Mezz Mezzrow
Milton Mesirow (November 9, 1899 – August 5, 1972), better known as Mezz Mezzrow, was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois. He is remembered for organizing and financing recording sessions with Tommy Ladnier and Sidney Bechet. He recorded with Bechet as well and briefly acted as manager for Louis Armstrong. Mezzrow is equally known as a colorful character, as portrayed in his autobiography, Really the Blues (which takes its title from a Bechet composition), co-written with Bernard Wolfe and published in 1946. |
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BVE-48345 | 10-in. | 2/8/1929 | I'm gonna stomp Mr. Henry Lee | Eddie's Hot Shots | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, C-melody saxophone | |
| Victor | BVE-48346 | 10-in. | 2/8/1929 | That's a serious thing | Eddie's Hot Shots | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, C-melody saxophone, songwriter | |
| Victor | BS-82392 | 10-in. | 5/7/1934 | Old fashioned love | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
| Victor | BS-82393 | 10-in. | 5/7/1934 | Apologies | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
| Victor | BS-82394 | 10-in. | 5/7/1934 | Sendin' the vipers | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer, leader | |
| Victor | BS-82395 | 10-in. | 5/7/1934 | 35th and Calumet | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | songwriter, leader | |
| Victor | BS-84417 | 10-in. | 9/28/1934 | Serenade for a wealthy widow | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and talk | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-84418 | 10-in. | 9/28/1934 | How can you face me? | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and talk | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-84419 | 10-in. | 9/28/1934 | Sweetie pie | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-84420 | 10-in. | 9/28/1934 | Mandy | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-84421 | 10-in. | 9/28/1934 | Let's pretend there's a moon | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-84422 | 10-in. | 9/28/1934 | You're not the only oyster In the stew | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-99772 | 10-in. | 3/12/1936 | A melody from the sky | Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band ; Lucille Steward | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | leader | |
| Victor | BS-99773 | 10-in. | 3/12/1936 | Lost | Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band | Jazz/dance band (take 1); with female vocal solo (take 2) | leader | |
| Victor | BS-99774 | 10-in. | 3/12/1936 | Mutiny in the parlor | Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
| Victor | BS-99775 | 10-in. | 3/12/1936 | The panic is on | Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
| Victor | BS-99776 | 10-in. | 3/12/1936 | I'se a-muggin' | Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band ; Willie Smith | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | BS-99777 | 10-in. | 3/12/1936 | I'se a-muggin' | Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band ; Willie Smith | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | BS-07792 | 10-in. | 4/14/1937 | Buzzin' 'round with the bee | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-07793 | 10-in. | 4/14/1937 | Whoa babe | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-07794 | 10-in. | 4/14/1937 | Stompology | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-010569 | 10-in. | 6/14/1937 | Blues in disguise | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
| Victor | BS-010570 | 10-in. | 6/14/1937 | That is how I feel today | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
| Victor | BS-010571 | 10-in. | 6/14/1937 | Hot Club stomp | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | leader, instrumentalist, clarinet, composer | |
| Victor | BS-010572 | 10-in. | 6/14/1937 | The swing session's called to order | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | leader, instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-028988 | 10-in. | 11/21/1938 | Revolutionary blues | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer, instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-028989 | 10-in. | 11/21/1938 | Comin' on with the come on | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, leader, composer | |
| Victor | BS-028990 | 10-in. | 11/21/1938 | Comin' on with the come on | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, leader, composer | |
| Victor | BS-028991 | 10-in. | 11/21/1938 | Swingin' for "Mezz" | Mezz Mezzrow Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, leader, composer | |
| Victor | BS-030318 | 10-in. | 11/28/1938 | Ja-da | Tommy Ladnier Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-030319 | 10-in. | 11/28/1938 | Really the blues | Tommy Ladnier Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, composer | |
| Victor | BS-030320 | 10-in. | 11/28/1938 | When you and I were young, Maggie | Tommy Ladnier Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, arranger | |
| Victor | BS-030321 | 10-in. | 11/28/1938 | Weary blues | Tommy Ladnier Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-030450 | 10-in. | 12/19/1938 | Royal Garden blues | Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, leader | |
| Victor | BS-030451 | 10-in. | 12/19/1938 | Everybody loves my baby | Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, leader | |
| Victor | BS-030452 | 10-in. | 12/19/1938 | Ain't gonna give nobody none of my jelly-roll | Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, leader | |
| Victor | BS-030453 | 10-in. | 12/19/1938 | If you see me comin' | Teddy Bunn ; Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter, instrumentalist, clarinet, leader | |
| Victor | BS-030454 | 10-in. | 12/19/1938 | Gettin' together | Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet | Jazz/dance band | composer, instrumentalist, clarinet, leader | |
| Victor | BS-031460 | 10-in. | 1/13/1939 | Rosetta | Frankie Newton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-031461 | 10-in. | 1/13/1939 | Minor jive | Frankie Newton Orchestra ; Hugues Panassié | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, composer | |
| Victor | BS-031462 | 10-in. | 1/13/1939 | The world is waiting for the sunrise | Frankie Newton Orchestra ; Hugues Panassié | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-031463 | 10-in. | 1/13/1939 | Who? | Frankie Newton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-031464 | 10-in. | 1/13/1939 | The blues my baby gave to me | Frankie Newton Orchestra ; Hugues Panassié | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, composer | |
| Victor | BS-031465 | 10-in. | 1/13/1939 | Romping (Romping at Victor) | Frankie Newton Orchestra ; Hugues Panassié | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet, composer | |
| Victor | D6VB-2792 | 10-in. | 9/5/1946 | Epistrophy | 52nd Street Boys ; Kenny Clarke | Jazz/dance ensemble | session supervisor | |
| Victor | D6VB-2795 | 10-in. | 9/5/1946 | Royal roost | 52nd Street Boys ; Kenny Clarke | Jazz/dance ensemble | session supervisor | |
| OKeh | W82082 | 10-in. | 12/16/1927 | Nobody's sweetheart | McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, traps | |
| OKeh | W82083 | 10-in. | 12/16/1927 | Liza | McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, traps | |
| Decca | 64970 | 10-in. | 2/1/1939 | I'm tired of fattenin' frogs for snakes | Rosetta Crawford | instrumentalist, clarinet | ||
| Decca | 64971 | 10-in. | 2/1/1939 | Stop it Joe | Rosetta Crawford | instrumentalist, clarinet | ||
| Decca | 64972 | 10-in. | 2/1/1939 | My man jumped salty on me | Rosetta Crawford | instrumentalist, clarinet | ||
| Decca | 64973 | 10-in. | 2/1/1939 | Double crossin' Papa | Rosetta Crawford | instrumentalist, clarinet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Mezzrow, Mezz," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105289.
Mezzrow, Mezz. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105289.
"Mezzrow, Mezz." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Mezzrow, Mezz, 1899-1972 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n86033196
Wikidata: Mezz Mezzrow - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q326297
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/34643931
MusicBrainz: Mezz Mezzrow - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a3aea435-d1fb-45ca-b38d-411335d4717f
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