ANA usually sticks to musical sounds rather than nostalgic sights. Still, this clip of Maynard Baird’s Southern Serenaders (at about 0:57 into the clip below) is hard to resist:
Baird and his Serenaders were one of countless territory bands providing music to all the ears and feet outside the major metropolitan centers. This footage of them from a remote broadcast by a radio station in their native Tennessee is literally a moving reminder that jazz was happening outside of New Orleans, Chicago and New York.
Unfortunately it’s also literally impossible to listen to. There’s no telling how these players were influenced by their own hometown sounds, for example how close, far or parallel the music of the Baird band was to that of the string trio that appears later on. Some audio may have shed further light on how the rest of the South heard and played jazz.
Baird cut just four records: warm, bubbling dance numbers with enough solos and colors to leave the listener curious for what the band sounded like live, for example at a gig like this one. Judging by the fast and furious banjo and dancing tuba player in the video, Maynard Baird’s Southern Serenaders could cook!
Thanks to “Sir Scratchy” for spreading the word about this clip, and further thanks to Vince Giordano for sharing it with him in the first place.
Here’s two from the Baird band, with some red hot edges peeking out from under all those glowing textures and sugary vocals (reissue courtesy of Frog):
Terrific band. There must have been more like it elsewhere, but thanks to enterprising Vocalion for at least going to Knoxville, where they also recorded some remarkable other artists. Here is a superb essay: http://www.lynnpoint.com/st_james/history.htm
As sometimes was the case, especially (but not exclusively) with “field” recordings, turntable speeds were erratic. Several of these sides, including those of the Baird band, need to be played back at a slower speed than 78 rpm. Otherwise, they are too “bouncy,” an aural equivalent to the tubist in this video.
Cool artifact. A very vaudeville flavor to it. I wonder whether all these acts were booked for a tour or if the band just hooked in with local talent as they traveled.
Not really sure, but I’m sure the good folks at Facebook could fill in the blanks.
I was actually writing about the jazz/vaudeville connection a few weeks ago.