It’s amazing how the clarinet player adapted his solo to the police sirens. That’s one of my favorite things about jazz, you follow the flow of the music and direct it however you want.
'How Do They Do It That Way?' was composed by Victoria Spivey and Reuben Floyd; and recorded by Victoria Spivey in 1929. In Victoria's recording, the accompanying band plays it through in the key of E flat, but then switches to B flat for her vocal, before returning to E flat to finish. Note that, like Victoria, Tuba Skinny start and finish in the key of E flat but switch for a while (starting with Ewan's solo at 1 min 02 secs) to B flat. (Fortunately, the siren also appears to be in B flat during his later chorus!) They return to E flat with Shaye's 24-bar solo against stop chords (3 mins 48 secs) at the start of the final chorus. They play the tune at a slightly faster tempo than Victoria's band does. Tuba Skinny have recorded this song on two of their albums - 'Garbage Man' and 'Owl Call Blues' (with the same key changes, and vocals from Erika). 'How Can It Be?' was composed by Armenter Bo Chatmon [stage name Bo Carter] and recorded by him in 1931. Tuba Skinny stick in the key of B flat for this one, just as Bo Carter did in the 1931 recording. Also, Shaye plays violin - I guess out of respect for the original, in which the violin was prominent. By the way, 'How Can It Be?' is on Tuba Skinny's Album 'Rag Band' (also with Shaye playing violin), though surprisingly in the key of G. Finally, here's an interesting little detail that demonstrates the trouble Tuba Skinny go to in showing respect for the vintage recordings that have inspired them: the soaring 'filler' phrase Shaye plays at 06 seconds in 'How Do They Do It That Way?' is an exact copy of what the trumpet player on the 1929 recording produced at that point! (You may also recognise it from what is generally played as the last bar of the Introduction to 'Mahogany Hall Stomp'.)
Thanks! So much of remarks on any RU-vid nowadays are full self aggrandizement. I love being given info that I use as a roadmap for discovery. Very familiar w/Spivey, always looking for reminder. Bo Chatmon now gets some searching...
My wife and I are hoping to visit New Orleans in May from UK, covid permitting, if we catch a performance by these guys it would make the trip complete. They are amazing
The more I visit them, the more I know them, their lifestyle that gives their sensitivity to the musical art of jazz with that pleasant taste of excellence, each with his personality, with his style of being, with his human expression of being different and special , excellent musicians with the ability to transmit beauty to the ear, sight and my observation as a humanist and psychologist
you know its good music when you aint even got nothing to say, and you just sit back and let the music flow through you... weird feeling aint it?... no logic. just empty thoughts and a million emotions.
In N.O. The Police let the horns "hear" during the MUSIC ..... in our country (NL) the POLICE will ask the band to STOP playing and they will have to pay money for disturbing the people.
