New Orleans Rhythm Kings
The New Orleans Rhythm Kings (NORK) were one of the most influential jazz bands of the early to mid-1920s. The band included New Orleans and Chicago musicians who helped shape Chicago jazz and influenced many younger jazz musicians. They composed and recorded several jazz standards such as "Bugle Call Rag", "Milenburg Joys", "Farewell Blues", and "Tin Roof Blues". The 1954 pop song "Make Love to Me" was based on their music for "Tin Roof Blues". |
Birth and Death Data: Died Ceased 1925
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1939
Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group, composer
Notes: Previously known as the Friars Society Orchestra. Composition attribution in U.S. Copyright Office files list the group name, as well as the individuals' names: Leon Roppolo, Paul Mares, Benny Pollack, Geo. Brunies, and Mel Stitzel.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | B-32125 | 10-in. | 3/26/1925 | She's cryin' for me | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
| Victor | B-32126 | 10-in. | 3/26/1925 | Everybody loves somebody blues (but nobody loves me) | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
| Victor | BS-024039 | 10-in. | 7/15/1938 | Tin roof blues | Scat Powell ; Willie Farmer Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | BS-031538 | 10-in. | 1/20/1939 | Tin roof blues | Charlie Barnet Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| OKeh | 8902 | 10-in. | 1/23/1925 | Baby | Original New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
| OKeh | 8903 | 10-in. | 1/23/1925 | I never knew what a gal could do | Original New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
| OKeh | 8904 | 10-in. | 1/23/1925 | She's crying for me blues | Original New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
| OKeh | 8905 | 10-in. | 1/23/1925 | Golden leaf strut | Original New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Jazz/dance band | Musical group | |
| Brunswick | E27684 | 10-in. | 6/11/1928 | Tin roof blues | Dixie Syncopators ; King Oliver | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Brunswick | E6658-E6660 | 10-in. | 10/13/1927 | Tin roof blues | Dixie Syncopators ; King Oliver | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Brunswick | E6808-E6809 | 10-in. | 11/18/1927 | Tin roof blues | Dixie Syncopators ; King Oliver | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Brunswick | E7172-E7173 | 10-in. | 2/25/1928 | Tin roof blues | Dixie Syncopators ; King Oliver | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Brunswick | FW1222 | 10-in. | 6/27/1935 | Tin roof blues | Roy Newman and his Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Decca | 38608 | 10-in. | 9/12/1934 | San Antonio shout | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 38609 | 10-in. | 9/12/1934 | Tin roof blues | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 38610 | 10-in. | 9/12/1934 | Panama | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 38611 | 10-in. | 9/12/1934 | Jazz it blues | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 38734 | 10-in. | 9/26/1934 | Bluin' the blues | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 38735 | 10-in. | 9/26/1934 | Ostrich walk | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 38736 | 10-in. | 9/26/1934 | Original Dixieland one-step | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 38737 | 10-in. | 9/26/1934 | Sensation | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 39378 | 10-in. | 2/20/1935 | Baby brown | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 39379 | 10-in. | 2/20/1935 | No lovers allowed | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 39380 | 10-in. | 2/20/1935 | (Oh! Susanna) Dust off that old piano | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group | ||
| Decca | 39381 | 10-in. | 2/20/1935 | Since we fell out of love | New Orleans Rhythm Kings | Musical group |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "New Orleans Rhythm Kings," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105054.
New Orleans Rhythm Kings. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105054.
"New Orleans Rhythm Kings." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: New Orleans Rhythm Kings
Discogs: New Orleans Rhythm Kings
Britannica: New Orleans Rhythm Kings
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: New Orleans Rhythm Kings (1922-1925) - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85237390
Wikidata: New Orleans Rhythm Kings - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1506370
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/129163713
MusicBrainz: New Orleans Rhythm Kings - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b2ad6000-dd97-42b0-acb2-2227efe26d1d
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1468007 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1468007
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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