SOS 1186 Notes.txt
RUSTY TAYLOR'S NEW JAZZ REVIEW with Keith Nichols
"Let's Misbehave"
Stomp Off SOS 1186, 1989
LP rip (320 kbps) by Dick Baker, July 2008
PROGRAM:
Side A
1. SHIM SHAM SHIMMY (DANCE) (Spencer Williams-Andy Razaf) (d) - 3:20
2. IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS (Matty Malneck-Johnny Mercer) (a) - 4:36
3. WHAT'LL YOU DO? (Chester Cohn-Ned Miller) (a) - 3:08
4. MESSIN' AROUND (Doc Cooke-Johnny St. Cyr) (d) - 3:41
5. DADDY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME (Sam Coslow) (g) - 3:27
6. DO YOUR DUTY (Socks Wilson) (d) - 4:36
7. MY MAN FROM CAROLINE (Walter Donaldson) (b) - 3:25
26:13
Side B
1. BIG BAD BILL (IS SWEET WILLIAM NOW) (Jack Yellen-Milton Ager) (d) - 3:57
2. TURN ON THE HEAT (Buddy de Sylva-Lew Brown-Ray Henderson) (f) - 3:27
3. HE'S THE LAST WORD (Gus Kahn-Walter Donaldson) (c) - 3:14
4. WHAT WOULDN'T I DO FOR THAT MAN? (Jay Gorney-E. Y. Harburg) (d) - 3:52
5. LET'S MISBEHAVE (Cole Porter) (a) - 3:11
6. CRYIN' FOR THE CAROLINES (Harry Warren-Sam M. Lewis-Joe Young) (h) - 3:24
7. GEORGIA GIGOLO (Spencer Williams-oward Johnson) (e) - 3:31
24:36
All arrangements by Keith Nichols
(c) 1989 Stomp Off Records
PERSONNEL:
(a) Ben Cohen, cornet; Mac White, clarinet, alto and baritone saxes; Mike Piggott, violin; Gordon Blundy, trombone; Keith Nichols, piano; Paul Sealey, banjo, guitar; Graham Read, sousaphone, string bass; Graham Scriven, drums; Rusty Taylor, vocals.
(b) as (a) except omit Mike Piggott and Gordon Blundy.
(c) as (a) except omit Ben Cohen and Gordon Blundy.
(d) as (a) except omit Mike Piggott; and Brian Masters, banjo replaces Paul Sealey.
(e) as (d) except omit Gordon Blundy.
(f) Mac White, clarinet; Keith Nichols, piano; Brian Masters, banjo; Graham Scriven, washboard; Rusty Taylor, vocal.
(g) Ben Cohen, cornet; Keith Nichols, piano; Rusty Taylor, vocal.
(h) as (g) except omit Ben Cohen.
NOTES by Chris Ellis
Rusty Taylor is an entertainer whose style evokes memories of Sophie Tucker, Margaret Young, Blossom Seeley and other luminaries from the great days of vaudeville. Red of hair, comfortable of figure, always beautifully gowned, her natural habitat is the spotlight, and when Rusty struts her stuff it's a sight well worth seeing. Capable of belting out a bawdy blues, wringing the emotion out of a torch song or the laughs from a comedy number, she's to be heard at her best where the jazz is hot! And with a bunch of Britain's finest old-school jazz musicians under the amiable and expert guidance of pianist and arranger Keith Nichols, the jazz is hot right here on this album.
Rusty is also a gal who loves songs. Not for her the tired old warhorses that make up the repertoire of far too many singers and musicians. She delights in blowing the dust off neglected gems from the past and revealing them in all their sparkling glory. Fourteen of her discoveries are on display, making this an album to delight jazz lovers and musicologists alike.
Shim Sham Shimmy (Dance)
A 1933 collaboration between two famous black songwriters, Spencer Williams and lyricist Andreamenentania Paul Razafinkeriefo, otherwise Andy Razaf. Best known is Clarence Williams's fine version with his wife, singer Eva Taylor. Rusty and the boys take it slower, but beautifully relaxed and swinging all the way.
If I Had a Million Dollars
Violinist Matty Malneck and singer Johnny Mercer were both working with Paul Whiteman's orchestra when they got together to write this beauty for the Boswell Sisters to perform in their 1934 movie Transatlantic Merry Go Round. Keith's arrangement is a perfect evocation of the period with Ben Cohen's muted cornet taking the first melody statement before Rusty comes in for a heart-felt vocal. Splendid work from Paul Sealey and Mac White.
