harlem hamfats

Biography

The Harlem Hamfats was a Chicago jazz band formed in 1936 by record producer and entrepreneur J. Mayo Williams, making them perhaps the first group to be specifically assembled for the purpose of making records.[1] Despite their name suggesting a New York origin, the band was based entirely in Chicago, with members from diverse geographical backgrounds including trumpet player Herb Morand and guitarists Joe and Charlie McCoy, who served as the group's main songwriters.[1] Initially functioning as a studio backing band for jazz and blues singers such as Johnny Temple, Rosetta Howard, and Frankie Jaxon on Decca Records, the Hamfats became a performing act in their own right when their first record, "Oh! Red" (recorded in April 1936), became a hit, securing them a Decca contract for fifty titles.[1][2]

The band's sound blended blues, dixieland, and swing jazz, creating danceable music that incorporated riff-based arrangements and high-spirited playing.[1][3] Their repertoire included both instrumental backing tracks and original compositions, many of which dealt with themes of sex, drugs, and alcohol—songs like "Gimme Some of that Yum Yum," "Let's Get Drunk and Truck," and "If You're a Viper" became associated with the dirty blues genre.[1][2] Their early hits were widely covered by major artists including Count Basie, the Ink Spots, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Boy Fuller, and Howlin' Wolf, demonstrating their significant influence on contemporary musicians.[1]

By 1939, changing musical fashions and the departure of singer Herb Morand to New Orleans diminished the band's commercial appeal, and they were not considered the most innovative group of their era.[1] However, the Harlem Hamfats are recognized as an important contributor to 1930s jazz, with their early riff-based style helping to pave the way for Louis Jordan's small-group sound, rhythm and blues, and eventually rock and roll.[1][2]

Fun Facts

• Despite their name 'Harlem Hamfats' suggesting a New York origin, none of the band members were actually from New York—they were based entirely in Chicago and assembled specifically by J. Mayo Williams for the purpose of making records, making them perhaps the first group ever created solely for studio recording.[1]
• The song 'Oh! Red' was so popular that it was covered by an impressive array of artists including Count Basie, the Ink Spots, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Boy Fuller, Bull City Red, various Western swing bands, and Howlin' Wolf, demonstrating the track's widespread influence.[1]
• The band's most recognizable work may be 'Why Don't You Do Right?' (originally titled 'The Weed Smoker's Dream'), a modern jazz tune written by Joe McCoy that appeared on their 1936 record and has endured in the jazz canon.[1]
• Many of the Hamfats' original compositions dealt explicitly with sex, drugs, and alcohol—including songs about marijuana use—which may have prevented their music from being more widely available and contributed to their relative obscurity compared to their contemporaries.[1]

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Rosetta Howard - Jazz and blues singer who recorded extensively with the Hamfats; engaged in vocal exchanges on tracks like 'Let Your Linen Hang Low' (If You're a Viper, Let Your Linen Hang Low) [1937-1939]
• Johnny Temple - Jazz and blues singer for whom the Hamfats provided instrumental backing (Various Decca Records releases) [1936-1939]
• Frankie Jaxon - Jazz and blues singer backed by the Hamfats on Decca Records (Various Decca Records releases) [1936-1939]
• Herb Morand - Trumpet player and vocalist; co-leader of the band alongside Joe McCoy (Oh! Red, Let's Get Drunk and Truck, Don't Start No Stuff) [1936-1939]
• Joe McCoy - Guitarist and main songwriter; co-leader of the band (Why Don't You Do Right? (The Weed Smoker's Dream), Let's Get Drunk and Truck) [1936-1939]
• Buster Bailey - Clarinetist; band member (Don't Start No Stuff) [1936-1939]

Artists Influenced

• Louis Jordan - The Hamfats' early riff-based style helped pave the way for Jordan's small-group sound (Jordan's small-group recordings) [1940s onward]
• Rhythm and Blues artists - The band's musical approach influenced the development of R&B (General genre development) [1940s onward]
• Rock and Roll musicians - The Hamfats' riff-based style and songs like 'We Gonna Pitch a Boogie Woogie' presaged rock and roll rhythms (General genre development) [1950s onward]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia