The All-Star Trio or All Star Trio was a musical ensemble consisting of George Hamilton Green on the xylophone along with Frank Banta or Victor Arden[1] on the piano and F. Wheeler Wadsworth on the saxophone.[2] It was among the most popular musical outfits of the very early Jazz Age.[1] Their music was promoted as "dance music".[3]
All-Star Trio | |
|---|---|
 All-Star Trio in 1918 at their car | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | All Star Trio |
| Genres | Pop music |
| Years active | 1918–1923 |
| Labels |
|
History
editThe group began recording in 1918.[4] In 1920 they toured in support of the Aeolian Vocalion company.[5] Their popularity was such that their recordings were released overseas by His Master's Voice in their French catalog.[6] The trio made additional recordings for Brunswick Records,[7] Edison Records,[8] Lyric Records[9] Okeh Records,[10] and Pathé Records.[11] However, they are most associated with the Victor Records label, and are prominently featured in Victor advertising of the era. Joel Whitburn, in his chart recreations, estimates that the Trio had the equivalent of 6 top-20 hits between 1919 and 1921, including "I'll Say She Does", "I Want a Daddy Who Will Rock Me to Sleep", "Poor Little Butterfly Is a Fly Gal Now", "You'd Be Surprised", "Swanee", and "Moonbeams", all for Victor.[12]
Style
editRecorded performances are usually performed in March-style, played "straight" through the first strain, and then the second strain would include improvisation, increased rhythmic values, and often a melodic tempo speeding of up to four-times the original timing.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Rust, Brian (1974). The Dance Bands. Arlington House. p. 23. ISBN 9780870002724.
- ^ a b Becker, Bob (2000). Modern Improvising and Application of Ideas to Melody (introduction). Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 2. ISBN 9780634055508.
- ^ Gracyk, Tim; Hoffman, Frank W. (1997). The encyclopedia of popular American recording pioneers, 1895-1925. Tim Gracyk. p. 1885.
- ^ Hoffman, Frank; Cooper, B. Lee; Gracyk, Tim (2012). Popular American Recording Pioneers: 1895-1925. Routledge. p. 149. ISBN 9781136592294.
- ^ "Talking Machine Stars to Give Concerts Here". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. October 10, 1920.
- ^ Kelly, Alan (1990). His Master's Voice: The French Catalogue : a Complete Numerical Catalogue of French Gramophone Recordings Made from 1898 to 1929 in France and Elsewhere by the Gramophone Company Ltd. ABC-CLIO. p. 467. ISBN 9780313273339.
- ^ Laird, Ross (2001). Brunswick Records: Other non-U.S. recordings and indexes. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 1669. ISBN 9780313318696.
- ^ Steffen, David J. (2005). From Edison to Marconi: The First Thirty Years of Recorded Music. McFarland. p. 197. ISBN 9780786451562.
- ^ Brooks, Tim (2004). Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890-1919. University of Illinois Press. p. 435. ISBN 9780252090639.
- ^ Laird, Ross; Rust, Brian A. L.; Rust, Brian (2004). Discography of OKeh Records, 1918-1934. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 706. ISBN 9780313311420.
- ^ "Week's Phonograph Records". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cleveland, OH. June 20, 1920. p. 63.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. p. 22. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
External links
edit- All Star Trio recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
- The All-Star Trio at the National Jukebox