Despite the British birthplace, this trumpeter has really much more to do with Memphis, TN, where his family moved him when he was all of three years old. At that, the career of isn't really connected stylistically to this famous city on the Mississippi and its illustrious music scene. He seemed to gravitate toward styles of music in which no sense of locale is established — such as military bands when he was a teenager, and a busy schedule as a studio musician in later years. He actually began his musical life as a drummer but had already switched to brass instruments by his army days.

was a bugler in several Army regiments between 1917 and 1919, one of the rare situations when musicians have to get up early and aren't leaving town. After the war, chose Baltimore as a base and began playing behind bandleader Bea Palmer. During most of the '20s, the trumpeter was a member of the , an experience that provided him with many of the details needed to write the song "Why the Twenties Roared" with partner Phil Wall in 1927. ' compositions such as "Cornfed" were recorded by artists such as and , as well as receiving several cover version treatments from bands back in his native England. ' own trips back to the merry isle for gigs must have been enjoyable, especially backing up the gorgeous singer .

took his orchestra on an extensive European tour, but soon seemed to prefer working in one place. He was hired as a house musician by the Vitaphone label during this period and became part of a clique of virtuoso studio hotshots such as banjoist . The trumpeter appeared on more than 125 different records during one ten-year period. In 1929, he was leading his own orchestra and recorded a Brunswick side entitled "Sweet and Hot," which sounds like a tribute to Chinese soup. continued to haunt the studios for the balance of his career. In the '40s he was also playing consistently with the D'Artega's Orchestra, eventually settling in Long Island. ~ Eugene Chadbourne

Bob Effros

Top Tracks