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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZJONES, Isham(b 31 January 1894, Coalton OH; d 19 October 1956, Hollywood FL) Bandleader; also played piano, tenor sax; arranger, composer. He had over 70 hit records 1920-38. From a coal-mining family, he opted for music instead; he led a trio in Chicago on tenor in 1915, then larger groups, had big hits with 'Wabash Blues', 'On The Alamo', 'Swingin' Down The Lane', 'Spain', 'I'll See You In My Dreams' '21-5; 'Stardust' had been recorded in up-tempo versions by the Chocolate Dandies and others, but in 1930 it was Jones who established the Hoagy Carmichael classic as a romantic ballad and one of the all-time great American popular songs. All of his Rainbo orchestra recordings from 1920 have been compiled on Archeophone CDs; the album called Happy, with good notes by David Sager, makes interesting listening. The band was named after a ballroom, and the form of the big dance band as we came to know it a decade later had not been settled yet, and Jones was his own man, preferring the sound of reeds and not even using a trumpet very much. Nor were there any novelty effects that a lot of saxophonists were using c.1920 -- no slurping, honking, or slap-tongue sounds. Jones was a leader with a lot of integrity and not much use for the celebrity aspect of bandleading; his groups continued to be very good ones, e.g. on 'Blue Prelude' '32 described as sounding a decade ahead of its time. During 1930-35 the personnel included Pee Wee Erwin on trumpet (b George Erwin, 30 May 1913, Falls City NE; d 20 June 1981, Teaneck NJ), Jack Jenney on trombone (b Truman Elliot Jenney, 12 May 1910, Mason City IA; d 16 December 1945, Los Angeles), Woody Herman on vocals and clarinet, Gordon Jenkins as arranger, others including vocalist Eddie Stone. Jones's own composition 'You're Just A Beautiful Dream Come True' '31 became the band's theme; other songs he co-wrote incl. 'I'll See You In My Dreams', 'On The Alamo', 'Swingin' Down The Lane', 'It Had To Be You', etc. Collaborators included Gus Kahn, Charles Newman (b 22 February 1901, Chicago; d 9 January 1978, Beverly Hills). Running a band was a big business and Jones was comfortable with his song royalties; he quit '36 and members under Herman organized a co-operative band, the beginning of Herman's wonderful career. Thereafter Jones fronted bands occasionally, based on West Coast mostly composing, moving to Florida not long before he died. Compilations on vinyl included The Great Isham Jones And His Orchestra in RCA's LPV series, Swingin' Down The Lane on Ace of Hearts (Brunswick recordings: he had switched to Victor '32), and two volumes on Sunbeam ('29-30 and '36). He made a 10" LP on Capitol in the early '50s, all his own tunes sung by Curt Massey (d 20 October 1991, age 81). A CD on Memphis Archives compiled tracks '23-30. |