Naked at the Feast - Josephine Baker

Last night I finished reading the book Naked at the Feast written by Lynn Haney. As the cover says: THE Biography Of Josephine Baker ( THE in capitols written by me).
To be honest .... the book is a disappointment, as it claims to be THE biography of Mrs. Baker. Due to the fact that I studies the career of Oscar Aleman I had hoped to find some info about the time he was the leader of the Baker Boys. No info at all, not even his name is mentioned in the register, although, as far as I know, Josephine and Oscar had a close relation. Very few information about her tours through Europe, about the songs she recorded, about her revues. A lot of info about her flirtations, her friends and her adoption children. Did it nothing add to my knowledge about her? Sure, I was touched by a picture of an incident she had to leave her house due to bankruptcy. The image shows her, 62 years old, sitting on on the back steps of her house, crying, between empty wine bottles and rubbish.

It remembers me that I sent a message, a year ago, to Ean Wood, author of The Josephine Baker Story, another Baker biography ( he had reserved some lines for Oscar I remember) about a private recording made by Josephine Baker on 19 Dec. 1933 at her tour through the Netherlands. He couldn't give me the info, but was happy with my information that Oscar became leader of the Baker Boys ( I wasn't even aware that he became the band's leader ( although I'm not surprised) EW) and he concluded with: In fact, you're ahead of me !!


This item is also posted at my Keep swinging web log

Oscar and Django - a story

The fact, published in my last post, according the Oscar Aleman track that concludes the integral Django Reinhardt recordings, made me to remember the following small story:

One story tells us how Oscar Aleman was dining at Pigalle’s La Cloche d’Or after he played in a Josephine Baker show when one of Django’s band members came in, in a rush and asked if he could help, because all strings of Django’s guitar were broken. Aleman always had a spare set and gave it to the man: “Here give it to Django and say Bon Soir from me”. Several nights later, Oscar dined in the same restaurant and when he wanted to pay the bill, Django had paid it all to thank him.

part of the El redescubrimiento de Oscar Aleman presentation ( Copenhagen 2005)

This blog is also posted at my keepswinging web log

Aleman closes integral Reinhardt set.

I learned from Finesse, an article in Dr. Jazz Magazine, written by Jos Linssen, that the final record, in a series of 20 2CD records with the integral Django Reinhardt collection has been released by Fremeaux.

Good news for all those Django Reinhardt fans, but ......

..... isn't it cute that the last item, Daphné, is played by his great rival Oscar Aleman?

DAPHNE (Django Reinhardt-Stephan (sic) Grappely (sic)) Fox Trot - 18616

OSCAR ALEMÁN y su Orquesta: Mario Felix cl, Carlin Traversa v, Julio Graña v, Raúl Casanova v, Alberto A. Barbera p, Oscar Alemán g vo, Alberto Ramos g, Aldo “Néne” Nicolini b, José Ragusa dm

Recorded: Buenos Aires 29 Sep. 1952

Source: Online Oscar Aleman discography - Hans Koert

This message is also posted at my Keep swinging blog spot

Oscar Aleman Odeon record

Han Enderman sent me some new Oscar Aleman Odeon labels he found on eBay.
I posted it on my online discography.







POLVO DE ESTRELLAS Star dust Fox - Trot (Hoagy Carmichael)- 14184
ROSAMADRESELVA Honeysuckle rose Fox - Trot (Thomas Waller)- 14185

OSCAR ALEMÁN y su Quinteto de Swing: Manuel Gavinovich v, Charles Wilson * p, Oscar Alemán g vo dir, Oscar Guillermo Barbieri g, Luis Gavinovich b, Ramón M. Caravaca dm
This record was recorded 28 Oct. 1944 and released as Odeon 46013



It seems as if this type of label is the first one to be released, short after the recordings were made. The other Odeon labels were reissues of these records. I tried to get more info about these Odeon records in Argentina, but up to now, no-one could give me information about that. Even Odeon (Argentina), now called EMI Argentina, couldn't help me.

Hot Club de Boedo

¡Gracias a los amigos del Hot Club de Boedo
por acompañarnos y compartir 5 años de Jazz!

Hot Club de Boedo
Buenos Aires-Argentina

Keep swinging
El redescubrimiento de Oscar Aleman project

Los Alemaniacs

La Leyenda de Oscar Alemán

Alemániacs & others

I found this magazine on eBay with an article about OA, a career profile I imagine. Does somebody have further info? The magazine is issued 2005.

Jo

Oscar Aleman - La figura Intacta

Omar Grillia sent me images of the Alberto M. Consiglio article "La figura Intacta" as released in "Jazzband" 1 p. 15 - 25. I will post it on Oscar Aleman web site as a *.pdf file. (Jul - Ag 1972)

Omar Grillia me envió imágenes del artículo de Alberto M. Consiglio titulado 'La Figura Intacta' publicado en "Jazzband" 1 desde páginas 15 a 25.
Pondré estas imágenes como un archivo .pdf en el sitio de Oscar Alemán. (Jul - aug 1972)

Oscar Alemán - La figura Intacta ( Alberto M. Consiglio)

Thanks to Omar Grillia