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Joe Venuti

Giuseppe "Joe" Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978) was an American jazz musician and pioneer jazz violinist.

Considered the father of jazz violin, he pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with the guitarist Eddie Lang, a friend since childhood. Through the 1920s and early 1930s, Venuti and Lang made many recordings as leader and as featured soloists. He and Lang became so well known for their 'hot' violin and guitar solos that on many commercial dance recordings they were hired to do 12- or 24-bar duos towards the end of otherwise stock dance arrangements. In 1926, Venuti and Lang started recording for the OKeh label as a duet (after a solitary duet issued on Columbia), followed by "Blue Four" combinations, which are considered milestone jazz recordings. Venuti also recorded commercial dance records for OKeh under the name "New Yorkers".

He worked with Benny Goodman, Adrian Rollini, the Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, Jack Teagarden, Frank Signorelli, the Boswell Sisters, and most of the other important white jazz and semi-jazz figures of the late 1920s and early 1930s. However, following Lang's death in 1933, Venuti's career began to wane, though he continued performing through the 1930s, recording a series of commercial dance records (usually containing a Venuti violin solo) for the dime store labels, as well as OKeh and Columbia, plus the occasional jazz small group sessions. He was also a strong early influence on western swing players like Cecil Brower. Many of the 1920s OKeh sides continued to sell and remained in print through 1935 when ARC discontinued the OKeh label and reissued selected sides on the 35-cent Vocalion label (the OKeh label was revived by CBS in 1940).

After a period of relative obscurity in the 1940s and 1950s, Venuti played violin and other instruments with Jack Statham at the Desert Inn Hotel in Las Vegas. Statham headed several musical groups that played at the Desert Inn from late 1961 until 1965, including a Dixieland combo. Venuti was with him during that time, and was active with the Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra during the 1960s. He was 'rediscovered' in the late 1960s. In the 1970s, he established a musical relationship with tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims resulting in three recordings. In 1976, he recorded an album of duets with pianist Earl Hines entitled Hot Sonatas. He also recorded an entire album with country-jazz musicians including mandolinist Jethro Burns (of Homer & Jethro), pedal steel guitarist Curly Chalker and former Bob Wills sideman and guitarist Eldon Shamblin. Venuti died in Seattle, Washington.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 16, 1903 (Philadelphia), Died August 14, 1978 (Seattle)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: violin, leader, composer, director, vocalist, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 76-100 of 136 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W400885 10-in. 7/24/1928 I'm on the crest of a wave New Yorkers ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401159 10-in. 9/27/1928 The blue room Rube Bloom ; Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance quintet, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, leader  
OKeh W401160 10-in. 9/27/1928 Sensation Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance quintet, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401193 10-in. 10/4/1928 Doin' things Eddie Lang ; New Yorkers [Joe Venuti] ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band leader, composer, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401194 10-in. 10/4/1928 I must have that man Eddie Lang ; New Yorkers [Joe Venuti] ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401449 10-in. 12/12/1928 My honey's lovin' arms Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance quintet, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401450 10-in. 12/12/1928 Goin' home Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance quintet, with male vocal solo songwriter, leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401584 10-in. 1/2/1929 That's the good old sunny South Smith Ballew ; New Yorkers ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401585 10-in. 1/2/1929 Weary river Smith Ballew ; New Yorkers ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401846 10-in. 5/2/1929 I'm in seventh heaven Smith Ballew ; New Yorkers [Joe Venuti] ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W401847 10-in. 5/2/1929 Little pal Smith Ballew ; New Yorkers [Joe Venuti] ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W403071 10-in. 10/16/1929 Chant of the jungle New Yorkers [Joe Venuti] ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W403072 10-in. 10/16/1929 That wonderful something (Is love) New Yorkers [Joe Venuti] ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W403078 10-in. 10/18/1929 Running ragged Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance quartet leader, composer, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W403079 10-in. 10/18/1929 Apple blossoms Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance quartet composer, leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404005 10-in. 5/7/1930 Ragging the scale Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance ensemble leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404006 10-in. 5/7/1930 Put and take Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance ensemble leader, composer, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404032 10-in. 5/22/1930 Promises New Yorkers ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404033 10-in. 5/22/1930 Dancing with tears in my eyes New Yorkers ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404431 10-in. 9/6/1930 I am only human after all New Yorkers [Joe Venuti and His New Yorkers] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404432 10-in. 9/6/1930 Out of breath (And scared to death of you) The Four New Yorkers ; Joe Venuti Jazz/ dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404549 10-in. 11/12/1930 I've found a new baby Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance ensemble leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404550 10-in. 11/12/1930 Sweet Sue—just you Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance ensemble leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404940 10-in. 6/10/1931 Pardon me, pretty baby Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance quartet, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
OKeh W404941 10-in. 6/10/1931 Little girl Joe Venuti's Blue Four Jazz/dance quartet, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
(Results 76-100 of 136 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Venuti, Joe," accessed November 6, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103186.

Venuti, Joe. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103186.

"Venuti, Joe." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 6 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103186

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