Founded in Kansas City in 1918 by drummer Carleton Coon and pianist Joe Sanders as The Coon-Sanders Novelty Orchestra, they found fame via broadcasts of their ‘live’ performances from the city’s Muelebach Hotel on radio WDAF, which could be heard across the USA, becoming the Night Hawk Orchestra because they played the late-night spot through to 1a.m. After making an early recording for Columbia in 1921, they recorded for Victor through the 1920s and into the 1930s, becoming hugely popular as they very much set the tone for the Roaring Twenties with their hot jazz-influenced novelty dance music for which the post-war decade became famous.
Sadly their career was curtailed when Carleton Coon died suddenly in 1932 from an infection at th age of 38. This release comprises most of their career recordings, including some of the early renditions of compositions which went on to become jazz and Great American Songbook standards like “Deep Henderson”, “After You’ve Gone” and “ Darktown Strutters Ball”. It includes all their ten career hits including “Some Little Bird”, “Night Hawk Blues”, “Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby” and “Flamin’ Mamie”. It’s a comprehensive showcase for their distinctive and innovative style, and a highly evocative insight into a fascinating strand of the music during a significant musical decade.
REVIEWS
“A real treat for lovers of vintage music from the best part of a hundred years ago, this three CD set has 69 tracks of the Kansas City outfit that was one of the most successful jazz bands of its era. Authentic 'Roaring Twenties' music to be sure. This compilation is as much an historical archive as a music collection. Of course it sounds dated and very much of its time, but that is really the source of its appeal. Once again, you have to hand it to Acrobat for lavishing their attention on a band probably long forgotten by the vast majority. In these troubled times, long may they continue to unearth gems such as these.” – Gerry Stonestreet (In Tune Issue 342)
“Here we have the greater part of the historically fascinating oeuvre of the Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra, normally abbreviated to Coon-Sanders. Acrobat once again have done fans of white jazz proud bringing out, on three CDs, 69 beautifully restored tracks from the pre-electric days of 1921 to 1932, spanning one period of economic recession to another on either side of the so-called Roaring 20s.This kind of white jazz is a catchy mood-lifting mixture of black jazz, Vaudeville and the remains of Ragtime syncopation. It's pop music, dance music, feel good music. It took the world by storm.” – Andrew Liddle (Just Jazz Issue 269)
“Acrobat present 69 beautifully restored tracks from The Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra, almost their entire oeuvre from the pre-electric days of 1921 to the relative sophistication of 1932.” – Andrew Liddle (Jazz Rag Issue 162)
Disc 1 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Some Little Bird |
Coon-Sanders Novelty Orchestra |
2 |
Night Hawk Blues |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
3 |
Red Hot Mama |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
4 |
My Daddy's Dreamtime Lullaby |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
5 |
Oriental Love Dreams |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
6 |
There's No One Just Like You |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
7 |
Why Don't My Dreams Come True? |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
8 |
Lazy Waters |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
9 |
Moonlight And You |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
10 |
Show Me The Way |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
11 |
Some Of These Days |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
12 |
I'm Gonna Charleston Back To Charleston |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
13 |
Alone At Last |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
14 |
Yes Sir! That's My Baby |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
15 |
That's All There Is |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
16 |
Everything Is Hotsy Totsy Now |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
17 |
Hong Kong Dream Girl |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
18 |
Dreaming Of Tomorrow |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
19 |
I Can't Realize |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
20 |
Flamin' Mamie |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
21 |
Louise You Tease |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
22 |
Moon Deer (Indian Love Song) |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
23 |
Everything's Gonna Be Alright |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
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Disc 2 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Sittin' Around |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
2 |
Deep Henderson |
Coon-Sanders Original Night Hawk Orchestra |
3 |
My Baby Knows How |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
4 |
Brainstorm |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
5 |
I Need Loving |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
6 |
High Fever |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
7 |
I Ain't Got Nobody |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
8 |
Roodles |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
9 |
Smilin' Skies |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
10 |
Mine All Mine |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
11 |
Is She My Girl Friend |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
12 |
Stay Out Of The South (If You Want To Miss A Heaven On Earth) |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
13 |
Sluefoot |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
14 |
Hallucinations |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
15 |
Ready For The River |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
16 |
Oh You Have No Idea |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
17 |
Too Busy |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
18 |
Down Where The Sun Goes Down |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
19 |
Indian Cradle Song |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
20 |
Blazin' |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
21 |
What A Girl What A Night |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
22 |
Who Wouldn't Be Jealous Of You |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
23 |
Here Comes My Ball And Chain |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
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Disc 3 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Mississippi Here I Am |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
2 |
Little Orphan Annie |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
3 |
Bless You Sister |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
4 |
Kansas City Kitty |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
5 |
Tennessee Lazy |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
6 |
And Especially You |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
7 |
The Flippity Flop |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
8 |
Gotta Great Big Date With A Little Bitty Girl |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
9 |
Alone In The Rain |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
10 |
Moaning For You |
Coon Sanders Orchestra |
11 |
Harlem Madness |
Coon Sanders Orchestra |
12 |
We Love Us |
Coon Sanders Orchestra |
13 |
Darktown Strutter's Ball |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
14 |
After You've Gone |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
15 |
Sweepin' The Clouds Away |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
16 |
What A Life (Trying To Live Without You) |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
17 |
Let That Be A Lesson To You |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
18 |
Sing A New Song |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
19 |
Lo And Behold |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
20 |
Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
21 |
Round My Heart |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
22 |
I Want To Go Home |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |
23 |
On Revival Day |
Coon-Sanders Orchestra |