High Society Jazz Band

Off The Record: The Entire 1923 Jazz Band Recordings (Archeophone 6)

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Recorded: Chicago, June 22, 1923

Rating: 90/100

"high-society" is one of numerous old-fashioned jazz standards with confusing parentage. It absolutely was initially a march, printed in 1901 by Porter Steele. The piccolo obbligato very first turns up in a Robert Recker score later in 1901, and at some point after that, A.J. Piron transposed it for clarinet. Clarence Williams got involved someplace across the line, perhaps composing words the tune. Evidently, there clearly was another group of lyrics by Walter Melrose (and merely just who sings these lyrics anyway?) And in case things weren't confused enough, whenever King Oliver recorded it, he stated it had been composed by his current band! Therefore, the Oliver variation always holds "King Oliver's Jazz Band" because the credit, although same piece as taped by other players have any combination of the above composers listed. It's a good thing your track is within public domain!

Oliver's acoustic recording features the full ensemble in the orifice and closing choruses. Johnny Dodds is quite prominent, using the clueless and out-of-tune trombonist Honore Dutrey standing some legs right back through the recording horn.Oliver's in the back of the room with Louis (so when Louis stated years later on, the problem with all the Oliver tracks is the fact that lead didn't predominate). Lil Hardin's piano and Bud Scott's banjo tend to be lost within the blend and Baby Dodds is only able to be heard sporadically with the periodic cymbal crash. When the trio arrives, Armstrong and Johnny Dodds dominate while the other horns lay-out, supplying a superb respite from the dense musical organization sound. Armstrong gets in a little improvisation on the trio theme plus in the ultimate chorus, Dodds plays a creditable rendition of Picou obbligato.

While these old tracks may be challenging hear, the Archeophone double-CD overhead supplies the best transfers to date. By necessity, the MP3 connected above is certainly not from the Archeophone, although French Classics reissue. Check-out to know types of these exceptional transfers.