HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

George Van Eps

Birth of Modern Jazz: George Van Eps

George Van Eps

Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, on 7 August 1913, seven-string guitarist George Van Eps was the son of banjoist, Fred Van Eps. He is thought to have first recorded banjo in 1927, at age fourteen, which is easier to quote from multiple sources than to determine anything more about such. An inaccessible 'Los Angeles Times' obit by Jim Washburn comments that such was with banjo-playing brothers, Fred and Bob. George did have three musicians for brothers: pianist Bobby, trumpeter Freddy and tenor saxophonist Johnny. His mother played piano as well. It's yet possible that that recording(s), likely an unissued test, was with his father, Fred. With no way to verify a 1927 studio date it must be treated as speculative even if it happened.

The first Van Eps recording that did see a record shop was in the orchestra of Smith Ballew on October 14, 1930, playing guitar on 'You Were Only Passing Time' and 'You're Simply Delish' (Columbia 2320). Eddie Lang, Joe Venuti and Bobby Van Eps (piano) were also in on that. On 2 December of 1930 it was Ballew with both Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey in his band. Early tracks with Ballew culminated on February 3, 1931, for 'I Hate Myself' (Harmony 1252-H).

In October of 1932 Van Eps joined Eddie Scat Davis toward 'Sugar'. He had begun working with Freddy Martin in 1931 but didn't record with him until January 16, 1933, with his brother, Bobby, and vocalist, Elmer Feldkamp: 'When the Morning Rolls Around' (Oriole 2635), 'A Tree Was a Tree' (Melody 12611) and 'Why Can't This Night Go on Forever?'.

We fast forward through several more sessions with Martin into May, then the Tasty Bread Winners (including both Dorseys) and Chick Bullock in 1934, to arrive to the Benny Goodman Orchestra on August 16 that year for such as 'Take My Word'' and 'Nit Wit Serenade'. Numerous sessions with Goodman were held to July of 1935, later reunions to arrive in 1947 and the early fifties.

'Get Rhythm In Your Feet'

George Van Eps backing Helen Ward in the Benny Goodman Orchestra

25 June 1935 Matrix 92520-2 Victor 25081

Trumpet: Nate Kazebier / Bunny Berigan / Jerry Neary

Trombone: Red Ballard / Jack Lacey

Clarinet: Goodman Alto sax: Hymie Schertzer / Toots Mondello

Tenor sax: Dick Clark / Arthur Rollini Piano: Frank Froeba

Guitar: Van Eps Bass: Harry Goodman Drums: Gene Krupa

Fletcher Henderson: Arrangement

Composition: Bill Livingston / J. Russel Robinson

Among others whom Van Eps had supported in the thirties were Louis Prima ('That's Where the South Begins' on 27 September 1934) and Adrian Rollini ('Somebody Loves Me' on 23 October 1934). Another important orchestra in the thirties was Ray Noble's, Van Eps joining his operation in 1935 to record 'Down By the River' in February. Van Eps worked with Noble into 1936, later from 1939 into 1941.

We fast forward into the forties to one of Van Eps' more frequent partners through the years, that clarinetist, Matty Matlock. Their first session together had been with Charles LaVere's Chicago Loopers on November 1 of 1944 for such as 'Lazy River' and 'Very 8'n Boogie'. Matlock and Van Eps were nigh continual partners through numerous outfits, such as Paul Weston's, for another sixteen years. Along the way Van Eps backed several of Matlock's albums from 'Sports Parade' (1954) to 'Gold Diggers in Dixieland' (1960). They recorded together to as late as 1960 to back Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby's 'Bing and Satchmo'. Tom Lord's sessionography has them reuniting circa 1963 with Wild Bill Davison and His Dixie Cats toward 'Do It with Dixie' issued in Germany circa 1969/70. Per 'If I Had You' below, that had been composed in 1928 by Ted Shaparo and Irving King (the British songwriting team of Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly).

