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Tuxedo Stomp

State Street Ramblers

Baldy McDonald, Bill Johnson , Cliff Jones

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This side was recorded in Richmond, Indiana on July 18th 1928 by the "State Street Ramblers" featuring Baldy McDonald clarinet, unknown alto sax, W E Buddy Burton kazoo & speech, Jimmy Blythe piano & speech, Bill Johnson string bass, and Cliff Jones drums.

Blythe's solitary piano starts off with a rather sedate intro joined by percussionist Marcus Norman queuing the entire assembly. As they progress the band builds in intensity prompting jubilant cries from the pianist and his kazoo playing pal Buddy Burton.

Adding to the heat of this stellar performance are rapid figures played by an unknown saxophonist
who may be Junie Cobb.

Let's examine the evidence with regard to this one. 1. Junie Cobb was far too well known to be "unknown". 2. Rust says, "unknown white teenager-as"; presumably a recollection from one on the session - Bill Johnson (?), referring to the alto player. 3. Blythe used to comb Chicago for young musical talent - e.g. Priscilla Stewart, one of his "discoveries". - and this lad must be one of them. He probably didn't go on to become very well known otherwise Johnson, or whoever recalled him, would have identified him. In this way he could be in the same group as his contemporary Dalbert Bright who recorded with Parham and went on to lead a successful, if not widely known, career as a professional band sideman. -Henry Davis