Red Nichols and his Five Pennies were one of the most popular bands of the New York Jazz scene of the 1920s. They recorded under a variety of different names, including the Arkansas Travelers, The Red Heads, The Louisiana Rhythm Kings, The Charleston Chasers, The Six Hottentots, The Hottentots and Miff Mole and his Little Molers.
The band’s style was often called “Chamber Jazz” by critics and for what it lacked in hot intensity it made up for with a cool somewhat detached, yet urban and sophisticated sound. In 1959 Hollywood made a highly fictionalized movie about the band called “The Five Pennies”, starring Danny Kaye as Red Nichols.
Here is a bonus recording of Red Nichols and His Five Pennies performing the songs “Ida (Sweet As Apple Cider)”, “Whispering”, “Nobody’s Sweetheart”, “Who Cares” and “China Boy”.” from the 1929 Vitaphone short “Red Nichols and His Five Pennies”. Eddie Condon is the vocalist.
Thanks to Dennis Pereyra, James Gallup and Verne Buland for their help with this page. Additional thanks to Scott and Mark of Vintage Music Company If you are looking for great jazz on 78’s, visit the Vintage Music Company’s homepage.
| Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
| After You’re Gone (Henry Creamer / J. Turner Layton) |
2-3-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4839 |
| Alabama Stomp (Creamer / Johnson) |
3-3-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3550 E-4382 |
| Alabama Stomp (Creamer / Johnson) |
3-3-1927 | New York, New York | Vocalion 15566 E-4383 |
| Alabama Stomp (Creamer / Johnson) |
3-3-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3550 E-4384 |
| Alice Bluegown (From “Irene”) (Joseph McCarthy / Harry Tierney) |
2-16-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4456 |
| Allah’s Holiday (Rudolf Friml) |
2-16-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4286 E-29294-A |
| Allah’s Holiday (Rudolf Friml) |
2-16-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 6824 E-29295-B |
| A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody (Irving Berlin) |
10-2-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4456 |
| Avalon (Jolson / Rose) |
2-25-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3854-B |
| Back Beats (Guarente) |
1-12-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3490-B |
| Ballin’ The Jack (Chris Smith / Jack Burris) |
8-3-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Boneyard Shuffle (Hoagy Carmichael) |
12-20-1926 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Boneyard Shuffle (Hoagy Carmichael / Irving Mills) |
12-20-1926 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3477-B |
| Black And Blue (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller) |
8-3-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Buddy’s Habits (Charley Straight / Arnett Nelson) |
12-20-1926 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3477-A |
| Bug-A-Boo | New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| Bugle Call Rag (Elmer Schoebel / Jack Pettis / Meyers) |
1-12-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3490-A |
| By The Shalimar | 8-27-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| California Medley Part 1 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| California Medley Part 2 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| Call Of The Freaks (Luis Russell / Paul Barbarin) |
8-3-1930 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| Can’t Yo’ Heah Me Calling, Caroline? (1) Vocal by Scrappy Lambert (Roma) |
3-2-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 20062-B XE-26775 |
| Can’t Yo’ Heah Me Calling, Caroline? Vocal by Scrappy Lambert (Roma) |
3-2-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 20062-B XE-26777 |
| Can’t We Be Friends? | 9-6-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Carolina In The Morning (Walter Donaldson) |
8-27-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| China Boy (Dick Winfree / Phil Bouteljie) |
7-2-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4877 |
| Chinatown, My Chinatown (Schwartz / Jerome) |
2-5-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4363 |
| Corn Fed | 6-20-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3597-B E-23665 |
| Corn Fed | 6-20-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3597-B E-23666 |
| Corrinne Corrina | 10-12-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Dear Old Southland (vocal) (Henry Creamer / J. Turner Layton) |
5-31-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Davenport Blues (Bix Beiderbecke) |
New York, New York | Bluebird 10408-B | |
| Dear Old Southland (Henry Creamer / J. Turner Layton) |
5-31-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick A-5081 XE-27621-G |
| Dear Old Southland (Henry Creamer / J. Turner Layton) |
5-31-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 20070 XE-27621-A |
| Dinah (Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young / Harry Akst) |
4-18-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4373 |
| Eccentric (J. Russel Robinson) |
8-15-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3627 |
| Feelin’ No Pain (Fud Livingstone) |
8-15-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3626-A Vocalion A 15622 |
| Five Pennies (Red Nichols) |
6-20-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3855 |
| Get Happy (Ted Koehler / Harold Arlen) |
10-22-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Hallelujah! | 1-24-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Haunting Blues (Walter Hirsch / Henry Busse) |
New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| Honolulu Blues | 9-16-1931 | New York, New York | Brunswick 6198 |
| How Come You Do Me Like You Do? | 8-27-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Hurricane (Paul Mertz / Red Nichols) |
3-3-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3550 E-4385 |
| Hurricane (Paul Mertz / Red Nichols) |
3-3-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3550 E-4386 |
