Louie, Chuck Richards
and Edith Wilson. Others on the program are the Three
Swifts, jugglers, and Elane Dowling and her four Tip Top
Girls, acrobats. advertisement at NYT:5/22/36p19--
CD-6.6.36p21: N.Y.5/6: ...Lucky Millinder and the MBRB
have been cutting up at Loew's State Theatre on Broadway
all week and his rhythmaniacs almost set the vaude house on
fire. At the performance I caught the boys were in fine fettle,
displaying excellent musicianship. Edith Wilson came on to
a great band as she is a big favourite with the Broadway
audiences. Her rendition of a saucy, lyric having something
to do with her confessions regarding the male sex is spicy
enough and was an expertly done that one hardly noticed the
sauciness of the subject matter. She´s …
(unfortunately the clip was cut here)
5/29 Fr.-6/4 then 6/5 – 6/11/35 NYC., Loew´s State one week more because no other new show has been advertised - and
then at other Loew´s Theatres in N.Y. –as Valencia /Paradise; or one week at the Palace Theatre with entertainer Dikie Wells;
6/11/36, Thurs., newsreel "Sock,Joe,Sock" from L.Millinder & M.B.R.B. guests in Joe Louis' Lakewood Training Camp
"LUCKY MILLINDER IS GUEST
OF JOE LOUIS - Mills Blue Rhythm
Band Plays "Sock,Joe,Sock"
CD 6/13/36p22: Lakewood, N.J. June 12-
Lucky Millinder & the MBRB were honored
guests of Joe Louis at his Lakewood
training camp here on Thursday of
this week. Lucky and Joe met several
months ago while the band was headlining
the Fox theatre in Detroit. They
again crossed paths when Lucky was the
star attraction at the Chicago theatre,
Chicago early this year.
Lucky and his boys toured on the training
camp in their automobiles and arrived in
time to be luncheon guests of the
uncrowned champion. Then they
accompanied Joe over the workout
quarters where they surprised the champ
and all the press and public assembled,
to see the Brown Bomber in action by
jumping into the ring with Joe and
playing a version of “Ride, Red, Ride,”
Lucky´s own hit composi-tion with the
lyrics changed to “Sock, Joe, Sock,”
and dedicated it to the Detroit Duster.
The newsreel and news-cameramen
assigned to the training camp quickly
set up and took pictures of the event
while the usually sober Joe grinned
widely and shadow-boxed in rhythm to
the hot swing tune.
Lucky & the MBRB are now heading
the Loew Theatre in New York City
having just completed an engagement
at the State theatre. They are now at
the Metropolitan theatre in Brooklyn.
Lucky has risen to greatest entertaining
orchestra unit on the stage today.
The band features Chuck Richards as
soloist, Edgar Hayes at piano, and
Edith Wilson, famous recording star.
----------------------------------------------------
CD:6/20/36p19: MBRB play Joe Louis
LAKEWOOD, June 18. – Lucky
Millinder and his Blue Rhythm Band
were the honored guests of the Joe
Louis training camp on Thursday last
week. Lucky and Joe met several
months ago while the band was headlining
the Fox Theatre in Detroit. They
again crossed paths when Lucky was
the star attraction at the Chicago
Theatre, Chicago, early this year.
6/12 until prob.late June, Metropolitan Theatre,Brooklyn CD 6/13 & 6/20p22
&p10); opening day advertised by NYT:6/12/36p20
NYAN-6/27/36p8: ... Swing Platter s were the best sellers in May, report
the recording companies ... RIDE, RED, RIDE by the M.B.R.B. led Columbia
recordings ...'All My Life' by Fats Waller headed the Victor's list.
Variety-6/12/36p51: Just an Echo in the Loop – Chic.,June 10. 'Just what we
expected for this year.' That's the form the abili is taking. Business is off
considerably from its high of the sheet and disc music field. The leaders are just up there by courtesy with few of them
showing any outstanding selling quality. Swing tunes are becoming increasingly important in the disc field, with the
orchestra of Goodman, Ellington, Kay and Mills Blue Rhythm snatching the great bulk of the sales.
HENRY ALLEN JR. in RHYTHM-June-36:
Few jazz fans of to-day are old enough to remember Henry
Allen, veteran jazz trumpeter with King Oliver's Band. All
of them are familiar with Henry Allen, Jr., alias "Red," who
has carried on his father's tradition.
"Red" hails from Algiers, but is no African. This Algiers is
situated near New Orleans, Louisiana; and there he remained
until 1929, playing at one time with Fate Marable, "King of
the Ivories." Early recognition came for his work with Luis
Russell's Band. Nowadays he is touring endlessly with
Lucky Millinder's Blue Rhythm Band, and seldom has a
chance to appear individually on records.
SWING MUSIC 1936p29:
THAT NEW ORLEANS HORN …
There were some men who went through this influence
more or less unscathed. Henry Allen, Jr., and Taft Jordan
have blown a lot of high notes but each, as well, has
assimilated much that was good from Armstrong's work
and each has revealed an individual talent of merit. The
crisp, clean, and subtly rhythmic patterns of Henry Allen,
Jr.'s early work on Victor (after he had been “discovered”
in New Orleans) should be studied in connection with his
later work. These exhibit a clarity and a contact with
reality to which Mr. Allen seems to late to be returning.

- 223 -
6/19/36 NYC., HENRY"RED"ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Tab Smith (as) Joe Garland
(ts) Edgar Hayes (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) O'Neil Spencer(d)
Collector'sClassics/ Classics /
19451-1 3:01 TAKE MY HEART –vRA (Young-Ahlert) Vo 3261/CC-46/CO-CD-13/(F)CD-575/
-Allen in ens 32b-reeds-vRA (ens)32b-Higgy-Smith-Allen 22b-
19452-1 3:02 CHLOE (Song Of The Swamp) -vRA (Kahn-Moret) Vo 3262/ --- / --- / --- /
-reeds-Allen in ens 32b-reeds-vRA (ens)32b-Smith-Allen 32b-Garland-Allen 8b-
19453-1 2:46 YOU'RE NOT THE KIND -vRA (W.Hudson-I.Mills) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 16b-Hayes-vRA (ens)32b-Lucie-Allen 16b-
19454-1 2:38 ON THE BEACH AT BALI-BALI -vRA (Sherman-Meskill-Silver) Vo3261/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 4b-Higgy in ens-Allen 8b-vRA(ens)32b-ens brd-Allen 8b-Smith-Allen & ens-
Evensmo: Again there are discrepancies between our separate judgments.
For my sake I feel that it is necessary to say it: There has crept
into the Allen sessions around 1936 an element of routine. They share
a similarity of format, Allen presents the melody comparatively straight,
then sings and finally improvises one chorus. While sounding nice all
the way, nothing much happens until the end. Luckily the concluding
soli usually more than make up for preceding weaknesses, but the total
impression could have been more exciting. However, this particular
session is better than the previous one. "Kind" is a very beautiful piece
of music with Allen all the way. Also "Chloe" and perhaps especially
"Take My Heart" have some very fine soli. To all this Mr.Borthen
reacts violently, feels that the clean atmosphere and elaborate set-up
brings the music up on a higher level, and treasures Allen's "kleinkunst"
immensely. I suggest you listen closely to these records and
judge for yourself. The Solography has never intended to give standard
answers, only suggestions and personal opinions.
7/3 Fr.-7/9/36 Philadelphia – Earle Theatre – MBRB & Edith Wilson,
Chuck Richards, Pops & Louie (Variety 7/8/36)
7/11/36 Sat. - WHN broadcast 9:45p.m. Lucky Millinder playing fetching
hotcha as usual (but the arrangements are so-o-o-o lengthy) Chuck
Richards as usual was his confident pleasing s himself inespecially good
voice. NYA-7/18/36p9
July-1936, two days and later on several Sundays , NYC., Hickory House: JOE MARSALA-EDDIE CONDON MIXED
COLORED BAND: Red Allen, Wingy Manone, Joe Marsala, Joe Bushkin, Putney Dandridge, Eddie Condon, Ray
Biondi (vln) Morty Stuhlmaker, & afterwards Red took part at regularly Sunday-jam-sessions up to the late `30's , look p241
Variety 7/8/36p51:
EARLE, Philadelphia, July 6:
Attendance hasn't been so forte so far
for this week's show at the Earle, which
is average in quality is somewhat short
on marquee names. Pie is 'Early to
Bed' (Par), with Mary Boland and
Charlie Ruggles. Lucky Millinder and
his band are vaude headliners. Show
opens with Carleton Emmy's twelve
trained dogs… Sue Ryan comes next
and her act went over quite well with
the Earle bunch. It has a real element
of novelty, especially in her burlesque
of a torch singer which includes a
quasi-prattfall from a piano. She has
lot of the torchy mannerisms down to
a T and clicks nicely. Has a girl
accompanist.
Millinder's band has three assisting
specialists. First of latter is Edith
Wilson. Of the Ethel Waters type, this
gal won a strong hand with her warbing
of 'I Want a a Rough and Ready Man.'
Drummer, who chants accompanying
refrains, helps a lot. Chuck Richards,
crooner, did one number that was only
fairly well done, and then Pops and
Louie offer a couple of song routines,
off-key harmonizing and tap dancing.
Band specializes in recent pop numbers
including a couple of tricky interpretations
most of which featured the brass.
John Chilton-p87: Mixed bands featu-
ring white and black players had occasionally
recorded together since the
1920s, but despite pioneering efforts
by Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet
(and others) in ballrooms and hotels,
the blending was still a rarity on the
club scene, even in NYC. Happily
there were no unpleasant incidents at
the Hickory House; when Red was
unaivalable his deputy was another
black trumpeter, Otis Johnson. The
group might have stayed together longer
but Condon and Marsala had already
accepted work aboard a cruise liner and
Red had to return to the Mills Blue
Rhythm Band.
DownBeat-7/36p1: John Hammond:
Condon & Marsala Form Band:
For the last two nights there has been
some music-making. in New York alltogether
superlative. Eddie Condon and
Joe Marsala have formed a small combination
for 52nd St's Hickory House,
featuring - for two nights only- the inspired
trumpet playing of Henry Allen,
Jr., who has been lost in the mire of
Mi11s Blue Rhythm Band for more
than a year. To those skeptics who have
been maintaining that he no longer
swings as he did in the golden Russell
and Henderson days Red conclusively
proved that his style is inimitable, his
sincerity complete, and his rhythmic
spark absolutely unharmed. Like Bunny
Berigan, he brought out the very best in
Eddie Condon, who must now be
ranked as the greatest rhythmic guitarist
in the country, and the rest of the
section fell right. in with their leader,
Marsala seemed to be in a different
world entirely and played wonderfully
in ensemble with Red. But the top
honors undoubtedly went to the guitar
and trumpet, who have appreciated
each other since the early records of
Fats Waller and his Buddies, in which
they were co-featured. Red it still a bit
inclined to rhapsodize a bit freely, but
his attack and warmth more than make
up for any excesses.
52nd St.-The Street That Never Slept
by Arnold Shaw (writer & club-owner);
Coward, McCann, N.Y. p146: Joe Marsala
is remembered for his work at Hickory
House. Not long afterward, he was invited
to bring his own combo into Hickory House.
In typical Marsala style, he explains:
"Musicians used to work sitting down in
those days, and I think the reason they
made me the leader at McKenzie's must
have been that I was the only one who
stayed sober enough to stand up." From
McKenzie's, Marsala took Joey Bushkiin
on piano and Eddie Condon on guitar. He
added Ray Biondi on fiddle, creating a
rather novel instrumentation for a jazz
combo of the mid-thirties. He wanted
Bunny Berigan on trumpet but had to give
up the idea when Berigan chose to go on
the road with Benny Good man.
"Suddenly, I thought of Red Allen," Marsala
notes. "Nobody had an integrated band on
52d St. or anywhere else. We didn't ask the
bosses. We just brought Red in. We had no
trouble, although a lot of newspaper people
told us that it wasn't going to work. When
Red had to leave to rejoin the Mills Blue
Rhythm Band, we had another colored
trumpet player, Otis Johnson."
Leonard Feather, to whom Marsala described
some of these developments, commented:
"In the thirties Joe Marsala was responsible
in his quiet and unpublicized way for
more attempts to break down segre-gation in
jazz than Benny Goodman-and he didn't
have John Hammond to push him."
Writing in Down Beat, John Hammond
thought that the Marsala-Condon combo
represented "superlative music making"
and felt that Red Allen brought out the best
in Condon, whom he then rated as "greatest
rhythmic guitarist in the country."

