Sidney Bechet - Cake Walking Babies (From Home). Recorded January 8, 1925, New York. Clarence Williams (p); Sidney Bechet (cl, ss); Louis Armstrong (cnt); Charlie Irvis (tb); Buddy Christian (bj); Eva Taylor (vcl).
This is Eva Taylor. The first version of this song was recorded a couple weeks earlier under the name the Red Onion Jazz Babies for Gennett. Alberta Hunter is the vocalist on THAT version. Eva Taylor is the vocalist on this version.
One thing I had to get used to listening to this (could be interpreted as "obnoxious") was the type of vibrato projected by the vocalist was much faster and tightly controlled; think it was just the style of the day. Seems our modern ears are accustomed to wider and slower vibrato by vocalists as of today.
Regarding the vocals - they do indeed sound unattractive to many modern ears, but one has to remember that these are the days before electric amplification, so singers had to adopt an emphatic projective style, particularly since their performances would be in noisy music halls etc. But Armstrong and Bechet are tremendous - I can't think of a better jazz recording up to this time (Jan 1925).
This, and Potato Head Blues -- the only chemotherapy one needs.
vpo2g2 4 months ago
Unbelievable!!
6x7045 5 months ago
The fast vibrato means the voice is free and projecting....they didn't need the mikes that today's second and third rate singers need
vpo2g2 6 months ago in playlist tha junk
This is Eva Taylor. The first version of this song was recorded a couple weeks earlier under the name the Red Onion Jazz Babies for Gennett. Alberta Hunter is the vocalist on THAT version. Eva Taylor is the vocalist on this version.
JPats100 6 months ago
Yes, this is REALLY Alberta Hunter. I have a blues album with this track, sung by Alberta Hunter.
LolaEnid 7 months ago
@EdwardHKDC
One thing I had to get used to listening to this (could be interpreted as "obnoxious") was the type of vibrato projected by the vocalist was much faster and tightly controlled; think it was just the style of the day. Seems our modern ears are accustomed to wider and slower vibrato by vocalists as of today.
AAErikCO 7 months ago
Regarding the vocals - they do indeed sound unattractive to many modern ears, but one has to remember that these are the days before electric amplification, so singers had to adopt an emphatic projective style, particularly since their performances would be in noisy music halls etc. But Armstrong and Bechet are tremendous - I can't think of a better jazz recording up to this time (Jan 1925).
EdwardHKDC 8 months ago
@MrBDP90 This is actually Eva Taylor and she really could sing.
kingoliver45 10 months ago
This song is good but Hunter's vocals, to my modern ears, are obnoxious.
MrBDP90 11 months ago
louis and sidney going at it...............
subtone 1 year ago