1945 - January 23

Jimmy Shirley – January 23 1945

 

The Record Changer April 1947 

Of the half-dozen current blues records only one is really outstanding, T-Bone Blues by T-Bone Walker paired with Jimmy's Blues by Jimmy Shirley (Blue Note 530). Both are good guitarists, and T-Bone is also a fine vocalist. Jimmy's side has no singing. Walker is backed by Les Hite's band, whereas only Oscar Smith's bass supports Shirley. You may have heard T-Bone before. It's by no means a new record, but it's well worth hearing again. 

World Week May 5 1947 Volume 10 Issue 14 

#Jimmy’s Blues (Blue Note). Jimmy Shirley on guitar and Oscar Smith on bass. Run-of-the-mill playing. The backing, T-Bone Blues, with T-Bone Walker and Les Hite’s orch is a decided improvement, but if you already have a T-Bone platter, don’t bother. 

Downbeat March 12 1947 Volume 14 Issue 6 

First side is a guitar solo by a young man who plays in the older blues tradition, supported by Oscar Smith’s bass. His harmonic structure is exceedingly bare, and occasionally do his ideas justify the amount of wax spent. (Blue Note 530) 

 

Session Information 

Jimmy Shirley, guitar; Oscar Smith, bass. 

WOR Studios, NYC, January 23, 1945 

BN210-0, These Foolish Things, unissued 

BN211-2, Stardust, - 

BN212-1, Blues On The Loose, - 

BN213-0, I May Be Wrong, - 

BN214-0, Jimmy's Blues, Blue Note 530 

1944 - November 28

Jimmy Shirley – November 28 1944

Dan Morgenstern – Hot Jazz at Blue Note CD Liner Notes 

Born in Union, South Carolina, and reared in Cleveland, Ohio, Jimmy Shirley worked with local bands and led his own of three guitars and one bass (a la the Quintet of the Hot Club Of France) before going in 1937 to New York, where he joined pianist Clarence Profit's trio for several years. In 1942 he became an accompanist for Ella Fitzgerald, briefly rejoined Profit, and then in 1944 began a 10-year association pianist Herman Chittison.  

Intermittently, Shirley also had his own small groups at various 52nd Street clubs. Later he worked with Ram Ramirez, the Phil Moore Four, Bill Williams, and the organist Vin Strong. From the early 60s on, he doubled on Fender bass. Shirley was with altoist George James in 1963 and Buddy Tate's band in 1967,  and in the mid-70s he appeared and recorded in France, under his own name and with Slam Stewart and Stephane Grappelli. In the 1940s, at the time of his recordings Blue Note, Shirley used a tremolo arm (marketed as the "'vibrola") on his guitar, which gave it a Hawaiian twang. In his hands, this was much less off-putting than might be expected. 

The Record Changer January 1945 

Jimmy Shirley made quite a few solo sides for the Blue Note Waxery. Early this month, Alfred Lion of Blue Note recorded James P. Johnson with a pick-up band : Sidney DeParis, Vic Dickenson, Arthur Shirly, Arthur Trapier, drums, and Al Lucas, bass. The tunes : At the Ball, Tishomingo Blues, Dicey ' Rider and Walking the Dog. 

EBAY Sale:

These discs contain four tunes from guitarist Jimmy Shirley’s solo session of November 28, 1944 and duo session of January 23, 1945 with bassist Oscar Smith. None of these performances has ever been released. 
 
The discs look in mint condition. They are most likely 78 dubs taken from the 16” session lacquers for Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff to listen to in their office. 

 
On each of the four one-sided 11” shellac discs, the following is written in Alfred Lion’s handwriting on the label: 
 
I Ain’t Got Nobody – Jimmy Shirley – OK – BN1005 
These Foolish Things – J. Shirley, O. Smith - OK - BN210 
I May Be Wrong – J. Shirley, O. Smith - OK - BN213 
Blues On The Loose – J. Shirley, O. Smith - OK - BN212-1 

Session Information 

Jimmy Shirley, guitar, scat vocal. 

WOR Studios, NYC, November 28, 1944 

BN997, Stardust, Blue Note rejected 

BN998, Git Wittit, Blue Note rejected 

BN999-1, Blues On The Loose, Blue Note unissued 

BN999-2, Blues On The Loose, Blue Note unissued 

BN1000, Git Wittit, Blue Note unissued 

BN1001, These Foolish Things, Blue Note unissued 

BN1002, These Foolish Things, Blue Note unissued 

BN1003-1, Stardust, Blue Note unissued 

BN1003-2, Stardust, Blue Note unissued 

BN1004, I Ain't Got Nobody, Blue Note rejected 

BN1005, I Ain't Got Nobody, Blue Note unissued