Pre '50 Non American Jazz Recommendations?

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

I can heartily recommend the Blue Brazil series (or at least Volumes 1 and 2) on Blue Note. The CDs feature tracks from EMI Brazil's 1960s and 70s jazz catalogue, with a nice range of music - great tracks by The Milton Banana Trio, Joyce, Elza Soares, Bossa 3, Quarteto Novo among others. Also very nice is Beat Of Brazil volume 2 (I keep meaning to pick up volume 1...) which is mainly 70s stuff from the Warner Bros catalogue, including Gilberto Gil's gorgeous Toda Menina Baiana. Also worth looking for is The Beginners Guide To Brazil if only for the first track, Sergio Mendes' Zanzibar, which would later be covered by Earth, Wind & Fire. It's a 2-CD set, the first CD being 70s stuff, and the second being contemporary Brazilian beats. The newer stuff isn't as good - think Brazilian chill-out - but Luisas by Cibelle is lovely.


I knew Vampi Soul from their excellent soul reissues (my first musical love) so I assumed I couldn't go too far wrong with some of their boogaloo stuff. I need to get more Latino music and I've made a note of your recommended names, so thanks for those.

As for Pinoy jazz ... the best I can do is digitise my dad's old traditional Filipino LPs for you, and leave it to you to imagine how they'd sound mixed with jazz...

I had completely forgotten about Mendes. I have a couple of his LP's, Brasil '66 "Fool On The Hill" which I think I stole from my mother years ago, and the Herb Albert Presents LP. I find that I need to be in a very particular mood for a lot of the '70s Samba/Bossa Nova stuff (it's a good mood, but verrry relaxed ). I have a couple of cd's similar to the Beginner's Guide that you mention, basically samplers of new Brazilian lounge music and trancey electro. To redeem myself in regards to Brazilian contempoary (late 60's forward) music, I do have a large collection of "Favela Chic" that I really dig. David Byrne is a huge supporter of Forro, and produced a wonderful sampler set Forro Brazil Classics We may need to start a new thread for contemporary Latin music!

If it's not a huge hassle for you, I'd love copies of your dad's LPs, thank you!
--------

Unfortunately, tracking down information on early Brazilian jazz is not easy. Samba is the earliest reference for some as it was tremendously popular along with the Charleston... However, there was Choro before Samba which is quite a bit like Ragtime. There has been a revival recently so perhaps we will see some more research on the subject.

I wasn't familiar with Choro, thank you for that! It's exactly the sort of thing I'm after!

By the way - have you seen the recordings available on Worlds Records? They have quite a few historical recordings that might interest you.

http://www.worldsrecords.com/

Thank you Von, for this link! In the 5 minutes that I skimmed through it I made a mental list of about 15 albums that I want! You're enabling a very expensive habit!

---

Not sure if you guys would be interested in this, I talk a bit incessantly about my dad's music, (I miss him and that 'world' alot) - I've uploaded the only recordings that I have of him and his touring band, The Sunset Music Company. Recorded in '78 at the Breda Jazz Festival (they were regulars there several years in a row). The recordings are mediocre sound qulaity, but not too shabby ..

Lueder Ohlwein (my dad) - Leader, Vocals, Banjo, Kazoo
Jim Goodwin - Trumpet (Some Portland Loungers may recognize him from his regular gigs at the Portland Brew Pub)
Norvin Armstrong - Piano
Bill Carter - Clarinet (SF's Magnolia Jazz Band)
Dan Barrette - Trombone (Played with Rosemary Clooney's band after his stint with Sunset Music Co.)
Jeff Hamilton - Drums
John Smith - Alto Sax
Mike Fay - Upright Bass

Download Pt. 1 // Stream Pt. 1
Download Pt. 2 // Stream Pt. 2


German Radio Spot // Stream (This is in German, which I don't speak, in case someone wants to tell me what's going on lol)

 

[vonwotan]

I'll have to spend some time with these links and see what little german I can remember from my youth...

If you would like a good overview of Choro, the Ditry Linen web site had a nice article and a list of performers.

http://www.dirtylinen.com/linen/92/brazil.html

 

[nightandthecity]

A long overdue thread! I've always been very interested in non-American jazz. I seem to have a particular affinity for British and European jazz from the 30s and 40s. I could blather on for hours about why, but I thought some LP/CD recommendations might be more useful!

Back in the 1980s Harlequin records put out a wonderful LP series called "JAZZ AND HOT DANCE IN......", each record covering an individual country. There were discs covering most European countries from Spain to Russia plus some Latin American and African countries - a fantastic series, every one a gem, and if you ever find any grab them quick.

