Are You Happy? (Yellen, Ager) - Played by Harry Reser's Jazz Pilots

Are You Happy? (Yellen, Ager) - Played by Harry Reser's Jazz Pilots
Vocal chorus by Tom Stacks

Recorded by Okeh Records, New York, 27 July, 1927
This Issue: Australian Parlophone Record No.A2327 (Originally American Okeh 40872)
Matrix: 81173-C

Personnel:
Earl Oliver and/or Tommy Gott, t / Sammy Lewis, tb / Larry Abbott, cl, as, kazoo / Norman Yorke, ts when used / Jimmy Johnston, bsx / Murray Kellner, vn when used / Bill Wirges, p, a / Harry Reser, bj, ldr / Tom Stacks, d

Recorded and processed from an original vintage 78 record by myself with the generous cooperation and support of "Mechsounds".

[barbaraeffros]

Who can resist being happy after listening to this snappy, upbeat Harry Reser arrangement? I adore Tom Stacks joyous voice with swinging Trumpeters 🎺 Earl Oliver and Grandpa Bob Effros. Larry Abbot with other top musicians rock this Yellen -Ager song. Thank you Martin!

[rogerkent]

I used to have this record on UK Parlophone-I don't remember it being as fast as this!

[benzo]

This is surely one hot foxtrot! I've said for years that if I could go back to the twenties, I'd love to play in the Harry Reser band, 'cause they have such fun! And great sound! This joyful tune is further proof! Such a pleasure to hear this great record! Thanks again 🎉❤

[GramophonicReevolution]

Love anything with Tom on vocals. Excellent 😊

[roybo]

I am now that I heard this FANTASTIC Record! I LOVE this!!

[MrSuperbatone]

Another fine master from "Riverboat Shuffle Hall" - the studio with great acoustics OKeh used for a while in 1927!

[MatthewDLDavidson]

Exceptional peppy little tune brilliantly played by the great Harry Reser and group. Thanks for starting off the morning with such a great record! (Never heard this one before)

[benzo]

Joyful ballroom bonbon from the wacky roaring twenties! Has an early use of the orchestral pyramid chord going both up and down! It happens at the last word of Tom Stacks vocal. The Okeh electrical recording system sounds finely regulated and exceptionally well balanced here in 1927, quite an achievement! Thanks for sharing this great Harry Reser side! Must have given a joyful turn on the dancefloor. In response to it's title, It does indeed make me happy to hear it! 😁

[jslas-]

Harry Reser (bjo, arr) dir: Earl Oliver, Bob Effros (tp), Sam(my) Lewis (tb), Larry Abbott (cl, as, ss), Thomas/Tom "Spatty" Timothy (cl, as, bars, ss, arr), Herman "Hymie" Wolfson (cl, ts, ss), William F. "Bill" Wirges (p, arr), Hank Stern (bb) and Tom Stacks (d, v).

Recorded at Okeh's New York recording studios probably located at the 145th West 45th Street on August 2 of 1927 and originally issued on Okeh 40870, British Parlophone E-5922, Australian Parlophone A-2327, Swedish Parlophone B-12546 and German Odeon A-189109.

With the exception of Tom Stacks and William F. "Bill" Wirges, the rest of the band was drawn from Ben Selvin's Orchestra, with whom Harry Reser played several times as well, and even forging up a friendship that lasted until Reser's death on September 27 of 1965 at the pit theater during a performance of "The Fiddler On The Roof". Proof of this friendship is confirmed in an interview by trumpeter Bob Effros via his grand-daughter Barbara Effros.


Rest of the info from my copy of Johnson-Shirley's American Dance Bands On Record And Film (Rustbooks, 2010).

[rogerkent]

I listened again and the speed seemed correct-strange.