'If I Had You'

George Van Eps (guitar) w Charlie Lavere's Chicago Loopers

1 Nov 1944 Unissued of 3 takes

Trumpet: Billy May Trombone: Joe Yukl

Clarinet: Matty Matlock Bass: Artie Shapiro Drums: Nick Fatool

Two more important figures in Van Eps career were vocalist, Johnny Mercer, and bandleader, Paul Weston, Van Eps joining the latter's orchestra on September 27 of 1945 for titles with the Pied Pipers: 'If I Knew Then' and 'Personality'. Van Eps spent two years recording numerously with Mercer and Weston, often with the Pied Pipers, to December 29, 1947, for 'Down Among the Sheltering Palms' and 'Would Ya?', also with the Pied Pipers. Van Eps would see Mercer again in 1951 and 1960, that last occasion in August with Bobby Darin and the Billy May Orchestra for 'Two of a Kind'. Van Eps would be back with Weston in 1949 to back Dean Martin, they to work with one another numerously to November 12 of 1953 to back trumpeter, Harry James, on "Oh Mein Papa' and 'Serenata'. Van Eps contributed to Weston's 'Mood for 12' in 1955 and 'Solo Mood' in 1956. Later in August Weston conducted titles for Van Eps' first album, 'Mellow Guitar'.

Among others whom Van Eps supported in the forties were Wingy Manone (1947) and Peggy Lee (1947 / 49 / 50). His first sessions as a leader had been in trios in April and June of 1949, the first with Jack Ryan (bass) and Nick Fatool (drums) to bear 'I Wrote It for Joe' and 'Tea for Two', the latter with Fatool and Phil Stephens on bass to yield 'Once in a While' and 'Kay's Fantasy'.

'Kay's Fantasy'

George Van Eps (guitar) w Phil Stephens (bass)

13 June 1949 in Los Angeles Matrix J104-3 Jump JA1

Composition: George Van Eps

During the fifties Van Eps backed such as Jess Stacy (1950 / 51), the Rampart Street Paraders (1953-57), Frank Sinatra, (1955 / 56), Glen Gray's Casa Loma (1956 / 59), the Four Freshmen (1959) and the Kings of Dixieland (1959-62).

'Roses of Picardy'

George Van Eps (guitar) w Pete Kelly and His Big Seven

July 1951 in Los Angeles Capitol EAP1-404

Cornet: Dick Cathcart Trombone: Moe Schneider

Clarinet: Matty Matlock Piano: Ray Sherman

Bass: Morty Corb Drums: Nick Fatool

Music: Haydn Wood Lyrics: Frederic Weatherly 1916 London

Van Eps waited ten years after the recording his first album in 1956 ('Mellow Guitar') to make his second in 1966 with Frank Flynn on vibes per 'My Guitar'. 'Seven-String Guitar' in 1967 was a trio. 'Soliloquy' of 1968 was a suite of solos which Discogs has released in 1969. Around that period he recorded at the Blue Angel Jazz Club in December of 1968 preceding dates on 1 November 1969 and November 7 of 1970.

'Have You Met Miss Jones' From the album 'Mellow Guitar'

1 August 1956 in Los Angeles Columbia CL929

Album personnel:

Guitar: George Van Eps Bass: Morty Corb

Drums: Alvin Stoller / Nick Fatool

Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Lorenz Hart 1937

'My Guitar' Album

Guitar: George Van Eps Vibes / percussion: Frank Flynn

10 March 1966 in Hollywood Capitol T2533

Jim Campilongo

'The Man I Love' Solo guitar by George Van Eps

1 Nov 1969 in Pasadena

See 'The Blue Angel Jazz Club: Jazz at Pasadena '69' on BAJC506

Composition: The Gershwin Brothers 1924

As of November 1970 there is a gap in Lord's sessionography of twenty-one years during which Van Eps recorded nothing due, initially, to illness, then the breaking of three fingers. During this period he published volumes one and two of his instruction manual, 'Harmonic Mechanisms for Guitar', in 1980 and 1981. This title in particular is yet much discussed, though he authored other books as well.

'I've Got a Crush on You' George Van Eps (guitar)

Taped sometime 1979 at the Pittsburgh Men's Club Allegheny Jazz Festival

Composition: Gershwin Brothers

Van Eps returned to recording in February of 1991 per 'Thirteen Strings' with guitarist, Howard Alden, in February 1991. They followed that quartet with another per 'Hand-Crafted Swing' in 1992. 'Seven and Seven' in 1993 was a duo with Alden, 'Legends' of 1994 was an album of solos shared with Johnny Smith performing a separate suite of solos, and 'Keepin' Time' in 1994 was another quartet with Alden. Van Eps' last recording is thought to have been 'Ill Never Be the Same' circa 1997 at John Pisano's Guitar Night, a weekly event held at various nightclubs in Los Angeles featuring guest guitarists.