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Hello folks, if you know me at all you are probably aware of my preferen...
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Hello folks, if you know me at all you are probably aware of my preference for obscure tunes by prolific composers, so you may be surprised to find me uploading "standard" material such as Maple Leaf Rag, Dill Pickles, and this, the famous "Saint Louis Blues" (or "St. Louis Blues") composed by W. C. Handy, to Youtube.
Well don't fret... I still put my own stamp on things and try to keep it authentic, so hopefully this version of St. Louis Blues will be different than everyone else's out there.
However, I'm not gonna lie, my version here is influenced by three other great versions:
Clarence "Jelly" Johnson's version, from 1923:
http://www.youtub...
One of Albert Ammons' versions, [This one is less well-known than his solo version from 1939, but in many ways, more brilliant in my opinion.] Ammons was influenced by James Blythe, and it is quite obvious in this recording:
http://www.youtub...
And Buddy Burton's version with the "Harlem Trio" consisting of Cliff Moore, harmonica, bones and vocals; Buddy Burton, piano and vocals, and Marcus Norman, drums and vocals(?). This version is not currently on Youtube, although you can get the recording on this CD:
http://www.docume...
My piano style is also informed and highly influenced by these other pianists, who I highly, highly recommend you check out (I have made playlists here on Youtube of some of their work, for your convenience):
Frank Banta:
http://www.youtub...
Roy Bargy:
http://www.youtub...
James Blythe:
http://www.youtub...
Jesse Crump:
http://www.youtub...
J. Milton Delcamp:
http://www.youtub...
James P. Johnson:
http://www.youtub...
Fred Longshaw:
http://www.youtub...
Ray Perkins:
http://www.youtub...
J. Russel Robinson (who knew Handy personally and worked for him):
http://www.youtub...
a recut of Robinson's fantastic 1919 roll of St. Louis Blues, which is tied with the above versions for my all-time favorite version:
http://www.youtub...
Harry Stover:
http://www.youtub...
Charley Straight:
http://www.youtub...
Pete Wendling (whose blues playing was influenced by Perry Bradford, from Alabama):
http://www.youtub...
Clarence Williams (sorry, no CW playlist yet, but in the meantime, you can read about him on RedHotJazz and check out his piano solo recordings, which I really like, and also his great recordings accompanying Sara Martin, where he plays some of the best piano I've ever heard him play):
http://www.redhot...
http://www.redhot...
Bertha Wolpa [AKA "Bertha Walker" or "Bee Walker"]:
http://www.youtub...
For the "OC Can You Play?" contest, which ran January 16th through February 6th here in Orange County, California, I visited a few pianos on Tuesday, January 18th, together with a friend who helped take the videos.
Here's more information about that contest:
http://www.pacifi...
This piano was in Crystal Court, part of South Coast Plaza and located across the street from that main shopping complex, and was one of at least three pianos located in this shopping mall complex.
I apologize for the sound quality of these videos, but I did not have a microphone handy that I could put behind the soundboard of the piano. I should have borrowed one from a friend or family member and learned how to use it.
If I did, I'm sure the sound would have been better. Then again, perhaps it is better that some of what I play gets drowned out!
However, in this case, the background music that was constantly going in the mall really became a problem here... it is one of those situations where I was sorely tempted to get out the wire cutters, assuming of course that no one could find a way to turn off the background music, which seems unlikely, since they manage to turn it off before closing!
Regardless, I hope you enjoy watching and listening to this performance as much as I did playing it!
NOTE: this video is cut off at the end because my camera had run out of memory, not because of a fault on the part of the camerman or a dead battery. I wish I had deleted more of the bad takes before I took this, so that I could have had room to fit the last few bars of the last chorus, plus the coda! Oh well, you will have to imagine it for yourselves!
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Frenk160rpm uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)
This small Russian pocket gramophone is a Malyutka (Малютка, little one)...
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This small Russian pocket gramophone is a Malyutka (Малютка, little one)
Originally developed for officers as battle-gramophone, and produced since the 1930's.
5×12.5×27.5 cm, 2 kg
The record is Hot Lips, played by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Victor 18920-A
It was the signature tune of trumpet player Henry Busse, who also wrote it.
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Frenk160rpm uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)
PARAMOUNT 12886: Home Town Skiffle.
With Blind Blake, Charlie Spand, Pa...
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PARAMOUNT 12886: Home Town Skiffle.
With Blind Blake, Charlie Spand, Papa Charlie Jackson, Will Ezell, the Hokum Boys and Georgia Tom Dorsey presiding.
Blind Lemon Jefferson was supposed to participate as well, advertised and all, but according to the story, he froze to death in his car during a blizzard around this time..
Recorded: Chicago, Oktober 1929
This record has an ugly crack, but I successfully de-clicked it for this presentation, so what you hear is the actual record that is shown! Because of the crack it hasn't been played very often I guess, that's maybe why it sounds like a good V+!
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Jan
XOsLaurie
Enjoy!