Bob Zurke

Bob Zurke (January 7, 1912 – February 16, 1944) was an American jazz pianist, arranger, composer and briefly a bandleader during the Swing era.

Birth and Death Data: Born Detroit (city in and county seat of Wayne County, and largest city in State of Michigan, United States), Died February 16, 1944 (Los Angeles (seat of Los Angeles County, and largest city in California, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, director, composer, arranger

Notes: His nickname, "The Ole Tom Cat of the Keys," appears on disc labels and Victor ledgers.

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 161 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-038282 10-in. 7/18/1939 Southern exposure Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, composer  
Victor BS-038283 10-in. 7/18/1939 It's me again Delta Rhythm Band ; Claire Martin ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-038284 10-in. 7/18/1939 Each time you say goodbye (I die a little) Delta Rhythm Band ; Claire Martin ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-038285 10-in. 7/18/1939 Hobson Street blues Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, composer  
Victor BS-040451 10-in. 9/26/1939 Faithful forever Delta Rhythm Band ; Claire Martin ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-040452 10-in. 9/26/1939 Tom-cat on the keys Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-040453 10-in. 9/26/1939 It's a hap-hap-happy day Delta Rhythm Band ; Claire Martin ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-040454 10-in. 9/26/1939 Everybody step Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-041536 10-in. 8/10/1939 Melancholy mood Delta Rhythm Band ; Claire Martin ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, arranger  
Victor BS-041537 10-in. 8/10/1939 Between the devil and the deep blue sea Bob Zurke Orchestra ; Claire Martin ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-041538 10-in. 8/10/1939 Honky tonk train Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, arranger  
Victor BS-041539 10-in. 8/10/1939 I found a new baby Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, arranger  
Victor BS-043995 10-in. 12/15/1939 Somebody told me Delta Rhythm Boys ; Evelyn Poe ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-043996 10-in. 12/15/1939 Between 18th and 19th on Chestnut Street Sterling Bose ; Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-043997 10-in. 12/15/1939 Pinch me Delta Rhythm Band ; Evelyn Poe ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-043998 10-in. 12/15/1939 Holy smoke (Can't ya take a joke?) Delta Rhythm Band ; Gus Ehrman ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-043999 10-in. 12/15/1939 Nickle nabber blues Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-044030 10-in. 10/30/1939 Fit to be tied Delta Rhythm Band ; Claire Martin ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-044031 10-in. 10/20/1939 Peach Tree Street Sterling Bose ; Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-044032 10-in. 10/20/1939 Cuban boogie woogie Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-044033 10-in. 10/20/1939 On a little street in Singapore Delta Rhythm Band ; Claire Martin ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-044633 10-in. 1/18/1940 You hit my heart with a bang Delta Rhythm Band ; Evelyn Poe ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-044634 10-in. 1/18/1940 Tea for two Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-044635 10-in. 1/18/1940 Put your little foot there Delta Rhythm Band ; Evelyn Poe ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-044636 10-in. 1/18/1940 I love you much too much Delta Rhythm Band ; Evelyn Poe ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 1-25 of 161 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Zurke, Bob," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109745.

Zurke, Bob. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109745.

"Zurke, Bob." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109745

External Sources

Wikipedia: Bob Zurke

Discogs: Bob Zurke

Allmusic: Bob Zurke

Grove: Bob Zurke

IMDb: Bob Zurke

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Zurke, Bob, 1912-1944 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no93028471

Wikidata: Bob Zurke - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q888343

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/32185044

MusicBrainz: Bob Zurke - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/c7866f68-f8e0-44ac-8098-14d9a0b9dbd8

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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