78 RPM: Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra and Clifford Hayes' Louisville Stompers - Victor 20955

Moten Stomp

written by Thamon Hayes and Bennie Moten

performed by Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra

recorded at 952 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 12 June 1927

Ed Lewis, Paul Webster - coronet

Thamon Hayes - trombone

Harlan Leonard, Jack Washington, Woody Walder, Laforest Dent - reeds

Leory Berry - banjo

Bennie Moten - piano

Vernon Page - double bass

Willie McWashington - drums

This record, probably the second most common Moten record on Victor, has seen better days.  This side cleaned up pretty well.  However, the flip side suffers from major "rice krispies."  I have do the best I know how restoring these classic 78s.  You win some and you lose some.  Compared to what it sounded like orginally, I think it turned out ok.

Blue Guitar Stomp

written by Cal Smith

performed by Clifford Hayes' Louisville Stompers

recorded at 952 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 7 June 1927

Clifford Hayes - violin

Hense Grundy - trombone

Cal Smith - tenor guitar

Dan Briscoe - piano

Not much is known about this shadowy figure in jazz and blues history.  What is know is violinist Clifford Hayes was significant part of the devolupment of jug band (or, as I like to call it, Louisville style jazz) music as a leader of several studio bands during the 1920s.  After recording with fellow Louisville native Sara Martin, in 1924, Hayes teamed up with banjoist Cal Smith in many early jug bands including the Old Southern Jug Band, Clifford's Louisville Jug Band, the well-known Dixieland Jug Blowers (1926-1927), and Hayes' Louisville Stompers (1927-1929).  Clifford Hayes' last recordings were in 1931.

Released as Victor 20955 in February 1928