Singing Jokers (w. Oscar Joost) - Wir tanzen Weltschlager

Crystalate master C 4530-1, rec. Berlin, February 1933.
4 unknown singers [maybe including Kurt Mühlhardt (tenor)] with Oscar Joosts orchestra.
One of many groups that tried to follow the footsteps of the Comedian Harmonists in the early 1930s that would have been completely forgotten by now if not for a few recordings. This ensemble recorded at least eight sides with Joosts orchestra in 1933, but absolutely nothing about them is known. Tenor Kurt Mühlhardt is a potential member of the group, and as he previously recorded with the Joost Trio and the orchestra, this group might be a variant of this combination, but at this point, all is more or less guesswork.
At least with this recording Joost and the Singing Jokers created an instant rarity, as almost all of the "world wide hits" featured in this medley either have a Jewish composer or lyricist, such as Richard Fall, Fritz Grünbaum, Robert Gilbert etc. ect. Maybe to record this at that time was meant as some kind of statement?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 30s
• close
• harmony
• vocal
• group
• quartet
• German
• Singing
• Jokers
• Oscar
• Joost
• Crystalate
• Kristall
• Kurt
• Mühlhardt
• novelty
• dance

[znuky]

Although not all Nazi sympathizers - of whom Joost was apparently one - approved of anti-Semitism, I think a consciously pro-Jewish statement is unlikely, but it is an interesting suggestion. Anyway - great record - thanks!

[kr103]

I did not mean that too literally: I agree that Joost was no philosemite, nor was he anti-Nazi (he was a member of the party, after all!) - but he sure was against censorship, which started when in certain German countys performances by foreign musicians were forbidden even before 1933. Here Joost always insisted on his autonomy - American guitarist Mike Danzi played in Joost's orchestra as late as October 1939!

[jonjamg]

@kr103 Joost along with others knew on which side his "bread was buttered", he does not seem to have gone out of his way to play "favoured music" as much as others (Lutter or Bauschke). The fact that Mike Danzi was playing in his Orchestra until 1939 is not surprising, Austin Egen was still alive in Germany on 17th August 1941 (he died the next day). Germans knew what happened if they asked questions. From 1940 he had been conscripted into the army and had left the orchestra.Great record!!