CLARENCE GARLOW/ Complete Recordings

 CLARENCE GARLOW/ Complete Recordings (updated and revised)

           

Clarence Garlow, un des grands pionniers de la musique louisianaise de l'après guerre et le premier à populariser le Zydeco, est né le 27 février 1911 à Welsh en Louisiane. Son père, un musicien et danseur renommé localement, lui apprend le violon, la guitare et la contrebasse et un de leurs voisins montre au jeune Clarence comment s'exprimer à l'accordéon diatonique.

            Dans les années 1930, Clarence se retrouve à Beaumont, au Texas, est facteur le jour et joue dans les clubs locaux le soir. A ce moment-là, il est extrêmement influencé par T-Bone Walker. Un soir, une rencontre avec son idole dans un club de Beaumont, décide Clarence à quitter la poste et tenter de vivre de sa musique. Il fonde un orchestre qui alterne blues, ballades, airs de Country Music et musique louisianaise, notamment des la-las noirs de plus en plus appelés zydecos. A l'automne 1949, lors de concerts à Houston, Clarence rencontre Macy Lela Henry et Steve Ponchio, directeurs des disques Macy's qui lui offrent de l'enregistrer. Des cinq titres gravés à ce moment-là, Bon Ton Roulé (Les Bons temps roulent traduction française cajun de Let's the good times roll) sur un rythme de mambo, devient rapidement un succès dans tout le Sud Ouest et pénètre même dans le Top 100 R&B durant l'année 1950.

            Malheureusement, la faillite du label Macy's brise quelque peu l'élan de ce succès. Malgré tout, Garlow y trouve l'opportunité de nombreux engagements et tournées au sein de spectacles de R&B. Il en profite pour créer son club à Beaumont, le Bon Ton Drive In qui présentera la plupart des artistes louisianais, texans ainsi que les stars du R&B de passage.

            Malgré plusieurs excellents disques, Garlow n'arrive pas à retrouver les Hit Parades. En 1953, et malgré de fortes réticences quant aux arrangements trop sophistiqués à son goût de Maxwell Davis, Clarence enregistre plusieurs séances à Hollywood pour le label Aladdin, notamment New Bon ton Roulay, mais ces disques ne se vendent guère. Garlow se replie alors sur ses terres louisianaises, tourne un instant avec un tout jeune Clifton Chenier, grave plusieurs 45t pour J.D. Miller et Eddie Shuler (notamment la seule séance où il joue de l'accordéon sur Za Belle et Fais moi brailler/ Make me cry) qui sont sur les juke boxes de la région.

            Avec les années 1960, Clarence a de moins en moins d'engagements et prend un emploi de Disc Jockey sur la station KJET de Beaumont. C'est là que Mike Leadbitter (le fondateur de Blues Unlimited) le rencontre et l'interview en janvier 1968, le faisant ainsi connaître auprès du public européen du blues revival. Malheureusement, tous les projets de lui faire enregistrer un album échouent et Clarence décède le 24 juillet 1986, laissant malgré tout un bien bel héritage musical.

            Cet article est largement basé sur l'interview de Garlow par Mike Leadbitter et les pages qui lui consacre John Broven dans son indispensable ouvrage South to Louisiana. Merci à Joel Arceneaux, Pierre Monnery et José Y. pour leur aide et le prêt de disques. Quatre titres manquent encore ici et comme toujours toute copie .mp3 serait la bienvenue.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

            A true pioneer of the post war Louisiana musical genres and the first to bring Zydeco to a wide audience, Clarence Garlow was born on February, 27th 1911 in Welsh (La). His father, a dancer and musician with a local reputation, taught him how to play fiddle, guitar and string bass while a neighbour showed the young Clarence how to handle the Cajun accordion.

            During the 1930's, Garlow moved to Beaumont at the Texas border and began to play music in the local clubs the week ends while making a living as a postman. He was then a true fan of T-Bone Walker and after a meeting with his idol he decided to become a full time musician, launching his band, playing a little bit everywhere in Texas and Louisiana a wide repertoire of blues, ballads, Hillbilly music and Cajun, particularly the new adaptation of the old la-las favored by the Black Cajuns and more and more called the Zydeco. During the Autumn 1949, while playing in Houston, Garlow met Macy Lela Henry and Steve Ponchio, who offered him to record for their Macy's label. Among the titles recorded during those sessions, Bon Ton Roulé (French Cajun translation for Let's the good times roll) played on a driving mambo rhythm was a hit, even climbing in the Top 100 R&B in 1950.

            Unfortunately the dismiss of Macy's prevented Garlow for a more important hit but nevertheless assured him to have better paid gigs a little bit everywhere in the South West and to be on the bill of several R&B tours among major names. Garlow also opened his own club in Beaumont, the Bon Ton Drive In who would feature local acts as well as R&B touring stars.

