03/10/2008
The Great Black Way by R.J. Smith
If I wasn't still somewhat disabled by the flu, I'd make this a rousing review of a great book I took out of the library when I got bored with watching the Netflix streams. I'm talking about The Great Black Way: L.A. in the 1940's and the Lost African American Renaissance by R.J. Smith.
Since I'm still somewhat wasted, I'll just point out a single musical high point.
One of the musicians Smith describes is seminal scat singer Leo Watson, who recorded with the Spirits Of Rhythm, Artie Shaw, Gene Krupa, and his own aggregations. I remembered that I had a comp CD of Watson's (pictured here), and went back to listen in between bouts of fever. Excellent. He would up as a drummer for Slim Gaillard, a pairing Smith describes:
"Having Watson back Gaillard was a little like having Albert Einstein chauffeur a really bright high school physics teacher. Gaillard was the star, but Watson was the genius - the secret inspiration for Gaillard's demented vocal style."
I've attached an MP3 of each man for comparison's sake. Dig The Man With The Mandolin by Leo Watson and his Orchestra, circa 1939.
Not to take anything away from Slim Gaillard, also a talented multi-instrumentalist, and a true Messiah of Vout.
Living up to the master with the MP3 of Yip Roc Heresy.