- 224 -
Eddie Condon "Scrapbook of Jazz": One of the first mixed bands on 52nd Str.
in 1936 – Eddie – Joe Bushkin-Joe Marsala-Morty Stuhlmaker-Red Allen
Chilton cont.: Red's international reputation was regularly being boosted by
the critics. In Sept.36 issue of RHYTHM, the American writer George T.
Simon described Red as 'the most brilliant and least inhibited of all the
coloured trumpeters. He possesses his own distinctive knock-out attack,
which is just as brilliant as it was ten years ago. A very easy-going chap, tall
and lanky.' In DB-July-36, John Hammond commented on the trumpeter´s
work with Condon and Marsala, 'Red is a bit inclined to rhapsodize, but his
attack and warmth more than makes up for any excesses.' In Timelife-81:
Hammond said of Allen, 'He had this wonderful kind of self-assurance.'
late July-mid Aug.36, broadcasts nightly at Palisades Park, N.J. with The M.B.R.B.-
BAA-7/25/36: The MBRB will open at the Palisades Park, N.Y. this week ;
BAA-8/8/36: The MBRB came over the air waves nightly from Palisades Park.
8/3/36, NYC., PUTNEY DANDRIDGE (v) & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t) Joe Marsala (cl,as) James Sherman (p) Eddie
Condon (g) Wilson Myers (b) Cozy Cole (d) (this studio-band gives an impression about the first mixed bands at 52nd str.)
Classics / Timeless Hist. /
19645-1 2:30 A STAR FELL OUT OF HEAVEN Vo 3287/Rarities-34/(F)CD-869/CBC-1-023~2CD/RA-CD-4/
-Allen in ens 20b-Marsala-Allen break-vPD (weak ens)-Allen in ens ab-vPD (ens)-
19646-1 2:39 MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Sherman intro-Allen in ens 32b-vPD(weak Marsala&Allen)-Allen breaks & vPD-Marsala-Allen 8b-vPD(Allen &ens)-
19647-1 2:30 HERE COMES YOUR PAPPY Vo 3291/ --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen in ens 16b-Sherman-vPD (Allen&Marsala)-Marsala as-vPD (Allen&Sherman)
-Allen 16b-vPD (ens)-Cole break-Allen in ens coda-
19648-1 2:34 IF WE NEVER MEET AGAIN --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Sherman intro-vPD (ens)-Allen 18b~Marsala-vPD (Allen-Allen in ens)-
Evensmo: While being an unforgettable session for Putney himself, Cozy Cole's masterly beat and the two nasty tunes
"... Lamb" and "... Pappy", Allen has a not very prominent role. He seems to thrive best swimming around in the
background, contributing to the overall atmosphere. His most interesting solo is to be found on "If We Never…”; it is
unusually fast-fingered, even for Allen. His solo on "... Pappy" is also notable and don't forget to listen to Cozy Cole
who has one of his very best days!

- 225 -
An example out J. Chilton´s reviews in "Ride, Red, Ride"p89: On the slow
'If We Never Meet Again', Dandridge drops his usual falsetto and sings
a low register ballad; the effect is not unpleasant, but the singer´s wide
vibrato prevents it being totally satisfactory. Here Red's solo is distinctly
futuristic: his low-register double-timed embellishments suddenly spiral
upwards, his phrasing hovers over the metre before swooping down to reestablish
the beat. It is a reappearance of the approach he used on the
1931 'Trouble Why Pick on Me?', one that he was later to develop to
great effect. Most of the Dandridge's recordings make pleasant listening,
but one has to forgive him for his occasional, ludicrous attempts at
English and Irish accents; there is consolation in Joe Marsala's work on
clarinet and alto sax and, of course, in Red Allen's playing. Red is not at
his very be, but his performances show what his musical imagination
was always active, whatever the circumstances.
D.S-B. to Rar.-34, in Jazz Journal Int.1/77: There is no middle road on
which to travel with Putney Dandridge, you either walk beside him
along the minor paths or head right the main thoroughfare. As a pianist he
can be dismissed, happily he does not play on this volume, but as a
singer, I find him a joy. Since that day many years ago when I heard
him tear apart Honeysuckle Rose with Adrian's Tap Room Gang, I have
been his most loyal fan. Today he still turns me on, and I look for one,
am sorry he is no longer with us. As a straight ballad singer, he was
pretty dreadful, that was not his scene, but such items as Mary Had A
Little Lamb; Here Comes Your Pappy; A High Hat,
Skeleton; In The Closet; With Plenty Of, and You Say
The Darndest Things are swin-ging and com-pletely
hilarious.
But Mr.Dandridge is not the only pebble on the
beach for a glance at the personnels will show what
a feast of good music awaits. There is the great
Henry "Red" Allen, superb throughout the tracks
on which he plays-sample him on If We Never
Meet Again to be convinced. ... And that very
underrated musician Joe Marsala is also well
featured. We have heard little of his alto in the
past, but on this disc he shows just how good he is
It is however, his Noone-like clarinet which I find
so delightful.
Happy jazz, nothing profound just a few jazzmen
having a ball-timeless stuff. All 3 volumes should be
bought, but Vol.3 just about takes the first prize I
hope all of you get as much fun out if it as I have had
the past weeks.
BOB WESSELLS to Rar.Lp-34-8/3, 9/1 & 10/14/ 36:
The third and the finest reissue of the Putney
Dandridge material, these 1936 sides present a
more homogenous personnel than had the previous
dates. Exemplary soloists dot all these selections -
Allen, Marsala, Hart and the great one, Big Sid.
We must not leave out Putney, either. Although
there is the usual quota of insipid ballads, there is
the jivey and joggy Here Comes Your Pappy,
heartily reminiscent of Fats Waller's Fat And
Greasy; good scat on Sing, Baby, Sing as well as
an obvious attempt to. cash in on Louis' rendition
of Skeleton In The Closet.
Not only a completion of the Dandridge Rari-ties,
but also a must for Allen collectors. A set to place
next to the Collectors' Classics Allen as well as the
Victor Fats.
"Music" New Masses XXI (11/29/36p29) Voc-3302: –
Henry Allen Jr.& his Orch.: When Did You Leave Heaven /
Algiers Stomp: A great negro trumpet player
assembles some moderately talented virtuosi and
turn out very pleasant work . The first side hasa
swell vocal and very soulful horn passages.
8/5/36 NYC., HENRY"RED"ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) Rudy Powell (cl,as) Tab Smith (as) Cecil Scott
(ts) Edgar Hayes (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) Cozy Cole (d)
/Coll.Classics(DAN)/ Classics /
19659-1 3:06 WHEN DID YOU LEAVE HEAVEN -vRA (Whiting-Bullock) Vo 3302/CC-51 /CO-CD-13/(F)CD-575/
-Allen in ens 24b-vRA (ens)32b-Allen 22b-
19660-1 2:58 AM I ASKING TOO MUCH -vRA (Himber-Grennard) Vo 3292/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 34-Hayes brd-vRA (Hayes in ens) 32b-Smith-Allen 16b-
19661-1 3:09 UNTIL TODAY -vRA (Benny Davis-J.Fred Coots-O.Levant) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 16+6b, reeds brd-reeds-vRA 30b (ens)-Hayes-Allen 16b-
19662-1 2:58 ALGIERS STOMP -vRA (Henry Allen) Vo 3302/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen intro 4b-reeds-Smith-Powell-Scott-Allen 36b-

- 226 -
Melody Maker 10/17/36p6. "The Rest of Records Reviewed" by
"Rophone" Vocalion 29:: (cont. from 7/19/35): Algiers, once it has
got over some poor sax team work in the first chorus, is cram-med
with Interest. The new alto star, Tab Smith, seems to be a man
worth watching. Rudy Powell's clarinet chorus will do; Cecil
Scott, on tenor, gives himself away by starting off with the
identical phrase he used on the reverse, which was made almost a
year earlier! Red concludes the disc with a 'swell chorus, helped
by Cozy Cole's support. All-together, a very worthy coupling for
us Allen fans.
Evensmo: Allen does not give much space to his fellow musicians
here, but we are not sorry about this. Even though the
records are obviously directed at a larger public, they contain
beautiful jazz. Allen plays straight-forwardly but majestically in
the beginning, sings the more or less inspiring lyrics and then
finishes with a real, improvised solo. Of the four, I find "Until
Today" to be blessed with the most interesting solo, but all give
well above minimum satisfaction. Finally, further congratulations
to Cozy Cole for his excellent drumming.
NYAN-8/29/36p8: ... The latest music survey shows Teddy
Wilson and Duke Ellington leading Brunswick best seller list,
M.B.R.B. topping Columbia, Andy Kirk at Decca and Fats
Waller at Victor.
PC-8/15/56p7: RIDE, RED, RIDE is still Columbia recording
company's bestseller
John Chilton about Algiers Stomp – Time Life article in the Addenda at the book´s end
8/11/36 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Red Allen (t) George Washington,
J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Crawford Wethington (cl,as) Gene Mikell (cl,as,bars) Tab Smith (as) Joe Garland (ts,bars,arr)
Edgar Hayes (p,arr) Lawrence Lucie (g) Elmer James (b) O'Neil Spencer (d) Chuck Richards (v) Lucky Millinder (dir)
/Jazz Arch./Arch.of J./Classics/
19685-1 2:44 MERRY GO ROUND (D.Ellington-I.Mills) Co 3147-D/JA-10/3891102CD/(F)CD731/RA-CD-4a/
-Garland in ens-Allen growl 8b-ens-Smith-ens-Higginbotham-Smith-Allen growl 12b-
-ens-Smith-Garland-ens-reeds-brass-Allen t-shouts in ens-
19686-1 2:44 UNTIL THE REAL THINGS COME ALONG -vCR --- / / --- / --- /
(Holiner-Chaplin-Nichols-Kahn) -ens-Hayes-vCR (reeds-Hayes & Lucie-reeds)-reeds-Hayes-
-ens-Hayes-vCR (reeds-Hayes & Lucie-reeds)-reeds-Hayes-Garland-Higginbotham-Allen 8b-ens-vCR-
19687-1-2 2:44 IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD -vCR (.Ellington-I.Mills) Co 3148-D/ Jazz Panorama-3 / --- / --- /
-ens-vCR (ens)-Smith-ens-
19688-1 3:05 CARRY ME BACK TO GREEN PASTURES -vCR --- / --- / --- / --- /
(Harry S.Pepper) -reeds-Smith-Garland-Smith-reeds-Allen mute 4b-
-Higginbotham-Hayes inens-vCR (ens)-Allen 8b-ens-
Leif Anderson J.P.LP-3: "IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD", Chuck Richards, who might be a bit offensive to some
ears, sings the seldom-heard words to this famous Ellington composition. Tab Smith plays the alto solo. "CARRY
ME BACK TO GREEN PASTURES" is another "Dear Old Southland"-type of number sung by Chuck Richards.
Gene Mikell and Tab Smith are heard in the first chorus, there is some very easy-going swing behind the vocal and,
again, Allen is called upon to give the lift before closing.
Evensmo: "... Real Thing" and "... Pastures" contain just the kind of brief but perfect soli which make record hunting
such an interesting and never tiring hobby. I am particularly fond of the open solo on "... Pastures". "Merry-Go-
Round" has growl soli which has to be Allen's, in fact, if he ever plays growl, it is bound to sound like this. However,
I have no proof of this as he never plays that way with his own groups.
in 1936 , during a rest of the MBRB, subbed in Louis Armstrong´s (Luis Russell´s) Orch.; the following session including
Nicholas and Clark indicates that this happened around this date, when also playing at the Hickory House.
8/31/36 NYC., HENRY"RED"ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) Albert Nicholas (cl) Pete Clark (as) Cecil Scott (ts)
Clyde Hart (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) according Red Allen in Jazz Monthly 11/66, Cecil Scott
plays tenorsax instead of Ted McRae.
/Col.Classics(DAN)/ Classics/
19780-2 3:12 DARLING NOT WITHOUT YOU -vRA (Silver-Sherman-Heyman) Vo 3305/CC-46/ COCD-13/(F)CD575/
-Allen 15b-Hart-vRA (reeds & Hart) 32b-Scott-Allen 12b-Allen in ens 4b-
19780-2 3:12 I'LL SING YOU A THOUSAND LOVE SONGS -vRA (Warren-Dubin) Vo 3306/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen in ens intro-reeds-vRA (Hart & reeds)32b-Hart-Scott-Allen 48b-
19780-2 3:12 PICTURE ME WITHOUT YOU -vRA (McHugh-Koehler) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 30b-reeds-vRA (ens) 30b-Hart brd-Allen 12b-Allen in ens 4b-
19780-2 3:12 Trouble Ends OUT WHERE THE BLUES BEGINS -vRA Vo 3305/ --- / --- / --- /
(McHugh-Fields) -Allen 16b-vRA (ens) 30b-Scott-Allen 24b-
Evensmo: A session quite similar to the preceding Vocalion session: A gentle and sentimental atmosphere, popular
tunes, records not primarily intended to be great and exciting jazz music. Perhaps they aren't that at all, but the fact is
that one appreciates this music more and more as time goes. It is so pure, honest and crafted. Allen's musical taste is
rarely equalled, and his trumpet playing here is majestic. Not always flashing, although that happens too as on "Out
Where …" but always well thought out to the smallest detail. All the tracks here are successful and worthy of
attention, they are not strong and eager but affectionate and life lasting.

