1935-6

Artists

Album Info

Label: Alamac

Text on the back of the sleeve:

Claude Hopkins & His Orchestra- 1935

Ovie Alston, Edmond Hall, Hilton Jefferson, Gene Johnson and Bobby Sands


Liner Notes:
Claude Hopkins band enjoyed wide success during the worst years of the Depression. Why this band and not some of the many other fine black band sworking in the 1930-35 period? The Hopkins group was possibly the smoothest and most commercially oriented. His was the quitest sounding band, with one of the best softly swinging rhythm sections of all. Claude himself was quite a pianist, born in Washington D.C. a few years after Duke Ellington, had gained a taste of international flavor on a mid-20's tour with Josephine Baker in France, and had then come back home to lead a variety of groups, until going into the The Savoy Ballroom in 1930. From then he formed the group you hear on this recording. It enjoyed it's greatest succcess playing for months at a time at Roseland Ballroom in downtown New York with plenty of broadcasting time. It's stars were trumpeter-singer Ovie Alston, clarinetist Edmond Hall and the high-note singing of Orlando Robeson.

By the time these sides were cut, the famed alto star, Hilton Jefferson had joined the band, and displays his beautiful tone and wealth of ideas on Just As Long As The World Goes Round. Tenorman Bobby Sands is heard throughout as is Ovie Alston who plays all trumpet solos.