| Artist |
Song |
Album |
Label |
Comments |
| Ethel Waters w. Ben Selvin and his Orchestra |
Heat Wave |
Art Deco: Lovely Ladie of Stage and Screen |
Columbia |
today's show celebrates gay, lesbian and trans performers! |
| Ethel Waters w/ The Dorsey Brother Orchestra |
I Got Rhythm |
Ken Burns' Jazz |
Columbia/Legacy |
|
| Ethel Waters and James P. Johnson |
My Handy Man |
Flashbacks: Hot & Sexy |
Trikont |
|
| Ethel Waters w/ Benny Goodman & His Orchestra |
I Just Couldn't Take It, Baby |
The Incomparable Ethel Waters |
Columbia/Legacy |
|
| Ethel Waters |
Stormy Weather |
The Incomparable Ethel Waters |
Columbia/Legacy |
this was Waters/signature song, written for her by Harold Arlen when he was staff songwriter at the Cotton Club |
| Ethel Waters |
Taking a Chance on Love |
Cabin in the Sky OST |
Rhino |
from CABIN IN THE SKY, w/ dialogue by Waters and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and tap dancing by Bill Bailey |
|
| Alberta Hunter |
Down Hearted Blues |
Alberta Hunter Vol. 1 (1921-1923) |
Document |
rec 1922.written by Hunter, this would become a huge hit for Bessie Smith |
| Albert Hunter & Eubie Blake |
Jazzin' Baby Blues |
Alberta Hunter Vol. 1 (1921-1923) |
Document |
|
| Alberta Hunter w/ Red Onion Jazz Babies |
Everybody Loves My Baby |
Alberta Hunter Vol. 1 (1921-1923) |
Document |
band included Louis Armstrong & Sidney Bechet |
| Alberta Hunter |
You Can't Tell The Difference After Dark |
Alberta Hunter Vol. 4 (1927-1946) |
Document |
Song is about racism: Hunter sings about being judged unfairly because of her skin color. Note also that she calls out Fats Waller, one of the accompanists, late in the song |
| Alberta Hunter |
Fine and Mellow |
Alberta Hunter Vol. 4 (1927-1946) |
Document |
band included Lil Hardin Armstrong on piano |
| Alberta Hunter |
Remember My Name |
Remember My Name OST |
Columbia |
title song from the Robert Altman film. Recorded 1977, 55 years after Hunter's first recording! |
|
| Bessie Smith and Her Down Home Trio |
Aggravatin' Papa |
The Complete Recordings Vol. 1 |
Columbia |
rec 1923 |
| Bessie Smith w/ Louis Armstrong & Fred Longshaw |
St. Louis Blues |
The Complete Recordings Vol. 2 |
Columbia |
I've heard this called the most important recording of the 1920s |
| Bessie Smith w/ Henderson's Hot Six |
Cake Walkin' Babies From Home |
The Complete Recordings Vol. 2 |
Columbia |
1925 Smith's first electric recording |
| Bessie Smith and Her Blue Boys |
Send me To The 'Lectric Chair |
The Complete Recordings Vol. 3 |
Columbia |
|
| Bessie Smith w/ James P. Johnson |
Backwater Blues |
The Complete Recordings Vol. 3 |
Columbia |
1927 this song illustrates what a good accompanist Johnson was & what a good pairing with Smith |
|
| Cole Porter |
You're The Top |
Nipper's Greatest Hits: The 30s, Vol 1 |
RCA |
thanks for requesting Cole Porter! Planning a whole show for his birthday in June and will get him singing "Miss Otis Regrets" before then |
| Billy Tipton |
Sweet Georgia Brown |
Sweet Georgia Brown |
Tops |
Tipton was a trans man who performed in the 40s and 50s and unfortunately only made a few recordings |
|
| Noel Coward |
A Room With A View |
Revue and War Years |
JSP |
rec 1932 |
| Noel Coward |
Something To Do With Spring |
Revue and War Years |
JSP |
rec 1932 |
| Noel Coward |
Sail Away |
Revue and War Years |
JSP |
rec 1951 |
| Noel Coward |
Why Must the Show Go On? |
The Noel Coward Album |
Sony |
recorded live in Las Vegas 1956 |
| Noel Coward |
Mad Dogs and Englishmen |
The Noel Coward |
Sony |
recorded live in Las Vegas 1956 |
|
| The Duke Ellington Orchestra |
Chelsea Bridge |
The Blanton Webster Band |
RCA |
early composition by Billy Strayhorn |
| Duke Ellington Orchestra |
Day Dream |
Lush LIfe |
Red Baron |
Strayhorn on piano |
| Johnny Hodges & Billy Strayhorn |
Your Love Has Faded |
Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn and The Orchestrs |
Verve |
Duke Ellington orchestra led by Hodges & Strayhorn, with Strayorn on piano |
| Billy Strayhorn & Ozzie Bailey |
I Want Something to Live For |
Lush Life |
Red Baron |
Strayhorn p, Bailey v |
| The Duke Ellington Orchestra |
The Star Crossed Lovers (aka Pretty Girl) |
Such Sweet Thunder |
Columbia |
originally written by Strayhorn as "Pretty Girl," revised & renamed for the Ellington Shakespeare Suite |
| Billy Strayhorn |
Lush Life |
Lush Life |
Red Baron |
Strayhorn p and v; written by Strayhorn asa teenager (!) before he met Ellington |
