[ Buddy Morrow Orch ]
b. February 8, 1919
né: Moe Zudekoff
Buddy was one of the 'first chair' trombonists then working with the big bands. He played in the Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw orchestras under his own name of Moe Zudekoff, and later he played in the Bob Crosby orchestra as Muni Morrow.

In private correspondence, famed vocalist Ronnie Tober has recalled
        "My family moved to Albany, New York in 1945. I sang there on a TV show called "Teen Age Barn".
        I did that for many a year. In the early 1960's, I sang at the Beaches Restaurant Nightclub in
        Rome, New York with the Buddy Morrow band."
(Incidentally, Ronnie is still singing up a storm today (2005). Here's a photo (ca. 2004) of Ronnie and Shirley Bassey, with Ronnie on the left.)

In the 1970's Bob Crosby formed a "set" group of musicians who toured the USA. at times fronted by such well known leaders as Freddie Martin, Bob Crosby, Frankie Carle and Art Mooney and Buddy. In 1974, Buddy led the revived Glenn Miller Orch. (Ray McKinley had led the band for 10 years and then retired. Buddy De Franco (Clarinet) then took over followed by Peanuts Hucko (Clarinet with Miller's AAF band). Then, Buddy again freelanced as a "studio" musician once more. In 1979, he took over leadership of the revived Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

   [ Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers Orch ]
b. Sept. 13, 1884, New Orleans, LA, USA. d. July 10, 1941, Los Angeles, CA, USA. (Cardiac Arrest). (Note: Many differerent birthdates are claimed by various sources. This birthdate is from his World War 1 draft card - a date that Morton gave to the draft board The research for this draft card was done by contributors to the excellent http://www.doctorjazz.co.uk/draftcards1.html#introdc, -- UK Doctor Jazz website.).
Overview:
Morton has been credited with the concept of individual improvisation within rehearsed orchestral arrangements, a format which became a Jazz staple. He was Jazz's first great composer, writing such songs as "Wolverine Blues," "Milenburg Joys," "Black Bottom Stomp," "Shreveport Stomp," "Doctor Jazz (his only vocal)," "Grandpa's Spells," "The Pearls," "Mr. Jelly Roll," "The Chant," "Wild Man Blues," "I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say," "Original Jelly Roll Blues," "Winin' Boy Blues,""Don't You Leave Me Here," "Sweet Substitute", and "King Porter Stomp" (which later became huge hits for both the Fletcher Henderson and Benny Goodman orchestra's during the 'Swing' era).
Please see also the 'Jazz Overview', link on the BigBands Database Top page. And, here are some great photos, one of The Red Hot Peppers, one of the 1928 Jelly Roll Morton band, that's Jelly on the far Left holding his Baton, and here's a good close up of Jelly".
In 1926, the members consisted of Jelly Roll Morton (piano); Kid Ory (t'bone); George Mitchell (trumpet); John Lindsay (bass); Andrew Hillaire (drums); Johnny St. Cyr (banjo); Omer Simeon (clarinet)

In 1904, while he was still in his teens, Jelly's began his career playing piano in the brocade-and-mirrored halls of New Orleans bordellos. In the "Street Vernacular" of old New Orleans, words such as jelly roll, biscuit, biscuit roller and cream puff had come to be common euphemisms for sexual organs and intercourse. It is said that Jelly Roll got his name upon seeing a black vaudeville comedian introduce himself as "Sweet Papa Cream Puff, right out of the bakery shop." Never one to be upstaged, Morton soon began announcing himself as "Papa Jelly Roll, with stove pipes in my hips and all the women in town dyin' to turn my damper down."

Earning a living could be quite difficult for a Black man in those days and so Jelly Roll rounded out his income from Piano Playing with such other work as pimping, pool hustling, card sharking, bell-hopping and tailoring. In 1908, at just age 18, he left New Orleans and began a tour of cities on the Gulf coast and in Texas. It is known that he also went to St. Louis and visited Scott Joplin. After touring briefly with a minstrel show, he settled in California, - living there from 1917 to 1922.

