Anthology: The Last Recording Pioneer
Irving Kaufman

A long-forgotten and overlooked personality of the entertainment industry, Irving Kaufman was among the most popular, active, and versatile singers in recording history. He sang on countless phonograph records and worked with such legends as Billy Murray, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Sophie Tucker, and later, Tiny Tim. His recorded output spanned longer than virtually any other artist—from 1914 to 1974.

This CD represents Irving’s incredible 60-year span of activity, beginning from his first acoustic recordings in 1914 to the final cuts made in his home in August 1974. The booklet includes several rare photographs, some contributed by Irving’s family, and features detailed liner notes by Kaufman expert Ryan Barna, examining both the professional and personal life of this legendary performer.

Solid Acoustic-Era Credentials

Most people who remember Kaufman know him from his appearances as guest vocalist on dance and jazz records from the late 1920s through the 1940s. But Irving’s career goes all the way back to 1914, when he made his first records for Edison’s new cylinder format, the Blue Amberol. Kaufman’s very first record was “I Love the Ladies,” and within a year he was also making top hits for Victor with “Underneath the Japanese Moon” (from the Ziegfeld Follies of 1914) and “They Don’t Hesitate Anymore.” By 1916, Irving was helping to usher in the Jazz Age for Columbia with “Mr. Jazz Himself,” and before long, he was featured on practically every label in existence.

Big-Name Partners

As a new artist, Irving was given a great boost by being paired with the old pro Billy Murray on “Are You from Dixie? (‘Cause I’m from Dixie Too).” At the same time he was teamed with the famous vaudeville duo of Smith and Dale in the new Avon Comedy Four. They waxed several classics in the mid-1910s, such as the Jolson vehicle, “You’re a Dangerous Girl.” But that wasn’t all. With his brother Jack, already an established star, Irving made many popular recordings, including the hottest hit of 1922, “Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Shean.” When Jack and Irving ventured out for a trio, they called on songwriter and recording star Arthur Fields to form The Three Kaufields. On Anthology you can hear them sing the Sissle, Blake and Europe song, “Goodnight Angeline.” Other great collaborations include the timeless “Hail! Hail! The Gang’s All Here,” which Irving sings with the Columbia (a.k.a. Peerless) Quartet, and “You Took Advantage of Me,” which demonstrates the crooning style that Irving put on for this delicious duet with “The Original Radio Girl,” Vaughn De Leath.

Comedy Classics and Hot Jazz

Irving Kaufman was called on to do Jolson-esque or Cantor-like renditions of current hit songs. But he left a lasting impression on the likes of the phenomenal “I’m All Bound ‘Round with the Mason Dixon Line” and the impish “You’d Be Surprised.” Irving also gave definitive performances of the obscure World War I number, “Oh! Susie Behave,” “Take Your Girlie to the Movies” (rivaling Billy Murray’s version), and the Eddie Cantor-composed “My Yiddisha Mammy.” The latter, played in a minor chord, is filled with a curious but infectious blend of novelty and pathos. Besides singing comedy, Kaufman became the phonograph industry’s favorite vocalist on jazz and dance refrains in the 1920s. He does a turn on Eubie Blake’s hot piano solo, “Sweet Lady,” gives a shout-out on Bailey’s Lucky Seven’s version of “Yes! We Have No Bananas,” and delivers a blistering performance of “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby.” You will agree that Irving Kaufman is one of the most versatile of early recording stars.

A Snapshot from Kaufman’s Twilight Years

We are lucky to hear examples of Irving Kaufman’s singing as he neared retirement and from his final years. “That’s the Good Old Sunny South” shows him at his peak, aged 39, in full control of his comic timing and dialect skills. Nearly two decades later, from 1946, Kaufman sang “In the Good Old Summertime” like a young man, not someone who had seen as many years as he. Then, from 1947 and just before his heart attack, Irving gave a silky rendition of the old classic, “Think It Over Mary,” with the Dandies serving as backup vocalists. Our Anthology concludes in 1974, at Irving’s home, as The Last Recording Pioneer sang an emotional “God Bless America” for producer Paul Nehrich to the piano accompaniment of Mrs. Irving Kaufman, the former Belle Brooks.

Don’t miss out on this fabulous collection, that is as cheerful as it is intriguing!

This release is included in the following packages.