When jazz was first recorded- on this day in 1917
- Rob Joyce
- Feb 25
- 2 min read
On February 26, 1917, five white musicians from New Orleans stepped into a New York recording studio and made history-- though not without stirring a debate that still echoes today. The group, the Original Dixieland Jass Band recording "Livery Stable Blues," is widely recognized as the very first recording of jazz. Its wild animal imitations, honking cornet, and stomping rhythms sounded unlike anything audiences had heard before. Within weeks, the disc became a sensation, introducing much of America-- and soon Europe-- to a new musical language called "jass," soon to be spelled jazz.
But from the start, the record carried controversy. Jazz itself had been born in the black communities of New Orleans, shaped by musicians who blended blues, ragtime, spirituals, and brass band traditions, into something vibrant and improvisational. Yet none of those originators had access to recording opportunities at the time. And if they did, like the great Freddie Keppard, they were weary of the new technology "giving" their music away for free.
Along comes the Original Dixieland Jass Band, whose success positioned white performers as the public face of an art form created by African American musicians, reinforcing unfair practices already common in the early recording industry. Many historians now note that black New Orleans bands had been playing this style for years before 1917--they simply weren't invited into studios.
The music recorded on that February morning also fueled debate about what jazz actually was. "Livery Stable Blues" leaned heavily on novelty effects--barnyard noises, comic breaks and tightly arranged ensemble playing-- rather than the freer, blues-infected improvisation associated with early black jazz musicians. Critics then and now have argued that the record captured only a caricature of the music's deeper roots. Like a bad photocopy (making bad copy after bad copy), other white musicians would take up where the Original Dixieland Jass Band left off and continued to misunderstand and misinterpret what "real jazz" sounded like for years to come.
Yet, despite its limitations, the recording undeniably opened doors. Record labels rushed to find more jazz acts, audiences demanded the sound, and the music spread globally at a rapid pace.
So the first jazz record is both a milestone and a mirror of the times. It marks the moment jazz entered the modern media age-- while reflecting the racial barriers and commercial distortions that shaped how America first heard its own most original music. One hundred and nine years later, that February recording session remains a reminder that who gets recorded can matter as much as what gets played.
Have a great week. Rob
Take a listen to the first jazz recording below:
Which early jazz artist do you think most shaped the music we know today? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Always interesting and educational posts.