Joe Sodja - A Forgotten Musician And Entertainer

Joe Sodja (1911-1992)

The name of Joe Sodja does not pop up frequently nor is easily found in the usual reference books and articles about jazz or popular performers, and the info found on the internet only provides fragmentary details about his career. However, below I'll refer what I found available about Joe Sodja - a remarkable, but forgotten musician and entertainer.

Joe Sodja 1938 - YouTube still shot

This inserted photo of Joe Sodja is a still shot from a Vitaphone (soundie) film featuring Fred Rich and his orchestra recorded in 1938. Joe Sodja performs as a guest appearance at the end of the film playing a version of Chinatown, My Chinatown accompanied by Fred Rich's band.

Excerpt of Vitaphone trailer

The Vitaphone soundie has been uploaded at YouTube and is inserted below, Joe Sodja performs Chinatown, My Chinatown starting at 8:19

Joe Sodja's performance in the Vitaphone film shows his extraordinary dexterity as a guitarist combined with a humorous attitude appealing to a wide audience expecting to be entertained. This stage appearance seems to have been a successfull choice, although his attitude may seem outdated nowadays. Nevertheless, Joe Sodja had success and spent most of his career as a professional performer in the popular field of entertainment business. But in 1937 he also had a short stint in a regular jazz setting, when he had the opportunity to record a session under his own name for the Variety label as Joe Sodja's Swingtette accompanied by some top notch jazz artists of the time: Joe Marsala (cl), Frank Froeba (p), Artie Shapiro (b) and George Wettling (d). The session was recorded in New York on June 18, 1937 and four sides were cut, but only two of them were issued. The discographical info is inserted below

Info excerpted from Tom Lord's discography vers. 9.0 (click to enlarge)

This session by Joe Sodja is the only registered jazz session during his career, moreover the recording of Limehouse Blues is the only tune from the session that has been reissued. It was reissued in the 1970s on a double LP by Columbia Records titled 50 Years of Jazz Guitar featuring various artists.

Joe Sodja's guitar playing in this swinging version of Limehouse Blues is quite intriguing and remarkable. His approach does not resemble the commonly applied technique by any of his well known contemporary American fellow guitarists. His guitar solo style has been compared with Django Reinhardt's because of the use of fast and long solo runs up and down the fretboard especially well known from Reinhardt's 'manouche' approach to the guitar soloist's opportunities. Sodja's right hand picking technique seems to have been transferred from a mandolin or banjo approach, which incidentally seems likely, since he also knew and played these string instruments. When not playing solo, his approach to comping also resembles Reinhardt's style - very unusual for an American guitarist at the time.

Joe Sodja featured in an ad for Gibson guitars

Joe Sodja was from Cleveland, where he was born in 1911 in a family with Slovenian roots. He had four brothers with whom he formed a band, The Arcadian Melody Pilots, that performed locally playing polkas and waltzes at dance hall gigs and was featured on local radio networks. At that time his great idol and inspiration was Harry Reser, the famous tenor banjo player and bandleader, and he concentrated on learning and refining his banjo playing technique. At age 16 he was discovered by talent scout and bandleader Paul Ash, who had a longer stint at a theatre in Cleveland with his orchestra. Sodja was invited to perform with the orchestra as a soloist, and after this engagement he became a popular solo attraction on the radio, first locally but in the early 1930s he was discovered and hired by bandleader Fred Waring, who had his own programs featuring his orchestra and invited guest on the NBC radio that reached all regions of the US. His engagement with NBC and Fred Waring brought Sodja to New York where he was a regular featured artist in Waring's programs during the 1930s. He also toured as a soloist on the national night club and conventional circuit performing light entertainment music besides appearing in various TV shows from the late 1940s and on. From about 1946 Sodja started a collaboration with pianist and bandleader Julian Gould with whom he recorded 150 transcriptions for Langworth during the following ten years in a trio setting labeled as the Joe Sodja Trio.

