Yo Grandma’s Standards (1919-1931) Early Recordings of Some of Jazz’s Most Popular Songs

Yo Grandma’s Standards (1919-1931) Early Recordings of Some of Jazz’s Most Popular Songs

1. Dinah - Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra (Vocalion, 1926) [0:00]
2. There’ll Be Some Changes Made - Okeh Syncopators (Okeh, 1924) [3:09]
3. Royal Garden Blues - Mamie Smith’s Jazz Hounds  (Okeh, 1921) [5:54]
4. After You’ve Gone  - The Charleston Chasers (Columbia, 1927) [9:03]
5. Some of These Days - Original Dixieland Jazz Band (Okeh, 1922) [11:44]
6. Oh, Lady Be Good  - Waikiki Hawaiian Trio (Sunset, 1925) [14:44]
7. I Ain’t Got Nobody Blues  - The Tennessee Tooters (Vocalion, 1925) [17:37]
8. The Original Charleston  - Isham Jones’ Orchestra (Brunswick, 1925) [20:23]
9. Lover Come Back to Me  - Lee Sims (Brunswick, 1929) [23:11]
10. Tea For Two - Lange-McKay Orchestra (Gennett, 1924) [26:42]
11. Out of Nowhere  - Lanin’s Famous Players (Columbia, 1931) [29:22]
12. St. Louis Blues - Lieut James Reese Europe’s Hellfighters Band (Pathe, 1919) [32:31]
13. Sugar  - Original Indiana Five (Plaza, 1927) [35:47]
14. Fascinating Rhythm  - Bar Harbor Society Orchestra (Plaza, 1924) [38:31]
15. Love Me or Leave Me  - Majestic Dance Orchestra [Lanin] (Pathe, 1929) [41:31]
16. Squeeze Me  - Halfway House Orchestra (Columbia, 1925) [44:13]
17. Bye Bye Blackbird  - Raderman’s Radio Orchestra (Okeh, 1926) [47:11]
18. What’ll I Do  - Sam Lanin’s Dance Orchestra (Plaza, 1924) [50:22]
19. The Birth of the Blues  - Bar Harbor Society Orchestra (Pathe, 1926) [53:01]
20. It Had to Be You - Lanin’s Orchestra (Okeh, 1924) [56:06]

Transferred with 3.0ML vertical and lateral styli in Audiotechnica VMN70SP cartridges via Audiotechnica AT-LP120 Turntable. Discs and Discographical Information and Research from Brian Rust’s Jazz Records, Brian Rust’s The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942, and Colin Hancock. All recordings and transfers from the Colin Hancock Collection.

A look through any real book will show that many of our favorite jazz standards were written almost (if not over) a century ago. These songs have seen many iterations, from Frank Sinatra ballads to Miles Davis modernity. But what did these songs sound like in their day? In this set of 20 recordings, we find out just what these timeless jazz tunes sounded like in their time! From James Reese Europe getting the blues to Sam Lanin schmaltzing it up, these recordings demonstrate that our grandparent’s warhorses haven’t always sounded like the mouldy figs they’re often portrayed as.

[martinbryan]

A fine variety, and all recognizable tunes -- and some nice variations from the recordings we're most used to!

[didierdesaedeleer]

Quel choix délicieux, je crois que j'en reprendrai encore une tranche ou deux si je me sens morose.