1943 - May 15/16

 George Lewis and His New Orleans Stompers – May 15 – 16 1943 

 

Paige Van Vorst – The Complete Blue Note Recordings of George Lewis - Mosaic MR5-132

While jazz was America's popular music during the 1930s and the big band leaders occupied spaces in the popular mind, there existed an underground coterie of record collectors who felt that there was a need to listen to earlier forms of jazz. The 1939 publication of Jazzmen, edited by Frederick Ramsey, the first serious Amercian book about jazz, created a ripple that spread throughout the record-collecting community. 

Jazz writers converged on New Orleans from both coasts in June 1942, led by Bill Russell, Gene Williams and Dave Stuart. They assembled a pickup band for Bunk [Johnson, an early New Orleans trumpet star then eking out a non-musical living in New Iberia, Louisiana] and, despite great difficulty with wartime shortages and New Orleans’ peculiar laws, cut nine sides in a piano warehouse. The clarinetist picked for this session was George Lewis, a player hitherto unknown to any of the session’s producers. 

Russell was foiled in his original plans by Bunk, who accepted an invitation from Rudi Blesh to appear in a jazz lecture in San Francisco. Russell had already purchased portable recording equipment and scheduled some time off work so he wrote Lewis to see if the session could be salvaged by finding another trumpeter. 

Lewis was working with a trio that really impressed Russell. He had lined up some of his friends for the session including banjoist Larence Marrero, trombonist Jim Robinson, pianist Walter Decou and drummer Edgar Mosley. 

The trumpet spot was the problem. Lewis wanted to use Kid Howard, but Bunk had told Russell that Howard was nothing but a Louis Armstrong imitator. The session was a non-union one, leaving the session in the hands of a man who was a big question mark to Russell. 

Russell scheduled a rehearsal at Edgar Mosley’s house the night before the session. Howard couldn’t make it, and Sidney “Jim Little” Brown sat in on tuba. 

The session was scheduled for Noon, May 16, 1943, and Russell had secured the Gypsy Tea Rooms, St. Ann and Villere, for the session after failing his attempts to rent a larger hall. He was still worried about using Howard and made one last attempt to bypass him by calling on Kid Shots Madison, but he was already booked to play a funeral that day. 

Some of the men were waiting outside the club when Russell got there at 1 PM and all except Decou, the pianist, arrived shortly thereafter. Decou was a member of the Musicians’ Union and was apparently leery about making a non-union recording. 

Samuel B. Charters - Jazz: New Orleans 1885-1957 

The band was having intonation troubles, but Howard’s playing was brilliant. His melodic ideas were developed in terms of a whole rhythmic phrase, and his tonal range, from a harsh growl to clear legato, was stunning. He led the band through CLIMAX RAG, MILNEBURG JOYS, and FIDGETY FEET, with fierce. Joyous strength. The pianist who had been hired for the date, Walter Decou, was afraid of the union and failed to show up at the last moment, but the rhythm section, despite a tendency to rush, stayed with Howard most of the time. A tuba player, Jim Little, was added for TWO JIM BLUES and the band rocks with a fine, concerted beat. The drummer, Mosely, was particularly effective on DON’T GO ‘WAY, and Jim Robinson’s playing on MILNEBURG JOYS was as good as he ever played. 

Michael Cuscuna Blue Note Photos – Francis Wolff   

In the spring of 1943, Francis [Wolff]] negotiated with the composer and historian Bill Russell to purchase a session of pure New Orleans music by clarinetist George Lewis’s band to issue on Blue Note. The material proved to be inferior in sound quality but it was musically wonderful. So he issued five 78s on a subsidiary that he called Climax. Meanwhile, Alfred [Lion] was serving as a clerk in a hospital in El Paso, Texas. Francis remained at Commodore [Music Shop] until Alfred’s discharge in 1943.  

Alfred Lion, 1942

William Russell – BLP 1206 Liner Notes 

This remarkable set of records testifies anew to the eternal vitality of New Orleans music. A living and dynamic art, ifs secret never reduced to a formula, Now Orleans style has eluded definition. The style of GEORGE LEWIS STOMPERS differs from that of any other band, yet in many respects this music is most typical of New Orleans style, and already has been hailed as the very incarnation of the spirit of the "Crescent City." Those records possess in unusual degree the energetic rhythmic drive, the vibrant expressiveness and warmth of tone, the ruggedness of ensemble, and the exuberant, unaffected grandeur so characteristic of New Orleans jazz. Prominent also are "off-the-beat" swing. lack of mechanical precision in attack and phrasing, and the ability to throw caution to the winds — musical qualities of men conditioned by years of nothing-to-lose living. 

William Russell – Climax Records marketing 

This remarkable set of records testifies anew to the eternal vitality of New Orleans music. A living and dynamic art, its secret never reduced to a formula, New Orleans style has eluded definition. The style of GEORGE LEWIS’ STOMPERS differs from that of any other band, yet in many respects this music is most typical of New Orleans style, and already has been hailed as the very incarnation of the spirit of the “Cresent City." These records possess in unusual degree the energetic rhythmic drive, the vibrant expressiveness and warmth of tone, the ruggedness of ensemble, and the exuberant, unaffected grandeur so characteristic of New Orleans jazz. Prominent also are "off-the-beat" swing. lack of mechanical precision in attack and phrasing, and the ability to throw caution to winds—musical qualities of men conditioned by years of nothing-to-lose living. 
 
