Snoozer Quinn
Source: Snoozer Quinn
Born in Pine County, Mississippi, sometime in 1907, the obscure Snoozer Quinn, guitarist, graduated from high school in 1924 to join the Paul English Players in 1925. Soon heading to Texas the same year, he became a member of Joe Wingy Manone's New Orleans Rhythm Band also consisting of Don Ellis (saxophone), Pee Wee Russell (clarinet), Joe Lamer (piano) and Claude Humphries (drums). It was also 1925 when Quinn joined the musical staff at KPRC Radio in Houston, Texas. Though Quinn left few documented recordings, he is anecdotally mentioned by other musicians as one of the more talented guitarists of the period. He had occasion to record several unissued tracks for Victor in San Antonio on May 21, 1928: 'Snoozer's Blues', 'Tiger Rag', 'That'll Get It' and 'Rambling Blues'.
It was 1928 that Paul Whiteman happened to hear Quinn playing backstage at a theatre in New Orleans and decided to take him to New York City where he recorded six takes of two titles with Whiteman and vocalist, Bee Palmer, on January 10 of 1929: 'Don't Leave Me Daddy' and 'Singin' the Blues', neither released. Both Lord and Rust have Quinn recording 'We'll Have a New Home in the Morning' with Willard Robison and his Deep River Orchestra on February 14. Those share the same matrix numbers as what Discogs has issued in 1929 on Velvet Tone 1870-V. Robison issued that pseudonymously as Paul Howe on Harmony 870-H (Online Discographical Project).
'We'll Have a New Home in the Morning' Willard Robison & His Deep River Orchestra
Recorded 14 Feb 1929 in NYC Matrix 147845-1 First issued Quinn recording
Harmony 870-H / Regal G-9376 / Velvet Tone 1870-V
Trumpet: Harry "Goldie" Goldfield Clarinet: Chester Hazlett
Piano / vocal:
Willard Robison (aka Paul Howe) Guitar: Snoozer QuinnBass: Mike Trafficante
Composition: Gene Buck / J. Russel Robinson / Robison
March 8 of 1929 saw recordings with Frank Trumbauer, yielding 'Futuristic Rhythm' and 'Raisin' the Roof' released that year on Okeh 41209. Bix Beiderbecke was at that session, as he would be on April 17 to record 'Louise', 'Wait Till You See Me, Ma Cherie' (Okeh 41231) and 'Baby Won't You Please Come Home?' (Okeh 41286). These dates are per Tom Lord with whom not all agree, preferring Eddie Lang at guitar instead. Nor does Kathryn Hobgood Ray include any of the above titles in her sessionography of Quinn, though Discogs lists Quinn on all of them per 'Bix & Tram' on JSP Records JSP913 in 2002. Quinn also joined Trumbauer in the Mason Dixon Orchestra on a couple titles on May 15 of 1929 for 'What a Day' and 'Alabammy Snow' (Columbia 1861-D)
.
'Alabammy Snow' Snoozer Quinn backing the Mason Dixon Orchestra
Recorded 15 May 1929 in NYC Matrix 148538-4 Columbia 1861-D
Cornet: Andy Secrest Trumpet: Harry "Goldie" Goldfield / Charlie Margulis
Trombone: Bill Rank Clarinet / sax: Irving Friedman
Various sax: Charles Strickfaden / Frankie Trumbauer / Min Leibrook
Piano / arrangement:
Lennie Hayton Guitar: Snoozer QuinnDrums: George Marsh Composition: Lee David
DAHR has Quinn backing country yodeler, Jimmie Davis, in 1931 on seven issued titles, among them 'Get on Board, Aunt Susan' with 'Market House Blues' on Victor 23620, both composed by Davis. Quinn's 'There's Evil in Ye Children, Gather 'Round' saw release on Victor 23573. Titles not released at the time later saw issue on Bear Family BCD 15943 in 1998. Quinn wasn't the only early musician who moved between the jazz and country genres. The roots of country western music which would arrive with swing had already been planted in New York City in 1924 when both Vernon Dalhart and Carson Robison recorded the railroad tune, 'The Wreck of the Old 97', in 1924. Robison had also partnered on country titles in New York City with Frank Luther. Later guitarists comfortable in the realms of both country and jazz were such as Hank Garland and Grady Martin in the fifties and sixties.
