In the 1920s, the top African-American band in Buffalo, NY was the Blue Ribbon Syncopators. They recorded in their hometown for Okeh Records in 1925, and two years later travelled as an augmented unit to the second biggest city in their home state, New York, to record electrically for Columbia Records. They were friends with the Yankee Six (aka the Buffalodians) and a young Harold Arlen (composer of “Get Happy” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”) even “M C’d” for them a few times according to the papers – substantiated by the fact that they recorded his composition “My Gal, My Pal” for Okeh. Their sound was similar to Curtis Mosby’s Blue Blowers from LA, but also had a distinctive Great Lakes toughness. Their banjoist, Gil Roberts later had a career with Josephine Baker. — by Colin HancockA special thanks to James Gallup for his help with the recordings on this page.
| Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
| Blues In A Minor (Harry Tate) | 3-1925 | Buffalo, New York | Okeh 40349-A |
| Blue Ribbon Blues (Harold Diemer) | 4-29-1925 | New York, New York | Columbia 14235-D |
| Memphis Sprawler (Joe Tarto) | 4-29-1925 | New York, New York | Columbia 14215-D |
| My Gal, My Pal (H. Arluck / H. Cheiffetz) | 3-1925 | Buffalo, New York | Okeh 40349-B |
| Scratch (Harold Diemer) | 4-29-1925 | New York, New York | Columbia 14215-D |
| Whale Dip (Harold Diemer) | 4-29-1925 | New York, New York | Columbia 14235-D |
| Artist | Instrument |
| George West | Piano |
| Willard Brown | Tenor Saxophone |
| Ted Colon | Trumpet |
| Hurley Diemer | Drums |
| Ted Diemer | Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone |
| Gilbert Roberts | Banjo |
| Harry Tate | Trumpet |
| Seymour Todd | Bass Brass, String Bass |