            Despite several excellent records, Garlow wasn't able to repeat his initial success. In 1953, despite strong disagreements about the sophisticated West Coast arrangements of Maxwell Davis and others, he recorded two sessions for the major label Aladdin. But despite great hopes from everybody involved, those records went nowhere and Clarence stuck in his Louisiana/ Texas home base the following years, recording for J.D. Miller and Eddie Shuler (one great session Za Belle et Fais moi brailler/ Make me cry featuring him at the accordion).

            The 1960's were very lean years for Garlow who had to disband his group and take a job as a DJ on Beaumont's radio station KJET. This is how Mike Leadbitter found and interviewed him for his Blues unlimited magazine in January 1968, spreading his name and reputation among the European public. Unfortunately, all the subsequent projects for a new album by Clarence fell short and Garlow died in Beaumont 24 July 1986, leaving anywhere a great musical legacy.

            This article is largely based upon Leadbitter's interview and the essential John Broven's book, South to Louisiana. Thanks to Joel Arcenaux, Pierre Monnery and as always Jose Y. for their help and loan of records. Four Garlow titles are unfortunately still missing and any .mp3 copies would be most welcomed.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

 Clarence recorded a last 45 in 1982... Thanks to ace sleught collector Gerrit Robbs for this: 

 

 

CLARENCE GARLOW/ Complete Recordings

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Wilmer Shakesnider, a-sax; Shelby Lackey, t-sax; Mildred Smith, pno; bs; Johnny Marshall, dms. Houston, Tx. September 1949

Bound to lose my mind (cf comments)

01. In a boogie mood

02. Jumpin’ for joy

03. She’s so fine

04. Blues as you like it

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; horns; Johnnie Mae Brown, pno; bs; Johnny Marshall, dms. october 1949

05. Bon ton roula (roulet) (Macy’s)

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Curtis Babineaux, t-sax/vcl on*; Shelby Mackey, t-sax; Emma Dell Lee, pno/vcls; bs; Bill Parker, dms. Crowley, La. june 1951

06. New bon ton roola

07. Let me be your Santa

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Curtis Babineaux, t-sax/vcl on*; Shelby Mackey, t-sax; Emma Dell Lee, pno/vcls; bs; Bill Parker, dms. Crowley, La. Lake Charles, La. july 1951

Louisiana blues* (cf comments)

Watch your business (cf comments)

08. Trouble with my woman

09. Wrong doing woman*

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Emma Dell Lee, pno/vcls; band. New Orleans, La. 4 march 1953

10. Hey Mr Bon Ton

11. New bon ton roulay (aka Mr Bon Ton)

12. You got me crying

13. Dreaming

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Maxwell Davis, t-sax and Orchestra. Los Angeles, Ca. 24 july 1953

14. Jumpin’ at the Zadacoe

15. I’m hurt

16. Flip Flop

Clarence Garlow, vcl/acc; Darnell Jackson, pno; Chester Randle, g; Garen Joseph, bs; Matthew Colbert, dms. Lake Charles, december 1953

17. Za Belle

18. Za Belle (alt.)

19. Make me cry (Brailler)

20. Make me cry (alt.)

21. I don’t know

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Curtis Babineaux, a-sax/t-sax; Shelby Lackey, t-sax; Anna Mae Rogers, pno; g; Bill Parker, dms. Crowley, La. july 1954

22. Cry cry baby

23. I’m just a cry cry baby

24. I’ll never hold it against you

25. I keep on worrying

26. Come baby come

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Jewell Grant, a-sax; Maxwell davis, t-sax; Willard Mc Daniel, pno; Red Callender, bs; Peppy Prince, dms. Los Angeles, october 1954

27. Crawfishin’

28. Route 90

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lionel Prevost, t-sax; Katie Webster, pno; James Williams, bs; Little Brother Griffin, dms. Lake Charles, La. march 1955

29. Nothing to talk about

30. Train come down the track

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lionel Prevost, t-sax; Dranell Joseph, pno; Garan Joseph, bs; Matthew Colbert, dms. Lake Charles, La. 1 may 1955

31. No no baby

32. I feel like calling you

33. Jolie tee catin (Purty little dolly)

34. Purty little dollie

35. She’s a bum baby bum

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lionel Prevost, t-sax; Darnell Joseph, pno; James Williams, bs; Matthew Colbert, dms. Lake Charles, la. 1956

36. Pretty little dollie

37. Sunday morning

Sundown (cf comments)

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lionel Prevost, t-sax; Katie Webster, pno; James Williams, bs; Little Brother Griffin, dms. Lake Charles, La. 1957

38. Bon ton roulé (Good times roll)

39. Sound the bell n°1

Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lazy Lester, hca; Katie Webster, pno; Bobby Mc Bride, bs; Warren Storm, dms. Crowley, La. 1958

40. Foggy blues I

41. Foggy blues II

42. Sound the bell n°2 (Flyright)

43. Carry on

 Thanks to the generosity of blues collector William Armstrong the four hitehrto rare missing tracks (in red on the disco) are now available to be downloaded here