SAMMY PENN: Born Morgan City Louisiana September 15, 1902. Died Florida on September 18, 1969
Let us an upbeat little differently this time: my greatest New Orleans drummer for my pleasure were Baby Dodds, Sammy Penn and Cie Frazier. But Sammy had a wonderful second string to his bow. He sang with the same formulation as the legendary Fats Domino, and with his big cigar and big smile was a master entertainer.
Sammy's first job was in 1921 with Jake Johnson the band, with Chris Kelly Brass Band, Kid Rena's Brass Band and the legendary Brass Band Eureka. He was the mainstay of Kid Thomas band for a quarter century.
that conversation the name of the game was to understand. With Sammy Penn and Joe "Twat" Butler, Kid Thomas had a show band. Singers, personalities and Thomas with his famous "Sack Tricks" No wonder this band survived in New Orleans and then toured the world to represent the birthplace of jazz.
In a long interview with my friend Tom Stagg in his wonderful record store "Good Rockin '" he says Sammy Penns drum kit as "ultra basic" bass drum, snare drum, a tom-tom and a basin attached to the bass drum. As Tom remembers, he drove the band tirelessly and with an amazing complexity of rhythmic sounds. This kit was easy, but the rhythm was anything but!
This is Tom's memory of the last weeks of his life. "Sammy returned from a doctor's appointment with the news that he had very high blood pressure and heart sounds. Played Sammy that night at Preservation Hall and charged after a further meeting with the Kid Thomas band, their equipment on a bus outside the hall on St . Peters street and with Sammy for a tour of Georgia to Florida. after only one concert, by bus to the hall back only with the driver, the road manager and the body of Sammy Penn.
talking Barry on the way Martyn, he classifies Sammy Penn high in great drummer from New Orleans. Sammy played 4/4 on the bass drum and no longer trusts cutting time from New Orleans drummer. George Lewis preferred that 4/4 Ton and Joe Watkins played in this way, but without the explosive accents and complex rhythms of Sammy Penn. Barry was lucky enough to sit with the Kid Thomas tape and found that he could not hear himself, and had to adjust its volume and style to to meet the band.
So was Sammy Penn drummer for Kid Thomas and Algiers Stompers and spent his playing life most of this band. As Barry Martyn said: "When Joe James and Sammy the band never had quite the same dead"
To hear him at his best, you should listen to "Kid Thomas Creole Jazz Band on American Music AMCD to see my great pleasure, indeed the man in action on a DVD of the band in December produced by Big Bill Bissonnette (possibly still available Crusade of him on his website Jazz 49 and "Kid Thomas and Algiers Stompers" at Riverside OJCCD 1833-2. contact -. jazzcrusade.com)
Sammy Penn was a one-off and we have to be lucky enough records to hear, in Australia, the late great Peter Clohesy was influenced by him and in Europe both Keith Minter had, Emile. Martyn and Chris Marchant show signs of this "original" belongs.
My next work will be excellent banjo player from the United Kingdom an interview with Les Muscutt -a that a great impression on the concert scene in New Orleans. For health, he retired lately, and I'm sure that you will find his story interesting! P.S. A last minute call from Barry Martyn to say that his latest video on American Music AMVD4 is Kid Thomas with Sammy Penn feature, and the Kid Howard tape and many other good things!
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