Music · 1919
Post-War Jazz Echoes and Early Pop Hits
In 1919, as the world emerged from World War I, vibrant jazz rhythms and Tin Pan Alley melodies swept across dance halls in America and Europe. From the transatlantic arrival of hot jazz to record-shattering sheet music, music provided a joyous antidote to a recovering globe.
- George Gershwin • Hit Composition
Swanee
Written in 30 minutes on a bus, this catchy tune became George Gershwin's first massive hit when Al Jolson added it to his musical Broadway show.
- Eddie Cantor • Vocal Single
You'd Be Surprised
Written by Irving Berlin for the Ziegfeld Follies, Eddie Cantor's cheeky vocal recording sold over a million copies of records and sheet music.
- Live Tour • London, UK
Original Dixieland Jazz Band London Tour
Bringing American jazz across the Atlantic, the group sparked a British dance craze with their historic opening performances at the London Hippodrome.
- Sidney Bechet • Concert Debut
Sidney Bechet UK Debut with the SSO
Virtuoso clarinetist Sidney Bechet stunned European audiences during the Southern Syncopated Orchestra tour, earning praise from classical conductor Ernest Ansermet.
- Marion Harris • Blues Single
A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Marion Harris cemented her legacy as a pioneer of recorded jazz and blues with her expressive Victor recording of Eddie Green's classic song.
- Clarence & Spencer Williams • Composition
Royal Garden Blues
Published in 1919, this foundational jazz standard introduced one of the earliest popular riff-based chord progressions in music history.
- Lil Hardin Armstrong • Band Debut
Lil Hardin Joins King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band
Trained pianist Lil Hardin joined King Oliver's ensemble at Chicago's Dreamland Cafe, establishing a crucial partnership in early jazz history.
- Ben Selvin & His Orchestra • Hit Single
I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
Originally composed for a Broadway revue, Ben Selvin's novelty waltz recording became a massive post-war sensation and enduring international favorite.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?