120712bk Bix 2 16/4/03 3:20 pm Page 8 Also available in the Naxos Jazz Legends series 8.120584 8.120585 8.120614* 8.120625* 8.120632* 8.120657* * Not available in the USA 120712bk Bix 2 16/4/03 3:20 pm Page 2 12. I’m Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now 2:52 17. Take Your Tomorrow (And Give Me BIX BEIDERBECKE Vol.2 (Benny Davis–Jesse Greer) Today) 3:01 Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra (Andy Razaf–J. C. Johnson) ‘Bix Lives!’ Original Recordings 1926-1930 Victor 20675, mx BVE 37583-2 Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra; Recorded 31 January 1927, New York Frankie Trumbauer & Marlin Hurt, vocal One of the great jazz musicians of all time and Bix was the star cornetist of the Wolverines 13. Blue River 3:18 OKeh 41145, mx W 401133-B one of jazz’s first martyrs, cornetist Bix during 1923-24, making his début recordings. (Alfred Bryan–Joseph Meyer) Recorded 20 September 1928, New York Beiderbecke perfectly symbolized the 1920s. He His beautiful tone and lyrical style were different Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra; 18. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home was initially attracted to the spontaneity and than any heard previously and he soon had a Seger Ellis, vocal 2:57 carefree attitude of jazz, thrived during the peak strong underground reputation among fellow OKeh 40879, mx W 81274-B (Charles Warfield–Clarence Williams) years of the so-called Jazz Age and declined musicians and the most devoted jazz fans. Recorded 25 August 1927, New York Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra; quickly in 1929 and after the Depression hit, a Frankie Trumbauer, vocal After the Wolverines made a strong impression in 14. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans victim of inferior bootleg liquor and his lack of OKeh 41286, mx W 401811-C New York, Beiderbecke was offered a job with 2:51 self-discipline. But it was a fun ride while it (Henry Creamer–J. Turner Layton) Recorded 17 April 1929, New York Jean Goldkette’s orchestra. He accepted but his lasted and the result was a series of classic Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra 19. Bessie Couldn’t Help It 2:54 recordings. inability to read music soon resulted in him being OKeh 40843, mx W 81084-B (Byron H. Warner–J. L. Richmond–Charles fired, although he was told that once he learned Recorded 13 May 1927, New York Bayha) Born 10 March 1903 in Davenport, Iowa, how to sight read he would be rehired. There are 15. Borneo 3:07 Hoagy Carmichael & His Orchestra; Beiderbecke was a child prodigy who picked out no recordings of Bix from the spring of 1925 Hoagy Carmichael, vocal tunes on the piano by the time he was three. (Walter Donaldson) until Oct. 1926 but he was active during the Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra; Victor 25371, mx BVE 63655-2 Unfortunately his ability to play by ear resulted in period, playing in Chicago, working in St Louis Scrappy Lambert, vocal Recorded 15 September 1930, New York him not learning to read music for many years. with C-melody saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer’s OKeh 41039, mx W 400603-B 20. Barnacle Bill The Sailor 2:48 After his older brother brought home records of orchestra, learning how to read music and Recorded 10 April 1928, New York (Frank Luther–Carson Robison) the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Bix taught rejoining Goldkette. Unfortunately he also 16. My Pet 3:03 Hoagy Carmichael & His Orchestra; himself the cornet. His parents soon became so became an alcoholic during this time although it (Jack Yellen–Milton Ager) Hoagy Carmichael, Carson Robison and concerned about his lackadaisical attitude did not affect his playing, at first. Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra; Joe Venuti, vocal towards school that Beiderbecke was sent to Scrappy Lambert, vocal Victor V 38139, mx BVE 63201-1 Lake Forest Military Academy in 1921. However 1927 was Bix’s prime year. He recorded with OKeh 41039, mx W 400604-C Recorded 21 May 1930, New York since the school was close to Chicago (which by Goldkette before that band broke up, made a Recorded 10 April 1928, New York then was the center of jazz), Beiderbecke often series of classic records with Trumbauer and stayed out late sitting in with local groups under his own name, and late in the year he including the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. He joined Paul Whiteman’s hugely popular Transfers & Production: David Lennick. was soon expelled and free to become a fulltime orchestra. Although Beiderbecke loved being Digital Noise Reduction by Andrew Lang for K & A Productions Ltd. musician. part of Whiteman’s prestigious big band, it Original 78s from the collections of David Lennick & John Wilby 2 8.120712 8.120712 7 120712bk Bix 2 16/4/03 3:20 