Bill Powers - Caroline

In this re-discovered clip, the classically trained Bill Powers sings an operatic rendition of the song Caroline. A performer with with few if any informative references online, he is accompanied by the similarly under-appreciated member of the Brown Sisters on piano.

A nice complement to the Brown Sisters.

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100 years of Jazz for inspiration for the next 100.
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Soundie: How to Yodel

In this vintage performance, the yodeling is entirely live and more contemporaneous, with a decidedly rockabilly slant.

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Soundie: Rosalie Allen - Chime Bells

Who doesn't love a great yodeler?

It's Rosalie Allen, who taught herself to play music as a child in Pennsylvania on her brother's guitar. Involving herself with radio, she scored her first hit covering Patsy Montana's "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart."

In this piece, Rosalie sees her beau off to war, a scenario the world has seen a little too much of lately ...

Later, Rosalie Allen would become a popular County & Western DJ in NYC through the 1950's, and later opened up her own retail C&W music shop.

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Music: Delta Rhythm Boys - Dry Bones

The Delta Rhythm Boys perform one of their most famous songs Dry Bones.

Classic jazz - Expand your Mind - what's old is new
100 years of Jazz for inspiration for the next 100.
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Music: A Jazz Etude - Serendipitously Surreal

In this serendipitously surreal short "A Jazz Etude," tap dance extrordinaire Billy Burt dances up a storm in top hat, tuxedo tail and cane.

Is he floating?

And that screwy soundtrack ... a mishmash of 'Flight of the Bumblebee,' ragtime fills, and 1930's jazz cliches, is remeniscent of Carl Stalling or Raymond Scott.

Still, I doubt they ever arranged any composition to include a single piano accompanied by 4 double-basses and tap dancer.

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Music: Underneath the Harlem Moon - The Brown Sisters

In this clip, the undocumented Brown sisters sing the number "Underneath the Harlem Moon." The soulful trio starts the song slow and syncopated. But this gives way to an almost swingy up-tempo rhythm more than worthy of being captured on film. Wish there was more ...

A nice complement to the Mills Brothers.

Dedicated to Mary & Tony in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Classic jazz - Expand your Mind - what's old is new
100 years of Jazz for inspiration for the next 100.
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Music: The Hut Sut Song

WARNING: This absurd, cartoonish, and throroughly ridiculous soundie will brand itself in your memory.

After one viewing, the melody from this song will pop into you head unexpectedly at the most inopportune times and will remain there for up to several hours.

This singing quartet in fact is the King's Men, led by Ken Darby, a Hollywood songwriter who is said to have won at least 3 Academy Awards.

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Music: Who's Yehoodi?

An amusing soundie from 1942, Who's Your Hootie?, also called Who's Yehoodi?, was orignally composed in 1940 by Bill Seckler and Matt Dennis.

Bandleader Kay Kyser is joined by vocalist Lane Truesdale.

Based on a running gag by radio comedian Jerry Colona.

Pretty risque for its day. Who's your hootie?

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Yiddish songwriters, musicians, and maestroes