Mills Blue Rhythm Band
The Mills Blue Rhythm Band was an American big band active during the 1930s. The band was formed in New York City, United States, in 1930 by drummer Willie Lynch as the Blue Rhythm Band, and then briefly operated as the Coconut Grove Orchestra. Irving Mills became its manager in 1931 and it subsequently assumed the name Mills Blue Rhythm Band. Compere Jimmy Ferguson (Baron Lee) replaced Lynch. Another brief leader, reeds player Bingie Madison, left at the time of the final name change. Over its lifetime, the group was known as the "Blue Rhythm Band", "Blue Ribbon Band", "Blue Rhythm Boys", "The Blue Racketeers", "Earl Jackson's Musical Champions", "Earl Jackson and his Orchestra", "Duke Wilson and his Ten Blackberries", "King Carter's Royal Orchestra", "Mills Music Masters", "Harlem Hot Shots". It accompanied Louis Armstrong on some record sides. The Mills Blue Rhythm Band were based at The Cotton Club in Harlem. They worked steadily through the 1930s deputizing for the orchestra of Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, often taking their undesirable engagements. Mills managed Ellington and Calloway as well. Edgar Hayes, Eddie Mallory and Dave Nelson all had temporary stints as band leader, until Lucky Millinder permanently took over the role in 1934. The band recorded 150 sides for labels including Brunswick, Columbia, Victor, the ARC stable of labels (including Oriole, Perfect, Regal, Romeo, Banner, Melotone, Domino), Variety, and Vocalion. Although a few of their records became hits (including "Truckin'" and "Ride, Red, Ride") and the MBRB had a line-up of talented soloists, the group never attained the prominence of their peers. This has been attributed to the lack of a single identifiable leader, and Irving Mills' preference to have the band perform an understudy role. By 1937, the group was billed as Lucky Millinder and his Orchestra and disbanded in 1938. Millinder joined Bill Doggett's band before reforming it into his own orchestra in 1940. Irving Mills revived the Mills Blue Rhythm Band name for two recording sessions in 1947, under the guidance of Van Alexander. The only original band member performing at either of the 1947 sessions was trumpeter Charlie Shavers. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1930, Died Ceased 1938
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1931 - 1934
Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group
Notes: Billed on some Columbia labels as King Carter and his Royal Orchestra, King Carter and his Orchestra, or King Carter's Royal Orchestra.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 34 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BRC-69963 | 10-in. | 6/18/1931 | Moanin' | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Victor | BRC-69964 | 10-in. | 6/18/1931 | Blue rhythm | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Victor | BRC-69965 | 10-in. | 6/18/1931 | I can't get along without my baby | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Victor | BRC-69978 | 10-in. | 6/26/1931 | Heebie jeebies | Mills Blue Rhythm Band ; George Morton | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Victor | BRC-69980 | 10-in. | 6/26/1931 | Minnie the Moocher | Chick Bullock ; Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet and vocal chorus | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-78093 | 10-in. | 10/5/1933 | Break it down | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-78094 | 10-in. | 10/5/1933 | Kokey Joe | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-78095 | 10-in. | 10/5/1933 | Love's serenade | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-78096 | 10-in. | 10/5/1933 | Harlem after mid-night | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-78827 | 10-in. | 12/4/1933 | Drop me off in Harlem | Adelaide Hall ; Lucky Millinder ; Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-78828 | 10-in. | 12/4/1933 | Reaching for the Cotton Moon | Adelaide Hall ; Lucky Millinder ; Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-78829 | 10-in. | 12/4/1933 | Love is the thing | Lucky Millinder ; Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-80278 | 10-in. | 2/20/1934 | The stuff is here | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Victor | BS-80279 | 10-in. | 2/20/1934 | The growl | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Columbia | W151454 | 10-in. | 3/23/1931 | Swing it | King Carter and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Columbia | [W]151455 | 10-in. | 3/23/1931 | I'm left with the blues in my heart | King Carter and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Columbia | [W]151456 | 10-in. | 3/23/1931 | Minnie the Moocher | King Carter and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Columbia | W151637 | 10-in. | 6/25/1931 | I can't get along without my baby | King Carter and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Columbia | W151638 | 10-in. | 6/25/1931 | Moanin' | King Carter and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Columbia | W151639 | 10-in. | 6/25/1931 | Low down on the bayou | King Carter and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Columbia | W151640 | 10-in. | 6/25/1931 | Blue rhythm | King Carter and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Brunswick | E35985 | 10-in. | 3/30/1931 | Straddle the fence | Chocolate Dandies [Mills Blue Rhythm Band] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Brunswick | E35986 | 10-in. | 3/30/1931 | Levee low down | Chocolate Dandies [Mills Blue Rhythm Band] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | Musical group | |
Brunswick | E35987 | 10-in. | 3/30/1931 | Moanin’ | Mills Blue Rhythm Band | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
Brunswick | E36665 | 10-in. | 4/28/1931 | Minnie the Moocher | Earl Jackson and his Musical Champions [Mills Blue Rhythm Band] | Jazz/dance band, with vocal (scat) | Musical group |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Mills Blue Rhythm Band," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/105991.
Mills Blue Rhythm Band. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/105991.
"Mills Blue Rhythm Band." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Mills Blue Rhythm Band
Discogs: Mills Blue Rhythm Band
Allmusic: Mills Blue Rhythm Band
IMDb: Mills Blue Rhythm Band
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Mills Blue Rhythm Band - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n88621749
Wikidata: Mills Blue Rhythm Band - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1935620
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/121021657
MusicBrainz: Mills Blue Rhythm Band - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/4cca8a8b-3831-4ca6-97a3-ee4095c98079
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