Julian Gould

The Langworth transcriptions by the Joe Sodja Trio - like similar recordings by other artists -  were not commercially issued but were strictly decided for radio broadcast only. As far as I know, none of these transcriptions by the Joe Sodja Trio have since been reissued on LP or CD, but a couple of examples are available at YouTube. - Here is first Joe Sodja Trio performing Guitar Boogie 

Sodja's guitar solo in this version of Guitar Boogie shows his inspiration from Les Paul, who had a hit with his version of the tune in 1947. The interplay with Gould's piano is excellent and the result is a swinging take that withstand repeated listening, I think. The same applies to the recording by the trio of a version of Exactly Like You from the Langworth transriptions

Sodja's collaboration with Julian Gould also included a recording of a LP that featured Sodja playing tenor banjo

LP front cover illustration

The audio from this LP has been uploaded at YouTube, here's an example of the duo's playing in the honky tonk style

In 1957 Joe Sodja was hired to participate in a low-budget Hollywood Western movie titled The Parson and the Outlaw where he had a small role as a newspaper agent, moreover he composed and recorded the soundtrack music for the movie showing off his banjo playing

Original movie poster

The movie was a success and was followed by a couple more in the same genre, Sodja again was offered small roles and participated in the screen play. About the same time there was recorded a couple of solo performances on screen featuring Joe Sodja showing off his capacity as a guitar player. To end this presentation of a remarkable musician and entertainer, here is Joe Sodja playing his version of The Old Mill Stream 

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Jo

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Seasonal Joys

As editor of Hans Koert's website and blogs I want to thank you readers for your support in 2015 and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2016. - It's the time for the seasonal joys, here are some musical recordings to accompany the spirit of the holidays.













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Jo
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When Lights Are Low - Lionel Hampton All-Star Session, September 1939

Lionel Hampton

Lionel Hampton signed a favorable contract with RCA Victor in 1937 that allowed him to invite musicians from other popular jazz orchestras of the time to record a series of sessions that otherwise would have been difficult if not impossible to organize. From 1937 to 1941 Hampton recorded 107 sides featuring musicians from the orchestras of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Luis Russell, Fletcher Henderson, Fats Waller and Earl Hines, giving him the cream of the period’s soloists and rhythm players. These recordings rank among some of the best small band swing jazz of the late 1930s and they have since been reissued both on vinil and CD, i.e.. at the 5 CDs box-set from Mosaic some years ago, shown below (- unfortunately out of print).

Mosaic #238, The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-41

Here I like to put focus on a famous session from September 11, 1939 that unites Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Chu Berry and Ben Webster as the dream sax section with a young Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Clyde Hart (piano), Charlie Christian (guitar), Milt Hinton (double bass) and Cozy Cole (drums); Hampton leads the session and contributes both on vibes and as vocalist.

Exerpt of discograpical info, Mosaic #238 (click to enlarge)

Benny Carter's arrangement of When Lights Are Low was the first tune and recorded in two takes, the second take probably is the best known featuring solo spots by Carter, Hampton, Hart and Hawkins

Coleman Hawkins

The first take of When Lights Are Low has a different solo by Hampton

One Sweet Letter From You has vocal by Hampton and the guitar playing obligato is by Charlie Christian (- here on acoustic strings)

Charlie Christian

The tenor solo is by Hawkins or Webster (- unfortunately I'm not the expert to differentiate the two in this session, sorry) 

Hot Mallets has a nice muted trompet solo by a young Dizzy Gillespie exchanging riffs with Carter's alto followed by a short tenor contribution by Chu Berry and a lengthy Hampton solo

Dizzy Gillespie

The last tune in this session was Early Session Hop that has fine examples of the sax section playing in unison followed by solos by Hawkins, Hampton and Carter

l-r: Webster, Carter, Berry, Hawkins (sax), Hart (piano)

What makes these recordings magnificent examples of small band swing of the late 1930s is not only the solo contributions by the reed players and the leader. The rhythm is execellently supported by great playing of both Milt Hinton's double bass, Christian's guitar comping and Cozy Cole's drums.

Cozy Cole

The rather short playing time of each of the recorded tunes leaves a wish for more, however, you could also say that the session is a fine example of the artistic formula expressing the experience that - sometimes - less is more ...!

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Jo

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Nobody's Sweetheart

Original Sheet front illustration (1924)

Nobody's Sweetheart was published in 1924 with music by Billy Meyers and Elmer Schoebel, and lyrics by Gus Kahn and Ernie Erdman. The song was introduced by Ted Lewis  in the revue The Passing Show of 1923.

Part of music sheet front

Jazz musicians took an immediate liking to the tune, and ever since its inception it has been a favorite of jazz players and listeners everywhere.

Isham Jones and his orchestra

Isham Jones and his orchestra was one of the first 'hot' dance bands to record a version of Nobody's Sweetheart in February 1924

The lyrics of Nobody's Sweetheart are about a female character who challenges the norm and morality of the the bourgeois, the text reads: 

You're nobody's sweetheart now.

They don't baby you somehow.

Fancy hose, silken gown--

You'd be out of place in your own hometown. 

When you walk down the avenue,

They just can't believe that it's you.

