Friday Fun: Laughing All the Way

After enjoying The Flight of the Bumblebee on Wednesday, I realized we can’t let the week go by without one more take on the tune - this time courtesy of Spike Jones!

The Chaos: The Jones Laughing Record (1946)

Spike used it as the basis for The Jones Laughing Record, recorded for RCA Victor in 1946, and things get wacky fast.

Let’s give it a spin:

The laughter is absolutely contagious. And I love that the label credits the side to Spike Jones and his City Snickers - one of his best pun‑based band names.

The Technique: The Sneezin’ Bee (1957)

The yeoman work of ace studio trombonist Tommy Pederson (brought in as a ringer) can get lost amid the chaos. Fortunately, Spike revisited the concept in 1957 with “The Sneezin’ Bee,” included on his Verve album Dinner Music for People Who Aren’t Really Hungry.

Let’s hear that one:

That’s essentially “The Jones Laughing Record” without the laughing, giving us a chance to really appreciate Pederson’s dazzling technique.

Here’s a fun clip from Spike’s TV show showing Tommy in action — though this time pianist Frank Leightner is the designated sneezer.

We can trace the whole “laughing record” concept back to 1922, when Okeh released a German recording in the U.S. as The Okeh Laughing Record. It became a sensation and spawned countless imitators.

Let’s hear it:

More than 100 years later, it still gets you laughing along.

That record later inspired (and was included on the soundtrack of) the 1955 Walter Lantz cartoon “Sh‑h‑h‑h‑h,” directed by the legendary Tex Avery.

Let’s watch:

That was the final theatrical cartoon of Tex - my favorite cartoon director.

So tell me: how do you like your Bumblebee - with laughing or just the sneezing? Are you team giggles or team hay fever?

Threaded Thursday: A Tip of the Mask

Yesterday, we rode along with the Green Hornet and Harry James. But as any fan of the "Detroit Connection" knows, the Hornet had a very famous uncle over at WXYZ: The Lone Ranger!

The Trendle Connection

For those keeping score at home, both The Green Hornet and The Lone Ranger were brainchildren of the same production team of George W. Trendle and Fran Striker. According to WXYZ lore, Britt Reid (The Green Hornet) was the son of Dan Reid, who was the nephew of John Reid (The Lone Ranger). It’s an early example of a “shared universe,” which is beyond awesome!

The Silver Screen Cowboy

Being an aficionado of both OTR and the great Western "B" movies, I couldn't let this week go by without a nod to the "King of the Cowboys" himself. In 1938, a young Roy Rogers recorded a tribute to the masked man’s legendary stallion – Hi Yo, Silver! Let’s spin that Vocalion record:

1938 was a big year for The Lone Ranger. In addition to this song and the continuing popularity of the radio show, he was also the subject of a 15-chapter serial from Republic Pictures! It’s a cool serial, but it’s more Republic than WXYZ; apparently, Mr. Trendle was not happy with the changes made in that serial and its 1939 sequel. The Green Hornet’s serials over at Universal in 1940 are way more faithful to the radio source.

In any event, Roy Rogers was also beginning his career at Republic at the time, having transitioned from Leonard Slye (with the Sons of the Pioneers) to Dick Weston (briefly) and finally to Roy Rogers. You can read more about Roy's early career here

The Palomino Pal

It might seem funny to hear Roy Rogers singing the praises of a horse other than his famous Trigger, but I look at it as Roy "portraying" the Lone Ranger for the record.

As for the timeline, Trigger actually appeared as Maid Marian’s horse under his original name, Golden Cloud, in the 1938 Warner Bros. masterpiece The Adventures of Robin Hood! Roy did eventually record a beautiful tribute to his own horse in 1948. Let’s listen to Roy and The Sons of the Pioneers with That Palomino Pal o’ Mine on RCA Victor:

I can never get enough singing cowboy music!

Singing vs. Swinging

These records represent a vital side of the 1930s and 40s musical landscape. While the big bands were "swinging the classics," Roy was perfecting the "Singing Cowboy" style that would dominate the Saturday matinees.

Which radio-inspired "ride" do you prefer: the high-speed chase of Harry James’s "Bumblebee" or the steady gallop of Roy Rogers’s "Hi Yo, Silver"?

Word Association Wednesday: The Black Beauty Rides

Last Sunday, we were admiring Duke’s Black Beauty. Now, as far as word associations go, as a lifelong buff of Old-Time Radio (OTR), that name leads my brain straight to the sleek, supercharged, and heavily armed "Black Beauty" limousine belonging to The Green Hornet!

