Bessie Smith—”Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer” (1933)

Last week, in my post about trumpet player Frank Newton, I mentioned he accompanied Tennessee-born blues singer Bessie Smith (1894-1937) on her final recording session, which included her now famous "Gimme A Pigfoot (And A Bottle Of Beer)."

Vocalist Bessie Smith is accompanied by Buck and his Band, with Frank Newton-trumpet; Jack Teagarden-trombone; Benny Goodman-clarinet; Chu Berry-tenor saxophone; orchestra leader Buck Washington-piano; Bobby Johnson-guitar; and Billy Taylor-double bass.

On November 24, 1933, Bessie Smith took the morning subway to the Columbia and Okeh studios at 55 Fifth Avenue in New York. There she was met by record producer John Hammond, who had brought the Empress of the Blues into the recording studio for the first time in two years. Hammond wanted to use Big Sid Catlett as a drummer for this session. But Bessie was reluctant to records with drums, arguing that her singing was what determined the beat. Bessie Smith's final recording session was to be her only one with swing accompaniment.

All four songs of the session were composed by the husband-and-wife singer/songwriter team Wesley "Socks" Wilson (1893-1958) and Coot Grant (she was born as Leola B. Pettigrew, 1893-1970). The couple composed some 400 songs and -- besides with Bessie Smith -- made recordings with Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Mezz Mezzrow and Fletcher Henderson.