Jubilee was a series on what became known as the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) that featured popular Black performers, with a heavy focus on jazz artists.
Delightful set! Tatum was really on a tear, and Higginbotham is in a nice groove.
Gloria Morgan was a wonderful singer, who I got to hear and record several times for the Jazz Members Big Band, singing charts (and an original tune) by trumpeter Tom Wirtel, then going as Shab DaNour ( I'm guessing about the spelling). John Campbell played in that band. Wirtel was at North Texas State in the same class with trombonist, drummer, and composer Dee Barton. Gloria was a beautiful lady who died far too young, of breast cancer, if I recall correctly. I didn't know she played piano.
I've heard a lot of the Jubilee recordings and I believe the music wasn't recorded in front of an audience. There's no applause or cheers after solos, no vocal encouragements from audience; there's not even a cough to be heard. I do think that the announcer/bandleader patter was done in front of an audience. I don't have an article or interview that tells me that this is true, only my own ears. Listen to this one and tell me if you think an audience, especially a black audience (I'm telling on my own people) could remain completely silent - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WPyl1tePyI&list=PLwR3OGU5gK3avJpplaisDve9h0s3dp4Rw&index=21
The Jubilee series has been Very extensively researched, so these kinds of questions have been definitely answered. The early programs such as these were indeed recorded before audiences. But you need to realize that they were primarily recorded in radio studios where the performers were on a somewhat enclosed stage and the mikes were quite Far from the audience and somewhat isolated. They had audience mikes that could be turned on when desired, between songs. On later Jubilee programs they did indeed sometimes edit in pre-recorded numbers and pre-recorded applause, but not on this 1943 program. THANK YOU STEVEN
What a treat! Certainly Tatum did a number of these recordings and many are relatively accessible with some digging (even if available only on-line), so it is tremendous to have an addition to the group!! Given that various gems pop up like this from time to time, has there ever been an attempt to extend the important work done by Arnold Laubich on Tatum's discography?
Good question. I met the late Laubich a couple of times. He did a terrific job in his Tatum discography book. His book has a lot of details and indexes that one won't find in an online listing. There is no new discog book on Tatum, but the master jazz database of Tom Lord does continue to update as far as new releases etc. THANK YOU CHRIS
Thanks, Lewis — I do consult Lord as well, good to know I am not missing anything obvious! Sounds like a good project for an enterprising graduate student in the future. And I agree, the amount of detail and cross-referencing he did in that book was breathtaking when you consider it was 1982!!
I appreciate this. Regarding the Jubilee shows I'm pretty sure Lewis is right that they were attended by a live audience. My father was stationed in San Francisco late 43 to early 45 and told me a lot about the music that was and is still America's classical music.
This was so fantastic to hear. Incidentally, “ Amen” might have been to be part of the repertoire with some musicians at that time. I say that because my father had a 78 RPM version (same melody), but was entitled “ Hey Man”. I was in elementary school at time that I played the disc (one of those ephemeral moments), and I don’t recall the band’s name.
Yes, as I wrote there have been many versions over the years, and I gave a link (blue text) for more info. Also, here's one from 1942 that is not exactly the same, but very close, and it's called "Hey Man, Hey Man" (last song at this link); https://youtu.be/sxH_WUH7Q6w?si=ncJj4E9Fd4BCpnfu
James, since you are a fine pianist, you MUST check out my other Tatum essays--those are among my best-known work. Use the Index, or use the link near the bottom of this essay. THANK YOU JAMES
You are the man! That track sounds like the one. Thanks! And yes, I have been really meaning to check out your Tatum essays. Over the years I’ve collected as much Tatum as I could find.I have your work on the list to read before the fall semester begins!
Great! I suspected that might be the one. Looking forward to your reactions to my Tatum essays--lots of people have been very surprised. THANK YOU JAMES!
Delightful set! Tatum was really on a tear, and Higginbotham is in a nice groove.
Gloria Morgan was a wonderful singer, who I got to hear and record several times for the Jazz Members Big Band, singing charts (and an original tune) by trumpeter Tom Wirtel, then going as Shab DaNour ( I'm guessing about the spelling). John Campbell played in that band. Wirtel was at North Texas State in the same class with trombonist, drummer, and composer Dee Barton. Gloria was a beautiful lady who died far too young, of breast cancer, if I recall correctly. I didn't know she played piano.
That's great that you recorded Morgan's daughter Gloria--thanks for sharing these details. THANK YOU JIM
I've heard a lot of the Jubilee recordings and I believe the music wasn't recorded in front of an audience. There's no applause or cheers after solos, no vocal encouragements from audience; there's not even a cough to be heard. I do think that the announcer/bandleader patter was done in front of an audience. I don't have an article or interview that tells me that this is true, only my own ears. Listen to this one and tell me if you think an audience, especially a black audience (I'm telling on my own people) could remain completely silent - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WPyl1tePyI&list=PLwR3OGU5gK3avJpplaisDve9h0s3dp4Rw&index=21
The Jubilee series has been Very extensively researched, so these kinds of questions have been definitely answered. The early programs such as these were indeed recorded before audiences. But you need to realize that they were primarily recorded in radio studios where the performers were on a somewhat enclosed stage and the mikes were quite Far from the audience and somewhat isolated. They had audience mikes that could be turned on when desired, between songs. On later Jubilee programs they did indeed sometimes edit in pre-recorded numbers and pre-recorded applause, but not on this 1943 program. THANK YOU STEVEN
What a treat! Certainly Tatum did a number of these recordings and many are relatively accessible with some digging (even if available only on-line), so it is tremendous to have an addition to the group!! Given that various gems pop up like this from time to time, has there ever been an attempt to extend the important work done by Arnold Laubich on Tatum's discography?
Good question. I met the late Laubich a couple of times. He did a terrific job in his Tatum discography book. His book has a lot of details and indexes that one won't find in an online listing. There is no new discog book on Tatum, but the master jazz database of Tom Lord does continue to update as far as new releases etc. THANK YOU CHRIS
Thanks, Lewis — I do consult Lord as well, good to know I am not missing anything obvious! Sounds like a good project for an enterprising graduate student in the future. And I agree, the amount of detail and cross-referencing he did in that book was breathtaking when you consider it was 1982!!
I appreciate this. Regarding the Jubilee shows I'm pretty sure Lewis is right that they were attended by a live audience. My father was stationed in San Francisco late 43 to early 45 and told me a lot about the music that was and is still America's classical music.
This was so fantastic to hear. Incidentally, “ Amen” might have been to be part of the repertoire with some musicians at that time. I say that because my father had a 78 RPM version (same melody), but was entitled “ Hey Man”. I was in elementary school at time that I played the disc (one of those ephemeral moments), and I don’t recall the band’s name.
Yes, as I wrote there have been many versions over the years, and I gave a link (blue text) for more info. Also, here's one from 1942 that is not exactly the same, but very close, and it's called "Hey Man, Hey Man" (last song at this link); https://youtu.be/sxH_WUH7Q6w?si=ncJj4E9Fd4BCpnfu
James, since you are a fine pianist, you MUST check out my other Tatum essays--those are among my best-known work. Use the Index, or use the link near the bottom of this essay. THANK YOU JAMES
You are the man! That track sounds like the one. Thanks! And yes, I have been really meaning to check out your Tatum essays. Over the years I’ve collected as much Tatum as I could find.I have your work on the list to read before the fall semester begins!
Great! I suspected that might be the one. Looking forward to your reactions to my Tatum essays--lots of people have been very surprised. THANK YOU JAMES!