By this time he had a fairly well established reputation as a musician, songwriter, bandleader and arranger. In late 1922, he moved his operations to Chicago, IL, then the center of the Jazz world. In 1927, he moved to New York. But by now the times were changing. The terrible World Wide 1929 Depression would soon hit and shortly thereafter, Benny Goodman introduced the world to a new type of Music, - Swing! "Dixieland" or "Jazz" music was in decline and Morton fell on hard times during those 'depression' years. (It was said he even had to pawn the diamond in his front tooth.) Some of Jelly's compositions were still being played, but he received little or no royalties, and he fell into some obscurity.

In 1938, Alan Lomax, then a folk archivist for the Library of Congress, found Jelly playing in a Washington, D.C. "dive" called "The Jungle Inn". Lomax was able to record some interviews with Jelly Roll. By the time Lomax had completed the interview (some weeks later), Lomax had accumulated today's equivalent of a few dozen LPs of music and "Mr. Jelly Lord's", recounting of the early history of New Orleans and how he - Jelly Roll - had invented Jazz.

Shortly after the interviews with Lomax, Morton returned to New York, but not finding much work there, he again set out for California,- this time driving cross country in a dilapidated vehicle which kept breaking down. In California, his health began to fail. Mr. Jelly Lord blamed his condition on a voodoo spell, and he died in Los Angeles on July 10, 1941.

   [ Lee Morse and Her Blue Grass Boys ]
b. Nov. 30, 1897, Oregon, USA. d. Dec. 16, 1954, Rochester, NY, USA
né: Lena Corinne Taylor.
Her father was a church Pastor, and the family included two girls, -and some have estimated 11 boys.
Lee was most active during the 1920s and 1930s, and often recorded with her band, - Lee Morse and Her Bluegrass Boys. At times, the Bluegrass Boys included such musicians as Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Charlie Butterfield, Frank Signorelli, Rube Bloom, Eddie Lang, Irving Brodsky, Manny Klein, Benny Goodman and Carl Kress, among others. Here's a photo of Lee Morse, (on her Album Cover) and here's Lee vocalizing on Cole Porter's Let's Do It, digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland. She also composed music, and here's a photograph of her song "Two Strangers", co-composed with Andy Razaf.

Let's watch Lee Singing and acting in this very early 'Talkie" short The Music Racket, from Warner's Vitagraph studios

Here's Lee in another very early "Talkie" Song Service, a Paramount musical distributed by U. M. & M. TV Corp., -circa 1934.

Her husky-voice and sultry treatment of torch songs made her one of the top women vocalists of the 1920s and '30s. In fact, the "Roaring '20s" liked her voice so much that, up to that time, she made more records than any other woman vocalist in history. Besides being a leading recording star, she was a top attraction at clubs and theaters across the land.

In 1915, 'Lena Taylor' married Elmer Morse, and the pair settled in Kooskia, ID. About a year later their son, Jack, was born. But Lena wanted a career in Vaudeville, and soon left Elmer, taking her son with her. Now, with her new name and her truly unique voice, 'Lee Morse' would never look back. In 1925, Elmer Morse sued for divorce (for desertion and abandonment), and in the final decree, Lena kept custody of her son Jack. Elmer, at age 35, died of Scarlet Fever in Spokane, WA.

In 1920, Lee signed a contract to work for musical producer Will King. In 1921, she was working in musical revues produced by Kolb and Dill. In 1922, she appeared on the Pantages Vaudeville circuit with a 15-minute act. Many reviewers were taken by her rather incredible vocal range. In 1923, Lee appeared in the touring version of the famous Broadway revue Hitchy Koo (Cole Porter had scored the 1919 version He had met producer Raymond Hitchcock on a boat coming to America.). The cast starred Raymond Hitchcock, Lee Morse, Busby Berkeley (who would later go on to a fabulous career as one of Hollywood's greatest musicals directors), Marion Green, Al Sexton, Irene Delroy, and Ruth Urban. On August 20, 1923, Lee was in the Schubert's revue Artists and Models.

Very early on, she was heard on an Edison Golden Disc singing her own tune "Golden Dream Girl" and "When I Dream of The Last Waltz With You" ( Edison Golden Discs 51667-L and 51667-R) backed by Jack Stillman's Orchestra. Her 1922 recording of "Mailman Blues" (she may have also been the composer) was quite popular.
    "MAILMAN BLUES"
    Two weeks ago today, my honey went away
    And promised me to write every night.
    Now, you know how those old gals get to be so false.
    They just can't treat a guy right.
    Ever since the day she went away
    All I can do is hope and pray
    That she'll get the blues when she gets the news
    I got the mailman blues, oh yeah.
    I got the mailman blues.