The OTR Connection

If you were huddled around the Philco in the late 30s or 40s, you knew that the Green Hornet’s arrival was always signaled by the frantic, buzzing strings of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Flight of the Bumblebee. For us OTR fans, hearing those opening notes meant Britt Reid (portrayed by Al Hodge) was about to go hunting for criminals with his faithful valet, Kato, in the Black Beauty. It’s fascinating how a piece of 19th-century Russian classical music became the definitive sound of American urban vigilantism, thanks to the power of the airwaves.

The Sting of the Bee

While the classical world claims it, I always think of The Flight of the Bumblebee in the Big Band field due to the stellar adaptation of the piece by trumpet star Harry James! Harry first recorded his take on the piece for the small Varsity label in 1940:

By 1941, Harry was recording for Columbia, for which he waxed a ton of big hits. He recorded a somewhat streamlined version for them, and this is the more familiar version most people would know today:

It’s fascinating to compare the two records. The Varsity side has a sort of swingy section in the middle which doesn't appear on the Columbia version. I personally love catching those little evolutionary steps in a band's arrangement!

The Trumpet Battle

I find it interesting to compare this to Sonny Dunham’s treatment of Memories of You from earlier this week. While Sonny was reaching for the stratosphere with his high notes, Harry was showing off his incredible finger dexterity and speed.

Both are masterclasses in what a trumpet can do when pushed to the absolute limit. I had mentioned that I always liked trumpet stars with idiosyncratic styles, and I’d definitely throw Harry in there. He was extremely versatile and played great jazz, but he could also lean into his circus roots when needed!

Which display of brass brilliance impresses you more: Sonny Dunham’s soaring high notes or Harry James’s lightning-fast "Bumblebee"?

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One More for the Road...

Also keeping “The Bumblebee” in the big band field was Jack Fina, the star pianist with Freddy Martin’s band, who adapted the piece into the snappy Bumble Boogie in 1946! Here are Jack and Freddy with their recording on RCA Victor:

It’s not known if Britt Reid had an opinion on that record!

Monday Side-Session: Memories of the Blackbird

Yesterday we listened to Duke’s elegant Black Beauty, his tribute to the legendary Florence Mills. But the "Queen of Happiness" inspired more than just one masterpiece. One of the most enduring standards in the American Songbook, Memories of You, was written by Eubie Blake and Andy Razaf for the 1930 Blackbirds revue as a direct nod to the vacancy Florence left behind.

Satchmo Gets the Vibe

Let’s start with Louis Armstrong’s definitive 1930 recording. Not only is Louis in top form here, but this track is historically significant for featuring a young Lionel Hampton. It is widely considered the very first time the vibraphone was recorded in a jazz setting!

I love how the shimmering sound of the vibes adds such a dreamy, nostalgic layer to Louis’s vocal.

The Ellingtonian Side-Trip

Lionel Hampton returned to the song in 1939 with a studio pick-up group on Victor:

It sounds great, and a glance at the label explains why: it’s basically a Duke Ellington small unit! We have Harry Carney on sax, Rex Stewart on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Billy Taylor on bass, and Sonny Greer on drums. The only "outsider" is Clyde Hart on piano (filling in for Duke), plus Hamp on vibes. 

Hamp headed a number of these sessions with top-tier musicians for Victor while working with Benny Goodman, right before forming his own powerhouse band.

Trumpet Pyrotechnics

For a completely different vibe, we sneak back to 1938 to listen to trumpet star Sonny Dunham with Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra on Decca:

If Louis gave us the soul of the song, Sonny gives us the fireworks. His high-note trumpet work on this arrangement is legendary - a masterclass in brass virtuosity that had other trumpet players of the era shaking their heads in disbelief!

Back in the day when I was beginning my Big Band journey, this was the type of record that really caught my ear. I’ve always been drawn to trumpet stars with somewhat idiosyncratic techniques pushed to the limit!

Which do you prefer: the groundbreaking "vibes" and soul of Louis, the Ellingtonian feel of Hamp, or the high-flying pyrotechnics of Sonny?

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Note: Since it’s Black History Month, let us remember the groundbreaking Florence Mills, the Original Blackbird and the true Black Beauty!

 

Sundays with Duke #6: Portrait of a “Black Beauty”

As we continue our journey with Duke Ellington, we come across a true Ellington masterpiece: Black Beauty. 

Written as a tribute to the legendary musical theater star Florence Mills (shown above) after her tragic passing in 1927, this tune is one of Duke’s most elegant early compositions.

The Washingtonians on Brunswick

Let’s start with this version from 1928 with the band billed as The Washingtonians on Brunswick Records:

You can hear that "Jungle" growl beginning to soften into something more melodic and stately.

