The record changer (Jan-Dec 1949)

COMMODORE RECORDS ALL 10" RECORDS NOW $ .75 List. ALL 12" RECORDS NOW $1.25 List. (FEDERAL & LOCAL TAXES NOT INCLUDED) NEW RELEASE EDDIE EDWARDS AND HIS ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND WITH TONY SPARBARO IN RECORDINGS OF TUNES COMPOSED AND PLAYED BY THE ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND featuring . . . EDDIE EDWARDS, Trombone; TONY SPARBARO, Drums; BRAD GOWANS, Clarinet; WILD BILL DAVISON, Trumpet; MAX KAMINSKY, Trumpet; EDDIE CONDON, Guitar; TEDDY ROY, Piano; Jack Lesberg, Bass. playing . . . C-610 Tiger Rag Barnyard Blues C-611 Skeleton Jangle Mournin' Blues C-612 Ostrich Walk Lazy Daddy C-613 Shake It and Break It When You and I Were Young Maggie SEND FOR NEW COMPLETE CATALOGUE COMMODORE MUSIC SHOP, Inc. 136 E. 42 Street . New York, N. Y. 17 windy city reunion (Continued from Page 6) got a much-needed shot in the arm from the new competition. I wanted Muggsy very much for that last date, but now it turned out that Victor was offering Muggsy a regular contract on the basis of the first session's sales. It was something for Muggsy to consider, since the chances were that a Decca date would kill Victor's interest in him. Muggsy dickered with Victor and I twiddled thumbs for a week or so, and then one night decided to get up early "the next morning and drive down to Camden to see if I could get Steve Sholes to okay a two-way stretch on Muggsy. My roommate, Kay Fuller, and I got up at 3 a. m. to make the trip, and the most I got out of it was my first experience with chicken and waffles for breakfast, at a highly inferior diner in western New Jersey. Steve couldn't do anything, but he referred me to Leonard Joy, head of the pop department, in New York. We drove back to New York as I mulled over the situation that I had partly created with my own eager little hands by bringing Victor and Muggsy together in the first place. The discussion with Joy was really enjoyable for me. 1 put up the most convincing and irresistible pleas of my life. Joy, on the ropes, said he'd let me know in a day or two. The magic touch wore off by then, though. Muggsy was grabbed quick by Victor. It had its good side, of course, for Victor seemed sufficiently impressed by the interest in Muggsy to run off some quick dates, and good ones, too. Muggsy even cut one of the sides he was to have made for the Decca album — Sister' Kate, except that he speeded it up in order to get in a Brunies vocal without cutting any of the arrangement. As for the album itself, I was about ready to give up and have it come out with four records, although Decca's standard number was six, when along came Christmas and Floyd O'Brien. Stephens and I decided that with O'Brien available again we should build a last date, so with George Wettling as leader we were off again. The rhythm section fell into place easily — Tess Stacy and Jack Bland were obvious choices, and Artie Shapiro was a reasonable addition in view ,of his jobbing of the last few years. The horns were not so easy. For trumpet I thought of Johnny Mendel (then with Jimmy Dorsey's band), Sterling Bose, Wingy Mannone, or Marty Marsala, but none of them were sure to be around. At one point we were going to use Henry Allen, on the strength of his Rhythmakers records, though that in itself was no great recommendation. George came up with the best solution when he got Charlie .Teagarden, even though the historical justification was none too solid. Joe Marsala was doubtful because of uncertain bookings, and I thought Rod Cless might be the man to play clarinet and double on tenor. On the day of the date, I was surprised to walk in and find Joe there, holding a tenor sax, and Danny Polo playing clarinet. It's interesting to note that Joe wasn't featuring tenor at all those days, and Danny had been playing tenor exclusively in Joe Sullivan's Caff Society band, which had a fairly good man doing all the clarinet work — name of Edmond Hall. The reed men did a fine job; especially, I think, Joe on tenor,, and the date went off easily. The album was in the works then, and all that remained was to write the notes