Circa 1970s -1980s 45 RPM - The Record Company of The South
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Circa 1990's Mardi Gras Card Set #4
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Circa 1990's Mardi Gras Card Set #3
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Circa 1990's Mardi Gras Card Set #2
(Click to Enlarge to see Detail)Circa 1990's Mardi Gras Card Set #1
2008 - EMI Records (Bootleg)
Track Listing:
1. Japansy
2. My Inspiration
3. Forbidden Love
4. Alone Together
5. Allisons Theme (Parrish)
6. Lonely Little Tune
7. Grasshopper
8. Casablanca
9. Lost Love
10. China Nights
11. Women Of The World
12. Mae
13. Rave On
14. Juliets Theme
15. Sleepy Serenade
16. I'm Just A Surfing Boy
17. Walking The Floor Over You
18. O' Mabel Where Can You Be
19. Abbeville Our Abbeville
20. Yellow Dog Blues
21. Tailgate Blues
22. Baby, Baby
23. Aquarius
24. Dixie
Liner Notes:
These Pete Fountain recordings are from various Corel, Brunswick, Arcadia and other 45 RPM A and B sides that were never officially issued on any albums. For the first time they are presented here for your enjoyment. All sides are from the original mono recordings, as released from a period from 1950 through 1971.
1973 Columbia Special Products Stereo P-12013
Side 1
1. White Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald
2. Christmasland - Tony Bennett
3. Winter Weather - Jo Stafford
4. Little Town Of Bethlehem - Barbara Streisand
5. Christmas Waltz - Pat Boone
6. Whatever Happened To Christmas - Frank Sinatra
7. Jingle Bells Medley - Sammy Davis Jr
Side 2
1. Christmas Song - Tex Beneke
2. Toyland - Doris Day
3. Jingle Bell Rock - Pete Fountain
4. Christmas Is - Bing Crosby
5. O Come All Ye Faithful - Julie Andrews
6. Let It Snow - Andy Williams
7. What Are You Doing New Years Eve - Ella Fitzgerald
1991 Epic RecordsCD Listing
1. White Christmas - Allen Toussaint
2. Please Come Home For Christmas - Johnny Adams
3. Jingle Bell Rock - Frankie Ford
4. I Saw Mama Kissin' Santa Claus - Pete Fountain
5. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Luther Kent
6. Jingle Bells - Rockin' Dopsie/Zydeco Twisters
7. Merry Christmas Baby - Doctor John
8. Let It Snow - The Dixie-Cups
9. Christmas Song, The - Aaron Neville
10. Go Tell It on the Mountain - The Zion Harmonizers
11. O Holy Night - Irma Thomas
Liner Notes:
Various artist compilation of New Orleans musicians.
1975 Master Audio Recording Studios
Side A
1. Saints Go Marching In - Louis Cottrell and Jazz Band
2. New Orleans Parade - Murphy Campo and Orchestra
3. Cabaret - Dukes of Dixieland
4. Ragtime Gal - Your Father's Moustache Orchestra
5. Little Rock Get-A-Way - Armand Hug Piano
6. Tiger Rag - Danny Barker and Jazz Band
Side B
1. R. K.'s Boogie - Ronnie Kole Trio
2. Down By the Riverside - Trombone Beaucoup and Orchestra
3. Cotton Fields - Paul Guma Quartet
4. Without a Song - Dick Stabile and Orchestra
5. Java - Al Hirt and Orchestra
6. Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? - Pete Fountain and Orchestra
Album cover designed by Bob Cole
A tourism souvenir given out at he The National Governor's Conference held in 1975 in New Orleans, LA
Liner Notes:
"Priceless" is literally the word for this L.P. It isn't for sale. It's a gift from the State of Louisiana, a special gift of New Orleans music.
New Orleans music is an art derived from European classical and folk music, African chants, country blues, work songs, jazz and a modernization of all of these in today's Crescent City sound. It's a sound heard all around town - Bourbon Street, Uptown, Downtown - from the old sections to the suburbs, and beyond.