Proper Records (possibly the worlds best record company!) do several 4 CD box sets which should be of interest. JAZZ IN BRITAIN 1919-50 is just that - Jazz in Britain, so includes some records by visiting Americans as well as native artistes. All excellent stuff, though it does stick very much to the mainstream and ignores some of the most interesting off-centre jazz influenced pop and vernacular music of the era - things like the wonderful Felix Mendelssohn and his Hawaiian Serendaders, who recorded a lot of hot jazz as well as sweet Hawaiian music - their jazz records sound remarkably like Western Swing, due to the all-string line up showcasing electic steel guitar!

Two good companion discs are BLACK BRITISH SWING from Topic Records, mostly showcasing West Indian emigres like Ken "Snakehips" Johnson and STEPHANE'S TUNE on Naxos, featuring Grapelli's wartime London recordings with the glorious Hatchette's Swingtette. Naxos also do several other discs covering both Stephane' and Django's non-Hot Club recordings, including with visiting American musicians.

Another well recommened box set from Proper is SQUEEZE ME, subtitled "the jazz accordion story" and very heavy on European bands - in the same vein ACCORDEON JAZZ 1911-1944 on FREMAUX (FA038) is a must-have (one of the things I love about British and European jazz is the heavy use of lead instruments other than horns, especially accordeons and fiddles).

Proper also do a fantastic box set called SWING TANZEN VERBOTEN dedicated to swing from Nazi Germany and occupied Europe. Disc one covers German bands 1937-44, disc 2 covers the abominable Charlie and His Orchestra, disc 3 covers Holland, Denmark, Norway and smaller countries, disc 4 covers France and Belgium (some rare Django here). It is worth getting for the stunning music on the last two CDs. The two German CDs are more of historical than musical interest as the Nazis strongly discouraged hot music - though the underground disc by the Hot Club of Frankfurt is top stuff, and very moving given the background. But in general the German stuff is good dance-band music rather than hot jazz. And in the case of Charlie and His Orchestra the lyrics are enought to put you off repeated listening.

Finally (I've got work to do!), if you like hot guitar or Latin Jazz then you will like Django's friend and rival Oscar Aleman, an Argentinian guitarist who lived in Paris for a while in the 30s - try OSCAR ALEMAN - PARIS AND BUENOS AIRES 1928-43.

http://www.propermusic.com/

http://www.topicrecords.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.120570

http://www.grooves-inc.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/48/language/en/currency/GBP/products_id/1151956

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1461574/a/Buenos+Aires-Paris+1928-1943.htm

http://www.hotclub.co.uk/shop/acatalog/CD_s_by_Gypsy_Jazz_artists.html

 

[nightandthecity]

(where's NightandTheCity when you need 'im?)

bk

well blow me down Baron, caught that on a re-read of the thread. I didn't realize I'd been summoned!

 

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

Jackpot!!

A long overdue thread! I've always been very interested in non-American jazz. I seem to have a particular affinity for British and European jazz from the 30s and 40s. I could blather on for hours about why, but I thought some LP/CD recommendations might be more useful!

Back in the 1980s Harlequin records put out a wonderful LP series called "JAZZ AND HOT DANCE IN......", each record covering an individual country. There were discs covering most European countries from Spain to Russia plus some Latin American and African countries - a fantastic series, every one a gem, and if you ever find any grab them quick.

Proper Records (possibly the worlds best record company!) do several 4 CD box sets which should be of interest. JAZZ IN BRITAIN 1919-50 is just that - Jazz in Britain, so includes some records by visiting Americans as well as native artistes. All excellent stuff, though it does stick very much to the mainstream and ignores some of the most interesting off-centre jazz influenced pop and vernacular music of the era - things like the wonderful Felix Mendelssohn and his Hawaiian Serendaders, who recorded a lot of hot jazz as well as sweet Hawaiian music - their jazz records sound remarkably like Western Swing, due to the all-string line up showcasing electic steel guitar!

Two good companion discs are BLACK BRITISH SWING from Topic Records, mostly showcasing West Indian emigres like Ken "Snakehips" Johnson and STEPHANE'S TUNE on Naxos, featuring Grapelli's wartime London recordings with the glorious Hatchette's Swingtette. Naxos also do several other discs covering both Stephane' and Django's non-Hot Club recordings, including with visiting American musicians.

