University Six plays "Smile A Little Bit" on Harmony 71-H, issued in 1926,
Call them the California Ramblers--or use any of a dozen other names for the ensemble (Golden Gate Orchestra, Goofus Five, University Six, Five Birmingham Babies, Corona Dance Orchestra, Vagabonds, more).
The name Varsity Eight was usually used for the Cameo label from 1923 to 1931. The moniker Palace Garden Orchestra was used for Pathe.
The California Ramblers were consistent in delivering a quality product--very good jazz, superior to dance music played in the 1920s by most other ensembles of white musicians. To find hotter jazz playing, one must turn to ensembles of black musicians (King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong, and so on).
Flappers were buying 78s of the California Ramblers. I want to say flappers were also buying copies of The Great Gatsby, but that novel sold poorly in the 1920s.
Essential in any Ramblers recording is Adrian Rollini. You could usually rely on hearing Stan King and Irving Brodsky.
Adrian Rollini, a superb leader, provides a bass sax that is always great. He was not limited to bass saxophone since he was an multi-instrumentalist. He lived from 1903 to 1956. (In the 1920s the group was led by Adrian Rollini, but by 1930, manager and vocalist Wallace T. "Ed" Kirkeby dominated the ensemble--picking songs, arranging studio dates, and so on).
Rollini introduced to the world a new instrument--the harmonica-like couesnophone, called the goofus or queenophone,
Irving Brodsky is as good on a keyboard as anyone playing jazz at that time.
Stan King is always solid on drums.
The men on trumpet could change from session to session. We might be hearing trumpeter Roy Johnston--or maybe it is Chelsea Quealey, an equally fine trumpet player.
Maybe that is Bobby Davis on clarinet and alto.
Sam Ruby on tenor sax?
Listen for Abe Lincoln, too.
I am not sure if Arnold Brilhart was at this session.
These men gathered in the studios of various companies. The lineup would change from gig to gig since that is the nature of such studio ensembles. In other words, this is not a group of the same members--not a "regular" ensemble of the same men who show up for concerts or work in dance halls. The public never attended California Ramblers concerts since no concerts were given.
What these individuals shared was the ability to improvise, show up on time, follow instructions given by studio heads, and contribute to a recording with a minimum of fuss or mistakes. Being profient at reading music (any key) helped. Bix Beiderbecke stumbled in that department.
When a vocalist was hired to deliver a song's chorus, Irving Kaufman and Arthur Fields was likely to show up, but many other vocalists were hired, too.
Thanks to Fred Finnigan for the audio transfer and the image of the University Six disc.
University Six "Smile A Little Bit" Harmony 71-H (1926) California Ramblers = Gatsby flapper jazz
