It is interesting to note that the addition of the tuba and drums to these sessions is probably less of an artistic decision than a technological one. In 1928 Okeh switched from an acoustic means of recording music to the new improved sounding electrical based systems. The acoustic recording process was often ruined by the vibration created by drums or bass, and recording engineers preferred not to have these instruments in a session or placed them so far from the recording horn, that they can rarely be heard well on the old acoustic recordings.
Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
Alligator Crawl (Fats Waller) | 5-7-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8482 |
Don’t Jive Me (Lil Hardin) | 7-28-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8597 |
Gully Low Blues (Louis Armstrong) | 5-14-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8474 |
Keyhole Blues (N. Wilson) | 5-13-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8496 |
Melancholy Blues (M. Bloom / Walter Melrose) | 5-11-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8496 |
Potato Head Blues (Louis Armstrong) | 5-10-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8503 |
S.O.L. Blues (Louis Armstrong) | 5-13-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8496 |
That’s When I’ll Come Back To You (F. Biggs) | 5-13-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8519 |
The Last Time (Ewing / Martin) | 9-6-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Columbia 35838 |
Weary Blues (Artie Matthews) | 5-11-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8519 |
Wild Man Blues (Louis Armstrong / Jelly Roll Morton) | 5-7-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8474 |
Willie The Weeper (Walter Melrose / M. Bloom) | 5-7-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 8482 |
Artist | Instrument |
Lil Hardin-Armstrong | Piano |
Louis Armstrong | Cornet, Vocals |
Pete Briggs | Tuba |
Baby Dodds | Drums |
Johnny Dodds | Clarinet |
Earl Hines | Piano |
Johnny St. Cyr | Banjo |
John Thomas | Trombone |