Joseph Samuels
Encyclopedia
Joseph Samuels was an American
musician
and bandleader
, who is today virtually only known through his record
ings.
historians. However, recent information in the "Bixography Discussion group" suggests that Samuels might have died in July 1953. An article published in May 1919 indicates he was born in Tennessee
, studied under Campanari at the College of Music of Cincinnati, and was concert master for Henry W. Savage
. His name indicates that he, as well as many other musicians of the New York
scene at the time, may have been of Jewish origin. He was mainly a reed
player (playing clarinet
, alto saxophone
, and bass saxophone
), but also played violin
and made records as a soloist on the latter instrument accompanied by pianist Frank Banta.
What is known beyond doubts about Samuels is that he was an extremely prolific musician during the years 1919 to 1925, at least on records. In his work The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942 noted discographer
Brian Rust
devotes 19 pages to the nearly 400 recordings made by Samuels and his dance orchestra.
Samuels' recording debut seems to have been with Pathé
in January 1919. After this he went on to record for several other companies, beginning with Emerson
, Grey Gull
, and Arto
in 1920, continuing with Edison
in 1921 and with Gennett
, Federal
, and Banner
in 1922.
From 1923 onwards, the last of these labels - as well as associated labels such as Regal
, Oriole
and Domino - became the dominating recipient of Samuels' services. As usually on these low-budget labels, the recordings were issued under an array of bewildering pseudonym
s such as "Majestic Dance Orchestra", "Hollywood Dance Orchestra" and "Missouri Jazz Band".
Apart from these hundreds of peppy dance music recordings, Samuels also lead smaller recording groups playing in a more outright jazz
ideom. Most of these latter sides were made under the names of Synco Jazz Band (49 recordings during 1919-1922, mainly for Pathé but also for Columbia
and Grey Gull
), Joseph Samuels' Jazz Band (40 recordings during 1920-23, mainly for Okeh but also for Paramount
) and Tampa Blue Jazz Band (31 recordings for Okeh during 1921-1923). To these might be added some further seven sides waxed for Columbia in 1924 as Columbia Novelty Orchestra. The earliest of these small band recordings were very much in the style of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, but over time got a sound and style of their own. The band's recording for Okeh of The Fives in March 1923 is considered the first orchestral recording of boogie-woogie
.
In particular, for Okeh, these small jazz-oriented Samuels groups also accompanied several black singers, male as well as female ones including names such as Lucille Hegamin
, Mamie Smith
and Clarence Williams. These accompainments are among the earliest examples of racially mixed jazz recordings in the United States.
On trumpet
Samuels generally had Jules Levy Jr.. He was the son of a British-born cornet
virtuoso of the same name
(1838-1903). Like his father, Levy Jr. also performed and recorded as a soloist in concert and military style. He is reported to later have led a band of his own in Hollywood. When a second trumpet appears in Samuel's recordings it is generally Hymie Farberman.
On trombone
was Ephraim Hannaford, who had earlier been a member of the religious community called "House of David" and had worked in the various well-known musical aggregations within that group.
On piano
Samuels had Larry Briers, of whom extremely little is known. He is however credited as co-composer on at least one of the tunes recorded by Samuels and also published other songs both during and after the recording career of the Samuels bands ended. His best known work is probably Brother Low Down, written with singer Al Bernard
and recorded by Bert Williams
among others.
At least Levy, Farberman and Hannaford also took part in recordings with other well-known bandleaders of the 1920s such as Sam Lanin
, Ben Selvin
, Arthur Lange
, Harry Reser
and Fred Rich
. Samuels himself on the other hand seems to have recorded for no other leader than himself.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
, who is today virtually only known through his record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
ings.
The mysterious Joseph Samuels
Practically nothing seems to be known about Joseph Samuels as a person, and the dates of his birth and death have long remained unknown to jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
historians. However, recent information in the "Bixography Discussion group" suggests that Samuels might have died in July 1953. An article published in May 1919 indicates he was born in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, studied under Campanari at the College of Music of Cincinnati, and was concert master for Henry W. Savage
Henry Wilson Savage
Henry Wilson Savage was an American theatrical manager. He was born in New York City and graduated from Harvard in 1880. He became president of the Henry W. Savage Company, Inc., and of the Castle Square Opera Company of Boston, and director of the National Association of Theatrical Producing...
