"HAVANOLA" - Joseph C. Smith and his Orchestra (1917)

HAVANOLA (Fox Trot)
(Hugo Frey)
Joseph C. Smith and his Orchestra
Victor, 35615-B, 1917.

Please watch at 480p for better picture quality!

There is an informative article on the Joseph C. Smith Orchestra by Tim Gracyk that can be found on the Internet at http://www.gracyk.com/smith.shtml. From it, I learned that "Havanola" was recorded on January 8, 1917 and was one of the earliest recordings that the orchestra made for the Victor Talking Machine Company. The Joseph C. Smith Orchestra was soon to become the company's mainstay for dance records, and remained popular for the next five years, to be finally eclipsed by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra. The composer of "Havanola" (sheet music published in 1916), Hugo Frey, was a member of the orchestra. Also in 1917, George Gershwin recorded "Havanola" as a piano roll.

This 12-inch record is originally from the collection of Walter H. Brockmann, who was leader of his high school jazz band in Michigan around 1920. Photos of Walter's jazz band and high school life accompany "Oh! By Jingo" (found at this channel).

The illustrations are mostly from the same period as the record. As the music begins, the maître d' of an elegant rooftop dancing- and dining-room atop a grand hotel in an American metropolis welcomes you . . .

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[IamHelenKeller]

Hi Anthony,

A pleasure to watch and to listen...

Nice work...as always!

5***** : ))

[abendstunde49]

Thank you so much for your nice response to this video!

(and sorry for the late reply!)