But, in 1924, her real recording career began when she was signed by the Pathe-Perfect Records label. Her powerful voice was a great asset in the days when recording was largely 'acoustical'. Critics were always amazed that such a powerful voice could come out of a little 5 foot lady who weighed perhaps "a 100 pounds sopping wet".

On these early Pathe-Perfect recordings one can hear her whooping and yodeling over her multi-octave range. In addition, Pathe-Perfect allowed her to record some of her own compositions, including:
       Dec. 23, 1924    "Telling Eyes"
       April 24, 1925   "Those Daisy Days"
       May 7, 1925      "An Old-Fashioned Romance"
       May 7, 1925      "Blue Waltz"
       June 19, 1925   "The Shadows on the Wall"
       Dec. 9, 1925      "Deep Wide Ocean Blues"
       June 1, 1926      "A Little Love"
       June 29, 1926   "Daddy's Girl"

While she was starring in these Broadway musicals, Lee next married pianist Bob Downey, and the couple opened a night club in Texas. Not long afterwards, the club burned down, and they went on a national tour. In 1935, while in Chicago, Lee contracted a "Strep" throat which cut short their tour. Lee worried that she might never sing again, but her lovely voice did return. Lee and Downey were later divorced, and she relocated to Rochester, New York, where she found work not only in local clubs, but in other areas such as Buffalo and Syracuse. In 1946, she married Ray Farese.

There's an interesting sidelight on her career. The Rodgers and Hart show "Simple Simon" was to star Lee Morse, but Lee was taken ill while the show was trying out in Boston, and another vocalist, Ruth Etting, took her place. In New York City, just an hour before the first curtain went up, the team of Rodgers and Hart completed a song they entitled "Ten Cents a Dance." The song stole the show and would forever be associated with the economic depression of the 1930s. And thus, it was not Lee Morse but Ruth Etting who became identified with the tune. Lee did recover from her illness and was very active all during the depression years. Her 1930s recording of "I'm An Unemployed Sweetheart" was a big hit. She would go on to record quite a few Rodgers and Hart tunes, including (with Her Bluegrass Boys) "I've Got Five Dollars".

Lee is also credited with writing a folio - "Comic Songs For The Ukulele, by Lee Morse", which was copyrighted on May 28, 1926 by Robbins Music Corp. Another one of her recordings (Parlourphone PaAct 10949 E) was "Ukulele Lady" (the back side was "Yes sir That's My Baby").

Her 1930 recording of "'Tain't No Sin (To Take Off Your Skin, and Dance Around In Your Bones)" (Lee Morse and Her Blue Grass Boys on Columbia 2136-D), was very popular. This song was well recorded by others including Tom Stacks and the Six Jumping Jacks, (on Brunswick Records - a unit of the Harry Reser Orch.); by Fred (Sugar) Hall and His Sugar Babies, (on Okeh 41369), by George Olsen's Music, (on Victor 22379), 'Hotel Pennsylvania Music' (on Harmony 1086-H), and Burt Stock and his Orch. (on Gennett 7075). There are some British recordings too. And, her 1931 recording of "Let's Get Friendly", (lyric Jack Yellen and Sid Silvers, music by Dan Dougherty) is still terrific!

It it not widely known, but Lee was the sister of Glen Taylor, U.S. Senator from Idaho (known as the "Singing Senator" because of his show business backgrond), who, in 1948, ran on the Progressive party ticket for vice president of the United States Henry Wallace ran for President.). On her demise in 1954 (while visiting a neighbor), she was survived by her husband and brother, a son, Jack Morse of San Francisco; and four other brothers, E.K. Taylor of Missoula, MT.; Paul Taylor of Les Gaton, CA.; Terris and Slade Taylor of Los Angeles, CA, and one sister, Mrs. Eleanor Blondin, of Oklahoma City, OK. During the last years of her life, she had lived in relative obscurity.

   [ Benny Moten's Kansas City Orch. ]
b: Nov. 13, 1894, Kansas City, MO, USA. d: April 2, 1935, Kansas City, MO, USA.
Overview
Here's a photograph of Benny, who was born and bred in Kansas City, and led a Black orchestra during the 1920's - '30s, that would become Kansas City's most famous band, and eventually turn into the Count Basie band. Their all-night Jam Sessions at various clubs in the 18th and Vine area of Kansas City have become legendary. Upon his death, the main portion of his orchestra became The Count Basie Band. Moten had studied piano with two of Scott Joplin's former students, and though not an exceptional piano player, he was a fine businessman, - good-natured, generous and well liked by his men.

