Bravo, Chris Albertson

[Larry Kart]

Just picked up this delightful record (originally Riverside, now OJC), which Chris produced back in 1960 and which almost certainly never would have been made otherwise. As the notes explain, Chris played some vintage Snowden sideman recordings on his Philadelphia radio show, Snowden (then a parking lot attendant) wrote him a friendly note, Chris arranged to hear him play, etc. Snowden (b. 1900) went way back -- it was in his band that the young Ellington came to NYC from D.C . -- and his banjo playing is something else: lucid, unique, joyfully swinging. Fine band too: Cliff Jackson, piano; Tommy Bryant, bass; Jimmy Crawford, drums.

[Christiern]

Thank you, Larry--if it pleased your discriminating ears, it must be more than okay.

I might add that the banjo was one of my least favorite instruments until I hear what Elmer could do with it.

[king ubu]

I recently got a chance to hear this, and indeed it's a very album! And of course I am no fan of the banjo, either...

[jazzbo]

Hey, I'm the grandson of a banjo player and a fan of the banjo!

This is a great record/lp!

[AllenLowe]

well, as someone who has been playing the 6 string banjo (shades of Papa Charlie Jackson) - I say we need more banjo records - actually, people have forgotten how deep the banjo can be, per Gus Cannon, Papa Charlie Jackson, Doc Boggs - Mike Seeger also plays beautifully -

I have more than a few of that series that Chris produced, and am glad Larry brought it up - along with some of the Atlantics that I think Herb Friedwald (Will's late dad) produced of New Orleans musicians, they showed how much life there still was in this music, how it could be organized in such a way as to not only evoke certain nostalgic feelings but to also produce great and vital music - it's not merely a matter of "authenticity" but of going to the sources, to the musicians who understood and still felt the music -

Edited June 14, 2006 by AllenLowe

[Claude]

I recently got a chance to hear this, and indeed it's a very album! And of course I am no fan of the banjo, either...

Too bad, because the banjo has recently invaded Switzerland:

http://www.banjomen.ch/seiten/home_e.html

The only banjo on record I have (but I haven't checked my John Zorn collection yet ) is on Wynton's "Majesty of the Blues" (Danny Barker).

[brownie]

I'm a big fan of that session! Still have the original vinyl! One of the most refreshing albums ever.

Hats off to Chris for taking care of these gentlemen and preserving the music!

[king ubu]

I recently got a chance to hear this, and indeed it's a very album! And of course I am no fan of the banjo, either...

Too bad, because the banjo has recently invaded Switzerland:

http://www.banjomen.ch/seiten/home_e.html

ouch!

Of course I have recordings with banjo on them... all the early Ellington etc. and it doesn't bother me there, but I'd not be the one to search out specific banjo music, usually...

[brownie]

Everybody loves a banjo!

[rostasi]

Banjos!

[Lazaro Vega]

Guy walks into a music store. Clerk says, "May I help you." Guy looks past him, casts his eyes around the material on the peg board behind the counter, looks in the case, turns around and looks over the room, then turns back and says, "I'll take one realistic inflatible Ginger Lynn doll, two large tubes of K-y and as many volumes you have of Big Legs magazine." The clerk, half laughing but mostly nervous, says,"Ah, this is a music store fella, we have nothing like that here." Guy says, "Yeah, I know, but I was too embarrassed to ask for a set of banjo strings."

[paul secor]

Coincidences are sometimes too strange to be coincidental. I bought this CD about a year ago after brownie recommended it on the OJC thread, played it once, didn't have much of a reaction to the music, and put it on the shelf. This morning I put it on while I was preparing and eating a leisurely breakfast, and was in a place where I could hear what was there. Then I came across this thread and it seemed almost spooky that people were writing about this record right at the time when I was able to experience it for the first time.

The word I would use to describe this record is charming. Charm can't give complete sustenance, but when I'm in the right mood it will be a record I look forward to listening to again.

Incidentally, anyone interested in more Elmer Snowden might want to check out Lonnie Johnson with Elmer Snowden Vols. 1 & 2 on Original Blues Classics. Elmer Snowden plays guitar on these recordings, which were also produced by Chris A.

Edited June 14, 2006 by paul secor

[Christiern]

Here's a somewhat blurry (I never mastered lightmeters) picture of Elmer in my Philadelphia apartment. I still have that tape recorder, a British Ferrograph.

[Chuck Nessa]

You should have provided an ashtray.

[Christiern]

Back then, as you may recall, old wives were claiming that ashes are good for the carpet.

[Chuck Nessa]

Didn't know you had one of those.

[Chuck Nessa]

Banjo / accordian. Takes longer for a banjo to burn.

[fasstrack]

Just picked up this delightful record (originally Riverside, now OJC), which Chris produced back in 1960 and which almost certainly never would have been made otherwise. As the notes explain, Chris played some vintage Snowden sideman recordings on his Philadelphia radio show, Snowden (then a parking lot attendant) wrote him a friendly note, Chris arranged to hear him play, etc. Snowden (b. 1900) went way back -- it was in his band that the young Ellington came to NYC from D.C . -- and his banjo playing is something else: lucid, unique, joyfully swinging. Fine band too: Cliff Jackson, piano; Tommy Bryant, bass; Jimmy Crawford, drums.

Tunes on the date?

[Christiern]

Tunes on the date?

1. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
   
2. Doin' the New Low Down
   
3. Runnin' Wild
   
4. Diga Diga Doo
   
5. Them There Eyes
   
6. Tishomingo Blues
   
7. C-Jam Blues
   
8. Sweet Georgia Brown
   
9. Alabamy Bound
   
10. Twelfth Street Rag
    
11. Bugle Call Rag
    
12. Dear Old Southland
    

[AllenLowe]

am I confusing things, or wasn't Dicky Wells also in that early Snowden band?

Edited June 15, 2006 by AllenLowe

[Christiern]

I don't know which band you are referring to, but you are right about Wells having played in a Snowden band. Here is a partial list of players who at various times were Snowden sidemen.

Sonny Greer

Otto Hardwicke

Duke Ellington

Count Basie

Jimmy Lunceford

Claude Hopkins

Frankie Newton

Joe "Tricky" Sam Nanton

Bubber Miley

Chick Webb

Benny Carter

Cliff Jackson

Garvin Bushell

Fats Waller

Joe Garland

Keg Johnson

Jimmy Harrison

Prince Robinson

Gus Aiken

Sid Catlett

Roy Eldridge

Al Sears

Rex Stewart

and

Dickie Wells

[Clunky]

Chris

Just got Uptown and Lowdown CD . Love the Dick Wellstood tracks, very elegant and of course beautifully recorded by RVG. Elmer Snowden sounds more than fine on the Cliff Jackson tracks tucked away at the end of the CD although the trumpet sound of Ed Allen sounds a little insecure. Both very spirited sessions. Was that all there was or is there more in the vaults.?

Highly recommended CD, can't see Concord putting this sort of material out , so....

Edited July 7, 2006 by Clunky

[Christiern]

I'm afraid there isn't any more in the vaults. I did two sessions, one with each band, with the idea of issuing them back to back on LP. In retrospect, of course, I wish we had recorded two album sessions.

Ed Allen (as I may have mentioned in the notes) played that wonderful solo on Bessie Smith's "Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out." At the time of this recording, he was, as I recall, playing in a lowly taxi dance hall on 14th Street.

Cliff Jackson's Washboard Wanderers

Cliff Jackson (

piano

); Ed Allen (

cornet

); Rudy Powell (

clarinet

); Elmer Snowden (

banjo

); Abe Bolar (

bass

); Floyd Casey (

washboard and kazoo

). Recorded at Van Gelder studio on July 20, 1961.

• Wolverine Blues
  
• Sheik of Araby
  
• I Found a New Baby
  
• Blues For Englewood Cliffs (FC plays kazoo)
  

Dick Wellstood and His Wallerites

Dick Wellstood (

piano

); Herman Autry (

trumpet

); Gene Sedric (

clarinet and tenor sax

); Milt Hinton (

bass

); Zutty Singleton (

drums

). Recorded at Van Gelder studio on July 27, 1961.

• Yachtclub Swing
  
• Brush Lightly
  
• Blook's Dues
  

[Christiern]

Concord may not realize it, but they should have some unissued Elmer Snowden material that I produced for Riverside. I was not pleased with these tracks, so I scrapped them and decided to do what became the Harlem Banjo album. Ray Bryant was a student of Elmer's in Philadelphia--they had done many gigs together and Ray played drums when the gig did not involve a piano.

Here's what they might find in the vault:

Elmer Snowden

Elmer Snowden (

banjo

); Ray Bryant (

piano

); Garvin Bushell (

tenor sax, bassoon, clarinet

); Gene Dedric (

tenor sax and clarinet

); Jimmy Rowser (

bass

); Mickey Roker (

drums

). Recorded at Plaza Sound Studios (atop Radio City Music Hall), NYC on October 11, 1961.

• Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now (3 takes)
  
• Black Bottom (4 takes)
  

Elmer Snowden with The Ray Bryant Trio

Elmer Snowden (

banjo and guitar

); Ray Bryant (

piano

); Jimmy Rowser (

bass

); Mickey Roker (

drums

). Recorded at Plaza Sound Studios, NYC on October 12, 1961.

• Mack the Knife (2 takes)
  
• Ain't Misbehavin' (2 takes)
  
• Lady Be Good (3 takes)
  
• Indiana (2 takes) (Elmer plays guitar)
  

BTW, I also did a Snowden album on my own, which I later sold to Alan Bates (not the actor) who first released it on Fontana, then his own label, Black Lion:

Elmer Snowden Sextet

Elmer Snowden (

electric guitar

); Roy Eldridge (

trumpet and vocals

); Bud Freeman (

tenor sax

); Ray Bryant (

piano

); Tommy Bryant (

bass

); Jo Jones (

drums

). Recorded at Stea-Phillips Studios, NYC on February 1, 1962.

• Beale Street Blues (2 takes)
  
• My Blue Heaven (3 takes)
  
• Basin Street Blues
  
• School Days (2 takes) - vocal by Roy
  

Same personnel and studio - February 2, 1962:

Elmer Snowden (electric guitar); Roy Eldridge (trumpet and vocals); Bud Freeman (tenor sax); Ray Bryant (piano); Tommy Bryant (bass); Jo Jones (drums). Recorded at Stea-Phillips Studios, NYC on February 2, 1962.

• One For the Money (2 takes) - vocal by Roy
  
• Loveless Love
  
• Saturday Night Fish Fry (2 takes) - vocal by Roy
  

[clifford_thornton]

I found that Harlem Banjo LP in a bookshop a couple of years ago, and it's really good. Thanks for the reminder of this cool session; may play it when I get home from work!