King Oliver's Jazz Band: Snag It

Track

Snag It

Group

King Oliver's Jazz Band

CD

Sugar Foot Stomp (Frog UK)

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Musicians:

Joe 'King' Oliver (cornet), Kid Ory (trombone), Albert Nicholas (soprano sax, clarinet), Barney Bigard (tenor sax),

Bob Shoffner (trumpet), Billy Paige (alto sax, clarinet), Luis Russell or Richard M. Jones (piano), Bud Scott (banjo), Bert Cobb (Sousaphone), Paul Barbarin (drums)

.

Composed by Joseph Oliver

.

Recorded: Chicago, Illinois, March 11, 1926

Albumcoverkingoliver-sugarfootstomp

Rating: 90/100 (learn more)

Once New Orleans musicians started moving to Chicago in the 19-teens, South Side club owners began losing interest in their local players. "Snag It" shows us why. Driven by King Oliver's first "big" band—the 10-piece Dixie Syncopators—the 12-bar track moves like a train. To fill his crew, Oliver had brought in the best of his Crescent City cohort, including Ory, Bigard, Nicholas, Russell, Scott, and Barbarin. We also find Richard M. Jones doing the short vocal.

Under Oliver's opening cornet lead, soprano, alto, tenor and trombone hold a side conversation. Rather than distract, it fuels. The band moves into a bluesy, muted trombone solo, then a Latinesque stop-time soprano soliloquy. (Jelly Roll Morton taught us of the "Spanish Tinge" in jazz, and we hear it here.) Now comes Jones's vocal, a shining Oliver cornet break, two call-and-response ensemble choruses—and the train steams into the station.

Reviewer: Peter Gerler

If you liked this track, also check out

King Oliver: Dippermouth Blues
King Oliver: Farewell Blues
King Oliver: Canal Street Blues

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Joe ‘King’ Oliver by Peter Gerler



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