Another well recommened box set from Proper is SQUEEZE ME, subtitled "the jazz accordion story" and very heavy on European bands - in the same vein ACCORDEON JAZZ 1911-1944 on FREMAUX (FA038) is a must-have (one of the things I love about British and European jazz is the heavy use of lead instruments other than horns, especially accordeons and fiddles).

Proper also do a fantastic box set called SWING TANZEN VERBOTEN dedicated to swing from Nazi Germany and occupied Europe. Disc one covers German bands 1937-44, disc 2 covers the abominable Charlie and His Orchestra, disc 3 covers Holland, Denmark, Norway and smaller countries, disc 4 covers France and Belgium (some rare Django here). It is worth getting for the stunning music on the last two CDs. The two German CDs are more of historical than musical interest as the Nazis strongly discouraged hot music - though the underground disc by the Hot Club of Frankfurt is top stuff, and very moving given the background. But in general the German stuff is good dance-band music rather than hot jazz. And in the case of Charlie and His Orchestra the lyrics are enought to put you off repeated listening.

Finally (I've got work to do!), if you like hot guitar or Latin Jazz then you will like Django's friend and rival Oscar Aleman, an Argentinian guitarist who lived in Paris for a while in the 30s - try OSCAR ALEMAN - PARIS AND BUENOS AIRES 1928-43.

http://www.propermusic.com/

http://www.topicrecords.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.120570

http://www.grooves-inc.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/48/language/en/currency/GBP/products_id/1151956

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1461574/a/Buenos+Aires-Paris+1928-1943.htm

http://www.hotclub.co.uk/shop/acatalog/CD_s_by_Gypsy_Jazz_artists.html

I'm a bit agog! This is a wealth of information and it is exactly what I've been looking for! I'll need at least a week to fully ingest all of this properly, thank you Night :eusa_clap

I LOVE the "Squeeze Me" suggestion!! One of the things I've always enjoyed about the European stuff is, as you said, the use of more obscure instruments as leads .. and the accordian, in particular, is SO underrated!

A little off topic but have you heard any of the Comedian Harmonists' recordings?

We need to have a UK (and vicinity) listening party!

 

[nightandthecity]

glad to be of service!

I find the heavy use of string leads (notably fiddle/guitar/steel guitar) particularly appealing as well....which reminds me, if you feel like crossing back over the Atlantic, and haven't yet come across it, Western Swing is well worth checking out - indeed much 1930s-50s Country Music is very jazzy.

Incidentally, the Felix Mendelssohn link I gave has the right track listing but the wrong title. Try this one instead

http://www.hasmick.co.uk/catalogue/jasmcd-2589.html

That's a direct link to the Jasmine site. Their whole catalogue is well worth a perusal and a good drool.

Another thing that I like about non-US jazz is the way imported US jazz often fused with indigenous traditions of improvisation, creating something new....Django's guitar style is a good example of that.

The Comedian Harmonists name is ringing bells (in harmony of course) but i don't think I've actually heard them. They look right up my street though!

Anyway, back on my head...

 

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

It's the indigenous influences that I find the most appealing, even in early American Jazz, it's the influence of the work songs and the ascension from blues that really catches my fancy .. I've always been drawn to the working class/under class elements in music, any music.

I listen to quite a bit of Western Swing and early Bluegrass, again it's the immigrant influences that I enjoy the most in those genres as well. It wasn't the best movie, but in my opinion, Young Guns had the most authentic portrayal of frontier music in any western I've ever seen. The campfire scene sums that up perfectly!

fftopic: I'm planning a trip to London (my first) for the Tattoo Convention in October. It's held in the Old Truman Brewery (central London) and I'm starting to look into accommodations etc. Any hotel or BnB suggestions? Is there anything that a woman traveling alone in that area should keep in mind (aside from the standard precautions)?

 

[Salv]

...

fftopic: I'm planning a trip to London (my first) for the Tattoo Convention in October. It's held in the Old Truman Brewery (central London) and I'm starting to look into accommodations etc. Any hotel or BnB suggestions? Is there anything that a woman traveling alone in that area should keep in mind (aside from the standard precautions)?

The Old Truman Brewery is in Brick Lane - a great part of the city with some decent vintage shops nearby and some very good weekend markets, but not somewhere with much in the way of good accomodation, and not somewhere I'd think you could wander safely on your own at night. There's plenty going on along Brick Lane itself, but away from there it can be very quiet and the side streets are narrow and dark - you can see why Jack The Ripper felt safe going about his business around here...

There's a fairly lengthy list of nearby hotels here, but because much of that part of London is pretty much deserted at night you may want to consider staying somewhere a bit busier where it will feel safer to go out in the evening.

