TRY TO NAME SOME BANDS BEFORE 1923

[broadway]

i am interested in knowing about bands that were popular before 1923.
are there any recordings of those bands?
where did they perform?
what famous singers sang with them?
and what composers wrote for them?
A VERY GLORIOUS TIME NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

James Reese Europe had a very successful ragtime band which he then took into WWI to become the Hellfighters. He was the first African American officer to see battle in WWI and i think his regiment got more gallantry awards than any other American regiment in WWI.

His bands were the regular accompaniment for Irene and Vernon Castle. Sold many many many records. Murdered - i think - by one of his banjo players (penknife to the neck)

King Oliver's Creole Jass Band is an obvious choice. Don't know how much they recorded before 1923, though.

And then, obviously, Paul Whiteman's orchestra.

bk

 

[LizzieMaine]

Some other very popular orchestras on records in the late teens/early twenties were Joseph C. Smith's, Art Hickman's, and Charles A. Prince's. If you go thru any stack of acoustic-era 78s, you'll find plenty of examples.

 

[scotrace]

Buddy Bolden remains the most highly acclaimed musician of the era - but no recordings exist.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/

Tons of cylinders online from 1890 to 1929. Lots of pre-1923 here!

Also: http://www.tinfoil.com

As for myself, I quite like The Peerless Quartet, The Original Indiana Five, and Fred Van Eps.

 

[HadleyH]

Before 1923? Well the music that I know/love best is from late 20s and early 30s but if what you are looking for is pre-1923 then you'll find out that it was mainly ragtime and dixie and fox-trot/ballroom dancing as mentioned above.

Paul Whiteman "The King of Jazz" he was hot from the early 20s on, then you have "The Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawks" who also started early. Across the pond "The Savoy Orpheans" was a very popular group. There are many more but these are the ones I know best from the period.

 

[twobarbreak]

check out the redhotjazz.com website for bands like
http://www.redhotjazz.com/allstartrio.html
http://www.redhotjazz.com/lucky7.html
http://www.redhotjazz.com/flobert.html

 

[RondoHatton]

ODJB - Original Dixieland Jass Band?
Jelly Roll Morton?

 

[Fletch]

Isham Jones (say EYEshum), who at one point in the early 20s was more popular than Paul Whiteman.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

John Philip Souza?

 

[HadleyH]

Isham Jones (say EYEshum), who at one point in the early 20s was more popular than Paul Whiteman.

Yes!!! Isham Jones!!! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[max the cat]

pre 23

the Isham Jones Brunwick records-acoustic- include some real gems.
I might also mention The New Orleans Rhythm King Gennett records.
max the Cat

 

[Mike in Seattle]

John Philip Souza?

Drat! Beat me to it!

 

[Flivver]

Of the before 1923 bands, I'd have to say Paul Whiteman is my favorite.

I got an RCA Victor Vintage Series LP of Whiteman's music back in 1967 and I've been collecting Whiteman 78s ever since.