A rare clip of the world's jazz greats - what would be considered "The Wrecking Crew" of the 1940s - performing New Orleans Dixieland Jazz: Jack Teagarden | trombone, Charlie Teagarden | trumpet, Eddie Miller | tenor sax, Matty Matlock | clarinet, Stan Wrightsman | piano, Phil Stephens | bass, and Nick Fatool | drums - performing LIVE on Art Baker's show, "You Asked For It" - sponsored by Skippy Peanut Butter! Edited and RESTORED (as best as possible).
SPECIAL ENDING: of the Closing Theme, performed by Lloyd G. del Castillo (credited "Del Castillo") who was Musical Director of "You Asked For It", and was a famous American Theatre Organist (composing tons of mostly forgotten silent movie scores), who lived and performed until he was in his 90s, passing in 1992.
Songs:
03:10 - Tin Roof Blues
05:30 - Struttin' With Some Barbecue
This musical grouping, labeled on this appearance as "The All-American Septet", were all seasoned big band veterans, as well as "studio musicians" - who all have played in a group with each other in one form or another, either on records (Capitol, Columbia, Decca, RCA Victor) or in radio studio orchestras, such as Fibber McGee and Molly's Billy Mills Orchestra (Fatool, Stephens, and Matlock) and Bing Crosby's John Scott Trotter Orchestra.
By the early 1950s, when this clip was performed, New Orleans Dixieland was having a revival of sorts, and there were many dixieland-type performers, notably Disney-artist Ward Kimball who was part of the "Firehouse 5 Plus 1" - whose group, including "You Asked For It" - were mocked in Looney Tunes cartoons, not to mention the infamous 1970s "Happy Days" episode - where Fonzie 'Jumps The Shark' on live TV, hosted by Jack Smith, who took over as host from Art Baker by 1958, during the first run and later syndicated versions. You Asked for It is a human interest television show created and hosted by Art Baker. Initially titled The Art Baker Show, the program originally aired on American television between 1950 and 1959. Later versions of the series were seen in 1972, 1981, and 2000. The show was originally broadcast live, so some of the riskier propositions took on added elements of danger and suspense. A segment where animal trainer and stuntman, Reed Parham wrestled a huge, deadly anaconda, for example, nearly became disastrous until assistants interceded with guns drawn, visibly unnerving host Art Baker.
The program was named The Art Baker Show, after the series creator and host. In April 1951, the show’s title was changed to You Asked for It. Originally airing on the DuMont Television Network from December 29, 1950, to December 7, 1951, it moved to ABC, where it remained until the end of its original run on September 27, 1959. The show was sponsored by Skippy Peanut Butter and Studebaker Automobiles.
Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden (August 20, 1905 - January 15, 1964) was an American jazz trombonist and singer. According to critic Scott Yannow of Allmusic, Teagarden was the preeminent American jazz trombone player before the bebop era of the 1940s and "one of the best jazz singers too". Teagarden's early career was as a sideman with the likes of Paul Whiteman and lifelong friend Louis Armstrong.
Charlie Teagarden (July 19, 1913 - December 10, 1984), known as 'Smokey Joe', was an American jazz trumpeter. He was the younger brother of Jack Teagarden. His nickname was Little T. Teagarden worked locally in Oklahoma before he and Jack joined Ben Pollack's Orchestra in 1929. Pollack's recordings were Teagarden's first. He then worked with Red Nichols (1931) and Roger Wolfe Kahn (1932) before doing an extended run in Paul Whiteman's orchestra (1933-40). In 1936 he, Jack, and Frankie Trumbauer played together in the ensemble The Three T's.
Teagarden died on December 10, 1984 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Nick Fatool (January 2, 1915 - September 26, 2000) was an American jazz drummer. Fatool first played professionally in Providence, Rhode Island, which he followed with time in Joe Haymes's band in 1937 and Don Beston's in Dallas soon after. In 1939 he played with Bobby Hackett briefly, and then became a member of the Benny Goodman Orchestra. He became one of the most visible drummers of the 1940s, playing with Artie Shaw (1940-41), Alvino Rey (1942-43), Claude Thornhill, Les Brown, and Jan Savitt. In 1943 he moved to Los Angeles and took work as a session musician, recording profusely and performing live on radio. Credits include Harry James, Erroll Garner (1946), Louis Armstrong (1949, 1951), Jess Stacy, Tommy Dorsey, Matty Matlock, John Scott Trotter and Glen Gray and occasionally with Crosby's Bobcats into the 1970s. In the 1950s and 1960s Fatool found much work on the Dixieland jazz revival circuit, playing with Pete Fountain from 1962-1965 and the Dukes of Dixieland. His only session as a bandleader was as the head of a septet in 1987, leading Eddie Miller, Johnny Mince, Ernie Carson, and others. Fatool died in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 85.