This early African-American Jazz record was released on the flip side of a Ted Lewis’ record “Somehow Fox-Trot“. George Morrison’s Jazz Orchestra was from Denver, Colorado. The band was a popular vaudeville attraction and played a long residency at the Albany Hotel in Denver during the 1920s. Morrison was billed as the “Black Paul Whiteman”. Whiteman was also originally from Denver.

Morrison’s Jazz Orchestra also recorded three takes of “Royal Garden Blues” (matrix 79097) for Columbia on April 2, 1920, but none of these recordings were issued. Morrison himself did not record until March of 1950 for the Denver-based Hum records.

Thanks to Al Simmons and Uncle Dave Lewis for their help with this page.

Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
I Know Why (Introducing My Cuban Dreams) (Davis / Morgan / Warshauer)	4-13-1920	New York, New York	Columbia A2945

Artist	Instrument
Culbert Byrd	Alto Saxophone
Ed Carwell	Trombone
Leo Davis	Trumpet
Andy Kirk	Tenor Saxophone
Mary E. Kirk or Jesse Andrews or Desdemona Davis	Piano
Jimmy Lunceford	Alto Saxophone, Violin
Eugene Montgomery	Drums
George Morrison	Violin, Leader
Lee Morrison	Banjo