The Original 1916 Hesitation Blues presented by Zefren

When this song was recorded Ragtime was still the King of popular music, but ragtimes complex harmonies and concrete structure was giving way to the next phase of popular music. The animal dance craze was starting to reach a fever pitch as aspiring composters were trying to discover the next sound. The Turkey trot, bunny hug, the Grizzly bear and the enduring Fox-trot offered people a lightly syncopated structure that was adept at improvisation and band arrangements. Blues songs were also starting to become popular as the younger Americans yearned for the once forbidden blues songs. This recording is one of those early Blues songs arranged in a One Step (go figure) and played by the Victor Military Band in 1916. I suppose if you combine the two styles and add a talented soloist you get the birth of jazz. Still this is an amazing record and the sound is half fast ragtime and a jaunty Blues song so please enjoy and leave comments and suggestions.


Hesitation Blues One Step (Billy Smythe)
Played by the Victor Military band
Victor Record Company with Bat wing Label
18163-A
Acoustically Recorded in 09.15.1916

additional info is at http://victor.library.ucsb.edu/matrix...

Recorded in Shiprock New Mexico Monday, February 22, 2009 on a TTUSB ION turntable.