This recording was produced in Chicago on October 24th 1929 featuring Bennie Moten director, Booker T. Washington and Ed Lewis trumpet & cornet, Thamon Hayes trombone, Eddie Durham trombone & guitar, Woody Walder clarinet & soprano sax, Harlan Leonard clarinet, alto, & soprano sax, Jack Washington clarinet, alto, & baritone sax, Count Basie piano, Ira 'Buster' Moten accordion, Leroy Berry banjo, Vernon Page tuba, and Willie McWashington drums.
*"Boot It" was composed by Bennie Moten.
"Boot It" was originally released as the flip side of "Every Day Blues". Eddie Durham was the tune's arranger and takes both a guitar solo (6 bars), and two trombone solos (8 bars and 32 bars). It may be related to the fact that ED had played with the 101 Ranch circus band that here we have what could be called a jazz circus record, a riot of different sounds on the familiar "Tiger Rag" trio (third strain) chord changes. ED was part of the vanguard of big band arrangers in the mid-late 20's who really experimented with the new, larger instrumentation. The real revelations of this record, aside from ED's great arranging devices, are his trombone solos. Thamon Hayes had been Moten's original trombonist, and his middle range, down-home style is easily identifiable before this date on practically any Moten record. The style of the trombone solo here is quite different, requiring virtuoso technique and high range, along with a very modern (for the time) tonal conception. I believe this is definitely Eddie Durham on trombone, and a great demonstration it is. -Daniel Weinstein
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