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| Discography - Jimmy and Nat Gonella |
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| The other discographies on this website, apart from the Joe Loss discography, cover vocal performances by Jimmy. This one covers all the records he made with Nat Gonella, not just the vocals. Jimmy Mesene was a good guitarist and he recorded with Gonella from January 1935 to July 1939. Nat Gonella and his Georgians were tremendously popular and very successful in personal appearances, as well as selling huge numbers of records. Where possible I have included the issue numbers of the original 78s but I have not attempted to include details of the many compilation CDs that have been released, often for short periods of time... In all Jimmy Mesene recorded nearly 250 titles with Nat Gonella in the four and a half year period but sung on only twelve of them. Nat apparently had difficulty in persuading Parlophone to record his vocals. Gonella did many of the vocals himself and there were other vocalists, Bruts Gonella, Stella Moya and a number of trios all recorded vocals. By todays standards the Georgian's recorded output was amazing producing enough material for 20 LP's or CDs had these formats been available then. (This information has been extracted from Tom Lord's Jazz Discography...) |
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The Georgians records made prior to the date below featured an eight piece Nat Gonella band. Of that band only Torrance, Barrigo and Dryden were included in the new eleven piece band. The new band seemed to come to the studio every month or so to record two new 78rpm releases. All recording was done in London unless indicated otherwise... Nat Gonella and his Georgians - January 22nd, 1935 Nat Gonella, Bruts Gonella, Johnny Morrison (tp), Ernest Ritte, Albert Torrance (cl,as), Pat Smuts, Don Barrigo (ts), Monia Liter (p), Jimmy Mesene (g), Tiny Winters (b), Bob Dryden (d). Georgia's gorgeous gal / I'm gonna wash my hands of you (Parlophone F116) E flat blues / Basin Street Blues (Parlophone F117) February 27th, 1935 same personnel Mister rhythm man / Stardust (Parlophone F132) An earful of music / Down t'uncle Bill's (Parlophone F133) March 29th, 1935 same personnel except Harold Hood (p) replaces Monia Liter Fox trot medley ( Smoke rings, Beale Street blues, Rockin' chair) / Fox trot medley (I heard, St Louis blues, Runnin' wild) (Parlophone F148) Rhythm is our business / Breakin' the ice (Parlophone F149) May 3rd, 1935 same personnel Nagasaki / Tiger rag (Parlophone F161) Mommy, I don't want to go to bed / Gonna wed that gal o' mine (Parlophone F162) June 7th, 1935 same personnel Yes suh! / Wabash blues (Parlophone F179) The peanut vendor / Jig-time (Parlophone F180) July 15th, 1935 same personnel Hesitation Blues / Fascinatin' rhythm (Parlophone F192) Hot lips / Blow, Gabriel, blow (Parlophone F193) July 24th, 1935 same personnel St. Louis blues / Farewell blues (Parlophone F209) Black coffee / Lazy river (Parlophone F210) September 11th, 1935 - six titles were cut on this date including Jimmy Mesene's first vocals with the band same personnel Sensation / Strange blues (Parlophone F226) Sweet and hot / Squareface (Parlophone F227) Lullaby of the Volga (vocal JM) / Solitude (vocal JM) (Parlophone F228) October 6th, 1935 same personnel The ghost of Dinah / Truckin' (Parlophone F283) Oh Peter (your so nice) / Pidgin English hula (Parlophone F284) Georgia Medley / other side see November 20th (Parlophone F346) October 29th* and 30th, 1935 - six titles were cut on this date including three Jimmy Mesene vocals same personnel The Sheik of Araby* (vocal JM) / Capri Caprice (Parlophone F317) New Orleans twist / Chicago (Parlophone F318) Sophisticated Lady* (vocal JM) / Jealous (vocal JM) (Parlophone F319) November 20th, 1935 same personnel Yeah