Having survived and adapted to changing popular tastes throughout the 1940s,
the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra eased into the next decade with six of the most traditionally oriented titles in its entire discography.
Sammy Lowe's arrangements, however, were anything but old-fashioned. There's more than a bit of
bop in the blaring trumpets, vamping reeds, and whiplash rhythms.
"St. Louis Blues" may have been published in 1914, but
Hawkins' band has it sounding positively contemporary. With the leader's salty trumpet and a stable of young toughs like
Idrees Sulieman,
Booty Wood,
Haywood Henry, and
Julian Dash, there's nary a dull moment. Except for
Jimmy Mitchell's tidy vocal on
"Careless Love," the first six tracks are thrilling instrumentals. They were issued as an album of three 78-rpm platters bearing the title
W.C. Handy for Dancing. This brings listeners to the very last recordings
Erskine Hawkins would make for
RCA Victor. Efforts were being made to update the band's sound, and the results are different from anything previously recorded by this organization.
"Hey Pretty Baby" and
"Opportunity" boast Caribbean percussion; both tunes are sung with exceptional charm by
Ace Harris. Although the
Classics discography seems reluctant to divulge their identity, a retooled ride through
"Tuxedo Junction" features
the Deep River Boys, who exercise their collective ability to exaggerate a song until it stands taller than a house. Why
Classics failed to specify
Harris or even mention
the Deep River Boys is puzzling, as the original 78s had the vocal credits printed clearly on the labels, right under the song titles. Bongos return during a fortified, updated treatment of
Irving Berlin's
"Always." Jimmy Mitchell's sweet vocal is spiced with vocal interjections from the band in a style originated by
Steve Washington, premiered with
Doc Wheeler, and exploited by
Tommy Dorsey. Two months later
Hawkins was working for
Coral Records. On
"So Long, Goodbye Blues," this group suddenly sounds a lot like
Jay McShann's mid-'40s Kansas City
big band.
"Skippin' and Hoppin'" clearly resembles the
Hawkins orchestra's earlier hit record,
"Tippin' In." Continuing to shoot for the jukebox,
Hawkins ground out a greasy
"Downbeat" and the sugary
"Tennessee Waltz." Solid remakes of two hardcore slow
blues --
"After Hours" and
"Bear Mash Blues" -- closed out 1950, and were followed by yet another pass at
"Tuxedo Junction." When they weren't making easy sentimental records, these guys really cooked for the dancing crowd. Here, then, is another fascinating chapter in the life of the mighty
Erskine Hawkins. ~ arwulf arwulf
