Red Hot Bands

“Harry Wills, The Champion” is an very interesting protest song about an African American boxer who was active in the 1910s and 1920s. The undefeated

Red Onion Jazz Babies sessions were organized by Clarence Williams and featured Lil Hardin-Armstrong who had come east to be near her husband Louis who had just joined the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra the

These Plantation Orchestra sides were made in London by the Pike Davies Orchestra which was an African-American jazz band that supported Florence Mills and Edith Wilson in

Wilbur C. Sweatman was one of the first African-Americans to record Jazz. His first Jazz recordings were made less than two months after The Original Dixieland Jazz

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Battleship Kate (Ada Rives / Wilbur Sweatman) 10-10-1924 New York, New York Edison 51438-L 9781-B It Makes No Difference Now

This is Wilbur Sweatman’s final recording session. Wilbur Sweatman’s continued to perform live up until the 1950s in the New York area. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Battleship

There is speculation that this was Duke Ellington’s debut recording with some assortment of the following suggested musicians: Eugene “Bud” Aiken (cnt), Leslie (Leonard ?)

The Southland Six was a pseudonym for The Original Memphis Five. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Blue Eyed Blues 5-1922 New York, New York

Jazzbo’s Carolina Serenaders was a pseudonym for The Original Memphis Five. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Achin’ Hearted Blues (Clarence Williams) 10-1922 New York,

Bailey’s Lucky Seven was a series of Gennett recording sessions organized by bandleader Sam Lanin. The musicians on the records were often the Original Memphis Five with

None of the musicians in Ladd’s Black Aces were Black even though Gennett records advertised them as such, going so far as to show a

It has been suggested that this band might be Jimmy Durante’s New Orleans Jazz Band. Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Loose Feet (Williams) 12-1922 New York,

This band was organized by drummer Johnny Stein after Stein’s Dixie Jass Band broke up and became the Original Dixieland Jass Band. It is interesting to note that

This band was organized by drummer Johnny Stein after Stein’s Dixie Jass Band broke up and became the Original Dixieland Jass Band. It is interesting to note that

Although it will probably never be completely confirmed, the Whiteway Jazz Band is thought to be Jimmy Durante’s band which recorded under the names of the Original New

These are the first recordings made by W.C. Handy. He was forty-three years old at the time that these records were made in 1917. Handy

The cylinders listed below were reputably made for the Metropolitan Music Store in Minneapolis and were possibly issued by the store in limited quantities, but

This is a somewhat obscure, yet excellent record. Vaudeville performer Julia Davis’ vocals are quite good on these two songs and Johnny Dodds and R.Q. Dickerson

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company It Must Be The Blues (Tiny Parham) 1-1927 Chicago, Illinois Paramount 12409 Stomp Time Blues (Tiny Parham) 1-1927 Chicago,

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Down Home In Kentucky 12-6-1929 Chicago, Illinois Vocalion 1472 You Got To Wet It 12-6-1929 Chicago, Illinois Vocalion 1472

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Chocolate To The Bone (I’m So Glad I’m Brownskin) (Frankie Jaxon) 7-20-1937 Chicago, Illinois Decca 7360 A I Knocks

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Fan It (Frankie Jaxon) 2-1-1929 Chicago, Illinois Vocalion 2553-A Fifteen Cents 7-29-1933 Chicago, Illinois Vocalion 2603-A Mama Don’t Allow

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company My Secret Flame Vocal Chorus by Hilda Rogers (Lil Armstrong / Avon Long) 3-17-1940 New York, New York Decca 7739

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Baby Daddy (Lil Armstrong / Williams) 4-4-1950 Chicago, Illinois Gotham G 241 A Baby Daddy (Lil Armstrong) 4-4-1950 Chicago, Illinois