Although the phenomenon of New Orleans style depends more upon the treatment accorded a composition than the tune itself, there exists a distinctive New Orleans repertoire conducive to this unique improvisatory jazz style. The music of these records, consisting of blues, rags, spirituals and stomps, is representative of that time--proven repertoire and indicative of the broad range of musical interests and the vital role played by music in New Orleans life. 

Paige Van Vorst – The Complete Blue Note Recordings of George Lewis - Mosaic MR5-132 

Once the records were cut, Russell contacted Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff of Blue Note, who had done several outstanding sessions since establishing their label in late 1939. Since they were struggling through the recording band, they were anxious for material and bought the session outright from Russell for $300. Since it was a non-union session, they opted not to issue it on Blue Note but dreamed up the Climax label, which looked just like the Blue Note label except for the name, for five records only. 

The records were an immediate hit, received critical praise in the small jazz magazines of the day, and sold 9,000 copies in the first three months. George Lewis had taken the first step toward becoming a household word. 

Down Beat 1 December 1943 – Volume 1 Issue 23 

Climax 101-105 

Here are five super biscuits, all twelve-inch waxings that go at a buck and a half a throw. They appear on the Climax label, are sponsored by Blue Note, may be obtained from Commodore. Under the leadership of George Lewis, these oldtimers from Crescent City rip apart everything they tackle. standard and original and traditional alike.  

There is a is vigour here and power. What the platters lack In polish they more than make up in energy and virility. This is the old jazz, ancient and honorable. Mr. Panassie would call it the real jazz. He would be right! These New Orleans Stompers are veterans in experience always and usually in age as well. They know their jazz and play it with telling effect.  

Trumpeter Avery "Kid" Howard generates a tremendous amount of drive and, although he adheres to the general contours of the various themes for the most part, occasionally he cuts loose with astonishing force and amazing invention. Strictly in keeping with the New Orleans conception of a trumpet's function, Howard sticks to the beat and keeps the rhythm steady and solid. 

Trombonist Jim Robinson has succeeded in finding himself a spot on every cutting to come out of his home town in the forties. This is only fitting, since he is without doubt the best of all the colored tailgate exponents still active in the city. His style is rough and often crude, but never does he intrude obnoxiously or contribute a phrase that is out or keeping. 

The rhythm section, strange enough in this age of incomparable strength in this age of Basie, possesses incomparable strength in its combination of banjo, drums, bass and tubs, represented by Lawrence Marrero, Edgar Mosley, Chester Zardis and Jim Little' respectively. This foursome furnishes little variety or subtlety but pounds out an undeniable rock that builds up with intensifying and startling increase of tension. The absence of a piano is typical of such Crescent City sections, and here a piano would really be extraneous and out of place. 

The star of the session, of course, is clarinetist George Lewis. He is the closest thing to Dodds we have today. Need I say more? In case you may be interested, the titles include: 101, CIimax Rag and Deep Bayou Blues; 102, Milenberg Joys and Two Jim Blues; 103, Just A Closer Walk With Thee and Just A Littie While To stav Here; 104, Fidgety Feet and Dauphine St. Blues; 105, Don't Go 'Way Nobody and Careless Love Blues. 

 

Session Information 

Jim Robinson, trombone; George Lewis, clarinet; Lawrence Marrero, banjo; Sidney “Little Jim” Brown, tuba; Edgar Mosley, drums 

Edgar Mosley's Home, New Orleans, LA, May 15, 1943 

96      Just a closer walk with thee 

CD101   Climax rag 

CD102, New Orleans hula 

CD103(alt) Don't go 'way nobody (alt) 

CD103 Don't go 'way nobody Climax 102, BLP1206 

CD104 Two Jim blues 

 

Kid Howard , trumpet; Jim Robinson, trombone; George Lewis, clarinet; Lawrence Marrero, banjo; Chester Zardis, bass; Edgar Mosley, drums 

Live "Gypsy Tea Room", New Orleans, LA, May 16, 1943 

CD105 Climax rag Climax 101 

CD106 Climax rag 

CD107 Just a closer walk with Thee Climax 103, BLP7010, BLP1206,  

CD108 Just a closer walk with Thee 

CD109 I ain't gonna give nobody none of my jelly-roll 

CD110 I ain't gonna give nobody none of my jelly-roll 

CD111 Careless love, Climax 105, BLP7013,  

CD112 Careless love 

CD113 Dauphine Street blues, Climax 104, BLP7010, BLP1206 

CD114 Just a little while to stay here, Climax 103,  BLP7013, BLP1206 

CD115 Just a little while to stay here 

CD116 Just a closer walk with thee 

CD117 Milenberg joys 

CD118 Milenberg joys, Climax 102, BLP7010, BLP1206 

CD119 Fidgety feet, Climax 104, BLP7010, BLP1206 

CD120 Fidgety feet, BLP1206,  

CD121 Don't go 'way nobody 

CD122 Don't go 'way nobody, Climax 105, BLP7013 

CD123 Deep bayou blues, Climax 101, BLP7010, BLP1206 

CD124 Whenever you're lonesome, telephone me 

CD125 Old man Mose (kh), (unissued) 

CD126 You rascal you (kh),      -