About Us | Contact | Subscribe

Home: 20's Jazz

Sensation

Joe Venuti's Blue Four

Eddie Lang, Jimmy Dorsey, Joe Venuti, Paul Graselli, Rube Bloom

Subscribe to 20's Jazz

Navigation:

Home

Back

More videos like this

Recorded in New York City on September 27th 1928 featuring Joe Venuti violin & leader, Jimmy Dorsey clarinet, alto, & baritone sax, Rube Bloom piano & vocals, Eddie Lang guitar, and Paul Graselli drums.

*"Sensation" was composed by Eddie Edwards.

"Sensation" (aka "Sensation Rag") was written by "Original Dixieland Jazz Band" trombonist Eddie Edwards. The tune was first committed to record by the group on June 25th 1918 and subsequently released by RCA Victor as the flip side to their rendition of "Bluin' the Blues".

Sounding a bit like celebrated crooner Bing Crosby, pianist Rube Bloom launches into all inspired (if not overly enthusiastic) scat singing joined at first by the combination of guitar, violin, & saxophone from other member's of the band. Following a barrage of hot stringed instrumentation, Bloom takes on the role of featured vocalist once more for a somewhat frantic lyrical rant of a chorus. Upon listening to his performance one can't help but wonder exactly how many "takes" were actually required to get this one right. Once again his voice gives way to Venuti's violin and the guitar of Eddie Lang, but this time after one chorus the pianist is given an opportunity to play a sensational solo of his own. What is perhaps the final noteworthy event of this recording takes place directly after Rube's solo, with the forcefully welcome interjection of Jimmy Dorsey's baritone saxophone. It's no wonder why he was one of the leading white saxophonists based out of New York at the time. -Matt Chauvin