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"Divaville Lounge" with Sarah O (archive)

step into the lounge!
Sunday, February 5, 2023 | 14:00 to 16:00 | jazz/pop vocalists
divavillelounge@gmail.com
http://www.divavillelounge.org

Artist Song Album Label Comments
James P. Johnson The Harlem Strut The James P. Johnson Collection 1921-49 Acrobat today's show is a tribute to James P. Johnson! This was one of his first recordings, from 1921
James P. Johnson Carolina Shout Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1921, one of Johnson's great ragtime compositions
James P. Johnson Bleeding Heart Blues Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1923 depending on how you define jazz, you could call either this or Carolina Shout the first recorded jazz piano solo. Jelly Roll Morton's solor recordings were a few months after this
Jimmy Johnson Scouting Around Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1923
James P. Johnson (piano roll) The Charleston The James P. Johnson Collection 1921-49 Acrobat rec 1925 Johnson wrote "The Charleston" for the show Runnin' Wild. This was a piano roll, Johnson never recorded this song even though it was his most successful composition. There is a radio transcription of him performing it for the radio show This Is Jazz in 1947
Bessie Smith w/ James P. Johnson Back Water Blues Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1927 Smith called Johnson her favorite accompanist
Jimmy Johnson Snowy Morning Blues Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1927 one of Johnson's greatest recordings of this era
Louisiana Sugar Babes Willow Tree Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1928 for the show Keep Shuffling. Note the interplay between Johnson on piano and his friend & protege Fats Waller on organ. Waller first learned to play the organ, to play for his father's preaching. Johnson taught him to play piano. I read that for these recordings, Waller's pip organ was in *another room* and he still somehow managed to play along with the rest of the group
Ethel Waters w/ James P. Johnson Guess Who's In Town Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1928 this song was written by Johnson, like most of the songs in this show
Jimmy Johnson Riffs Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1929 fun composition by Johnson that shows off his talent at stride piano
Jimmy Johnson & His Orchestra You've Got To Be Modernistic Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1929
James P. Johnson Jingles The James P. Johnson Collection 1921-49 Acrobat rec 1930
James P. Johnson What Is This Thing Called Love? Snowy Morning Blues Smithsonian rec 1930 this and Jingles were recorded at the same session.
Lonnie Johnson and Clarence Williams w/ James P. Johnson The Dirty Dozen Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1930 Johnson and Clarence Williams worked together many times in the 1920s and 30s
Jimmy Johnson & His Orchestra A Porter's Love Song To a Chambermaid Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1931 written for the show Kitchen Mechanic's Revue
James P. Johnson Liza Jazz & Blues Piano (1934-1947) Document rec 1937 at a private party in the home of Fats Waller
Pee Wee, Zutty and James P. Trio Everybody Loves My Baby James P. Johnson 1938-1942 rec 1939. Johnson stopped recording almost entirely between 1931-1937 to focus on writing classic music. After he returned to performing and recording he began collaborating with his friends, performing in their bands and having them in his orchestra
Frankie Newton And His Orchestra Who? Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1939
Jimmy Johnson & His Orchestra Hungry Blues Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1939 this was written for De Organizer, the blues opera Johnson cowrote with Langston Hughes. Aside from this song the work was considered lost for many decades, but has since been rediscovered in (I think) the 1990s and performed several times since then
James P. Johnson If Dreams Come True Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1939
James P. Johnson The Mule Walk Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1939 this was one of his first compositions, written sometime in 1914-1916 (exact date not known)
Jimmy Johnson & His Orchestra Old Fashioned Love Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1939
Rosetta Crawford with James P. Johnson's Hep Cats Stop It Joe the Mezz Mezzrow Collection 1928-1955 Acrobat rec 1939 feat. Mezz Mezzrow, they were friends and performed in each other's bands
James P. Johnson Yamekraw: A Negro Rhapsody The James P Johnson Collection 1921-49 Acrobat rec 1944 this was written in 1927 as a response to George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," it was inspired by/dedicated to Yamekraw, a Black neighborhood in Savannah GA. It was written as an orchestral piece and performed in 1927 at Carnegie Hall with Fats Waller on piano. Johnson later arranged it for solo piano which is what we're hearing here.
James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazzmen Victory Strides Big Ben Proper UK rec 1944 the Blue Note Jazzmen were a group of Blue Note performers often led by Johnson. He also appeared in the band when it was led by Sidney de Paris
James P. Johnson If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight The James P. Johnson Collection 1921-49 Acrobat rec 1944 next to "The Charleston" this was probably Johnson's most successful composition
James P. Johnson Blues for Fats Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) Mosaic rec 1943 this was written in response to the death of his close friend Fats Waller
Rod Cless Quartet I Know That You Know Classic Black and White Sessions Mosaic rec 1944
The Carnival Three feat. James P. Johnson Harlem Hotcha Jazz Chronicle: James P. Johnson Vol. 3 rec 1945 Harlem Hotcha was a revue Johnson wrote in 1932
Eddie Condon and His Orchestra Just You, Just Me Eddie Condon: The Classic Sessions 1927-1949 rec 1946
James P. Johnson Ain't Cha Got Music This Is Jazz 21 June 1947 otr-cat.com rec 1947 radio transcription. This Is Jazz was an improv jazz program hosted by jazz critic Rudi Blesh featuring a band called 'The All Star Stompers.' Baby Dodds was a regular on the show and Johnson was a frequent gues
James P. Johnson Jungle Drums The Original James P. Johnson rec 1945 this was a reworking/arrangement for solo piano of "Drums: A Symphonic Poem," an orchestral piece he wrote in 1942
Concordia Orchestra & Marin Alsop Drums: A Symphonic Poem Victory Strides: The Symphonic Music of James P. Johnson rec 1994 this work was not performed during Johnson's life