"Dirty Rag" - FoxTrot: Brownlee's Orchestra of New Orleans: Okeh 40337-B (Field Recording)
BROWNLEE'S ORCHESTRA OF NEW ORLEANS

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Here is one of the many recordings cut by Okeh Records in 1925 during a field trip down in New Orleans. Many jazz groups in the Crecent City were recorded during this trip and many other trips, giving listeners a sense of what the music scene sounded like in the city where Jazz was born. Among the groups recorded were:
- Johnny DeDroit and his New Orleans Orchestra
- The Halfway House Orchestra
- Johnny Bayersdorfer and His Jazzola Novelty Orchestra
- Tony Parenti and his Famous Melody Boys
- The "Original" New Orleans Rhythm Kings
- The Crescent City Jazzers
- Fate Marable's Society Syncopators
and
- The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band

This particualr recording, made January 23rd, 1925, is of special interest because of a member of this group not present! The legendary cornetist Emmett Hardy was a member of the group from 1920 to around 1924 when he became too sick from Tuberculosis and he was replaced by the young Sharkey Bonano (this being his first recording session) on cornet or trumpet. Hardy is best remembered as one the biggest influences on another legend who fortunately was recorded, that being of course Bix Beiderbecke, who heard Hardy play in Davenport. Hardy also apparently beat Louis Armstrong in a cutting contest back in the late teens or early 20s, although this of course was before Armstrong was in his prime, not having played with Oliver or Henderson yet. Apparently Bonano sounded a bit like Hardy so maybe we get a glimpse of the legends sound. This recording session is often seen as the transition from the end of Hardy's career and the beginning of Bonano's.

Also featured on this great recording is trombonist and jazz pioneer, Tom Brown (brother of bassist Steve Brown, who played with Bix in the Goldkette Orchestra and in several sessions). Tom led the first white jazz band from New Orleans to play in the north, fronting "Brown's Band From Dixieland" in Chicago during the mid teens. This band was also part of the nucleus of what would become the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Later, Brown went to New York and worked for booker Harry Yerkes, being featured on many recordings for the Jazzarimba Orchestra and the Happy Six ("Shake Your Little Shoulder" being one of his best), then joining Ray Miller's Band. Finally he went back to New Orleans and played in Brownlee's band as well as Johnny Bayersdorfer's Jazzola Novelty Orchestra which also recorded for Okeh.

Also featured are the pianist leader Norman Brownlee and the brother of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band's clarinetist, Harry Shields on reeds. I think he plays the Baritone Sax solo on this side (it is placed way too close to the recording horn), which obviously has a "Spanish Tinge" to it. In any case, it's a solid recording, very swinging and has that great New Orleans sound!