Just a few odd things that you probably haven't come across before. Most certainly wouldn't have made the cut in Ken Burns version of Jazz History! 1931 was a horrible year for Jazz. It was the year that Louis Armstrong lost his pal, Bix Beiderbecke. He was also being chased and threatened by gangsters, and ended up arrested more than once for smoking marijuana. Even going back on the road didn't seem to keep Louis from getting into trouble. No wonder he split the following year for Europe!
<---- In 1956, Louis was in Australia and did a radio show that was also part quiz show. This is the quiz section of the show with Louis.
"When the rain turns to snow, and it's 90 below, THAT'S when I'll come back to you!" "OH YOU DOG!"
Pops arrest with Vic Berton has been written about quite often over the years. But this one, which took place not long after the first arrest, has sort of faded away over the years. But how in the hell is Pops going to turn down a "crazy weed" party in HIS honor, thrown by the Mexican "Reefer" King? It would have been an insult if he didn't go. Louis was just being a Diplomat! That's why he later became America's "Ambassador Of Good Will!" It's possible, right? Oh...
"King Of The Reefers!" Six Months! Oh. no! "Bye Bye You Vipers!"
Let's see now. Louis has lost a ton of weight. And he left Lil out West. He probably lost the weight while trying to out run Lil after she caught him and trapped him in that hotel. "That tiger is runnin' so fast, it's gonna take about ten choruses to catch him!" "When I'm ready, I'm ready. So help me, I'M READY!"
Louis DID have a few good times during this era. He had his chops together and was cranking out one hit after another.
Louis made a Vitaphone in 1931 of "You're Driving Me Crazy" & "Peanut Vendor"? I just found this article. Does anyone have any info about it?
So...Louis taught Bix! I'm sure that was a surprise to Louis when he heard this. This comes from 1939. By now the revisionists are already hard at work putting together a product and an image that will keep them working for years. And Benny was going to play the Bix-like role? And now we take leave of Louis for the time being. He'll be back on future pages for sure...
I have always like Frankie Newton's playing ever since I first heard him on "Give Me A Pigfoot" with Bessie Smith, when I was a kid. He had a happy "from the heart" sound. And he died too young. Reading that he considered Bix "Perfect", and over Louis, Roy and Bunny shows what a class act he was!
A 1929 Auto Race promoted by Jelly Roll Morton & ex-champ Jack Johnson? Wow! Oh. Mr. Jelly! I sure hope he paid Jack his share of the profits..if there were any. Both Jack & Jelly were car crazy. Jack was killed in 1946 in a car accident while driving too fast.
1931 found Jelly with his own show "Speeding Along". Perhaps it was based on his race? I'm talking about cars here, for those who like to read things into something that's not there.
In 1933, we find Jelly and his Peppers as the house band at the Music Box in Hartford, Connecticut. 40 cents to spend an evening listening to Jelly. Why bring a date? They'd just get in the way!
1939. This is some kind of gathering! The only ones missing are Fats (who must have been in jail for alimony) & Donald Lambert. Wow! Jelly, James P., Eubie, Luckey, Claude, etc., all in the same room! And no piano? By 1939 I think the only people who wore bow-ties were piano players & Eddie Condon. Oh! And Dagwood Bumstead too.
<---- A bad case of Heart Attack?
And a tip of the hat to this writer who spoke the truth. Sure, Jelly could brag about himself non-stop, and drive people crazy. But Jelly could also deliver the goods too. And that's probably what really pissed off his critics! The Ken Burns crowd took shots at Jelly, but had to admit his talent. Jelly's music has outlived at least three generations of his critics, and will outlive many more. Yes, Jelly Roll Morton could really be full of it and himself too. But his music had life and personality all through it. And Jazz without Jelly would have been quite boring indeed!
It looks like the boys at Victor are trying to give Kazoo Lips a run for their money! It's time to get back to work and get some new releases out...Soon!