Painted lips, painted eyes, 

Wearing a bird of paradise--

It all seems wrong somehow that

You're nobody's sweetheart now.

Marion Harris

Vaudeville singer Marion Harris  had a hit with Nobody's Sweetheart in 1929 

Cab Calloway and his orchestra

Bandleader Cab Calloway and his orchestra had success with the recording of Nobody's Sweetheart with vocal by the leader 1930

During the 1930s Nobody's Sweetheart became part of the standard book of the swing jazz ensemble, here I'll focus on two recordings made on December 5, 1938.

Freddie Valier's String Swing - Robert Normann far right

The guitarist Robert Normann recorded his first session with Freddie Valier's String Swing in Oslo on December 5, 1938. Among the four recordings was a version of Nobody's Sweetheart featuring a great solo by Robert Normann, inserted below

Oscar Alemán in the 1930s

Also on December 5, 1938, this time in Copenhagen, another version of Nobody's Sweetheart was recorded. Oscar Alemán recorded his solo version of the tune while on tour in Scandinavia with Josephine Baker - the recording is an unaccompanied solo for guitar by a master of the instrument

This particular recording by Oscar Alemán - together with the three other tunes recorded at the same session - was my step stone 35 years ago to embark on a research adventure of the complete discography of Oscar Alemán. Until recently the online discography patiently and carefully collected by Hans Koert has been the most complete listing of Alemán's recorded legacy. Now a revised and updated version of the material including newly found items has been made available by Andrés 'Tito' Liber. You may read more about it at the Oscar Alemán blog that also has the links to an uploaded and free accessible version of the discography, here 

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Jo

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A Handful Of Keys - And More

Fats Waller

According to info at the Red Hot Jazz website quoted here: "Fats Waller's big break occurred at a party given by George Gershwin in 1934, where he delighted the crowd with his piano playing and singing. An executive of Victor Records, who was at the party was so impressed that he arranged for Fats to record with the company. This arrangement would continue until Waller's death in 1943. Most of the records he made were released under the name of Fats Waller and his Rhythm. The group consisted of around half a dozen musicians who worked with him regularly, including Zutty Singleton. Throughout the 1930s and early 1940s Fats was a star of radio and nightclubs, and toured Europe. He unexpectedtly died on board a train near Kansas City, Missouri of pneumonia in 1943."

Fats Waller and His Rhythm (1938)

About Fats Waller and His Rhythm the following is also quoted from the Red Hot Jazz website:

"Between 1934 and 1942 the group recorded about 400 sides, well over half of Waller's lifetime recorded output. Material ranged from downright lamentable to outstanding and Waller's treatment of it ranged from brusque to brilliant. (-) The "Rhythm" was primarily a studio band, and recording dates had to be worked into the musicians' different schedules. Waller's genius carried the band, enabling them to record as many as ten sides in a single day, often consisting mainly of new material. Rarely did band members know in advance which tunes they would be recording! It is a testament to the collective musical talent of the group that they managed so well without rehearsal. This chaotic approach succeeded in part because of consistency in core personnel which included Waller, Autrey, Sedric and Casey. The chaos no doubt contributed to the spontaneity which characterizes many of the Rhythm's recordings." (Mike Donovan at Red Hot Jazz, here )

Paul Asaro at the piano

Paul Asaro is one of a chosen few contemporary piano players who has continued the stride piano style of Fats Waller convincingly, here's an example

In 2012, Rivermont Records released a CD featuring Paul Asaro that revitalizes the music originally recorded by Fats Waller and His Rhythm

CD front: Rivermont BSW-2222, CD (2012)

Paul Asaro is accompanied by members of the Chicago based jazz ensmeble The Fat Babies - Andy Schumm (co), John Otto (cl,ts), Jake Sanders (g), Beau Sample (sb) and Alex Hall (dms), and the repertoire of the disc features both popular and lesser known tunes from the Fats Waller and His Rhythm's recorded output. There are forteen tracks at the CD, a tracklist is available here 

The Fat Babies with Paul Asaro on piano (press photo)

The music at the disc is excellently performed by Paul Asaro and The Fat Babies, audio quality is top notch recreating the atmosphere of the Victor studio recordings by Fats waller and His Rhythm. I highly recommend the CD as a successful attempt to relive some of Fats Waller's recorded legacy convincingly without spoiling the original source. These cats know their stuff and carry on a heavy heritage. - Below is inserted some examples of live performance of some of the tunes presented at the CD. Here's Paul Asaro and The Fat Babies from a live performance earlier this year performing Blue Turning Grey Over You 

From a live performance last year, here is Paul Asaro and The Fat Babies playing the lesser known I'll Dance At Your Wedding 

To end this, from a live performance earlier this year Belive It, Beloved - My, My, My! Now here 'tis; Latch On!