But however New Orleans music changes, it always provides pleasure. And for pleasure, we offer this disc for your very own.
Louis Cottrell, Jr., "When the Saints Go Marching In"
Louis, Jr., son of the great jazz percussionist, is one of the finest pure New Orleans clarinetists. He performs with his old-timers at Heritage Hall on Bourbon Street, while Blanche Thomas belts out her own brand of blues and "soul."
Performance courtesy of Nobility Records, N-703.
Murphy Campo, "New Orleans Parade"
Reared in the French Quarter, Campo started young on the trumpet. As a teenager he won a stint at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Now appearing at the French Quarter's Famous Door. Campo is a trumpet virtuoso, singer and composer.
Performance courtesy of Spark Records, K 84001, 1962.
Dukes of Dixieland, "Cabaret"
"La familia Assunto e compadres" is an Italian description of the Dukes. Frank Assunto, his brothers and associates still carry on hometown traditions with a hometown sound. The Dukes have made it big in Las Vegas and just about everywhere. Now they're home playing at Dukes' Place at the Monteleone Hotel.
Performance courtesy of Decca Records. DL 74863, 1968.
Your Father's Moustache Orchestra, "Ragtime Gal"
Nostalgic turn-of-the-century and roaring twenties sounds spill through the jazzy precincts of Bourbon Street when the enthusiastic young musicians of Your Father's Moustache make music with banjos, tuba and slide trombone while the visiting firemen sing along just for kicks.
Performance courtesy of Your Father's Moustache, New Orleans.
Armand Hug, "Little Rock Get-A-Way"
Leader in the white jazz field. Hug's only eccentricity is a refusal to leave New Orleans even for money. During the thirties, Hug's piano was first choice of Benny Goodman, Bob Crosby, the Dorseys. Today he spellbinds audiences at the Royal Orleans Hotel.
Performance courtesy of Gold Crest Label. #3045.
Danny Barker, "Tiger Rag"
Danny as a kid played with old-time New Orleans spasm bands. Later his versatility on guitar or banjo provided a rhythm spark for Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Cab Calloway and Lucky Millinder. An authority on New Orleans jazz, he worked as historian for the Jazz Museum.
Performance courtesy of Bethlehem Label, BCP-6047, 1959.
Ronnie Kole, "R. K.'s Boogie"
Skilled piano entertainer, Kole got his first big break on the Mike Douglas TV Show, followed by appearances on the Tonight Show and at Las Vegas' Thunderbird. There Al Hirt persuaded him to head New Orleans way. His style, according to Kole, is not Dixieland, progressive or even jazz. Just cool and classical. he and his combo turn on fans wherever they play in New Orleans and throughout the country.
Performance courtesy of Paula Records, LSP 2200.
Trombones Beaucoup and Orchestra, "Down By the Riverside"
Louis Pendarvis, Milton Bush, and Bob Morgan had been playing trombones as a section for several years with the New Orleans opera. Their trombone togetherness also extends to the New Orleans Summer Pops, as well as many dance bands and jazz clubs.
Performance courtesy of Dover Record, Inc., LP1002.
Paul Coma Quartet, "Cotton Fields"
New Orleans born Paul Guma has the unique talent of being equally adept on guitar, clarinet and saxophone. Known 'round the country as former guitarist with Pete Fountain, Paul formed his own group and is now entertaining in Florida.
Performance courtesy of Top of the Mart.
Dick Stabile, "Without a Song"
Since he formed his own band in 1936, Dick Stabile has been a much wanted musician. He's appeared in virtually every major hotel and has logged thousands of broadcast hours. Today he plays to happy audiences in the "Blue Room" of the Roosevelt Hotel.
Performance courtesy of King Records, KS623.
