Curtis Mosby, a drummer and bandleader, is proof that Americans don’t always stay the same in their early years. Born in Kansas City, MO near the end 19th century, Mosby began his professional career in a group called The Tennessee Ten. His most well-known activities include the Blue Blowers in Los Angeles, which Mosby pump air into for almost a decade starting in the early 20s. Mosby also managed to organize a Chicago group and was often heard on numerous tours with Mamie Smith’s Jazz Hounds. Mosby, who played the violin occasionally, made a connection to his roots when he called his Los Angeles band, originally, the Kansas City Blue Blowers. His groups, under any name, helped Mosby establish a solid reputation for himself in Los Angeles. However Mosby wasn’t one to wait around for another to make the coffee. Mosby’s knack for self-promotion led to him opening his own clubs. He started with the Apex, and later added the Oasis in 1949. His contributions as a composer included the scoring of sections in King Vidor’s 1929 musical, Hallelujah. His group has many features in the movie. They play the role of Nina Mae McKinney’s “Swanee Shuffle” as well as running through the band theme, “Blue Blowers Blues,” which is used to create a comedy routine. Mosby’s band was part of a variety show that promised to change your luck in the 1930s. Jazz Oracle, an archive label, has reissued Mosby’s early material. Allmusic