In 1918, he formed a Ragtime Trio called 'The B.B.& D. Trio' (Beenie, Bailey, and Dude, although they were popularly refered to as "Big, Black, and Dirty"). He later expanded the trio to a sextet that during 1921-'23 played regularly at the Panama Club and the Streets Hotel Lounge. Moten would expand this group, over the next twelve years, into a full size big band. In 1923, Benny made his first recording when his band accompanied Blues singer Ada Brown singing "Evil Mama Blues". Also in 1923, Benny recorded his own tune called Crawdad Blues, presented here as digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland. In 1926, Benny Moten's Kansas City Orchestra began recording for RCA Victor. Their 1927 Victor release of "South" was a big hit.

During the 1920s, Moten also acted as a "band agent" (as did Jean Goldkette and others) and had several bands touring under his name. At that time, Kansas City had one of the most corrupt political systems, and Moten was quite friendly with "Boss" Tom Pendergast, and so Benny controlled most of the city's musical jobs.

In the late 1920s, he started "raiding" another Kansas City/Texas band, Walter Page's "Blue Devils" for musicians. Count Basie left the Blue Devils in 1928 and was followed by vocalist Jimmy Rushing, Trumpeter "Hot Lips" Page, trombonist Eddie Durham and saxman Ben Webster. (The band didn't "officially" become known as 'Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra', until Dec. 1932.) All of these men stayed on when Basie took over leadership of the band following Moten's demise in 1935 (from a botched tonsillectomy). The band had gone on to play a date in Denver, CO, and Moten had stayed behind. Something went terribly wrong, and he died on the operating table (age 39). Basie had a musician's "feel" for Swing, and under his leadership the band emerged as one of the greatest Swing bands of the Big Bands era. (Benny Goodman much admired Basie's style.)
      Bennie Moten-Leader, Piano
      Oran "Hot Lips" Page-Trumpet
      Joe Keyes-Trumpet
      Dee Stewart-Trumpet
      Dan Minor-Trombone
      Eddie Durham-Trombone, Guitar
      Eddie Barefield-Clarinet, Alto Sax
      Jack Washington-Alto Sax, Baritone Sax
      Count Basie-Paino, Arranger
      Ben Webster-Tenor Sax
      Leroy Berry-Guitar
      Walter Page-Bass
      Willie McWashington-Drums

At various times, the orch. also had (Count) Basie (2nd piano); Buster (Bus) Moten (Benny's brother on accordion); Ed Lewis (trumpet); and Harlan Leonard (sax), who later had his own orchestra. Originally it was Abe Bolar (bass) who was later replaced by Walter Page (Bass), and Jimmy Rushing on vocals. Jimmy stayed on as vocalist with Count Basie.

The orchestra had some great players who later went on to fame on their own. William "Count" Basie took over leadership when Benny died (1935) and the orchestra became known as the Count Basie Band.

   [ "Spud" Murphy Orch. ]
Theme: "Ecstacy"
né: Lyle Murphy
b. Aug. 19, 1908 in Salt Lake City, UT, USA, d. Aug. 5, 2005, Hollywood, CA, USA. (2 weeks before his 97th birthday - Complications from surgery)
Overview
Spud, the arranger for a great many orchestras, formed his own orchestra in the mid-40's. Perhaps best recalled today for the very fine arrangements he contributed to the early Benny Goodman band. Greatly admired by many musicians as being "avant-garde", his own band never went anywhere because it never touched any chord with the listening public.

