Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Louis A. Mitchell was born December 17, 1885 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and began performing in vaudeville revues and minstrel shows from around the turn of the century, playing drums and bandoline. After a move to New York City in 1912, he founded his own group, the Southern Symphonists’ Quartet.
He sang and drummed for James Reese Europe in 1918, and the following year founded a new group, which he called Louis Mitchell’s Jazz Kings. By the end of the decade, Mitchell began touring the United States, as well as, Europe, concentrating on the United Kingdom and France. He did solo percussion shows in addition to ensemble programs, and his drum solos were greeted harshly by French audiences. Nevertheless, his ensemble spent five years as the house band of the Casino de Paris.
He recorded for Pathe Records in 1922 and 1923, with Sidney Bechet playing with him at this time, however, Bechet did not appear on the recordings. Louis remained in France until 1930, branching into restaurant and nightclub management in addition to music. He renamed one of his clubs Chez Florence due to the popularity of performer Florence Embry Jones.
Moving back to the United States in 1930 after the failure of The Plantation, his last club, but he played little in his last decades. Drummer and bandleader Louis Mitchell transitioned on September 12, 1957.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Alton “Slim” Moore was born October 7, 1908 in Selma, Alabama and began on baritone horn before settling on trombone by age 17. He played with local bandleaders and territory bands in his youth, such as Georgia Barlowe, Eddie Lemon, Gonzelle White, and Gene Coy.
Moving to New York City early in the Thirties he played with Jack Butler, Charlie Skeete, and Bobby Neal. Frequently switching ensembles in New York, in 1938 he did a short tour of Cuba with the Leon Gross Orchestra. Toward the end of the decade Moore moved up to play in more high-profile bands such as those of Fats Waller, Coleman Hawkins, Hot Lips Page, and Charlie Johnson. In the 1940s he played with Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong.
By the 1950s Slim had reduced his outings to part-time playing, after an extended stay in the band of Stafford “Pazuza” Simon. He would go on to play with Fletcher Henderson in 1957, and in the 1960s played in the Prince Hall Symphonic Band in New York as well as other big band revival outfits.
Trombonist Slim Moore, who also played and recorded on euphonium and did some scat singing, transitioned in 1978 in New York City.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Elmer Schoebel was born in East St. Louis, Illinois on September 8, 1896. Early in his career he played along to silent films in Champaign, Illinois. After moving on to vaudeville late in the 1910s, he played with the 20th Century Jazz Band in Chicago, Illinois in 1920.
1922-23 saw him as a member of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, then led his own band, known variously as the Midway Gardens Orchestra, the Original Memphis Melody Boys and the Chicago Blues Dance Orchestra, before joining Isham Jones in 1925. After returning to Chicago, Elmer played with Louis Panico and Art Kassel, and arranged for the Melrose Publishing House.
By the 1930s, Schoebel was writing and arranging, working as the chief arranger for the Warner Brothers publishing division. From the 1940s onward he did some performing with Conrad Janis, Blue Steele’s Rhythm Rebels (1958), and with his own ensembles in St. Petersburg, Florida. He continued to play up until his death.
Schoebel wrote a number of standards, including Bugle Call Rag, Stomp Off- Let’s Go, Nobody’s Sweetheart Now, Farewell Blues, and Prince of Wails. While a member of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings he wrote I Never Knew What A Girl Could Do, Oriental, and Discontented Blues.
Pianist, composer and arranger Elmer Schoebel, who as a leader only recorded one of his own compositions in 1929 titled Prince of Wails, transitioned on December 14, 1970.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Andrew Anderson was born on August 12, 1912 in Mandeville, Louisiana. He played in the Young Tuxedo Band and the Allen Brass Band. In the mid to late Twenties he played with Joe Oliver in Chicago, Illinois.
He led the Pelican State Band in the late 1930s and continued playing in New Orleans with various bands until the 1980s. In the Seventies and Eighties he played and recorded with the New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra.
Trumpeter Andy Anderson transitioned on December 19, 1982.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Martin Abraham, better known as Chink Martin, on June 10, 1886 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He played guitar in his youth before settling on tuba as his main instrument. He played with Papa Jack Laine’s Reliance Brass Band around 1910, and worked in various other brass bands in the city in the 1910s.
In 1923, he traveled to Chicago, Illinois and played with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings with whom he made his first records. He also recorded guitar duets with Leon Roppolo, but these unfortunately were never issued. Returning to New Orleans with the Rhythm Kings in 1925, Martin made further recordings with them.
He also played with the Halfway House Orchestra with which he recorded on both tuba and string bass, the New Orleans Harmony Kings, and the New Orleans Swing Kings. In the 1930s, Martin worked as a staff musician at WSMB radio. He continued to play tuba for his entire career, though he also played and recorded on the double-bass from at least the 1920s onward.
He played with dozens of noted New Orleans jazz musicians, appearing on record with Sharkey Bonano, Santo Pecora, Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, and others. Tubist Chink Martin, who released one album under his own name on Southland Records in 1963, transitioned on January 7, 1981 in New Orleans.
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