B.S.-Chorus THE BOOK

The B.S.-Chorus

a Victor Cuno tap research book

 

Part 1

Presentation:

Introduction p. 22

The set-up of the B.S.-Chorus p. 23

The B.S.-Pattern & The B.S.-Break p. 24

Techniques & Variations:

The Time-Step in the 1920s p. 25

The Individual Time-Step Mix p. 26

The Time-Step in the 1930s / The Revival / Start p. 27

The B.S.-Pattern p. 27

The Maxieford in the B.S.-Break p. 29

The Lazy Maxieford p. 31

The B.S.-Break in the 1930s p. 33

The B.S.-Break in white Show-business p. 34

Standard / Gene Kelly

Alternative versions of the B.S.-Break p. 35

B.S-Pattern + Waltzclog / Sand-Pattern + Maxieford / B.S.-Pattern

into Time-Step / Jump-Rope / B.S.-Pattern into 2nd part of Time-Step Break

Other Breaks used in the B.S.-Chorus p .38

Bill Robinson / Machine-Gun Break

The Time-Step Crossover p. 39

Standard execution / 1920s Vaudeville technique / Bill Robinson

Crossover / from the 3rd execution into the Break

The B.S.-Crossover p. 41

> a special version starting with the B.S.-Pattern

The Buck-And-Wing p. 42

Standard / Syncopated / Concert-Style: Paul Draper and the Buck-And-Wing

Buck-And-Wing 2-3-3 Combination / A very special combination

from Leap-Over to Over-The-Top p. 46

Hitch-Kick & Leap-Over 

Over-The-Top p. 50

a / 1920s Over-The-Top - the real thing

b /  Buffalo Over-The Top

c / special: Over-The-Top against a wall

d / 1930s Over-The-Top

Other Over-The-Top techniques p. 53

a1 / just sliding > Original Over-The-Top / a2 / just sliding > with a toe

b / alternative - with touch

c / easy and stylish

d / … clever imitations

Corkscrew Over-The-Top p. 55

Leap-Over - Standard version - stepping down

1930s Over-The-Top Specials p. 56

Syncopated Glide > 1920s Syncopated Glide p. 58

Over-The-Top & Syncopated-Glide p. 59

a / 1920s style - the real thing

b / 1920s style: stepping down

c / 1930s’ execution: stylish with a touch or a toe

d / Song-And-Dance Over-The-Top

 

Close-To-The-Floor Over-The-Top p. 63

Bandy-Twist Over-The-Top p. 64

Over-The-Top / Buck-And-Wing / Gene Kelly

Rhythmic Evolutions of the Syncopated-Glide p. 67

1 / Adding Shuffles

2 / Maxieford Over-The-Top

3 / Rhythm Syncopated-Glide > filled-in 

The Syncopated-Glide Breakp. 70

1930s - Pattern & Syncopated-Glide p. 72

a / with a 1920s Buck-And-Wing-Style Pattern

1 / Maxieford-Break & Syncopated Glide

2 / Machine-Gun Offbeat & Syncopated Glide

3 / Rolling Shuffle-Pull-Change & Syncopated Glide

4 /  Syncopated-Glide Turn

5 / Wing-Change & Syncopated Glide

b / 1930s Creations

1a / Run-On + brush-hops & Syncopated Glide

1b / Run-On + pick-hop & toe-hop & Syncopated Glide

2 / Brush-hop swing & Syncopated Glide

3 / brush-hop with 3 toes & Syncopated Glide

4 /  Cincinnati

5 /  Syncopated Kick-Up

6 /  Syncopated Hitch-Kick

7 /  Two Specials with Pendulum-Wing

 

