Dixieland

Dixieland on vinyl: jazz from New Orleans

In short: Dixieland is the name for early jazz from New Orleans as it emerged in the early 20th century: trumpet, clarinet and trombone improvise at the same time over banjo, tuba or bass and drums. Today the term is disputed, and many prefer to speak of New Orleans jazz or traditional jazz. The Vinyl Room currently has 23 Dixieland records.

What is Dixieland?

Everyone plays at once – and yet it fits: right at the start stand Louis Armstrong with King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, here with recordings from 1923, and Jelly Roll Morton.

From the forties a revival brought the old masters back: clarinettist George Lewis with his New Orleans Stompers, trombonist Kid Ory and Sidney Bechet, who can be heard with Albert Nicholas on “Creole Reeds”.

What to look for

Many recordings are older than the record they appeared on – often shellac-era collections on LP. Label, catalogue number and year of release help you tell which edition you have – it’s noted with each copy.

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→ George Lewis And His New Orleans Stompers · Swing · Big band · Jazz on vinyl · Grading explained

FAQ

What is Dixieland? Early jazz from New Orleans with horns improvising at the same time.

Why is the term disputed? “Dixie” refers to the southern states of the US; many therefore prefer to speak of New Orleans jazz or traditional jazz.

Who played in King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band? Among others the young Louis Armstrong.

Are these original recordings from the twenties? Partly – many recordings are older than the LP they appeared on here.