Al Hirt, "Java"
"Gabriel of the South," big Al and orchestra rate as one of showbiz's hottest musical groups. A "red-beans-and rice" Orleanian, Al started to climb with a scholarship to the Cincinnati Conservatory. He later joined the Dorsey bands, Ray McKinley and Horace Heidt. He's wowed audiences at Carnegie Hall as well as in feature movies and recordings. Now he's a hero at his own Bourbon Street bistro, Al Hirt's Club.
Performance courtesy of RCA Records, LSP 3309, 1965.
Pete Fountain, "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans"
One of the great clarinetists of all times. Pete made his first pro date at age 18, filling in for Irving Fazola. With a two-year stint on Lawrence Welk's TV show, Pete earned national acclaim. An incurable Orleanian, Pete has rooted himself here - except for recording dates, short tours and TV appearances. He now dispenses musical pleasure in his own club, Pete Fountain's French Quarter Inn.
Performance courtesy of Coral Records, CRL757282.
Good Time Louisiana is a unique combination of just about everything you could want to enjoy. Would you like your vacation to have an exotic flavor? Well, 10 flags have flown over Louisiana, and the state still exhibits exciting and unusual influences from its past. Take the Evangeline Country, where the Acadians, exiled from Canada, settled. Their descendants, affectionately called "Cajuns," still speak a patois based on 18th century French as frequently as English. The enchanting past is all around you in Louisiana. You can see Indian mounds... remains from earliest explorations... towns founded before the United States was a nation... magnificent ante-bellum mansions... pirate hangouts... Civil War forts and battlefields. It's a sight-seer's dream.
Louisiana is a Sportsman's Paradise, too. Whatever your sport - unless snow is involved - you will enjoy it here as never before. There is year-round golf, tennis, fishing and water sports of every description. Horse racing has been popular since the days when plantation owners staked fortunes on the prides of their stables. And there are unusual native sports as well, such as the pirogue races in slim craft invented by the Indians. Of course, the Mid-Winter Sports Carnival, with its complete program of amateur athletics, is famous throughout the nation.
Regional cooking at its most unusual and best is what you'll find in Louisiana. The Creole cuisine originated from the classic French - spiced with Spanish flavoring, Indian herbs, and an African exoticism. All this art was used on the native produce such as magnificent seafood and shellfish... vegetables such as mirliton, yams, okra and cushaw... excellent meats... and a luscious array of fruits and berries. Creole cooking is found, for the most part, in the southern part of the state, but wherever you go in Louisiana - whether it's a world famous restaurant or a little out-of-the-way cafe offering the specialities of that particular region - you can eat beautifully.
Louisianians are a festival minded people, and you'll find celebrations throughout the year. Of course, Mardi Gras is the most famous event as far as the rest of the world is concerned. But in a typical year there are almost a hundred fairs and festivals throughout the state from Spring Fiesta, a recreation of ante-bellum days, to Holiday in Dixie... the Hodges Gardens Arts & Crafts Festival... Tarpon Rodeo in Grand Isle... and delightful country fairs of every sort.
1996 GHB Records BCD-1421143 2 CD Set
Disc 1
1. With You Where You Are
2. South Rampart Street Parade
3. Tin Roof Blues
4. Bugle Call Rag
5. Basin St. Blues
6. Bill Bailey
7. All Of Me
8. Farewell Blues
9. Indiana
10. Sister Kate
11. Some Of These Days
12. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
Disc 2
1. Panama Rag
2. Milneberg Joys
3. Woodchooper's Ball
4. High Society
5. Blues
6. Dinah
7. Shine
8. That's A Plenty
9. None Of My Jelly Roll
10. When The Saints Go Marching In
11. No Place Like Home
Available for purchase on CD, New and Used at Amazon
The announcement in the New Orleans States-Item was simple enough:
A two hour jazz concert will be held this coming Monday, May 7, 1956 at the Parisian Room on Royal Street for the benefit of ailing jazz drummer Arthur "Monk" Hazel. The music is slated to begin at 8:30 pm.
