Long Live Live #3 CD046C
I feel the Charioteers to be one of the best vocal groups of the era. They can be playful or moving - silly or incredibly smooth. Originally called the Harmony Four, they first got together in 1930 while students at Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. With Wilfred 'Billy' Williams' (lead tenor) Edward Jackson (second tenor) Ira Williams (baritone) Howard Daniel (vocal) Herbert Dickerson (vocal) Peter Leubers (vocal) John Harewood (vocal) Jimmy Sherman (piano) , they started with gospel music and later included pop music as well. In 1931 they were engaged to perform on a Cincinnati radio show at station WLW, staying for over two years, until another radio series brought them to New York. After signing their first recording contract with Decca, between 1935 and 1939 they recorded for V-Disc, Vocalion and Brunswick They recorded with Pearl Bailey,Frank Sinatra, Buddy Clark, and did a number of radio transcriptions. Even with the simple backup of ukulele on their transcriptions, they are still exciting, interesting arrangements. Most of their records can be found on Columbia, which they signed with in 1938. In 1950, the Billy Williams Quartet was formed with Eugene Dixon, Claude Riddick and John Ball. Billy would also have a solo career into the late fifties and he had a hit with 'I'm gonna sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter'. Redd Evans, born 1912, was a music lyricist whose songs have been recorded by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day,David Mann, Bobby Vinton and many others. Redd's group, The Bama Boys recorded almost zero on 78 rpm- I find it quite puzzling. Leader Redd Evans co-wrote Rosie the Riveter with John Jacob Loeb , which became an icon of home support for the war effort. Evans also composed 'There I've Said It Again' which was immortalized by baritone bandleader Vaughn Monroe. One of his best known songs was 'The Frim Fram Sauce' Glenn Miller's Frenesi seems a bit slow compared it with the Artie Shaw version - which is as full of life as Buenos Aires during Mardi-Gras. The arrangement makes more of an impact with a modulation about half way through, where it is sonically quite interesting. Red norvo's 'The Night Is Blue' is a moody piece especiall coming to life during the sax solo in the bridge. ~ Mickey Clark
1 If I Could Be With You The Charioteers COL 37914 06/03/47 CREAMER-JOHNSTONE
Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year Sarah Vaughn COL C2158 12/30/52 CO48729 LOESSER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
Laura Sydney Bechet COL 6224 07/31/47 38042 MERCER-RASKIN
Out Of Nowhere Bing Crosby Victor Young BR 80043 03/30/31 983 GREEN-HEYMAN
Some Of These Days Lee Sims BR 3764 12/01/27 25439 BROOKS
Without A Song Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra VIC 36396 01/20/41 1060349 ROSE-ELISCU-YOUMANS
Barber's Hitch The New Friends Of Rhythm VIC 26256 05/01/39? MOZART
Ill Wind Lena Horne VIC 27819 12/15/41 1061979 KOELER-ARLEN
Mood Indigo Duke Ellington VIC 24486 12/10/30 64811 ELLINGTON-BIGARD-MILLS
Woodland Symphony Alvino Rey BB 11143 04/14/41 STEVENS - DAVID
Please Be Kind "Bama" Boys-Redd Evans BB 7494 03/11/38 KAHN-CHAPLIN
A Blues Serenade Bing Crosby DEC 1933 07/08/38 1311 PARISH-SIGNORELLI
I May Be Wrong - Doris Day Harry James COL C6531 01/25/50 4009 RASKIN-SULLIVAN
Milumbu John Kirby Orchestra COL C206 04/22/40 26758 SHAVERS-KIRBY
It's Been So Long Chick Bullock And His Levee Loungers MEL 06-03-02 12/26/35 18442 ADAMSON-DONALDSON
I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan Foursome COL 2709-D 09/18/32 152278 DIETZ-SCHWARTZ
Love Is A Random Thing Buddy Clark Ray Noble COL 37215 11/15/46 37089 FAIN-MARION
Give Me A Heart To Sing To- Ethel Waters DEC 141 09/05/34 38548 YOUNG-JUDELL-WASHINGTON
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart Mildred Bailey VOC 3378 11/09/36 20220 ROSE-ELISCU-YOUMANS
Frenesie Glenn Miller HMV BD5678 12/13/40 105874 CHARLES-RUSSELL-DOMINGUEZ
That Old Feeling Kay Thompson DEC 27130 06/05/50 76436 BROWN-FAIN
Lost In A Fog Coleman Hawkins DEC 18252 11/18/34 CE6741C FIELDS-MCHUGH
Two Dreams Met Yvette BB10872 09/03/40 GORDON-WARREN
The Night Is Blue Red Norvo PAR 2088 10/02/34 16034 NORVO-KURTZ-MILLS
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