Peck's Bad Boys 78 - anyone know this one?

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 15 Dec 2002 4:30 pm

A few months ago a friend turned me on to one of the coolest guitar-and-steel records I've ever heard. It's a version of "I Never Knew"
by a group calling themselves Peck's Bad Boys. It's on the b-side of a 78 of James P. Johnson's "Jazz Variations" on the Asch label (catalogue number 350). The personnel are Allan Reuss and Mike Widmer on guitars, Leonard Corsale on bass and Jimmy Smith on "electric console" steel. I'm certainly familiar with the other members of the band, particularly Reuss, but know nothing of Jimmy Smith (no organ jokes, please). As for the group name, any fan of classic jazz knows that the "real" Peck's Bad Boys was the name of the legendary, but unrecorded, Texas group that included Jack Teagarden, Pee Wee Russell and others. I take it this quartet was a studio band and the record a one-off in some session they did together, but that's just a guess. Anybody know anything about this record, about Jimmy Smith or whether this group recorded anything else together? I'd sure like to think there's more where this came from. [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 16 December 2002 at 04:18 AM.]

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 15 Dec 2002 5:06 pm

Hi Ian- I remember Allen Reuss, a very fine guitrist from way back. I liked his chord work on the guitar. He did a fair amount of recording.

Jimmie Smith's "Electric Console Steel" was a 1940 Gibosn Electra-Harp with 8 strings and six pedals on a full cabinet, if that was the same Jimmie Smith.

We used to call it that so we weren't typcast as only playing Hawaiian. Alvino called his " Alvino Rey and his Singing Guitar"

Alvino Rey had one, Paul Martin and I did too. I have the Gibson page where it shows him playing it. I don't know how to put pictures on the Forum.

On Bill Stafford"s great CD called "Going Home" , he calls his steel "Electric Console". Better get that CD as it shows what can be accomplished in the music field.....Happy Holidays to all...al

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 15 December 2002 at 05:08 PM.]

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 15 Dec 2002 7:54 pm

Al: I take it from your comments that you're familiar with Jimmy Smith's playing. What else did he do? His playing on "I Never Knew" is simple, but sounds great. The solos are by Reuss on acoustic archtop (I agree, he's one of the finest of the swing-era players) and Widmer on electric. The interesting thing is that the first two choruses are just guitar-steel-bass, then Widmer comes in for one solo chorus and disappears completely again. Just one of the unusual aspects of this extraordinary record.

Yes, I'd certainly suppose the electric console is an Electra-Harp.