Tiny Parham
Source: auguzto777
Hartzell Strathdene "Tiny" Parham was born on 25 February 1900 in Winnipeg, but grew up in Kansas City. Parham was a bandleader and keyboard player who went by "Tiny" because he weighed more than 300 pounds. Moving to Chicago in 1926, he first recorded per Paramount matrix numbers in Tom Lord's sessionography with Elzadie Robinson c September 1926 toward 'Humming Blues' followed by Leola Wilson's 'Dishrag Blues' and 'Rollin' Mill Blues'. His last session of 1926 was with the Apollo Syncopators in December, running that operation with violinist, Leroy Pickett, for two takes of 'Alexander, Where's That Band?' and one of 'Mojo Strut'.
'Humming Blues' Tiny Parham (piano) backing Elzadie Robinson
Richard M. Jones is suggested if this is not Parham
Cornet may be B.T. Wingfield
Recorded c Sep 1926 in Chicago Matrix 3019-2 Paramount 12420
Composition: Parham / Robinson
'Dishrag Blues' Tiny Parham (piano) backing Leola B. Wilson
Cornet may be B.T. Wingfield
Recorded c Sep 1926 in Chicago Matrix 3021-2 Paramount 12403
Composition: Grant & Wilson
'Mojo Strut' Tiny Parham (piano) w the Pickett-Parham Apollo Syncopators
Recorded c Dec 1926 in Chicago Matrix 4054-1 Paramount 12441
Cornet: B.T. Wingfield Trombone: Charlie Lawson
Clarinet / sax: Junie Cobb Violin: Leroy Pickett Drums: Jimmy Bertrand
Composition: Parham
Parham commenced 1927 at January sessions with Jasper Taylor and his State Street Boys including clarinetist, Johnny Dodds, and Freddie Keppard at cornet, recording 'Stomp Time Blues' and 'It Must Be the Blues'. He next accompanied Ma Rainey on a couple tracks and led a few tunes with Dodds before forming his Black Patti Band to record 'Um-ta-da-da-da' for the Black Patti record label circa June 28 that year.
'Loveless Love' aka 'Careless Love' Tiny Parham (piano) w Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
Recorded c April 1927 in Chicago Matrix 4413-1 Paramount 12483
Composition: W.C. Handy
In December of 1927 Parham formed an ensemble called the "Forty" Five to record 'Jim Jackson's Kansas City Blues' and 'A Little Bit Closer' for Paramount. He then backed a few vocalists including Hattie McDaniels and Bertha Henderson before forming his Musicians for tracks gone down on July 2, 1928, 'Cuckoo Blues' among them.
'A Little Bit Closer' Tiny Parham (piano) and his "Forty" Five
Recorded Dec 1927 in Chicago Matrix 20207-3 Paramount 12586
Cornet: Claude Alexander or Roy Hobson Trombone: Kid Ory
Clarinet / sax: Charles Johnson Banjo: Papa Charlie Jackson
Composition: Parham
'Stuttering Blues' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 2 July 1928 in Chicago Matrix 46038-1 Victor V38009
Cornet: Punch Miller Trombone: Charlie Lawson
Clarinet / sax: Charles Johnson Banjo: Papa Charlie Jackson
Tuba: Quinn Wilson Drums: Ernie Marrero
Composition: Parham
'Cuckoo Blues' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 2 July 1928 in Chicago Matrix 46041-2 Victor 21553
Cornet: Punch Miller Trombone: Charlie Lawson
Clarinet / sax: Charles Johnson Banjo: Papa Charlie Jackson
Tuba: Quinn Wilson Drums: Ernie Marrero
Composition: Parham
'Jogo Rhythm' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 2 July 1928 in Chicago Matrix 46042-1 Victor V38009
Cornet: Punch Miller Trombone: Charlie Lawson
Clarinet / sax: Charles Johnson Banjo: Papa Charlie Jackson
Tuba: Quinn Wilson Drums: Ernie Marrero
Composition: Parham
'Voodoo' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 1 Feb 1929 in Chicago 1 of 2 takes on either Frog DGF 79 or Victor V38054
