The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Many here I am certain are familiar with the very good recording made of the tune "Happy Feet" by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra on the Columbia Potato head 78 label. Those Whiteman Columbias must have been produced in great quantities because they are not hard to find and Happy Feet being from the King Of Jazz film I have had at least a dozen copies of over the years. So Happy Feet by the Whiteman band is a recording many here will be familiar with.
Another recording I have of Happy Feet is by a European band called Jezkuv Jazz on Ultraphone UA-10218. I traded this 78 off many years ago but kept a tape of it. Does anyone know where this recording was made or where this band originates from? I had a recording date of Feb. 1931 written down but no other information. I uploaded the recording to youtube. Here is a link if you want to hear it. Also the vocal is in a language I can't identify and might be a hint to what country this band was from.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrH5nNXG ... annel_page

And as long as I am here and mentioned Happy Feet by the Paul Whiteman orchestra I just have to share this very unusual, funny, don't know what to call it, story about this picture a collector sent me of Paul Whiteman with an unknown band and musicians. Maybe someone here will recognize some of the musicians in the picture.
Get his and be ready to laugh! The guy who sent me the picture told me it was taken in Germany when Paul Whiteman was there and that Adolf Hitler was the drummer with this band in the picture. He said Hitler was working as a drummer in a jazz band in Germany in the 1920's. The drummer DOES look a little bit like Hitler but I have never read anywhere he played drums in a jazz band. and I am sure Whiteman would have said something about meeting Hitler playing in jazz band in Germany. The most unusual picture is attached.

jazzgirl1920s

The language sounds Eastern European. I googled "Jezkuv Jazz", and apparently this band was from Czechoslowakia (hope I spell this right.)

About "Hitler", I don't think it is really him, and more men wore their mustache in the same fashion, before it was associated with Hitler. For instance, Oliver Hardy! (Who bears a striking resemblance to Paul Whiteman, btw. In their 1930 2-reeler "Below Zero" a woman even calls him "mr Whiteman").

Hey Jazzgirl, thats a really great version of Happy Feet. I love that tune. Just for comparison here is a version recorded by the UK band Jack Hylton & his Orchestra.

http://www.box.net/shared/n986zblbdp

RJ

Jazzgirl1920s,

Great recording! Absolutely fantastic! Thanks.

Regards,
John

Hi Jazzgirl1920s,

It's -indeed- the Czech Orchestra of Jaroslav Jezek (1906-1942; see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaroslav_Je%C5%BEek)
I really like the music of this orchestra, but the singing is awful in my opinion (singers are Jan Werich and Jiri Voskovec).

The record you had was probably a pre-war recording; in my collection I've a re-issue from the 50ies: Supraphon 36255: Chodidla (= Happy feet), flipside City Lights

See also for an example of a Jezek-recording...; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqnN8FxlBlE

And... wanna see and hear another great Czech Orchestra (my favorite !): Karel Vlach (here with singing of Inka Zemankova)...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8pCXms5 ... re=related

Thanks Richard for that version of Happy Feet by Jack Hylton. I enjoyed the alto sax solo on that recording and the great hot arrangement. And thanks to Calle and Bart1927 for information that the band was of Czech origin. That is a great picture of Laurel and Hardy. Thanks for sharing it Bart 1927. I have seen a lot of their movies and I really like them as they are one of the greatest comedy teams of all time. The other recording by the band from that link is Bugatti Step. I liked the novelty ragtime piano solo during the piece. That style of piano that Zez Confrey played and others is very difficult to play by listening to it. The other band was good but the recording was from 1941 and past my period of interest. I mainy like 1920's jazz.

jazzgirl1920s

jazzgirl1920s,
Listen to this one: you'll love it !

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=Mohu4_6Suis

Is that possibly Charlie Chaplin dressed as a woman in that film clip? It looks like him. That is indeed a great recording. I hadn't heard this particular recording of that tune before. The only one I have heard is by Merritt Brunies Friars Inn Orchestra. Thanks for sharing the recording.

jazzgirl1920s wrote:Is that possibly Charlie Chaplin dressed as a woman in that film clip? It looks like him. That is indeed a great recording. I hadn't heard this particular recording of that tune before. The only one I have heard is by Merritt Brunies Friars Inn Orchestra. Thanks for sharing the recording.

Jazzgirl...,

That does indeed look like a young Chaplin and the clip has the feel of a Sennett film to my (untrained) eyes. I know he did at least on other Sennett film in drag with Sennett himself in the film playing an annoyed director trying to film a parade. That's a great recording-I have it on CD someplace BTW.

Regards,
John