"The Blue Room" (Joe Venuti, 1928)

Jazz violinist Joe Venuti took a break from Paul Whiteman's band to team up the Blue Four (here with vocalist Harold Arlen) in 1928 to cut this instant standard from Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart's 1926 show, "The Girl Friend".

THE BLUE ROOM

We'll have a blue room,
A new room,
For two room,
Where ev'ry day's a holiday
Because you're married to me.
Not like a ballroom,
A small room,
A hall room,
Where I can smoke my pipe away
With your head upon my knee.
You sew your trousseau,
And Robinson Crusoe
Is not so far from worldly cares
As our blue room 'way upstairs.

~~~~~~

More on Joe Venuti from Wiki:

Giuseppe (Joe) Venuti (September 16, 1903 -- August 14, 1978) was a U.S. jazz musician and pioneer jazz violinist. Venuti claimed to have been born aboard a ship as his parents emigrated from Italy, though many believe he was simply born in Philadelphia. Later in life he said that he was born in Italy in 1896 and that he came to the U.S. in 1906. Considered the father of jazz violin, he pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with the guitarist Eddie Lang, a childhood friend of his. Through the 1920s and early 1930s, Venuti made many recordings, as leader and as featured soloist. He worked with Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, Jack Teagarden, the Boswell Sisters and most of the other important white jazz and semi-jazz figures of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Venuti and Lang recorded a series of milestone jazz records for the OKeh label during the 1920s. However, following Lang's early death in 1933, his career began to wane, though he continued performing through the 1930s. He was also a strong early influence on western swing players like Jesse Ashlock, not to mention the fact that Lang and Venuti were the primary influences of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli.

After a period of relative obscurity in the 1940s and 1950s, he was 'rediscovered' in the late 1960s. In the 1970s, he established a musical relationship with tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims that resulted in three recordings. He also recorded an entire album with country-jazz musicians including mandolinist Jethro Burns (of Homer & Jethro), pedal steel guitarist Curly Chalker and former Bob Wills sideman and guitarist Eldon Shamblin. Venuti died in Seattle, Washington.

Venuti was also a legendary practical joker. According to one source, every Christmas he sent Wingy Manone, a one-armed trumpet player, the same gift--one cufflink. He is said to have chewed up a violin he borrowed from bandleader Paul Whiteman, when still on stage after his own performance with Whiteman's band had finished.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Joe
• Venuti
• Blue
• Room
• Four
• Rodgers
• Hart
• Arlen
• 1928
• jazz
• violin

[stillavril]

Thanks for posting this.

I haven't heard this for twenty years.

My Martin alto was built in 1928, how wonderful.

[RReady555]

It was a great year for music--glad I could help you "rediscover" this stunning number!

Best,

-RR

[sherwinjtb]

Maybe I should have checked the tempo first before I started playing, lol

Oh well, originals are always cool :)

I sometimes think the violin sounds much like a clarinet

[RReady555]

Thanks--yes, the two instruments have much in common (played by great musicians). Venuti was a master...

Best,

-RR

[neogawa]

Thanks, Love the man.

[RReady555]

Thank you. He's an artist for the centuries, certainly.

-RR

[teebeesea]

One of my fave records...vocal is by pianist Rube Bloom, not Harold Arlen. But Arlen did make may vocal records...some of the best early ones are with the Arnold Johnson orch on Brunswick in 1928. Also many fine vocals with the Leo Reisman band all through the 1930's/

[65attila]

My great Uncle Joe Venuti was born in South Philadelphia NoT because he said so

but beciuase his sisters told me so.

[jaymebaer]

I assume the tasteful guitar work is that of Eddie Laing

[honeybee7700]

wow i love hearing harold arlen sing

[garylader]

Fantastic! I can't get enough of this recording! Does anybody know if Harold Arlen did any more vocal tracks with this group or otherwise? I never knew he was a vocalist!

[derekpillers2]

Great Fighting!  You're An Up & Coming Boxer!

[johnohconnor]

Venuti at his best. Vocal is great. Was that Arlen? Thanks

[65attila]

Venuti's tone and technique were that of a classical violinist - he was trained that way and when he visited my mom[ His niece} we always listened to classical music

after dinner.

[pompenel]

Excellent!!!