Sundays with Duke #11: The Double Check

We’re spending another Sunday with the 1930 film Check and Double Check. Last week, we saw the band backing the Rhythm Boys, but today we’re looking at Double Check Stomp, the not-quite title song where the band gets to cut loose!

The Original: Double Check Stomp (Victor - 1930)

First up is the high-energy Victor recording. This isn’t a ballad for movie stars; this is a floor-filler that shows exactly why Duke was the king of the Cotton Club. It really... stomps!

The "Jungle Band" Variant: Brunswick (1930)

Recorded later that same month, Duke took the song over to the Brunswick label, where the band was credited as The Jungle Band. This version has a fascinating secret weapon: guest Cornell Smelser (appearing as Joe Cornell) on the accordion.

It’s a rare sound for 1930s jazz, but Smelser plays it with a rhythmic bite that fits the "stomp" perfectly. It gives the track a completely different texture from the Victor session.

The Trad Remake: Chris Barber (1955)

While other versions were rare in the early days, the British "Trad Jazz" revivalists eventually caught on. Trombonist Chris Barber cut this remake for Columbia in 1955. 

As I'm fond of saying: It’s trad, Dad!

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Which flavor of the "Stomp" do you prefer—the classic Victor drive or the unique accordion swing of the Jungle Band?