Mike Mosiello with Sam Lanin's Orchestra (1923–1924)

Mike Mosiello with Sam Lanin’s Orchestra (1923-1924)

1. “Don’t Blame it All On Me” (Plaza, 1924) [0:00]
2. “I’ve Got a Song For Sale” (Federal, 1923) [2:59]
3. “I’m Somebody Nobody Loves” (Okeh, 1923) [5:48]
4. “Mama Goes Where Papa Goes (Or Papa Don’t Go Out To-night)” (Okeh, 1923) [8:44]
5. “I’m Goin’ South” (Gennett, 1923) [11:54]
6. “Blue Grass Blues” (Cameo, 1924) [14:48]
7. “Last Night On the Back Porch” (Okeh, 1923) [17:33]
8. “Roamin’ to Wyomin’” (Okeh, 1923) [20:27]
9. “Ain’t You Ashamed” (Plaza, 1924) [23:19]
10. “She Wouldn’t Do” (Paramount, 1924) [26:04]
11. “Lonely Little Wallflower” (Okeh, 1924) [29:03]
12. “Innocent Eyes” (Okeh, 1924) [31:51]
13. “It Had to Be You” (Okeh, 1924) [35:03]
14. “What’ll I Do?” (Plaza, 1924) [37:55]
15. “Limehouse Blues” (Plaza, 1924) [40:34]
16. “There’s Yes Yes In Your Eyes” (Plaza, 1924) [43:25]

Transferred with 3.0ML lateral and vertical styli via 3.0ML VM95SP cartridges and an Audiotechnica AT-LP120 Turntable. Declicked and given light EQ by Colin Hancock. Discs from Colin Hancock Collection. Discographical Information from Rust’s “Jazz Records,” DAHR, the Abbott family, Mark Berresford, Michael Malisoff, David Sager, Andrew J. Sammut, Cyrus Bahamie, and Javier Soria Laso.

Sam Lanin’s Orchestra went through many different eras of personnel. There was the Red Nichols era, with Dick Johnson, Joe Tarto, and Vic Berton. There was the Phil Napoleon era, with Jules Levy, Jr., Julius Berkin, and Miff Mole. And in between, there was the 1923-1924 era which brought on such important musicians as saxophonist Larry Abbott, banjoist Tony Calluci, and a fabulous young Italian-American trumpet player named Mike Mosiello.

Beginning in September of 1923 and continuing until the early summer of 1924, Mosiello participated in the regular Roseland Lanin dances, and the bounty of recording opportunities that came with it. Mosiello was experienced in recording, having cut sides with the International Novelty Orchestra for Victor as early as 1921, with Nathan Glantz as early as 1922, and possibly even participating in a Lanin session for Okeh in 1920. Paired with Jules Levy, Jr. on lead trumpet, Mosiello served as Lanin’s primary hot soloist during the late 1923-mid 1924 season. Due to his excellent technique, Mosiello was also occasionally given the chance to play the lead while Levy took hot solos, particularly in smaller and hotter combination settings.

At this time Mosiello possessed a fleeting spitfire style with a characteristic growl described as “Torrid” in Variety Magazine. His style complimented nicely with Levy, Jr.’s broader and more mellow tone. When added to Miff Mole's one-of-a-kind trombone, you had quite a fantastic brass section, complimented by an equally outstanding reed section which featured Larry Abbott and Merle Johnston among the ranks. Rounding out the band was their rock-steady rhythm section, with Tony Colluci, Harry Perrella, Bill Short, and Sid Wishnuff. This set of 16 recordings highlights some of Mosiello’s best from his period with Lanin. Included are several featuring Mosiello's mute work such as "Limehouse Blues," and "Ain't You Ashamed," hot ensembles like the out chorus on "Don't Blame it All on Me," and a series of wonderful Okeh recordings including the marvelous "I'm Somebody Nobody Loves" and "Mama Goes Where Papa Goes" from late 1923. Look out also for the smaller ensemble pieces such as "I've Got a Song For Sale," "I'm Goin' South," and "Blue Grass Blues," which all give Mosiello even more opportunities to be heard.

Unfortunately, Mosiello's sound has been misatributed to fellow Laninite Julius Berkin. While Berkin did participate in recordings with Lanin (including Lanin's first session ever, for Columbia in 1920), Berkin was long out of Lanin’s regular band by 1923, leading his own group at the Roseland’s sister Ballroom the Rosemont in Brooklyn during this same season. Likewise, a listen to any Red Hotters recordings (which are confirmed to feature Berkin in the contemporary press) shows he is not the same trumpet player present here. Mosiello is also pictured with the band at this time, and mentioned in the band’s regular personnel during this this period on a flyer belonging to the late Larry Abbott. And then there are the recordings Mosiello made under his own name for Grey Gull and as a member of the Grey Gull House band, all of which feature the same sprightly facility, fleeting attack, bright tone, and generally similar command of the trumpet.

Eventually, Mosiello was replaced by Red Nichols who had recently left George Olsen’s band. Around the same time Jules Levy, Jr. also passed away, replaced by Vic D’Ippolito and then Hymie Farberman. Without the trumpet team of Levy and Mosiello, the Lanin band’s sound completely changed. Mosiello himself continued his work with the International Novelty Orchestra as well as commenced his career as the primary trumpeter for the Grey Gull company's house dance band.