HAPPY IN-BETWEEN DAY, AND ALL THAT JAZZ
One of the first great female jazz singers, Annette Hanshaw (Oct. 18, 1910 – Mar. 13, 1985) ranked near the top of her field, along with Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, the Boswell Sisters and Mildred Bailey. She gave proper feeling to the lyrics, improvised, and always swung. [She] began her recording career when she was just 15 (discovered by her future husband, Herman Rose, who was the A&R man for the Pathe label), sounding quite mature from the start. Her trademark became saying “That’s all!” (which she had spontaneously ad-libbed on one of her first recording dates) at the end of her records. But the singer hated to perform in public, and at the age of 25 she retired from singing.
–Scott Yanow, CLASSIC JAZZ – THE MUSICIANS AND RECORDINGS THAT SHAPED JAZZ, 1895-1933
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At the behest of my good friend/mutual blog follower Don Frankel, I am deviating from my every-five-days publishing routine to post my first and (for a while, at least) last “in-betweener.” The occasion: the October 18, 1910 birthday of singer Annette Hanshaw and the slightly more recent (but decidedly less noteworthy) birthday of mistermuse. To celebrate the former’s birthday, I’d like to pay her tribute as one of my favorite vocalists of the late 1920s – early 30s. Regarding the latter’s birthday, the less said, the better.
On Oct. 15, Don did a satirical political post (on SWI) that ended with a clip of Hanshaw singing “Happy Days Are Here Again” about which I made a comment. Turns out he didn’t know anything about her (but then who does, unless you’re really into early jazz?). But rather than go into detail that most readers probably aren’t interested in, I’ll let her singing do most of the talking. Here she is at age 16 in August 1927:
Next, the lady sighs “We just couldn’t say goodbye” in a rare filmed performance:
Finally, what could be more appropriate than to end with her last recording, Cole Porter’s “Let’s Fall In Love.”
And now, because we just couldn’t say goodbye, we are left with That’s all.
Melanie (DoesItEvenMatterWhoIReallyAm?) 12:24 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
I can hear butterflies fluttering their delicate wings in her beautiful voice! 😊
And did you mention a birthday? Did I miss that? If so, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAR! 😘 ❤ I wish you all the best! XOXO 💖
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michele39 2:26 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
Happy Birthday mistermuse. I wish you a long and healthy life enjoying the wonderful things you share with us, 🙂
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mistermuse 5:26 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink
Much appreciated, michele 39 — and I wish you the same! 🙂
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mistermuse 5:21 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
Yes, Melanie, it really is my birthday today, and I’m celebrating by knocking a year off my age rather than becoming a year older — which I plan to continue until I’m born again (evangelical proselytizers, eat your hearts out!)….(and yes, it absolutely does matter who you really are, you naughty girl!). 🙂
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Melanie (DoesItEvenMatterWhoIReallyAm?) 12:31 pm on October 18, 2015 Permalink
Tee hee hee! I am loving your wicked little plan! 😈
My father decided to do something similar several years back. Very amusing to say the least…
It was great to see a post from you. You write so sparingly these days that I haven’t caught one from ya in ages! Be well my friend and have a rocking fun birthday! Lots of love, Melanie 💋💋💋
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Jane 6:36 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
Thank you for introducing me to the wonderful Annette Hanshaw! I am sorry to say I was ignorant of her. What a beautiful voice she has. Happy belated birthday to you, Mister Muse! May you have many more. 😀
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mistermuse 11:49 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
Thank you, Jane. “Introducing” Annette Hanshaw to those who never heard her, or heard of her, is my pleasure.
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ladysighs 9:24 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
Happy Birthday mistermuse! I used to ignore my birthdays and hope they passed unnoticed. Now I am glad to announce I am having one and happy to see the next one coming.
Enjoyed listening to the oldies…….sigh.
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mistermuse 10:48 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
Thanks, ladysighs. I have been, and want to continue, enjoying your blog for some time, so keep those birthdays (and posts) coming – that’s an order!
Glad you enjoyed the songs. For my part, I enjoyed working “lady sighs” into the intro to the second one (“We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye”) as a small measure of appreciation for devoting your last post to, and singing, “my song” (and Cole Porter’s, I must admit – haha) on your blog.
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ladysighs 5:24 pm on October 18, 2015 Permalink
Yep, saw the the “lady sighs” and gave a sigh in my comment. 🙂
Blogging is full of surprises and fun. Will try to do my part.
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Don Frankel 9:29 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
Before I posted her clip I listened to a half a dozen others both instrumental’s and other vocals. She just seemed to capture the spirit of the song better than anyone else. Glad I found it and Happy Birthday Muse. If you were on Fakebook as Michael calls it everyone would have known.
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mistermuse 11:10 am on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
You have good taste in vocalists, Don, and thanks for the birthday greeting. I don’t do Facebook for several reasons, the main one being that I don’t have time….though I must admit that even if I had time, I’m not that into the social media culture.
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arekhill1 2:50 pm on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
And inspired Porky Pig, who just added “Folks!” for his signature sign-off
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mistermuse 6:40 pm on October 18, 2015 Permalink |
I was thinking the same thing, Ricardo – great minds really do think alike.
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geo. raymond 12:11 am on March 9, 2017 Permalink |
Her recording of ‘Under the Moon’ is one of my all time favorites
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mistermuse 12:50 am on March 9, 2017 Permalink |
Likewise. I have in my collection many of her original 78 rpm records, including UNDER THE MOON.
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