Some of the musicians are pianist Arthur Schutt, guitarist Carl Kress, and drummer Vic Berton. You could call this a "Bix" way of playing.<br /><br />"Easy"<br /><br />Mendello's Dance Orchestra<br /><br />Jack Kaufman is vocalist, I suspect.<br /><br />Banner 7246<br /><br />October 16, 1928<br /><br />Toots Mendello ensemble -- the name is Mendello, and he plays cornet. It is not Toots Mondello, who plays sax (don't confuse the two).<br /><br />Toots Mendello recorded several sides from July to October 1928. <br /><br />Six of the sides were issued on dime-store labels. <br /><br />These are the only known recordings of Toots Mendello. <br /><br />The various names used by the different dime labels can drive one crazy.<br /><br />Banner used the name "Mendello's Dance Orchestra"<br /><br />Oriole used the name "Dixie Jazz Band"<br /><br />Broadway and Paramount used the name "Marks and His Five Oh My's"<br /><br />And there are other names, too.<br /><br />All the musicians hired by Toots Mendello in 1928 were members of the Five Pennies led by Red Nichols.<br /><br />This includes Schutt and Berton.<br /><br />Toots Mendello (cnt) Glenn Miller (tb) Fud Livingston (cl) Arthur Schutt (p) Carl Kress (g) Vic Berton (d) <br /><br />James Mendello was born in Patterson, New Jersey, in 1904. <br /><br />He is listed in the 1930 US Census with his name spelled Mandello, living at 1770 West Sixth Street, Brooklyn New York, age 26, born in New Jersey of Italian parents.<br /><br />His wife was named Mildred, age 25.<br /><br />Toots played with ensembles led by several different big names in the music business, including Ben Bernie, Ross Gorman, and Vincent Lopez. <br /><br />In 1931, James Mendello died at age 27 in Brooklyn. The cause of death was viral meningitis. Bix also died that year.<br /><br />"Easy" Mendello's Dance Orchestra on Banner 7246 (1928) Toots Mendello = Bix school of jazz.
