Japanese Sandman Club Tico 081824

Harmony Hotshots Jazz Band

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The Harmony Hotshots is a professional performance and dance jazz band featuring improvisational spontaneous music true to the roots of America’s jazz. We are NoCo’s traditional jazz dance band – come swing with us.

The Harmony Hotshots is also a nurturing band and welcomes good musicians of any age who would like to learn the roots of improvisational jazz, and, of course, we welcome skilled trad players as well.

The Harmony Hotshots works closely with the Northern Colorado Traditional Jazz Society to expand the community of early jazz fans both on-stage and in our ever-growing audience.

This live recording was made August 18, 2024 at Club Tico in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Ted Turner (leader, banjo, vocals), Clark Burnside (clarinet, soprano saxophone), Jesse Mathews (trumpet, Vocals), Wes Melander (bass), Reece Pullen (drums, vocals), Fred Smith (piano), Steve Tyler (trombone, vocals).

We play at Club Tico in cooperation with Cat's Corner Swing.

Video by Ted Turner using a Samsung 23 Ultra cell phone. Audio is multitrack recording using Soundcraft UI24r, and mixed with Harrison Mixbus 10 PRO.

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"The Japanese Sandman" is a popular song composed by Richard A. Whiting with lyrics by Raymond B. Egan. Written in 1920, the song became one of the early jazz and dance hits of the Roaring Twenties and is notable for its exotic themes, reflecting the era's fascination with Asian culture.

Origins
- *Composition:* Richard A. Whiting, a prolific American composer, created the melody for "The Japanese Sandman." Whiting was known for his contributions to American popular music, having composed hits like "Hooray for Hollywood" and "On the Good Ship Lollipop." Raymond B. Egan, a lyricist and frequent collaborator with Whiting, provided the lyrics. Together, they crafted a song that would capture the imagination of audiences with its exotic imagery and catchy melody.
- *Theme:* The title "The Japanese Sandman" refers to a mythical figure who, in the song's narrative, comes at night to take away the day's troubles and replace them with pleasant dreams. The lyrics evoke an image of a serene, almost mystical Japan, in line with the Western fascination with the "Orient" during that period. The song's use of the "sandman" figure, a character from European folklore, combined with Japanese imagery, reflects a blending of cultural elements that was popular in American music at the time.

Early Popularity
- *Sheet Music and Recordings:* "The Japanese Sandman" quickly became popular after its publication in 1920. The sheet music sold widely, and the song was recorded by several prominent artists of the day. One of the most influential early recordings was by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra in 1920, which helped to popularize the tune and introduce it to a broader audience.
- *Dance Craze:* The song's rhythm and melody made it particularly well-suited for dancing, and it became a favorite in dance halls across the United States. Its syncopated rhythm and exotic theme resonated with the public, who were eager for new and exciting forms of entertainment in the post-World War I era.

Jazz Standard
- *Adoption by Jazz Musicians:* "The Japanese Sandman" was quickly adopted by jazz musicians, who appreciated its structure and melody, which lent itself well to improvisation. The song became a standard in the jazz repertoire, performed by many of the leading jazz bands and orchestras of the 1920s and 1930s.
- *Notable Recordings:* In addition to Paul Whiteman's version, the song was recorded by several other prominent musicians, including the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Benny Goodman, and Artie Shaw. These recordings contributed to the song's longevity and its status as a jazz standard.

Musical Characteristics
- *Melody and Harmony:* "The Japanese Sandman" is characterized by its smooth, flowing melody and its use of minor key harmonies, which were intended to evoke a sense of the exotic. The song's structure is typical of popular music of the time, with a verse-chorus form that is easy to follow and memorable.
- *Instrumentation:* In jazz performances, "The Japanese Sandman" is often played with a full jazz ensemble, including brass, woodwinds, and rhythm sections. The song's tempo and rhythm make it ideal for both dancing and listening, and its melody has been adapted and reinterpreted by many musicians over the years.

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