Let’s Go In To A Picture Show 1907-1922

The recording industry and films grew up together. As early as 1895, a composition called “The Kinetoscope Dance” (which was available as sheet music) referred to a motion picture. During the silent movie era, particularly by 1910, there were quite a few recordings that talked about the joy of seeing movies with one’s potential girlfriend or about the films themselves. Let’s Go In To A Picture Show 1907-1922 has 20 recordings (all but “Dream Of A Rarebit Fiend” from the Edison Military Band and the Metropolitan Military Band on Charlie Chaplin’s “The Peace Patrol” feature vocals) plus, for variety, six piano rolls including “Movie Rag.” Among the topical titles are “At The Ten-Cent Movie Show,” “He’s Working In The Movies Now,” “Poor Pauline,” “Those Charlie Chaplin Feet,” “Since Mother Goes To Movie Shows,” “My Picture Girl” and “Take Your Girlie To The Movies.” The performers include Ada Jones, Billy Murray, Arthur Collins, and a variety of long-forgotten singers, mostly drawn from vaudeville. While the jazz content is light (the closing number is an early version of “The Sheik Of Araby”), this unique set is something that collectors of early music and historians will find of interest, and mostly quite fun. Let’s Go In To A Picture Show (Harbinger HCD 3403, 26 selections, TT = 79:52) www. harbringerrecords.com
You've read three articles this month! That makes you one of a rare breed, the true jazz fan!

The Syncopated Times is a monthly publication covering traditional jazz, ragtime and swing. We have the best historic content anywhere, and are the only American publication covering artists and bands currently playing Hot Jazz, Vintage Swing, or Ragtime. Our writers are legends themselves, paid to bring you the best coverage possible. Advertising will never be enough to keep these stories coming, we need your SUBSCRIPTION. Get unlimited access for $30 a year or $50 for two.

Not ready to pay for jazz yet? Register a Free Account for two weeks of unlimited access without nags or pop ups.

Already Registered? Log In

If you shouldn't be seeing this because you already logged in try refreshing the page.

Since 1975 Scott Yanow has been a regular reviewer of albums in many jazz styles. He has written for many jazz and arts magazines, including JazzTimes, Jazziz, Down Beat, Cadence, CODA, and the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, and was the jazz editor for Record Review. He has written an in-depth biography on Dizzy Gillespie for AllMusic.com. He has authored 11 books on jazz, over 900 liner notes for CDs and over 20,000 reviews of jazz recordings.

Yanow was a contributor to and co-editor of the third edition of the All Music Guide to Jazz. He continues to write for Downbeat, Jazziz, the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, the Jazz Rag, the New York City Jazz Record and other publications.

Or look at our Subscription Options.