Isham Jones

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Isham Jones, 1922
Isham Jones, 1922

Isham Jones (31 January 1894 – 19 October 1956) was a United States bandleader, violinist, bassist and songwriter.

Jones was born in Coalton, Ohio, and grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, where he started his first band. In 1915 he moved to Chicago, Illinois, which remained his base through 1924. After that he toured England before reestablishing himself in New York City.

The Isham Jones band made a series of popular gramophone records for Brunswick throughout the 1920s. Isham Jones led one of the most popular dance bands in the 1920s and 1930s. Noted musicians who played in Jones' band included Louis Panico, Benny Goodman (although he did not make any records during the short time he was with them), Woody Herman and Roy Bargy.

There was a gap from October 1927 to June 1929 where Jones did not record (probably due to disbanding and reorganization).

From 1929 to 1932, his Brunswick recordings became even more sophisticated with often very interesting arrangements (probably by Gordon Jenkins; Jones was not known to have been an arranger, but he certainly had an ear for offbeat arrangements). During this period, Jones started featuring violinist Eddie Stone as one of his regular vocalists. Stone had an unusual, almost humorous tone to his voice. It seems that Jones was indifferent to vocalists until he started using Frank Sylvano and Eddie Stone starting in 1929 and in 1932, Joe Martin. About this time, a young Bing Crosby recorded "Sweet Georgia Brown" with Isham's group. Crosby at this point in his career was still singing in a jazz idiom, not yet in his better known "crooner" style.

In 1932, Jones signed with Victor and these records are generally considered among the very best arranged and performed commercial dance band records of the Depression era. Victor's recording technique was especially suited to Jones' band. His Victors had an almost symphonic sound. He stayed with Victor until July 1934, when he signed with Decca. (Jones' recordings during this period rivaled Paul Whiteman and other dance orchestras as examples of the very best dance music of the era.)

Jones' compositions (he wrote the music, Charles Newman and Gus Kahn were among his lyricists ) included:

  • "I'll See You in My Dreams"
  • "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)"
  • "Swingin' Down The Lane"
  • "On the Alamo"
  • "It Had To Be You"
  • "What's The Use?"
  • "Not A Cloud In The Sky"
  • "Spain"
  • "You're Just A Dream Come True" (his theme song)
  • "I Wouldn't Change You For The World"
  • "Let That Be A Lesson To You"
  • "I Can't Believe It's True"
  • "One Little Word Led To Another"
  • "The Wooden Soldier And The China Doll" (strangely, Jones did not record this song)
  • "I'll Never Have To Dream Again"
  • "Pretending You Care"
  • "There's Nothing Left To Do But Say Goodbye"
  • "You've Got Me Crying Again"
  • "Old Lace"
  • "Something Seems To Tell Me"
  • "All Mine, Almost"
  • "You're Welcome"
  • "Bubbles In The Wine"
  • "There Is No Greater Love"

After he left Decca, he signed with ARC and recorded a handful of records under the Melotone, Perfect and Banner labels from 1937 to 1938, when he retired and his orchestra was taken over by band member Woody Herman.

Isham Jones died in Hollywood, Florida in 1956. His grand-nephew is the noted jazz drummer Rusty Jones.

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