The Harlem Renaissance was a period of extraordinary cultural and artistic growth during the 1920s and 1930s, when Harlem became a center of African American creativity, expression, and innovation. Music was at the heart of this cultural movement. Jazz, blues, ragtime, and popular song filled Harlem's theaters, cabarets, ballrooms, and nightclubs, while recordings carried these new sounds to audiences far beyond New York.
This collection highlights musicians and vocalists whose recordings capture the energy and creativity of the Harlem Renaissance. From Duke Ellington's sophisticated orchestral arrangements and Louis Armstrong's groundbreaking improvisations to the blues of Bessie Smith and the stride piano of James P. Johnson, these recordings document a transformative period in American music.
The musicians represented here helped shape the sound of an era and influenced generations of performers who followed. Through the recordings preserved in the Recorded Sound Archives, listeners can experience the voices, rhythms, and performances that helped make the Harlem Renaissance one of the most significant cultural movements in American history.
Composers, Bandleaders & Pianists
Jazz Instrumentalists
| Louis Armstrong | Sidney Bechet | Chu Berry |
| Benny Carter | Charlie Christian | Dizzy Gillespie |
| Johnny Hodges | Bubber Miley | King Oliver |
| Rex Stewart | Cootie Williams | |
Blues & Vocal Artists
| Ivie Anderson | Mildred Bailey | Pearl Bailey |
| Josephine Baker | Ella Fitzgerald | Adelaide Hall |
| Billie Holiday | Alberta Hunter | Ma Rainey |
| Bessie Smith | Victoria Spivey | Ethel Waters |