| Original Message |
Russell Davies
Posted Sep 10, 2009 2:06 PM
...I'm writing at this very moment a 6-part series on Benny Goodman for Radio 2 in London, and have JUST got to the point where Hammond has been commissioned by English Columbia (because he'd been covering the American jazz scene for British magazines) to assemble these sides for the British market. This little piece of narrative is then followed by these two clips from the BBC Archive:
JOHN HAMMOND: "But when I approached Benny he didnt believe me because he knew American Columbia was broke. I explained it was the English and he would be paid in dollars. It was the depth of the Depression you see."
BENNY GOODMAN/PETER CLAYTON: "One of the first records that dates another milestone in my career, where I got paid union scales I think, was the record we made for John Hammond, which we made strictly for English consumption, did you know that? (I did) Well that was the one. The records were Jack Teagarden, Manny Klein, Coleman Hawkins and later Billie Holiday sang on some of those records. And the name of those records, Aintcha Glad, Your Mothers Son in Law, there again Im stuck (Riffin' The Scotch?) Riffin' The Scotch."
Benny never much cared for being paid union scale, it seems.
R.D.
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