man! / Japanese sandman (Parlophone F347) Georgia rockin' chair / other side see October 6th (Parlophone F346) By the time of the first recording session in 1936 it seems that the band personnel had altered... Nat Gonella and his Georgians - January 10th, 1936 Nat Gonella (tp), Pat Smuts, Don Barrigo (saxes), Monia Liter (p), Jimmy Mesene (g), Tiny Winters (b), Bob Dryden (d). Five titles were recorded on this session including two versions of the same song. It is not clear from the discography which of the two versions was issued, or what was released with what. John Livermore indicates that F369 and F370 were paired as indicated... Blue turning grey over you (two versions - one on Parlophone (F369) / I want to be happy (F369) / Someone stole Gabriel's horn (Parlophone F370) / Ol' man river (F370) January 21st, 1936 same personnel Sweet music man / The music goes 'round and around (Parlophone F386) January 29th, 1936 same personnel Singin' the blues / Junk man blues (Parlophone F392) You rascal you / Just a crazy song (Parlophone F393) February 27th, 1936 same personnel Mama don't allow it / Woe is me (Parlophone F414) Fan it / How long, how long blues (Parlophone F415) There was another personnel reshuffle for the next recording date... Nat Gonella and his Georgians - April 2nd, 1936 Nat Gonella, Bruts Gonella, Johnny Morrison (tp), Ernest Ritte, Albert Torrance (cl,as), Pat Smuts, Don Barrigo (ts), Harold Hood (p), Jimmy Mesene (g), Tiny Winters (b), Bob Dryden (d). Ol' man Mose / I'm gonna clap my hands (Parlophone F442) Swingin' down the river - part 1(Deep Harlem / Ready for the river / Two rivers flow through Harlem) / Swingin' down the river - part 2(Swanee ribber / Down by the river / River, stay 'way from my door) (Parlophone F443) May 20th, 1936 same personnel I'se a muggin' / Yes! yes! yes! yes! (Parlophone F462) Kickin' the gong around / His old cornet (Parlophone F463) May 28th, 1936 - Jimmy Mesene recorded his first vocal for seven months same personnel Bring 'em back alive / Who stole the tiger's rug (Parlophone F485) Makin' a fool of myself (vocal JM) / Get hot (Parlophone F486) July 6th, 1936 same personnel Harlem hokum blues / Ride, Red, ride (Parlophone F503) The man from the south / 'Way down yonder in New Orleans (Parlophone F504) July 8th, 1936 same personnel Sing me a swing song / Sugar rose (Parlophone F523) Lazy rhythm / How'm I doin' (Parlophone F524) August 8th, 1936 same personnel The mayor of Alabam' / Your feet's too big (Parlophone F546) Tormented / Poor Dinah (Parlophone F547) October 7th* and 8th, 1936 - by modern standards this was a huge session with thirteen titles recorded same personnel Ain't misbehavin'* / Black and blue (Parlophone F593) Corinne Corrina* / Bojangles of Harlem (Parlophone F570) Bugle call rag* / Confessin' (Parlophone F569) Confessin* (unissued) Crazy valves* / Tempestuous* (Parlophone F594) Shoe shine boy* / Chinese laundry blues* (Parlophone F590) Pick yourself up (unissued) Lady be good / other side recorded 10th December (Parlophone F639) December 2nd, 1936 same personnel Swingin' to those lies (It's a sin to tell a lie) / I'll swing you a thousand love songs (Parlophone F623) December 10th, 1936 - another vocal for Jimmy same personnel Bye Bye blues / other side recorded 8th October (Parlophone F639) Afterglow (vocal JM) / It's the rhythm in me (Parlophone F640) January 7th, 1937 same personnel Swingin' the jinx away / The skeleton in the cupboard (Parlophone F645) Some of these days / After you've gone (Parlophone F646) January 18th, 1937 same personnel There goes my attraction / It happened down in Dixieland (Parlophone F700) Where the lazy river goes by / Copper-coloured gal (Parlophone F701) March 9th, 1937 same personnel Blow that horn / Smoke dreams (Parlophone F731) On the isle of Kitchymiboko / Jingle of the jungle (Parlophone F732) March 31st, 1937 