- 226a - scans- 28 -
7/19/35 Kasche 7/19/35 Crump
7/19/35 Parl-India (backside: Rosetta) Kasche 7/19/35 Parl(Swiss) Deenik
7/19/35 Crump 8/2/35 Büchmann-Möller

- 226a - scans- 29 -
8/2/35 ebay 8/11/35 Enoch
4/1/36 Japan-pre-war back:Henderson-Christopher (Berresford) 5/20/36 Enoch/Hohenböken
9/1/36 Crump (später austauschen:Conq;)

- 227 -
9/1/36 NYC., PUTNEY DANDRIDGE (v) & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t) Joe Marsala (c1,as) Clyde Hart (p) Eddie
Condon (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d)
/Rarities/Classics/ Timeless Hist.-/
19794-1 2:25 SING, BABY, SING (Yellen-Pollack) Vo 3304/ Lp-34/CD-869/CBC 1-023-2CD/RA-CD-4/
-Hart intro-Allen in ens 32b-vPD (Hart-Allen)-Marsala as-Allen 16b-vPD (ens)-Allen coda-
19795-1 2:39 YOU TURNED THE TABLES ON ME (Mitchell-Alter) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen intro 4b-vPD (Allen 16b-Hart)-Allen 10b-Marsala-vPD (weak Allen in ens)-
19796-1 2:40 IT´S THE GYPSY IN ME (Tobias-Franklin) Vo 3315/ --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen & Marsala as 32b-vPD (Hart-Allen& weak Marsala)-Marsaia as-Allen 16b-Hart-vPD-
19797-1 2:39 WHEN A LADY MEETS A GENTLEMAN DOWN SOUTH --- / --- / --- / --- / --- /
(Opppenheim-Cleary-Krakeur) -Hart intro-Allen & Marsala as 32b-vPD (ens)- -Allen brk-Marsala as-Allen 8b-vPD (ens)-
Evensmo: Another lovely session, where Putney's particular brand of humour and artistry is heartwarming. All tracks
are full of fine jazz music, and Allen's contributions are excellent. The most attractive item is probably "... Tables …"
where the intro, the obbligato and the solo are equal to his best works. "Sing..." is also outstanding.
early Sept.36 against broadcasts, Palisades Park - L.Millinder & M.B.R.B. vs.Duke Ellington. CD-9/12/36pl0
DUKE AND LUNCEFORD LEAD IN POLL FOR FAVORITE SWING BAND by Franklin Frank for ANP, BAA-8/15p10
…
LOUIS ARMSTRONG'S RUNNER UP
Ken Freeman of Oakland, Cal., states he
and Flivver Ford were discussing trumpet
players, recently. After conceding Louis
Armstrong top position, Freeman chose
Henry (Red) Allen of Mills's Blue Rhythm
band as runner-up and Ford took Rex
Stewart of the Ellington aggregation.
Knowing that this writer will step in
where angels fear to tread, Freeman has
asked me to render an opinion.
Personally, I think Allen comes closer to
the spot than does Rex. Red is a talented
player in the Armstrong fashion, but has
enough individuality to stand on his own
feet.
As for Rex, he seems to me an
exhibitionist - if you get what I
mean. Rex has talent, a freak style,
and can hit unbelievably high notes,
but he seems uninspired.
Bill Robinson can probably beat
anybody in the world running backwards
– but that doesn't make him a
candidate for the Olympic team.
Then too, there is Roy (Little
Jazz) Eldridge of Henderson's
band. You can't overlook him. He
follows the Armstrong tradition, can
probably make the weirdest hot licks
in captivity and also has a
distinctive style.
Then there's Taft Jordan of
Chick Webb's band, another
sensational individualist, and the
up and coming Erskine Hawkins
of the 'Bama State Collegians.
If you like the wah-wah style, then
give it to Cootie Williams of the
Ellington aggregation. But between
Red Allen and Rex Stewart, I'll
take Allen. Otherwise send me
Eldridge and Williams.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.Panassie, Jazz Hot Sept.36, (a longer article) “A Call To ORDER”:
In 1936 it is scarely possible to open a magazine on swing music
without reading in it the worst nonsense. More and more do I perceive
that musicians, records and orchestras are judged, not on their real
value, but on ideas all ready made. Even competent critics allow themselves
to be misted by preconceived opinions and, alongside perfectly
just judgements, they sometimes write things which are terrific. A for
the public its taste and admiration are chiefly guided by present interests;
it goes into raptures about the new musician or the new orchestra to
whom the critics' praise or numerous recordings have given a sort of
vogue; it is generally blind and admires without any control.
The American magazin DOWN BEAT recently inaugurated an
inquiry among its readers, meant to name the greatest players on each
instrument. Insofar as the trumpeters are concerned, this inquiry
produced the following result: Bix 1st with 1052 votes, then Louis
Armstrong with 937, Roy Eldridge 842, Bunny Berigan 575.
Trumpeters like Muggsy, Joe Smith, and Bubber Miley were not even
placed, although 25 trumpeters were mentioned.
This inquiry illustrates perfectly that was said above. Apart from Bix
and Louis Armstrong, who force themselves on notice all the same as
the two first, those who obtain most votes are those whom the present
interest has brought to the forefront: Roy Eldridge … That Roy
Eldridge should have obtained almost as many votes as Louis
Armstrong is simply comical. If the inquiry had been held two years
ago, we should have found Henry Allen in Roy Eldridge's place. Thus,
tossed about by the efancise of incompetent fans, come and go the
trumpeters who, one day, are declared to be superior to Louis
Armstrong, and then fade away some months later. ….
Nowadays the taste for trumpeters is atrocious. People prefer all
that, is "lousiest". That anyone can find Henry Allen to be one of
the best trumpeters after a record like BODY AND SOUL and
other discs of the same type shows either that they are slaves of a
prejudice or else that they-wil1 never understand anything in Hot
music. Henry Allen has made some good records in his career. IT
SHOULD BE YOU, for example, but we have let ourselves be
impressed by his reputation, myself like the others, by his
numerous recordings when we have placed him in the front rank.
...The two of them, Henry Allen and Roy Eldridge have a more
harmful influence on young
Red Allen with Baron Timme Rosenkrantz
Melody Maker 10/10/36p5: Henry Allen Jr., our
captious critic's brassist-or has he changed his mind
since printed this? (the MM printed only Red's part)
---------------------------------------------------------------
players than the Louis Armstrong of the high
notes. … Trumpeters like Frank Newton, Bill
Coleman, Cootie completely outclass Henry
Allen and Roy Eldridge...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There´s another rather interestic article about the different "SWING CRITICS" by George Frazier, Jazz Hot July-36,:.
9/11/36 Broxville, N.Y., Field club – the band played there and gave autographs to Robert Inman

- 228 -
10/12/36 NYC., HENRY "RED" ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) *Gene Mikell (c1) Tab Smith (as) Ted Mc Rae
(ts) Clyde Hart (p) Danny Barker (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) *l can not hear any clarinet work
/Collect..Classics/ Classics-/
20049-1 2:55 MIDNIGHT BLUE -vRA (Leslie-Burke) Vo 3339/CC51/C0CD-15/(F)CD590/
-Allen 8b-Hart brd-vRA 30b(Hart & reeds)-?McRae-Allen 19b-
20050-1 2:41 LOST IN MY DREAMS -vRA (Sidney D.Mitchell-Sam H.Stept) Vo 3340/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 16b-reeds-vRA 30b(reeds)-McRae-Allen 12+4b in ens-
20051-1 2:48 SITTING ON THE MOON -vRA (Sidney D.Mitchell-Sam H.Stept) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Hart intro-Allen 30b-Hart brd-vRA 32b-Smith-Allen 34b-
20052-1 2:58 WHATCHA GONNA DO WHEN THERE AIN´T NO SWING –vRA Vo 3339/ --- / --- / --- /
(H.Allen) -Allen 14b-Hart brd-vRA 32b-Hart-Smith-Allen 34b-
Rhythm: Sept.36 p21: Henry Allen, Jr. - Right now the most
brilliant and least inhibited of all the coloured trumpeters. He
possesses his own distinctive knock-out attack, which is just as
brilliant now as it was ten years ago. A very easy-going chap, tall
and lanky, who´s just content to amble along with a big grin on
his face and laugh with the world about him.
Evensmo: The most exciting Vocalion session for
quite a long time. Here it is not necessary to talk so
much about the atmosphere, because the soli are so
magnificent. It is hopeless to attempt to pick out
preferences, it would be to discriminate against the
remaining. I love them all!
10/14/36 NYC., PUTNEY DANDRIDGE (v) & HIS ORCH. : Red Allen (t) Joe Marsala (cl, as) Clyde Hart (p) Eddie
Condon (g) Wilson Myers (b) Cozy Cole (d) all issued sides on RA-CD-4
/Rarities/Classics/Timeless Histor./
20069-2 2:29 A HIGH HAT, A PICCOLO AND A CANE (Brown-Fain-Akst) Vo 3352/ Lp-34 /CD-869/CBC 1-023-2CD/
-Allen in ens l0b-vPD (ens-Hart-ens, Allen brk)-Marsala-Hart-Marsala-Allen 8b-vPD(ens)-Allen in ens 8b-
20070-1 2:42 EASY TO LOVE (Porter) Vo 3351/ --- / --- / --- /
-Hart intro-vPD (Allen mute)-Hart-Marsala-Hart-Allen mute 8b-vPD (weak ens)-
20071-1 2:41 YOU DO THE DARNDEST THINGS, BABY (Pollack-Mitchell) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen in ens 8b-vPD (ens)-Hart-Marsala as-Hart-vPD (weak ens)-Marsala-Allen 8b-vPD (ens)-
20072-1 2:34 THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET (Burke-Johnston) Vo 3352/ --- / --- / --- /
-2 THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET Vo rej. But matrix said to exist!
-cries-Cole brk-talk RA&PD-vPD (ens-Allen)-Hart-Marsala-Allen 16b, Cole brk-vPD (ens)-
Evensmo: Vocalion 3352 is one of my most treasured
records. It is a rare combination of bizarre
humour and first rate music. An unpolished but
highly effective rhythm section lays down a
perfect background for a supremely inspired
Putney Dandridge and a Henry Allen who never
played better. At least this record offers some
soloing which is among his best performances in
the middle thirties period. His strength, combined
with maximum inspiration, is unforgettable. 3351
also offers excellent soloing not only by Allen but
in particular by Clyde Hart, one of my favorite
pianists. But back to 3352, listen to the drum break
in the middle of the trumpet solo! ! ! By the way,
Putney poses an interesting question on "… Cane":
"Who's that man they call the King? The King of
Swing and Everything …". You answer it!!!
Harlem Personality
NYA-11/14/36p8:
Putney Dandridge, popular
young pianist is listed among
the races leading entertainers.
He is Bill Robinson's favorite
accompanist. Among his many
recordings we find, “The
Skeleton in the Closet,” “You
do the Darndest Things,” “Easy
to Love,” “A Star Fell Out of
Heaven,” and “You Turned the
Tables on Me.” He has appeared
in several shorts and plans
a tour soon which will take in
all the leading cities from New
York to Los Angeles.
personnel changes: Billy Kyle(p)
added ( see the below review about
the week at Loew's), and later he
replaced Edgar Hayes; Edgar Hayes
is again present and reviewed at the
Apollo Theatre l0/30-11/5/36;
Around this time John Kirby
replaced Elmer James, first mentioned
in the PC11/21, but very probably
he is the bassist on the Oct. / Nov.36
recording sessions and not so Hayes
Alvis as given in Rust´s disco. Cozy
Cole is announced to join the band.
NYA-11/14/36p8
(I wonder that these important changes
were reviewed so late in Nov.36,
look to those notes in Nov.36).
10/15/36 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Red Allen (t) George Washington,
J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Crawford Wethington (c1,as) Gene Mikell (c1,as,bars) Tab Smith (as,arr) Joe Garland (ts,bars,
arr) Billy Kyle (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) John Kirby (b) O´Neil Spencer (d) Chuck Richards (v) Lucky Millinder (v,dir)
all on RACD-4a/ /JazzArch./Classics/Arch.o.J/
20073-1 2:56 BALLOONACY (Millinder-Smith) Co 3156-D/ JA-10 /CD-731/3891102/
-reeds-Smith-ens-Mikell-Smith-Allen 32b, Hemphill brk-brass&reeds-Mikell-brass&reeds-
20074-1 3:03 BARRELHOUSE (Smith) -aTS --- / --- / --- / --- /CDS-J.Clas./
-ens-saxes-Hemphill in ens-Allen mute 32b-Garland-Smith-Kyle-Smith-saxes-Higgy-ens- /RPCD610/
20175-1 2:58 THE MOON IS GRINNING AT ME -vCR (Hudson-Jones- Co 3157-D/ / --- /
Mills) -ens-Smith-ens-Kyle brd-ens-vCR (ens)-Kyle-Garland in ens-Kyle-Mikell-Allen 6b-ens-
20076-2 3:11 SHOWBOAT SHUFFLE (Ellington) --- / TOM-57/ --- /
-ens-Smith in ens-Jones growl in ens-Garland in ens-ens-Allen 12b-?Garland-cl in ens-
Evensmo to 10/15: A fine selection of MBRB tunes featuring Allen in several different moods. I have a special
affection for the brief soli which most people overlook, and here I have to give attention to "The Moon …". Allen is
worth the whole price of the record (which is not ,small!!) all alone, he plays both utterly inspiredly and with strength
and beauty. "… Shuffle" and "Balloonacy" are excellent examples of good open horn style, while "Barrellhouse"
(which is Basie's "Jive At Five") offers some really good muted trumpet. It would be correct to point out that Mr.
Borthen is clearly in favor of "Balloonacy" and "Barrellhouse". A session not to be overlooked

- 229 -
10/16-22/36 one week; LOEW's STATE THEATRE - L.Millinder & M.B.R.B. feat. 2 piano players & Edith Wilson
10/23-29/36, one week; Philadelphia: Nixon Grand Theatre (CD10/24/36p13)
CD-10/24/36p13: Lucky Millinder came to
Loew State theatre this past week and really
brought something in the form of novelty.
He's using two pianists, the new member
being Billy Kyle, who hails from the
"City of Brotherly Love" and the
orchestra really swings some hot cha
syncopation. Red Allen, the hot
trumpeter in the outfit, had the Loew
State audience in stitches on the day
that I caught them and so did Pops and
Louie, the young dancers on the same
bill. Our pet, Edith Wilson, appeared
with Sir Millinder and was forced into
an encore because of the popularity
she retains on the grand canyon. Her
saucy lyrics expounding a heartfelt
desire for a strong, hard boiled man are
as hilarious as anything I have ever
heard. Luck opens at the Nixon Grand
(Philly) this Friday and then to the
Apollo in Harlem Oct.30.
--------------------------------------------
Variety 10/21/36p50 AT STATE, N.Y.
With 'Great Ziegfeld' (Metro) here
for its second pop price Broadway
date, and running just five minutes
short of three hors, the problem was to
hold the stage show down to one verse
and two nip-ups. The problem was
solved by booking in and shaving
down a band unit, for the time couldn't
hold a four or five-cat vaudeville bill a
four or five-act bill couldn't acts would
look skimpy.
Unit is the all-colored Lucky Millinder
Blue Rhythm band show, and it's
doubtful that the booking office could
have made a better selection. It's 25
minutes of zip.
To keep within the running time Friday,
there were no encores or bows, and
with so many clicks on the bill,
practically every number stepped into
applause still ringing for the preceding
one. Millinder unit has played around
long enough to know its stuff, particularly
its best items, which were about
the only things left in on this date.
Millinder's 15 musicians are a fast
and furious swing crew, with the
leader a pleasant , clean-cut and
showman-like fellow. the specialties
are by Dick Richards, baritone with a
splendid voice; Edith Wilson, who
sings 'em hot, and Pops and Louie.
Latter are growing up and losing
their cauteness, but their hoofing
should carry them from this point on.
However their singing isn't what it
used to be, due to lack of quality and
the age element, as illustrated by the
fact that they no longer get the old
quota of laughs with it. The two successive
songs at the opening are
therefore unnecessary, and one would
be enough now, with the dancing the
dependable clincher.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10/30 Fr.-11/5/36, N.Y.C-. Apollo Theatre - M.B.R.B. feat. Red Allen, Edgar Hayes & Chuck Richards, Pops & Louie,
Norton & Marge-3 Palmer Bros.-Bessie & Jackie-Edna Mae Holly- Mary Perry-Pigmeat-Leonard Harper Revue-
MILLINDER - POPS & LOUIE HEAD NEW SHOW
AT THE APOLLO NYA-10/31/36p8:
Another great show starring a nationally famous band will
be presented at the Apollo Theatre beginning Friday (October
30th). This time Lucky Millinder and Mills Blue Rhythm
Band come from triumph tour for a week's stay on the stage of
the Apollo Theatre.
On this rare visits to Harlem the Blue Rhythm Band always
brings a new group of original tunes and specialities. In
addition to the dynamic Lucky Millinder, the band features
Chuck Richards, vocal soloists, Edgar Hayes, wizzard of the
piano and Red Allen, the sensational trumpeter.
Mae Whitman's juvenile singing and dancing wonders. Pops
and Louie will appear as a special added attraction with next
week's Apollo revue. The supporting cast will include
Pigmeat, John Mason and Jimmy Baskette, Bessie and Jackie,
the Three Katores, Edna Mae Holly, Mary Perry and the
sixteen lovely Harparettes.
The Apollo talking picture feature next week will be “King of
the Royal Mountain,” Zone Grey's latest romantic adventure novel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SEEING THE SHOW by A.Duckett NYA-11/7/36p8:
Every week we expect some thing outstanding from the
Apollo Theatre. Sometimes we are satisfied often we are
greately disappointed, but this week we are substantially
satisfied. Not in the entire show but in the Feature Performers.
The Apollo presents another outstanding show
featuring the ever-popular Harmonic Duet and Dance
Team. POPS and LOUIE with Lucky Millinder and his
Mills Blue Rhythm Band, starring Chuck Richard. The
latter gave a fine rendition of one of the latest song hits of
today. “Did I Remember,” and also the ever-popular “Star
Dust” as only Chuck could sing it. Pops and Louie
continue to walk away with the applause of the audience.
Their harmony still clings and their dancing is even better.
Lucky and his Band “came on” with their own arrangement
of “Ride Red Ride,” and “Christopher Columbus.”
Pigmeat didn't have much chance to give us his conception
of Harlem's latest dance sensation “Suzy Q”, but he and
Spider still holds the crowd in gigantic laughter. Aside
from that the rest of the show was just good enough to fill up
the time on the program. Mary Perry one of Major Bowes
amateur winners a bit green but promising won the applause
of the audience in her style of singing “Out Of Dream.”
(cont.next page):

cont.Apollo-show
The Three Roccus are nothing to write
home about. Just a novelty number or
singing and piano playing.
An act worthwhile mentioning was
that of the Five Enos. They gave fine
entertainment in their remarkable
Acrobatic Stunts.
- 230 -
The Apollo Harperettes do show great
improvement in their dancing, led by a
charming young miss with pleasing
personality. Brown and Brown, another
dance team was on the bill.
A great disappointment was the motion
picture “King of The Royal Mounted.”
We, on behalf of the public, would
appreciate it very much if the Apollo
would improve in selection of pictures.
Along with outstanding shows, better
pictures help to the audience's enjoyment.
And so ends a few enjoyable hours of
pinch-hitting for your regular reviewer.
====================================================================================
different personnel changes from November until February
PC-11/21/36p6: "HE´S BOSS NOW"- Lucky Millinder, whose MBRB has undergone a complete change. Lucky is now
complete boss of the orchestra and hope to have in a few weeks, one of the finest aggregations in the country.
"EDGAR HAYES "OUT" AS PIANIST WITH LUCKY´S RHYTHM BAND - Diminutive Maestro Reorganizing
Orchestra with Billy Kyle and John Kirby-"Red" Allen and Other Vets Remain. PC-11/21/36p7:
NYC Nov.19 - Lucius "Lucky"Millinder's soon become a member of the The energetic little orchestra leader
Blue Rhythm Band is undergoing an im- Millinder organization.
has been selected as one of the eight
portant change. Edgar Hayes is no longer The stars in the band at present in- famous bands to compose a musical
with the unit. He has been replaced by an clude: Henry Red Allen, J.C.Higgin- composition for broadcasting purpo-
extraordinarily fine pianist from Philadelbotham and Taps Smith, brilliant alto ses in which each participant is to do
phia, Billy Kyles, Jr. Teggy Wilson con- saxophone find from St. Louis. two bars with the efforts of the first
siders him one of the finest in the country. Lucky is now in complete charge of four writers repeated to retain the
John Kirby, renowed bass player, for- his own band and is concentrating eve- standard song form of thirty-two bars.
merly with Fletcher Henderson's orchestra rything and every effort on making it the Lucky and Teddy Wilson recently
has also joined Lucky. There is a strong finest musical aggregation in the country. completed a new song they wrote for
possibility that Cozy Cole, reputedly the Already he has gone a long way toward Ethel Waters. Lucky's latest engage-
finest drummer of them all, now playing achieving this end. Inside of a few ment was at the Savoy Ballroom here.
with Stuff Smith at the Onyx Club, will months he should have a “terrific” band.
late Nov.-36, J.C.Higginbotham, George Washington and Lawrence Lucie left the M.B.R.B. to join Fletcher Henderson's
band and were replaced by Ferdinand Arbello, Danny Barker and prob. Sandy Watson or Wilbur DeParis;
(see Rust, 2/11/37; Ad.DeHaas, Jazz Hot Dec.36; W.C.Allen-Hendersonia pp340-342).
PC-1/23/37p6: .. J.C.Higginbotham had rejoined Henderson about Dec.'36 .... and after a long story that Lucky
Millinder had "cleaned house" and had "fired" Higginbotbam, Lucie and Washington from the M.B.R.B., Fletcher
wrote a letter to the Courier. He averred that they had left Millinder of their own volition, despite an offer of a
$15 raise from Lucky, refusing to remain under Mills' management. "
"FLETCHER HENDERSON RAPS MILLS´METHODS- SAYS MUSICIANS LEFT MILLINDER `OF OWN
VOLITION´" by Earl J.Morris - PC-1/23/37p19
Detroit, Mic., Jan.21. – According to the ace trombonist) were not dismissed know that Lucky is a square shooter
Fletcher Henderson, celebrated swing but “left on their own volition, “and and one of the finest band leaders in the
master and leader of one of the country's joined Henderson's band “despite the business,” Henderson stated, “Irving
outstanding bands, an article appearing permission of Lucky Millinder and even Mills caused me to suffer greatly several
in last week's issue of The Courier promises of a $15 raise for each man.” years ago and the leaving of those men
reporting that three men had been
Slap At Mills
to join my band is a slap at Mills.”
dismissed from Lucky Millinder's band, The men are said to have at one time Henderson bitterly attacks the method
recently, is not true.
been members of the Henderson aggre- used by Mills in handling sepia orches-
In a five page-communication to this gation and, according to the celebrated tras, but is loud in his praise of Lucky's
writer, Henderson states that the men maestro, left Lucky's band because ability as a musician and orchestra
referred to (Higginbotham, trombonist; they refused to remain under the mana- leader.
Lucie, guitarist , and George Washington, gement of Irving Mills. “Although we
11/5/36 Thursday = look at the correct date 11/21/36 Sat., NYC., WABC(CBS)-6:45 p.m. -"Saturday Night Swing Club"-
11/6-11/14/36 Tour of Dance Dates CD:11/7/36p11
CD-11/7/36p11: Lucky Millinder In New Broadcast
- Nov.6 – Lucky Millinder and his Blue Rhythm
band are to begin a new broadcast series beginning
November 15, when an NBC wire will be
installed in the Savoy ballroom.
The orchestra goes on tour of dance dates this
Friday following their record breaking theatre
engagements at Loew's State, and the Apollo, and
will return to New York City November 14, for
their opening at the Savoy.
Variety 11/8/36p52: 8-Oly Collab Songwriting stunt by
Irving Mills' artists, for Mills Music publication, is 'That's
the Sweetest Thing' which will be-co-composed by Duke
Ellington, Will Hudson, Ina Ray Hutton, Cab Calloway,
Yascha Bunchuk, Jan Rubini, Lucky Millinder and Milt
Britton. All eight maestros are Mills artists and each has
developed two bars on the song. Ellington in the first two
bars established the theme. Nick Kenny is doing the lyrics.
For further ballyhoo on this tin pan alley
stunt, three of mills Music arrangers will collab on the vocal
and dance orchestrations. None of the composers will double
as arrangers.

