Harold Arlen's first recording as a singer with The Buffalodians.
Having left high school at age 16, Arlen began as a pianist, singer and arranger with the Buffalodians, a hot jazz band playing in Buffalo area speakeasies and Lake Erie boat excursions.
The song is How Many Times by Irving Berlin as arranged by Arlen. You can hear Harold's high-pitched singing that is a preview of much of his later jazz influenced compositions, arranging,playing and singing.
Edward Jablonski, Arlen's first biographer wrote that " Unlike many of the great songwriters of his generation--Burton Lane, Arthur Schwartz- he was initially drawn to and influenced by the music of jazzmen, white and black, before he seriously studied the show music of Jerome Kern and especially George Gershwin." Arlen idolized Gershwin who would later be quoted as saying that " He (Arlen) is the most original of us all."
It's safe to say that of all the major popular song innovators only Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer spent any time playing and singing with jazz groups and orchestras. Certainly Jerome Kern, Cole Porter and Richard
Rodgers , as well-educated , middle and upper class individuals could not be found playing with jazzmen as much as they might have liked this new found musical entertainment. Their own piano playing was not up to such a task.
Arlen's entire career demonstrates his empathy with and mastery of jazz and blues music.
Note: A new Arlen biography " The Man That Got Away" by Walter Rimmer has shed new light on aspects of Arlen's life hitherto undocumented . It has been critically acclaimed by early reviewers.
https://youtu.be/p1N66itSyMY
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