Biography
The Mound City Blowers achieved unexpected popularity despite their unusual makeup. Red McKenzie supplied the lead voice on comb and tissue paper, which produced a kazoo-like tone, Dick Slevin played a conventional kazoo, and Jack Bland handled banjo. Their debut 1924 coupling of “Arkansas Blues” and “Blue Blues” sold briskly. Across 1924–1925 the trio cut twelve sides altogether; two of those featured guest C-melody saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer, while guitarist Eddie Lang strengthened the rhythm section on the final six. McKenzie continued to record as a singer under his own name, and the Mound City name lay dormant for several years. In 1929 he revived the billing for four all-star dates. Trombonist and vocalist Jack Teagarden appeared on “Tailspin Blues” and “Never Had a Reason to Believe in You,” whereas “Hello Lola” and “One Hour” quickly attained classic status. Coleman Hawkins delivered a landmark ballad statement on the latter title, Glenn Miller played with uncommon fire on “Hello Lola,” and both clarinetist Pee Wee Russell and McKenzie on comb performed at peak level. A 1931 session that included cornetist Muggsy Spanier, clarinetist Jimmy Dorsey, and Hawkins again placed primary emphasis on McKenzie’s singing. The group’s last activity, twenty-five titles recorded between 1935 and 1936, found McKenzie’s role sharply reduced to occasional vocals and scant comb work. Most of the singing was handled by Nappy Lamare, the Top Hatters, Spooky Dickenson, and Billy Wilson. What sustains interest in these final performances, all collected on a single Classics CD, are the trumpet solos contributed by either Bunny Berigan or Yank Lawson, along with Eddie Miller’s work on tenor saxophone and clarinet.