What'll You Do?
A forgotten popular song of 1927, written by Chester Cohn and Ned Miller. The arrangement makes effective use of Mike Piggott's violin, and the performance closely follows Sophie Tucker's routine.
Messin' Around
I've always been fond of this tune, a popular instrumental of 1926, and when I found the lyrics quite recently I gave them to Rusty and she fell in love with it too, which shows in her performance. It was written by Charles "Doc" Cooke and banjoist Johnny St. Cyr, who was playing in Cooke's Dreamland Orchestra at the time (and recording with Louis Armstrong's Hot Seven). Cooke's version also included cornetist Freddie Keppard in its personnel.
Daddy, Won't You Please Come Home
Plaintive plea from the pen of Sam Coslow. Annette Hanshaw's charming 1930 record was the inspiration for Rusty, Keith and Ben, who perform as a trio rather than as a vocal with piano and cornet accompaniment.
Do Your Duty
Rusty gives a suitably robust treatment to this rowdy number, which was written by Socks Wilson especially for what sadly turned out to be Bessie Smith's last recording session in 1934.
My Man from Caroline
Eva Taylor's vocal was the high spot of an otherwise routine Ben Selvin record of this 1930 Walter Donaldson pop song. Rusty's version is far more interesting with fine solos from Keith, Mac and Ben to add some spice to the proceedings.
Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
Jack Yellen and Milton Ager's amusing popular song was a hit for coon-shouter Margaret Young way back in 1924. It has since turned up on records by Kay Starr, Peggy Lee and Ry Cooder but remains underperformed. Rusty stacks up fine against any competition.
Turn on the Heat
Written in 1929 by the famous songwriting team of Buddy de Sylva, Lew Brown and Ray Henderson for one of the first movie musicals, Sunny Side Up, in which trick photography enabled the singer to start the number dressed as an Eskimo surrounded by ice floes and end in a grass skirt surrounded by palm trees! Come to think of it, Rusty in a grass skirt could be quite something.
He's the Last Word
Some great Mac White clarinet adds an extra fillip to this fun version of Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson's 1927 hit song. Annette Hanshaw was one of its early exponents.
What Wouldn't I Do for that Man?
Rusty does a first-rate job of rescuing this archetypal 1929 torch song from nearly 60 years of neglect. Written by Jay ("Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?") Gorney and E. Y. "Yip" ("Over the Rainbow") Harburg for tear-stained Helen Morgan, who sang it in her first film, Applause, and reprised it later the same year in Glorifying the American Girl.
Let's Misbehave
Cole Porter, at his sophisticated early best, wrote this for his 1928 stage hit Paris and then dropped it in favour of "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)." Rusty sings the risque lyrics with relish.
Cryin' for the Carolines
One of Harry Warren's best tunes, interpolated into the film version of Rodgers and Hart's Spring Is Here in 1930. Rusty and Keith, sans the band, treat it with the affection it deserves.
Georgia Gigolo
An obscure but excellent Spencer Williams, Howard Johnson gem from 1929, which swings along in happy fashion and allows solo space for Ben and also for rhythm stalwart Brian Masters's fine banjo.
Chris Ellis is a knowledgeable jazz critic and the producer of numerous vintage jazz and hot dance reissues for Parlophone and World Records. He currently sings with Vocal with Hot Accompaniment.
CREDITS:
Recording Dates - (a) (b) (c) June 13, 1988; (d) (e) (f) June 14, 1988; (g) (h) July 18, 1988
Recording Location - The Bull's Head, Barnes, London, Eng.
Recording Engineer - Dave Bennett, Basingstoke, Hants, Eng.
Mastering - George Horn, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, Ca.
Production Supervisor - Mike Cogan, Bay Records, Berkeley, Ca.
Front Cover Photograph - Tim Motion, London, Eng.
Front Cover Design and Art - Diane Z. Pettengill, Seattle, Wa.
Producer - Bob Erdos
Stomp Off Records - P.O. Box 342, York, Pa, 17405
Special thanks to John R. T. Davies for supplying details regarding the tunes and to Dan Fleming of the Bull's Head.
OTHER RECORDINGS FEATURING RUSTY TAYLOR:
Steve Lane's Jubilee Album (one track) - VJM SLC 26
Good Old Bad Old Days - Stomp Off SOS 1028
Snake Rag (Steve Lane's Southern Stompers) (one track) - Stomp Off SOS 1040
Give Me a Call - Stomp Off SOS 1082
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