Thomas Morris
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THE RECORDINGS OF THOMAS MORRIS An Annotated Tentative Name-Discography MORRIS, Thomas, cornet. born: New York City, c. 1898, deceased. Uncle of Marlowe Morris. Led own band in New York during the 1920, also featured on several Clarence Williams recordings. Toured with the Mildred Franklin Show in 1927. During the late 1930s worked as a red cap at Grand Central Station, New York, then as Brother Pierre joined a religious sect headed by Father Devine. (John Chilton, Who´s Who of Jazz) Morris, Thomas (Tom) (b New York, c. 1898; d after 1940). Cornetist. In the 1920s he worked as a leader in New York and his band, the Hot Babies, recorded with Fats Waller (1927). A fine example of his blues style may be heard on ‘P.D.Q. Blues’ (1926, Vic. 20330). He also made recordings with Clarence Williams (1923, 1926) and (often as a member of Williams´ group) with numerous important blues singers, among them Eva Taylor, Sara martin, and Rosa Henderson. Morris ceased playing in the late 1930s. He was the uncle of Marlowe Morris. (R. Cooke: Liner notes, Fats Waller with Morris´s Hot Babies, RCA 741062, 1972). (Barry Kernfeld, The New Grove Dictionary Of Jazz) Morris, Thomas born: 30th August 1897, died: California 1945 STYLISTICS STYLE Although Thomas Morris is a New York born trumpet player, his playing obviously is not or only very little affected by the Johnny Dunn school of jazz trumpet playing. His playing is blues oriented and rather tends to the “Western” style of trumpet playing as performed by the New Orleans and later Chicago musicians. Obviously lacking legitimate training his playing is marred by his technical inabilities, sometimes maybe also by alcohol. TONE His tone is clear but very often disturbed by his lack of lip power and embouchure. He seldom uses mutes, but preferring a cup mute when doing so. VIBRATO He displays a rather slight and medium vibrato with little difference of amplitude. TIME Morris´ time is not urgent, rather tending to be laid-back, but still swinging. PHRASING His phrasing is simple, very often repeating phrases three or even four times. His phrases are always singable and filled with blue-notes. Contributors: Jörg Kuhfuss (JK) John Olivar (JO) Dave Brown (DB) (‘as received’ means: as supposed by KBR in the first draft of this listing) Michael Rader (MR) This personnelo-discography is based on RUST, JAZZ AND RAGTIME RECORDS 1897 - 1942. Personnels are taken from this source, but modified in the light of earlier or subsequent research or on the strength of my own listening, discussed with our listening group or other interested collectors. - Documented, most certain and aurally absolutely obvious identifications are listed thus: Thomas Morris - Probable, generally agreed, but not documented identifications are listed in italics, thus: Thomas Morris - Not attributable identifications – although the musician in question might be an otherwise well-known person – are listed thus: unknown - If a possible identification for an otherwise unknown musician is suggested by the author without the possibility to prove the factual evidence, it is listed thus: (Thomas Morris) When feeling certain without a musician´s documented presence, I have not refrained from altering Rust´s statements without using italics. In any case, my statements are open to discussion and I would appreciate any contribution - pro or contra! As always in my discographies on this website I have written recording sessions with their headings, dates, titles and names of musicians in italics, whenever I am convinced that the eponymous musician of this discography is not part of the accompanying group of this session! Documented names of musicians if known – in recording ledgers or on record labels – are listed in bold letters. 2 This discography still is - and will certainly be - a work in progress for a long time, if not eternally. Yet, on the way to a definite discography of all jazz recordings before 1942 - which certainly will never be possible - it is intended to fill some gaps that have not been treated before. At this point I have to remind everybody interested in this project that certainly Brian Rust, Godrich/Dixon and a lot of other discographers certainly have their unmeasurable merits, but they have also accumulated a lot of wrong and even ridiculous data concerning the personnels in early jazz. This fact has to make us – and all readers and listeners - very careful when taking their personnels for granted and to doubt everything not positively documented! This also means that some audio-memory you might have in your brains may be founded only on Rust or others and not on actuality and might therefore simply be wrong. If so, we ask you to rethink along the lines shown here and maybe come up with a completely new view on a specific matter. Without any doubt this all does also concern myself, which certainly means that I do not pretend