Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra was the most successful Jazz band of the Midwest. The band toured all over the country and had a top selling recording in 1927 for Victor named “South“. In 1929 Count Basie of The Blue Devils joined the band, and several other members of that band soon joined Moten’s Orchestra. Count Basie took over the band after Moten’s death in 1935.

Thanks to Bob Palmer and James Gallup for their help with this page.

Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
As I Like It (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	5-14-1925	Kansas City, Missouri	Okeh 8213
As Long As I Love You Vocal refrain by James Rushing (Bennie Moten / Henry Woods)	10-30-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 22660-B
Baby Dear (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	11-29-1924	St. Louis, Missouri	Okeh 8213
Baby Dear (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	6-11-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor
Band Box Shuffle (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-23-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 23007 Bluebird 6710
Blue Room (Richard Rodgers / Lorenz Hart)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 24381 Bluebird B-5585-A
Boot It (Bennie Moten)	10-24-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38144-A
Bouncin’ Round (Raph)	10-31-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23030-B
Break A Day Shuffle	10-31-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor
Crawdad Blues (Bennie Moten)	9-1923	St. Louis, Missouri	Okeh 8100-B
Dear Heart (Dent)	7-11-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20855-B
Ding Dong Blues (2) (Bennie Moten / Staton)	6-12-1927	Chicago, Illinois	HMV
Ding Dong Blues (3) (Bennie Moten / Staton)	6-12-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21199-B
18th Street Strut (Bennie Moten’s Orchestra)	5-14-1925	Kansas City, Missouri	Okeh 8242-A
Elephant Wobble (Bennie Moten)	9-1923	St. Louis, Missouri	Okeh 8100-A
Everyday Blues (Yo Yo Blues) (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham)	10-23-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38144-B
Get Goin’ (Get Ready For Love) (Seymour / Rich)	10-30-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23023-B
Get Low-Down Blues With talking by Lewis (Bennie Moten)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 21693-A
Goofy Dust (Bennie Moten / Hayes)	11-29-1924	St. Louis, Missouri	Okeh 8184-B
Harmony Blues (1) (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor
Harmony Blues (2) (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20406 HMV
Here Come Marjorie (Bennie Moten / Woods)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor
Hot Water Blues (Bennie Moten)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38012-B Bluebird 7938
Imagination Vocal refrain by the Sterling Russell Trio (Russell)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23378 Bluebird B-5078
It’s Hard To Laugh Or Smile (Bennie Moten)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38037-A Bluebird B-6431-A Bluebird B-8228-A
It Won’t Be Long (Bennie Moten / Abrams)	7-17-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38123-B
I Wanna Be Around My Baby All The Time Vocal refrain by James Rushing (Joe Young / George W. Meyer)	4-15-1931	New York, New York	Victor 22680-A
I Wish I Could Be Blue (1) (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham / Count Basie)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor
I Wish I Could Be Blue (2) (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham / Count Basie)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor
Jones Law Stomp (2) (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-23-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor
Jones Law Stomp (3) (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-23-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor
Justrite (1) (Bennie Moten / Al Lewis)	9-6-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 21739-A
Justrite (2) (Bennie Moten / Al Lewis)	9-6-1928	Camden, New Jersey	RCA X
Justrite (3) (Bennie Moten)	9-6-1928	Camden, New Jersey	unissued
Just Say It’s Me (Bennie Moten / Buster Moten)	7-18-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38132-B
Kansas City Breakdown (Bennie Moten / Woody Walder)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 21693-B
Kansas City Shuffle (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20485-A
Kansas City Squabble (Al Lewis / Bennie Moten)	7-16-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38091-A
Kater Street Rag (Bennie Moten Orchestra)	5-14-1925	Kansas City, Missouri	Okeh 8277-A
Lafayette (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor B-10955-A Bluebird 10955 Bluebird B-6218
Let’s Get It (Ira Moten / Bennie Moten)	7-16-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38072-B
Liza Lee (1) Vocal Refrain by James Rushing (Bud Green / Sam H. Stept)	10-29-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23023-A
Liza Lee (2) Vocal Refrain by James Rushing (Bud Green / Sam H. Stept)	10-29-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23023-A
Loose As A Goose (Buster Moten / Bennie Moten)	7-18-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38123-A
Mack’s Rhythm (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham / Count Basie)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor
Mary Lee (Bennie Moten / Perry)	10-24-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38114-B Bluebird B-6638-A
Midnight Mama (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-14-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20422
Milenburg Joys (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 24381 Bluebird B-5585-B
Missouri Wobble (1) (Bennie Moten)	12-14-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20422
Missouri Wobble (2) (Bennie Moten)	12-14-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20422
Moten’s Blues (Bennie Moten)	7-17-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38072-A Bluebird B-7938-A
Moten Stomp (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	6-12-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20955-A Bluebird B-6204-A
Moten Swing (Bennie Moten / Ira Moten)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23384 Bluebird 6032 Bluebird 10259
Muscle Shoals Blues (Thomas)	12-14-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor
Now Goofy Dust – Rag (Bennie Moten)	7-18-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38091-B
New Moten Stomp (1) (Bennie Moten)	10-30-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23030-A
New Moten Stomp (2) (Bennie Moten)	10-30-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23030-A Bluebird B-6709
New Orleans Vocal refrain by James Rushing (Hoagy Carmichael)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 24216-A Bluebird B-10955-B Bluebird B-6218
New Vine Street Blues (1) (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-24-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 23007
