Mills Blue Rhythm Band

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The Mills Blue Rhythm Band was an American jazz - big band of the 1930s.

Band history

Columbia 78er of the Mills Blue Rhythm Band: “Yes! Yes! ”From 1935

The band was formed in 1930 in Harlem , New York ; their first band leader was the saxophonist Bingie Madison . The formation called itself temporarily "Coconut Grove Orchestra" and changed its name to Mills Blue Rhythm Band when Irving Mills became its manager in 1931. It was considered one of the most important swing bands of the 1930s and also operated under the names "Blue Rhythm Band", "King Carter's Royal Flush Orchestra", "Blue Rhythm Boys", "Mills Music Masters", "Harlem Hot Shots". For a short time she also acted as a companion group for Louis Armstrong .

The Mills Blue Rhythm Band was firmly based in the Cotton Club in New York . They also played there as replacements for Duke Ellington and Cab Calloways orchestras when they went on tour. Drummer Willie Lynch ran the band until 1931, when Baron Lee took over. Carroll Dickerson , Edgar Hayes , Eddie Mallory and Dave Nelson took over this task for a short time until Lucky Millinder took over the direction of the orchestra from the end of 1933. Its members at the time included Henry "Red" Allen and Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet), Buster Bailey (clarinet), Joe Garland , Castor McCord , Crawford Wethington (tenor saxophone), Edgar Hayes and Billy Kyle (piano), Charlie Holmes and Tab Smith (alto saxophone), JC Higginbotham (trombone), Lawrence Lucie (guitar) and O'Neill Spencer (drums).

Recordings were made for Columbia on October 4, 1934 with "Out Of Dream" / "Let's Have A Jubilee", and with the Ellington composition " (In My) Solitude " recorded on December 5, 1934 under the direction of Lucky Millinder the rank # 8 of the hit parade can be achieved. However, subsequent 78s like "Dancing Dogs" (# 15), "Truckin '" (# 11), "Dinah Lou" (# 11), "Ride, Red, Ride" (# 9), "Merry Go-Round" (# 15) no longer this placement. Her last hits for Columbia were another Ellington piece (" In a Sentimental Mood ") and in November 1936 Will Hudson's "Mr. Ghost Goes to Town ”, a reference to the then popular Frank Capra film Mr. Deeds Goes To Town .

After two years, they left Columbia and switched to the small Variety label that had just been founded by Irving Mills. Their first record here was "Jungle Madness" / "Blue Rhythm Fantasy", recorded on February 11, 1937. The next single came from this first session, dubbed Lucky Millinder & Mills Blue Rhythm Band . The last recording session here was on July 1, 1937.

The band recorded a total of 150 records, but due to the lack of regular soloists, the formation never managed to develop a really clear identity and personal consistency as a jazz band.

In 1938 the group broke up. Millinder initially took over the band from Bill Doggett until he founded his own orchestra in 1940.

Discography (date of recording in brackets)

Columbia

  • Out Of Dream / Let's Have A Jubilee (Columbia 2963-D), October 4, 1934
  • Solitude / Keep the Rhythm Going (Columbia 2994-D), December 5, 1934
  • Spitfire / Back Beats (Columbia 3020-D), January 25, 1935
  • Dancing Dogs / Brown Sugar Mine (Columbia 3044-D), December 5, 1934 / January 25, 1935
  • Harlem Heat / There's Rhythm in Harlem (Columbia 3071-D), July 2-9, 1935
  • Truckin '/ Cotton (Columbia 3078-D) August 1, 1935
  • Dinah Lou / Waiting in the Garden (Columbia 3083-D), August 1, 1935
  • Ride, Red, Ride / Congo Caravan (Columbia 3087-D), December 19, 1934 / July 9, 1935
  • Broken Dreams of You / Yes! Yes! (Columbia 3111-D) December 20, 1935
  • Merry-Go-Round / Until the Real Thing Comes Along (Columbia 3147-D), August 11, 1936
  • In a Sentimental Mood / Carry Me Back to Green Pastures (Columbia 3148-D), August 11, 1936
  • Barrelhouse / Balloonacy (Columbia 3156-D), October 15, 1936
  • The Moon Is Grinning at Me / Showboat Shuffle (Columbia 3157-D), October 15, 1936
  • Mr. Ghost Goes to Town / Algiers Stomp (Columbia 3158-D), November 20, 1936
  • Callin 'Your Bluff / Big John's Special (Columbia 3162-D), Nov. 20, 1936

Variety

  • Jungle Madness / Blue Rhythm Fantasy, (Variety 503), February 11, 1937
  • Prelude To A Stomp / Rhythm Jam (Variety 546), February 11, 1937
  • The Image of You / Lucky Swing (Variety 604), July 1, 1937 / April 28, 1937
  • Medley: Camp Meeting Jamboree / When Irish Eyes Are Smiling (Variety 624), July 1, 1937
  • Let's Get Together / Jackpot (Variety 634), April 28, 1937 / July 1, 1937

literature