- 231 -
11/15 Su.-11/21/36 one week, 11/15 start of NBC-series from: Savoy - Ballroom: Lucky Millinder & M.B.R.B with probably
Billie Holiday vs. Chick Webb´s N.B.C.Orch. with Ella Fitzgerald NYAN:11/14/36pl0 / PC-11/21/36p7/CD-11/7/36p11
Ad.DeHaas, Jazz Hot, Noel-36"
American News': I'm very happy to
report that several important changes.,
which Lucky Millinder had been
planning for several months finally
have taken place in the M.B.R.B. with
the result that the outfit is now in better
shape than it ever has been since Irving
Mills organized this group several years
ago to function as a mere relief band
for Cab and Duke in the Cotton Club.
The band changed leaders upon
several occasions, Lucky Millinder
undoubtedly being the best one. However
his bands were tied. And even
when Lucky engaged Henry Allen, Jay
C.Higginbotham, Lawrence Lucie and
Buster Bailey the final results were not
satisfactory. Irving Mills evidently
didn't feel like spending a great deal of
money on the outfit and the results
were appalling. A good deal of the
arrangements the band used were
stocks and they even used some of them
for their recordings, tunes by the way
that often had been recorded already by
Duke and Cab. The results were that
the band under those circumstances
couldn't develop a style. Edgar Hayes,
the pianist used to make some special
arrangements now and then, but he had
a tendency to the corny most of the time,
both in his playing and scoring.
The first important change happened
several months ago when Tab Smith, a
swell alto player from St. Louis was
added to the band. Indirectly he took
Buster Bailey's place, who left some time
before that to join Fletcher Henderson. A
clarinet player from New Orleans took
his place for a while, but didn't prove
satisfactory. Tab Smith (he's an arranger
and a composer as well) took his place
and clarinet solo work was transferred to
Joe Garland, the bands tenor player.
Most important of all was the big
shake-up in the rhythm section. Edgar
Hayes, second "boss" of the band was
NYAN-11/14/36p10
replaced by Billy Kyle, a fine young
pianist from Philadelphia, who
arranges too. Still more important was
the addition of one of the world's most
magnificent bass players ... John
Kirby, who gave the band a lift as it
had never known before. It seemed a
pity that both Lawrence Lucie and
Higginbotham left the band to join
Fletcher Henderson. Ferdinand Arbello
(of whom I don't know enough as yet)
replaced Higgie and another quite
competent guitar player (I forgot his
name.) took Lucie´s place.
And with the above mentioned combination,
including of course Red Allen
Lucky Millinder
Who, with his band will broadcast
over WMCA regularly from the
Savoy Ballroom, New York City,
after November15. Lucky has made
several changes in his band
personnel. CD-11/14/36p13
------------------------------------
and the rest of the gang they played a
week at the Savoy opposite Chick
Webb. It was a tough competition
but the band did a very nice job. In
fact I didn't believe it was the same
band. Red Allen wrote a very
nice tune by the way, which was
arranged according to his own ideas.
It's called ALGIERS STOMP and
was recorded by the band recently.
Lucky was thinking of using it for a
new theme song. At the present time
they still use STARDUST, a new
arrangement however with a very
effective ensemble singing chorus in
the Don Redman tradition.
11/17/36 NYC., HENRY “RED” ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) Gene Mikell (c1) Tab Smith (as) Cecil Scott
(ts) Clyde Hart (p) Danny Barker (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) according Red Allen in J.M.11/66 Cecil Scott plays (ts)
instead of Ted McRae listed in B.Rust`s disco
/Collector´s Clas./ Classics /
20267-1 2:30 DID YOU MEAN IT -vRA (Lyman-Baker-Silvers) Vo 3377/CC51/COCD15/(F)CD590/
-Allen 20b-reeds brd-vRA 32b(ens)-Smith-Mikell-Scott-Allen 16b-
20268-1 2:41 IN THE CHAPEL IN THE MOONLIGHT -vRA ([Billy Hill) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Allen intro 4b-Allen 6b-Hart brd-vRA 30b(Hart&ens)-Scott-Allen 14b-Allen coda-
20269-1 2.37 HERE´S LOVE IN YOUR EYES -vRA (Rainger-Robin) Vo 3389/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 36b-vRA 32b(ens)-Hart-Mikell-Smith-Allen 24b-
20270-1 2:37 WHEN MY DREAMBOAT COMES HOME -vRA (Franklin-Friend) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Hart intro-Allen in ens 32b-vRA 32b(Hart-ens)-Smith-Allen 32b-
Evensmo: A good session without particularly outstanding contributions. All four sides contain good music, but
commercialism is not wholly absent. (I may be too negative here, Mr. Borthen would like me to upgrade the session
somewhat). Allen's playing on the first part of each side is always very close to the tune, and even at the end he does
not seem completely free. "… Moonlight" and "... Dreamboat ..." are the most interesting.

- 231a – Addenda -
due to recording date 7/2/35 on page 206
=========================================
Original Dance Band/Small Orchestra arrangement of
"In the Chapel in the Moonlight", popularized by
Ruth Etting, Shep Fields, Richard Himber & Mal
Hallet... all in 1936, Original 1936 edition. Composed
by Billy Hill. Arranged by Paul Weirick. "Slowly with
expression". Published by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co.
RARE! Instrumentation: piano / lyrics, first
violins/lyrics (2), 1-2 alto saxes, tenor sax, baritone
sax, 1-2-3 trumpets (see scan for first trumpet part), 1-2
trombones, guitar, bass, drums. Condition: average,
used condition (smudges, etc.).

- 232 -
11/20/36 NYC., MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND: Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Red Allen (t) George Washington,
?J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Crawford Wethington (c1,as) Gene Mikell (cl, as,bars) Tab Smith(as) Joe Garland (ts,bars,arr) Billy
Kyle (p) ?Lawrence Lucie (g) John Kirby (b) O´Neil Spencer (d) Chuck Richards (v) Lucky Millinder (v,dir)
/Jazz Arch./Classics /Arch.of J.(Du)/
20294-1 2:55 BIG JOHN'S SPECIAL (Henderson) Co 3162-D/ JA-10 /(F)CD731/ CD-3891102 /RA-CD-4a/
-ens-Smith-Jones growl-Garland in ens-Jones growl-brass-Kyle-Smith in ens-Mikell-brass-Allen 16b-ens-
20295-1 3:20 MR.GHOST GOES TO TOWN (Mills-Parish-Hudson) Co 3158-D/JazzPan.-3/ --- /TOM-57/ --- /
-ens-Garland in ens-Spencer brks-ens-Smith-Lucie-Garland-Lucie-Allen 32b-ens-
20296-1 2:59 CALLIN' YOUR BLUFF -aBilly Kyle Co 3162-D/ JA-10 / --- /Aof J-3891102/ --- /
-Kyle intro-ens-Allen 32b-Kyle-Smith-ens-Garland-ens-
20297-1 3.02 ALGIERS STOMP (Henry Allen) Co 3158-D/JazzPan.-3/ --- / --- /
-trumpets-ens-Smith-Washington-brass-Mikell-brass-Allen 24b-brass-Allen coda
Leif Anderson on J.P.LP-3: "Mr.Ghost Goes To Town". The band
really "goes to town" on this Will Hudson speciality. Allen shines
again and there is a lot of fine work by the saxophone section. Tab
Smith plays a short alto solo, there is some unexpected guitar chording
and a bit of baritone sax. "Algiers Stomp"has a string of fine solos
over a relentlessly swinging ensemble. Tab Smith, Higginbotham and
Mikell on clarinet have their say before Henry Allen, who composed
the piece, takes it out.
Evensmo: In spite of several long soli I am not as happy as I might be.
There are signs of weaknesses in Allen's playing, manifesting
themselves in phrasing which is rhythmically somewhat looser than
usual. The expected split-second timing is not present. I will not say that
he plays badly, had the trumpeter not been Allen, superlatives would
be in order."Algiers Stomp" seems to me to be the best of the four,
while Mr. Borthen highlights "... Bluff". A last word about MBRB.
Without the blue Columbias, your Allen collection will be found
wanting, as will your acquaintance with the great big bands!!
Michael Brooks on Col.CG 33557: ALGIERS STOMP
Composed by Henry Allen and named after his home town, just
across the river from New Orleans. This was Kirby's last regular gig
as a sideman before he formed his own group. The Blue Rhythm
Band always suffered by comparison with the glamour orchestras
such as Chick Webb, Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington, but if they lacked star soloists they were a fine gutsy
combo, with a brass section that always played as though they hated life. With Kirby is Billy Kyle and O'Neil
Spencer, later to become his sidemen. Solos: Henry Allen, Tab Smith, George Washington, Ed Hall, Red Allen
11/21/36 Sat., NYC., 485 Madison Ave., WABC(CBS)-6:45 p.m.-"Saturday Night Swing Club"-BUNNY BERIGAN (t) &
WILL HUDSON & HIS CBS HOUSEBAND: incl. Pete Pumiglio, Dave Hamilton (sax) Hank Ross(ts) Louis Shoobe (b)
Johnny Williams(d) Mark Warner (dir) Paul Douglas (ann.) plus featuring guest contingent from *MILLS BLUE
RHYTHM BAND: Red Allen (t,v) Tab Smith (as) Billy Kyle (p) O'Neil Spencer (d) Lucky Millinder (cond.,v)
JazzArch./Arch.of J.(Du)/Soundcraft/
1:25 theme: 1 Can't Get Started (Ellington-Gershwin) feat.B.Berigan JA-19 / CD-3891192 /CDSC5005/
1:20 Notre Dame Victory March (trad.) feat.H.Ross --- / --- / --- /
2:48 The Jazzeroo (Marks) feat. J.Williams(d) B.Berigan, L.Shoobe --- / --- / --- /
0:23 announcement for Red Allen & Lucky Millinder --- / --- / --- /
& *MBRB 4:31 BODY AND SOUL -vRA (If I Could Be With You - on 2nd-t-solo) --- / --- / --- /RA-CD-4a+-10/
(Green-Sour-Eyteon-Heyman) -Kyle in ens-vRA 32b(saxes & rhythm)-Allen 32b-Kyle in ens-Allen l8b-Allen coda-
& *MBRB 2:54 RIDE, RED, RIDE -vLM&ch (Millinder) --- / --- / --- /RA-CD-4a+-10/
2:48 Mr.Ghost Goes To Town (Mills-Parish-Hudson) feat.Ross &Berigan --- / --- / --- /
Delovely -v Margaret McCrea unreleased
I Can't Get Started -t solo B.Berigan unreleased
Organ Grinders Swing unreleased
Ad. DeHaas, Jazz Hot Noel-36: Columbia Broadcasting's Swing Club
every Saturday evening at 6.45 (860 kc, 349m) under the direction of
Bunny Berigan is still being continued. Lately they have featured such
guests as Adrian Rollini on Bass sax en Vibraphone Red Mc Kenzie
and Joe Marsala, Red Allen with part of the Blue Rhythm Band, Will
Hudson directing his compositions Organ Grinder Swing and Mr.Ghost
Goes To Town and Mary Lou Williams, that young lady who plays a
mess of piano with Andy Kirk's Band.
Evensmo: This very important discovery features a version of “Body …”
which is comparable in quality with the Vocalion recording with
Allen´s own group. His vocal is particularly impressive on this version.
I cannot quite decide upon the ranking of the trumpet contributions,
however, the last solo with the coda on this version is unusually
attractive. “Ride …” follows the same format as the MBRB recording,
to which I gave a “thumbs down”. The tempo is even faster here. In
honesty, however, I feel that Allen makes a better job on this, although
the result is still of slight interest.
studio-guest Robert Inman noted in his studio-scrapbook the correct
personnel, the unreleased titles, and the correct date (instead of 11/5/36
Thu., wrong given by the issued Lp/CDs, he does not mention A.Rollini,
McKenzie, J.Marsala, M.L.Williams); label-photo P.Borthen

