Ida G. Brown, unknown blues singer

[EKE BBB]

Listening to the Retrieval release "Armand Piron´s New Orleans Orchestra", I came across a couple of tracks performed by Ida G. Brown with a contingent from Piron´s Orchestra: Peter Bocage on cornet, John Lindsay on trombone, Lorenzo Tio Jr. on clarinet and Steve Lewis on piano. Recording date is February 1924

These two tracks are Bessie´s famous "Jail House blues" and Piron/Lewis´ "Kiss me sweet".

I had never heard of this singer before. Making some google research I couldn´t find anything. And no reference to her neither in my jazz/blues books nor in liner notes for the Retrieval disc. Lord only lists these two tracks from 1924.

Her voice reminds me vaguely of Bessie´s in "Jail House blues": her tone, the way she holds the last syllable of some words bending the note... but maybe just because I identify this song with Bessie. Not so in "Kiss me sweet", though.

Any information on this remarkable singer? Chris? Chuck? Anyone?

[As an aside note, another singer featured in this disc, Lela Bolden, has one of the oddest (I´ll say it, awful) voices I´ve ever heard. Liner notes describe it as "secretarial"]

[mmilovan]

As an aside note, another singer featured in this disc, Lela Bolden, has one of the oddest (I´ll say it, awful) voices

Buddy Bolden's sister?

Buddy Bolden after having sex changed?

Edited December 16, 2004 by mmilovan

[John L]

Apparently, there are no other known recordings of Ida G. Brown than those two. Those recordings were re-released on a number of lables, sometimes under the names of "Flora Dale," "Sadie Jones," and "Harmograph Ida and her Boys."

"Jailhouse Blues" was apparently recorded in February, 1923. That is seven months before Bessie Smith's recording.

Ray Smith's notes from the Piron Orchestra disc on Azure say the following:

"Ida 'Baby Blues' Brown had broadcast with the Prion Orchestra on their second visit to New York, on station WJZ. Born about 1900, she was a theatre singer who appeared in various shows, including "Baby Blues" at the Lafayette Theatre in New Orleans, from which she received her nickname."

[EKE BBB]

Thanks for the input, John.

Retrieval CD [RTR 79041, released in 2003] states February 1924 as the recording date, and not 1923.

And I don´t find very probable that Ida recorded a tune composed by Bessie Smith (at least credited to her; well, to her and to Clarence Williams, as so many times) before Bessie did (September 1923)

On the latter, I´ll check Chris Albertson´s book tonight, I´m speaking from memory.

[EKE BBB]

Do you also see the similarities to Bessie´s on Ida´s voice when singing "Jailhouse blues", or is it just me?

[EKE BBB]

As an aside note, another singer featured in this disc, Lela Bolden, has one of the oddest (I´ll say it, awful) voices

Buddy Bolden's sister?

Somebody asked seriously this question at the Dixieland (yes PD, Dixieland ) mail list, but got no replies, as far as I can remember.

So, you gotta keep your riddle, Milan.... at the same time you keep the cylinders!

[John L]

Yes, I didn't stop to think. 1924 makes much more sense.

There is a similarity to Bessie Smith's version, although the voice is not as blue or as powerful.

[AllenLowe]

There's an Ada Brown who recorded with Bennie Moten - great singer -