Where you stay depends on your budget though - if you can afford to splash out the area around Oxford Circus has plenty of good hotels, and you'll be near Soho and Covent Garden. If your budget is more limited then there are plenty of B&Bs in Victoria which are fine if all you want is somewhere to sleep. A few of us stayed at B&Bs there for the Lounge Dinner earlier this year - BellyTank and I stayed at the Colliers Hotel, which was OK, but the walls were paper thin so we could hear the conversation of the couple next door; Paddy stayed at the Belgrave House Hotel, which was nearer to Victoria Station, and had been smartened up more recently than the Colliers.

Try http://www.lastminute.com/ for good hotels, or http://budget.hotels-london.co.uk/ for something more affordable.

We'll have to try to organise an unofficial Loungers event while you're in town - what are the dates of the Convention?

And (slightly) back on topic - I've retrieved my dad's old Filipino LPs from my mum so I'll digitise them and make CD copies as soon as I can. It will be a few weeks though before they're done - I haven't got any spare time this week, and I'm working all weekend, then we're off to New York next week, but I'll let you know when I've finished.

 

[nightandthecity]

It's the indigenous influences that I find the most appealing, even in early American Jazz, it's the influence of the work songs and the ascension from blues that really catches my fancy .. I've always been drawn to the working class/under class elements in music, any music.

I listen to quite a bit of Western Swing and early Bluegrass, again it's the immigrant influences that I enjoy the most in those genres as well.

ditto and amen to all of that!!

I am a particularly big fan of WS, especially the thirties and early 40s stuff.

I listen to a lot of non-jazz/non-US ethnic and tradtional music as well.....VERY partial to Rembetika.

I've never seen Young Guns. In general I tend to be disappointed in film music. They rarely get it right....racking my brain Ride with The Devil was quite good and there is a German film about Rembetika from the 70s or 80s that was almost there.

Can't help re London but Salv is your man there. And an unoffical meet up sounds good.

 

[Salv]

ditto and amen to all of that!!

I am a particularly big fan of WS, especially the thirties and early 40s stuff.

I listen to a lot of non-jazz/non-US ethnic and tradtional music as well.....VERY partial to Rembetika.

I've never seen Young Guns. In general I tend to be disappointed in film music. They rarely get it right....racking my brain Ride with The Devil was quite good and there is a German film about Rembetika from the 70s or 80s that was almost there.

Can't help re London but Salv is your man there. And an unoffical meet up sounds good.

If you want to hear some traditional Filipino folk music as well let me know. I'm doing some CDs for Thora, and burning additional copies is quick and easy enough. I can always do a compilation CD to see if you like the music, then burn some more if necessary.

Do you think you could get down to London in October for a meet up?

 

[nightandthecity]

hi Salv...

yes please to the CDs and thank you!

Hopefully yes to October though I know I will have a lot of gigs that month.

 

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

Salv, thank you for the London info! The dates are the weekend of the 5th-7th and I'd be tickled to get together if folks were up to it! I don't want to put you out re: those LP's, but look forward to them any time you get a chance to copy them!

Night, I too am passionate about early world traditional! I love Rembetika! I'm not very well versed sans a compilation set that I found a few years ago, "Apagorevmena Rembetika" vol. I & II, Kostas Dousas' "Rembetika Me Kithara", and a George Dalaras LP called "Rembetika Tis Katohis" that I picked up last Spring. Knowing the origins of the music, I sure wish that I could understand the lyrics! I also am quite keen on early Andalusian Flamenco, anything Roma - I picked up several nice Gypsy fiddle albums in Budapest. My recent interest is in Gamelan, trad music of Indonesia.

What do you play? Something with strings, I'll bet

 

[Salv]

Salv, thank you for the London info! The dates are the weekend of the 5th-7th and I'd be tickled to get together if folks were up to it! I don't want to put you out re: those LP's, but look forward to them any time you get a chance to copy them!

OK - nearer the time we can start a thread to see who's interested in coming out for the evening. We had a mini-meet late last year, and since then there have been several new London area members joining, so let's hope we can get a good sized bunch together. If marq is DJ??ng one night while you're in town we could think about going along to his gig. But anyway, we've got plenty of time yet.

What do you play? Something with strings, I'll bet

I hope he won't be too embarrassed about this, but nightandthecity is my Lounge musical hero. In previous discussions he has revealed that he's a regular in the bands at the annual Rhythm Riot in Camber Sands, backing such R&R legends as Hardrock Gunter, Frankie Miller and Hank Thompson, and also had a stint playing with post-punk cult faves The Mekons. All this in addition to his frighteningly huge knowledge of jazz, country and R&B.

