Karavan - Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra (1920)

"Karavan"

Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra

Victor 18662

Song by Abe Olman and Rudy Wiedoeft

He was born Joseph Cyrus Smith in 1883 in Sag Harbor, New York.

Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra was successful from 1917 to 1921, reaching its peak popularity around 1919-1920, with Victor issuing new Smith discs almost every month.

Smith's was the first "name" dance band to earn fame through records. He paved the way for Paul Whiteman, whose own success and innovations contributed to Smith's decline by 1921.

Before Smith's debut, dance records that sold well had been made by studio bands with generic names, such as the Victor Military Band, or by bands that already enjoyed fame as touring ensembles, such as Conway's Band. Jim Europe made dance records a few years before Smith, but Europe was invited to make records because he had already won fame as a band leader; moreover, Europe's records did not sell well.

Labels on many Smith records have the phrase "for dancing" or "dance music." It recorded fox trots, one-steps, and waltzes, a few featuring a vocal refrain contributed by a Victor studio singer. Although musicians varied, generally eight instruments were used, a combination of violin (Smith was a violinist), viola, piano, cello, trombone, cornet, drums.

Smith's Orchestra began recording for the Victor Talking Machine Company on September 25, 1916. From this session came "Songs of the Night" (the Victor Dance Orchestra is on the reverse side). It was issued in December 1916. Victor's monthly supplement calls the orchestra "a new organization...popular with New York dancers." "Money Blues" was also recorded at this session but was held for a few months, and that session's take of a Cole Porter song went unissued.

The orchestra was featured at New York's Plaza Hotel. It is unknown who the musicians were, but Hugo Frey was probably the pianist at the first session because Frey's composition "Money Blues" was recorded. Frey was a regular member of Smith's ensemble and its most important one aside from director Smith since Frey was a skilled composer as well as a talented pianist. On a few labels Frey is credited for his piano work.

Another sideman was Maurice Benavente, whose bass clarinet work is notable. Jack Wasserman played saxophone during at least some sessions. When Wasserman in 1924 recorded with Jack Shilkret's Orchestra, advertisements placed in trade journals by the Buescher Band Instrument Company described Wasserman as "formerly with Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra...He is rated one of the best players of the High Soprano Saxophone and rates with the very best players on three other sizes of Saxophone."