. His name indicates that he, as well as many other musicians of the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
scene at the time, may have been of Jewish origin. He was mainly a reed
Reed (instrument)
A reed is a thin strip of material which vibrates to produce a sound on a musical instrument. The reeds of most Woodwind instruments are made from Arundo donax or synthetic material; tuned reeds are made of metal or synthetics.-Single reeds:Single reeds are used on the mouthpieces of clarinets...
player (playing clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, alto saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
, and bass saxophone
Bass saxophone
The bass saxophone is the second largest member of the saxophone family. Its design is similar to that of the baritone saxophone, with a loop of tubing near the mouthpiece. It was the first type of saxophone presented to the public, when Adolphe Sax exhibited a bass saxophone in C at an exhibition...
), but also played violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and made records as a soloist on the latter instrument accompanied by pianist Frank Banta.
Recording career
Discography
Discography is the study and listing of the details concerning sound recordings, often by specified artists or within identified musical genres...
Brian Rust
Brian Rust
Brian Rust , was an English jazz discographer.Brian Arthur Lovell Rust was born in London, and collected records from the age of five. He worked in the BBC's record library from 1945 to 1960, and supervised broadcasting selections...
devotes 19 pages to the nearly 400 recordings made by Samuels and his dance orchestra.
Samuels' recording debut seems to have been with Pathé
Pathé Records
Pathé Records was a France-based international record label and producer of phonographs, active from the 1890s through the 1930s.- Early years :...
in January 1919. After this he went on to record for several other companies, beginning with Emerson
Emerson Records
Emerson Records was a record label active in the United States between 1916 to 1928. Emerson Records produced between the 1910s and early 1920s offered generally above average audio fidelity for the era, pressed in high quality shellac. The fidelity of the later issues compares less...
, Grey Gull
Grey Gull Records
Grey Gull Records was a record label based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America from 1919 through 1930. According to the Massachusetts Department of Corporation and Taxation, Grey Gull was officially incorporated on 31 December 1919. It was dissolved on 31 March 1934 Grey Gull...
, and Arto
Arto Records
Arto Records was a short lived record label based in the United States of America, operating from 1920 to 1923.Arto Records was owned by the Arto Company of Orange, New Jersey which in turn was owned by the Standard Music Roll Company, a business which made player piano rolls. They went into the...
in 1920, continuing with Edison
Edison Records
Edison Records was one of the earliest record labels which pioneered recorded sound and was an important player in the early recording industry.- Early phonographs before commercial mass produced records :...
in 1921 and with Gennett
Gennett Records
Gennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....
, Federal
Federal Records
Federal Records was an American record label founded in 1950 as a subsidiary of Syd Nathan's King Records and based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was run by famed record producer Ralph Bass and was mainly devoted to Rhythm & Blues releases. But also hillbilly and rockabilly recordings were released,...
, and Banner
Banner Records
Banner Records was a United States based record label of the 20th century.Banner Records was launched in January 1922 by the Plaza Music Company of New York City. Banner was an extremely popular label in the 1920s, concentrating on popular music of the day. To this day, Banners are often found all...
in 1922.
From 1923 onwards, the last of these labels - as well as associated labels such as Regal
Regal Records
Regal Records may refer to:*Regal Records - a British record label, founded by the Columbia Graphophone Company*Regal Records - a Spanish record label*Regal Records - a United States company...
, Oriole
Oriole Records
Oriole Records may refer to:* Oriole Records * Oriole Records...
and Domino - became the dominating recipient of Samuels' services. As usually on these low-budget labels, the recordings were issued under an array of bewildering pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s such as "Majestic Dance Orchestra", "Hollywood Dance Orchestra" and "Missouri Jazz Band".
Apart from these hundreds of peppy dance music recordings, Samuels also lead smaller recording groups playing in a more outright jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
ideom. Most of these latter sides were made under the names of Synco Jazz Band (49 recordings during 1919-1922, mainly for Pathé but also for Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and Grey Gull
Grey Gull
This article is about the bird. For the record label, see Grey Gull Records.The Grey Gull is a gull found along the Pacific coast of South America...
