How to Build a 1920s Jazz Record Collection

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By elliotfeldman
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I’ve always loved 1920’s hot jazz. My introduction was those brilliant early thirties Fleischer Brothers Betty Boop cartoon, especially those that included musical performances by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Don Redman, and Cab Calloway.

My second major encounter with twenties jazz happened on a visit to the San Francisco Bay Area in the seventies. While radio channel surfing, I found a station that played nothing but twenties hot jazz. I listened to that station for my entire stay, wishing that there was a radio station like that back in my hometown, Detroit.

My third encounter was in the mid-nineties when I discovered the Red Hot Jazz web site. It was (and is) hours and hours of streaming audio plus a full education on the genre. This led me to start my collection.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Computer
Internet Connection

How to Build a 1920s Jazz Record Collection

Step 1

Visit the Step 2

Visit Dismukes’ Virtual Talking Machine web site and listen to Radio Dismukes, a 24-hour online radio station broadcasting nothing but twenties hot jazz.

Step 3

If your city has a large comprehensive independent record store like San Francisco’s Amoeba Music, San Diego’s Lou’s Records, and New Jersey’s Princeton Record Exchange, chances are at least one of the employees will extensive knowledge of vintage jazz and will be able to lead you in the right direction.

If your city doesn’t have a large independent record store, visit online stores specializing in twenties jazz, including Document Records, Yazoo Records, and Proper Records.