The Solo Spotlight

In addition to that recording with the full band, Duke also cut a solo piano version for Okeh:

This is a real treat for us because Duke was so famous as a composer/arranger/bandleader that it can be easy to forget he was also a world-class pianist!

The Sidemen Step Out

Duke recorded prolifically with his orchestra, but he also participated in sessions with smaller "units" from within the band, often issued under the names of his star sidemen.

As an example, here is a later, swing-era version of “Black Beauty” recorded in 1939 by Cootie Williams and his Rug Cutters on Vocalion Records:

What a great feature for trumpet king Cootie Williams, who had established himself as not only a worthy successor to Bubber Miley in the growl department, but also as a brilliant all-around player.

Backing Cootie is an awesome mini-reed section of Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard and Harry Carney, plus Billy Taylor on bass, Sonny Greer on drums and Duke himself on piano!

The Legacy: Ahmad Jamal

For a non-Ellington-involved recording, we jump ahead to 1956 to hear the great Ahmad Jamal with his trio on the Epic label. Jamal’s use of space and his light touch bring a whole new dimension to Duke’s melody.

Here's his take on Black Beauty:

Cool version! Gotta love those deep cuts!

Does Duke’s solo piano version hit you harder than the full band arrangement, or do you prefer the 1939 swing update?

Threaded Thursday: A Different Kind of Minnie

We spent yesterday with Minnie the Moocher, following her from the Cotton Club to the cartoon world and finally to her big wedding day. 

That got me thinking: Minnie… cartoon… wedding… 1930s… Wasn’t there a song from the early 1930s about a certain other cartoon star marrying a different Minnie? Indeed there was! 

Let’s talk about the 1933 British hit, The Wedding of Mr. Mickey Mouse.

The British Connection

Despite Mickey and Minnie’s massive popularity in the States, this tune was strictly a British affair. It was recorded by quite a few artists in England, but I don’t think there was ever a proper American version.

Let’s listen to this representative version by Henry Hall and the BBC Orchestra on the British Columbia label:

Pretty fun, right? A couple of things of interest here: The song mentions the BBC, which certainly marks its territory, so it’s only fitting that the BBC Orchestra recorded it!

The Horace Horsecollar Snub

The lyrics name-drop Pegleg Pete, Pluto, and Clarabelle Cow, but they curiously omit Horace Horsecollar—even though he’s right there on the cover of the sheet music! (See the image at the top of the page). Personally, Horace gets my vote for the most underrated Disney character of all time.

The Mystery Instrumental

On just about every British record, the song is presented as a comedic skit rather than a straight musical number. However, I found this fascinating version on the French Pathé label:

It’s entirely instrumental! I don’t know exactly who the Novelty Dance Orchestra was or where they were based, but it’s a high-energy take that lets the melody shine without the slapstick.

So there you have it: Two Minnies and two weddings!

Word Association Wednesday: From the "Mooche" to the "Moocher"

Last Sunday, we were doing the "lazy gait" to Duke’s The Mooche. Naturally, that word leads me to only one place: the "low-down hoochy-coocher" herself, Minnie the Moocher!

The 1931 Kickoff

If Duke was the sophisticated soul of the Cotton Club, Cab Calloway was its high-voltage engine. In 1931, he and his great orchestra recorded this for Brunswick, and the "Hi-De-Ho" call-and-response became an instant cultural phenomenon.

You can still feel the heat of this track 95 years later!

Minnie Goes to Hollywood (via Animation)

As a connoisseur of vintage animation, I have to highlight the 1932 Fleischer Studios masterpiece. This cartoon is legendary because the animators used rotoscoping to trace Cab’s actual dance moves, turning him into a ghostly, swaying walrus. It is surreal, slightly spooky, and brilliant.

Here’s a link:

That's just wild! I appreciate the live-action footage at the beginning of these cartoons, as it's a rare chance to see the performers in action!

The Wedding of the Century

Minnie’s story didn't end with her "kickin' the gong around." Cab gave her a proper sequel in 1932 with Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day. It’s a high-energy celebration that proves even a "moocher" can have her day in the sun—and the band is absolutely smoking on this track!

That was easily the event of the 1932 social season!

 

But Cab wasn't the only one celebrating; his Brunswick label-mates The Boswell Sisters cut their own incredible version of the tune.

The Boswell Sisters and the Dorsey Brothers—how can you beat that combo? I love how their tight harmonies give the song a completely different kind of swing.

Between the "Mooche" (the gait) and the "Moocher" (the girl), which one makes you want to get up and move more?