Studied Clarinet early on as a child; at age 14, Red Nichol's father taught him to play the trumpet. Spud played trumpet, trombone and mellophone during school his days but later switched to alto/tenor sax and clarinet.
Brief Chronology:
1927-'28 played clarinet in Jimmy Joy Orch., on a cruise ship to China.
1928 With Ross Gorman Orch.
1929-'30 Did arrangements for the Tracy-Brown Orch.
1930-'31 With Austin-Wylie Orch., playing sax and arranger.
1931-'32 with Jan Garber Orch.
1933 With Mal Hallett Orch.
1934 With Joe Haymes Orch.
1935-'37. Arranging for Benny Goodman and Glen Gray bands. incl. "Jingle Bells", and "Get Happy"
1936 He also arranged the music for some Walt Disney cartoons
1937 Arranging for Fletcher Henderson and Seger Ellis orchestra.
1940 Had his own weekly Jazz program on New York City radio station WJZ
1938-'41 Led his own band. His featured vocalists were Lucy Ann Mathews and Clyde Rogers.
Then settled, and free-lanced, in Hollywood, CA. Developed his own twelve-tone system. His students included Curtis Counce; Oscar Peterson; Alvin Stoller and Gerald Wiggins.
1954-'45 Successful Jazz group working in Southern California.
Thanks to Mr. Ken Tidwell for his contributions to this entry on Spud Murphy.

   [ Turk Murphy Jazz Band ]
This fine trombonist was originally with the Yerba Buena Jazz Band, a great Dixieland Jazz band operating in San Francisco, CA. Various differences finally split that fine group apart. In 1951, Turk Murphy formed his own Dixieland group for a gig in the Beverly Caverns club in LA. When Turk took his group on tour in 1954, it marked the first time that special form of Dixieland Jazz music was heard outside of the native San Francisco habitat. (They played at Child's Paramount in New York City).

   [ Gerry Mulligan orch ]
Baritone Sax: B: 1928 D: Jan. 20, 1996 Darien, CT, USA.
Gerry's improvisational skills were masterful, but today he is remembered for his arrangements and his compositions, as well as for his band leading. He is one of the very few modernists whose music is so firmly rooted in the big bands swing style. His style can be traced back to two important roots. One, for the use of the moving lines recalled from his early, big band days, and two, his early success in writing music for Miles Davis' nonette and band.

Gerry began working with bands when he was 17 yrs old. He has worked with small Serge Chaloff and Chubby Jackson combos. Among the local east coast bands were Johnny Warington; George Paxton; and Tommy Tucker, for whom he played sax and did some arranging.

2 years later, in NYC, he worked for Gene Krupa (he wrote "Disk Jockey Jump"), for Eliot Lawrence, and for the Claude Thornhill band. Gerry once confided to George T. Simon that "I learned the art of underblowing, and still getting a full, rich sound, from working in Claude Thornhill's band - the most underrated, if not the finest, all-around big band of all time."

With Thornhill, Mulligan met Gil Evans, who introduced him to a group including Miles Davis; the composer George Russell and the pianist John Lewis who later went on to form the MJQ - Modern Jazz Quartet.

This small group often met in Gil Evans' tiny basement apartment, and out of this milieu came, in 1947, Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool Band. A few years later, when French Horn and Tuba were added to this group, Davis and Evans recorded an album for which Gerry added 3 new compositions and several arrangements, - his work contributed to near 50% of the album. In later years Gerry made clear his feelings that Davis had, in many ways, diminished his work on the project.

In 1950, Gerry hitch-hiked to LA where he was immediately hired by Stan Kenton. Stan didn't think much of Gerry's writing and assigned him to writing simple dance tunes for the orch. Gerry left.

He did some weekend sessions at the Lighthouse - a club in Hermosa Beach, then got a steady monday night job at the Haig, an important club in LA. Here he met Chet Baker, and the "piano-less" quartet idea was born.

In June 1952, he recorded some music with a quartet consisting of himself and Chet Baker plus just bass and drums. (Jimmy Rowles, the pianist never showed up.) Gerry liked the sound and in August of 1952, he and Chet Baker recorded, without piano, some tunes for World Pacific Records that included "Bernie's Tune" by Bernie Miller. The record was a hit, and Gerry became a draw. They stayed together till 1954, when money differences split the group.

Curiously, Gerry never wanted to be known as a 'west coast man', but he was, never-the-less, a lasting influence on the 'cool' west coast sound. The piano-less concept was picked up by Ornette Coleman (another LA musician) and it bacame a part of modern jazz.

During the 1950's, he wrote a number of compositions for a group of saxophonists including, Lee Konitz; Zoot Sims and Al Cohn. (These songs may be heard on a recently released album called the "Gerry Mulligan Songbook".) He had groups which ranged from quartets to tentettes, and even to small "big bands".