to be right in all my identifications. But I hope that in places where I am wrong, this attempt may at last be a hint to a better or final solution. THOMAS MORRIS 001 IRENE GIBBONS AND JAZZ BAND New York, Dec. 05, 1922 Eva Taylor – voc; unknown – tpt; Charlie Irvis – tbn; (Ernest Elliott) – clt; unknown – alt; Clarence Williams – pno; Buddy Christian – bjo; unknown – dms 80723-4 My Pillow And Me Col A-3922, Doc DOCD-5408 80724-3 That Da Da Strain Col unissued not on LP/CD The trumpet player plays straight melody only throughout and might be anyone. He may even be early Miley, not Morris. (JK hears the same trumpet player as on ‘New Moon’ of session 006.) Certainly, Irvis on trombone, and very beautiful. The clarinet player plays quarter and eighths notes only, shown as a characteristic of Elliott´s style. In the middle break of the last chorus we hear the first four notes played in pitch and then the next two (or four) notes played with slight downward slides, typical for Elliott´s playing as well. But his smears and slurs are not there. Instead the clarinet plays well pitched phrases unlike Elliott. So, the playing heard here is only slightly fitting and compatable with Elliott´s documented style and his assumed presence. Alto sax is playing melody behind Eva Taylor. Notes: - Storyville 13: prob Thomas Morris (cnt); Charlie Irvis (tbn); Ernest Elliott (clt); Clarence Williams (pno); Buddy Christian (bjo); unknown (woodblocks) - Rust*3,*6: ? Tom Morris – c; Charlie Irvis – tb; Ernest Elliott - cl, as; Clarence Williams – p; Buddy Christian – bj; unknown - d - T. Lord, Clarence Williams p 27: prob Thomas Morris – cnt; Charlie Irvis – tbn; Ernest Elliott - clt; Clarence Williams – pno; Buddy Christian – bjo; unknown – woodblocks “TKD lists: Elmer Chambers or Charlie Gaines – tpt; Irvis – tbn; Don Redman – clt; Williams, Christian and unknown – dms. Goldman lists Th. Morris, Irvis, and Sidney Bechet – clt.” - BGR*4: prob Tom Morris – c; Charlie Irvis – tb; Ernest Elliott - cl, as; Clarence Williams – p; Buddy Christian – bj; unknown - d . (BGR*4 lists both titles as unissued. The issued ones are dated early January 1924.) KBR: alto playing melody behind ET. ????? Piron musicians ??? JK: I don´t think this is Miley. This man seems to be the same player as on “New Moon”. Others OK. DB: Cornet has sour tone which could indicate Tom but too little exposed for any real identification. Too little clarinet too for certainty but break is better and less novelty than I might expect from Elliott. Trb more exposed and I accept Irvis. I place as doubtful to possible Tom. MR: The players here are almost impossible to identify due to the recording quality and comparative lack of solo playing. 002 IRENE GIBBONS AND JAZZ BAND New York, Jan. 06, 1923 Eva Taylor – voc; unknown - tpt; (Charlie Irvis) – tbn; (Julian Baugh?) – clt; Clarence Williams – pno; Buddy Christian – bjo; unknown – dms 80724-6 That Da Da Strain Col The trumpet player shows J. Dunn influence, but he plays rather insecure and his identity must remain unknown. On trombone Irvis´ characteristics cannot be recognized, and this player plays very restricted, other than Irvis on the session before. He also has to remain unknown. Clarinet is smoother than Elliott here. Elliott tended to play a lead part like a trumpet player, obviously derived from his practice of earlier years (Detroit 1919), where he played lead in Hank Duncan´s Kentucky Serenaders. This clarinet player here plays a clarinet part, in his solo passages going back into second harmony part when joining the ensemble again at the appropriate places. This is not Elliott´s style. Therefore, very probably not Elliott. I do not hear an alto saxophone. Clarence Williams´ presence on piano is doubted because the style heard is not his. The banjo is strong and could well be Christian. Very interesting is the presence of a drummer on woodblocks – just as on the session before – because Clarence only hired a drummer only later in his recording career. Notes: - Storyville 13: prob Thomas Morris (cnt); Charlie Irvis (tbn); Ernest Elliott (clt); Clarence Williams (pno); Buddy Christian (bjo); unknown (woodblocks) - Rust*3,*6: ? Tom Morris – c; Charlie Irvis – tb; Ernest Elliott - cl, as; Clarence Williams – p; Buddy Christian – bj; unknown - d - T. Lord, Clarence Williams p 27: prob Thomas Morris – cnt; Charlie Irvis – tbn; poss Clarence Robinson or Ernest Elliott - clt; Clarence Williams – pno; Buddy Christian – bjo; unknown – woodblocks. “Rust *3 says that Clarence Robinson may replace Elliott on clarinet. Rust´s source for this is Walter C. Allen, who in his definitive ‘Hendersonia’ discusses the clarinet on Ethel Waters´ ‘That Da Da Strain’ (Black Swan 14120-A) and states that the clarinettist plays the same ensemble part as on this record by Irene Gibbons.” 3 - BGR*4: prob Tom Morris – c; Charlie Irvis – tb; poss Clarence Robinson - cl; Clarence Williams – p; Buddy Christian – bj; unknown - d .