McKenzie, Red (William)

McKenzie, Red (William), jazz singer, kazoo player, leader; b. St. Louis, Oct. 14, 1899; d. N.Y., Feb. 7, 1948. He was raised in Washington, D.C.; after both his parents died, he moved back to St. Louis. McKenzie worked at various jobs, including a spell as a professional jockey, then together with Jack Bland and Dick Slevin formed a novelty musical act which was subsequently named The Mound City Blue Blowers. At the instigation of bandleader Gene Rodemich they traveled to Chicago to make their recording debut in February 1924. Their initial release, “Arkansas Blues,” was a huge seller and they began a long series of theater tours. Eddie Lang joined the group in Atlantic City and later worked with them during their trip to London. They returned to the U.S. in 1925 and recommenced touring. Despite personnel changes, McKenzie continued to lead the group until 1932, playing long residencies in N.Y and Fla. His 1929 reccording, “(If I Could Be with You) One Hour,” featured an early solo by Coleman Hawkins. He also recorded with Red Nichols and Adrian Rollini. During the late 1920s, he was active as a talent scout for recording companies, and helped land recording contracts for Bix Beiderbecke, The Chicago Rhythm Kings, and The Spirits of Rhythm. In 1932, he signed a three year contract to appear with Paul Whiteman’s Orch. During his stint with Whiteman, he also led his own band and sang on various recording sessions with other leaders. He left Whiteman to reorganize The M.C.B.B. in the spring of 1933. In 1935, he opened his own club on 52nd Street, N.Y., and revived The M.C.B.B. name for recording sessions. He also recorded with the Bob Crosby band. After the death of his first wife, he left N.Y. in 1937 and moved back to St. Louis; he returned briefly to N.Y. early in 1939 for a residency at Kelly’s, then returned to St. Louis. He spent several years working for a St. Louis brewery and was musically inactive until he performed at an Eddie Condon Town Hall Concert in N.Y. in 1944. He suffered ill health during the last few years of his life; after spending six weeks in St. Clair’s Hospital, N.Y, he succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver.

Discography

Blue Blues; Fox Trot, for Dancing (1924); Deep Second Street Blues: Fox Trot, for Dancing (1925); Best Black: Fox Trot (1925); There’ll Be Some Changes Made (1927); Just Friends (1929); Hello Lola: Fox Trot (1929); Never Had a Reason to Believe in You: Fox Trot (1929); Just Friends (1929); Red McKenzie (1935); Timeless Historical Presents Red McKenzie (1935); Wouldn’t I Be a Wonder (1935); Murder in the Moonlight: It’s Love in the First Degree (1935); Every Now and Then (1935); Sing an Old Fashioned Song: To a Young Sophisticated Lady (1936); I Can’t Get Started with You: From the Musical production “Ziegfield Follies of 1936” (1936); When Love Has Gone (1936); / Don’t Know Your Name: But You’re Beautiful (1936); Sweet Lorraine (1937); One Hour Fox-Trot (1939); Red McKenzie-Eddie Condon Chicagoans (1944); Through a Veil of Indifference; It’s the Talk of the Town (1944). Bud Freeman:1928–1938 (1928); Swingin’ with the Eel (1998). Benny Goodman:Early Years (1992). Coleman Hawkins:Body and Soul (1927); 1929–1934 (1929); In the Groove 1926–1939 (1996).

—John Chilton (Who’s Who of Jazz)/Lewis Porter