Cushion Foot Stomp -- Clarence Williams and his Washboard Fiv

Cushion Foot Stomp -- Clarence Williams and his Washboard Five 1927
Williams started a music publishing business with violinist/bandleader Armand J. Piron 1915, which by the 1920s was the leading African-American owned music publisher in the country. He toured briefly with W.C. Handy, set up a publishing office in Chicago, then settled in New York in the early 1920s He supervised African-American recordings (Race Series) for New York offices of Okeh phonograph company in the 1920s; He was responsible for recruiting many of the artists who performed on that label. He also recorded extensively, leading studio bands frequently for OKeh, Columbia and occasionally other record labels. He was the recording director for the short-lived QRS Records label in 1928. Most of his recordings were songs from his publishing house, which explains why he recorded tunes like Cushion Foot Stomp numerous times..
He mostly used "Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings" for his hot orchestra sides and "Clarence Williams' Washboard Five" for his washboard sides.

In this Okeh recording from April 13, 1927 he uses Ed Allen cornet, Buster Baily clarinet, himself piano and vocal, Cyrus St.Clair blowbass, ans Floyd Casey washboard

I have played this tune in the sixties as well, but here is another band giving their version of the tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA1zJYIyDm0

Category:

Music

Tags:

• jazz
• classic
• traditional
• clarence
• williams

[BJuby]

Great - thanks for putting this up. I have a 78 vinyl of this and haven't been able to play it for a very long time. Great Souzaphone solo!

[Bumblebee38]

Great Buster Bailey on clarinet

Thanks !!!!!!

[BJuby]

My favourite! I have this on an old disc.

[Urbino237]

What energetic, stomping fun, and a masterpiece as well. Just love these early days of jazz when the 'edges were rough' and musicians simply let 'er rip, notwithstanding that they rehearsed at great length, made changes in the score and polished as much as they could. Nothing beats knowing you are on the ground floor (of a new music) and blowing for fun first, not perfection.

[oldtimejazzfan]

@Bumblebee38 According to my sleevenotes, it's Arville Harris on clarinet, not Buster Bailey.

[jesper2610]

How i love when there is a sousaphone in the orchestra and not a stringbas

[fredjmp]

Great!

[djoutrage18]

awsome! I have a 78 of this too and it sounds great on my gramaphone, but great here too, i'm at university and don't have the phonograph with me lol

[Squarerig]

When I play this tune on my Hi Fi rig the tuba comes across wonderfully.A truly great piece of JAZZ performed by one of the best bands ever!

[MrJimmienoone]

What a glorious bass work! And Bailey has never been better. A real gem.

[browningpgc]

Love the music from the 1920s! This is a great recording. Thanks for sharing!