This week, on Triple-R Radio, Roy journeys back to the dawn of recorded sound for a celebration of Black Musical Pioneers at 78 rpm. He starts in 1911 with the Fisk Jubilee Quartet and winds things up in 1935 with Duke Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood”.
In-between, you’ll hear an eclectic batch of performances from folks like Clifford Hayes’ Louisville Stompers (1927), Bert Williams (1919), Kokomo Arnold (1934), the Spirits Of Rhythm (1933), Noble Sissle & Eubie Blake (1924), Ethel Waters with James P Johnson (1928) and more, all spinning from ten-inch shellac 78 rpm records.
In the middle is a triple-shot of caffeine from the wild man of early Jazz, Cab Calloway. Cab and his band turn in a frenetic performance of “Some Of These Days”, a song written in 1910 by the black Canadian composer and singer, Shelton Brooks. Shelton also penned “Darktown Strutters’ Ball”. Both songs now reside in the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame. Hang on to your hats when the hi-de-ho man takes control of the turntable on RRR.
The spin begins this Sunday, February 19th at 2 PM, MT on donor supported CKUA Radio. Dial in for a celebration of Black Musical Pioneers at 78 rpm on Rooooy’s Record Room, the show that continues to revolve.