Sounds fairly basic - not necessarily an unusual event. Benefits are not uncommon in show business - but this was New Orleans and it happened at the peak of the so called "Jazz Revival" in the Crescent City. The second generation of New Orleans dixieland jazz musicians were working steady and performing extremely well. There was a wealth of talent available in the city and a jazz tradition in full swing.
New Orleans jazz musicians are a somewhat contradictory group. They have always been a little different in their attitudes and temperaments from players in other parts of the country. On one hand they can behave defensively and jealously, always suspecting someone may be trying to take their job. At the same time, in spite of any insecurities they may have, they tend to regard themselves as a "family" and, in many ways, behave that way among themselves. Quick to squabble among themselves but even quicker to join hands against any perceived outside threats. The Musicians Union reflects this family attitude. Louisiana is a right-to-work state and there is no really logical reason for players to join a union - but the local has always been strong and the vast majority of the musicians belong. It's primary function is to set hours and pay scales and discipline erring members but its real reason for existing for many years so far has been its role as a unifying sense of identity for the members.
As the music business grew through the '20s and '30s and musicians left town to tour or play in other parts of the country, invariably they would tend to stick together whenever possible. They got along with everyone usually but, if there were two or more Orleanians in a band, they would hang out together. The Bob Crosby band was a good example of this.
So - a benefit for one of their own who was having problems could become - and in this instance did become - a truly great jazz program. Monk Hazel was an excellent jazz drummer - one of the best - and he had played with most of the jazz musicians in town through the years. He kept excellent time - backed the players well - and he had a strong understanding of the role of the drums in a jazz band. In addition, he could double on his old, beat-up silver mellophone. It was a little added extra lagniappe that audiences liked and it added another solo voice to the traditional six piece band. Sharkey Bonano always felt he played best when Monk was backing him. Other leaders - Santo Pecora, Tony Parenti, Johnny Wiggs, George Girard and others - preferred him to other drummers. He was virtually the "house" drummer of Joe Mares' Southland record label, with roots that went back to the great jazz players and New Orleans bands of the '20s, Hazel was truly a musicians' drummer.
Monk has a friendly, pleasant attitude and personality - he was cooperative on the bandstand - and he was well - liked by his cohorts. Monk had a tendency to imbibe spirits more than most and there were scores of stories related among musicians of his antics while under the influence. Funny though they were, few would bear repeating in print. without exception though, every musician was impressed with the fact that, no matter how many "sheets to the wind" Monk may have had, he always played superbly. Unfortunately Monk's thirst habits contributed to his failing health. He had been playing with Sharkey Bonano at the Famous Door on Bourbon Street when he fell ill and the benefit followed shortly after that. Fortunately he recovered and resumed playing until his death in April, 1968.
The well attended benefit was the idea of Joe Mares (Paul Mares of NORK fame's younger brother and record producer) and Joe Gemelli (a men's clothing store owner an avid jazz fan). Tony Almerico offered his Parisian Room on Royal Street for the show and recruited the musicians. Mares acted as Master of Ceremonies. A copy of the ticket to the concert is illustrated on the back cover of this CD.
It would take an involved listing of players to identify each player on each tune but, as announced, the concert kicked off at 8:30 in the evening with Tony Almerico (t), Pete Fountain (cl), Jack Delaney (tb), Roy Zimmerman (p), Joe Loyacano (b), and Johnny Castaing (d). As the concert proceeded other players would replace the starters. If you'll listen closely you'll hear Raymond Burke and Harry Shields in the clarinet chair; Santo Pecora and Joe Rotis with their trombones; George Girard and Sharkey Bonano and Mike Lala on trumpets; banjoist Frank Federico and bassist Chick Martin. As the concert progressed, Johnny Edwards replaced Castaing on drums.
