"And here we are, with Kit Kat and His Saxophone Rascals, in a medley of numbers played in their own original way..." The Rascals, an Anglo-Australian group, played in vaudeville and music halls from 1936-40. A spinoff group from the earlier Tom Katz Saxophone Six, they were successors to a tradition of saxophone bands dating to the 19teens, the most famous being the Six Brown Brothers. This film is one of the only surviving examples of a choreographed sax band routine such as the Brown Brothers pioneered. The selections played are _Colonel Bogey March, In Cellar Cool_ (featuring the bass sax), and _Whistling Rufus._ Four of the Rascals were Eric Frew, alto sax; Jim Hearne and Frank Lundy, tenor saxes; and Sonny Greatz, baritone sax. The names of the soprano and bass saxophonists have been lost.
@@BleedingEdgeOfProgress Entirely possible, if they look to be different sizes. But I can't see it myself. It was much more typical of sax bands to use tenors.
My only surmising is that they played the Vaudeville scene, where comedy and Jazz acts were primarily African American. So, much like the Marx Brothers or Cab Calloway, they just did their stage act for the camera. Complete with the depressing makeup and bellhop uniforms.
I was wondering the same thing - it's kind of hard to tell. Six Brown Brothers used to wear the same outfits, and often were in blackface, at least some of them. The DC difference is that it's very obvious their pictures. I was thinking the bass sax player was, but if so, it's more subtle than I'm used to seeing.
"And here we are, with Kit Kat and His Saxophone Rascals, in a medley of numbers played in their own original way..."
The Rascals, an Anglo-Australian group, played in vaudeville and music halls from 1936-40. A spinoff group from the earlier Tom Katz Saxophone Six, they were successors to a tradition of saxophone bands dating to the 19teens, the most famous being the Six Brown Brothers.
This film is one of the only surviving examples of a choreographed sax band routine such as the Brown Brothers pioneered. The selections played are _Colonel Bogey March, In Cellar Cool_ (featuring the bass sax), and _Whistling Rufus._
Four of the Rascals were Eric Frew, alto sax; Jim Hearne and Frank Lundy, tenor saxes; and Sonny Greatz, baritone sax. The names of the soprano and bass saxophonists have been lost.
That's a C-melody, not a second tenor.
@@BleedingEdgeOfProgress Entirely possible, if they look to be different sizes. But I can't see it myself. It was much more typical of sax bands to use tenors.
Sam Babicci lead the band on alto, Harry O’Brien on 2nd alto, Bill Saddler and Ted Case on tenor, Sonny Greatz on baritone and Jock Thompson on bass.
That's the Tom Katz band, from Sydney, a predecessor group, that recorded in 1928.
Best part is the last song, those ending chords were crisp as hell
Last song sounds like a Warner Cartoon
perfect performance
Perfect harmony
That bass saxophone opener at 2:20 caught me off guard. I don't listen to saxophone much, it's nice to hear a tune open up like that.
Speechless!
@Gabby in a good way or bad way?
So these cats are in black face. No mean feat to carry around a base saxophone and do choreography too.
And he's a pretty small guy with big man's chops
It was vaudeville tradition for the smallest man in a group to play the bass sax. This guy wasn't quite that small but obviously a VERY good player.
My only surmising is that they played the Vaudeville scene, where comedy and Jazz acts were primarily African American.
So, much like the Marx Brothers or Cab Calloway, they just did their stage act for the camera. Complete with the depressing makeup and bellhop uniforms.
I gotta ask- are they in black face?
I was wondering the same thing - it's kind of hard to tell.
Six Brown Brothers used to wear the same outfits, and often were in blackface, at least some of them. The DC difference is that it's very obvious their pictures.
I was thinking the bass sax player was, but if so, it's more subtle than I'm used to seeing.
looked that way to me.
@@luvmyrecords Yes they are in blackface.
Are they black or white?
Yes
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