Sepia Serenaders
Joe Bebco
April 30, 2022
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Alligator Crawl (Fats Waller) 12-14-1934 New York, New York Bluebird B-5803 Baby Brown (Alex Hill) 12-14-1934 New York, New
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Redhotjazz.com was a crown jewel of the early internet. Starting in the mid ’90s it made the offline discographies and biographies of early jazz available to the online public. It also hosted thousands of audio files donated by people who were digitizing their 78 RPM record collections, making many obscure recordings available for the first time. This all started long before Youtube and even before Wikipedia was much more than an idea.
We are duplicating the content of the Red Hot Jazz Archive from a snapshot saved in Archive.org’s Wayback Machine. Keeping with both the original intent and mission of Redhotjazz.org everything will be publicly available outside of our paywall. For ease of use we are improving each entry to meet the norms of the phone friendly modern internet.
The downloadable music files are mostly MP3s but some are in the ancient Real Audio (.ra) format. Rather than opening a new tab so you can stream or download them the Real Audio files will immediately download when you click them. Don’t be frightened. You don’t need Real Audio player to play them but they won’t work on Windows Media Player. We recommend the free and open source VLC player.
For more information read: About the Archive
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Alligator Crawl (Fats Waller) 12-14-1934 New York, New York Bluebird B-5803 Baby Brown (Alex Hill) 12-14-1934 New York, New
The Hotel Biltmore was located at Madison Avenue and 43rd Street in New York City. Additional records by this group were released simply as Roger Wolfe
When Mamie Smith recorded “Crazy Blues” for Okeh in 1920, little did she or her Svengali-like manager Perry Bradford have any idea what effect this would have
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Blue (Grant Clarke / Edgar Leslie / Lou Handman) 9-4-1922 New York, New York Gennett 4943-B Haunting Blues (Walter
The Tampa Blue Jazz Band was a pseudonym for Joseph Samuels’ Jazz Band. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Ain’t Got Nothin’ Blues (Lemuel Fowler) 3-27-1922
DePriest E. B. Wheeler (March 1, 1903 – April 10, 1998), born in Kansas City, Missouri, was the eldest son of Rev. William Henry Wheeler,
The Missourians were a mid-western band that was greatly influenced by Benny Moten. In the mid-1920s they relocated to New York and played at the
The Cotton Club Orchestra was the name that the Missourians used when playing at the Cotton Club which was located on the second floor of 644
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company I’m Afraid To Care For You (Dave Frank / Harry Owen) 1-22-1925 New Orleans, Louisiana Okeh 40297 Artist Instrument
Charles A. Matson was an African-American pianist and arranger who was very active in New York during the mid-twenties. He accompanied various blues singers as
Ted Claire was a vaudeville performer who was touring the Orpheum circuit when these recordings were made. Charles A. Matson’s was the musical director of
Charles A. Matson was an African-American pianist and arranger who was very active in New York during the mid-twenties. He accompanied various blues singers, including
The euphemistically named Dixie Daisies were not so much a name as a catch all pseudonym for a variety of groups that recorded for the
The Six Brown Brothers who recorded for Victor and Emerson between 1914 and 1920 evolved from a saxophone quartet in the 1906 edition of Ringling
Bertha “Chippie” Hill (March 15, 1905 – May 7, 1950) was a dancer and vaudeville singer. At the age of thirteen she and her family
This Richard M. Jones group also recorded under the name of Chicago Hottentots. After 1925 the recordings were released under the name of Richard M. Jones’ Jazz Wizards with an
This Richard M. Jones group also recorded under the name of Richard M. Jones’ Three Jazz Wizards. The term Hottentot refers to the name of a group of
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company African Hunch (Richard M. Jones) 11-7-1927 Chicago, Illinois Victor 21345-B Baby O’ Mine (Richard M. Jones) 6-22-1926 Chicago, Illinois
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company If You Don’t Give Me What I Want (I’m Gonna Get It Somewhere Else) (Annabelle Anderson) 1-1924 New York
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Cemetery Blues (Sidney Lanet / Spencer Williams) 12-1923 New York City, New York Paramount 12089-A Hard Luck Blues (Edna
