The tune that virtually defines a decade in American history known as the Roaring Twenties is “The Charleston.” The words for “The Charleston” are seldom heard in recordings even though the African-American lyricist Cecil Mack has been compared to Irving Berlin in both output and quality. Instead, the music of James P. Johnson is almost always used to introduce and define this decade of American history. Today’s edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion opens with a 1994 wind-band recording of this jazz standard. The recording is by Enoch Light and His Light Brigade band. Indeed, the recording you will hear today was used in the 2011 Woody Allen film “Midnight in Paris.” Although the composer James P. Johnson died in 1955, he is still getting film credits.
- Charleston (1923)
Composer: Cecil Mack (lyrics, 1873-1944) & James P. Johnson (music, 1894-1955)
Performer: Enoch Light & the Light Brigade
Album: Big Hits of the 20s
- Somebody Loves Me (1924)
Composer: George Gershwin (music, 1898-1937), Ballard MacDonald (lyrics, 1882-1935) & Buddy DeSylva (lyrics, 1895-1950)
Performer: Enoch Light & the Light Brigade
Album: Big Hits of the 20s
- Ecce Sacerdos (Behold the Priest, 1885)
Composer: Anton Bruckner (1824-1896), arranged by Thomas Doss
Performer: Concert Band of German Armed Forces
Album: Cape Horn - Cape Horn
Composer: Thomas Doss (1966- )
Performer: Concert Band of German Armed Forces
Album: Cape Horn - Golden Secret
Composer: Otto Schwarz (1967- )
Performer: Concert Band of German Armed Forces
Album: Cape Horn - Mr. Ghost Goes to Town (1936 recording)
Composer: Will Hudson (1908-1981), Mitchell Parish (lyrics, 1900-1993) & Irving Mills (1894-1985)
Performer: Hudson de Lange Orchestra
Album: Swing Time, Vol. 2 - Jimtown Blues
Composer: Charles Davis (1899-1991) & Fred Rose (1897-1954)
Performer: Ben Pollack & His Orchestra
Album: Swing Time, Vol. 2 - Largo from “Caravans”
Composer: Mike Batt (1949- )
Performer: Austrian Army Band Tirol
Album: Trauer-Trost-Hoffnung - Adagio
Composer: Valery Khalilov (1952-2016)
Performer: Austrian Army Band Tirol
Album: Trauer-Trost-Hoffnung - Trauer, Trost, Hoffnung (Sadness, Comfort, Hope)
Composer: Hannes Apfolterer (1962- )
Performer: Austrian Army Band Tirol
Album: Trauer-Trost-Hoffnung