 

[nightandthecity]

Night, I too am passionate about early world traditional! I love Rembetika! I'm not very well versed sans a compilation set that I found a few years ago, "Apagorevmena Rembetika" vol. I & II, Kostas Dousas' "Rembetika Me Kithara", and a George Dalaras LP called "Rembetika Tis Katohis" that I picked up last Spring. Knowing the origins of the music, I sure wish that I could understand the lyrics! I also am quite keen on early Andalusian Flamenco, anything Roma - I picked up several nice Gypsy fiddle albums in Budapest. My recent interest is in Gamelan, trad music of Indonesia.

What do you play? Something with strings, I'll bet

Most of my Rembetika is on LP, though there are some great CDs now available - I keep meaning to buy this one…..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rembetika-G...-9841501?ie=UTF8&qid=1180102003&sr=8-1#disc_1

I am particularly fond of the early Smyrnaic stuff, and of the great women singers like Marika Papagika, Sotiria Bellou, and Marika Ninou…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHXNZ30kSc0


I was introduced to Rembetika by a friend in the early 1980s, and immediately grabbed by the music even before I got to grips with the stunning lyrics….those guys could teach grunge and emo a thing or two about serious existential angst! Rembetika topics: death, drugs, loss, drugs, crime, drugs, prison, drugs, sorrow, drugs, unrequited love, drugs…….

There were a couple of good TV documentaries about it back in the 1980s, I remember in one they tried interviewing one of the old singers about the music but all he wanted to do was talk about clothes and show off his fedora collection……I could identify with that!

Yes, I also love flamenco, fado, eastern European music, gyspy music…..(which reminds me I’ve been meaning to rewatch Gadjo Dilo sometime soon!)

I’ve played a few instruments and a lot of styles in my time. Started off in my teens on Highland bagpipes! Then guitar …..country blues, bluegrass, hillbilly, honky tonk, western swing, rockabilly…..then tin whistle, mouth organ, melodeon (mostly English traditional music, not the folk scene stuff, I always listened to the old guys)…border pipes (I was national champion three years running in the mid 80s!)….but since 1980 my main instrument has been the fiddle: mostly playing old-time, western swing, hillbilly, honky tonk, rockabilly, Cajun, jazz, English.

 

[nightandthecity]

I hope he won't be too embarrassed about this, but nightandthecity is my Lounge musical hero. In previous discussions he has revealed that he's a regular in the bands at the annual Rhythm Riot in Camber Sands, backing such R&R legends as Hardrock Gunter, Frankie Miller and Hank Thompson, and also had a stint playing with post-punk cult faves The Mekons. All this in addition to his frighteningly huge knowledge of jazz, country and R&B.

shucks Salv! My face has gone all red! You silver tongued young flatterer.

A meet up would be nice. I fancy a trip to the Black Cotton Club or the International Club if they are on that weekend....

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=148787030

http://www.myspace.com/1930sclub

The tatto convention looks a hoot as well! I was going to post a link but I suspect it would be removed....

 

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

That Black Cotton Club looks hot!! I can't wait for this trip, may have to make it over during the summer instead of waiting until October!

---

Almost on topic ..

I picked up the sweeeeeeetest little CD today, King Bennie Nawahi - Hawaiian String Virtuoso - This is a really lovely compilation, totally dispelling the luau/Don Ho stereotypes surrounding Hawaiian music. Sort of a Ragtime fusion .. If I was more articulate I'd go on and on, but I'm not, so I will just leave it at this:

"One of the few Hawaiian guitarists during the 1920's and 1930's who could be considered a legitimate contender to the title of "King of the Hawaiian Guitar" was Benjamin Keakahiawa Nawahi. "King" Bennie Nawahi was born on July 3, 1899 in Honolulu to a large family. He taught himself to play slack key guitar, and by the age of 15 was playing Hawaiian guitar in Honolulu parks for sailors and tourists.

In 1919 Bennie got a job playing steel guitar with his brother Joe's group, the Hawaiian Novelty Five, on the passenger liner Matsonia. The group worked between San Francisco and Honolulu, eventually touring North America on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit. Before long, Bennie left the group and became an established singer and ukulele virtuoso. He was crowned "King of the Ukulele" by impresario Sid Grauman of Grauman's Chinese Theater fame. His stunts included playing the song "Turkey in the Straw" on Hawaiian guitar with his feet.

