Original Recordings from the Mainspring Press Collection
Fletcher Henderson Before Louis (1923–1924)
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Henderson’s recordings made before Louis Armstrong joined the band in the fall of 1924 are often dismissed by jazz critics, for good reason in many cases. But the best of the pre-Armstrong sides reveal a band already developing a distinctive sound, dominated by Coleman Hawkins’ saxophone work.
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FLETCHER HENDERSON’S ORCHESTRA: Dicty Blues
New York: August 7 or 9, 1923
Vocalion 14654 (mx. 11817)
Original file documentation has not survived for this side. The recording date has been given as August 7 (by Frank Driggs at Columbia) and August 9 (by Brian Rust et al.), with no source cited but Driggs being the note trustworthy.
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FLETCHER HENDERSON’S ORCHESTRA: Charleston Crazy
New York: November 30, 1923
Vocalion 14726 (mx. 12376)
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FLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS SAWIN’ SIX: Lonesome Journey Blues
New York (H.S. Berliner Laboratory): c. December 1923
Ajax 17016 (mx. 31023 – 2)
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FLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS CLUB ALABAM ORCHESTRA: Tea Pot Dome Blues
New York: April 15, 1924
Vocalion (Canadian) 14800 (mx. 13024)
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FLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS CLUB ALABAM ORCHESTRA (Rosa Henderson, vocal): Do That Thing
New York: May 28, 1924
Vocalion 14838 (mx. 13275)
One of the few Henderson sides with a vocal chorus (Rosa and Fletcher were not related). The color barrier might have worked in Henderson’s favor, in that he was spared having his records ruined by studio hacks like Irving Kaufman and Abe “Arthur Fields” Finkelstein, whose vocal choruses are a blight on so many otherwise fine records by White bands.
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FLETCHER HENDERSON’S DANCE ORCHESTRA: Feeling the Way I Do
New York (Independent Recording Laboratory): May 1924
Regal 9658 (mx. 5497 – 1)
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FLETCHER HENDERSON & HIS ORCHESTRA: He’s the Hottest Man in Town
New York: September 8, 1924
Columbia 209-D (mx. 81981 – 3)
From Henderson’s second-to-last session before Louis Armstrong’s arrival. Amstrong made his first recordings with the band on October 7..
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The latest editions of Mainspring Press’ free online discographies are now available on the University of California–Santa Barbara’s DAHR website (click the eBooks tab and select “Mainspring Press Discographies”).
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THE VINTAGE RECORD PLAYLIST: 78-RPM AND CYLINDER RECORDS 
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