Woo-Woo, matrix M-780–1, Vocalion 4116, recorded March 16, 1938, New York, NY - Vocal Chorus Jack LeMaire
Jim-Jam Stomp, matrix M-782–1, Vocalion 4116, recorded March 16, 1938, New York, NY
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Number:1071606 THUMBNAIL Uploaded By:fixbutte Description: A Side Label
Number:1071607 Uploaded By:fixbutte Description: B Side Label
"Hot String Beans starts out with a wonderful solo by Artie Shapiro on bass. At 1:05, Joe Marsala and the band start playing a melodic riff that later becomes the foundation for Glenn Miller's "In the Mood."
Unfortunately, the YouTube videos linked by xiphophilos to Joe Marsala And His Chicagoans' other record (Vocalion v4168), are blocked once more in Germany for GEMA reasons. I'd really like to hear particularly "Hot String Beans" which is said to be one of the precursors of Glenn Miller's "In The Mood".
"Jim-Jam Stomp", recorded on the same March 16, 1938 session in New York City, may be in the same mood, a hot take with the leader's furious clarinet, Gene Krupa's later guitarist Ray Biondi on violin and a 20-year-old Buddy Rich, soon to be the second best known drummer of Swing music (after Krupa), on his first-ever recording session, and it is available on YouTube:
The video is commendable not only because of the hot music but because it shows action photos of all band members, and the accompanying text by Eleisa Trampler* is excellent too. I quote it here in full length, just in case the video will eventually be deleted:
Joe Marsala and His Chicagoans recorded some fine tunes written by Marsala, "Woo-Woo," "Hot String Beans," and "Jim-Jam Stomp." Here's Jim Jam Stomp with photos in order of appearance on the recording: Marsala opens, then his brother Marty comes in on trumpet followed by Joe Bus[h]kin's piano. Next is some hot sticking by 19 [actually 20] year old Buddy Rich, Jack LeMaire comes in on guitar followed by Ray Biondi [on violin] (pictured with a trumpet-he was a multi talented musician) and Artie Shapiro winds up the personnel on bass. This hot arrangement features Joe at his technical best, hitting some clearly fine high notes on the clarinet demonstrating some quick fingering. Buddy Rich's chorus is a flashy demo of his young talent. He so impressed Marsala that Joe hired him on before telling his current drummer, Danny Alvin that he was being replaced. Joe kept Alvin on until he found another job.
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* Eleisa is actually the daughter of Joe Marsala and his wife, jazz harpist Adele Girard, as she reveals in the comments on other YouTube videos of hers (see also sources of the Wikipedia articles about Marsala and Girard).