Sweet Georgia Brown Bechet 1958

A film from the 1958 Cannes Jazz Festival in France with Sidney Bechet sop.sax, Teddy Buckner tpt, Vic Dickenson tb, Sammy Price pno, Arvell Shaw bass and trumpetplayer Roy Eldridge on drums. Of course we all appreciate the marvelous qualities of each of these stars but not until the mid nineties, when a friend from the Netherlands send me this video clip did I realize that Eldridge was such an outstanding drummer. He does it mostly on his snare drums. Totally amazing, every time I see this film. Every drummer should see this clip. Roy just plays hot and does everything a frontline musician can wish for.

At the Jazz Band Ball Hackett 1938

In a program called "Saturday Night Swing Club" here is a performance of Bobby Hacket's Jazz Band in 1938.
Next to Hackett on cornet are Pee Wee Russell on clarinet and George Brunies on trombone.
I found Brunies' behavior quite annoying. He plays the showman, the one who's trying to save the show and to make it funny

Royal Garden Blues McPartland 1954

The Jazz Dance. 1954
Roger Tilton wrote (what little there is in this mostly unrehearsed short), directed and produced this short subject shot in the Central Plaza Dance Hall in New York City. It is a frenzied, naturalistic study of people finding an outlet through jazz sessions. Some "Beat Generations" elements for those looking for such.

Unfortunately there is very little to see of the actual musicians.
It looks like a typical gig for the New York boys. Hopefully the money was good.
Jimmy McPartland on trumpet, Pee Wee Russell clarinet, Jimmy Archey trombone, Willy the Lion Smith piano, Pops Foster bass and George Wettling drums.
Even though the sound recording part is limited in quality, it is in a way a part of jazz history and special to see Pops Foster playing, his fingering and slapping.

Love is just around the corner Dixieland Seven 1965

The Dixieland Seven from the Netherlands 1965!
Bob Erwig trumpet, Joop Postma clarinet, Jan Meeuwisse trombone, Dick Posthuma piano, Ad Funcke guitar, Willem Van Den Bos bass, Ted de Jong drums.
In 1965 I was member of a very talented local band while still living in the Netherlands. I played trumpet in The Dixieland Seven of Naarden-Bussum, a suburb town of Amsterdam.
We had a swinging rhythm section and played very much in the Eddy Condon idiom.
Our band was the winner at the AVRO radio competition that year and the price was to play a concert in the concerthall of the Kurhaus Hotel in Scheveningen with New Orleans clarinettist Albert Nicholas.
Unfortunately that concert was probably never recorded but that same year we ended up in a Hilversum recording studio to play some tunes.
I' am quite proud of these recordings and like to post one for you on dailymotion.
When we were visiting Holland a few years later I had my old 8mm movie camera and while standing in my brother's car I filmed the streets and avenues of Naarden-Bussum, the town we grew up in.
In combining these movie clips with the music You'll get an idea of where this all happened.

Mandy Make up Your Mind Murphy Turk 1987

Melvin Edward Alton "Turk" Murphy was born in Palermo, California, December 16, 1915, and began playing in San Francisco dance bands as early as 1930. In 1939 teamed with the legendary Lu Watters. He joined Waters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band which began a steady engagement at the Dawn Club in the basement of the Monadnock Building on Market between Third and Annie streets.
Murphy served in the Navy during World War II, but did play some engagements, including his San Francisco recordings with Bunk Johnson and Watters on December 19, 1941. Another set was recorded with Johnson, again in San Francisco, during the spring of 1944.
The Yerba Buena Jazz Band broke up in 1950, and Murphy jobbed around with various orchestras until January 1952, when he opened with his own band at the Italian Village in San Francisco.
Later, in 1960, he opened his first "Earthquake McGoon's" on Broadway, named for the then-popular Al Capp cartoon character. McGoon's was, at one time, located in the William Tell Hotel on Clay Street, above Montgomery. It then moved to the Embarcadero below Mission, and finally, to Pier 39 where it closed in 1984. From 1984, until his death, Turk and his band played in the New Orleans Room of the Fairmont Hotel.
Among the members at this concert in 1987 in New York are Bob Schultz on cornet, Jim Maikack on piano and Wayne Jones on drums