Through-The-Trenches p. 82

The Finishing Breaks p. 83

Shave-And-A-Haircut / The Lock-Turn

The Syncopated-Glide in White Show-Business p. 88

The B.S.-Pattern in White Show-business p. 89

Buffalo Time-Step / Traveling Time-Step / Double-Buck

Full-Break / Gene Kelly special

Time-Steps combined with the B.S.-Pattern p. 93

1 / Regular Time-Step & B.S.-Pattern

2 / One-Foot Time-Step & B.S.-Pattern

3 / Triple-Hop Time-Step & B.S.-Pattern

The Military B.S.-Pattern p. 95

B.S.-Pattern / B.S.-Break / A nice Syncopated Combination

Maxieford Over-The-Top p. 97

Buck-And-Wing Combination / Syncopated Glide

Syncopated Glide Break / Maxieford-Break / Swing-Rhythm

One-Foot Over-The-Top p. 101

Leap-Over-The-Leg / Step-Over / 1930s Over-The-Top

Back-Front Over-The-Top p. 103

1 / stationary

a / Leap-Over

b / Foot on the floor

c / foot on floor & 1 sound

2 / Over-The-Top Travel

a / leap-over

b / keeping the foot on floor

c / original Over-The-Top with a toe

Over-The-Top Combinations p. 105

1 / Corkscrew Over-The-Top

2 / Fake-Wing

3 / Falling-Down-The-Stairs

4 / Falling-Off-A-Log

5 / Irish

6 / Maxieford & Over-The-Top

7 / Mule-Kick & Over-The-Top

8 / Over-The-Top Turn

9 / Russian

Wing-And-Over-The-Top Combinations p. 111

a / the great classic

b / syncopated

c / Wing-And-Over-The-Top 2

d / Wing-Change 1

e / Wing-Change 2

 

Part 1

B.S.-Chorus - The Revival

A  / The Current Standard Version

Eddie Brown p. 115

as learned by the author

 

B / The Standard Set-Up with slight Variations

1Leon Collins p. 117

as learned by the author

2a) Cookie Cook p. 119

dancers: Cookie Cook - Brenda Bufalino - Kevin Ramsey

from the Video "The Essentials Of Tap »

b) Brenda Bufalino p. 121

dancers: Cookie Cook - Brenda Bufalino - Kevin Ramsey

from the Video "The Essentials Of Tap »

3‘Eddie Brown’ p. 123

as demonstrated by Howard Blume

YouTube Clip

 

C / The Standard Set-Up with alternative Breaks

1 Honi Coles & Cholly Atkins p. 125

included in the "camera 3" documentary with Marshall Stearns tempo: 240

2 Honi Coles 

a) from the documentary "The Class Act Of Tap" (DVD) tempo: 336 p. 129

b) from the documentary "Two Takes On Tap" (JTE performance) p. 132

3 The Copasetics > German TV

Buster Brown, Bubba Gaines, Cookie Cook, Sandman Sims p. 135

from German TV-Special (VC-Collection, TAP N° 8

4 The Copasetics «Great Feats Of Feet»

documentary (Brenda Bufalino, 1975/76)

a) from L to R: Ernest Brown, Buster Brown, Bubba Gaines, Arthur Gibson p. 144

b) Charles ‘Cookie’ Cook / Honi Coles / Leslie ‘Bubba’ Gaines p. 150

c) The Copasetics (Step 1 & 4) p. 158

5 The Copasetics

YouTubeClip provided by Brian Seibert

Honi Coles, Cookie Cook, Bubba Gaines, Buster Brown, Ernest Brown p. 160

6 «Gaines-Hines-Cook»

(1980) -  from the Sidney J. Stiber Collection( RAW FOOTAGE OF FILMING ) p. 172

7 Brenda Bufalinop. 177

from the Video "Where The Action Is" - Tap Intensive 1993 N° 2

 

D /  Step 1 to 3 Standard Version with alternative Breaks,

alternative Step 4

1 The Copasetics «No Maps On My Taps»

from the DOC "No Maps On My Taps 1974 (DVD)

Sandman Sims, Chuck Green, Bunny Briggs p. 179

2 The Copasetics on «BET» 

USA TV (YouTubeClip)

Sandman Sims, Bunny Briggs, Jimmy Slyde p. 184

3 Henry LeTangp. 191

as learned by the author 

 

 

E /  The Standard Set-Up with alternative Steps

1 Ralph Brown > alternative Time-Step p. 194

2 Lavaughn Robinson (as taught by Robert Burden) p. 196

performed by TAPwalker (International Dance Camp,

Taipei National Institute of the Arts, Taiwan, summer 2004)

 

