Horace Heidt and His Californians

When you search IMDb, you find TWO entries for "Horace Heidt and His Californians" and no description of the two Vitaphone films. One apparently starred Lobo the Police Dog and the other Lee Lykins. Well, the one shown on TCM has Lobo sitting in the front row as all the performers do their thing and Lee Lykins singing...so I hope I am doing my review for the correct short.

The film begins with Horace Heidt leading the band with the most amazing gesticulations--and I can honestly say I've never seen anything quite like it! Lee Lykins sings followed by a number with Stuart Grove playing lead trumpet and then a tap dance number with eight tappers tapping away in front of the band. And then, out of the blue, you hear Lobo bark at the end...as up until then he was very, very chill...like he'd either been drugged or REALLY loved old time jazz music!

Overall, entertaining and VERY energetic. Worth seeing.

Horace Heidt and His Californians (1929)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

There are two titles listed under this but the one I'm watching had the 902 number at the start of it, which is the easiest way to tell it apart. The title tells you exactly who you are watching as we get a couple musical numbers as well as a couple dance numbers. If you're a fan of these old Vitaphone shorts then you should enjoy this as there's quite a bit of fun material here. The highlight is probably a sequence where four guys play two pianos and they don't miss a beat. The dance numbers are mildly entertaining as well. The most impressive thing about this short is the fact that it manages to make you feel the rush and speed of everything going on.

I'm not a particular fan of "Sweet" jazz -- that was the term in the 1920s and 1930s for popular, ragtime music played by White musicians, often for dance bands. The interesting work in the era was done in brothels and speakeasies, while the sort of thing that Heidt's band played was for audiences that purported by be shocked by the real thing. That's why, amidst the skilled playing of several pieces, the audience of this short is treated to "Carnival in Venice" and informed that the cornet player will hit High C above High C. Yes, indeed, these are real musicians! Still, if you have a taste for this sort of music, this is a skilled and well-trained band. Although what that German shepherd is doing I have no idea. Probably it bites anyone who asks for "Melancholy Baby".