HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Eddie Lang

Birth of Jazz: Eddie Lang

Eddie Lang

Source: Red Hot Jazz (defunct)

If there is a "Father" of jazz guitar it might be Eddie Lang (Salvatore Massaro) who was born in Philadelphia on 25 October 1902. He and violinist, Joe Venuti, were childhood friends. Like Venuti, Lang played violin since age seven but switched to banjo at age 20 and was performing at guitar by 1923.

Lang initially recorded with the Charlie Kerr Orchestra on 8 March 1923. His first of five sessions with Kerr that year yielded 'Good Morning, Dearie' and 'A Silver Canoe' toward Edison 51070. Personnel rosters herein are per session (not track) by Tom Lord.

'Good Morning, Dearie' First recording by Eddie Lang (banjo / guitar)

Charlie Kerr Orchestra

Recorded 8 March 1923 in NYC Matrix 8872-A,B,C toward Edison 51070

Trumpet: Leo McConville Trombone: Joe de Luca

Reeds (clarinet / sax): Jerry Di Masi / Vincenzo d'Imperio

Violin: Albert Valente Piano: Robert McCracken

Tuba: Mike Trafficante Drums: Ormand Downes ?

Composition: Jerome Kern

'A Silver Canoe' Second recording by Eddie Lang (banjo / guitar)

Charlie Kerr Orchestra

Recorded 8 March 1923 in NYC Matrix 8873-A,B,C toward Edison 51070

Trumpet: Leo McConville Trombone: Joe de Luca

Reeds (clarinet / sax): Jerry Di Masi / Vincenzo d'Imperio

Violin: Albert Valente Piano: Robert McCracken

Tuba: Mike Trafficante Drums: Ormand Downes ?

Composition: Vincent Rose

Not long later Lang became a member of both Red Nichol's Five Pennies and the Jean Goldkette Orchestra. Venuti was a member of Goldkette's band as well. The pair also worked in the orchestra of Roger Wolfe Kahn before recording duets together in 1926, then forming the Blue Four in 1927 which would become the Blue Five in 1933. In the meantime Lang had begun recording solo guitar with accompaniment by pianist, Arthur Schutt, in April 1927. Lang also worked with guitarist, Lonnie Johnson, using the pseudonym, Blind Willie Dunn. In 1929 he put together an orchestra which backed Mildred Bailey. Come guitar duets with Carl Kress in 1932.

'Boneyard Shuffle' Eddie Lang (guitar) w Red Nichols & His Five Pennies

Recorded 20 Dec 1926 in NYC

First of 2 takes Matrix E-21597 toward Brunswick 3477

Trumpet: Red Nichols Trombone: Miff Mole

Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey

Piano: Arthur Schutt Drums: Vic Berton

Composition: Hoagy Carmichael / Irving Mills

'Doin' Things' Eddie Lang (guitar)

Recorded 4 May 1927 in NYC toward OKeh 40825 / Columbia C2L24 / Parlophone R 3352

Violin: Joe Venuti Piano: Arthur Schutt

Composition: Lang / Venuti

'Doin' Things' Eddie Lang (guitar)

Recorded 21 June 1928 in NYC toward Victor 21561-A 2

Violin: Joe Venuti Piano: Frank Signorelli

Composition: Lang / Venuti

'The Blue Room' Eddie Lang (guitar) w Joe Venuti's Blue Four

Recorded 27 Sep 1928 in NYC Matrix 401159-A toward OKeh 41144

Violin: Joe Venuti Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey

Piano: Rube Bloom Drums: Paul Graselli

Composition: Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers for 'The Girl Friend' of 1926

'Sensation Rag' Eddie Lang (guitar) w Joe Venuti's Blue Four

Recorded 27 Sep 1928 in NYC Matrix 401160-A toward OKeh 41144

Violin: Joe Venuti Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey

Piano: Rube Bloom Drums: Paul Graselli

Composition: Eddie Edwards / John C. Gale

'Guitar Blues' Eddie Lang as Blind Willie Dunn (guitar) w Lonnie Johnson (12-string guitar)