| Hurricane (3) (Paul Mertz / Red Nichols) |
3-3-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh) |
5-31-1928 | New York, New York | Vocalion 15710 |
| Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider (Eddie Leonard) |
8-15-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3626-A E-24230 |
| Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider (Eddie Leonard) |
8-15-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3626-A Vocalion B 15622 E-24232 |
| I Got Rhythm (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) |
New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| I’ll See You In My Dreams (Gus Kahn / Isham Jones) |
6-7-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Imagination (Fud Livingston) |
6-1-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3989 |
| I May Be Wrong (A) | 8-20-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4500 |
| I May Be Wrong (B) | 8-20-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4500 |
| I May Be Wrong (G) | 8-20-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4500 |
| I May Be Wrong, But I Think You’re Wonderful | 8-27-1929 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| I’m Just Wild About Harry (Noble Sissle / Eubie Blake) |
2-3-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| I’m Walking Through Clover | New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| Indiana (James F. Hanley) |
4-18-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4373 E-29708-A |
| Indiana (James F. Hanley) |
4-18-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 80006 E-29708-B |
| I Never Knew (Gus Kahn / Ted Fiorito) |
2-1-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4243 |
| It Had To Be You (Gus Kahn / Isham Jones) |
6-7-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| I Want To Be Happy | 2-14-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Japanese Sandman (Raymond Egan / Richard Whiting) |
2-25-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3855 E-26695 |
| Japanese Sandman (Raymond Egan / Richard Whiting) |
2-25-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3855 E-26696 |
| Limehouse Blues Vocal Chorus by Scrappy Lambert (Douglas Furber / Philip Braham) |
5-31-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 20070 XE-27622-A |
| Limehouse Blues (Douglas Furber / Philip Braham) |
5-31-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick A-5081 XE-27622-G |
| Margie (Davis / Con Conrad / J. Russel Robinson) |
6-1-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3961 |
| Mean Dog Blues (1) (Jackson) |
6-25-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3597-A |
| Mean Dog Blues (2) (Jackson) |
6-25-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3597-A |
| Medley Can Yo’ Hear Me Calling Caroline? Margie Wait For The Happy Ending Whispering |
9-3-1929 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| My Future Just Passed | 8-2-1930 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| My Gal Sal (Paul Dresser) |
2-27-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4844 E-26751 |
| My Gal Sal (Paul Dresser) |
2-27-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4844 E-26752 |
| My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms (Ruby Meyer) |
New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| New Orleans Medley Part 1 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| New Orleans Medley Part 2 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| Nobody Knows (vocal) | 9-9-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Nobody Knows (Irving Berlin) |
9-9-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Nobody’s Sweetheart (Gus Kahn / Billy Meyers / Elmer Schoebel) |
2-27-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3854-A |
| Oh Peter (You’re So Nice) (Wiedoeft / Rose Stafford) |
9-16-1931 | New York, New York | Brunswick 6198 |
| On Revival Day Part 1 (a) (Andy Razaf) |
New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| On Revival Day Part 1 (b) (Andy Razaf) |
New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| On Revival Day Part 2 (Andy Razaf) |
New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| On The Alamo Vocal refrain by Scrappy Lambert (Gus Kahn / Isham Jones) |
4-18-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4363 |
| On The Alamo (Gus Kahn / Isham Jones) |
4-18-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 6825 |
| On The Alamo (Gus Kahn / Isham Jones) |
8-27-1929 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| Original Dixieland One-Step (Nick LaRocca) |
6-1-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3989 |
| Panama (William H. Tyers) |
3-29-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Poor Butterfly Vocal by Scrappy Lambert (Hubbell) |
3-2-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 20062-A XE-26772 |
| Poor Butterfly Vocal by Scrappy Lambert (Hubbell) |
3-2-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 20062-A XE-26773 |
| Poor Butterfly Vocal by Scrappy Lambert (Hubbell) |
3-2-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick A-5044 XE-26774 |
| Peg Of My Heart (A) | 7-2-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Peg Of My Heart (B) | 7-2-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Rockin’ Chair (Hoagy Carmichael) |
New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| Riverboat Shuffle (Hoagy Carmichael / Dick Voynow / Irving Mills) |
8-15-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3627 E-24224 |
| Riverboat Shuffle (Hoagy Carmichael / Dick Voynow / Irving Mills) |
8-15-1927 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3627 E-24225 |
| Roses Of Picardy (Wood / Weatherly) |
2-16-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4268 |
| St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy) |
8-3-1930 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| Sally Won’t You Come Back? | 6-7-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Say It With Music (vocal) (Irving Berlin) |
