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Picture a gentleman dressed
in a tuxedo, playing a 1920s Gibson L-5 guitar.
This classic photograph is the image many of us have of jazz guitarist
Eddie Lang, born Salvatore Massaro, in Philadelphia in 1902. Lang’s
many
recordings throughout the 1920s and until his untimely death in 1933
established him as the first significant jazz guitarist.
Lang was the recording guitarist in the 1920s and appeared on recordings
by scores of important performers of the era including Paul Whiteman,
Hoagy Carmichael, Frankie Trumbauer Bix Beiderbecke and Bing Crosby.
He also made solo and duet recordings with guitarist Carl Kress, blues
man Lonnie Johnson, and hot violinist Joe Venuti.
Lang recorded as “Blind Willie Dunn” on “race”
recordings with Johnson, Bessie Smith and “Blind Willie Dunn and
his Gin Bottle Four.” On the Lang/Johnson recordings, Lang often
played rhythm to Johnson bluesy lead. The pseudonym “Blind Willie
Dunn” was likely adopted to better market recordings to the black
audience and to stay clear of those who disapproved of mixed race recordings.Lang’s
1926-27 duet recordings with jazz violinist Joe Venuti consisted of
hot originals that preceded the Reinhardt/Grappelli collaboration by
eight years. The Lang/Venuti recordings were influenced by the orchestrated,
multi-section jazz of that decade which may be why their music didn’t
have the same impact on modern guitarists as the Reinhardt material.
Singer and mega-star Bing Crosby eventually chose Lang to be his accompanist.
In 1933, Lang had a tonsillectomy operation and due to complications,
died. It is said the Lang’s untimely death (at age 30) weighed
especially heavy on Crosby who had suggested the operation.
By the 1930s, most orchestral banjoists had switched to guitar, a testament
to Lang’s influence. Sally-Ann Worsfold sums up Lang’s career
in the liner notes of The Quintessential Eddie Lang 1925 – 1932
on Timeless Records: “Within just one year of his death, Eddie
Lang’s reputation already had begun to fade. The initial recordings
of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France – a group originally inspired
by the Joe Venuti Blue Four [including Lang] – introduced the work
of Django Reinhardt, whose Romany musical background added another exciting
dimension to jazz guitar. Before the end of the 1930s, the amplified
guitar style of Charlie Christian, to be heard with the Benny Goodman
Sextet, opened up yet further possibilities for the instrument. However,
the pioneer achievements of Eddie Lang should not be overlooked. Without
any apparent influence or mentor he made all subsequent developments
possible. . . This selection, although it merely skims the surface of
a remarkable recording career, does illustrate that everything and anything
the guitarist cared to play was distinguished by his consummate artistry,
superb musicianship, conviction and soul.”
“Pickin’ My Way” is an attractive Eddie Lang and Carl
Kress composition from 1932. The guitarists trade solos on this bluesy
tune with Lang taking the opening single note lead and Kress providing
a signature chord melody. Performed in the key of C, the tune has a
second section in Dm that is not notated here. The various positions
given are my choices after some experimentation. Feel free to explore
other fingering possibilities. This rarely heard tune would be a great
addition to your swing repertoire!
Lang’s recording of this tune can be heard at http://www.redhotjazz.com/lang.html
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