same personnel with Stella Moya (vcl) added although I do not know which titles she sings on Jes' natch'ully lazy (I was born that way) / Swing that music (Parlophone F754) Two-gun Dan / Blues be a coward (Parlophone F755) April 21st, 1937 - another vocal record for Jimmy Mesene same personnel as above with addition of Monia Liter (accor) added Hurdy-gurdy man / La-de-de La-de-da (Parlophone F783) 'Taint' good (like a nickel made of wood) / Whatcha gonna do when there ain't no swing (Parlophone F782) Pennies from heaven (vocal JM and NG) / Boo-hoo (Parlophone F776) April 23rd, 1937 same personnel except Monia Liter (accor) out The love-bug will bite you / Swingin' on the moon (Parlophone F777) June 7th, 1937 same personnel Spooky takes a holiday / Whoa babe (Parlophone F808) The mood that I'm in / Exactly like you (Parlophone F809) Poor Robinson Crusoe / I'm gonna kiss myself goodbye (Parlophone F828) The Georgians were popular in Sweden and this recording date was in Stockholm with the addition of a local trumpeter. Presumably the band played live dates while there but it appears that only part of the band went. For some reason Jimmy uses the name Messini this time. The four titles were recorded for a Swedish company but were also released nearly a year later on the Parlophone label... Nat Gonella and his Georgians - Stocholm, Sweden June 29th, 1937 Nat Gonella, Erik Lundqvist (tp), Pat Smuts (ts), Harold Hood (p), Jimmy Messini (g), Charlie (?Tiny) Winters (b), Bob Dryden (d), Buddy Langton (voc). Cocktail swing / other side recorded January 6th, 1938, London (Parlophone F1009) I've got a wonderful feeling / Swing, swing, dotter min (Parlophone F1112) Back in London a few days later the band reverted to its normal line up for the recording date... Nat Gonella and his Georgians - July 2nd, 1937 Nat Gonella, Bruts Gonella, Johnny Morrison (tp), Albert Torrance, Ernest Ritte (cl,as), Pat Smuts, Don Barrigo (ts), Harold Hood (p), Jimmy Mesene (g), Tiny Winters (b), Bob Dryden (d), Stella Moya (voc). Toodle-Oo / Take another guess (Parlophone F831) Swinging out No1 part1 (Roses of Picardy, Pagan love song, Alice blue gown) / Swinging out No1 part2 (I never knew, China Boy, That's a plenty) (Parlophone F832) July 19th, 1937 same personnel "Bill" Tell / Georgia on my mind (Parlophone F853) He ain't got rhythm / All God's chillun got rhythm (Parlophone F852) September 2nd, 1937 same personnel except Monia Liter (p,accor) replaces Harold Hood They're tough, mighty tough, in the west / Ten pretty girls (Parlophone F879) The toy trumpet / Twilight in Turkey (Parlophone F880) September 15th, 1937 same personnel except Harold Hood (p) replaces Monia Liter Caravan / I'm feelin' like a million (Parlophone F904) I can't dance (I've got ants in my pants) / other side recorded 24th September (Parlophone F909) September 24th, 1937 same personnel The big apple / Peckin' (Parlophone F908) Bessie couldn't help it / other side recorded 15th September (Parlophone F909) October 4th, 1937 same personnel I don't like it / Doh-de-oh-doh (Parlophone F937) You can't swing a love song / Moanin' the blues (Parlophone F938) November 16th, 1937 same personnel I'd like to see Samoa of Samoa / My Swiss hilly-billy (Parlophone F969) December 1st, 1937 same personnel Mahogany Hall stomp / Someday, sweetheart (Parlophone F978) Georgianna / I'm getting sentimental over you (Parlophone F979) January 6th, 1938 same personnel Big Chief "Swing it" / Goona Goo (Parlophone F1008) Blues in my heart / other side recorded June 29th, 1937, Stockholm (Parlophone F1009) January 27th, 1938 - The Jackdaws* vocal trio were added for two titles on this session same personnel The snake charmer* / Let 'er go (Parlophone F1028) The dipsy doodle* / Jubilee (Parlophone F1029) February 16th, 1938 same personnel Me, myself and I / Bogey! Bogey! (Parlophone F1059) Let us be sweethearts