Hit that jive, Jack is one of the classic swing songs. The song is written by Johnny Alston and Skeets Tolbert. Just like Route 66, it was a big hit by the Nat King Cole Trio but here is another version by jive talking Joe Caroll on vocals from a soundie.
According to the post on Youtube the band is called "The Tramp Band". The post continues:
This is from 1943; personnel should be identical or similar to their scene in Stormy Weather: Carroll and Pinky Johnson up front, Nick Aldrich piano, Johnny Cousin guitar, Ebenezer Paul bass, Willie Jones drums, Alvis Cowans washboard. Female dancer Nicky O'Daniel played Caldonia in Louis Jordan's film Caldonia a couple years later.
Anyone who can confirm this?
Also, it seems to be hard to find information about the composers Johnny Alston and Skeets Tolbert. Do you know where to find more info about them?
What do you think of the video clip with Joe Carroll singing Hit That Jive Jack? Please comment.
3 comments:
Henrik! Thanks for that - it's absolutley authentic; I saw Joe Carroll as the comic singer with Dizzy Gilleape's big band in about 1948, and man, he was FUNNY. I'm writing it all down - people have asked me for memoirs. Go to http://samparkins.blogspot.com/ once in a while - I'm just beginning to put it on the web. KEEP UP THE GOOD STUFF!...sam parkins PS use my other e-mail sampark2@verizon.com
Hey Henrick, Check Answers.com for a brief story on Skeets Tolbert. It appears he led a small combo similar to Nat Cole's trio at about the same time. Something interesting about Joe Carroll - he co-wrote the great be-bop song "Ooh-shobee-doo-be with Bill Graham that was a hit for Dizzy Gillespie (Check youtube for performance), and was recorded by Stacy Kent in 2003. Happy Hunting!
found some more info about the soundie here: http://www.weirdwildrealm.com/f-soundies20.html
The band was called the Musical Madcaps
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