"Coney Island Washboard" Jimmy Lytell (Pathe, 1927) Hot Jazz Clarinet

Jimmy Lytell, cl, dir: poss. Johnny Sylvester, t / Frank Signorelli, p / poss. Dick McDonough, bj Pathe Frères Studios, 150 E. 53 St. New York, NY ca. 10 Jan. 1927 107335-B “Coney Island Washboard” (Clarence Williams–Jack Palmer–Andy Razaf) Per 15005 Transferred with 3.5ET stylus in Audiotechnica VMN70SP cartridge via Audiotechnica AT-LP120 Turntable. Discographical Information and Research from Brian Rust’s Jazz Records, Brian Rust’s The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942, Johnson and Shirley’s “American Dance Bands on Record and Film,” DAHR, Andy Schumm, Michael McQuaid, Albert Haim, Brad Kay, Javier Soria Laso, Alan Sutton, and Colin Hancock. Recordings from the Colin Hancock Collection. Better known for his work as the primary clarinetist for the Original Memphis Five, Jimmy Lytell also recorded a series of fabulous clarinet solos for Pathe Frères in the second half of the 1920s. While some of the earlier sides featured Eddie Lang on guitar, several of the later ones included Dick McDonough on banjo. Some sides also featured a mystery trumpet player. I believe it may be Johnny Sylvester, whom Lytell was working for at the time–compare this player’s sound to Sylvester’s on “No One But You” on Gennett Records and “The Kinkajou” on Pathe both by Sylvester’s own band. In any case, the cornetist present here gets a wonderful half chorus sandwiched in between Lytell’s fluid clarinet work.