Carl Kress

Carl Kress   June 1947

Source:  Wikimedia Commons

Born in Newark, New Jersey, on 20 October 1907, guitarist and composer, Carl Kress, was famous within the music profession as a studio musician, later with the general public for his guitar duets. He early played piano before switching to banjo to play professionally. His earliest recording may have been 'Shanghai Dream Man' on which he contributed banjo to Irwin Abrams Hotel Manger Orchestra on 23 February 1927 in New York City (matrix W80478 to issue on OKeh 40798 and Parlophone R 3364). DAHR then drops him until 1928. Tom Lord, however, finds either him or Dick McDonough at guitar with the Ben Selvin Orchestra on May 6, 1927, for 'Just a Little Cuter' and 'Marianette' (Brunswick A451). That was issued as the Kensington Serenaders on Vocalion 15570, concerning which Brian Rust agrees with Lord on the date in May, though both DAHR and Discogs prefer an earlier date of 23 April 1927. Lord has either McDonough or Kress if not both with Ben Selvin on several occasions until 8 September 1927 when Kress and possibly McDonough are shown with the Charleston Chasers run by cornetist, Red Nichols, to record 'Imagination' and 'Feelin' No Pain' toward Columbia 1268-D.

Kress then contributed to Red and Miff's Stompers on October 12, 1927, toward 'Slippin' Around' and 'Feelin' No Pain' for Columbia. He supported various of Nichols' bands into 1931, often with trombonist, Miff Mole. He sat in Mole's orchestra as late as 17 February of 1937 toward such as 'On the Little Bamboo Bridge' with Midge Williams and 'Love and Learn' with Chick Bullock. C melody saxophonist, Frankie Trumbauer, was in Nichols' Stompers on 26 October 1927 toward 'Sugar' and 'Make My Cot Where the Cot-Cot-Cotton Grows' for Victor. Kress performed with Trumbauer variously, especially in Trumbauer's orchestra, into 1936 and later in 1946. One of those occasions was with the orchestra of Paul Whiteman on 12 January 1928 toward 'San' issued on Victor.

Tom Lord has Kress first recording with trombonist, Tommy Dorsey, in the All Star Orchestra on 3 January 1928. Come Tommy's brother, Jimmy, on clarinet, on 12 January 1928 with Paul Whiteman (above with Trumbauer). Kress mixed variously and often with one or both of the Dorseys into 1935, including the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra in 1928. He later supported Jimmy's orchestra in 1949-50. Both Dorseys sat with Kress in the orchestra of Fred Rich on 29 March 1929 toward 'I Get the Blues When It Rains' sung by Irving Kaufman. Kress and the Dorseys contributed to Rich's operation into 1931 with Rich directing the CBS Studio Orchestra. In January of 1932 Kress recorded his first of numerous guitar duets, those in particular with Eddie Lang. Kress was more a chord player while Lang probably singled out the notes. Kress later joined Jimmy again, now to back vocalist, Annette Hanshaw, on multiple occasions in 1932 and 1933.

Kress and both Dorseys were part of Joe Venuti and Friends when they put away 'Onyx Club Revue No. 1' on 24 January 1933. Probably recorded live at the Onyx Club owned by bootlegger, Joe Helbock, at 35 West 52nd Street in New York City [Burke], Kress may have been a silent owner of that nightspot by then. If not, then perhaps by 12 December 1933 when 'Onyx Club Revue No. 2' went down. Kress nevertheless became part owner of the Onyx sometime in the thirties, remaining so until a falling out in 1937, the club moving across the street to 62 West 52nd Street. The Onyx Club had been established in 1927 and was a hot spot for jazz up to 1949 when it became a strip club. As for the silly 'Onyx Club Review', the band directed by Victor Young had been trying to record a waltz but kept making mistakes. Young then suggested that the band play the worst that it could to get the "clinkers" out of the system. Recorded as a joke rather than for public consumption, a limited edition of shellacs were pressed for distribution to band members. Vinyl copies were later released in 1981.

Both Dorseys joined Kress in support of Mildred Bailey on 8 April 1933 toward "Is That Religion?' and 'Harlem Lullaby' issued on Brunswick 6558. Kress would visit Bailey again in 1944 and 1951. Tom Lord follows Kress with Tommy Dorsey to 21 June 1935 toward Dick Powell's, 'Lulu's Back In Town' on Brunswick 7469. Though Kress had last scratched tracks with Jimmy in the Taystee Breadwinners Orchestra in 1934 (with Tommy), as mentioned above he would later back the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in 1949-50.

Kress was well-known for his duets with guitarist, Dick McDonough, in 1934 and 1937 [Red Hot Jazz]. He may have gotten mixed with McDonough since the Ben Selvin Orchestra in 1927, they to become frequent studio companions. Between duets with McDonough, Kress also supported the Jack Shilkret Orchestra in 1936.

Kress recorded several duets performed on radio with guitarist, Tony Mottola, in 1941. Transcribed by Thesaurus, those saw issue on 'Fun on the Frets' in 1988 per Yazoo L-1061 (along with other titles by Kress, such as with McDonough). Kress and Mottola also supported Eddie Condon in 1944. Kress sat in Louis Armstrong's orchestra on 14 January 1945 toward 'Jodie Man' and 'I Wonder' released on Decca 18652. He backed vocalist, Johnny Mercer, with the Paul Weston Orchestra on 3 March of 1946. He was back with Mottola to support the Modernaires with Paula Kelly in 1947. He later performed in the ensemble of the 'Garry Moore Show' from 1950 to 1955 [IMDb]. Tracks recorded in 1945 and 1947 below are found on the Kress compilation, 'Guitar Stylist' per Capitol H368 in 1953.