'Hobo's Warning' Jimmie Davis
Recorded 26 May 1931 in Charlotte NC Matrix BVE 69352-2 Bear Family BCD 15943
Guitars: Snoozer Quinn / Buddy Jones
Composition: Jones / Davis
'The Gambler’s Return' Jimmie Davis
Recorded 26 May 1931 in Charlotte NC Matrix BVE 69354-2 Bear Family BCD 15943
Guitars: Snoozer Quinn / Buddy Jones
Composition: Jimmie Davis
'The Davis Limited' Jimmie Davis
Recorded 26 May 1931 in Charlotte NC Matrix BVE 69356-2 Bear Family BCD 15943
Guitars: Snoozer Quinn / Buddy Jones
Composition: Jimmie Davis
'There's Evil In Ye Children, Gather 'Round' Jimmie Davis
Recorded 28 May 1931 at the Hotel Charlotte in Charlotte NC Matrix BVE 69367
Victor 23573 / Bluebird B-5319 / Sunrise S-3400 / Bear Family BCD 15943
Steel guitar: Ed Schaffer Guitar: Snoozer Quinn
Composition: Snoozer Quinn
ARSC has Quinn documented in a silent film by Charles Peterson, a guitarist with Rudy Vallee’s Connecticut Yankees in 1932 (see also Ray). Quinn's life is largely a mystery since then. It's known that he performed in the band of Earl Crumb in New Orleans for periods in the thirties and forties. His only other extant recordings were probably made in 1948 with cornetist, Johnny Wiggs, while in the hospital for tuberculosis in New Orleans. Ray has four of those released on Wiggs' own label in 1952: 'Melancholy Baby', 'You Took Advantage of Me', 'Singing the Blues' and 'Snoozer’s Telephone Blues'. (Discogs has those issued probably too early in 1948: Wiggs 2100 / Wiggs 2101). Those were released again with other titles in 1969 on 'The Legendary Snoozer Quinn' per Fat Cat Records FCJ104. They were released in CD in 2014 per 'The Magic of Snoozer Quinn' on 504 Records 504 CD 25.
Silent film by Charles Peterson featuring Snoozer Quinn 1932
'Melancholy Baby' Snoozer Quinn w Johnny Wiggs (cornet)
Recorded 1948 at Charity Hospital in New Orleans LA Matrix NO3 Wiggs, Inc. 2100-B
Music: Ernie Burnett 1912 Lyrics: George A. Norton
'You Took Advantage of Me' Guitar solo by Snoozer Quinn
Recorded 1948 at Charity Hospital in New Orleans LA Matrix NO4 Wiggs, Inc. 2101-A
Music: Richard Rodgers 1928 Lyrics: Lorenz Hart
'Snoozer's Telephone Blues' Guitar solo by Snoozer Quinn
Recorded 1948 at Charity Hospital in New Orleans LA Matrix NO12 Wiggs, Inc. 2100-A
Composition: Snoozer Quinn
Quinn died of tuberculosis soon after his 1948 sessions on 21 April 1949 at only age 42 if that.
Sources & References for Snoozer Quinn:
Eugene Chadbourne (All Music)
Kathryn D. Hobgood Ray (A Musical Analysis and History of Eddie "Snoozer" Quinn / Tulane University / 2013)
Kathryn D. Hobgood Ray (Snoozer Quinn)
VF History (notes)
Recordings: Catalogs: Discogs
Recordings: Compilations:
The Complete Okeh & Brunswick Bix Beiderbecke, Frank Trumbauer & Jack Teagarden Sessions (1924-1936) (Mosaic Records MD7-211 / 2001)
Governor Jimmie Davis: Nobody's Darlin' But Mine (Bear Family BCD 15943 / 1998)
The Legendary Snoozer Quinn (Fat Cat's Jazz FCJ 104 / 1969)
The Magic of Snoozer Quinn (504 Records 504 CD 25 / 2014)
Recordings: Sessions:
DAHR (1928 / 1931)
Kathryn D. Hobgood Ray (Snoozer Quinn / 1928-1948)
Tom Lord (leading 2 of 7 sessions 1928-1947)
Brian Rust (Jazz and Ragtime Records 1897–1942 / Mainspring Press / 2002)
Bibliography:
Kathryn D. Hobgood Ray (Snoozer Quinn: Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Pioneer / 2022)
Classical Main Menu Modern Recording
hmrproject (at) aol (dot) com