), Joseph Samuels' Jazz Band (40 recordings during 1920-23, mainly for Okeh but also for Paramount
Paramount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
) and Tampa Blue Jazz Band (31 recordings for Okeh during 1921-1923). To these might be added some further seven sides waxed for Columbia in 1924 as Columbia Novelty Orchestra. The earliest of these small band recordings were very much in the style of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, but over time got a sound and style of their own. The band's recording for Okeh of The Fives in March 1923 is considered the first orchestral recording of boogie-woogie
Boogie-woogie (music)
Boogie-woogie is a style of piano-based blues that became popular in the late 1930s and early 1940s, but originated much earlier, and was extended from piano, to three pianos at once, guitar, big band, and country and western music, and even gospel. Whilst the blues traditionally depicts a variety...
.
In particular, for Okeh, these small jazz-oriented Samuels groups also accompanied several black singers, male as well as female ones including names such as Lucille Hegamin
Lucille Hegamin
Lucille Nelson Hegamin was an American singer and entertainer, and a pioneer African American blues recording artist.-Life and career:...
, Mamie Smith
Mamie Smith
-External links:* African American Registry* with photos* with .ram files of her early recordings* NPR special on the selection on "Crazy Blues" to the 2005...
and Clarence Williams. These accompainments are among the earliest examples of racially mixed jazz recordings in the United States.
Fellow musicians
For his dance band as well as his jazz group recordings, Samuels seems to have relied mainly on the same nucleus of fellow musicians, many of them nearly as little known as their leader.On trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
Samuels generally had Jules Levy Jr.. He was the son of a British-born cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
virtuoso of the same name
Jules Levy
Jules Levy was a cornetist, teacher, and composer.Born in London, England, he reportedly began his study of the cornet with only its mouthpiece; his family could not afford the instrument itself. After immigrating to the United States, he began a significant musical career as a cornet soloist and...
(1838-1903). Like his father, Levy Jr. also performed and recorded as a soloist in concert and military style. He is reported to later have led a band of his own in Hollywood. When a second trumpet appears in Samuel's recordings it is generally Hymie Farberman.
On trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
was Ephraim Hannaford, who had earlier been a member of the religious community called "House of David" and had worked in the various well-known musical aggregations within that group.
On piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
Samuels had Larry Briers, of whom extremely little is known. He is however credited as co-composer on at least one of the tunes recorded by Samuels and also published other songs both during and after the recording career of the Samuels bands ended. His best known work is probably Brother Low Down, written with singer Al Bernard
Al Bernard
Alfred A. Bernard was an American vaudeville singer, known as "The Boy From Dixie", who was most popular during the 1910s through early 1930s.-Life:...
and recorded by Bert Williams
Bert Williams
Egbert Austin "Bert" Williams was one of the preeminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He was by far the best-selling black recording artist before 1920...
among others.
At least Levy, Farberman and Hannaford also took part in recordings with other well-known bandleaders of the 1920s such as Sam Lanin
Sam Lanin
Sam Lanin was an American jazz bandleader.Lanin's brothers, Howard and Lester, were also bandleaders, and all of them had sustained, successful careers in music. Lanin was one of ten children born to Russian-Jewish immigrants who emigrated to Philadelphia in the decade of the 1900s...
, Ben Selvin
Ben Selvin
Benjamin B. Selvin , son of Russian-immigrant Jewish parents, was a musician, bandleader, record producer and innovator in recorded music. He was known as The Dean of Recorded Music....
, Arthur Lange
Arthur Lange
Arthur Lange was a United States bandleader and Tin Pan Alley composer of popular music. He composed music for over 120 films, including Grand Canary and Woman on the Run. Lange shared an Oscar nomination with Hugo Friedhofer for the film The Woman in the Window...
, Harry Reser
Harry Reser
Harry F. Reser was an American banjo player and bandleader. Born in Piqua, Ohio, Reser was best known as the leader of The Clicquot Club Eskimos.- Career :...
and Fred Rich
Fred Rich
Frederic Efrem "Fred" Rich was a Polish-born American bandleader and composer who was active from the 1920s to the 1950s. Among the famous musicians in his band included the Dorsey Brothers, Joe Venuti, Bunny Berigan and Benny Goodman. In the early 1930s, Elmer Feldkamp was one of his...
. Samuels himself on the other hand seems to have recorded for no other leader than himself.
Sources
- Brian Rust: The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942 (New Rochelle, New York 1975)
- Brian Rust: Jazz Records 1897-1942 (5th edition, Chigwell, Essex 1983)