Both sides recorded in New York City
in the second half of 1948. Exact recording date, personnel and date of release
are unknown.
This one-off session for Bobby Shad’s Sittin’ In With label
marked the recording debut of Big John Greer. Two singles resulted from the
session – “Rockin’ With Big John” / “Wine-ola” (Sittin’ In With 510) plus the
featured platter on this post which we can all enjoy thanks to El Enmascarado’s
work in ripping these sides from the original 78 rpm shellac disc.
The Sittin’ In With date was something of a moonlight
session for tenor sax player and vocalist Big John Greer who had arrived in New
York City to join Lucky Millinder’s Orchestra as a replacement
for Bull Moose Jackson who had embarked on a solo career. The Millinder outfit
was under contract to RCA Victor and Greer’s first recording session with the
band took place in January 1949. He sang on “Little Girl Don’t Cry” which was a
number fifteen R&B hit, although it was heavily outsold by the Bull Moose Jackson version which reached number two in the charts.
Greer’s career followed a parallel path to that of his
fellow saxophonist / vocalist Bull Moose Jackson when he started recording as
leader of a small group called The Rhythm Rockers, which consisted of Millinder
band members, in April 1949 for RCA Victor. When the Millinder band moved to
King in 1950, Greer continued to record for Victor and subsequently its R&B
subsidiary Groove until the mid 1950s. He recorded as a sideman for King, being
on the Lucky Millinder / Wynonie Harris session which produced a storming
version of Louis Prima’s “Oh Babe!” He was also on Bull Moose Jackson’s epic double
entendre rocker “Nosey Joe” and recorded several sessions with fellow former
Millinder vocalist Annisteen Allen.
We’ll be taking a look at Big John Greer’s output for Victor
and Groove in an upcoming updated post of the “R&B In New York City” LP.
Thanks again to El Enmascarado for these rips which are in
remarkably good sound quality.
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