“Bubber Miley was from the body and soul of Soulville. He was raised on soul and saturated and marinated in soul. Every note he played was soul filled with the pulse of compulsion…..
Bubber was born in South Carolina, but his family moved to New York when he was quite young, and he was raised there. His growl solos with the plunger mute were another of our early sound identities, and between 1925 and 1929 he laid the foundation of a tradition that has been maintained ever since by men like Cootie Williams and Ray Nance.” –
– Duke Ellington, Music Is My Mistress
The recordings heard on this podcast episode:
Black and Tan Fantasy, recorded 6 October 1927, Camden, New Jersey
Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalf – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; unknown, Edgar Sampson, Otto Hardwicke – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Mack Shaw – tuba.
East St. Louis Toodle-oo, recorded 3 December 1927, New York City
Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalf – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Rudy Jackson, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
Doin’ the Voom Voom and Flaming Youth, recorded 16 January 1929, New York City
Arthur Whetsel, Bubber Miley, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
The Mooche, recorded 17 October 1928, New York City
Arthur Whetsel, Bubber Miley, unknown – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
The Okeh Ellington, Columbia C2K 46177 (2 CD set)
Take it Easy, recorded 19 January 1928, New York City
Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalf – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
The Mooche, recorded 1 October 1928, New York City
Arthur Whetsel, Bubber Miley – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Lonnie Johnson – guitar; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Baby Cox – vocal.
The Bix Beiderbecke Story, Proper Records P1362 (4 CD set)
Louisiana, recorded 23 April 1928, New York City
Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra: Henry Busse, Charles Margulis, Eddie Prinder – trumpet; Bix Beiderbecke – cornet; Boyce Cullen, Wilbur Hall, Bill Rank, Jack Fulton – trombone; Irving Friedman, Chet Hazlett, Rube Crozier, Frank Trumbauer, Red Mayer, Charles Strickfaden – reeds; Kurt Dierterle, Mischa Russell, Matty Malneck, Mario Perry, John Bowman, Charles Gaylord – violin; Roy Bargy, Lennie Hayton – piano; Mike Pingitore – banjo; Min Leibrook – tuba; Mike Trafficante – bass; Hal McDonald – drums; Bing Crosby, Jack Fulton, Austin Young, Charles Gaylord – vocal.
Rockin’ Chair, recorded 21 May 1930, New York City
Bix Beiderbecke – cornet; James “Bubber” Miley – trumpet; Tommy Dorsey – trombone; Arnold Brilhart, Benny Goodman, Bud Freeman – reeds; Joe Venuti – violin; Hoagy Carmichael – piano, vocal; .Eddie Lang – guitar; Harry Goodman – bass; Gene Krupa – drums; Irving Brodsky – vocal.
— Our closing music —-
It’s Something You Ought To Know (Paul Gonsalves – “Ellingtonia Moods and Blues,” RCA Victor / RCA63562)
Recorded 29 February 1960, New York City
Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ray Nance – cornet; Mitchell “Booty” Wood – trombone; Jimmy Jones – piano; Al Hall – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.
Ellington Reflections 