Family & Social Life

Jelly Roll Morton. side 1: They Were Tough Babies; side 2: Georgia Skin Game [part 1] (Circle JM-37/38), from the album, Jelly Roll Morton, Volume 5: Bad Man Ballads (Circle Limited Edition #306).
78 rpm.

This recording is part of a limited edition 45 twelve-inch record set, The Saga of Mr. Jelly Lord. The set is comprised of interviews and musical performances of musician Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton (1890-1941) recorded by American ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax (1915-2002) at the Coolidge Auditorium, Library of Congress, from May 23, 1938 to December 14, 1938. In the interviews, Morton recounts his experiences, both in New Orleans and on the road, as a popular musician of the early twentieth century.

The Saga of Mr. Jelly Lord limited edition record set was issued by Circle Sound Inc., incrementally with two albums every three months, beginning in late 1947. The recordings were pressed on red vinylite. Album design and typography for this set was by Jimmy Ernst (born Hans-Ulrich Ernst, 1920-1984), a German-born American painter.

Benny Goodman and his Sextet. side 1: Rose Room (In Sunny Roseland); side 2: Air Mail Special (Columbia 36720), from the album, Benny Goodman Sextet, (Columbia C-102).
78 rpm. Side 1 was originally recorded in 1939 and released on Columbia 35254. Side was originally recorded in 1941 and released on Columbia 36099. This album was released in 1944.

The cover art for this album was made by Alex Steinweiss. Alexander “Alex” Steinweiss (1917-2011) was an American artist and graphic designer. He was the first art director of Columbia Records, expanding the use of album covers and cover art. Steinweiss created album cover art from 1938 to 1973.

Golden Gate Quartet. side 1: Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho; side 2: Wade in the Water (Columbia 37833), from the album, Golden Gate Spirituals (Columbia C-145).
78 rpm.

The cover art for this album was made by Robert M. Jones (1913-1993) an American graphic designer and printmaker. Jones worked as art director for Columbia Records from 1945-1953, then for RCA Victor and affiliated labels.

Benny Goodman Sextet. side 1: Tiger Rag; side 2: Ain't Misbehavin' (Columbia 36922), from the album, Goodman Sextet Session (Columbia C-113).
78 rpm. Both tracks were recorded in 1945. This album was released in 1946.

The album art and design was created by George Howard Maas (1910-1998), an American commercial artist, graphic artist and designer, and art director. Originally from Kansas City, Maas studied at the University of Kansas at Lawrence. In 1939, he was employed as a painter in the WPA (Works Project Administration). By the early 1940s, Maas had moved to New York City where he continued his career with much success creating cover art for albums, book design and illustrations, and poster art.

Jelly Roll Morton. side 1: Jelly Roll and Jack the Bear [part 1]; side 2: Jelly Roll and Jack the Bear [part 2] (Circle JM-61/62), from the album, Jelly Roll Morton, Volume 9: Alabama Bound (Circle Limited Edition #306).
78 rpm.

This recording is part of a limited edition 45 twelve-inch record set, The Saga of Mr. Jelly Lord. The set is comprised of interviews and musical performances of musician Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton (1890-1941) recorded by American ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax (1915-2002) at the Coolidge Auditorium, Library of Congress, from May 23, 1938 to December 14, 1938. In the interviews, Morton recounts his experiences, both in New Orleans and on the road, as a popular musician of the early twentieth century.

The Saga of Mr. Jelly Lord limited edition record set was issued by Circle Sound Inc., incrementally with two albums every three months, beginning in late 1947. The recordings were pressed on red vinylite. Album design and typography for this set was by Jimmy Ernst (born Hans-Ulrich Ernst, 1920-1984), a German-born American painter.

Tootle was written by Gertrude Crampton with illustrations by Tibor Gergely, published by Golden Press in New York, New York, in 1945, 25th reprint in 1971.

Born in Budapest, Hungary into a middle-class Jewish family, Tibor Gergely (1900-1978) was captivated by art and culture at a young age. Known as a graphic illustrator and a caricature artist, Gergely’s early works documented Jewish life before the rise of Hitler. By 1939 the political situation in Europe was dire, and Gergely and his wife immigrated to America. They settled in New York and his love affair with the city never waned. He was enchanted with his new life in a postwar New York that included skyscrapers, rushing traffic and the excitement of life in the big city.

By 1940 Gergely was working for the American Artists and Writers Guild and became a popular illustrator for Little Golden Books, providing drawings for more than seventy books, including illustrations for The Taxi that Hurried, Make Way for the Thruway, Five Little Firemen and Tootle. His portrayals of America's rapidly expanding transportation systems and the recognition of public servants foretold the dramatic social and cultural events that would impact American society in the 1950s.

side 1: The Baby Dodds Trio. Wolverine Blues; side 2: Baby Dodds. Drum Improvisation (No. 1) (Circle J-1001), from the album, A Session With Baby Dodds (Circle S-17).
78 rpm.

Album design was by Jimmy Ernst (born Hans-Ulrich Ernst, 1920-1984), a German-born American painter.

Kid Ory and his Creole Jazz Band. side 1: Eh, La Bas; side 2: Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho (Columbia 37275), from the album, New Orleans Jazz (Columbia C-126).
78 rpm. Both tracks were recorded in 1946. The album was released in 1947.

Jim (James) Flora (1914-1998) created the cover art for this album. Flora was a successful commercial illustrator during the 1940s-1970s as well as an author and illustrator for children’s books. He was best known for his unique and quirky album cover art for RCA Victor and Columbia during the 1940s and 1950s. Flora created numerous paintings, drawings, etchings and sketches throughout his prolific career.