Since the end of the 1960's, Gerry recorded, on and off, with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, taking the place of alto saxist Paul Desmond.

In 1953 Time magazine had a feature on him.
In 1953, Gerry was arrested on Drug charges and went to jail. He was released in 1954, and then returned to New York City, where he spent most of the remainder of his career.
In 1954, he appeared at the Newport, RI Jazz Festival
In 1957, he recorded with Thelonius Monk and Stan Getz
In 1959, he recorded with Ben Webster
In 1960, he became associated with Columbia Records
Between the mid-1960's and 1971, Gerry stopped recording.
In 1971, he recorded "The Age of Steam"
In 1974, he worked with the Argentinian Composer Astor Piazzolla.
In the 1980's, Gerry became mostly a concert performer, recording some symphonic music and some jazz for Concord Records, - one of the last great Jazz attractions.
In 1992, he recorded some albums for Telarc Records.

During the last years of his life, he worked with Wynton Marsalis. Gerry was commissioned to write music for the 'Jazz at Lincoln Center' concerts. He was also invited to the JVC Jazz Festival in New York City, where he played some blistering improvisations, and also at a Chicago concert, shortly thereafter.

In his youth, Gerry was undisciplined and unpredictable, yet always bright and articulate. By the 1960's he had matured. His two big bands, one in the 60's (13 pieces) and the other in the 70's (Concert Jazz Orchestra) were truly great jazz orchestras. He died, Jan 20 1996, due to complications of knee surgery.

   [ Sig Meyer Orchestra ]
An excellent Chicago band playing in the 1920's, that - unfortunately - never recorded. In the early 1920's, Sig's band had real musical battles playing against a Louis Armstrong band at the Columbia Hall "dancing school", a rough, tough noisy joint, in Chicago. One band was on the floor and the other on a balcony. (For a time the New Orlean's Rhythm Kings had played there). A reader has sent us this photo (which he attributes to "H. Openeer") of Sig Meyer's Orch., as they appeared in 1920 while playing at the 'Columbia Ballroom" in Chicago, IL, USA (Clark and Burton Streets). Shown L-R are: Arnold Loyacano on bass; George Petrone on drums; Marvin Saxbe on banjo; Horace "Shorty" Williamson on piano; Sig Meyer violin and leader; Voltaire "Volly" De Faut, on tenor sax; Bob Pacelli on trombone; "Muggsy" Spanier on trumpet; and Floyd Towne on alto sax.

In 1922, The band was playing at White City, a dance hall on Chicago's South Side amusement park area. Mugsy Spanier was the cornetist. While at White City, the Meyers Orch. played against Husk O'Hare's Wolverines, (The Austin High School Gang with Dave Tough; Dave North and Floyd O'Brien added. On saturday night, 'Mezz' Mezzrow or 'Fud' Livingstone played 3rd sax. Later George Wettling played traps.

"The Sig Meyers band had "tremendous sock, and was even closer to the spirit of the Black bands than Husk O'Hare's Wolverines. The two bands undoubtedly affected each other. Muggsy was an old-timer. Back in the early twenties he'd had a cornet team with Bix." *
* "Jazzmen", Frederic Ramsey, Jr., & Chas. E. Smith. (Harcourt, Brace & Co.)

At White City, the 'Sig Meyers Druids' consisted of: Volly De Foul on clarinet; Meyers, violin; Floyd Town, sax; Shorty Williamson, piano; George Petrone, drums; Marvin Saxbe, banjo and guitar; Arnold Loyocano, bass; Muggsy and another cornet; Bob Pacelli, trombone. An interesting sidenote is that while Volly De Faut was playing with the Druids, He together with some sidemen from this band, including cornet player Muggsy Spanier and banjoist Marvin Saxbe, formed a studio group with the name 'The Bucktown Five'. Listen to The Bucktown Five with Hot Mittens, the fifth tune recorded for Gennett in Richmond, IN, USA, on February 25, 1924 [an acoustical 'big tin horn' recording]. Here's the same 'Bucktown 5' playing "Really A Pain", this is also in .ogg format, and both are easily playable with the newer versions of WInAmp, or Windows Media Player. (Both tunes have been digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland)

After White City, the band re-formed for an engagement at Chicago's Midway Garden, - Frank Teschmacher joining Muggsy Spanier. After the Midway Garden gig, Sig's Orch. went into the Triangle Club.

