[Caveat: I don’t own the copyrights to any of these recordings. They are presented here for entertainment purposes only.]
Theme to the Green Hornet, Al Hirt (1966) The melody, titled Полёт шмеля (Flight of the Bumblebee), was written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, composed in 1899–1900. It was jazzed up for The Green Hornet TV series theme by arranger and trumpeter Billy May.
A.I. ballet [h/t Pam M.]
One second per day for a year.
Mama Colugo [via Bunkerville].
Kinetic mask [via Mme. Jujujive].
Reaperman [via Memo Of The Air].
Secret Service Girl [Full song here].
Major Taylor [h/t Queen Hepzibah].
Dark Horse, Dead Ringer and other phrase origins.
Free at no extra cost [via The View From Lady Lake].
Statue of Sir Winston Churchill, Parliament Square, 2024.
[Top image: Protest goon outside of the 2024 RNC National Convention.]
From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 15 years ago.
Bourbon Street Parade, Al Hirt (1993)
Here’s some more Fat Tuesday stuff. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
King Oliver & His Creole Jazz Band – Sugar Foot Stomp (1926)
Louis Armstrong played 2nd cornet, married the piano player Lil Hardin.
Lil Armstrong & Buck Washington – Or Leave Me Alone (1936)
That’s Mrs. Louis Armstrong to you.
Al Hirt – When The Saints Go Marching In
Not sure what year, but I’m pretty sure that’s Pete Fountain on clarinet.
Might as well throw some Cajun into the mix while we’re at it. No idea who the artist is or what year, but the song is called Toot Toot.
[Gator roast .gif found here.]
Red Nichols, Pete Candoli & Al Hirt playing “Hot Lips.”
If that video wasn’t so entirely bitchin’ we’d never have posted it – Every decent link on the U-Toobage we found had “embedding disabled.” Some anusbrain copyright jerks don’t understand the concept of free advertisement. Let’s move on.
Scott Biram is a one-man ass-kickin’ rock machine.
“Mumbo Jumbo” by B.B. Chung King & The Screaming Buddaheads 2007. The Tail Gators did a song by the same name in 1988.
Here’s some fun etymology: In Japanese American slang, a “Buddahead” used to mean a Japanese American from Hawaii (h/t Osprey 1) and “Mumbo Jumbo” (Mandingo, West African in origin) was a bugbear who appeared at night to resolve marital disputes. Mumbo Jumbo was not nice. He’d beat the crap out of wives who disobeyed their husbands.
Let’s lighten it up a bit. Here’s Leon Redbone, one of the few folks I can think of (besides you, of course) who is welcome at my doorstep any time.
That’s it for this episode of The Saturday Matinee. Have a great weekend and be back tomorrow for more nonsensical oddities.
That’s Claude Russell Bridges, aka Leon Russell, 1964.
That’s Malcom John Rebennack, Jr., aka Dr. John, playing Stephen Foster‘s “Swanee River Boogie.” Not sure what year this one’s from.
The Squirrel Nut Zippers‘ “Ghost of Stephen Foster” has been posted here before, but I like it.
Bill Doggett‘s “Honky Tonk” by Jimmy Smith is a head-bobber.
Three of the greatest trumpet players of all time: Red Nichols, Pete Candoli and Al Hirt playing “Hot Lips,” ca. 1964.
That’s it for now. Have a great weekend folks, and be back here tomorrow for more fun.
Tacky Raccoons 