- 233 -
PC-11/21/36p6: ... Praise and criticism ... In the band world here are my BIG THREE: J.Lunceford, Duke and Lucky
(the bands listed here can play anything from the "classic" to "chinese").
12/4 Fr.-12/10, one week, Washington Apollo Theatre: - M.B.R.B. – feat. Red Allen, Ethel Waters, Chuck Richards,
Conway & Parks, Four Step Brothers; It seemed, Ethel Waters stayed with the MBRB for a while as they appeared
again together at 12/15 Apollo-benefit and once again at 12/19 Dickens Club-party; Variety-12/1?(or 7)/36p17:
CAPITOL, Wash. Washington, Dec.5.
First all-colored revue to play mainstem
in six months is providing footlight fare
this week. Show was thrown together
especially for this engagement, the
headliner, Ethel Waters, quitting her
regular unit to full fill local booking.
Phil Lampkin, house maestro, opens
stage portion with Irish overture first pit
musical effort in three weeks due; A
series of organ logs and community sings.
Lucky Millinder's band,which works
upstage throughout show,opens with hot
------------------------------------------------
introduction and follows with smooth
arrangement of 'Stardust' using Chuck
Richards, vocalist. Conway and Parks
next on with flash strutting, trucking
and pantomime that wins two encores.
Band takes over with 'Algiers Stomp,'
presented as composed by band's
third trumpeter, and straight version
of 'Caroline,' sung in glee club fashion
with entire band down-stage and no
accompaniment. Arrangement is hooked
at finish with few 'yeah-man's' which
don't help it any. Band socks 'Ride, Red,
----------------------------------------------
Ride,' which give simple introduction of
Ethel Waters by Millinder a contrast that is
effective. Serim goes down between
band and Waters as she goes into polished
version of 'Dinah'. Dolled up in evening
gown and workingfront mike with baby
spot, Waters runs through 'I Ain't Gonna
Sin No More,' 'It Takes A Good Woman
to Keep a Man at Home' which had to be
cleaned up plenty 'Stormy Weather' and
'Am I Blue'. Four Step Brothers are on
for the finish with whirlwind of tap. Pie is
'Our Relations'. – (Craig)
--------------------------------------------
12/15/36, Tues., Apollo Theatre - Gala Nite Of Stars with bands of: Cab Calloway, Lucky Millinder, Chick Webb, Eddie
South Willie Bryant, and stars : Bill Robinson, Ethel Waters, Rex Ingram, Pigmeat Markham, W.C.Handy, Hamtree
Harrington, Cora Green, Derby Wilson, Sunshine Sammy, the Virginians, Donald Heywood Choir, the Ubangi
Club revue, the Cotton club revue, Rex Ingram, the Southernaires, Abbey Mitchell Avis Andrews, Berry Bros., e.t.c.
GALA NIGHT OF VARIETY FOR ACTORS -
BENEFIT PERFORMANCE TO STAR ETHEL,
BILL, CAB AT APOLLO NYAN-12/5/36p12
Reversing the order of benefits the Colored Actors
and Performers Association will sponsor its first annual
Midnight Jamboree of Stars at the Apollo Theatre,
Dec.15, for the benefit of the Negro performer, with
such colorful veterans of the veterans of the theatre as
Bill Robinson, Ethel Waters and Rex Ingram
heading a variety performance.
The association is the official organisation of veteran
actors. It is attempting to raise funds to aid in caring for
its needy actors and to perform other services that will
be for the benefit of the profession.
For the occasion Negro and white performers alike, the
city over, are massing their talents to make it one of
the grandest affairs Harlem has witnessed. Stars of
stage and screen will be presented.
Among those expected to appear are Cab Calloway,
Willie Bryant, Pigmeat Markham, W.C.Handy,
Hamtree Harrington, Lucky Millinder, Eddie South,
Cora Green, Derby Wilson and Sunshine Sammy.
Also the Virginians, Donald Heywood Choir, the
Ubangi Club revue, the Cotton Club revue, Smalls
Paradise revue, Abbey Mitchell, Rex Ingram, the
Southernaires.
NYAN:12/5/36p13
12/19/36/ NYC., Dickens Club – The Amsterdam' s Newsboys Party – M.B.R.B., Ovie Alston band, Children's Rhythm
band; NYAN:12/19/36p8: THINGS'LL SWING FOR NEWSBOYS – Grand Planned for Amsterdam News Party
Hey, fellas. Were're you going this after- have a perfectly swell time.
ter, 448 West 152d street, and the talennoon
(Saturday)? Have you got your bid Who wouldn't with the one and only ted newsies themselves to sing and
to the Amsterdam News newsboys' party at Lucky Millinder and his Blue Rhythm dance for the divertisement of the guests.
the Dickens Club, 315 Lenox Avenue? Band on hand to play syncopated tunes Of course, there will be food and
Well, if you haven't take my advise and as only that aggregation can play them; punch a-plenty, and everyone is sheduled
look up one of your newsboy friends the presence of Ovie Alston and his boys, to have a rip-roaring good time. A.E.
and find out if he'll bring you along with which has pushed itself to the top of Paris, Jr., circulation manager of the
him. Of course, parents will be very the heap of swing bands, a children's paper and the newsboys' pal, is in
special guests, and everyone expects to rhythm band from St.John's Music Cen- charge of arrangements.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mid Dec.36, one week, N.Y.C. - SAVOY BALLROOM - Chick Webb Band versus M.B.R.B.
late Dec.36 - two aggregations of the M.B.R.B. in competition
late Dec.36/early Jan.37 - dance tour with different personnel changes to find the "best" - It seems that several musicians
of the new M.B.R.B. (see Rust 2/11/37) as Shavers, Warwick, Gibson, Johnny Williams & others played occasionally
with the M.B.R.B. on tours in late Dec.36. John Williams joined the "regular" M.B.R.B. as a member at 12/31/36
(without Shavers,... who came back the other day). –