Cornet: Roy Hobson Trombone: Ike Covington
Clarinet / sax: Charles Johnson Violin: Elliott Washington Banjo: Big Mike McKendrick
Tuba: Quinn Wilson Drums: Ernie Marrero
Composition: Parham
'Subway Sobs' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 2 Feb 1929 in Chicago Matrix 48849-1 Victor V38041
Composition: Parham
'Washboard Wiggles' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 22 July 1929 in Chicago Matrix 55463-1 Victor V38076
Composition: Parham
'Cathedral Blues' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 3 Dec 1929 in Chicago Matrix 57217-2 Victor V38111
Composition: Parham
'Steel String Blues' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 25 Oct 1929 in Chicago Matrix 57337-3 Victor 23410
Composition: Parham
'Squeeze Me' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 4 Nov 1930 in Chicago Matrix 62935-1 Pirate MPC521
Cornet: Roy Hobson Trombone: John Thomas
Clarinet / sax: John Thomas / Jimmy Hutchinson Banjo: Big Mike McKendrick
Double bass: Milt Hinton Drums: Jimmy McEndre
Composition: Thomas Waller / Clarence Williams
Parham scheduled his last session for the next 9 1/2 years on November 11, 1930, after which he worked largely as an organist in theatres throughout the Great Depression decade of the thirties.
'After All I've Done For You' Tiny Parham (piano) and his Musicians
Recorded 11 Nov 1930 in Chicago Victor 23432
Cornet: Claude Alexander or Roy Hobson Trombone: Kid Ory
Clarinet / sax: Charles Johnson Banjo: Papa Charlie Jackson
Composition: Parham
Nigh a decade after his last recordings, Parham held one last session in Chicago on June 4, 1940, while working as an organist at a skating rink. His band called the Four Aces, those tracks were 'Frogtown Blues', 'Moving Day' and 'Spo-de-o-dee', the last with Sam Theard at vocals.
'Frogtown Blues' Tiny Parham (organ) as the Four Aces
Recorded 4 June 1940 in Chicago Matrix 93027-A Decca 7780
Clarinet: Darnell Howard Guitar: John Henley Drums: Bob Slaughter
Composition: Parham
'Moving Day' Tiny Parham (organ) as the Four Aces
Recorded 4 June 1940 in Chicago Matrix 93028-A Decca 7801
Clarinet: Darnell Howard Guitar: John Henley Drums: Bob Slaughter
Composition: Parham
'Spo-De-O-Dee' Tiny Parham (organ) as the Four Aces
Parham's final recording
Recorded 4 June 1940 in Chicago Matrix 93029-A Decca 7780
Clarinet: Darnell Howard Guitar: John Henley
Drums: Bob Slaughter Vocal: Sam Theard
Composition: Theard
Three years after the recordings above Parham died of heart attack in his dressing room at a performance at Kilbourne Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 4, 1943.
Sources & References for Tiny Parham:
VF History (notes) Wikipedia
Compositions: Music Brainz Second Hand Songs
Recordings by Parham / Catalogs: 45 Worlds All Music Discogs RYM
Recordings by Parham / Compilations:
Tiny Parham and his Musicians / Chronological Classics 1929-1940 / Classics 691 / 1993:
Recordings by Parham / Sessions:
Scott Alexander's Red Hot Jazz (chronological):
Pickett Apollo Syncopators (Dec 1926)
Parham w Johnny Dodds (clarinet / March-April 1927)
Black Patti Band (June 1927)
Parham and his "Forty" Five (Dec 1927)
Parham and his Musicians (1928-30)
DAHR (1927-40)
Tom Lord: leading 11 of 24 sessions 1926-40
Further Reading: Lynn René Bayley (Tiny Parham: The Jogo Rhythm Man / 2016)
Classical Main Menu Modern Recording
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