About Me
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Me
I am 25 years old, I am a crooner who sings in the style of Russ Columbo and Al Bowlly. I sing occasionally with(who I consider to be the greatest "jazz age" pianist in the world") Brad Kay at the Unurban Cafe in Santa Monica(near bundy off the 10 Freeway). I also sing with a 1920's style band The Royal Garden Dixieland Band, in Old Town Pomona at The Vault. I can also be found crooning, playing the ukulele, banjo uke or jug at various jazz meetings in Los Angeles County. By day I sell trees, my father & I own Coto Creek Trees and work with landscape architects. We sell palms, oaks, and many other types of trees usually to hotels, resorts, and private residences. I live in beautiful Orange County(La Habra), just 35 minutes from hollywood, 15 minutes from Disneyland, and 10 minutes from Knott's Berry Farm. I love living near LA, where else other than New York or San francisco can you go swing dancing or see live jazz legends 7 nights a week? Well that's a little bit about me.

The History or Story Behind My Site
I was browsing the used vocal lp section at Ameoba Records in Hollywood and I stumbled upon a gem of an lp titled "Two Red Hot Mamas-Sophie Tucker & Belle Baker," on the Take Two Records label. I was familiar with Sophie Tucker and had heard of Baker, and was very familiar with the quality jazz music Take Two Records produces, so I bought the lp. I wasn't disapointed by Tucker, but the real find was Baker, she blew me away with that powerful syncopated yet sensual voice! I know Jim Bedoien the producer of Take Two Records, and one day he called me up and told me that they were playing a rare talkie film from 1929 starring Belle Baker, titled "Song Of love." Bedoien told me that it hadn't been played since 1935 and the film was thought lost, and probably would never be played again, so I went and saw it at the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo. Not only can Baker sing, she has a lot of charisma, and boy she can outdo even Sylvia Sidney at palying the victum! It turned out to be a great film, and made me understand why she was such a huge star from the teens and into the early 30's. Well anyhow I checked the web in search of more information about Miss Baker, and I found nothing(I had to do something about that). So here is(as far as I know) the 1st and only Belle Baker webpage.

Thanks Jim
Many thanks to James Ross, who let me use his equipment to transfer my Belle Baker 78's and reel to reel's to CD. Now at last there is a CD of the glorious Belle Baker voice(on my private Crooning Crow label).

Email Me!
jazzcrooner1925@yahoo.com