- 234 -
12/29/36 NYC., HENRY"RED"ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) unknown (c1) unknown (ts,bars) Tab Smith (as)
Billy Kyle (p) Danny Barker (g) Johnny Williams (b) Alphonse Steele (d) (Red Allen confirmed A.Steele on (d) in J.M.11/66;
in contrast to the Rust disco, two men for (cl)&(ts,bars) are present; Harry Carney reported his presence confirmed by Johnny
Williams, the last reported that Red liked Carney´s music when he subbed in Duke´s orch.; but Carney was with Duke in L.A.
/Collector´s Class./ Classics/
20458-1 3:02 I ADORE YOU –vRA (Robin-Rainger) Vo 3422/CC53/COCD15/(F)CD590/
-Allen 16b-Kyle-vRA30b(ens)-Kyle-unknown cl-Allen 18b-
20459-1 2:56 HE AIN´T GOT RHYTHM -vRA (Irving Berlin) Vo 3432/ --- / --- / --- /
-Allen 14b-Kyle-reeds-vRA 40b(ens)-Kyle-Carney bars-Allen 56b-
20460-1 3:07 THIS YEAR´S KISSES -vRA (Irving Berlin) --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Kyle intro-Allen 12b-unknown cl-vRA 26b(ens)-Smith-Allen 18b-
20461-2 2:50 LET´S PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER -vRA (Harburg-Arlen) Vo 3422/ --- / --- / --- /
-Kyle intro-Allen 30b-ens brd-vRA 32b(ens)-Kyle-unknown cl-unknown bars-Smith as-Allen 34b-
NYAN-3/27/37Plo:... Best selling records: ... I´M IN A DANCING MOOD by Putney Dandridge, and HERE´S LOVE IN
YOUR EYES, WHEN MY DREAMBOAT COMES HOME, THIS YEAR´S KISSES, HE AIN´T GOT RHYTHM by
Henry Red Allen.
Evensmo: This session is better than the previous one and perhaps better also than the remaining Vocalion sessions.
The concluding solo on "... Kisses", with its magnificent two opening bars, is sufficient proof that Allen, at this time
is still capable of playing at his all-time best. And "... Rhythm" is as dynamic as you can get them, it swings like
mad and contains a long, sparkling solo. Both "I Adore ..." and "... Heads ..." also have soli with several fine details,
and the overall impression from the date is very satisfactory. By the way, compare Vo 3432 with Br 7824 under
Teddy Wilson's leadership, and you will have a great opportunity for studying the different approaches to the lyrics.
(Guess who's singing ...).
31/12/36, NYC., Brooklyn – unknown place – New Year's Eve Dance: M.B.R.B. incl. Red Allen & for the first time:
Johnny Williams
Johnny Williams Jr. to John Chilton, Storyville-82(4-79):
... I was just about to rejoin Gene Moore's band when
Lucky Millinder and Billy Kyle came looking for me. By
this time Lucky had taken over the Blue Rhythm Band
(Nov.36), he had signed Billy Kyle as pianist, and in turn
Billy had recommended me for the bass job. I was
pleased to join the band but, just in case Lucky changed
his mind quickly, I remembered some advice my father
gave me years before and I asked for an advance on my
salary. Lucky paid up seventy-five dollars there and then.
I joined Lucky on 31 Dec.1936 and my first date was at a
New Year's Eve dance in Brooklyn. Lucky wanted to see
the New Year in differently and gave everyone in the
band their notice that night, sealed up in a white
envelope. However, the next day he took a lot of the
newer guys back in the band, 1ike Charlie Shavers, Tab
Smith, Carl Warwick, Andy Gibson, etc....
late 36early 1937 - Ed Hall joined the M.B.R.B. for a brief time - Jazz Info II/2-8/9/40p12: ED HALL : ... After leaving
Hopkins in 1935 Hall laid off for a while, and his next big band job was with Lucky Millinder. He played with
Lucky for a short time in 1937(?), just before Millinder made his last try for the big time with Charlie Shavers,
Harry Edison, Billy Kyle, O'Neil Spencer and other newcomers in his band...
1/6 Wed.-1/19/37, at least two weeks, Bronx –NYC. Swing club – M.B.R.B.
possibly 1/20 – 2/9 or 16/37, three or four weeks, Buffalo, Vendome Café – M.B.R.B. Variety 12/30/36p41: Lucky Millinder
will do one week at the Swing Club, N.Y., starting Jan.6. to be followed by the Vendome Café, Buffalo, for four
weeks. / The PC-1/16/37p6 reported at the 1/14, the band already played 2 weeks at the Swing club, look back
on page-230, possibly the planned four weeks at Buffalo were shortened , because the band or his alternate band had a
recording date at 2/11/37, shurely preparing their introducing engagement at the Apollo Theatre 2/19/37.
Johnny Williams in Storyville No.82 - In early Jan.37, Lucky reorganized his band but still kept Henry "Red" Allen,
although Red probably left the band after the Buffalo weeks, before the week at the Apollo, 2/19-25/37 because he is
unmentioned in both, reviews & advertise. He is not present on the 2/11/37 recording session.
NYAN-1/9/37p8:
While certain weekly scribes are seeing
a distinct threat to sepia bands in the
addition to Benny Goodman's outfit of
Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton, it
may be interesting for them to pause and
meditate upon the case of Joe Marsala
... Marsala, one of the greatest white
clarinetists in the game, is thinking
seriously of joining Lucky Millinder's
fine unit.
Lucky, by the way, now has several
other genuinely sensational additions
to his band, among them Tab Smith,
alto player; John Kirby, possibly
the world's greatest bass player, and
is seeking Cozy Cole, ace drummer,
who has been beating skin with Stuff
Smith ... Billy Kyle, Jr., highly
recommended by Teddy Wilson, is
doing capable job since replacing
Edgar Hayes on piano ... This
hookup along with the great Henry
(Red) Allen and J.C.Higginbotham
on trombone, may make this the
most talked-of band in 1937.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PC-1/16/37p6: LUCKY MILLINDER REORGANIZES BAND
N.Y.C., Jan.14 - Louis “Lucky” Millin-der,
diminutive, dynamic leader of the
orchestra, hearing his name, has “cleaned
house” and comes forth with a re-organized
band.
Lucky's new men are all hand-picked
musicians He “spotted” them from time
to time when he went on tours and
now that his new aggregation has been
assembled the band is one of the best
ever heard.
For the past two weeks, the orchestra
has been heard in the Bronx at the
“Swing Club”
Lucky still keeps Henry Allen, for
whom he wrote “Ride, Red, Ride.”
Lucky reveals no plans for tours as
yet and it is expected he will remain
in and around New York for the next
several weeks.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 235 -
ARMSTRONG, TEDDY WILSON RATE "TOPS" AMONG ALL-AMERICAN "HOT BANDSMEN FOR THE
YEAR By Franklyn Frank for ANP in PC-1/16/37p2-6: Chic., Jan.14- - Approximately a year ago we picked an All
American dance band. Not becoming a bit wiser in the intervening 12 months, we again step in where angels fear to
tread and pick two All American hot bands, composed of musicians of both races who were particularly outstanding in
1936. And unless we come to our senses in the meantime we are likely to do the same thing a year from now.
Your columnist makes no claimes of being a musician, but he considers himself a doggoned good listener, and as such
has definite prejudium and likes. And if anybody wants to dispute the following selections-well, that's their business.
ALL-AMERICAN “HOT BANDSMEN” FOR 1937
FIRST BAND SECOND BAND
TRUMPETS: Louis Armstrong, Mugsy Spanier(Ted Lewis) :Henry"Red"Allen (Millinder),Bunny Berigan(CBS)
Adolphus Cheatham (Cab Calloway) Art Whetsel (Ellington)
TROMBONES: Jack Teagarden (Three T´s); Joe Nanton :J.C.Higginbotham (Millinder), Benny Morton
and Lawrence Brown (Duke Ellington) (Don Redman), Tommy Dorsey;
REEDS: John Hodges (Ellington),Benny Carter (BBC) :Willie Smith (Lunceford), Jimmy Dorsey;
as; Frankie Trumbauer (Three T´s), as&Cmelody; :Edgar Sampson (formerly with Chick Webb)
Chu Berry (Fletcher Renderson.), tenor; altos; Eddie Miller (Bob Crosby), tenor;
Benny Goodman, clarinet Barney Bigard (Ellington),clarinet;
PIANO: Teddy Wilson (Goodman); :Earl Hines
GUITAR: Dick McDonough, :Eddie Condon (Red McKenzie)
BASS: John Kirby (Millinder), Arthur Bernstein; :Ford Bright (Teddy Hill), Israel Crosby;.
DRUMS: Gene Krupa (Goodman) :Chick Webb
Of this group, Spanier, Teagarden, Trumbauer, Goodman, McDonough, Bernstein, Krupa, the two Dorseys, Miller,and
Condon are white. All others are sepia.
“Louis” Tops Trumpet Men
There are more star trumpet players and
pianists then anything else. Armstrong,
of course, belongs to the top. Muggsy
Spanier is the greatest white hot
trumpet player in the game, although he
lacks the publicity of many others.
Cheatham is recognised as the world's
foremost lead trumpet. Red Allen is
forced on the second band because his
style is too reminiscent of Satchmo's to
be teamed with the latter, even on a
mythical unit. Berigan is the second best
white on horn star. And Whetsel is about
as good a first trumpet as you'll find
anywhere.
Practically as expert are the following
sensational tooters:
Frank Newton, Roy Eldridge, Taft
Jordan, Erskine Hawkins, Jonah
Jones, Rex Stewart, Cootie Williams
and Bill Coleman (now in France) and
the white boys: Mannie Klein, Pee
Wee Erwin, Red Nichols, Max
Kaminsky, Charlie Teagarden,
Jimmy McPartland and Wingy
Mannone.
Nanton, Brown and “Mr.T.”
The trombones are not so much of a
problem. Nanton and Brown are at the
top and Charlie Teagarden-known the
world over as “Mr.T.”-is the greatest hot
jazz figure in the white world today.
Higginbotham and Morton are unquestioned
stars and Tom Dorsey has few
rivals playing a lazy, gut-bucket slip horn.
Other top fight trombonists include
Dickie Wells, Keg Johnson, and the
ofay duo, Miff Mole and Pee Wee Hunt.
Hodges and “Chu” Berry
It's a toss-up between Hodges and
Carter as to which is the world's
greatest. Trumbauer easily tops all
whites. After them there is a distinct
chasm in alto playing, but Smith is
coming along, Dorsey is still good,
and Sampson ranks although he is
now arranging exclusively. Chu
Berry is undisputed king of the
tenormen, mainly because Coleman
Hawkins has all but lost him-self in
Europe. Miller has come along to
ranking as the best ofay tenor player.
If you want to swap Bigard for
Good-man in the standings, go to it.
Other reed stars include Russell
Procope, Tab Smith, Buster Bailey,
Prince Robinson, Jimmie Noone,
Gene Ceedric andamong the whites
Bud Freeman, Pat Davis, Toots
Mondello, Joe Marsala, Matty
Mattlock, Artie Shaw and Fazola
Prestopnick.
The greatest guitarists are among
the spook musicians. The late Eddie
Lang topped them all, but today
McDonough and Condon lead the
field. Django Reinhardt, the french
recording ace, is eliminated only
because he is classed with the
foreigners. Leading sepia stars
include Ed. Durham and John
Truheart.
Now You Can Squawk
You run in trouble when you rate
the pianists, but I'll stick with
Wilson first and Hines second. But
right behind and uncomfortably
close are: Mary Lou Williams,
Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Horace
and Fletcher Henderson, Duke
Ellington, Edgar Hayes, Claude Hopkins,
Luis Russell and Count Basie, with
the ofays led by Joe Sullivan, Jess
Stacey and Frank Signorelli. They can
al beat out a mess of moth-box!
John Kirby and Arthur Bernstein,
the latter also a white lawyer, are the
pick of the bass players, with Bright
and Crosby close at hand. Farther back
are: Wellman Braud, Al Morgan,
Pops Foster and Sid Weiss, the latter
white.
Gene Krupa, Chick Webb
Nobody should dispute Krupa's selection
as king of the hot drummers, nor
Chick Webb as runner-up, although
there are several other tough skin beaters,
notably Sonny Greer, Cozy Cole,
Kaiser Marshall, Sidney Catlett, Zutty
Singleton, Lionel Hampton and the
ofays, Stan King and Ray Bauduc.
The two bands named could swing
like nobody's business if they ever got
together. Frankly, I would just as soon
listen to one as to the other. And
suppo-se, in addition, you had Mildred
Bailey and Ethel Waters to supply the
vocals, and such stars as Red Norvo
on xylo-phone, Lionel Hampton on
vibraharp, Casper Reardon on harp,
Joe Venuti and Stuff Smith on violin
to supply novelty numbers.
You might call this the dream of a
hot music fan. It's too good to ever
come true.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"WATCH THESE JAZZ STARS THIS YEAR" - By Franklyn Frank for ANP in PC-1/23/37p6
CHICAGO, Jan. 21.– Leonard
Feather, white “hot music” authority,
gives a list of sepia jazz players who
are expected to reach stardom this
year. They are Tab Smith, with Lucky
Millinder, alto; Dick Wilson, with Andy
Kirk, tenor; Billy Kyle, with Millinder,
piano; Clyde Hart, with Stuff
Smith, piano; Teddy Bunn, with
the Spirits of Rhythm, guitar;
Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman's
vibraharp star, drums, and
Stuff Smith, a star in 1936, who
may go to oyen greater heights on
the violin.
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- 236 -
2/18/37 NYC., BILLIE HOLIDAY(v) & TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCH.: Red Allen(t) Cecil Scott(c1,as,ts) Prince
Robinson(ts) Teddy Wilson(p,ld) James McLin(g) John Kirby(b) Cozy Cole(d) all sides on RA-CD-7
CBS BPG/CBS-CD / Classics / Media-7(F)/
20698-2 2:48 THE MOOD THAT I´M IN (A.Silver-A.Sherman) Br 7844/ -62037 /460820-2/(F)CD521/ MJCD-32 /
-Allen intro 4b-Wilson-Allen 8b-Robinson-vBH (Scott cl)-Allen coda 4b-
20699-2 2:58 YOU SHOWED ME THE WAY (Ella Fitzgerald-T.McRae) Br 7840/ -62814 / --- / --- / --- /
(C.Webb-B.Green) -Wilson-Scott cl-Wilson-Allen l0b-vBH (Scott cl)-Allen in ens 4b-
20700-2 2:35 SENTIMENTAL AND MELANCHOLY (J..Mercer-R.Whiting) Br 7844/ --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Scott cl-Allen 20b-vBH (Scott cl)-Wilson-Robinson-or Scott-Allen in ens 4b-
20701-1 3:07 This Is MY LAST AFFAIR (H.Johnson) Br 7840/ --- / --- / --- / --- /
-Wilson-Allen 8b-Robinson-vBH (Scott cl & Robinson)-Allen in ens l0b-
all on: FLAPPER PASTCD9756 / Blue Moon BMCD 1022 / first 2 on: HEP CD-1020/ last 2 on: -1029/
Hot Records Reviewed by “Rophone”- Vocalion- S.76 Teddy
Wilson & his Orch.: My Melancholy baby / You Showed Me The
Way; in Melody Maker 6/26/37p15: By an odd coincidence,
Jerry Blake of the Henderson disc bobs up again in the Wilson
Melancholy Baby, waxes a year ago.
This is a strange coupling. Ella sings on the first side, which
is not her own composition; but You Showed Me The Way,
which she wrote in conjunction with Chick Webb and Ted Mc
Rae, is sung by Billie Holiday. And Ted McRae plays tenor on
the title which he didn´t write! When you have sorted all that
out, you will find that the second side is certainly the better; not
because I prefer Billie to Ella or vice versa (and a few months
ago the vice would certainly have been vers), but the soloists
and rhythm section both put up a more exciting show. Henry
Allen, doing his first Wilson session, justifies his presence with
the greatest ease. – But Melancholy Baby has many a saving
grace, notably the opening chorus by one of my preferred
trombonists, Benny Morton. And Teddy himself takes a
delightful chorus accompanied by the band.
BIILLIE'S GOLDEN AGE, - Jim Sylvester Jazz Journal Nov.54:...
Of all the musicians who accompanied Billie during these first
two years (1936-37 undoubtedly the most important is Teddy
Wilson. His constant intelligent support of her voice, his
incisive touch, and his skilful feeding of chords make him an
outstanding accompanist, as well as the brilliant soloist
we already know him to be. He is heard in very good company on two sessions dating from early 1937; these merit special
mention as they stand outside the main current of the Clayton/Young groups, and feature trumpeters not other-wise heard with
Billie (-Red Allen/ Cootie Williams). The first session of these is led by Henry Allen Jr., and though his driving style seems
at first a little over-vigorous for the size of the group, some very worthwhile sides were cut. Allen shines especially on YOU
SHOWED HE THE WAY, with Wilson contributing a splendid solo on MY LAST AFFAIR. Billie of course does full
justice to all titles, the last named perhaps ha'ving an edge on the others....
Evensmo: Of all the Vocalion sessions, this is the one which causes the greatest disagreements between Mr. Borthen and me. I
do not like the atmosphere, it seems tame and not quite inspired. This is obviously due to the rhythm section, where Cozy Cole is
particularly irreplaceable. Mr. Borthen, however, feels that Allen has really found himself on this date. He uses the beginning
of the last chorus on "After Last ..." as a demonstration. I admit there are several interesting details both here and on the other
items, like "... Heaven" which is the most lively one. However, Allen has spoiled me so much through the previous seventy
sessions or so that, even should I want to, I cannot find these items worthy of being highlighted.
John Chilton in Ride, Red, Ride , p89: The small number of recordings shared with Billie may have had something to do with
Teddy Wilson (then a sort of unofficial musical director for Billie). Wilson, one of the finest of all jazz pianists, was generally
predisposed towards musicians who displayed an urbane style (as he himself did) and I once heard him described Red, and
Dicky Wells, as 'untidy players'.
2/19 Fr.-2/25/37, N.Y.C. - APOLLO TEEATRE – L.Millinder & his new M.B.R.B.(now without Red Allen) & Nicholas
Brothers, Mae Alix, Barrington Guy, Arlene, Charlie & Ruby, …
NICHOLAS KIDS AT APOLLO
The sensational Nicholas Kids will
make their first theatre appearance since
their return from Europe at the Apollo
Theatre next week beginning Friday,
Feb.19th.
Lucky Millinder and Mills Blue Rhythm
Band will co-star with the Nicholas
Brothers. Lucky's last appearances in
Harlem many months ago was the
occasion of his greatest triumph and
every indication is that his band will
perform even more creditable next week.
Clarence Robinson is producing the
show in which the Nicholas Kids and
Lucky Millinder and Mills Blue Rhythm
Band will be starred. His supporting cast
includes … NYA-2/20/37p9:
"NICHOLAS BROTHERS AND
LUCKY MILLINDER's NEW
ORCHESTRA APOLLO HIT"
The thirteen or fourteen men who
comprise Lucky Millinder's all new
Blue Rhythm Band, vary as widely
as human nature, but certain limitations
hole true of all. They are great
musicians. By their work at the
Apollo Theatre, it has been proven
that Millinder chose each one of
them with care, forever mindful of
the job before them. In doing so, he
has selected a grand group of
musicians, one that is well able to
early on the tradition of the Mills
Blue Rhythm Band.
PC-2/27/37p19
SEEING THE SHOW by A. Duckett
A bang-up show is presented at the 125th
Street Apollo Theatre this week what with
the unbeatable combination of the infectious
Nicholas Brothers and the high-spirited
Lucky Millinder and his swell elegant
orchestra. Braving the possibility of
seeming like a press agent, we are forced to
say that the show is perfectly splenditerous.
We especially liked Lucky's presentation of
that group of southern songs in medley. And
of course one appreciates his famous version
of “Ride, Red, Ride.” His pianist Billy Kyle,
stacks 'em up and throws 'em away. His
style is sort of Teddy Wilson's. Chuck
Richard, the mainly parveyor of sweet songs
gives as pleasing a performance as ever. …
N.Y.Age 2/27/37p9:

John R.T. Davies in Storyv.5, June
66p29:about Jazz Panorama LP-3:
M.B.R.B.: Ride, Red, Ride / Congo
Caravan / Everything is still Okay / Jes´
Natch´ully Lazy / Carry me Back to
Greeen Pastures / In a Sentimental
Mood / Mr.Ghost goes to Town / St.
Louis Wiggle Rhytm / Algiers Stomp /
Blue Mood / Midnight Ramble/ Shoe
Shine Boy / Wild Waves / Red Rhythm;
Ride, Red, Ride could have been a
hopeful title for this desirable,
though not overwhelmingly so,
album of none too common sides
from this post-vintage-thoroughbred
band. Red Allen is in evidence
most of the way, a notable
exception being a new take of 'Wild
waves' from the bands' pre-Richards
/ Millinder period. Among
these tracks are three hither-to
unissued sides from Dec.1935 and
Jan.1936: 'Midnight ramble' a
jumpy little item of undistinguished
- 237 -
melody very enterprisingly arranged
- the composer is apparently not
known, but I would venture to
suggest that a piano player was
responsible. 'Blue mood', again
enterprisingly arranged, is a beautifully
sentimental tune which should
have found its way into the book of
evergreens for the pleasure of musicians.
'Shoe shine boy' can hardly
be called better than average, and a
disturbing uncer-tainty of pitch after
the vocal doesn't help matters.
I think I might be sufficiently put
off by the vocal content of the LP to
dither over buying it until no longer
available (I can only assume that
other, better, tracks are on the
second LP), but give certainly until
someone sees fit to give us some of
the magnificent earlier tracks, the
outlay will be rewarded if you´re
prepared to play it selectively.
Remastering is not brilliant but is certainly
preferable to the general run of overechoed
reissues.
ADDITION TO THE MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND YEARS (worthwhile for inclusion)
late l933, N.Y.C.-Blue Rhythm Club, 10:20 vitaphone short, "MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND" titled "RENT PARTY"dir.Roy
Mack, continuity: Cyrus Wood; probably following personnel: Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Ed Mallory, Ed
Anderson (four-t) George Washington, Henry Hicks (tb) Crawford Wethington, Gene Mikell, Joe Garland (reeds) possibly
later another unknown (s) Edgar Hayes (p) probably Benny James(bj,g) Hayes Alvis (bs,bb) O'Neil Spencer(d) credit: Sally
Gooding, Fredi Washington, Hamtree Harrington, "Blues" McAllister, Three Deuces,
0:55 intro: UNDEEATH THE HARLEM MOON (Revel-Gordon) -t solo 6b Allen like
0:15 speech by unid.man & woman introducing the dancer Fredi Washington
1:02 I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU -tapdance (A.Hill-B.Williams-C.Hopkins)
0:30 speech about the "Rent Party" by unid.man & two women
1:23 THERE GOES MY HEADACHE -vSally Gooding -weak t obligato
0:11 speech introd. "polonaise" of musicians to be seen an Allen-like trumpeter who is Ed Anderson
1:14 TONY'S WIFE -two fine t-soli Allen like, Garland brd
1:20 PEANUT VENDOR –tapdance Three Deuces acc. by only enseble work
2:34 LOVE IS THE THING -vSally Gooding -Hayes and reeds work
0:56 end: BLUE RHYTHM (Leslie Mills) -Garland solo
For this M.B.R.B.-film, several film-collectors believed to
recognize Red, Higgy and even Buster on screen. The very
exciting film - copywritten by the Vitaphone Corp. Feb.6.34
- was filmed one to four months earlier. Theoretical the
presence of the above members of the Henderson band
would have been thinkable after the December tour with
Henderson, the return of Buster Bailey and new
sponsorship of Irving Mills for both bands.
In the beginning of the film there are only three reeds
(without Bailey), but it seems later on, several musicians
added (but not Buster) . In a length of ten minutes there is a
confusion of singers/dancers with the band in vague
background, or very quick moments during the polonaise of
the musicians. There are some moments make believe
Higgy's and of all Red's presence (in his tallness and
complexion), but in slow motion you'll see it is Ed Anderson.
It is really hot-swingin' music and shows us The Blue
Rhythm Band with the same power as after Red, Higgy and
Buster joined. Meeeker & Hippenmeyer give different
personnels-Doc Cheatham recognizesed Mallory; the present
bs/bb-player is probably Hayes Alvis and not James. "RENT
PARTY" as title designated by film-collectors
A 4th trumpeter is added whilst the polonaise rather similar to Red Allen on screen, but not in slow motion re. on photo

- 238 -
2/20/37 NYC., Alhambra Ballroom – Louis Armstrong & the Luis Russell Band , poss. with Red Allen in first contact,
NYAN-2/27/37pl0: "... Understand Red Allen has left Lucky Millinder to blow trumpet with Luis Russell ...Seems
as if the M.B.R.B. is about to lose all its old stars. " / According to this source, Red Allen had contact with the Louis
Armstrong-Luis Russell band in late Feb. und subbed occasionally after the weeks in Buffalo 2/16.
John Chilton-"Ride, Red, Ride" p94: Red seriously considered an offer to become part of big band led by white Charlie
Barnet, along with the black Washington drummer Tommy Myles. But even though Down Beat announced that both
men were due to join Barnet, the move never took place. According to Danny Barker, in previous years two white
bands, one led by Isham Jones and the other the Casa Loma Band had both considered signing Red as a permanent
guest star, but the racial climate of the early 1930s wasn´t ready for such an epoch-making move.
3/4/37 NYC., HENRY ALLEN AND HIS ORCH. : Henry”Red”Allen (t, v) Buster Bailey (c1) Tab Smith (as)Sonny
Fredericks (ts) Billy Kyle (p) Danny Barker (g) Johnny Williams (b) Alphonse Steele (d)'
/Coll.Classics(Dan)/ Classics /
20759-2 3:10 AFTER LAST NIGHT WITH YOU -vRA (D.Barker) Vo 3524/CC-53/COCD-15/(F)CD590/
-Smith intro-Allen 16b-Bailey brd-vRA 32b(ens)-Smith-Allen 32b-Allen coda-
20760-1 2:40 GOODNIGHT MY LUCKY DAY -vRA (Koehler-Stept) Vo 3490/ --- / --- / --- /
-Kyle-Allen 8b-ens brd-vRA 32b(ens)-Fredericks-Allen 16b-
20761-1 2:42 THERE´S A KITCHEN UP IN HEAVEN -vRA --- / --- / --- / --- /
(Bernard-Leaman) -Steele intro-Allen 24b-Smith-vRA 32b(ens)-Bailey-Allen 32b-
20762-2 2:55 I WAS BORN TO SWING -vRA (Russell-Harrison) Vo 3524/ --- / --- / --- /
-Barker intro-Allen 24b-Fredericks-vRA 32b(ens)-Kyle-Bailey-Kyle-Smith-Allen 24b-
Review by Rophone of Per.R 2597 in Melody Maker, 12/3/38: "After last Night" / "I was Born" - "In spite of Henry
Allen's vocals, dreadful lyrics and a slightly sluggish rhythm section, these are worth while for two reasons: Billy
Kyle's piano and Tab Smith's alto. Red´s trumpet lacks something in tone and expression.
I miss L.Hibbs´ review in MM-mid-1939 which is mentioned in MM-7/22/39 Red Allen-article by "Mike" (look there-1939)
Evensmo: Of all the Vocalion sessions, this is the one which causes the greatest disagreement between Mr.Borthen and me.
I do not like the atmosphere, it seems tame and not quite inspired. This is obviously due to the rhythm section, where Cozy
Cole is particularly irreplaceable. Mr.Borthen, however, feels that Allen has really found himself on this date. He uses the
beginning of the last chorus on “After Last …” as a demonstration. I admit there are several interesting details both here and
on the other items, like “… Heaven” which is the most lively one. However, Allen has spoiled me so much through the
previous seventy sessions or so that, even should I want to, I cannot find these items worthy of being highlighted.
3/12/37 NYC., VICTORIA SPIVEY (v) acc. by poss. ?Red Allen(t) poss. ?Albert Nicholas(c1) poss. ?Charlie Holmes
(as,ts) poss. Luis Russell(p) poss. Pops Foster(b) (I personally mean the presence of Albert Nicholas is very doubtful
/RST-JPCD/
20793-1 2:43 ONE HOUR MAMA (Spivey) Vo 03505/Meritt-13/14/(A) 1506-2/RA-CD-8/
-ens intro-vVS (muted trumpet-brass brks)-
20794-1 2:53 HARLEM SUSIE-Q (Spivey) uniss.Vo/ --- / --- /RA-CD-7/
-ens intro-vVS(trumpet in ens)-trumpet in ens-sax-trumpet in ens-vVS(trumpet in ens)-
20795-1 2:51 GIVE IT TO HIM (Spivey) uniss.Vo/ --- / --- / --- /
-2 2:52 GIVE IT TO HIM Spivey 2001/ --- / --- /RA-CD-8/
-ens intro-vVS(trumpet in ens&brks)-trumpet brk-ens-sax-clarinet-ens-vVS(trumpet in ens)-
20796-1 2:37 GOT THE BLUES SO BAD (Spivey) Vo 03505/ --- / --- / --- /
-clarinet in ens-vVS(different ens-work)-ens coda-
Will Warner 1981 on covernotes Meritt-13/14: Red Allen has now between jobs when
this session took place. He had just left the MBRB(mid.Feb.) and would shortly
rejoin Luis Russell´s Orch.(in late March) to back Louis Armstrong. Charlie Holmes
recently confirmed this session with above the personnel. He remembered that this
was one with difficulty and “A lot of mistakes were made.”(This would account for
20794/20795 not being released). Frank Driggs has listened, feels it is Red, and most
definitely the Luis Russell Band. –
F.H.note: One important relationship was Victoria´s husband, Billy Adams, then the
dancer with the Louis Armstrong-Luis Russell-Band). Lennie Kunstadt from Record
Research & producer of Spivey had given: ?Sidney DeParis, ?Garvin Bushell, ?Porter
Grainger, unknown (b),(d); (which is very doubtful)
3/21/37 Su. NYC., Savoy Ballroom – battle of Jazz – bands of Chick Webb – Teddy Hill
– Fletcher Henderson incl.Red Allen as guest; (perhaps of some interest, the
M.B.R.B. without Red has played at the Savoy 3/14-2o/37)
Stanley Dance, In Jazz Hot May/June 1937p5: "Fletcher Henderson's outfit was at the
Savoy Sunday March 21st, along with those of Messrs. Chick Webb and Teddy Hill. It
turned in a pretty sad performance - the boys seemed to have made up their mind that
Chick was going to "cut" them anyway, so they didn't take undue trouble. In addition, the
arrangements were by no means the best that Fletcher might have chosen. There's no
accounting for why this Henderson Orch. should be so unimpressive. There was never any
real life or enthusiasm about it, and yet it was just fun of such admirable musicians as Chu,
Higgie, Hilton Jefferson, Jerry Blake, Israel Crosby, Horace Henderson, Henry Allen sat
in for a time and played a couple of swell choruses, but their effect on the rest of the
band was nil. Some, by no means all of the trouble, can be traced down to the drummer
Walter Johnson, who just doesn't fit in the band.
FORMER SINGER NOW MANAGER
Victoria Spivey, the former blues
singer, who is now engaged in the
management of her husband, Billy
Adams, a dancer in the cast of
"Helz-A-Poppin," Broadway Revue
… PC-11/26/38p21

- 238a - scans- 30 -
10/12/36 (Deenik) 10/15/36 Enoch / Hohenböken
10/15/36 (Deenik) 11/20/36 ebay
11/21/36 WABC(CBS)-audio disc (P.Borthen) 2/18/37

- 238a - scans- 31 -
2/18/37 Crump 2/18/37 Zwicky
3/4/37 with personell ebay 3/4/37 Kasche ggf b/w
3/4/37 ebay 3/12/37 vocalion test Crump