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I was listening to a semi-local radio station In the car this evening (I think they are out of Asheville, NC, and rebroadcast here in Bristol, VA). The program was playing jazz on old 78’s from the 20’s.

They played a song called “Bass Blues“ by the group Joe Simpson and his Rube Band. It had a really neat, featured bass part played very well by the tubist. They mentioned the Champion label out of Richmond, Indiana.

I was trying to understand what the announcers were saying, scribbling on a paper while driving so I am not entirely sure I heard or wrote everything down correctly. I searched when I got home and found a website listing the Champion discography which included this for Champion label number 15581
15581 JOE SIMPSON & HIS RUBE BAND Bass Blues 8/18/28

Anyone else familiar with this group or this piece? I really enjoyed it and hope to find my own copy somehow. I haven’t yet gotten any good search results on the group, Joe Simpson and his Rube Band.

It has been a looong time since I heard something on the radio that I wanted to learn more about.

Joe

Wow, I struck out on that post. Maybe this additional information will help spark some interest.

The radio program I heard originated with WPVM in Asheville and is called Land of the Sky. I contacted the person who creates the program and he sent me corrected information. It seems the piece was released under different group names on different labels.

I now have a link to a recording on youtube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFHU0aKtpL0

The information I was given lists Art Sorensen as the tubist. Or does tb mean trombone?

I hope some of you enjoy this recording as much as I do.

Joe

ProAm wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 12:35 pm The information I was given lists Art Sorensen as the tubist. Or does tb mean trombone?

Yes, trombone. I used that for a search key and found this:
Cornstars: Rube Music in Swing Time: The Rise and Fall of Freddie Fisher and his Schnickelfritz Band…Stan Fritts and his Korn Kobblers…and the Hillbilly, Cornball, Novelty Jazz Music of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s - looks like there might be some leads in there.

Frank Kettering listed on "bass" for those lineups, which presumably is or includes tuba. He played with the Hoosier Hot Shots, which was kind of a big deal, and may have gone on to be a movie actor.