Jabbo Smith and his Rhythm Aces - Take your Time

by Len Weinstock
Yes, Virginia, there was a Jabbo Smith! Jabbo had a short but exceedingly important recording career in the late 1920's when he became the first trumpeter to seriously challenge Louis Armstrong with a virtuosity which was years ahead of its time. His work had a direct influence on Roy Eldridge, a pivotal figure in the development of Modern Jazz.

Jabbo Smith was born in Pembroke, Georgia on Christmas Eve in 1908, the son of a barber and church organist. After the death of his father when Jabbo was very young he moved , at age four, to Savannah. His mother found it increasingly difficult to care for him and at age six Jabbo was placed into the Jenkins Orphanage Home in Charleston. His mother also found employment in the Home in order to be near to him.

The Jenkins Home placed heavy emphasis on music education and produced a number of important Jazzmen who received their first public playing experience while touring with one of several student orchestras. It was in this setting that Jabbo took up trumpet and trombone at the age of eight and began touring the country with a student band at the age of ten. After unsuccessfully attempting to leave the institution a number of times, Jabbo finally left for good at the age of sixteen and headed north to make his mark on music. He made (and kept) a promise to his mother never to work for less than one hundred dollars a week, a good wage in those days.
read more: http://www.redhotjazz.com/jabbo.html


This hot jazz number was recorded on February 23rd 1929 in Chicago with the following personal, Hayes Alvis tuba, Ikey Robinson banjo, Omer Simeon clarinet, Cassino Simpson piano, and Jabbo Smith cornet.
From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSvaYIlAH48