| Artist |
Song |
Album |
Label |
Comments |
| Prince's Band |
St. Louis Blues |
Cakewalks, Rags and Blues |
Renovation Records |
rec 1915 welcome to the Wayback Machine! a song a year from 1915-1965. This is the earliest recording of WC Handy's composition "St. Louis Blues" |
| American Quartet |
America, I Love You |
The Great War: An American Musical Fantasy |
Archeophone |
1916 American Quartet was led by popular singer Billy Murray. this song was part of the pro-WWI patriotic movement |
| The Original Dixieland Jazz Band |
Tiger Rag |
The 75th Anniversary |
RCA Bluebird |
1917 this was one of the first ever jazz recordings |
| Billy Murray |
K-K-K-Katy |
Comic Ragtime & World War I Songs |
Vintage Recordings |
1918 Billy Murray was one of the most popular singers of the 1910s |
| Marion Harris |
After You've Gone |
The First World War: 100 Original American and British Historical Hit Recordings |
TPX |
1919 I had no idea this was originally a war song |
| Al Jolson |
Avalon |
You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet: Jolie's Finest Columbia Recordings |
Columbia |
1920 Al Jolson was the most popular singer of the 1920s. All male singers imitated Jolson's style until Bing Crosby. Jolson starred in the first talkie, THE JAZZ SINGER |
|
| Clyde Doerr w/ Club Royal Orchestra |
The Sheik (of Araby) |
cylinder |
|
1921 this song was written to capitalize on the popularity of the Rudolph Valentino movie THE SHEIK. This early performance has an Orientalism that isn't heard in more modern arrangements |
| Spike's Seven Pods of Pepper |
Ory's Creole Trombone |
Kid Ory & His Creole Jazz Band 1922-1947 |
Document Records |
1922 Kid Ory was a contemporary of Louis Armstrong & King Oliver, & in his own right an important figure in the early years of jazz |
| King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band |
Dipper Mouth Blues |
Dipper Mouth Blues In Chronological Order 1923 |
Hot Jazz |
1923 Louis Armstrong got his start performing with King Oliver, including on this track. Sadly after Armstrong left the band, Oliver made some bad business decisions and died in poverty |
| Paul Whiteman Orchestra feat. George Gershwin |
Rhapsody in Blue |
Gershwin Plays Gershwin |
Naxos |
1924 this is the earliest recording of "Rhapsody in Blue" and only the second ever performance of the piece, which Whiteman commissioned Gershwin to write |
| Ben Bernie & His Orchestra |
Sweet Georgia Brown |
Sweet Georgia Brown and Other Hot Numbers |
Retrieval Records |
1925 Ben Bernie cowrote the song |
| Ben Pollack & His Californians |
'Deed I Do |
Roaring '20s Jazz |
Master Classics |
1926 first recording of Benny Goodman! Goodman's first big break was working for Pollack in the late 1920s. Goodman was highly opinionated about his music and soon left to found his own orchestra |
|
| The Washingtonians (Duke Ellington) |
East St. Louis Toodle-Oo |
The Duke: The Columbia Years |
Columbia |
1927 this was recorded shortly before Ellington became the house band leader for the Cotton Club in Harlem |
| Paul Whiteman Orchestra feat Bing Crosby |
Muddy Water |
Bing Crosby: 1926 - 1932 |
Timeless Holland |
1927 Bing Crosby's first solo recording! Crosby started as a member of the Delta Rhythm Boys. He was the first singer to understand how to use electric microphones, and used his voice as an instrument. His baritone voice and intimate singing style was a radical departure from singers like Jolson and Murray. |
| Helen Kane o/ The Victor Orchestra |
I Wanna Be Loved By You |
Charleston Era: The Definitive Album |
ASV Living Era |
1928 Kane was of course the voice of Betty Boop in the Max Fleischer cartoons |
| Cliff 'Ukulele Ike' Edwards |
Singin' in the Rain |
Singin' in the Rain |
Audiophile |
1929 Edwards was a popular singer in the 1920s and also acted in the 1930s, appearing in HIS GIRL FRIDAY and played Jiminy Cricket in PINOCCHIO |
| Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra |
Body and Soul |
"Satchmo" Ambassador of Jazz |
Verve |
1930 at this point in his career Armstrong was in California (the Sebastian New Cotton Club was in LA, had nothing to do with the Cotton Club in Harlem) |
| Isham Jones |
Star Dust |
Hoagy Carmichael: First of the Singer-Songwriters |
Proper UK |
1931 this recording was the first to arrange "Star Dust" as a ballad, originally it had been a hot jazz number. Jones' interpretation of the song was hugely influential and led to "Star Dust" being one of the most recorded songs ever written |
|
| Duke Ellington Orchestra v/ Ivie Anderson |
It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing |
Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings |
Mosaic |
1932 Ellington's impact on jazz looms large in this era |
| Ethel Waters |
Stormy Weather |
Cocktail Hour |
Columbia River |
1933 Waters was singing at the Cotton Club when Harold Arlen was staff songwriter there, & wrote this song for her |
| The Quintette du Hot Club de France |
Oh, Lady Be Good |
Django Reinhardt The Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order |
JSP |
1934 this is from the first recording session of the The Quintette du Hot Club de France, possibly first recording session with Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli recording together? Reinhardt did have a few recordings in other orchestras before this |
| Fats Waller & His Rhythm |
I'm Gonna Sit Write Down and Write Myself a Letter |
Complete Recorded Works Vol. 3 |
JSP |
1935 Waller was an incredibly prolific composer (including this song) and one of the great stride pianists |
| Bing Crosby o/ George Stoll |
Pennies from Heaven |
Bing! His Legendary Years |
Geffen |
1936 title track from the movie PENNIES FROM HEAVEN, Crosby costarred with Louis Armstrong |
| Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra |
Summertime |
Billie Holiday 1933-1937 |
Verve |
1936 recorded a few months after this song premiered in Gershwin's PORGY AND BESS. The band included Bunny Berigan t, Artie Shaw c, Joe Bushkin p, Dick McDonough g, Pete Peterson b and Cozy Cole d |
|
| Count Basie Orchestra |
One O'Clock Jump |
Classic 1936-1947 Count Basie and Lester Young Sessions |
Mosaic |
1937 Basie started in Kansas City with the Bennie Moten orchestra, when Moten died in 1934 Basie moved to NY and founded his own band. This was one of Basie's biggest hits in the swing era |
| Benny Goodman Orchestra |
I Got Rhythm |
The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert |
Columbia |
1938 this was the first jazz performance at Carnegie Hall and was a milestone in legitimizing jazz as a musical art form worthy of respect |
| Chick Webb Orchestra v/ Ella Fitzgerald |
A-Tisket, a-Tasket |
Complete Chick Webb & Ella Fitzgerald Decca Sessions |
Mosaic |
1938 Fitzgerald's breakout hit and rocketed the Chick Webb orchestra to success just a couple of years before Webb died |
| Judy Garland o/ The Victor Orchestra |
Over the Rainbow |
The Best of the Decca Years Vol. One |
MCA |
1939 this Oscar-winning song almost didn't make it into THE WIZARD OF OZ, studio executives hated it |
| Tommy Dorsey Orchestra v/ Frank Sinatra |
I'll Never Smile Again |
The Song is You! |
RCA Bluebird |
1940 Sinatra got his start as a teen heart-throb with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras |
| Artie Shaw Orchestra |
Frenesi |
Begin the Beguine |
Membran |
1940 this and "Begin the Beguine" were Shaw's biggest hits. Shaw grew to hate these standards and eventually gave up performing, calling his clarinet "a gangrenous limb" he had to "amputate to survive" |
| Glenn Miller Orchestra |
Chattanooga Choo-Choo |
The Popular Recordings 1938-1942 |
RCA |
1941 Miller was the biggest star of the shift from swing to the more polished big band sound |
|
| Duke Ellington Orchestra |
Take the 'A' Train |
The Blanton-Webster Band |
RCA |
1941 one of the first songs Billy Strayhorn wrote for Ellington. Their creative partnership lasted for decades until Strayhorn's death in 1967 |
| Billie Holiday with Toots Camarata and His Orchestra |
Lover Man |
The Complete Decca Recordings |
Verve |
1942 this song was written for Holiday and her recording is one of the most enduring. She had to beg for strings, the label wanted her to record it with a standard 6-piece band. Some disagreement over whether this was recorded in 1942 or 1944 |
| Ella Mae Morse o/ Freddie Slack |
Cow Cow Boogie |
Capitol Records from the Vaults, Vol 1 |
Capitol |
1942 Morse was one of the first artists to sign with the new Capitol Records |
| Harry James Orchestra v/ Helen Forrest |
I've Heard That Song Before |
Sentimental Journey Vol. 1 |
Columbia |
1943 James got his start as trumpeter in the Benny Goodman orchestra |
| Bing Crosby |
Swinging on a Star |
Bing! His Legendary Years |
MA |
1944 Crosby sang this song in the movie GOING MY WAY, the song won the Oscar Award |
| Nat King Cole Trio |
Straighten Up and Fly Right |
Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio |
Mosaic |
1944 the King Cole Trio redefined the small combo for years to come. Cole wrote this song based on a saying of his father, who was a preacher |
| Benny Goodman Orchestra v/ Peggy Lee |
Why Don't You Do Right |
The Complete Recordings 1941-1947 |
RCA |
1945 this was Lee's first professional job as a singer and Goodman initially didn't want to hire her, but their work together now includes some of Goodman's best-remembered songs |
| Les Brown and his Band of Renown v/ Doris Day |
Sentimental Journey |
Complete Recordings with Les Brown |
Jazz Factory |
1945 Day got her start as a teenager with the Les Brown orchestra. she went on to become one of the most popular female vocalists of her era, and a successful actress in movies and on TV |
|
| Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five |
Choo Choo Ch'Boogie |
Jump, Jive and Boogie |
Golden Stars |
1946 Jordan started as a sax player in the Chick Webb orchestra and became an important transitional figure between jump blues and rock and roll |
| Ted Weems Orchestra |
Heartaches |
Billboard Pop Memories 1945-1949 |
Billboard |
1947 Weems began as a hot bandleader in the 1920s and found continued success as a sweet bandleader in the 30s with Perry Como. This was Weems' last hit song |
| Perry Como |
Chi Baba, Chi Baba |
Cocktail Hour |
Columbia River |
1947 as mentioned above Como got his start as a vocalist with the Ted Weems orchestra, but by this time had become a successful solo artist |
| Nat King Cole o/ Frank De Vol |
Nature Boy |
Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio |
Mosaic |
1948 this odd song written by eden ahbez became an unlikely hit for Cole |
| Vaughn Monroe |
(Ghost) Riders In the Sky: A Cowboy Legend |
Billboard Pop Memories 1945-1949 |
Billboard |
1949 this hit for Monroe was part of a Western music trend in the late 40s |
| The Ames Brothers |
Rag Mop |
Cookin: Choice Cuts From the Famous Fifties |
Imports |
1950 an example of proto-rock and roll. apropos of nothing, I first heard of this song on the tv show MASH, when Nurse Kelly yells at Pierce that he treats her like a rag mop and spells it out |
| Rosemary Clooney |
Come On-a My House |
16 Most Requested Songs |
Columbia |
1951 Clooney didn't want to record this novelty song because she saw herself as a serious jazz singer, but Mitch Miller threatened to fire her from Columbia Records if she didn't |
|
| Kay Starr |
Wheel of Fortune |
Capitol Collector's Series |
Capitol |
1952 Starr recorded the most successful version of this song. |
| The Four Lads |
Istanbul Not Constantinople |
16 Most Requested Songs |
Columbia |
1953 Wikipedia says this song was written on the 500th anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks. Is this true? it seems bizarre |
| Frank Sinatra |
I've Got the World on a String |
The Complete Capitol Singles Collection |
Capitol |
1953 Sinatra's move to Capitol in 1953 revived his career by allowing him to record with better songwriters and bandleaders, like Nelson Riddle, this was their first collaboration |
| Sarah Vaughan & Clifford Brown |
Lullaby of Birdland |
Sarah Vaughan With Clifford Brown |
Polygram |
1954 this album was a critical milestone in Vaughan's career, she later called it her favorite of her work |
| Dinah Washington |
I've Got You Under My Skin |
Dinah Jams |
Emarcy |
1954 band included Clark Terry, Clifford Brown AND Maynard Ferguson on trumpet. on a personal note, this performance is what first got me interested in jazz music |
| Perez Prado and His Orchestra |
Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White |
Mondo Mambo! |
Rhino |
1955 Prado was one of the great Cuban bandleaders, his work became known in the US in the 1950s |
| Mel Torme |
Mountain Greenery |
Mel Torme in Hollywood |
GRP |
1956 this song was Torme's biggest hit in the UK but never charted in the US |
|
| Nat King Cole Trio |
Just You, Just Me |
The Complete After Midnight Sessions |
Essential Jazz Classics |
1957 Cole's last great jazz album; after this he focused on singing rather than playing piano, and popular songs rather than jazz |
| Count Basie Orchestra |
April in Paris |
April in Paris |
Verve |
1957 Basie's signature song at this point in his career |
| Duke Ellington Orchestra |
The Star-Crossed Lovers |
Such Sweet Thunder |
Columbia |
1957 Billy Strayhorn wrote this piece about Romeo and Juliet for Ellington's Shakespeare suite. Performed at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in 1957, it revived Ellington's career |
| Frank Sinatra |
One For My Baby |
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely |
Capitol |
1958 this song came out of feelings of personal loss: Sinatra had just divorced Ava Gardner, and arrange Nelson Riddle's mother and daughter had recently died |
| Anita O'Day |
From This Moment On |
Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter with Billy May |
Capitol |
1959 one of two albums O'Day and May did together |
| Ella Fitzgerald |
But Not for Me |
The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook |
Verve |
1959 Fitzgerald won a Grammy for this song |
|
| Ella Fitzgerald |
How High the Moon |
Mack the Knife: The Complete Ella in Berlin |
Verve |
1960 this performance is often called the greatest example of scat singing ever recorded |
| Frank Sinatra |
Ring-a-Ding-Ding! |
Ring-a-Ding-Ding! |
Reprise |
1961 the first release from Sinatra's label Reprise, which he founded to get more creative control over his work |
| Sammy Davis Jr. |
In the Still of the Night |
At the Cocoanut Grove |
Reprise |
1962 I'm fudging a bit, this was released in 1963 but recorded live December 1962 |
| John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman |
Lush Life |
John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman |
Impulse! |
1963 some call this the greatest jazz album and I don't disagree! Hartman initially didn't want to work with Coltrane, he felt that his own style was not jazz enough and they wouldn't mesh |
| Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim |
The Girl from Ipanema |
Getz/Gilberto |
Verve |
1964 the album that introduced bossa nova to American audiences |
| Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass |
A Taste of Honey |
Whipped Cream and Other Delights |
Herb Alpert Presents |
1965 I had to finish up with a fun song from Alpert's hugely successful album of instrumentals |
| Edith Piaf |
Non, Je Ne Regrette Rein |
30th Anniversaire |
Capitol |
rec 1960 |
