Original Dixieland Jass Band, “Dixie Jass Band One Step/Livery Stable Blues,” Victor (US), Label #18255, 10” 78rpm, 1917.

Recorded February 26th, 1917 and released a week later on March 5th on Victor, this record is arguably considered the first jazz record to be released. It sold for 75 cents and sold a substantial number of copies. Many other recording labels and bands followed suit and more and more recordings of jazz arose between 1917 and 1920. This copy is not particularly rare, but stands as the beginning of a comprehensive collection of jazz owned by Tolley.

The Original Dixieland Jass Band consisted of five members from New Orleans, all of whom were white. Despite none of the members being particularly skilled at improvising, the band’s lively performances and upbeat tunes captivated audiences in person as well as listeners of phonograph records. Music of this style had existed and thrived amongst African-American musicians in New Orleans for years prior and it is thought that the band largely copied and simplified this music for their own abilities. Because of their success, it is also likely that recording labels became open to recording African-American bands to further exploit the growing interest in what would become jazz.

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