Jitterbug Jamboree Song Book. Conceived, compiled and with Original Songs by Jean Herbert and Otis Spencer. Most of the Piano Arrangements by Edgar Sampson.

SAMPSON, Edgar.

Published by New York: Edward B. Marks Music Corporation, 1939

About this Item

From the collection of Rolling Stones drummer and jazz aficionado Charlie Watts, with his posthumous bookplate: first and only edition, scarce, with just five copies located among institutional libraries. Published in the Swingeroo Favorite Series, and as far as we can see the only title in the series, it was clearly an attempt to cash in on the jitterbug craze. Contains Sampson's arrangement of "Let's Dance", Benny Goodman's opener for over 50 years; "By Heck" ("Tempo Josh de Swing") arranged by Fats Waller, recorded by Webb in 1937; and a number of wonderfully titled jitterbug-themed pieces: "Jitterbug Jeep", "Jitterbug Jubilee" itself, and "When a Chickie Loves an Ickie". The captions in the photo section are worth the price of admission alone; "Artie Shaw, squeezing one way down", "Stuff Smith, smouldering virtuoso of the ignited fiddle", and "Ella Fitzgerald, the most famous of Chick Webb's Chicks". Edgar Sampson's enduring fame rests upon the three years, 1933-6, when he was one of the composer/arrangers working for Chick Webb's all-conquering Savoy band. He had previously worked with Ellington and Fletcher Henderson, and subsequently became an in-demand freelance arranging for Benny Goodman, who had great success with some of his tunes, Artie Shaw, Red Norvo, Teddy Hill, Teddy Wilson, and Webb himself, and when the drummer died in 1939 Sampson was briefly musical director for Ella Fitzgerald when she took over the band. In the late 40s he became influential in the emergence of Latin Jazz, arranging for Marcellino Guerra, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez through the 50s. Sampson recorded only one album under his own name Swing Softly Sweet Sampson in 1956, his career was curtailed by illness and he died in 1973. Just five copies recorded on WorldCat: British Library, American University, Tulane, Middle Tennessee State, and North Texas. Quarto. 10 plates of "Photographs of Swing Favorites", double-page spread with a "Glossary of Swing and Jitterbug Terms." Wire-stitched in the original pictorial card wrappers. A little rubbed on the spine, and with minor creasing at the edges of the wrappers, else very good.

Seller Inventory # 190328

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Jitterbug Jamboree Song Book. Conceived, compiled and with Original Songs by Jean Herbert and Otis Spencer. Most of the Piano Arrangements by Edgar Sampson.
• Publisher: New York: Edward B. Marks Music Corporation, 1939