In this scene, we find Harold (with the "C" on his sweater), his sidekick Alec "Shadow" Smart, who appears to be feeding Harold a straight line, Pop Jenks, proprietor of the establishment, and Harold's girlfriend Lillums Lovewell.
In 1939, the adventures of Harold and company were chronicled in a Better Little Book (a successor to the popular Big Little Books) called "Swinging at the Sugar Bowl."
Now, what does all this have to do with Bob Crosby? Not much, except that Bob and his band recorded a song inspired by the book, and the Coral people reissued it in 1950 as the title song of this 10-inch LP. It's actually a good tune with a spirited vocal by guitarist Nappy Lamare - but before we delve into musical matters, let's peek at the background of the Crosby band.
Bob Crosby, Bob Haggart, Ray Bauduc and band |
Despite being issued in 1950, this LP chronicles recordings that the Crosby group made from 1936 to 1939. The band became noted for performing not only in the swing idiom but the older Dixieland style. Three of the band's core members were from New Orleans - Lamare, tenor saxophonist Eddie Miller and drummer Ray Bauduc - and all had an affinity for the style. Appropriately, the earliest record included here - 1936's "Muskrat Ramble" - marked the first time the band explored a Dixieland standard on record. Because of its interest in Dixieland, the band was a precursor to the New Orleans revival styles that sprang up in the 1940s. The renewed popularity of this music may well have been the impetus behind this Coral reissue.
Joe Sullivan |
The cover notes say that pianist Jess Stacy can be heard on this album, but as far as I can tell, he is not - although he was a member of the band at one point. You can see him with the band, however, in an excellent 1942 Snader video of "Muskrat Ramble" available on YouTube. In addition to Stacy, Lemare, Miller and Bauduc, the video gives you glimpses of Crosby stalwarts Billy Butterfield (trumpet), Warren Smith (trombone), Matty Matlock (clarinet) and Bob Haggart (bass), who also are heard on this LP.
Nappy Lamare, Eddie Miller, Matty Matlock, Ray Bauduc, Bob Haggart |
This is an enjoyable record, well recorded for the time. Crosby literally does nothing on the LP except lend his name to the proceedings; even so, it's high time I featured him and his fine aggregation on this blog.
1937 Billboard ad (click to enlarge) |