Band,
Jazz and Pop
A.k.a. Maryland Dance Orchestra The Roseland Ball Room Orchestra
Gennett Records was home to many pivotal and influential figures in jazz, but if a count of all the Gennett recordings made by those artists were doubled, it still wouldn’t equal the number of sides recorded by Gennett’s most prolific recording group, Bailey’s Lucky Seven. In October 1921, a mere few months after the first-ever jazz release, Victor’s “Livery Stable Blues,” took the world by storm, the Gennett studio in New York City began a series of recordings organized by Sam Lanin to capitalize on the new interest. Lanin, a popular bandleader and music agent, recruited the most in-demand studio musicians for many of the sessions, including Phil Napoleon on cornet, Irving Milfred “Miff” Mole on trombone, Jimmy Lytell on clarinet, Frank Signorelli on piano, and Jack Roth on drums. Lanin often hired Red Nichols to add an invigorating second cornet line to capitalize on the hot sound at the time. Ironically, the group never included anyone named Bailey, and sometimes more or less than seven members recorded together. Additionally, no one named Ladd could be found in the all-white Ladd’s Black Aces, and the five-plus members of the Original Memphis Five all hailed from the Northeast, so the origins of their band names is a bit of a mystery. Recordings reveal an excellent band with well-crafted and smartly arranged tunes that both hit upon the pop dance sound and highlight the various members’ virtuosity and innovative playing. One of the centerpieces of their repertoire was “Nobody Lied,” recorded in June of 1922. This recording featured Phil Napoleon on coronet and Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards on kazoo. Edwards was one of the more in-demand vocalists of both stage and record, who won an Oscar for his recording of “When You Wish Upon a Star” as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Disney’s “Pinocchio.” Bailey’s Lucky Seven was a group that played with the musical vibrancy akin to that of their fellow Gennett Walk of Fame brethren. Their recordings not only helped keep the lights on at Gennett, but also seamlessly combined the free-spirited, hot sound of jazz with the more danceable pop style of the day to make some of the period’s great records.
Red Nichols tr, cor 1905-1965 US | |
Frank Signorelli p 1901-1975 US | |
Vic Berton dr 1896-1951 US | |
Tommy Gott tr 1895-1965 US | |
Jimmy Durante voc 1893-1980 US | |
Miff Mole tb 1898-1961 US | |
Jimmy Lytell cl 1904-1972 US | |
Phil Napoleon tr 1901-1990 US | |
Bennie Krueger sax 1899-1967 US | |
Johnny Costello tr | |
Jack Roth dr US | |
Charles Panelli tb | |
Nick Lucas g 1897-1982 | |
John Cali bj, fl US | |
Ernest Hare voc 1883-1939 US | |
Bobby Davis as, ss, cl | |
Sam Lanin voc, dr 1891-1977 US | |
Billy Jones voc 1889-1940 US | |
Frank Bessinger | |
Benny Bloom tr | |
Doc Behrendson | |
Loring McMurray | |
Arthur Hall voc *1889 |
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
1921 - 1925 | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1982 | Compil. |
Dinah / After I Say I'm Sorry | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1926 | Album |
I'm So Disappointed In You / Don't Wake Me Up | "Piggy" Jones & His Orch. / Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1925 | Album |
Marguerite / Summer Nights | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1925 | Album |
Don't Bring Lulu / Flag That Train | Nathan Glantz And His Orchestra / Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1925 | Album |
Dear One / Won't You Come Back To My Arms | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1925 | Album |
After The Storm / There's Yes! Yes! In Your Eyes | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1924 | Album |
Where The Lazy Daises Grow / The One I Love | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1924 | Album |
Roamin' To Wyomin' / Not Here, Not There | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1924 | Album |
Lovey Come Back / Hula Lou | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1924 | Album |
Oriental Love Dream / May Time | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1924 | Album |
Oh! Min / Steamboat Sal | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
Pickles / Do You, Don't You, Will You, Won't You | Bailey's Lucky Seven / Sam Lanin's Famous Players | 1923 | Album |
Stuttering / Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goo' Bye) | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
Foolish Child / No, No, Nora! | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
Marcellonie / Wet Yo' Thumb | Joseph Samuels' Orchestra / Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
Gyspy Lady / Pay Day Blues | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
I've Got The Yes! We Have No Bananas Blues / That Old Gang Of Mine | Bailey's Lucky Seven / Nathan Glantz And His Orchestra | 1923 | Album |
Carolina Mammy / Everything Is K.O. In K. Y. | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
Georgia Cabin Door / 'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans | Carolina Cotton Pickers / Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
Yes, We Have No Bananas / Bebe | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
Oh! Gee, Oh! Gosh, Oh! Golly I'm In Love / Dirty Hands, Dirty Face | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1923 | Album |
Nobody Lied / Sweet Indiana Home | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1922 | Album |
Tricks / Chicago | Joe Samuels And His Master Players / Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1922 | Album |
My Mammy Knows / On The 'Gin 'Gin 'Ginny Shore | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1922 | Album |
Hot Lips / Rosa | Bailey's Lucky Seven / Joe Samuels And His Master Players | 1922 | Album |
Carolina In The Morning / Homesick | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1922 | Album |
No Wonder I'm Lonesome / Tomorrow | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1922 | Album |
Poor Little Me / Don't Leave Me Mammy | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1922 | Album |
I've Got My Habits On / In My Heart, On My Mind All Day Long | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1922 | Album |
'Neath The South Sea Moon / I Wish I Knew | Bailey's Lucky Seven / Joe Samuels And His Master Players | 1922 | Album |
Sweet Indiana Home / The Sneak | Bailey's Lucky Seven / Joe Samuels And His Master Players | 1922 | Album |
How Many Times / Wimmin | Bailey's Lucky Seven | 1922 | Album |
That Sweet Somebody O'Mine | Bailey's Lucky Seven | Album | |
Alabamy Bound / I Found A Way To Love You | Bailey's Lucky Seven / Nathan Glantz And His Orchestra | Album | |
Dreamy Melody / Red Moon | Bailey's Lucky Seven | Album |