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Jo

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Retrospect Keep Swinging (old) Oscar Aleman Choro Music Flexible Records Hit of the Week-Durium Friends of the Keep Swinging blog Keep Swinging Contributions

Savoy Ballroom Swing - Chick Webb And His Orchestra

The Swing Era of the 1930s emerged with the rise of big bands in the USA. Harlem in NYC had opened the Savoy Ballroom late 1920s, it was the hot spot of the city for dancers to meet and have a great time, both coloured and white people were allowed to attend and dance to music by popular swing orchestras.

Dancing couple at the Savoy Ballroom

Harlem and the Savoy attracted dancers and an audience eager to find amusement, the house orchestra of the Savoy accordingly encouraged the public to Go Harlem

This great swing music was of course played by Chick Webb and his orchestra, Go Harlem was recorded June 2nd 1936 

Chick Webb at the drums

Chick Webb had come to NYC in 1925, he led bands in various clubs before settling in for long regular runs at the Savoy beginning in 1931.

Chick Webb and his Savoy orchestra recorded the original version of Stompin' at the Savoy on May 18 1934, a swing tune composed and arranged by Edgar Sampson and since then a standard recorded by numerous other jazz artists

Chick Webb's big band was characterized by a crisp ensemble sound and the leader's disciplined, ferociously driving drum pyrotechnics and further a series of strong compositions and charts by Edgar Sampson. Although the orchestra did not become as influential and revered in the long run as some of its contemporaries, it nevertheless was feared in its time for its battles of the bands at the Savoy Ballroom. A famous encounter with the Benny Goodman orchestra at its peak (with Gene Krupa in the drummer's chair) left the latter band drained and defeated.

Benny Goodman's signature tune at the time was Don't Be That Way (- you can listen to a recorded version by the BG orchestra with arrangement by Edgar Sampson at YouTube, here), however, here's the version by Chick Webb and his orchestra -  Webb's orchestra introduced the Edgar Sampson arrangement with this version from November 1934

The Savoy often featured Battle of the Bands where Webb's orchestra would compete with other top bands from opposing bandstands. By the end of the night's battles the dancers seemed always to have voted Chick's band as the best. As a result, Webb was deemed the most worthy recipient to be crowned the first King of Swing. 

Although a judge declared Webb's band the official winner in 1938 over Count Basie's, and Basie himself said he was just relieved to come away from the contest without embarrassing himself, surviving musicians continued to dispute the ruling for decades to follow.

Chick Webb and his orchestra

Chick Webb became one of the most competitive drummers and bandleaders of the big band era, his playing technique at the drumset later inspired Buddy Rich and  Louie Bellson. Below I'll insert a couple of examples featuring great work at the drumset by Chick Webb. - Here is the Chick Webb orchestra's recording of Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley from March 23 1937

Next follows Chick Webb and his orchestra with their version of Liza, recorded May 1938; the drum solo introducing the well known standard is said to be the leader's "answer" to Gene Krupa's contributions to the Benny Goodman orchestra's famous version of Sing, Sing, Sing 

In 1935, Chick Webb hired the teenaged Ella Fitzgerald after she won a talent contest, he became her legal guardian and rebuilt his show around the singer.

In 1938, Chick Webb's orchestra featuring Ella Fitzgerald as solo vocalist had a big hit with the tune A Tisket-A-Tasket, and this was followed by another hit in 1939 with a recording of Undecided 

Sadly, Chick Webb died from spinal tuberculosis on June 16, 1939. After his death, Ella Fitzgerald led the Chick Webb band until she left to focus on her solo career in 1942 and caused the band to disband.

Chick Webb and his orchestra's contributions to great big band jazz of the Swing Era will remain, although his band did not become as influential and revered in the long run as some of its contemporaries. Nevertheless, the inserted audio examples above are proof that Chick Webb's band provided us with excellent swing of lasting quality, I think.

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Jo

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Violinist Eddie South (1904 – 1962) - A Striking Musician, Part Two

Georg Lankester continues his survey of the career of violinist Eddie South. Below follows the second part of the article Violinist Eddie South (1904 – 1962)   -   A Striking Musician, Part Two. The first part of the article is accessible here  

Eddie South

Eddie’s Recordings In France

The first appearance of the violinist was planned in the Club des Oiseaux in the Pavillion d’Elegance. Hot Club’s president, Hugues Panassié hurried to see South performing and on the initiative of secretary Charles Delaunay it was immediately after the concert decided to make recordings with Django in the studio.