F /  Versions with extensions:

1 The Hoofers«Fascinatin’ Rhythm» p. 199

Berlin, 1966

B.S.-Chorus (Rhythm-Version) followed by solos

Buster Brown / Jimmy Slyde / Baby Lawrence / Chuck Green

2 The Hoofers «Doin’ The New Low Down» p. 210

B.S.-Chorus (Rhythm-Version) with solos

TV-Clip of a stage show (edited) France, 1967

3 The Hoofers «Perdido» p. 227

provided by Brian Seibert, unidentified tape from 1972

Buster Brown / Albert ‘Gip’ Gibson / Fred Kelly / Chuck Green /Jimmy Slyde / Ralph Brown

4 Chuck Green & Ralph Brown «B.S.-Chorus extended»

provided by Brian Seibert, unidentified tape from 1972 p. 247

 

 

Part 2

The B.S.-Chorus - Historic Documents

19262 Black Boys «Scar Of Shame» p. 263

DVD «The Origins Of Film» disc 1

1930Louis Douglas & 2 Girls «Einbrecher» p. 269

Germany (UFA, 1930), (DVD)

Edward Coles «Happy Feet» p. 276

«Noble Sissle & Orchestra» (British Pathé, 1930)

 

unidentified dancer  «Check & Double Check» p. 279

(RKO, October 25, 1930)

The Three Eddies«Elstree Calling» p. 280

A. Hitchcock, 1930 (UK)

1932unidentified Tap-Duet «B.S.-Chorus» p. 284

from «The Girl from Chicago» (Micheaux Productions, 1932) DVD

The Nicholas Brothers «China Boy» p. 289

from «Pie, Pie Blackbird» (Vitaphone, June 4, 1932)

1933Harold Nicholas «The Emperor Jones» p. 297

(United Artists, Sept. 29, 1933)

1935Harold Nicholas «Miss Brown To You» p. 298

from «The Big Broadcast of 1936» (Paramount, September 20, 1935)

B.S.-Buck-And-Wing Chorus

The Nicholas Brothers «Down Argentine Way - Finale» p. 302

choreographer: Nick Castle (20th Century Fox, 1940)

1936The Two Mackays «Do The Run Around» p. 303

from the UK 1936 feature film «She Shall Have Music»

1937Yvonne Moray (wh) «Swing for Sale» p. 304

from «Movie-Mania» (Vitaphone, May 8, 1937)

1938Boy & Girl Chorus «B.S.-Chorus»p. 306

from the film «The Duke Is Tops»  (Million Dollar Productions, 1938)

The 4 Specs «Sticks And Stones» p. 315

release date: Jan 4, 1943 footage taken from «Sweet Shoe»

(Nu Atlas, Jan 4, 1938)

1939Edna Mae Harris«Harlem Serenade» p. 317

from «Paradise in Harlem»  (Jubilee Pictures Corp., 1939)

Chris Gill «Heart Full Of Rhythm» p. 319

(British Pathé, 1939)

1943The Sepia Steppers / Cook & Brownp. 321

from the Soundie «Chatter» (1943)

1946 July Jones & Howard Galloway «B.S.-Chorus» p. 328

from «Dirty Gertie From Harlem USA» (Sack,1946)

1947Sammy Davis Jr. «B.S.-Chorus» (beginning) p. 330

a / from «Sweet and Low» (short) Paramount, March 28, 1947

b / from «Colgate Comedy Hour» # 2.25, February 17, 1951»

c / «Texaco Star Theatre» hosted by Milton Berle (March 30, 1954)

1949Nicky O’Daniel«B.S.-Chorus into Vernacular» p. 338

«Harlem After Midnight» May 10, 1949

 

Part 3

Buck-And-Wing Routines

(based on the B.S.-Chorus)

1928Josephine Baker «The Fireman Of The Folies Bergère» p. 341

(France, 1928) silent short

1929The Four Covans «Welcome Home» p. 343

from «On With The Show» (Warner Bros., July 13,1929)

The Four Covans  «Lift The Juleps To My Two Lips» p. 362

from «On With The Show» (Warner Bros., July 13,1929)

