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
This was a pseudonym, often used on Banner, and other Regal Record Company, Inc.-produced labels that were marketed & distributed by the Plaza Music Company.
Before Louis Armstrong left Chicago to join Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra in 1924, Johnny Dunn (February 19, 1897 – August 20, 1937) was considered the king of New York’s Jazz
Cornetist Thomas Morris (August 30, 1897 – 1945) is a somewhat shadowy, yet prolific figure of the early New York Jazz scene. He led a
Learn what there is to know about Thomas Morris. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Beaucoupe de Jazz (Lots Of Jazz) (Thomas Morris) 8-7-1923 New
Albert Nicholas (May 27, 1900 – September 3, 1973) played with Buddy Petit, King Oliver, and Manuel Perez while still a teenager in New Orleans and
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company My Sweet Man (Tickles The Ivories For Me) (Benett) 9-1924 New York, New York Ajax 17068 What You Need
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Kansas City Man Blues (Clarence Williams / Clarence Johnson) 8-5-1923 New York, New York Okeh 4926-A Lady Luck Blues (William
Known for backing up Mamie Smith and her Jazz Band. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Big Bad Bill (Jack Yellen / Milton Ager) New
Mamie Smith is backed up by Joseph Samuels’ Jazz Band on the recordings made between August and September of 1921. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company A Little
In 1919, African-American songwriter and pianist Perry Bradford was sure that there was a market for African-American music aimed at African-American consumers. He had a hard
Mamie Smith was the first to record hit blues songs with her versions of Perry Bradford’s “Crazy Blues“, and “It’ s Right Here for You” on
Anthony Parenti (8-6-1900 to 4-17-72) was born into a musical family and learned as a youngster to play various reed instruments. By the time he
Violinist Armand Piron (8-16-1888 to 2-17-1943) is remembered most today as the early business partner of Clarence Williams. They owned The Piron-Williams Publishing Company in
Armand Piron’s New Orleans Orchestra was one of the most popular bands in New Orleans in the 1920s. They travelled to New York and played at
Buddie Petit was, at the height of his powers, considered one of the greatest of the New Orleans cornet players. Although he never recorded, many
When Henry “Kid” Rena‘s (pronounced ruh-NAY, 8-30-1898 to 4-25-1949) name comes up, albeit infrequently, in the annals of New Orleans jazz, he’s usually identified as
The rehearsals were held at Willie Santiago’s house in New Orleans. The finished cuts were recorded at WWL radio station, Roosevelt Hotel, in New Orleans.
Violinist Charles Elgar (June 13, 1879 – August 1973) left New Orleans sometime before 1910 and moved to Chicago. He organized several bands that played
Manuel Perez’s (December 28th 1871 – 1946) place in the history of Jazz would probably have been greater if he would have talked to historians,
Creole clarinetist Alphonse Picou (10-18-1880 to 2-4-1961) was one of the earliest Jazz musicians from New Orleans and is generally credited with developing the clarinet
Freddie Keppard (2-27-1890 to 12-21-1933) was an important musician who succeeded Buddy Bolden as “king” of the cornet players in New Orleans. He started playing around 1906,
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Don’t Drink It In Here 3-21-1929 Chicago, Illinois Brunswick 7067 Get The “L” On Down The Road 3-21-1929 Chicago,
Bill Johnson (8/10/1872-12/3/1971) and one of the first band leaders to take the New Orleans style of Jazz outside of the city. In 1909 he
The Original Creole Orchestra (aka The Creole Band, Freddie Keppard’s Original Creole Orchestra) was the first New Orleans Jazz band to tour outside of the South. In
