W.C.Handy wrote this obscure tune with Chris Smith in 1923, and this recording was made shortly after the tune's publication - March 6 of 1923 to be exact (this is take "B", for those who are keeping track). Aside from the rumored presence of
Phil Napoleon and Miff Mole, no one really knows who was in this band. They only recorded a few sides for Edison and then vanished. This has that gentle etherial quality that distinguished their best work. The disc from which this was sampled
had suffered some water damage, and more than a little wear, but after some effective noise reduction it's sounding pretty darn good. (The WFMU radio show, "Thomas Edison's Attic", has take "A" of this recording listed on their
playlist for 7/15/03 - it's interesting to hear the slight differences in the solos.)