Dewey & Willie Covan «Singin’ In The Bathtub» p. 369 

from «The Show Of Shows» (Warner Bros., Nov 24,1929)

About Willie Covan p. 374

19302 black Boys «Music Rackett» p. 376

Vitaphone, June,1930 (Vitaphone Production Reel #1004)

The Three Eddies «Doin' The New Low Down» (solo) p. 379

from «Elstree Calling» (BIP, UK, September 29, 1930)

1931Chick Horsey «Happy Days Are Here Again» p. 389

from «The Three Eddies» (British Pathe, May 11, 1931

Roland Holder «Shine» p. 394

from «The Exile» (Oscar Micheaux, May 16, 1931)

1932Oscar Micheaux Films p. 403

unidentified black dancer in front of Girl-Chorus

«Girl From Chicago»

(Oscar Micheaux Productions,1932)

«Ten Minutes To Live»

(Oscar Micheaux Productions,1932)  ( DVD)

1933Sammy Davis Jr. «Rufus Jones for President» p. 407

(Vitaphone, September 9, 1933) 

Bunny Briggs «Slow Poke» p. 413

(Skibo-Short, 1932)

1935The Nicholas Brothers «An All Colored Vaudeville Show» p. 415

(Vitaphone, Sept 6, 1935)

1936unidentified black Boy «Sweet Georgia Brown» p. 426

from «Carnival Day» (Vitaphone, January 11, 1936)

1938Tyler Twins «Bye Bye Blues» p. 430

«Swing» (Oscar Micheaux, 1938) / «God's Step Children» (1938)

1943The Mitchell Brothers «Sweet Kisses» p. 443

Soundie # 75 dec 21, 1943

1940sunidentified dancer (m/b) «Cafe Zanzibar» p. 447

from a not yet identified short filmed in the late 1940s featuring

New York’s fashionable night clubs

1940Miller Brothers & Lois  «Nightclub–Act» p. 450

from «Hi-De-Ho» (All American, May 9, 1947)

 

The Four Step Brothers «Holy Moly» SOLOS on TV p. 452

> mosty solos Maceo Anderson / Al Williams

19521 «Colgate Comedy Hour» #1 with Martin & Lewis (April 27, 1952)

19532 «Colgate Comedy Hour» with Martin & Lewis (May 31, 1953)

19543 «Toast Of The Town» Episode #8.5, (CBS, October 10, 1954)

19554 «Colgate Comedy Hour» with Martin & Lewis

Episode 5.17(NBC, February 13, 1955)

Intro-Routine with cane + Holy Moly & full Shim-Sham finale

19565 «Texaco Star Show» Episode #8.9 (March 13, 1956)

1957The Steve Allen Show

19666 The Dean Martin Show # 1.27 (?) (NBC, March 24, 1966)

19667 «The Dean Martin Show» # 0709

(November 10, 1966) DVD «The Best Of The Dean Martin Show»

Maceo Anderson > unidentified film p. 453

Maceo Anderson Colgate > 1 & 2 p. 456

Maceo Anderson > 3 & 4 p. 462

Maceo Anderson > 6 & 7 p. 467

Al Williams > 1 & 2 / 3 p. 473

Al Williams > 6 & 7p. 477

«That’s Entertainment» «Steve Allen Show» (1957) p. 481

1966Peter Ray «Buck-And-Wing Routine» p. 484

«Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine»

1980Cook / Hines / Gaines «Sweet Georgia Brown» p. 488

«Black Broadway» Off-Broadway Production

(Episode #4.18, January 15, 1966)

REVCharles ‘Cookie’ Cook p. 491

from a black Show hosted by Harold Nicholas

«Doin' The New Low Down» p. 493

from a german TV-SPECIAL with the Copasetics

«Buddies» p. 496

as learned by the author through Heather Cornell

REVThe Copasetics «Chair Dance» p. 499

REVChuck Green on Jack Wiggins «King Tap» p. 503

as learned by the author

REVGeorge Hillman «Buck Dance» p. 510

American Jazz Festival (1987)

REVHenry LeTang «Rhythm-Buck Routine» p. 515

as learned by the author, Las Vegas, 1992

 

Part 4

Research documents