10-22-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Say It With Music (Irving Berlin) |
8-27-1929 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| Say It With Music (Irving Berlin) |
10-22-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble (A) (Spencer Williams) |
7-3-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble (B) (Spencer Williams) |
7-3-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Some Of These Days (Shelton Brooks) |
6-7-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Sometimes I’m Happy | New York, New York | Brunswick |
|
| Smiles (vocal) (Callahan / Roberts) |
9-9-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Smiles (Callahan / Roberts) |
9-9-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Sometimes I’m Happy | 1-24-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Soon (vocal) | 1-17-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Soon | 1-17-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Strike Up The Band (vocal) (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) |
1-17-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Strike Up The Band (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) |
1-17-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Strike Up The Band (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) |
8-3-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Sweet Georgia Brown (a) (Maceo Pinkard / Kenneth Casey / Bernie) |
7-2-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Sweet Georgia Brown (b) (Maceo Pinkard / Kenneth Casey / Bernie) |
7-2-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Sweet Georgia Brown (Maceo Pinkard / Kenneth Casey / Bernie) |
8-3-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Tea For Two (Vincent Youmans / Irving Caesar) |
2-14-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| That’s A Plenty (Lew Pollack / Ray Gilbert) |
8-27-1929 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| That’s No Bargain (Red Nichols) |
12-8-1926 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3407-B E-4180 |
| That’s No Bargain (Red Nichols) |
12-8-1926 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3407-B E-4181 |
| The Rose Of Washington Square (James F. Hanley / Maceo Pinkard) |
6-12-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| The Sheik Of Araby (Smith / Wheeler / Snyder) |
7-3-1930 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| There’ll Come A Time (Wingy Manone / Miff Mole) |
3-29-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3995 |
| The New Yorkers (a) From Murray Anderson’s “Almanac” A Revue of Comedy (Jack Yellen / Milton Ager) |
8-20-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4500 |
| The New Yorkers (b) From Murray Anderson’s “Almanac” A Revue of Comedy (Jack Yellen / Milton Ager) |
8-20-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4500 |
| The New Yorkers | 8-27-1929 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| They Didn’t Believe Me (A) | 8-27-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| They Didn’t Believe Me (G) | 8-27-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| They Didn’t Believe Me | 8-27-1929 | New York, New York | Radio Broadcast |
| Wait For The Happy Ending | 9-6-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Washboard Blues (Hoagy Carmichael / Fred B. Callahan / Irving Mills) |
12-8-1926 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3407-A E-4179 |
| Washboard Blues (Hoagy Carmichael / Fred B. Callahan / Irving Mills) |
12-8-1926 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3407-A E-4180 |
| Whispering (Melvin Schonberger / John Schonberger) |
5-31-1928 | New York, New York | Brunswick 3955 |
| Who Cares? | 6-12-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Who | 8-27-1930 | New York, New York | Brunswick |
| Who’s Sorry Now? | 2-1-1929 | New York, New York | Brunswick 4243 |
| Artist | Instrument |
| George Beebe | Drums |
| Vic Berton | Drums,Timpani |
| Irving Brodsky | Piano, Celeste |
| Jimmy Dorsey | Clarinet, Alto Saxophone |
| John Egan | Trumpet |
| Tommy Felline | Banjo |
| Maurice Goffin | Violin |
| Benny Goodman | Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone |
| Jack Hanson | Tuba |
| Gene Krupa | Drums |
| Eddie Lang | Guitar |
| Scrappy Lambert | Vocals |
| Fud Livingston | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone |
| Wingy Manone | Trumpet, Vocals |
| Art Miller | Bass |
| Glenn Miller | Trombone |
| Miff Mole | Trombone |
| Red Nichols | Cornet, Trumpet |
| Adrian Rollini | Bass Saxophone |
| Pee Wee Russell | Clarinet |
| Babe Russin | Piano |
| Jack Russin | Piano |
| Arthur Schutt | Piano |
| Herb Taylor | Trombone |
| Jack Teagarden | Trombone |
| Tommy Thunen | Trumpet |
| Joe Venuti | Violin |
| Henry Whiteman | Violin |
| The Red Nichols Story: After Intermission, 1942-1965 , by Philip R. Evans, Stanley Hester, Stephen Hester, Linda Evans (Editor), Scarecrow Press, 1997 |
| Red Head: A Chronological Survey of “Red” Nichols and His Five Pennies, by Stephen M. Stroff, Scarecrow Press, 1996 |
Redhotjazz.com was a pioneering website during the "Information wants to be Free" era of the 1990s. In that spirit we are recovering the lost data from the now defunct site and sharing it with you.
Most of the music in the archive is in the form of MP3s hosted on Archive.org or the French servers of Jazz-on-line.com where this music is all in the public domain.
Files unavailable from those sources we host ourselves. They were made from original 78 RPM records in the hands of private collectors in the 1990s who contributed to the original redhotjazz.com. They were hosted as .ra files originally and we have converted them into the more modern MP3 format. They are of inferior quality to what is available commercially and are intended for reference purposes only. In some cases a Real Audio (.ra) file from Archive.org will download. Don't be scared! Those files will play in many music programs, but not Windows Media Player.
