Matson's Creole Serenaders - 'Taint Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do

According to Red Hot Jazz: "Charles A. Matson was an African-American pianist and arranger who was very active in New York during the mid-twenties. He accompanied various blues singers as a pianist, including Mamie Smith and Clara Smith. Besides these two songs on the Edison label his other records were released under the names of Matson's Lucky Seven which was recorded for the Paramount label in January of 1924 and Ted Claire's Snappy Bits Band for Gennett in January of 1923."

Matson's Creole Serenaders - 'Taint Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do (mp3)

Luis Russell & His Orchestra - The (New) Call of the Freaks

In this 1929 document lay the future of the rest of the century. The Cramps in particular were influenced by the magickal memes Luis Russell's New Orleans combo wrought - listen and you'll see why. Other related Russell records worth waxing: "Garbage Man Blues", "Ghost of Freaks", "Primitive", "Hokus Pocus", "After Hour Creep", "Feelin' the Spirit", "Freakish Blues" and a cover of the suicide anthem "Gloomy Sunday".

Luis Russell & His Orchestra - The (New) Call of the Freaks (mp3)

Vernian Process - "Behold the Machine" LP

Steampunk band Vernian Process is releasing early mixes of their upcoming album Behold the Machine for FREE online. According to a statement released on Dieselpunks:

Vernian Process is proud to announce the pre-release version of our album "Behold the Machine". Featuring 14 tracks of Steamwave goodness. At this time, the album will only be available in digital download format but the download is free. The pre-release mix will differ only in a few minor ways from the final mix. For one, we haven't completely mastered the album, and a few songs need some minor tweaks to sound the way we intended them to. But other than that, this is pretty damn close to what the final album is going to sound like.

Vernian Process - Behold the Machine LP (zip file)

Ernst Albert Couturier - Lullaby from "Jocelyn"

This is the lullaby from Jocelyn, the opera by Benjamin Godard (pictured above), as performed by Cornetist Ernst Albert Couturier. Recorded in 1916 and released as Edison Blue Amberol #2929.

Though Couturier seemed destined for greatness - he was a musical child prodigy despite being half blind, classically trained at the New England Conservatory, and went on to perform at the St. Louis World Fair in 1904. But he made some errors in judgment, such as turning down a chance to join John Philip Sousa's band, and was reluctant to do much recording at a time when making records was propelling nobodies to fame. By the 1920s he had drifted into the Vaudeville scene, and eventually had a mental breakdown. He died insane in the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center in Wingdale, N.Y.


He's perhaps best remembered today because his name is inscribed on many an antique high school band cornet floating around amongst collectors. Couturier filed many patents on conical-bore improvements he'd made to wind instruments.


Ernst Albert Couturier - Lullaby from "Jocelyn" (mp3)

Lloyd Shakespeare's New Piccadilly Band - Roll Away Clouds

According to breda.uk.com:

Lloyd Shakespeare, a trumpet virtuoso, was born on 6 June 1895 in Leytonstone, London. He led his own bands during the twenties, recording for the Edison Bell Winner, Parlophone and Piccadilly labels and became a top session and side man with many of the great bands of the 30's, under amongst others, Lew Stone, Arthur Lally, Jack Harris, Sydney Lipton, Ronnie Munro, and Cecil Norman. He died in 1963.

Lloyd Shakespeare's New Piccadilly Band - Roll Away Clouds

El Trio Cubano - La Bella Cubano

A fine example of Cuban Habanera music, recorded September 18, 1924 by El Trio Cubano for Edison Records.

El Trio Cubano - La Bella Cubano

The Westbrook Conservatory Entertainers - Silent Night

Paramount 3197, recorded in October 1929. A mostly instrumental (with some humming) version of the Christmas carol, featuring steel guitar. John James Westbrook, Jr. on vocals/steel guitar, his wife Blanche Westbrook on vocals/guitar, and an unidentified male vocalist joining on the humming.

Lots more info about Westbrook here and here.

The Westbrook Conservatory Entertainers - Silent Night