over again / The gypsy in my soul (Parlophone F1058) March 24th, 1938 same personnel When you're smiling / I can't get started (Parlophone F1084) Jerry the junker / The daughter of the old grey mare (Parlophone F1085) April 12th* and 13th, 1938 same personnel Got gratitude* / On the sunny side of the street* (Parlophone F1206) Delta serenade* / Mood indigo (Parlophone F1205) Handsome gigolo* / Blue drag (Parlophone F1179) Swing and sway* / Now they call it swing (Parlophone F1111) May 26th, 1938 same personnel Somebody's thinking of you tonight / Oh! Ma-ma (the butcher's boy) (Parlophone F1134) Swingin' in the corn / Who stole the jam? (Parlophone F1135) June 16th, 1938 same personnel Let that be a lesson to you / Ciribiribin (Parlophone F1154) Ti-pi-tin / Rhythm is my romeo (Parlophone F1155) July 16th, 1938 same personnel The flat foot floogee / Skrontch (Parlophone F1180) King Revel selection - part1 (When the steamboat whistle is blowing, Two Dresden dolls) / King Revel selection - part2 (The music of the fountain, The beat of the drum) (Parlophone F1198) The Blackpool walk / The Lambeth walk (Parlophone F1199) October 5th, 1938 same personnel It's the rhythm in me / Small fry (Parlophone F1237) A-tisket A-tasket / Music, Maestro, please (Parlophone F1238) October 7th, 1938 - 18 months after his last vocal with Gonella, this session was a bit unusual in that the record was issued under Jimmy Mesene's name, as accompanied by the Georgians same personnel Black eyes (vocal JM) / The donkey serenade (vocal JM) (Parlophone F1253) November 2nd, 1938 same personnel Don't cross your fingers, cross your heart / Stop beatin' 'round the mulberry bush (Parlophone F1261) If you were the only girl in the world / Yes, there ain't no moonlight (so what) (Parlophone F1262) December 6th, 1938 same personnel Tu-li-tulip time / Honey chile (Parlophone F1301) Limehouse blues / Tea for two (Parlophone F1302) December 16th, 1938 same personnel Two sleepy people / The umbrella man (Parlophone F1332) Ferdinand the bull / Penny serenade (Parlophone F1331) Nat Gonella and his Georgians - February 24th, 1939 Nat Gonella, Bruts Gonella, Johnny Morrison (tp), Jimmy Williams (cl), Albert Torrance, Ernest Ritte (as), Pat Smuts, Don Barrigo (ts), Harold Hood (p), Jimmy Mesene (g), Tiny Winters (b), Bob Dryden (d), Stella Moya (voc). I go for that / Wacky dust (Parlophone F1377) Boogie woogie / Hold tight (Parlophone F1399) April 3rd, 1939 same personnel Gotta pebble in my shoe / Gotta date in Louisiana (Parlophone F1409) The spider and the fly / Howdy, cloudy morning? (Parlophone F1410) May 2nd, 1939 same personnel Chopsticks / Patty-cake patty-cake (baker man) (Parlophone F1435) One o'clock jump / Always (Parlophone F1436) June 12th, 1939 same personnel Three little fishes (itty bitty poo) / Boogy boogy boo (Parlophone F1457) 'Tain't what you do (it's the way that you do it) / There's a hole in the old oaken bucket (Parlophone F1458) June 22nd, 1939 same personnel Boomps-a-daisy / The handsome territorial (Parlophone F1480) July 11th, 1939 - two more Jimmy Mesene vocals same personnel The corrigan hop / Aintcha comin' out? (Parlophone F1481) South of the border (vocal JM) / Deep purple (vocal JM)(Parlophone F1504) July 20th, 1939 - add the Cooper sisters* same personnel Shoot the likker to me, John boy / Well all right (tonights the night)* (Parlophone F1506) This was the last time Jimmy Mesene recorded with Nat Gonella. The next recording by Gonella was in Stockholm on September 13th, 1939 - only Bruts Gonella and Harold Hood of the band were on the recording. Nat Gonella did not record again until August 14th, 1940, nearly a year later. This was as Nat Gonella and his New Georgians. None of the old Georgians were in the new band and the records were issued by a new label - Columbia... |
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