   [ Charlie Mussen and the Queen City Stompers ]
b. October 25, 1933 Vallejo, CA, USA. Currently living Buffalo, NY, USA.
Instruments: ukulele, banjo, tenor guitar, 6 string guitar, bass and trombone.
These days, Charlie is a retired junior high art teacher and traditional jazz musician. Here's how Charley describes his own career:
"My parents were both entertainers at one time or another and mom taught me how to play her native Portuguese instrument, the ukulele. Buffalo had a reputation as a jazz town in the 1950s and 60s and the city drew top-notch players like a magnet."

"As a college student who aspired to be a Dixieland jazz musician, I was lucky enough to play with these jazz stars either as a sub, a replacement or an add-on. Among those I played or concertized with during those days were Jimmy McPartland, Vic Dickenson, Pete Johnson, Muggsy Spanier, Earl Hines, Clyde McCoy and Spike Jones. I also had the pleasure and privilege of playing with the Salt City 5 (and 6), -an association that has lasted for over 40 years. The band consisted of Jack Maheu, Will Alger, Dick Oakley, Lowell Miller, Dave Remington and Bob Cousins and was arguably the most swinging, innovative and imaginative dixieland jazz band of it's time."

"I took my first teaching job in 1960 and within 2 weeks of starting got offers to play with Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band and Clyde McCoy's Dixielanders Although both were great offers (especially when compared to teacher's starting pay) I really wanted to start a family - And while I was a cocky young kid, I wasn't about to try to replace Clancy Hayes in Scobey's band."

"Through the years since 1960, my groups, the 'QUEEN CITY STOMPERS' and the 'I LOVE JAZZ BAND' have played with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and on a steady basis as the pep/game/special functions band for the Buffalo Bisons, the Buffalo Sabres and the National Football Conference 'Buffalo Bills'. We played the Sacramento Dixieland Jazz Jubilee and for the Potomac River Jazz Club, the Pennsylvania Jazz Society and have appeared for many years at the Finger Lakes Jazz Festival, the All That Jazz Festival, the NY State Dixieland Jazz Festival and at various functions for the Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse jazz societies."

"Both Will Alger and I were invited to play a special weekend at EDDIE CONDON'S (club) in New York City before it was to be demolished in order to put up a parking ramp....an example of progress in action.

I've recorded the following albums : the Salt City 6 at the Carriage Stop; two albums with Jack Maheu and the Mississippi Mudders; Jack Maheu (Blue Prelude); two album/tapes of the I Love Jazz Band and an album of my own (Hot Chaz)... "

"In the 1970s and '80's my band included John Harker (Sons of Bix); Lowell Miller; Dave Mancini; Dan D'Imperio: and Barney Mallon. During that time, I had various concerts and gigs with Wild Bill Davison, Spiegle Willcox and Don Ewell."

"A stroke during a concert in 1989 has put my music on hold for a while.....but only a while."

And ---Just for a while, Charlie... Jazz needs all the good men it can find! . The BigBands Database Plus thanks Charlie Mussen (and his good friend Charles Steiger for sending the file along via eMail) for this entry.

   [ Mike Mosiello's Radio Stars ]
b. Dec. 2, 1896, Frasso Telesino, Italy, d. June 3, 1953, Asbury Park, NJ, USA.
né: Michael Angelo Mosiello.
NOTE:. The information here on Mike Mosiello is the result of hard work and research by Mr. Mark Hale, Mr. Enrico Borsetti, in Italy, Mr. Adriano Amore from Frasso Telesino, Italy. Mr. Jess McLean, and in particular by Mr. Albert Haim. ( Albert Haim has also recorded a 1 hour radio show dedicated to Mike Mosiello on his WBIX radio site. [ http://bixography.com/wbix101to150.html ]. It is "Radio Program # 101. (loaded on Jan. 23, 2004) - Mike Mosiello ". Mark Hale was able to contact some of Mike Mosiello's relatives, -his daughter Mary Ann Mosiello and her husband Jess McLean. Mr McLean has graciously contributed the following information:
Mike Mosiello's parents were Tobia Mosiello and Emilia De Felice. In 1922, Mike married Antoinette Greco in Union City, NJ, USA, and the couple had two children, Tobias "Toby" Mosiello (1925-1990), and Mary Ann Mosiello, currently (2005) living in Irving, Texas. Mary Ann Mosiello's godfather was Phil Napoleon, (b. June 14, 1907, New Orleans, LA, USA, d. May 19, 1988, Newhall, CA, USA. né: Filippo Napoli), -= another famous Italian-American Jazz musician who later played trumpet with Mike Mosiello in the NBC house band.

