Red Hot Jazz Archive

Redhotjazz.com was a pioneering website during the “Information wants to be Free” era of the 1990s. In that spirit we are recovering the lost data from the now defunct site and sharing it with you.
Most of the music in the archive is in the form of MP3s hosted on Archive.org or the French servers of Jazz-on-line.com where this music is all in the public domain.
Files unavailable from those sources we host ourselves. They were made from original 78 RPM records in the hands of private collectors in the 1990s who contributed to the original redhotjazz.com. They were hosted as .ra files originally and we have converted them into the more modern MP3 format. They are of inferior quality to what is available commercially and are intended for reference purposes only. In some cases a Real Audio (.ra) file from Archive.org will download. Don’t be scared! Those files will play in many music programs, but not Windows Media Player.
Perry Bradford Jazz Phools

Perry Bradford’s Jazz Phools

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Charleston, South Carolina (Cecil Mack / James P. Johnson) 2-1924 New York, New York Paramount 12278 Day Break Blues (Original

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Harry Willis

Howell, Horsley and Bradford

“Harry Wills, The Champion” is an very interesting protest song about an African American boxer who was active in the 1910s and 1920s. The undefeated

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Red Onion Jazz Babies

Red Onion Jazz Babies sessions were organized by Clarence Williams and featured Lil Hardin-Armstrong who had come east to be near her husband Louis who had just joined the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra the

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The Plantation Orchestra

These Plantation Orchestra sides were made in London by the Pike Davies Orchestra which was an African-American jazz band that supported Florence Mills and Edith Wilson in

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Wilbur Sweatman's Brownies

Wilbur Sweatman’s Brownies

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Battleship Kate (Ada Rives / Wilbur Sweatman) 10-10-1924 New York, New York Edison 51438-L 9781-B It Makes No Difference Now

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Wilbur Sweatman's Jazz Orchestra - 1928

Wilbur Sweatman and his Orchestra

This is Wilbur Sweatman’s final recording session. Wilbur Sweatman’s continued to perform live up until the 1950s in the New York area. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Battleship

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Vocalion-A-14476 The Southland Six

The Southland Six

The Southland Six was a pseudonym for The Original Memphis Five. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Blue Eyed Blues 5-1922 New York, New York

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Jazzbo's Carolina Serenaders

Jazzbo’s Carolina Serenaders

Jazzbo’s Carolina Serenaders was a pseudonym for The Original Memphis Five. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Achin’ Hearted Blues (Clarence Williams) 10-1922 New York,

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Bailey’s Lucky Seven

Bailey’s Lucky Seven was a series of Gennett recording sessions organized by bandleader Sam Lanin. The musicians on the records were often the Original Memphis Five with

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Ladd's Black Aces

Ladd’s Black Aces

None of the musicians in Ladd’s Black Aces were Black even though Gennett records advertised them as such, going so far as to show a

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Jimmy_durante_1935

Jimmy Durante (1893-1980)

Before Jimmy Durante (February 10, 1893 – January 29, 1980) became one of the most famous and lovable entertainers of the Twentieth Century, he was

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Jimmy Durante's Jazz and Novelty Band - 1918

The Syncopating Skeeters

It has been suggested that this band might be Jimmy Durante’s New Orleans Jazz Band. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Loose Feet (Williams) 12-1922 New York,

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Jimmy Durante's Jazz and Novelty Band - 1918

Jimmy Durante’s Jazz Band

This band was organized by drummer Johnny Stein after Stein’s Dixie Jass Band broke up and became the Original Dixieland Jass Band. It is interesting to note that

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Jimmy Durantes Original New Orleans Jazz Band - 1917

New Orleans Jazz Band

This band was organized by drummer Johnny Stein after Stein’s Dixie Jass Band broke up and became the Original Dixieland Jass Band. It is interesting to note that

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Whiteway Jazz Band

Although it will probably never be completely confirmed, the Whiteway Jazz Band is thought to be Jimmy Durante’s band which recorded under the names of the Original New

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Jasper Taylor (1894-1964)

Jasper Taylor (January 1, 1894-November 7, 1964) was an early Jazz percussionist. He left his home Texas as a teenager in 1912 playing drums with

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