The Happy Six was an early jazz band, one of several outfits managed by

Harry Yerkes Harry A. Yerkes was a marimba player, inventor, and recording manager who assembled many recording sessions in the early years of jazz. Many of the sessions organized by Yerkes used his name for the artist credit, including Yerkes' Jazarimba Orc ...

. The made numerous recordings for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

, many of which were commercial and artistic successes. The Happy Six recorded between from 1919 to 1923.

Alcide Nunez Alcide Patrick Nunez (March 17, 1884 – September 2, 1934), also known as Yellow Nunez and Al Nunez, was an American jazz clarinetist. He was one of the first musicians of New Orleans to make audio recordings. Biography Alcide Patrick Nunez wa ...

recorded as a member of the group from 1919 to 1920. Another musician from New Orleans, Tom Brown, was a prominent member. Other members included

Phil Ohman Phil Ohman (October 7, 1896 – August 8, 1954) was an American film composer and pianist. He is most well known for his collaboration with fellow musician Victor Arden. Biography Ohman was born Fillmore Wellington Ohman in New Britain, Connec ...

and

George Hamilton Green George Hamilton Green Jr. (May 23, 1893 – September 11, 1970) was a xylophonist, composer, and cartoonist born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born into a musical family, both his grandfather and his father being composers, arrangers, and conductors ...

. Some of the recordings feature

Ted Fiorito Theodore Salvatore Fiorito (December 20, 1900 – July 22, 1971),DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 95. known professionally a ...

on piano. Jack Kaufman occasionally provided vocal choruses. The group's music reflects its mix of New-Orleans' jazzmen and classically trained musicians. The results range from traditional jazz to pop, and as such the group has been called an early experiment in

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...

The Happy Six released more than 80 sides on Columbia. Their best selling recordings were: *Do You Ever Think of Me *

Down Yonder Down Yonder is a popular American song with music and lyrics by L. Wolfe Gilbert. It was first published in 1921, and was introduced in the same year at the Orpheum Theater, New Orleans. Gilbert had written the lyrics for the 1912 song " Waiting ...

*My Sahara Rose Other recordings which have received critical attention are: *Behind Your Silken Veil *Grieving for You *My Little Bimbo Down on the Bamboo Isle A reissue of material by The Happy Six by Rivermont Records featuring liner notes by Mark Berresford was nominated for

Best Album Notes The Grammy Award – Best Album Notes has been presented since 1964. From 1973 to 1976 (the 15th through 18th Awards), a second award was presented for Best Album Notes – Classical. Those awards are listed under those years below. The award recog ...

at the 2010 Grammys.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Happy Six, The Columbia Records artists Musical groups established in 1919 Musical groups disestablished in 1923