Fletcher Henderson was very important to early jazz as leader of the first great jazz big band, as an arranger and composer in the 1930s, and as a masterful talent scout. Between 1923-1939, quite an all-star cast of top young black jazz musicians passed through his orchestra, including trumpeters Louis Armstrong, Joe Smith, Tommy Ladnier, Rex Stewart, Bobby Stark, Cootie Williams, Red Allen, and Roy Eldridge; trombonists Charlie Green, Benny Morton, Jimmy Harrison, Sandy Williams, J.C. Higginbottham, and Dickie Wells; clarinetist Buster Bailey; tenors Coleman Hawkins (1924-1934), Ben Webster, Lester Young (whose brief stint was not recorded), and Chu Berry; altoists Benny Carter, Russell Procope, and Hilton Jefferson; bassists John Kirby and Israel Crosby; drummers Kaiser Marshall, Walter Johnson, and Sid Catlett; guest pianist Fats Waller; and such arrangers as Don Redman, Benny Carter, Edgar Sampson, and Fletcher's younger brother Horace Henderson. And yet, at the height of the swing era, Henderson's band was little-known.
Fletcher Henderson had a degree in chemistry and mathematics, but when he came to New York in 1920 with hopes of becoming a chemist, the only job he could find (due to the racism of the times) was as a song demonstrator with the Pace-Handy music company. Harry Pace soon founded the Black Swan label, and Henderson, a versatile but fairly basic pianist, became an important contributor behind the scenes, organizing bands and backing blues vocalists. Although he started recording as a leader in 1921, it was not until January 1924 that he put together his first permanent big band. Using Don Redman's innovative arrangements, he was soon at the top of his field. His early recordings (Henderson made many records during 1923-1924) tend to be both futuristic and awkward, with strong musicianship but staccato phrasing. However, after Louis Armstrong joined up in late 1924 and Don Redman started contributing more swinging arrangements, the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra had no close competitors artistically until the rise of Duke Ellington in 1927. By then, Henderson's band (after a period at the Club Alabam) was playing regularly at the Roseland Ballroom but, due to the bandleader being a very indifferent businessman, the all-star outfit recorded relatively little during its peak (1927-1930).
With the departure of Redman in 1927, and the end of interim periods when Benny Carter and Horace Henderson wrote the bulk of the arrangements, Fletcher himself developed into a top arranger by the early '30s. However, the Depression took its toll on the band, and the increased competition from other orchestras (along with some bad business decisions and the loss of Coleman Hawkins) resulted in Henderson breaking up the big band in early 1935. Starting in 1934, he began contributing versions of his better arrangements to Benny Goodman's new orchestra (including "King Porter Stomp," "Sometimes I'm Happy," and "Down South Camp Meeting"), and ironically Goodman's recordings were huge hits at a time when Fletcher Henderson's name was not known to the general public. In 1936, he put together a new orchestra and immediately had a hit in "Christopher Columbus," but after three years he had to disband again in 1939. Henderson worked as a staff arranger for Goodman and even played in B.G.'s Sextet for a few months (although his skills on the piano never did develop much). He struggled through the 1940s, leading occasional bands (including one in the mid-'40s that utilized some arrangements by the young Sun Ra). In 1950, Henderson had a fine sextet with Lucky Thompson, but later that year collapsed on the street aparently from a stroke. The incapacitation ended his career and led to his death in 1952. Virtually all of Fletcher Henderson's recordings as a leader (and many are quite exciting) are currently available on the Classics label and in more piecemeal fashion domestically.
Sugar foot stomp
Fletcher Henderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Play that thing" is a common phrase used in jazz music to indicate the desire for a musician to start playing their instrument. In this particular context, it can be seen as a call to the band to start playing the melody of the song or to take a solo. The phrase is often used to create energy and drive within the performance and encourage the musicians to engage and interact with one another. The lyrics also add a sense of excitement and urgency to the song, increasing tempo and intensity.
Overall, Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra's Sugar Foot Stomp is a classic example of early jazz music. The song features swinging rhythms and upbeat melodies that are typical of the genre. The use of brass, percussion, and wind instruments creates a powerful, highly energized sound that is characteristic of Dixieland jazz, and it helped popularize the style in the years after its release. The lyrics themselves, while minimal, add to the overall ambiance of the song and help create an atmosphere of joy and celebration.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, play that thing
Please start playing the music or instrument in question
Every mornin', every evenin', honey, don't you be late
Make sure to arrive on time at every occasion, morning and evening
I'm tootin' my horn, I'm blowin' my whistle, I'm slingin' my weight
I am proudly showcasing my talent and making my presence known
I got a gal who's mighty sweet, with big brown eyes and tiny feet
I am in a relationship with a lovely woman who has attractive traits, particularly her eyes and small feet
Her name is Sugar, her teeth are sweet, she's my gal and you just can't beat
My girlfriend's name is Sugar, she is lovely and sweet, and I am fortunate to have her as my partner
Oh play that thing
Please continue playing the music or instrument in question
Writer(s): Joseph Oliver
Contributed by Liliana V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marvinmuonekejazz
This is my favorite rendition of this tune. I first heard it in Episode 3 of the Ken Burns' Jazz Documentaries and I've been looking for it ever since. Thank you for sharing!! God bless you :)
@monicabella7894
Benny Goodman is also great with it, although your right.
@phredl
@@monicabella7894 The Bob Crosby is also great!
@BrentWatkins-creative-services
@@phredl Good yes, but not great. Not like this track. By far the best version of Sugarfoot Stomp ever recorded. I mean the trumpet solo, WOW.
@monicabella7894
One of the brightest recordings in Jazz history 🎆
@colinwells4
Good work Mr. Becker. This is the best version of this tune.
@d-pool7967
Man fletcher henderson is definitely a talented musician for his time
@jourwalis-8875
Fantastic music and performance!
@d-pool7967
Man it’s been a long time since I listened to this song.
@RealDapperDude
Am Besten, mein Herr! Sehr gut.