The 16 selections on this late-'70s LP from
Folkways
cover rags, novelties, dance music, and even a touch of jazz (the
Original Memphis Five
's
"Bees Knees"
). Even with the inclusion of such numbers as
"At a Georgia Camp Meeting"
(by
Sousa's Band
),
"Creole Bells,"
and
"Too Much Mustard,"
most of the selections are obscure and they give listeners a good example of some of the best music that could be found on recordings of the pre-jazz era. The lack of recording dates is unfortunate and the performances are mostly not yet available on CD, but the music brings back the flavor of the era and is still quite listenable. ~ Scott Yanow