“History is made of scrap paper”

March 7, 2023
1948, PM


“Waxey Maxie”; Paul Williams Sextette; Paul Williams; Savoy (670-B); March 1948

Photo by John DeBiase.


“Spider Sent Me”; Paul Williams Sextette; Paul Williams; Savoy (670-A); March 1948


“Blues at Daybreak”; Paul Williams and His Hucklebuckers; M. King; Savoy (773-B); March 1948


“Turtle-Rock”; Paul Williams and His Hucklebuckers; Paul Williams; Savoy (773-A); March 1948

Is Time Pink or Bilious Green?


Photos by John Albert and John DeBiase, Paramount and Metropolitan.


“Don’t Trust A Woman Blues”; Joe Swift; Red Callender’s Quintet; Joe Swift; Exclusive (264); March 1948

“Few people realize what a valuable record a police blotter is…”


“Dinky”; Leo Parker Quintette; Leo Parker; Sir Charles; Joe Newman; Al Lucas; Jack Parker; Savoy (957-A); March 1948

$235 in March 1948 had the same buying power in January 2023 as $3,004.49.
$356 in March 1948 had the same buying power in January 2023 as $4,551.48.

PM, March 7, 1948


“On The House”; Leo Parker Quintette; Leo Parker; Sir Charles; Joe Newman; Al Lucas; Jack Parker; Savoy (957-B); March 1948

“…from ashes to Asch’s”

January 4, 2023
1946


“Jazz Me Blues”; Stella Brooks; Joe Sullivan; Sidney Bechet; Frank Newton; George Brunies; George Wettling; Jack Lesberg; Tom Delaney; Disc (5031B); May 7, 1946


PM, April 16, 1946 (Unidentified Photographer)


“Parallel Fifths”; Frankie Newton and his Cafe Society Orchestra; Newton; Vocalion (5410); April 15, 1946


PM, 1946

Don Freemans’ Newsstand Finds Frankie Newton Practicing in the Furnace Room

Frankie Newton, considered by some people who should know, to be the greatest living trumpet player, had a busy day last week – it was a matter of going from ashes to Asch’s. I found him sitting in front of his apartment house on E. 17th Street… “Man,” he said, “you can’t beat this place for a joint to practice in. I could blast all night long and nobody would get wind of it.”…
PM, 1946


“The Onyx Hop”; Frankie Newton and his Uptown Serenaders; Frank Newton and Pete Brown; Frank Newton; Vocalion (v 3839); July 13, 1937


Weegee, Weegee’s People, 1946

A group of night club musicians, finished with their night’s work spread the word that a friendly superintendent would let them hold a ‘jam” session in the sub-basement of his building…
Weegee, Weegee’s People, 1946


“Frankie’s Jump”; Frank Newton & his Cafe Society Orchestra; Newton; Parlophone (R 2708); September 1939

Frank Newton (January 4, 1906 – March 11, 1954), born 117 years ago today…

Weegee’s “Naked City” Map

December 12, 2022
Naked City

A map of where every photo in Weegee’s book “Naked City” was made.

A map of crime scenes, fires, circuses, tenements, and townhouses… a map of people sleeping, laughing, loving, dancing, dying… crowds in Coney Island, Times Square, Lower East Side, and Harlem… A map of the inhabitants of New York City (mostly during World War Two)… A map of some of the 8 million stories, the “beauty and ugliness,” the “real,” New York City…

A map of Weegee’s “Naked City.”

“…And Not One Was Lost”

November 11, 2022
1941


“Gotta Find My Baby”; Doctor Clayton; Joe Clayton; Bluebird (B-8901-B); Publication date: November 11, 1941

745 Moved to New Prison And Not One Was Lost
[$20,000,000 had the same buying power as $387,028,571 in October 2022.]


PM, November 11, 1941, p. 18

Waxy Gordon…


“Doctor Clayton Blues”; Doctor Clayton; Joe Clayton; Bluebird (B-8901-A); Publication date: November 11, 1941

“Burlesque… Bellevue Morgue”

November 8, 2022
1940


“Take It Off The “E” String”; Peter Piper and his Orchestra; Cahn; Akst; Hit (7055); September 1943


PM, November 8, 1940, p.16

Burlesque… By Reginald Marsh

The Artist as Reporter

…Reginald Marsh [1898–1954], for this page, worked backstage at Harold Minsky’s [1915-1977] Gaiety, Broadway at 46th St…


PM, November 8, 1940, p.17

Bellevue Morgue By Frederick Castellon [1914–1971]

The artist-as-reporter in the house of death…