Richard M. Jones

Richard M. Jones, born Richard Marigny Jones (sometimes written Richard Mariney Jones), (June 13, 1892 – December 8, 1945) was an American jazz pianist, composer, band leader, and record producer. Numerous songs bear his name as author, including "Trouble in Mind".

He was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, United States. Jones grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jones suffered from a stiff leg and walked with a limp; fellow musicians gave him the nickname "Richard My Knee Jones" as a pun on his middle name. In his youth he played alto horn in brass bands. His main instrument, however, became the piano. By 1908, he was playing in Storyville, the red-light district of New Orleans. A few years later, he often led a small band which sometimes included Joe Oliver. Jones also worked in the bands of John Robichaux, Armand J. Piron, and Papa Celestin.

In 1918, Jones moved to Chicago, Illinois. He worked as Chicago manager for publisher and pianist Clarence Williams. Jones began recording in 1923, making gramophone records as a piano soloist, accompanist to vocalists, and with his bands The Jazz Wizards and The Chicago Cosmopolitans. He recorded for Gennett, OKeh, Victor, and Paramount Records in the 1920s. He also worked for OKeh Records as Chicago supervisor of the company's "Race" (African-American) Records for most of the decade. During this period he was the producer of the influential Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings led by cornetist (later trumpeter) Louis Armstrong. In the 1930s, Jones performed a similar management role for Decca.

Richard M. Jones worked for Mercury Records until his death in December 1945 in Chicago, at the age of 53.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 13, 1892, Died December 8, 1945 (Chicago)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer, leader, lyricist, songwriter, arranger, vocalist, speaker

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 154 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-38681 10-in. 6/13/1927 Dark alley Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-38682 10-in. 6/13/1927 Hollywood shuffle Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-38683 10-in. 6/13/1927 Good stuff Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, leader  
Victor BVE-38684 10-in. 6/13/1927 Smoked meat blues Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, leader  
Victor BVE-40820 10-in. 11/7/1927 Jazzin' baby blues Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-40821 10-in. 11/7/1927 African hunch Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-40822 10-in. 11/7/1927 Boar hog blues Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-40823 10-in. 11/7/1927 Who made you cry? (Sugar babe) Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-42930 10-in. 9/7/1928 Trouble in mind Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BVE-48872 10-in. 2/8/1929 Novelty blues Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-48873 10-in. 2/8/1929 New Jersey blues Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance trio composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-48874 10-in. 2/8/1929 Tickle britches blues Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance quartet composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BVE-48875 10-in. 2/8/1929 Baby mine Jazz Wizards ; Richard M. Jones Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BS-100681 10-in. 8/5/1936 Trouble in mind Richard M. Jones Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-100682 10-in. 8/5/1936 Black rider Richard M. Jones Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor BS-030772 10-in. 12/28/1938 29th and Dearborn Ziggy Elman Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor D7VB-2169 10-in. 12/8/1947 Your red wagon Count Basie Orchestra ; Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia 81153 10-in. 7/27/1923 All night blues Fletcher Henderson ; Clara Smith Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano songwriter  
Columbia 81321 10-in. 10/30/1923 Jazzin' babies' blues Johnny Dunn’s Original Jazz Hounds Jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia W142476 10-in. 7/29/1926 Heebie jeebies Ethel Waters and her Jazz Band Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet, trombone, and piano songwriter  
Columbia C1481 10-in. 9/29/1936 Trouble in mind Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys String band, with male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
OKeh 8403 10-in. 6/23/1923 Jazzin' babies' blues King Oliver’s Jazz Band Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh 8477 10-in. October 1923 I ain't gonna tell nobody King Oliver’s Jazz Band Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh 9446 10-in. 11/6/1925 New Orleans shags Richard M. Jones Three Jazz Wizards Jazz/dance trio composer, leader, instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh 9447 10-in. 11/6/1925 Spanish shawl Albert Nicholas ; Richard M. Jones Three Jazz Wizards Clarinet solo, with piano and banjo leader, instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 1-25 of 154 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Jones, Richard M.," accessed March 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106200.

Jones, Richard M.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106200.

"Jones, Richard M.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106200

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