Lady Be Good - Medley Fox Trot (1926) Jack Hylton with Monty Woolf

LADY BE GOOD - MEDLEY FOXTROT - part 1 { 0:00​ } - part 2 { 3:15​ }
Jack Hylton & his Orchestra - Vocalist Monty Woolf
HMV B-5042 (recorded 29 March 1926, issued June 1926)
The Gramophone gave this two-stars, and described it as ‘loud and sometimes even rather noisy’. It was right about the latter. The arrangement is more raucous-American than sophisticated-Manhattan. And Monty Woolf’s vocals add to it. The labels list the tunes as:
Part-1: - So Am I; Hang On To Me; Fascinating Rhythm.
Part-2: - Oh Lady Be Good; Little Jazz Bird.
I had assumed Woolf was associated with the stage show Lady Be Good, but no. Brian Rust calls him Woolf and Wolf; 1912 US newspaper reports had Wolff. He was a ‘red-haired’ American comedic entertainer who replaced one of The Three Rascals (now Charles, Monty and Walter) in November 1912, and came with them to the UK at the end of the year. They toured the halls and recorded ragtime tunes for Jumbo in 1913 (pressed also on Coliseum and Scala). Post WW1, Woolf toured the halls in a double-act with Irene Magley. (‘Songs, Dances, Dialogue’ was their bill-matter.) From around 1924 he was in musical and comedy shows; and around 1927 he paired up with Constance Evans (‘A Laugh, a Song, and a Dance’). In late 1928 they went to the USA, Evans’ abiding ambition. Woolf looks not to have returned to the UK, though Evans did.
Woolf’s UK solo recording career was minor and brief. He cut: one (rejected) side with the Savoy Orpheans on 4 March 1926 (with a ‘Clem Faraci’, of whom I can find no mention); three sides with Percival Mackey’s Band on 19 March (including Oh Lady Be Good again); and these two sides with Jack Hylton on 29 March. He cut some solo sides accompanied by Stan Greening’s studio band at Columbia, getting his name on the label. The Gramophone in June 1926 had:
“two dreadful inflictions by Mr. Monty Woolf. These will go into the albums that contain records stopped in midcareer. ‘A new singer with an infectious style’ (say Columbia). This is serious. All the other Columbia artists should be vaccinated at once.”
HMV had yet to adopt the Small Queens Hall as their regular large studio. It was sorely needed; Hylton’s large band made a sound too big for the relatively dead one at Hayes.

[@edwardgunyo3638]

Great song. So clear... I think Nipper would love it too!!! Keep it up

[@edwardgunyo3638]

Great work. Keep it going.!!!!

[@alexmckenna1171]

The funniest comment I've ever seen from that magazine! ‘A new singer with an infectious style’ (say Columbia). This is serious. All the other Columbia artists should be vaccinated at once.”

[@6dBperOctave]

It seemed so apposite, given I was uploading the record during the UK's Covid-19 third wave. You're the only one to comment. Thanks.

[@SwingBandHeaven]

Loud indeed and that vocal, dreadful!

[@6dBperOctave]

Yes. I was in two-minds about uploading it.

[@SwingBandHeaven]

@@6dBperOctave I think it is sometimes good to hear the occasional bad record as well as the good ones. I had never heard of that vocalist before, and never would of done apart from your upload.

[@6dBperOctave]

@@SwingBandHeaven It's the same thinking behind my uploading both sides of records. It's good to have the contrast of hearing the other (often not good) tune.