Two Of A Kind: TjB vs. BMB -- "The Wall Street Rag"

[JOv2]

• The Tijuana Brass and the Baja Marimba Band have at least eight recorded songs in common.
• Vote for your favourite version and tell us a bit about why you made your selection. (The selections are listed in release order.)

 

[JOv2]

I'm not a fan of the song (and for me kind of a low point on S.R.O.); but, I'll go with BMB as their version really does well to capture the obvious "trad jazz" style of the piece, which was surely intended by Coleman. Additionally, as a novelty the vocal is charming.

 

[AM Matt]

I picked Herb!!

 

[Bobberman]

While I like The TJB version I voted for the BMB version the vocal by Frank DeVito added more to the song and the dixieland like arrangement made it just one step better. And it's a rarity as it is a non album single release.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I had never heard the BMB version before. I've always liked the TJB one as a nice "album track" but I would have to say neither one of those are songs I would put on an all-time best-of collection from either band. It's kind of a tie though, I like the BMB one because it sounds so quirky and old fashioned. But, I think on over-and-over type listening, the BMB one would cause me to pull my hair out sooner than the TJB one would, therefore my vote goes to the TJB.

 

[Harry]

TjB. My Dad's favorite for sure. He loved drumming to this record.

 

[Mr Bill]

I absolutely LOVE the BMB version. Frank DeVito's vocals give it a "burlesquey" ragtime feel. The TJB version has always felt like one of those "filler" songs for the album, and lacks the varied nuances of TJB versions of Coleman's other contributions. With or without the vocals, I think the BMB version is probably what Coleman had in mind when he wrote it. I suspect he may have already passed before it was recorded -- its release is right around that time, between Cabezas Arriba and Fowl Play... the fellow on the sleeve at upper right is vague... it could be Coleman, it's not Charlie Chiarenza, or it could be the usual guy "taking care of business." One thing that has always stood out to me since I first heard the TJB's "Coney Island" back in 1975, was how some of the musical motifs from "Wall Street Rag" were clearly borrowed and enhanced by Julius...

--Mr Bill

 

[JOv2]

the fellow on the sleeve at upper right is vague

Good point! Coleman may have been unavailable for the shoot owing to emerging health issues so a stand-in was placed in dim light. (Recall Buffalo Springfield on their '67 Smothers Brothers appearance right after bass player, Bruce Palmer, had been busted on narcotics possession...a stand-in was placed in front of the band with his back to the audience!)