My Heart Murphy Turk 1987

Turk Murphy and his Jazz Band playing their version of "My Heart" with some excellent cornet work by Bob Schultz. This was the first tune recorded by Louis Armstrong's Hot Five on November 12 1925
tuneMelvin Edward Alton "Turk" Murphy was born in Palermo, California, December 16, 1915, and began playing in San Francisco dance bands as early as 1930. In 1939 teamed with the legendary Lu Watters. He joined Waters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band which began a steady engagement at the Dawn Club in the basement of the Monadnock Building on Market between Third and Annie streets.
Murphy served in the Navy during World War II, but did play some engagements, including his San Francisco recordings with Bunk Johnson and Watters on December 19, 1941. Another set was recorded with Johnson, again in San Francisco, during the spring of 1944.
The Yerba Buena Jazz Band broke up in 1950, and Murphy jobbed around with various orchestras until January 1952, when he opened with his own band at the Italian Village in San Francisco.
Later, in 1960, he opened his first "Earthquake McGoon's" on Broadway, named for the then-popular Al Capp cartoon character. McGoon's was, at one time, located in the William Tell Hotel on Clay Street, above Montgomery. It then moved to the Embarcadero below Mission, and finally, to Pier 39 where it closed in 1984. From 1984, until his death, Turk and his band played in the New Orleans Room of the Fairmont Hotel.
Among the members at this concert in 1987 in New York are Bob Schultz on cornet, Jim Maikack on piano and Wayne Jones on drums

The Mooche Cullum Jim 1987

Jim Cullum's Jazz Band in 1987
The band from San Antonio Texas plays Duke Ellington's The Mooche.
This band plays jazz in the classic manner, that is, in the style of small, hot ensembles prior to WWII. The band's repertoire covers a lot of ground--from 19th-century cakewalks to the small pre-war Benny Goodman ensembles.
The core of the band's music consists of the sounds of Jelly Roll Morton, Original Dixieland Jazz Band, New Orleans Rhythm Kings, King Oliver Creole Jazz Band, Louis Armstrong, and Sidney Bechet, as well as a heavy emphasis on Bix Beiderbecke and his followers (e.g., Hoagy Carmichael).
Jim Cullum cornet, Allan Vache clarinet, Eddie Hubble trombone, John Sheridan piano, Howard elkins banjo, Jack Wyatt bass and Ed Torres drums

Shimme Sha wabble Cullum Jim 1987

Jim Cullum's Jazz Band in 1987
The band from San Antonio Texas plays Shimme sha wabble.
This band plays jazz in the classic manner, that is, in the style of small, hot ensembles prior to WWII. The band's repertoire covers a lot of ground--from 19th-century cakewalks to the small pre-war Benny Goodman ensembles.
The core of the band's music consists of the sounds of Jelly Roll Morton, Original Dixieland Jazz Band, New Orleans Rhythm Kings, King Oliver Creole Jazz Band, Louis Armstrong, and Sidney Bechet, as well as a heavy emphasis on Bix Beiderbecke and his followers (e.g., Hoagy Carmichael).
Jim Cullum cornet, Allan Vache clarinet, Eddie Hubble trombone, John Sheridan piano, Howard Elkins banjo, Jack Wyatt bass and Ed Torres drums

At the jazzband ball Stover Smokey 1975

Smokey Stover and Bob Hirsch All Stars played at the 1975 Indianapolis Worldchampionship of Jazz. Here is a performance of At the Jazz Band Ball

Tin Roof Blues Cuesta Henry 1984

At the 1984 Jazz Festival in Sacramento California we see here a performance of Henry Cuesta. I think at the time Henry was a member of the Lawrence Welk organisation. Henry lived for years in Toronto and over the years he has become a good friend of our band and often came to sit in with us while back on visits.
In this session I recognize several of the musicians who were former collegues from Henry's Toronto days.