By 1928 Bennie Nawahi had started his recording career, recording on many different labels, including Columbia, Victor, Q.R.S. and Grey Gull. He settled in Los Angeles in the early 1930s and formed a group called King Nawahi and the International Cowboys (which also featured a very young Roy Rogers). Nawahi was one of the few Hawaiian musicians to consistently black jazz or blues numbers, some with black groups such as the Georgia Jumpers. He was also unusual among Hawaiian steel guitarists of his day in that he used a single cone Triolian rather than the National tricone guitars preferred by others.

In 1935, tragedy struck Nawahi, as he suddenly lost his eyesight while returning home from a performance. Doctors were unable to explain why he became blind. After a short time, he returned to the stage, working with various Hawaiian groups in the Polynesian restaurants and clubs that were popular in Southern California. After World War II, he again joined his brother in the Nawahi trio, recorded a few additional tunes, and continued to perform in clubs.

In addition to his musical abilities, Nawahi was also famed as a long distance swimmer. In 1946 he swam from San Pedro to Catalina Island in just over 22 hours. He is still the only blind man to have completed this swim."

 

[nightandthecity]

BRITISH DANCE BANDS

not been around this bar for a while, but here's some nice titbits collected on YouTube......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNYa7OMwBuY&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V_vXHyNOUo&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwV7o2kQAfI&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWio933pPSk&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQH2XVxLyjY&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf_0KGAfN_Q&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMTpLHjHl_s&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7byDd9fOJb8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coeWKW-R6uk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3ydx1uNMrs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE1DY-78u5I

And bal musette!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T36GfpGKWhs&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJqku91PYwA

 

[nightandthecity]

Re the British Dance band links above….a couple of points worth mentioning. You’ll notice that a certain strain of bizarre and at times quite surreal humour runs through these performances, proving that The Goons and Monty Python didn’t come out of nowhere.

You may also be surprised by the number of fiddles and even cellos that are in evidence. These bands grew out of a tradition of vernacular string band music. There was a natural evolution from the village dance bands of 18th and 19th century England, based around fiddles and cellos and playing indigenous traditional music, to the horn based bands of the 20s and 30s playing imported (but heavily naturalized) American styles, and many of these bands continued to feature strings long after the massed horns had rendered them virtually inaudible.

Although there is quite a bit of 20s and 30s British band music on YT I was disappointed to find very little Bal Musette. There is some modern stuff of varying quality, but about all I could find of the original thing was this


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvfeaz7jMDc&mode=related&search=


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_q3Wc9RfGQ


There is a certain amount of chanson…Piaf etc. I rather like this atmospheric Frehel clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaKtdox7b60&mode=related&search=


Of the modern stuff, this has to be my current fave…..look out for US cartoonist Robert Crumb on Mandolin and listen out for the best musical saw solo I have ever heard!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKziC6tPwRE&mode=related&search=

Bal Musette is of course where Django started, and its one of the major roots of what is now called Gypsy Jazz, and well to the fore in numbers like these….two of Djangos greatest. In fact IMO Minor Swing is THE greatest number the Quintette ever recorded. At times I think it is the greatest number that anyone has ever recorded!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEzsPGHsi90&mode=related&search=


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_AC5e1Z6HA

 

[nightandthecity]

I picked up the sweeeeeeetest little CD today, King Bennie Nawahi - Hawaiian String Virtuoso

If you like King Benny then you’ll like Sol Hoopii as well

http://www.well.com/~wellvis/hoopii.html

There was actually quite a lot of this type of music around back then. You have the Hawaiian guitarists discovering jazz, ragtime, blues, country….and players of the latter discovering Hawaiian guitar…and people from around the world discovering both American music and Hawaiian guitar and coming up with similar fusions of their own.

Anyway, here's a few more rembetika links....

Rembetika TV series
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAzcJqhHT5c&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5FxGjcmN6s&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx1vXaKOtJA&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuxkGth7AWE&mode=related&search=

Part one of BBC documentary..further links for the rest from this page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cPbCXWGJMo&mode=related&search=

 

[Fletch]

Lud Gluskin 1924-33 (2 CD set on the Jazz Oracle label)

Lud was actually a New Yorker and many of his players were American, but he played mostly in Paris and Berlin and was immensely popular with his big jazz and show band. Very much worth hearing, tho the technical quality of recording varies wildly (mostly because copies are now so rare).

http://www.jazzoracle.com/catalogue/BDW_8045.asp