Recorded 7 May 1929 in NYC

Issued as Blind Willie Dunn's Gin Bottle Four on OKeh 8711

Composition: Johnson / Lang

'Wild Cat' Eddie Lang (guitar) w Joe Venuti (violin) Film

Film: 'King of Jazz' released 19 April 1930 in 2-strip Technicolor

Directed by John Murray Anderson Orchestration: Paul Whiteman

Composition: Venuti / Lang

'Now That I Need You, You're Gone' Eddie Lang (guitar) w Joe Venuti's Rhythm Boys

Recorded 10 Sep 1931 in NYC Columbia 2535-D / Parlophone R1287

Violin: Joe Venuti Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey

Piano: Lennie Hayton Drums: Paul Graselli Vocal: Paul Small

Composition: Grant Clarke / Edgar Leslie / Joseph Meyer

'Beale Street Blues' The Joe Venuti-Eddie Lang All Star Orchestra

Recorded 22 Oct Sep 1931 in NYC Vocalion 15864

Trumpet: Charlie Teagarden Trombone / vocal: Jack Teagarden

Clarinet: Jimmy Dorsey Piano: Frank Signorelli

Bass: Ward Lay Drums: Neil Marshall

Composition: W.C. Handy 1917

'Pickin' My Way' Eddie Lang (guitar) w Carl Kress (guitar)

Recorded 15 Jan 1932 in NYC Brunswick 6254

Composition: Lang / Kress

'I Wanna Count Sheep Till the Cows Come Home' Eddie Lang (guitar) w Joe Venuti (violin)

Recorded 28 Jan 1932 in NYC Harmony 1413-H / Columbia C2L24 / CBS 88142

Piano / vocal: Les Reis Vocal: Artie Dunn

Composition: Joe Young / Jack Little

'Sweet Georgia Brown' Eddie Lang (guitar) w the Isham Jones Orchestra

(Tom Lord's jazzography does not find Venuti in this session)

Recorded 23 April 1932 in NYC One of 2 takes:

Matrix JC-8592-A toward Brunswick 6320 / 6635 / 01316

Matrix JC-8592-B toward Columbia CL-6105 / 5-1166

Trumpet: George Thow / Clarence Willard Trombone: Jack Jenney / Red Ballard

Flugelhorn / arrangement: Joe Bishop

Reeds: Milt Yaner / Victor Hauprich / Isham Jones / Maynard "Saxie" Mansfield

Violin: Eddie Stone Piano: Harold Smith

Tuba: Richard Kissinger Drums: Walter Lageson

Music: Ben Bernie / Maceo Pinkard 1925 Lyrics: Kenneth Casey

'Without That Man' Eddie Lang (guitar) w Ruth Etting Film: 'A Regular Trooper'

Vitaphone film short Reels #1378-1379 Released June 1932

Directed by Roy Mack Composition: Walter Donaldson

Lang is traced by Tom Lord to as late as 7 March of 1933 with the orchestra of Victor Young putting away 'Going, Going, Gone' and 'Low Down Upon the Harlem River' toward Banner 32716.

'Going! Going!! Gone!!!' Eddie Lang (guitar) w the Victor Young Orchestra

Recorded 7 March 1933 in NYC Lang's last known session

Vocalion 15882 / Banner 32716

Trumpet: Bunny Berigan Trombone: Tommy Dorsey

Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey

Piano: Fulton McGrath ? Bass: Artie Bernstein

Drums / vibes: Larry Gomar or Stan King Vocal: Chick Bullock

Composition: Phil Baxter

Lang and Venuti's musical collaboration was the American version of the partnership between guitarist, Django Reinhardt, and violinist, Stephane Grappelli, in France some eight years later. Lang, however, didn't live to hear such, as he died at age thirty on 26 March 1933. It is thought he bled to death after a tonsillectomy to improve his voice for taking parts in Bing Crosby films [obit]. Among other big names with whom Lang had collaborated during a recording career of only ten years were saxophonist, Frank Trumbauer, and vocalists, Seger Ellis, Lee Morse and the Boswell Sisters.