Chelsea on Down Original Salty Dogs 1975

One of the six finalist bands at the 1975 Worldchampionship of Jazz in Indianapolis were The Original Salty Dogs from Chicago.
Lew Green cornet, Tom Bartlett trombone, Kim Cusack clarinet, John Cooper piano, Jack Kuncl banjo, Mike Walbridge tuba, Wayne Jones drums

Maryland Bob Cats 1951

The 1935-1942 period was Crosby's heyday, with his band featuring such classic soloists as Yank Lawson, Billy Butterfield, Eddie Miller, Matty Matlock, Irving Fazola, Joe Sullivan, Bob Zurke, Jess Stacy, and Muggsy Spanier. During an era when swing was the thing and New Orleans jazz was considered by many to be ancient history, Crosby's crew led the way to the eventual New Orleans revival. Such classic recordings as "South Rampart Street Parade" and "What's New" (both composed by bassist Bob Haggart) along with the many Dixieland stomps kept the band quite popular. The orchestra broke up in late 1942,
At times the Bob Cats were together again in different personnel settings.
In these film clips 1951 bassist Bob Haggart organized a session that consisted out of the following musicians:
Billy Butterfield trumpet, Matty Matlock clarinet, Eddie Miller tenor sax, Warren smith trombone, Jess Stacy piano, Nappy Lamare guitar, Bob Haggart bass and Ray Bauduc drums

Who's Sorry Now Bob Cats 1951

The 1935-1942 period was Crosby's heyday, with his band featuring such classic soloists as Yank Lawson, Billy Butterfield, Eddie Miller, Matty Matlock, Irving Fazola, Joe Sullivan, Bob Zurke, Jess Stacy, and Muggsy Spanier. During an era when swing was the thing and New Orleans jazz was considered by many to be ancient history, Crosby's crew led the way to the eventual New Orleans revival. Such classic recordings as "South Rampart Street Parade" and "What's New" (both composed by bassist Bob Haggart) along with the many Dixieland stomps kept the band quite popular. The orchestra broke up in late 1942,
At times the Bob Cats were together again in different personnel settings.
In these film clips 1951 bassist Bob Haggart organized a session that consisted out of the following musicians:
Billy Butterfield trumpet, Matty Matlock clarinet, Eddie Miller tenor sax, Warren smith trombone, Jess Stacy piano, Nappy Lamare guitar, Bob Haggart bass and Ray Bauduc drums

Panama Bob Cats 1951

The Bob Cats are swinging nicely through this old standard. At the end it gives a good view of drummer Ray Bauduc's enthusiasm and skills. Unfortunately the last bar of the tune was lost when I got this video many years ago, so... I can't give it back to you either.
The 1935-1942 period was Crosby's heyday, with his band featuring such classic soloists as Yank Lawson, Billy Butterfield, Eddie Miller, Matty Matlock, Irving Fazola, Joe Sullivan, Bob Zurke, Jess Stacy, and Muggsy Spanier. During an era when swing was the thing and New Orleans jazz was considered by many to be ancient history, Crosby's crew led the way to the eventual New Orleans revival. Such classic recordings as "South Rampart Street Parade" and "What's New" (both composed by bassist Bob Haggart) along with the many Dixieland stomps kept the band quite popular. The orchestra broke up in late 1942,
At times the Bob Cats were together again in different personnel settings.
In these film clips 1951 bassist Bob Haggart organized a session that consisted out of the following musicians:
Billy Butterfield trumpet, Matty Matlock clarinet, Eddie Miller tenor sax, Warren smith trombone, Jess Stacy piano, Nappy Lamare guitar, Bob Haggart bass and Ray Bauduc drums

Avalon McPartland Jimmy jam 1975

From a 1975 club concert movie called At the Top we see a performance of a number of musicians who had been in some way been associated with Bix Beiderbecke. Jimmy McParland, Joe Venuti and Spiegle Wilcox played with him in the twenties and the other musicians certainly appreciated Bix's musical genius.
We see pianist Marion McPartland, alto horn player Dick Cary, a to me unknown clarinettist, drummer Cliff Leeman and bassist Major Holly.
Here goes Avalon.

Over the Waves Dukes of Dixieland 1958 

The Dukes of Dixieland in 1958 at a Timex watch sponsored show. We see Papa Jac and Fred Assunto playing trombones being featured on the tune " Over the Waves". Brother Jack Assunto plays the trumpet.
The Dukes from New Orleans were one of the most popular jazz bands in the country based in New Orleans. In 1959 The Dukes had a chance to record a LP with Louis Armstrong