pm Page 6 1. Wa-Da-Da-Da (Everybody’s Doin’ It 7. Sunday 2:58 eventually led to his undoing. His drinking are high-quality dixieland. Jazz Me Blues and At Now) 3:00 (Ned Miller–Chester Conn–Jule Styne– became excessive in 1928 and Whiteman’s The Jazz Band Ball have Beiderbecke sounding in (Harry Barris–Jimmy Cavanaugh) Bennie Krueger) relentless schedule of radio shows, recordings superior form, jamming the two standards in a Bix Beiderbecke & His Gang Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra; The Keller and theatre engagements wore Bix out. Near the sextet with trombonist Bill Rank, clarinetist Don OKeh 41088, mx W 400995-A Sisters & Al Lynch, vocal end of the year he had a mental breakdown and, Murray and the masterful bass saxophonist Recorded 7 July 1928, New York Victor 20273, mx BVE 36829-3 although he made a comeback in 1929, his Adrian Rollini in 1927. Wa-Da-Da, with Izzy Recorded 15 October 1926, New York 2. Clementine (From New Orleans) 2:58 playing was erratic and he was unable to stop Friedman and Min Leibrook in Murray and (H. Creamer–Harry Warren) 8. Clarinet Marmalade 3:12 drinking for long. In September after Rollini’s place, is almost at the same level. Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra (Larry Shields–H. Ragas) Beiderbecke became unable to play during a There’s A Cradle In Caroline, recorded with the Victor 20994, mx BVE 40212-2 Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra record session, he was sent home to recover. Recorded 15 September 1927, New York OKeh 40772, mx W 80392-A Broadway Bellhops (which includes Rank, Despite his best efforts, he never did. In 1930 Murray, Frankie Trumbauer and violinist Joe 3. Jazz Me Blues 3:03 Recorded 4 February 1927, New York Bix was back in New York, making a few record Venuti) has Bix overcoming both a so-so song (T. Delaney) 9. Idolizing 2:54 dates and having brief associations with groups, Bix Beiderbecke & His Gang (Sam Messenheimer–Ray West–Irving and the enthusiastic vocalizing of Irving Kaufman but his decline continued. He died on 6 August OKeh 40923, mx W 81520-A Abrahamson) to make this a very worthwhile performance. 1931 from pneumonia. He was only 28. Recorded 5 October 1927, New York Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra; Frank Nine of the tracks on this CD feature recording 4. At The Jazz Band Ball 2:52 Bessinger, vocal Naxos’ previous Bix Beiderbecke album groups led by Trumbauer. While Bix’s most (Larry Shields–Dominic Ja La Rocca) Victor 20270, mx BVE 36813-2 (8.120584) comprises eighteen of his best famous solo, “Singin’ The Blues”, will be found Recorded 12 October 1926, New York Bix Beiderbecke & His Gang recordings. This CD presents twenty more. Five on the previous album, his playing here on OKeh 40912, mx W 81518-B 10. Riverboat Shuffle 3:07 feature Bix as a sideman with Jean Goldkette’s Clarinet Marmalade (which is from the same Recorded 5 October 1927, New York (Dick Voynow–Hoagy Carmichael–Irving orchestra during 1926-27. Due to a jazz-hating session as “Singin’ The Blues”), Riverboat Mills) 5. There’s A Cradle In Caroline 2:52 record producer at Victor, many of the Goldkette Shuffle, Ostrich Walk and Way Down Yonder In (Joe Young–Sam Lewis–Fred Ahlert) Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra recordings were dance band-oriented and had OKeh 40872, mx W 80171-B New Orleans is on the same level. Beiderbecke The Broadway Bellhops; Irving Kaufman, little solo space for Beiderbecke, but these five not only made every note count but even the vocal Recorded 9 May 1927, New York are considered the best representations of the silences between his notes are dramatic and Harmony 504-H, mx 144810-2 11. Ostrich Walk 3:06 band, particularly Clementine which has a classic meaningful. Trumbauer, Rank and Murray are Recorded 29 September 1927, New York (Original Dixieland Jazz Band) Bix solo. Sunday has some dated but charming Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra inspired by Bix to play at their best. The other 6. Slow River 2:59 singing from the Keller Sisters and, while Slow Trumbauer-led recordings included are a bit (Henry Myers–Charles M. Schwab) OKeh 40822, mx W 81071-B River, Idolizing and I’m Going To Meet My more commercial and feature vocals by Seger Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra Recorded 9 May 1927, New York Sweetie Now are more conservative, Steve Brown Ellis (Blue River), Scrappy Lambert (Borneo and Victor 20926, mx BVE 38607-4 (the first major bassist to appear on records) Recorded 6 May 1927, Camden NJ My Pet) and Trumbauer himself (Take Your does his best to swing the final choruses. Tomorrow and Baby, Won’t You Please Come Three of the songs are by Bix and his Gang and Home), but each has some important moments 6 8.120712 8.120712 3 120712bk Bix 2 16/4/03 3:20 pm Page 4 from the cornetist.