The origins of jazz itself may go back well into the 19th century, but the origin of jazz on record can be pinpointed exactly to the first recordings made a hundred years ago by a remarkable group of white New Orleans musicians calling themselves The Original Dixieland Jass (later ‘Jazz’) Band. Led by cornettist Nick LaRocca, they created a sensation with their debut Livery Stable Blues, and by the time they topped that with Tiger Rag, Dixieland jazz was sweeping the country. Retrospective salutes these musical pioneers with a survey of the 25 best tracks from their heyday of 1917-1923. This was of course some time before the advent of electrical recording, yet the sheer elan of these thrilling performances transcends any technical limitations. It is altogether remarkable that so many of the ODJB’s own numbers have become jazz standards, still played regularly today. Alongside Tiger Rag, there’s At The Jazz Band Ball, The Original Dixieland One-Step, Fidgety Feet, Clarinet Marmalade and many others. As Louis Armstrong said of their Tiger Rag, “Between you and me it’s still the best” – and you can now enjoy them all anew.

Track listing:
1. Tiger Rag
2. Livery Stable Blues
3. The Original Dixieland One-Step
4. The Darktown Strutters’ Ball
5. Indiana
6. At The Jazz Band Ball
7. Ostrich Walk
8. Skeleton Jangle
9. Bluin’ The Blues
10. Fidgety Feet
11. Sensation Rag
12. Mournin’ Blues
13. Clarinet Marmalade
14. Lazy Daddy
15. Alice Blue Gown
16. Oriental Jazz
17. Margie
18. Palesteena
19. Sweet Mama, Papa’s Getting Mad
20. Home Again Blues
21. Jazz Me Blues
22. St. Louis Blues (Al Bernard – Vocal)
23. Royal Garden Blues (Al Bernard – Vocal)
24. Bow-Wow Blues
25. Some Of These Days