Blue Steele

Blue Steele (born March 11, 1893 in Arkansas as Eugene Staples , † July 7, 1971 ) was an American jazz singer, trombonist and big band leader.

Blue Steele played in a hot jazz band called Watson's Bell Hops in the early 1920s . His own band was one of the early Territory bands in the Florida area ; this band, which was founded in Atlanta in the mid-1920s, toured mainly in the southern and midwestern US; they played a combination of sweet and swing styles; One of her hit titles was "Sugar Babe, I'm Leaving" (1927), which gained national fame for being coupled with the popular waltz " Girl of My Dreams ", written by Sunny Clapp . The Blue Steele Orchestra was one of the most popular dance bands in the region in the early 1930s, also recording around 24 numbers for Victor Records . Gene Gifford also played in his various orchestras . In addition to the band leader Steele, Kay Austin, Mabel Batson, Clyde Davis, George Marks and Bob Nolan also sang in the orchestra. When the band's star began to decline at the end of the decade, Steele dissolved and moved to Mexico City in the early 1940s , where he worked with the local radio symphony orchestra and smaller ensembles. At the end of the 1950s he had a Dixieland band , the Rhythm Rebels , in which Elmer Schoebel also played. Blue Steele died on July 7, 1971.

In his book about the big band era, Leo Watson describes the irascible character of the band leader using contemporary witnesses; According to Arwulf (Allmusic), his character traits are said to stem from a serious head injury that he sustained in the First World War (the Spitz and later stage name comes from the metal plate that Steele wore because of the war injury). He was considered a difficult boss and was sensitive to the slightest provocation. He was most furious when his musicians quit; they only dared tell him this when he stood in front of the mirror to shave. Other musicians then played badly just to get their (also physical) expulsion by Steele.

Discographic notes

• 24 tracks from the years 1927 to 1930 appeared on the compilation King Of Rhythm ; the musicians were next to Blue Steele Kenny Sargent , Sonny Clapp and Goof Morrison, as well as Pat Davis and Frank Martinez, who later belonged to the Casa Loma Orchestra .
• Other titles by the orchestra appeared on the Texas & Tennessee Territory Bands anthologies : 1928-1931 (published 1999), Memphis Kick-Up and Hot Aire .

swell

• Leo Walker: The Big Band Almanac . Ward Ritchie Press, Pasadena. 1978
• Biography of Arwulf at answers.com
• Discography at redhotjazz