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Thread ID: 42528 2004-02-13 22:45:00 Off Topic. HTOTW#8, Bix'n'Bing Terry Porritt (14) Press F1
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215290 2004-02-13 22:45:00 HTOTW= Hot Tunes of the Week .

In HTOTW there are links to streaming audio, usually in Real . rm/ . ra format for hot dance bands of the 1920s/30s playing the pop music of the day . This music was recorded on 78rpm records and though the quality cannot compare with that of today, it is still eminently listenable to .

When I say the quality cannot compare it is infinitely better than much of the so-called pop of today which has such poor signal to noise ratio due to the screaming hysteria of the stoned audiences .

Then of course there is the deliberately introduced distortion such as 'fuzz', in fact you can buy fuzz boxes to deliberately distort the already poor sound quality of electric guitars . These are devices to hide the inexecrable quality of todays playing :)

Just to prove beyond any doubt what I say is true, here is a bonus, just listen here ( . redhotjazz . com/Songs/hotclub/djangology . ram" target="_blank">www . redhotjazz . com) to Django Rheinhardt guitar, and Stephane Grappelli violin playing "Djangology", then try to convince yourself that there is just only one guitar playing, and to boot, Django at age 18 was badly burnt in a caravan fire that left only his index and middle fingers of his left handworking properly .


Let's see how many modern pop musicians could play like that!!!!!!!

On a technical level of course, musicians of those days were also infinitely more competent than the run of the mill pop musician of today . In an era of dance bands and orchestras most musicians had formal and professional training through music schools, and many came to dance band music /jazz from symphony orchestras .

This week we will be listening to music of the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, with vocals by Bing Crosby and the Rhythm Boys, and featuring Bix Beiderbecke on cornet .

Bing Crosby along with Al Rinker his vocal partner, were engaged by Paul Whiteman in early 1927, and when joined by Harry Barris a little later, the Rhythm Boys were formed .

Frank Trumbauer and Bix Beiderbecke were invited by 'Pop' Paul Whiteman to join his orchestra in late 1927, they accepted gladly as they were out of work following the collapse of the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, and not too successful ventures of their own .

Joining Paul Whiteman gave security of employment with very good money, and 'Pop' looked after his 'boys' very well, but there were some downsides for Bix .

Bix was a born alcoholic as all alcoholics are, and with the fast pace of living amongst the Whiteman boys, travelling around to different engagements, his drinking began to get out of hand with all night drinking sessions .

His great pal Bing Crosby was also a heavy drinker at that time, but it didnt affect him in the same way . Though it must be said that both of them would arrive to a recording date sozzled from the night before and had to be revived for them to perform . On many recordings inebriation can be detected in Bings vocals .

The Whiteman orchestra was large, it had up to 32 top musicians playing in it, so although Bix was often given star billing, he is inaudible on many sides recorded by the orchestra .
Also his featured solos were usually restricted to 8 or 16 bars, unlike the sides we have heard earlier .

Despite this, sub groups of the orchestra recorded 78s usually led by Frank Trumbauer, and in these we hear more of Bix .

Many of the tune arrangements were by Bill Challis, a superb arranger who knew Bix's talents and forté very well indeed . On numerous score sheets, Bix's solos are just marked in as 'Bix' . Listening to different takes of the same tune shows that Bix never played the same set of notes twice, he improvised as he went along, but each version is perfect in its own right .

Now let's get to the music and hear some sides from the earlier days of Bix'n'Bing with the Whiteman orchestra .

From April 1928 a Rodgers and Hart number from the show "Present Arms" called "You Took Advantage of Me" . Listen to the interplay between Bix on muted cornet and Frankie Trumbauer on C-melody sax in one of their classic "chases", then followed by Bings vocal, click here ( . redhotjazz . com/Songs/Whiteman/tookadvantage . ram" target="_blank">www . redhotjazz . com) .
Wasn't that great? A simple pop tune transformed by great artists .

Now for another favorite, "'Taint So, Honey 'Taint So" . A great vocal by Bing followed by Bix leading right through on both muted and open cornet, and then in comes the great Rollini on base sax . . You just have to listen to this one ( . redhotjazz . com/Songs/Whiteman/taintso . ram" target="_blank">www . redhotjazz . com)

The next tune is a Walter Donaldson composition, another ordinary pop tune of the day, made great by great musicians and arranger Bill Challis, recorded in June 1928 . Just listen to Bix's cornet, he was obviously in top form that day, as was Bing with his vocal .
enjoy ( . redhotjazz . com/Songs/Whiteman/maybenow . ram" target="_blank">www . redhotjazz . com)

The last tune in this session is from a year later, recorded April 1929, not all that long before Bix had to hang up his hat with the Whiteman orchestra due to his deterioration . By this time he had already had long absences on full pay for recuperation, but the end with Whiteman was on the horizon .
Bix seldom had the clear tone of previous years, and he took frequently to playing muted into a Derby hat to disguise the fact . Never the less, there were still flashes of brilliance, and next HTOTW we will listen to a few of his last recordings .
In the meantime, Bing Crosby went from strength to strength in his career as a singer, but we may talk about that later .

Let's finish off then with "I'm In The Seventh Heaven", an Al Jolson tune click here ( . redhotjazz . com/songs/whiteman/svnthhvn . ram" target="_blank">www . redhotjazz . com) 		Terry Porritt (14)
215291 2004-02-14 03:51:00 Ahhhhh thanks Terry, put me "In Heaven Scent" that did...

Cheers, Babe. 		Babe Ruth (416)
215292 2004-02-15 20:52:00 Ta Terry.

Cheers Murray P 		Murray P (44)
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