Spirits of Rhythm
(The) Spirits of Rhythm was an American jazz band from the 1930s and 1940s.
Band history
The members of the ensemble had previously played in formations such as the Sepia Nephews, Ben Bernie's Nephews and The Five Cousins ; when guitarist Teddy Bunn joined the band, they called themselves Spirits of Rhythm . Recordings were made only occasionally; mostly the ensemble performed in the jazz clubs of 52nd Street in New York City as well as in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s.
The style characteristic of the Spirits of Rhythm was the use of jazz vocalists such as Red McKenzie , Leo Watson or Ella Logan (1945), as well as the use of stringed instruments, sometimes even self-made percussion instruments and the harmonica. In addition to the various conventional stringed instruments, they used the tiple , a South American mandolin- like instrument with a deeper sound.
Despite Teddy Bunn's importance as a guitarist, the Spirits of Rhythm were primarily a vocal troupe . The band's vocalists mostly sang nonsense syllables or scat , and used their voices as an instrument rather than a vehicle for lyrics. Members of the Spirits of Rhythm included pianists Leonard Feather and Ram Ramirez , bassists Wellman Braud and Red Callender as well as Douglas Daniels and Walter Daniels (tiple, vocals), Wilson Myers (bass), Virgil Scoggins (percussion) and Georgie Vann (drums , Singing). During the war years the band broke up.
Well-known tracks of the formation were " I Got Rhythm " and "I'll Be Ready".
Discographic notes
- The Spirits of Rhythm 1933-1945 ( Classics )
literature
- Richard Cook , Brian Morton : The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings . 8th edition. Penguin, London 2006, ISBN 0-14-102327-9 .