Lovie Austin and her Blues Serenaders accompanied dozens of Blues singers in the 1920s. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Down On The Levee Blues (Clarence
This band from the 1920s has no relation to the 1938 sessions of the same name, that featured players from the Count Basie Orchestra and
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Happy Rhythm (Clarence Williams) 1-30-1929 New York, New York Columbia 14406-D Honeycomb Harmony (Clarence Williams) 1-30-1929 New York, New
Virginia Liston (c. 1890 – June 1932) would most likely be barely remembered today if she had not sung on a Clarence Williams Blue Five record
Very little is known about the life of Margaret Johnson. She was very active on the vaudeville circuit in the early 1920s and is known
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Folks In New York City Ain’t Like Folks Down South (Margaret Johnson / Andy Razaf / Phil Worde) 7-9-1926 New
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Absent Minded Blues (Tom Delaney) 9-5-1924 New York City, New York Okeh 8162-B I Love You Daddy, But You
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Changeable Daddy Of Mine (Sam Wooding / Bob Schafer) 11-25-1924 New York City, New York Okeh 8185-A Done Made
George McClennon was a dancer and novelty clarinetist who was very active in African-American theatre and vaudeville from 1910 up until his death in 1937.
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Clarinet Laughing Blues (George McClennon) 4-1923 New York, New York Okeh 8072 71511-A Clarinet Laughing Blues (George McClennon) 4-1923
Clarence Williams (October 6, 1898 or October 8, 1893 – November 6, 1965) was both an artist and an entrepreneur. Highly energetic and adept at
Clarence Williams’ Blue Five were a series of recording sessions that featured some of the best Jazz musicians and Blues singers of the early 1920s. Louis Armstrong, Sidney
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Baby Won’t You Please Come Home (Clarence Williams / Charles Warfield) 9-23-1927 New York, New York Okeh 8510 Close Fit
The March of 1929 session is a Clarence Williams’ session. The other sessions feature different unknown bands. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Am I Blue?
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Chizzlin’ Sam (Clarence Williams) 8-7-1933 New York, New York Columbia 2829-D High Society (Clarence Williams / A.J. Piron) 8-7-1933 New York,
Thanks to Bob Palmer for his help with this page. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Anywhere Sweetie Goes (I’ll Be There) (Clarence Williams / Fats Waller)
Thanks to Bob Palmer for his help with this page. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Candy Lips (I’m Stuck On You) (Mike Jackson /
Eddie Lang and King Oliver are both in top form, while Clarence Williams adds some very effective celeste parts and nice melancholy singing to “What Ya Want Me To Do?“.
In 1927, Clarence Williams tried his hand at musical theater. He wrote the book and most of the music for “Bottomland” as well as producing the
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company A Pane In The Glass (Clarence Williams) 8-26-1929 New York, New York Columbia 14460-D Any Time (Clarence Williams / Joe
Thanks to Owen Miller for his help with this page. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company After Tonight 9-1-1933 New York, New York Vocalion 2736
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Endurance Stomp (A.C Fernandez / Lester Melrose) 1-1928 Long Island City, New York Paramount 12875-A 330-A Endurance Stomp (Barrel
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company You Don’t Know My Mind Blues (Clarence Williams / Sam Gray / Virginia Liston) 3-10-1924 New York, New York Okeh 40117-A
Thanks to Owen Miller for his help with this page. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Charleston Hound (Clarence Williams / Fats Waller / Spencer Williams) 6-16-1926 New
Thanks to Bob Palmer for his help with this page. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Cushion Foot Stomp (Clarence Williams / Agnes Castleton) 4-13-1927 New
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Dinah (Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young / Harry Akst) 1-4-1926 New York, New York Okeh 40541-A Jack Ass
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Bluer Than Blue Vocal by Babe Matthews (Armstrong) 5-24-1938 New York, New York Vocalion 4157 I’m Falling For You
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company He Wouldn’t Stop Doin’ It (Clarence Williams / Alex Hill) 5-22-1930 New York, New York Okeh 8798 You’re Bound To Look