Swing, SW 8 A - Eddie's Blues

His Masters’Voice (France) gladly accepted their request, and was prepared to record several titles of the violinist and Django Reinhardt, sometimes with a guest player. On 29 September 1937 two titles were recorded: Eddie’s Blues (by both artists) and Sweet Georgia Brown with Wilson Meyers added on bass.

Wilson Meyers

Moreover a recording of Lady be Good was made of three violinists: South, Grappelli and Michel Warlop, accompanied by Django, Chaput and Myers.

Michel Warlop

It is highly interesting to listen to these records. Here are two continents united viz. an American jazzman and a Belgian gypsy guitarist who created a new European swing style.

These records prove Eddie’s excellent violin playing, calm and inventive, backed by a unique rhythm, never monotone but full of variations and nicely swinging. Because of the guitar accompaniment the blues theme came forward even better. The recordings belong to the most beautiful that Eddie had made so far. His playing was so inspired that the Hot Club managers got the impression that he was somewhat envious of Grappelli’s position in the quintet.

He preferred the slow themes in which he could express his beautiful tone and could display trills. Eddie did not like so much fast runs although he certainly had these under control.

As mentioned earlier a record of the three best violinists of those days was made titled Lady be good in an arrangement by Django. One can listen to Eddie, Stéphane and Michel accompanied on two guitars and bass. After a typical Django solo each violin player gets its turn: Warlop a bit nervous, Grappelli as usual fully in control and South with several blues chords. The final chorus shows all violinists together with an arranged break.

Delaunay now came up with the idea to combine jazz improvisations with J.S. Bach’s music, played on violin. Though Eddie thought that this was a ridiculous suggestion those recordings were indeed made since Grappelli was interested because of the money it would generate.

For Django this was something fully unknown, but they let him listen to recordings of Yehudi Menuhin. On basis of those he prepared the way how to accompany. The guitarist admired Bach’s harmonies!

Swing, SW 18 A

Under the supervision of Charles Delaunay – the founder of the Swing label -  these recordings were made on the same day. It was a good initiative because these records are of historical value and illustrate the level of the musicians.

For the Swing label Delaunay also recorded duets of South and Grappelli with accompaniment, titles: Dinah and Daphne.

Swing, SW 12 B Daphne

It is fascinating to hear the different styles of these two artists and the beautiful alternating solos of Reinhardt.

SW 31 A Somebody Loves Me

On 23 November 1937 La voix de son Maître recorded two tracks of Eddie, Django and Paul Cordonnier (bass), “Somebody loves me” and “I can’t believe that you’re in love with me”, two romantic ballads.

And, of course, Hot Club fans enjoy the interpretation of Bach’s ‘minor concert’ performed by South, Grappelli and Reinhardt on the same date, followed by the improvised version of it (which included a guitar introduction). Finally the nice theme Fiddle Blues was played in an up-tempo. 

Brunswick flyer

In 1938 Eddie stayed some time in Holland where he made a few records for Brunswick. It would be the end of his European visits.

Back Home

Then he left Europa and made the voyage to his native country together with Benny Carter. During the Forties he played in several clubs among which Kelly’s Stables, had his own group and toured around with bass player Billy Taylor (known from the recordings with Rex Stewart and Django in Paris in ’39). He further worked with studio formations in Los Angeles and New York for MGM and other companies. Because of his popularity he also had his own radio program. In the Fifties Eddie also could be seen on television presented by well-known persons such as Herb Lyons and Dave Garroway.

Despite a declining health he kept playing. However, on 25 April 1962 he died in Chicago, far too early. Although, being a great violinist, he never got the reputation of Stuff Smith and Stephane Grappelli.

Some Features

Eddie South is in fact the most sophisticated violinist we have known. His first appaeranc as a classical musician most likely has been the reason to create such a subtle swing. He played in a very melodious way and produced pure and often soft notes.

He was fascinated by gypsy music and although many critics assert that he could not make this style his own, several recordings prove to the contrary. But some blues elements are certainly also noticable in his performances. Anyhow Eddie South surely has been a significant jazz violinist

Recommended recordings: Two guitars (1929), Eddie’s Blues (1937), Sweet Georgia Brown (1937),  Stompin’ at the Savoy (1941), Fiddle Ditty (1956).  

Georg Lankester  glankester@hetnet.nl

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Jo

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