Hot Lips Page

May I present you my new top favourite tune with a five star rating in my library: Lafayette.

Thanks to Kate Hedin who introduced me to this song. We were teaming up in a fun DJ battle at All Balboa Weekend this year and this was her first song in our set!

Oran Thaddeus «Hot Lips» Page (27.01.1908 – 4.11.1954) was a jazz trumpeter, singer and bandleader. By many, he is considered as one of the greatest swing trumpeters.

Page gained early experience in the 1920s performing in Texas, playing in Ma Rainey's backup band. He was with Walter Page's Blue Devils during 1928-1931, and then joined Bennie Moten's band in Kansas City in time to take part in a brilliant 1932 recording session.

Page freelanced in Kansas City and in 1936 was one of the stars in Count Basie's orchestra but, shortly before Basie was discovered, Joe Glaser signed Hot Lips as a solo artist. Although Page's big band did alright in the late '30s (recording for Victor), if he had come east with Basie he would have become much more famous.

Page was one of the top sidemen with Artie Shaw's orchestra during 1941-1942 and then mainly freelanced throughout the remainder of his career, recording with many all-star groups and always being a welcome fixture at jam sessions.

Source: allmusic.com

Lafayette starts as it would be a blues. Then the bass leaps in giving a first idea in which direction we are going to, before the drums and the sax makes it clear, which energy we'll get with this tune. Hot Lips Page's trumpet solo is a beauty, followed by a staccato style piano solo, and so on. Listen yourself, this is a perfect Balboa song!

Title: Lafayette
Artist: Hot Lips Page
Recorded: 11.11.1940
Tempo: 208 bpm
Dance: Balboa

Click the link to prelisten and download the song (mp3/mp4a) at
Amazon

How many stars would you rate this song? Please leave a comment!

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