Jack Johnson's Jazz Band - Who are these people?

[JSngry]

This is kinda awesome.

[Scott Dolan]

That drummer is loving life!

[lipi]

I love that bit of film. It's from a 1929 Fox Movietone news reel.

The University of South Carolina Libraries website has the source file, which includes nearly 20 minutes of footage: outtakes of the intro, musician close-ups, etc. First 50 seconds is random stock footage, so you can safely skip that:

https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc%3A47584

I never actually tried to figure out who plays in it, but I'd love to know.

[Chuck Nessa]

Clarinet player had me thinking Garvin Bushell.

[JSngry]

22 minutes ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Clarinet player had me thinking Garvin Bushell.

That would be a trip. Who else played with Jack Johnson and John Coltrane?

[Chuck Nessa]

11 minutes ago, JSngry said:

That would be a trip. Who else played with Jack Johnson and John Coltrane?

He played with Jelly too.

[Rooster_Ties]

Cool!  But what I've been wanting to see for years, is the Tribute to Jack Johnson doc, with all that Miles Davis soundtrack in its originally envisioned context.

How is is that none of that JJ doc has ever been been uploaded to YouTube, or any other steaming video site, DailyMotion, etc... -- ??

I've searched for that thing every 6-10 months for years, and next seen so much as a clip even.  What gives??

[Spontooneous]

I'm not alone in thinking it's Chick Webb on drums, am I? 

[jeffcrom]

3 minutes ago, Spontooneous said:

I'm not alone in thinking it's Chick Webb on drums, am I? 

That was my first thought.

 

[lipi]

OK, I'll buy Chick. He recorded "After Seben" that same year, so it makes sense.

And the trombone player could be Jimmy Harrison, then. And...Elmer Williams on clarinet, maybe? I've never seen a great picture of either Elmer Williams or Jefferson Hilton (or if I have I cannot remember).

[medjuck]

Anyone notice that the string bass player (is he also the tuba player?) uses his bow the whole time and never plucks his strings?   BTW How did you find this? It's amazing.  I sent the link  Jeff Kaufman who made "The Savoy King" which has what he thought was the only (very brief) footage of Chick Webb.  Haven't heard back yet. 

Edited December 18, 2018 by medjuck

[brownie]

That's not Chick Webb on drums!

[JSngry]

5 hours ago, medjuck said:

  BTW How did you find this?

I was just looking around YouTube, clicking random links, and then this showed up in the sidebar. What algorithm led to that, you got me.

[bertrand]

11 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

Cool!  But what I've been wanting to see for years, is the Tribute to Jack Johnson doc, with all that Miles Davis soundtrack in its originally envisioned context.

How is is that none of that JJ doc has ever been been uploaded to YouTube, or any other steaming video site, DailyMotion, etc... -- ??

I've searched for that thing every 6-10 months for years, and next seen so much as a clip even.  What gives??

I saw the film in DC around 1992. A lot of the music in the film was from Bitches Brew. Quincy Troupe was supposed to be there, but it was Stanley Crouch instead, who was a fucking asshole. Ruined the day for me.

[JSngry]

I have that movie on a commercial VHS release.

[JSngry]

18 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

Cool!  But what I've been wanting to see for years, is the Tribute to Jack Johnson doc, with all that Miles Davis soundtrack in its originally envisioned context.

How is is that none of that JJ doc has ever been been uploaded to YouTube, or any other steaming video site, DailyMotion, etc... -- ??

Here it is on YouTube. I think it sounds even better as accompaniment to the film!

Now go buy it on VHS!

https://www.amazon.com/Legends-Ring-Johnson-Breaking-Barriers/dp/6304097034

[sambrasa]

Garvin Bushell, huh? Did not know he was such an old timer. Now I had to  pull out the Complete Coltrane at Village Vanguard 1961 box set. Always liked this one for amazing sound clarity and diverse range of music preformed.

[sambrasa]

On 18.12.2018 at 11:00 AM, JSngry said:

That would be a trip. Who else played with Jack Johnson and John Coltrane?

Realized that Garvin Bushell might also be the missing link between Miles Davis and Jack Johnson. He was on those 1962 sessions with Gil Evans Orchestra that produced a.o. much maligned Quiet Nights LP.

Edited December 19, 2018 by sambrasa
Period missing, grammar,

[medjuck]

On 12/18/2018 at 11:02 PM, medjuck said:

Anyone notice that the string bass player (is he also the tuba player?) uses his bow the whole time and never plucks his strings?   BTW How did you find this? It's amazing.  I sent the link  Jeff Kaufman who made "The Savoy King" which has what he thought was the only (very brief) footage of Chick Webb.  Haven't heard back yet. 

Jeff sent me ot a website with the following:  " Bryant - trumpet, Odell Williams, Harold Blanchard and Bobby Sands clarinet & sax and Charlie Dixon (ex-member of Fletcher Henderson) on banjo. Drums? Some believe Chick Webb, others Kaiser Marshall - but most probably it is a certain Herbie Cowens."

And then sent me to the Wikipedia entry for Cowens which had the following: 

". He worked with Garvin Bushell in 1942,"

Edited December 19, 2018 by medjuck

[JSngry]

Thanks for that info!

I really don't see that being Chick Webb.

It also seems to me that the clarinet player is a true delight!

[Ted O'Reilly]

Looks to me like there's a tuba player AND a bass player.  Hard to tell, but at some points the bassist appears to be plucking the strings while loosely holding the bow, and later 'bounces' the bow on the strings.

[JSngry]

The aforementioned site with the full footage is revelatory in so many ways. There were multiple takes, some of them apparently shot with the intent of being used for editing, as "punch-ins". There are shots that linger on one player for a good while, including the tuba player. And there's a priceless sequence where the trumpet player REALLY flubs his breaks and then makes a face of self-disgust when the take ends.

1929, remember, no pantomiming, this stuff was all live, all of it. So, while there were moments of "improvisation", there was just as much that stayed the same. This does not strike me odd at all. The rise of improvisation being of paramount importance took a long time developing.

The more I watch it, the more I love that clarinetist. That guy was a PRO!

[Brad]

On 12/18/2018 at 7:29 PM, Scott Dolan said:

That drummer is loving life!

That drummer is something else. 

The dancing is about as bad as mine (when I’m under the influence).  

Amazing clip that bears repeated watching.