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company I’m Not Worrying (Clarence Williams / Fats Waller) 4-16-1929 New York, New York Victor V-38630 Touch-Down (Fats Waller) 4-16-1929 New York,
Little is known about Clara Smith’s (March 13, 1894 – February 2, 1935) early life other that that she was from Spartanburg, South Carolina. She
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Race Track Blues (Stanley S. Miller) 12-30-1926 New York, New York Columbia 14294-D Troublesome Blues (Tom Delaney) 4-7-1927 New
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Jelly Bean Blues (Stanley S. Miller) 5-3-1926 New York, New York Columbia 14294-D Look Where The Sun Done Gone
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Black Cat Moan (Stanley S. Miller) 7-30-1927 New York, New York Columbia 14240-D Strugglin’ Woman’s Blues (Stanley S. Miller)
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Death Letter Blues (Ida Cox) 10-15-1924 New York, New York Columbia 14045-D Done Sold My Soul To The Devil
Trixie Smith was born in Atlanta, Georgia and is reported to have studied at Selma University in Alabama. Sometime around 1915 she moved north to
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Adams Apple (Jimmy Blythe) 7-26-1926 Chicago, Illinois Paramount 12376-B Messin Around (1) (Jimmy Blythe / Trixie Smith) 7-26-1926 Chicago, Illinois Paramount 12376-A
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Aunt Jemina Stomp (Moloy / Bingham) 3-15-1929 Chicago, Illinois Brunswick 7066 Good Feelin’ Blues (Ballin’ The Jack) (Moloy /
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Five O’Clock Stomp 6-1928 Chicago, Illinois Paramount 12674 Kentucky Stomp 6-1928 Chicago, Illinois Paramount 12661 Southside Stomp 6-1928 Chicago,
This record was issued on Broadway records as Harry’s Reckless Five.” Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Blue Slug Part 1 1-13-1941 Chicago, Illinois Paramount
Much speculation has been made about the musicians on this set at Gennett Records and a consensus has formed around several of them. Read this
On the Oriole label this record was released as the Rampart Street Washboard Band. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Forty And Tight (Melrose) 7-24-1929
Fats Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was the son of a preacher and learned to play the organ in church with his
Late in 1932 Fats Waller hired Phil Ponce as manager. Ponce promptly negotiated a contract with WLW, a powerful Cincinnati radio station which was heard throughout the Midwest.
Thanks to Owen Miller for his help with this page. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company A Tisket, A Tasket (Feldman / Fitzgerald / Alexander)
There may have been confusion within the original Red Hot Jazz Archive about this group. It seems likely these sides were actually labeled Fats Waller,
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Ain’t Nothing To It 7-1-1941 Hollywood, California RI-Disc Chant Of The Groove 7-1-1941 Hollywood, California Bluebird Come And Get
You don’t hear a lot of records that feature hot pipe organ, but that is exactly what you get on these songs courtesy of Thomas
As a boy, James P. Johnson studied Classical music and Ragtime. He started playing professionally in a sporting house, and then progressed to rent parties,
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Carolina Shout (James P. Johnson) 10-1921 New York, New York Arto 9096 Artist Instrument James P. Johnson Piano Unknown
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Can I Get It Now? (Perry Bradford) 6-18-1928 New York, New York Columbia 14247-D Skiddle-De-Scow (Perry Bradford) 6-18-1928 New
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Fare Thee Honey Blues (Perry Bradford) 3-5-1929 New York, New York Columbia 14417-D Put Your Mind Right On It
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company After Tonight New York, New York Vocalion 4768 Chicago Blues (Biese / Altiere / Williams) 6-18-1928 New York, New
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Dear Old Southland (Henry Creamer / J. Turner Layton) 12-5-1921 New York, New York Okeh 4504-A Bandana Days
Born in Joplin, Missouri, James Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was a member of an abolitionist family. He was the great-great-grandson
Bunk Johnson (December 27, 1879 or 1889 – July 7, 1949) confused Jazz historians for years by lying about almost everything, but nevertheless he was
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Days Is Lonesome (Texas Alexander) 4-9-1934 San Antonio, Texas Okeh 8835 Frost Texas Tornado Blues (Texas Alexander) 4-9-1934 San