Discographer Brian Rust, in his "American Dance Band Discography", has indicated that Trumpeter Mike Mosiello had his first recording session on July 8, 1921 at the Victor recording studio in New York. He was one of two trumpet players with the Shilking Orchestra, a group of 8-10 musicians directed by Nat Shilkret. Neither of the two sides recorded on that day was issued. Mike was in the Victor recording studio again on July 14 with the same band. This time, one of the sides cut was issued, "When the Sun Goes Down" as Victor 18804 and as His Master's Voice (English Victor) B-1307. This is, as far as we know, the first record of Mike Mosiello. Mike's association with Nat Shilkret continued for several years and he recorded with the "Nat Shilkret Victor Recording Orchestra" again in 1926 and in 1929.

During 1922-'23, no definitely identified recordings are known, but it is likely that Mike recorded with Sam Lanin's Roseland Dance Orchestra, in late 1922 and in 1923. In 1924, Mosiello was on a series of recordings with the 'Arkansas Travellers", and began recording for the Gray Gull Company (a connection that would last for 6 years). Discographer Brian Rust has pointed out that Grey Gull's whole existence was based on their studio bands, and Mike Mosiello and Andy Sanella were the backbone of the Grey Gull Studio bands. As a matter of fact some of the recordings were issued as "Mike Mosiello's Radio Stars." In 1925, Mosiello recorded with Fred Rich and His Hotel Astor Orchestra and also toured with the Vincent Lopez orch.

1926 was a busy year for Mosiello. He recorded with the Vincent Lopez and His Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra, with the Don Vorhees and His Earl Carol Vanities orchestra, and with 'Joe Candullo and His Everglades Orchestra'. In 1927, Mike Mosiello recorded several sides with Nat Shilkret and the Victor recording Orchestra, with The Virginians, -under the direction of Nat Shilkret, and with Victor Arden-Phil Ohman and their Orchestra.

1928 was another very busy year. Mike recorded with Bob Haring, Arthur Fields, and the High Hatters, (a recording pseudonym used by a Victor Record's in-house band under the direction of Leonard Joy). If you would like to know just what the "High Hatters" led by Leonard Joy sounded like in 1929, here they are playing "Gotta Feelin' For You", The tune was sung (and danced) by Joan Crawford in the 1929 film "The Hollywood Revue of 1929". It was composed by Louis Alter (m) and Joe Trent (w) -they were not credited in the film. Here's a publicity still of Joan Crawford from that film. We do not know if the trumpet solo on the tune was by Mike Mosiello. Although this particular recording is by "Leonard Joy and the High Hatters", it is quite probable that the very same tune and band is heard on another label as "Earl Burtnett Orch.", and perhaps on other labels as well, including Ben Selvin Orch., the Alabama Red Peppers, the All Star Orchestra, Arthur Fields and His Orchestra, Dick Cherwin and His Orchestra, Fred Hall, and probably with Roger Wolfe Kahn.

1929, Mike again was a busy musician. He recorded with the "High Hatters", the "Honey Swamp Stompers", "Arthur Fields and the Noodlers", "Bob Haring", Adrian Schubert, Arthur Fields, Fred Hall, "Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra", and the "All Star Orchestra".

During 1930-1932 Mike recorded with "The Southerners", "The Havana Novelty Orchestra" "Roy Smeck's Novelty Orchestra", "Justin Ring and His Dance Orchestra", "Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra", "Andy Sanella and his Orchestra", and "The Hit of the Week Orchestra with Bert Hirsch"

In addition to his participation in dance and jazz bands, Mike Mosiello was sought as an accompanist for famous singers in the 1920s. Thus, he accompanied such well-known vocalists as Seeger Ellis (1927), Jane Green (1927), Annette Hanshaw (1928), Gene Austin (1928), Johnny Marvin (1927 and 1928), Jim Miller (1929), Carson Robinson (1929), Jack Smith (1929), Chick Endor (1929), Grace Johnston (1930), Chick Bullock (1931), and perhaps Russ Columbo (1931).