Ed Kirkeby
Some more corrections to the undocumented personnel listings for Ed Kirkeby groups that appear in Johnson & Shirley’s American Dance Bands on Films and Records — this time for the 1927 Okeh sessions by Kirkeby’s conventional dance orchestra that were issued under the name of “Ted Wallace,” along with various other pseudonyms.
The correct personnel shown here are from Ed Kirkeby’s payroll books; see the previous posts for details on the Kirkeby archival materials. Names in boldface are correct entries from the payroll books (an underline indicates a name that does not appear in the ADBFR listing); struck-out names are incorrect guesses in ADBFR. In some cases, musicians the ADBFR compilers state are “definitely present” definitely are not.
ADBFR’s listings for the 1928–1929 Okeh and Columbia “Wallace” sessions show only the compiler’s “collective personnel,” consisting of about 45 names (read: “Throw enough crap at the wall, and something’s bound to stick”). Actually, Kirkeby’s payroll books contain very specific personnel for all of those sessions (including some names not found among the “collective”), which we’ll consider posting if there’s sufficient interest in the current posts.
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New York: February 14, 1927
“Oh! Lizzie” (mx. 80418, as “Okay Kate” in EK log); “The Cat” (mx. 80419); “My Regular Gal” (mx. 80420, remade March 17)
Tpt: Chelsea Quealey, Roy Johnston, Bill Moore
Tbn: Tommy Dorsey, Abe Lincoln “definitely present” [?; one of the unidentified below?]
Reeds: Arnold Brillhart “definitely present,” Sam Ruby, Adrian Rollini Pete Pumiglio, Spencer Clark
Vln: Hal White, Joe LaFaro
Pno: Jack Russin Lennie Hayton
Bjo: Tommy Felline Carl Kress
Percussion: Herb Weil [?; one of the unidentified below?]
Unidentified instrument(s): R. Busch, R. Rossan
Note: Kirkeby originally entered a $50 payment to himself, which he crossed-out.
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New York: March 17, 1927
“My Regular Gal” (remake, take D); “Nesting Time” (mx. 80639); “For Mary and Me” (mx. 80640)
Tpt: Sylvester Ahola, Chelsea Quealy
Tbn: Ivan Johnston Edward Lapp
Reeds: Arnold Brillhart “definitely present,” Bobby Davis, Sam Ruby, Adrian Rollini
Vln: Al Duffy or Hal White [none listed]
Pno: Jack Russin
Bjo: Tommy Felline
Percussion: Herb Weil
Unidentified instrument(s): An unidentified artist was paid $15 for this session
Note: Kirkeby originally entered a $50 payment to himself, which he crossed-out.
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New York: June 27, 1927
“Bless Her Little Heart” (mx. 81110) / “Who-oo? You-oo, That’s Who” (mx. 81111) / Pleading (mx. 81112) / Love and Kisses (mx. 81113)
Tpt: Chelsea Quealey, Frank Cush?
Tbn: Abe Lincoln Tommy Dorsey
Reeds: Johnny Rude or Arnold Brillhart or Sam Ruby Bob Fallon, Bobby Davis, Adrian Rollini
Vln: [None listed]
Pno: Jack Russin
Bjo: Tommy Felline
Percussion: Herb Weil
Unidentified instrument(s): [?] Black
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New York: September 9, 1927
“Cornfed” (mx. 81429) / “Buffalo Rhythm” (mx. 81430) / “Zulu Wail” (mx. 81431)
Tpt: Chelsea Quealey, Frank Cush
Tbn: Tommy Dorsey or Abe Lincoln Joe Vargas
Reeds: Bobby Davis or Johnny Rude or Arnold Brillhart, Adrian Rollini, Sam Ruby, Bob Fallon, Pete Pumiglio, Spencer Clark
Vln: [None listed]
Pno: Jack Russin
Bjo: Tommy Felline
Percussion: Herb Weil
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New York: November 23, 1927
“Mary” (mx. 81858) / “Changes” (mx. 81859)
Tpt: Henry Levine Chelsea Quealey
Tbn: Al Philburn
Reeds: Harold Marcus, Sam Ruby Pete Pumiglio, Bob Fallon
Vln: Al Duffy
Pno: Jack Russin
Bjo: Tommy Felline
Bass: Jack Hansen [None listed]
Percussion: Herb Weil
Unidentified instrument(s): [?] Black, [?] Hart, [?] Lloyd
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New York: December 7, 1927
“For My Baby” (mx. 81924) / “There’s Something Spanish in Your Eyes” (mx. 81925) / “Cobblestones” (mx. 81926)
Tpt: Chelsea Quealey, Henry Levine
Tbn: Al Philburn
Reeds: Harold Marcus Sam Ruby, Pete Pumiglio
Vln: Al Duffy Joe LaFaro
Pno: Jack Russin
Bjo: Tommy Felline
Bass: Jack Hansen
Percussion: Herb Weil
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