Sara Martin

Sara Martin (* 18th May 1884 in Louisville , Kentucky ; † 28. May 1955 ibid) was an American blues - and Vaudeville - singer .

life and work

Sara Martin first worked as a vaudeville singer in Illinois around 1915. In 1922, she signed a recording contract with Okeh Records and was one of the first blues singers to be recorded on record. Her blues recordings were often accompanied by Sylvester Weaver (guitar or banjo), Clarence Williams , Clifford Hayes and Lemuel Fowler , in 1924 by musicians from the Dixieland Jug Blowers . There is some uncertainty as to which musicians also contributed to their recordings, but it is certain that Sidney Bechet , King Oliver (1928) and Fats Waller were there. In 1929 she had a film appearance in the film Hello Bill with Bill Bojangles Robinson .

Her last record was made in 1929. In the early 1930s she withdrew from show business, giving up all connections with blues music and singing gospel . In the 1950s she was a member of a church choir in Harlem . Eventually she returned to her hometown, where she also died in 1955.

Her singing was characterized by a strong, large voice with a considerable dramatic effect, similar to the voices of Bessie Smith or Ma Rainey , but without their emotional depth.

Among her best recordings are

• I've Got To Go And Leave My Daddy Behind 1923,
• Strange Lovin 'Blues 1925,
• Mean Tight Mama , Mistreatin 'Man Blues 1925,
• Death Sting Me The Blues (with King Oliver), Kitchen Man Blues 1928.

Discographic notes

• The Famous Moanin 'Mama
• Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 - 1924-1925
• Fats Waller: Fats Waller 1922-1926 (Classics)
• Clarence Williams: Complete Sessions, Vol. 1 (EPM / Hot 'N' Sweet)

swell

• Rex Harris & Brian Rust : Recorded Jazz: A Critical Guide . London, Penguin Books, 1958.
• John Jörgensen & Erik Wiedemann : Jazz Lexicon . Munich, Mosaik-Verlag, approx. 1960

Web link

• Portrait page with discographic information about Sara Martin from redhotjazz