New Vine Street Blues (2) (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-24-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 23007 Bluebird B-6710
Now That I Need You (Smith / Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-31-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Bluebird B-6711-B
Oh! Eddie (1) (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 22958-A
Oh! Eddie (2) (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 22958-A
Pass Out Lightly (2) (J. Washington)	6-12-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21199-A
Pass Out Lightly (3) (J. Washington)	6-12-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21199-A
Prince Of Wails (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23393 Bluebird 6851
Professor Hot Stuff (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham / Count Basie)	10-30-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23429
Rit-Dit-Ray (2) (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-24-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 23342
Rit-Dit-Ray (3) (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-24-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 23342
Rite Tite (Clemmons / Bennie Moten Clemmons)	7-17-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38104-A
Rumba Negro (Spanish Stomp) (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-23-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 23037-B
Sad Man Blues (Bennie Moten)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38048
She’s No Trouble (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38021-B Victor 24893-B
She’s Sweeter Than Sugar (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	5-14-1925	Kansas City, Missouri	Okeh 8255-B
Sister Honky Tonk (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	5-14-1925	Kansas City, Missouri	Okeh 8277-B
Slow Motion (Bennie Moten)	9-6-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38012-A
Small Black (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-23-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 23342
Small Black (Bennie Moten / Count Basie)	10-23-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 23342
Somebody Stole My Gal Vocal Chorus by Bill Basie (Leo Wood)	10-31-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23028-B Bluebird 5481 Bluebird 6709
South (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	11-29-1924	St. Louis, Missouri	Okeh 9184-B
South (Bennie Moten / Washington)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38021-A Victor 24893-A
South Street Blues (Bennie Moten Orchestra)	5-14-1925	Kansas City, Missouri	Okeh 8255-A
Sugar (Maceo Pinkard)	6-11-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20855-A
Sweatheart Of Yesterday (Holt / Sanders / Bennie Moten)	10-24-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38114-A Bluebird B-6851-A
Terrific Stomp (Bennie Moten / Booker Washington)	7-16-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38081-B Bluebird 6304
That Certain Motion (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes / Beny)	7-17-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38104-B
That’s What I’m Talking About (Bennie Moten)	7-17-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38081-A
That Too, Do (1) (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham / Count Basie)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 22793-B
That Too, Do (2) (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham / Count Basie)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 22793-B
The Count (Gordon)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Bluebird 6719
The New Tulsa Blues (Bennie Moten)	6-11-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21584-A
The Only Girl I Ever Loved Vocal refrain by the Sterling Russell Trio (Ziegler)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23378
Thick Lip Stomp (1) (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20406
Thick Lip Stomp (2) (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1926	Chicago, Illinois	HMV
Things Seem Blue To Me (Bennie Moten / Thamon Hayes)	5-14-1925	Kansas City, Missouri	Okeh 8242-B
Toby (Bennie Moten / Eddie Barefield)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23384 Bluebird 6032 Bluebird 10259
Tough Breaks (Harlan Leonard / Bennie Moten)	9-6-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38037-B Bluebird B-6638-B
Tulsa Blues (Bennie Moten)	11-29-1924	St. Louis, Missouri	Okeh 8184-A
Trouble In Mind (1) (Richard M. Jones)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
Trouble In Mind (2) (Richard M. Jones)	9-7-1928	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 21739-B
Twelfth Street Rag (1) (Euday Bowman)	6-11-1927	Chicago, Illinois	RCA X
Twelfth Street Rag (2) (Euday Bowman)	6-11-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20946-A
Two Times (Sanberg)	12-13-1932	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23393
Vine Street Blues (Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra)	11-29-1924	St. Louis, Missouri	Okeh 8194-A
When I’m Alone (Bennie Moten / Jimmy Rushing)	10-30-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 22734
Won’t You Be My Baby? (1) (Bennie Moten / James Rushing)	10-27-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23028-A
Won’t You Be My Baby? (2) (Bennie Moten / James Rushing)	10-27-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor 23028-A Bluebird B-6711-A
When Life Seems So Blue (Bennie Moten / Hayes)	7-18-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38132-A
White Lightin’ Blues (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor
Ya Got Love Vocal refrain by James Rushing (Goodhart / Nelson / Hoffman)	4-15-1931	New York, New York	Victor 22680-B
Yazoo Blues (1) (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20485-B
Yazoo Blues (2) (Bennie Moten)	12-13-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 20485-B
You Made Me Happy (Bennie Moten / Eddie Durham)	10-28-1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Victor

Artist	Instrument
Eddie Barefield	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Count Basie	Piano
Leroy Berry	Banjo
Harry Cooper	Cornet
LaForrest Dent	Banjo
Eddie Durham	Trombone, Guitar, Arranger
Josephine Garrison	Vocals
Willie Hall	Drums
Thamon Hayes	Trombone
Joe Keyes	Trumpet
Harlan Leonard	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Ed Lewis	Cornet
William Little, Jr.	Vocals
Willie McWashington	Drums, Vocals
Dan Minor	Trombone
Bennie Moten	Piano, Conductor
Ira “Buster” Moten	Accordian, Piano
Oran “Hot Lips” Page	Trumpet
Vernon Page	Bass Brass
Walter Page	Bass
Jimmy Rushing	Vocals
Dee Stewart	Trumpet
Sam Tall	Banjo
James Taylor	Vocals
Woody Walder	Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Booker Washington	Cornet
Jack Washington	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone
Ben Webster	Tenor Saxophone
Paul Webster	Cornet
Lammar Wright	Cornet
The Sterling Russell Trio	Vocals

Goin’ To Kansas City, by Nathan W. Pearson, Jr, University of Illinois Press, 1994