This concert gives an exciting sample of the great jazz being played in New Orleans in the 1950s. This was about the same period when Eddie Condon and his cohorts were dominating the scene in New York and most of the country. Although it might be tempting to make comparisons between them and the New Orleans players, it would have to be too subjective to have any value. Both groups contained most of the best dixieland players of the time and all were sincere in what they were doing - yet there were differences that reflected backgrounds and experience that made subtle changes in their approach to the music. Listening to the jazz players in this concert will illustrate the talent and enthusiasm and excitement New Orleans jazz men projected - especially when they were playing for one of their own.
- Plato Smith 1996
Ticket:
Benefit Dance for Monk Hazel
Sponsored by Funds for Monk Hazel Committee
Monday, May 7, 1956 8:30 P.M.
Parisian Room, 116 Royal St.
Music by Dixieland All Stars
Donation $100
1981 Ranwood Records Stereo R-8194
Side One
1. China Boy (Go Sleep)
2. Sweethearts On Parade
3. Blue Moods
4. Should I
5. Pete's Tail-Fly
6. San Antonio Rose
Side Two
1. Barnyard Blues
2. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
3. 's Wonderful
4. Tea 'n Trumpets
5. Thou Swell
6. Strike Up The Band
Originally released 1958 on Coral Records CRL 57146 Mono / CRL 757146 Stereo, currently available on CD Dixieland Lawrence Welk and Pete Fountain - Ranwood Records
A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Teleklew Productions, Inc.
9034 Sunset Blvd.,
Los Angeles, Ca. 90069
Printed in U.S.A.
Photo of Lawrence Welk by Exley
Illustration by Michael Humphries
Art Direction & Design: Desmond Strobel
Liner Notes:
...Pete Fountain, Nick Fatool, Stan Wrightsman, Phil Stephens, George Van Epps, George Thow, Clyde Hurley, Bill Schaefer, Elmer "Moe" Schneider.... Those are legendary names, a roll-card of the giants of Dixieland jazz, and they're all here on this album which has become a classic of its kind - and the personal favorite of Lawrence Welk.
The incomparable Mr. Fountain, who played clarinet for the Welk band before opening his own jazz club in New Orleans, is backed by equally superlative musicians: Nick Fatool, on drums, often called "the human metronome" by his fellow musicians; Phil "The Chief" Stephens on bass, and Stan Wrightsman on piano. "We used to call Stan the last of the really great two-handed piano players," recalls George Thow, whose jazz trumpet is featured on Side Two in "Tea 'n Trumpets." Thow, who played in the original Dorsey Brothers band, before joining the Welk group, is now on the production staff of the television show, and he regards his fellow players on this album as absolutely tops. "George Van Epps is a master of the guitar, and both Bill Schaefer and "Moe" Schneider are brilliant slide-trombone men - "Moe" played with many of the great Dixieland bands, including Ben Pollack and Bob Crosby. And of course, Clyde Hurley was one of the all-time greats on jazz trumpet. He was featured with the famed Glenn Miller band for years."
They're all stars, and they prove it from the opening track of "China Boy" - which Fountain wraps up and takes home with his awe-inspiring smooth and velvety phrasing - to the all-out closer when everybody cuts loose on "Strike Up The Band". This is a record that explodes with an exciting, irresistible, driving, purely joyous Dixieland beat that makes you want to grab a horn and join in!
Lawrence Welk loves it. It's the first record he plays for visitors to his office, and when the strains of "China Boy" - his particular favorite - fill the room, Lawrence is, as he says, in heaven. His eyes sparkle, his toes tap, he beams widely as he bounces around in his chair, totally unable to sit still. "I've always loved this kind of music," he explains. "When the boys and I played the big cities during the Big Band years, I'd head for the local jazz clubs as soon as we had finished our show for the evening. And there I'd be till two, three or four o'clock in the morning. However, I recognized a long time ago that we jazz lovers are somewhat in the minority, and if my band and I wanted to eat, then we'd better play the music most people like! So you might say that all these years I've been playing popular music for my tummy - and Dixieland for my soul."
If that's the case, then this album is a feast, a "must" for all lovers of this singularly American art form, Dixieland played by those who play it best, for those who love it most.
Bernice McGeehan
