Jack Purvis

John Purvis (December 11, 1906 – March 30, 1962) was an American jazz musician.

Purvis was best known as a trumpet player and the composer of Dismal Dan and Down Georgia Way. He was one of the earliest trumpeters to incorporate the innovations pioneered by Louis Armstrong in the late 1920s. He also played trombone and on occasion a number of other instruments professionally (including harp).

Birth and Death Data: Born Kokomo (city in Indiana, United States), Died March 30, 1962 (San Francisco (consolidated city and county in California, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1935

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet, leader, composer, vocalist, songwriter

= 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 BVE-37444 10-in. 3/3/1927 Pretty little thing Whitey Kaufman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus (takes 1-4); unaccompanied (takes 5 and 6) vocalist  
Victor BVE-37446 10-in. 3/4/1927 If tears could bring you back to me (I'd cry my eyes out for you) Whitey Kaufman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio vocalist  
Columbia CO18444 10-in. 12/24/1935 The music goes 'round and 'round Frank Froeba Swing Band ; Jack Purvis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
OKeh W403522 10-in. 12/17/1929 Copyin' Louis Jack Purvis Trumpet solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet, composer  
OKeh W403523 10-in. 12/17/1929 Mental strain at dawn Jack Purvis Trumpet solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet, composer  
OKeh W403859 10-in. 3/18/1930 Stein song (University of Maine) Gotham Collegians [Ted Wallace and his Campus Boys] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
OKeh W403891 10-in. 4/4/1930 Dismal Dan Jack Purvis Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, composer, instrumentalist, trumpet  
OKeh W403892 10-in. 4/4/1930 Poor Richard Jack Purvis Orchestra Jazz/ dance band, with male vocal trio songwriter, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet  
OKeh W403893 10-in. 4/4/1930 Down Georgia way Jack Purvis Orchestra Jazz/ dance band leader, songwriter, instrumentalist, trumpet  
OKeh W403992 10-in. 5/1/1930 What's the use of cryin', baby Jack Purvis Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, trumpet, composer  
OKeh W403993 10-in. 5/1/1930 When you're feelin' blue Jack Purvis Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, trumpet, composer  
OKeh W403994 10-in. 5/1/1930 Be bo bo Jack Purvis Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, songwriter, instrumentalist, trumpet  
OKeh W404443 10-in. 9/16/1930 Sleepy-time gal Seger Ellis Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Purvis, Jack," accessed December 27, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112501.

Purvis, Jack. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112501.

"Purvis, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 27 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112501

External Sources

Wikipedia: Jack Purvis

Discogs: Jack Purvis

Allmusic: Jack Purvis

Grove: Jack Purvis

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Purvis, Jack, 1906-1962 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2004073896

Wikidata: Jack Purvis - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1677165

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/56797419

MusicBrainz: Jack Purvis - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/599dabce-ae56-4dbc-aa6d-387b651da906

Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1593239 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1593239

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

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.