Vic Dickenson was a master of sounds and shapes. Like his friends Lester Young and Bobby Hackett, he created memorable stories in eight bars. Although a peerless soloist, he wasn’t assertive by nature, so even though his recording career may have begun in 1927, we don’t hear him playing more than sixteen bars of trombone on record until 1940 or so. But he loved melodies and he loved to sing. So it’s a wonderful surprise to hear him on record as a sweet vocalist in 1930, on a trip to New York City.
Thanks to the ever-resourceful Dustin Wittmann, who goes by exponent_of_sock on YouTube, we have a beautifully restored copy of HONEY THAT REMINDS ME (a love ballad by trumpeter John Nesbit) from December 17, 1930. The band is the splendid Luis Russell Orchestra (Dustin gives the personnel in the description) but it’s Vic’s tender vocal that is our focus now. The trombone solo is by J.C. Higginbotham. How Vic got to New York and how he sang with Russell are mysteries lost to time, but he must have told someone, perhaps Dan Morgenstern or Stanley Dance, that he was the singer. And sweetly, he is:
Vic was often accused of playing lewdly by critics who didn’t otherwise know how to characterize his singular instrumental style, but sweet melody was where his heart lived. A man who called IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD as his instrumental feature is telling us that in every phrase. And, although Vic didn’t always sing on gigs or record dates — the atmosphere had to be right and the band had to know the way — when he did, it was an emotional interlude.
A note on the photograph of Vic, which comes from the Dave E. Dexter collection at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. It’s nearly impossible to find a photograph of Vic without his trombone at the ready, but this is one of the less-reproduced images. Vic is younger here, and I think it is from his California period, 1944-46, when he recorded for Capitol Records.
There is no one like him, and I use the present tense intentionally.
May your happiness increase!
JAZZ LIVES 
Vic was part of the house band at the last Eddie Condon’s on W54 street during my tenure as assistant manager from ’78-82 and I warmly recall his occasional singing, especially of “I Want a Little Girl” to the cheers of his many fans. He would intentionally tease me by poking me with the slide of his trombone as passed by when leading guests past the bandstand in the very narrow passage through the crowded club. He was the ultimate professional performer and gentleman, and very missed. We are fortunate to have so much of his music captured in recordings.
A followup – here’s a link to a short documentary of the club made in the 70’s – and capture of Vic with the band at index: 8:38 – 9:51
…and interview at 12:38 – 13:35. It’s a great capture of time gone by – made in 1980 almost 45 years ago.