Paul Baron, ever heard of him?

[BERIGAN]

Actually, still haven't "heard' him. Has anyone heard him? Got this from a worldsrecords email...

SOUNDS OF YESTERYEAR

PAUL BARON / 1944/1945

"Paul who?" is the usual comment whenever the name of Paul Baron is mentioned, yet in his way, Paul was one of the most successful Big Band leaders of the swing era. Why is this so? - because unlike the others, his was not a touring band, not for him the daily struggle of traveling from venue to venue or the monotonous grind of trying to please dance hall audiences, his was a studio band that attracted the finest musicians and backed the worlds finest singers. This rare album of music from 1944/45 includes appearances by Charlie Shavers, Teddy Wilson, Red Norvo, Roy Eldridge, Yank Lawson, Specs Powell and Stuff Smith.

[item Code: 57852 CD: $14.00]

[GA Russell]

I went to grammar school with a kid named Paul Baron.

[Chuck Nessa]

Courtesy Bruyninckx:

PAUL BARON

Charlie Shavers (tp) Red Norvo (vib) Teddy Wilson (p) Remo Palmieri (g) Al Hall or Tommy Kaye (b) Gordon"Specs" Powell (d)

New York, May 24, 1944

VP1163 Bugle call rag (Tiger rag*) V-Disc 424

VP1203 Just you, just me V-Disc 444

It takes one deep breath -

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : Roy Eldridge, Jimmy Maxwell, Yank Lawson, Chris Griffin (tp) + a number of unknown tb's and saxes, Red Norvo (vib) Teddy Wilson (p) Remo Palmieri (g) Al Hall (b) Gordon "Specs" Powell (d) Eddie Sauter (arr)

Broadcast, New York, August 2, 1944

Four in a bar (es arr) IAJRC 17, Swing House (E)SWH13

Four in a bar Hindsight 133

Same as or similar to previous but definitely Coleman Hawkins (ts)

Broadcast, New York, August 18, 1944

The man I love Jazz Society AA504, Hindsight HR133

Broadcast, New York, c. autumn 1944

Yesterdays Phoenix LP8, Bean 05

Note : Bean 05 gives date as October 22, 1944.

Roy Eldridge, Gordon "Chris" Griffin, Yank Lawson, Jimmy Maxwell (tp) poss. Milt Yaner (as) Teddy Wilson(p) Remo Palmieri (g) Al Hall (b) Gordon "Specs" Powell (d) + others

Broadcast, New York, September 4, 1944

Hallelujah Fanfare 14-114, Swing House (E)SWH13

Come out, come out, wherever you are -

I used to love you -

Note : The above from a "Music in the Air" broadcast, other titles still unissued. Rest of Fanfare LP see under Teddy Wilson. Entire session also on Jasmine JASM2519.

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : no details except Benny Goodman (cl) featured

Broadcast, New York, October 27, 1944

Henderson stomp

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : pers. incl. Charlie Shavers (tp) Kenneth "Red" Norvo (vib) Teddy Wilson (p) Al Hall (b) Gordon "Specs" Powell (d)

Broadcast, New York, poss. October 1944

Summertime Swing House (E)SWH13

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : pers. incl. Trummy Young (tb) Milt Yaner (as) Clyde Hart (arr) + others

Broadcast, New York, November 24, 1944

The Baron rifts (ch arr) Sunbeam SB211, Swing House (E)SWH13

Star dust -

No details except Hank D'Amico (cl) featured

Broadcast, New York, November 24, 1944

Mad about the boy V-Disc 833

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : no details

New York, December 8, 1944

Sweet Georgia Brown Fanfare 14-114

Paul Baron's Orchestra : poss. incl. Charlie Shavers (tp) Red Norvo (vib) Teddy Wilson (p) Mildred Bailey(vcl) + others

CBS Radio Show, New York, c. December 22, 1944

Don't fence me in (mb vcl) Phontastic (Swd)PHONTCD7672

Note : Phontastic (Swd)PHONTCD7672 entitled "1944 – I'm beginning to see the light". Rest by other

artists.

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : no details except for Mildred Bailey (vcl) Red Norvo (xyl) Teddy Wilson (p)

Broadcast, "Mildred Bailey Show", New York, January 5, 1945

It had to be you (mb vcl) Fanfare 14-114

The sheik of Araby -

Note : Fanfare 14-114 = Jasmine (E)JASM2519.

Paul Baron's Orchestra : pers. incl. Charlie Shavers (tp) Woody Herman (cl,vcl-1) Nick Caiazza (ts) Red Norvo (vib) Teddy Wilson (p) Tommy Kay (g) Al Hall (b) Specs Powell (d)

Broadcast, New York, January 12, 1945

Theme : The Baron riffs V-Disc 373 , Swing House (E)SWH13

Funiculi-funicula Sunbeam SB209, -

Blues (1) V-Disc 373 , -

-The hotel bands- : no details, most likely pers. of this period

Luncheon at the Waldorf Golden Era GE15064

Paul Baron's Orchestra : no details except for Trummy Young (tb-1) Earl Hines (p-2) + others

Broadcast, New York, January 19, 1945

Trummin' on a riff (1) Sunbeam SB209

VP1153 Boogis woogie on St. Louis blues (2,eh solo) V-Disc 424, Caracol (F)423

Note : Rest of the above session see under Mildred Bailey. It is possible that most of the above has

been listed under the soloists for completeness.

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : pers. incl. Charlie Shavers (tp) Trummy Young (tb) Nick Caiazza (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Al Hall (b) Specs Powell (d)

Broadcast, New York, c. February 1945

Dark eyes Swing House (E)SWH13

It takes a deep breath -

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : pers. incl. Charlie Shavers (tp) Gordon "Specs" Powell (d) + others

Broadcast, New York, c. March 1945

Reckoning with Specs Swing House (E)SWH13

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : pers. incl. Stuff Smith (vln) poss. Jimmy Jones (p) Al Hall (b) Gordon "Specs" Powell (d)

Broadcast, New York, poss. March 1945

Bugle call rag Swing House (E)SWH13

Paul Baron and his Orchestra : pers. incl. Leroy "Slam" Stewart (b) Specs Powell (d) + others

Broadcast, New York, poss. c. March 1945

Bass feature Swing House (E)SWH13

[ghost of miles]

Thanks for starting the topic, Berigan (I was going to start it myself--I got the same e-mail) and much thanks to Chuck for posting that info. There's a very brief and relatively uninformative bio on Baron at the Solid! site. He sure got some quality players for his studio dates, eh?

Edited November 9, 2005 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

Yeah, some very interesting lineups there. I'm wondering how much, if any "Swing-To-Bop" music can be heard in these cuts...