CHUCK HIGGINS 1951-64

 

CHUCK HIGGINS

 

           

Charles William (Chuck) Higgins, saxophonist, singer, showman, bandleader, and somewhere a Rock'n'roll pioneer was born 17^th April 1924 in Gary Indiana, learning trumpet and saxophone at an early age. He was already a proficient musician when he moved to Los Angeles around 1940. The young Higgins then attended the Music Conservatory and formed a band with Fred Dunn on piano and a very young guitar player Johnny Watson (!). In December 1951, Chuck recorded his first session for the Combo label, waxing the classic Pachuco hop, about the Mexican migrants that were coming to California. This first success led to many sessions by Higgins during the subsequent years and in fact, as a leader or an accompanist, Chuck was constantly roaming the L.A. recording studios until 1957.

            But the kind of no-nonsense hard-driving honkin' sax instrumentals delivered by people like Higgins weren't favoured anymore by the R&B buying public and Chuck didn't get to the studios until 1962 for a modest session and in 1964 with a band that featured future Canned Heat guitarist Henry Vestine.

            Unable to get enough gigs, Chuck had to make a living teaching music in various schools. But he anyway managed to record two LP's during the 1970's that led to his "re-discovery" by European and Japanese blues ad R&B fans, bringing him to tour overseas and recording again several albums.

            Chuck Higgins died of lung cancer in Los Angeles on 14^th September 1999.

            Recently, the excellent Jasmine label has issued a CD of 30 tracks by

Higgins. Here are all the other titles (minus one) this great saxophonist has recorded.

                                          Gérard HERZHAFT

 

Chuck Higgins (Charles William Higgins), t-sax; Johnny "Guitar" Watson, vcl/g; Joe Ursery, bs; Eli Tooney, dm. Los Angeles, Ca. december 1951

01. Pachuko hop I & II

02. Motor head baby (vcl: Johnny Watson)

03. Love my baby (vcl: Johnny Watson)

04. Ain't gonna leave baby (vcl: Joe Ursery)

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; Fred Higgins, vcl; Johnny Watson, pno; Joe Ursery, bs; Willie Jones, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 5 february 1952

05. Cotton picker (vcl: Fred Higgins)

06. Iron pipe

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; Johnny Watson, pno; Jason Higgins Jr, bs; Joe Ursery, bs; Willie Jones, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. march 1952

07. Blues n'Mambo

08. Stormy (vcl: Johnny Watson)

09. Real gone hound dog (vcl: Fred Higgins)

10. Tortas

11. Big fat mama (vcl: Fred Higgins)

12. Boyle Heights

13. Bug jump

14. Just won't treat me right (vcl: Johnny Watson)

15. West Side

16. I'm in love with you (vcl: Ora May Garvin)

17. Chuck's wig

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; Frank Dunn, pno; band. Los Angeles, Ca. april 1952

18. Blue sax

19. Papa Charlie (vcl: Daddy Cleanhead)

20. Higgins bounce I & II

21. Higgins blues I & II

Chuck Higgins, vcl/t-sax; Paul Clifton, t-sax; Frank Dunn, pno; band. Los Angeles, Ca. november 1952

22. That Dubonnet wine

23. The song of love (vcl: Carl Green)

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 19 août 1953

24. Wiggle

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; Daddy Cleanhead, vcl; Don Epstein, tb; Jason Hogans Jr, b-sax; H.B. Barnum, pno; Jimmy Nolen, g; Winston Williams, bs; James Lee, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 16-31 august 1954

25. Something's going on in my room (vcl: Daddy Cleanhead)

26. Let me come back home (vcl: Daddy Cleanhead)

27. Special tea

28. Is it real?

29. I know what you're talking about

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; Daddy Cleanhead, vcl; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 12 november 1954

30. Middle of the mambo

31. One chord instrumental

Chuck Higgins, vcl/t-sax; Kenny Batte, b-sax; Frank Dunn, pno; Jimmy Nolen, g; Roy Johnson, bs; James Lee, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. october-november 1955

32. Oh yeah

33. I need your love

34. Hey dig

35. Chuck's fever

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; Daddy Cleanhead, vcl; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 12 march 1956

36. Rock'n'roll

37. Pachuko hop

38. Good luck

39. Tonk

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; g; Kenny Battle, b-sax; Frank Dunn, pno; Joe Ursery, bs; Eli Toney, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 1957

40. The rooster

41. The duck walk

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 1962

42. Baby shoes

Pacho hop twist

Chuck Higgins, t-sax; Henry Vestine, g; Jay Cantrell, t-sax; bs; Bobby Woods, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 1964

43. Pancho Villa

44. Too smart

45. Sorry 'bout that

46. Night scene

47. Jerky junction

48. Squiggly wiggley

 

LADIES SING THE BLUES/ Volume 8/ Mozelle Alderson

 

LADIES SING THE BLUES Volume 8/ Mozelle Alderson

 

 

           

This 8^th opus of our Ladies sing the blues series is entirely dedicated to the elusive blues singer and comedian Mozelle Alderson.

            "Entirely" because this very lady has recorded a lot of tracks during a period spanning from 1927 to 1934. "Elusive" for Mozelle has recorded under several nicknames that for a long time prevented her to be clearly identified even by the most dedicated blues buffs the world around! Jane Lucas, Hannah May, Harum Scarums, Mae Belle Lee and the most famous Kansas City Kitty are in fact the same singer Mozelle Alderson, as her long time partner Georgia Tom Dorsey revealed in an 1975 interview to Jim O'Neal and Amy Van Singel for their magazine Living Blues.

            "Elusive" is anyway still Mozelle Alderson and I've not been able to track a photo by the lady through my anyway important collection of blues magazines! It's once again Blues/ A regional experience that gives the most details of her whereabouts.

           

Georgia Tom Dorsey

She was born Mozelle Fagans at Bedford, Ohio on November 20^th 1904 and she moved to Chicago sometimes in the early 1920's after wedding to a Mr Alderson. She probably sang already for a long time as one can notice when she recorded her first three 78s in 1927 for the Black Patti/ Gennett label backed by the excellent piano player Blind James Beck. She came back to the studios three years later for a session with the obscure pianist Judson Brown for a couple of risqué blues. By now her career took another speed and she was almost always in the recording studios during the years 1930-31, producing duos with the ubiquitous and very influential Georgia Tom Dorsey under her many nicknames that puzzled the discographers for so long. As Kansas City Kitty, Jane Lucas or among the Hokum Boys, Mozelle Alderson waxed dozens of records with sometimes the add of several Chicago blues stalwarts of the era: Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy and of course almost always Tom Dorsey. Her repertoire ranged from Classic blues singers to Hokum and Memphis Minnie...

            After a very good last session in 1934, Mozelle disappeared from the recording vaults. Has still other nicknames hidden somewhere in the discographies? Or did she dropped her musical career to other goals?

            She was a widow in 1941 and she re-married two years later to John H. Slocum in Chicago. Mozelle died on May 15^th 1994 in Chicago, largely forgotten and unfortunately never interviewed.

            We have been able to gather all her known recordings in this comp.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

 

 

Mozelle Alderson, vcl; Blind James Beck, pno/vcls. Chicago, Ill. 29 april1927

01. Mozelle blues

02. Sobbin' the blues

03. Room rent blues

04. State Street special

Mozelle Alderson, vcl; James Beck, pno; Al Miller, mdln. Chicago, Ill. may 1927

05. Mobile Central blues

06. Tall man blues

Mozelle Alderson, vcl; Judson Brown, pno/vcls. 17 april 1930

07. Tight whoopee

08. Tight in Chicago

Mozelle Alderson (as Kansas City Kitty), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls; Tampa Red, g. Chicago, Ill. 13 may 1930

09.You got that stuff

10. The doctor's blues

Mozelle Alderson (as Kansas City Kitty), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls. Chicago, Ill. 25 august 1930

11. Do it by myself

12. Fish house blues

13. Room rent blues

14. Show me what you got

Mozelle Alderson (as Hannah May), vcl; Big Bill Broonzy, g/vcls; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls. New York City, 15 september 1930

15. Pussy cat pussy cat

16. What you call that?

17. Court house blues

Mozelle Alderson (as Hannah May), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls; Big Bill Broonzy, g. New York City, 16-17 september 1930

18. Come on mama

19. What's that I smell? (Hannah May)

20. It's been so long

21. Terrible operation blues

22. Rent man blues

Mozelle Alderson (as Kansas City Kitty), vcl/pno; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls. Chicago, Ill. 1 november 1930

23. Killing floor blues

24. How can you have the blues?

Mozelle Alderson (as Jane Lucas), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls; Big Bill Broonzy, g. Richmond, Ind. 19 november 1930

25. What's that I smell? (Jane Lucas)

26. Terrible operation blues (Jane Lucas)

27. Where did you stay last night?

28. Fix it

29. Ain't goin' there no more n°2

30. That's the way she likes it

31. Double trouble blues

32. Leave my man alone (Jane Lucas)

Mozelle Alderson, vcl/tamb; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls; Big Bill Broonzy, g. Richmond, Ind. 20 november 1930

33. Hip shakin' strut

34. Hokum stomp

Mozelle Alderson (as Kansas City Kitty), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls. Chicago, Ill. 2 december 1930

35. Who's been here since I been gone?

36. Gym's too much for me

Mozelle Alderson, vcl (as Kansas City Kitty); Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls. Chicago, Ill. 17 december 1930

37. When can I get it?

38. That thing is a mess

Mozelle Alderson (as Harum Scarums), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls; Big Bill Broonzy, g. Grafton, Wisc. january 1931

39. Alabama scratch I & II

40. Come on in

41. Where did you stay last night? (1931)

42. Sittin' on top of the world

Mozelle Alderson (as Kansas City Kitty), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls. Chicago, Ill. 5 january 1931

43. Root man blues

44. Close made papa

Mozelle Alderson (as Kansas City Kitty), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls; Tampa Red, g. Chicago, Ill. 7 janvier 1931

45. Scronchin'

46. What a fool I've been

Mozelle Alderson (as Kansas City Kitty), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls. Chicago, Ill. 12 march 1931

47. Do it some more

48. Knife man blues

Mozelle Alderson (as Mae Belle Lee), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls. Grafton, Wisc. 13 april 1931

49. I'm takin' bout you

50. Bumble bee

51. Times done got hard

52. Sittin' on top of the world n°2

Mozelle Alderson (as Kansas City Kitty), vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls; kazoo. Chicago, Ill. 1 november 1934

53. Christmas morning blues

54. Double trouble blues

55. Leave my man alone

56. Mistreatin' easy rider