Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartet

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Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartet
General information
origin Norfolk , Virginia
Genre (s) Jazz , blues , spiritual
founding 1919
resolution 1940
Founding members
Otto Tuston
tenor
 James "Buddy" Butts
Delroy Hollins
Len Williams

The Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartet was an American vocal ensemble, the first under the name Norfolk Jazz Quartet became known and later as Norfolk Jubilee Quartet recorded. The quartet was one of the first groups to make recordings in the field of jazz and spirituals with Close Harmony .

The Norfolk Jazz Quartet has performed in Norfolk, Virginia since early 1919 . The first recordings were made from 1921, such as the first recording of Jelly Roll Morton's early jazz piece Jelly Roll Blues . Most of the recordings feature a guitar in addition to the voices. Between 1924 and 1929 the vocal quartet recorded under the name The Negro Spirituals or Norfolk Jubilee Quartets , but continued to perform under the old name with vaudeville numbers. Some recordings have also been marketed as the Palmetto Jazz Quartet .

The Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartet was one of the most popular vocal groups of the 1920s, recording over 110 tracks over the course of its existence, first for Okeh , then for Paramount Records and from 1937 for Decca Records . At that time the group consisted of Norman Harris and Len Williams, as well as the newcomers Raymond Smith and Melvin Coldten. Its members had started their careers in vaudeville (including in the Mamie Smith Review ) to then appear in the musical field . Her recorded repertoire initially included classic jazz and blues pieces and novelty songs from minstrel shows , until from 1924 mainly spirituals such as "Father Prepare Me" were recorded on record alongside secular titles such as "Queen Street Rag" and "Louisiana Bo Bo". After the death of bassist and arranger Len Williams in 1940, the group broke up.

Discographic notes

  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol 1: 1921-1923 ( Document )
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol 2: 1923-1925 (Document)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol 3: 1925-1927 (Document)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol 4: 1927-1929 (Document)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol 5: 1929 to 1937 (Document)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol 6: 1937-1940 (Document)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/roots/BLUES%20&%20GOSPEL/blues_n.htm
  2. ↑ Liner Notes from Vol. 2 - Gospel Quartets 1921-1942