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"St. James Infirmary" by Ten Black Berries

Oldiesmann

Managing Editor
Posts: 2748

Oldiesmann @ 2019-10-16 02:49:30 UTC

Found this recording of the classic "St. James' Infirmary" by a group called Ten Black Berries on YouTube tonight. Apparently this was an alias for Duke Ellington and His Orchestra and was in some way affiliated with Irving Mills as well. I've found four different records containing the recording:


Banner 0594 / Oriole 1849 / Romeo 1209 (A side, backed with "Rent Party Blues")

Perfect 15272 (B side, backed with "When You're Smiling")


78discography shows the same matrix and recording date for the song on all four records, so I'm guessing it was the same recording, but I'm not sure which one I should use. Any jazz experts able to help with this one?

Oldiesmann

Managing Editor
Posts: 2748

Oldiesmann @ 2019-10-18 23:14:23 UTC

A different recording by the same group under a different alias (The Harlem Hot Chocolates) is already on site, supposedly recorded in March of 1930 rather than January like the one on the Perfect label. St. James Infirmary


Should I replace that one with the one on the perfect label and add a note about the various releases/aliases of it?

baggish

Editor
Posts: 3806

baggish @ 2019-10-19 08:03:56 UTC

Should I replace that one with the one on the perfect label and add a note about the various releases/aliases of it?

Well, I would change the existing entries (performance and release) rather than replace them, but yes I would say it should be the January recording on Perfect, with a comment about the other releases and about the March recording.

______
Really wild, General!

Oldiesmann

Managing Editor
Posts: 2748

Oldiesmann @ 2019-10-19 15:34:56 UTC

Thanks. Performance has been updated Smile