Okeh Race Records: The Blue Book of Blues

(New York): Okeh Phonograph Corp, 1928. Paperback. Very Good. grainy photos and 1 illustration (all small), 32p. (cover included in pagination). Softcover in original wrapper. 18 cm. Modest browning around edges on cover. Printed on light blue paper. Form No. 2649, Okeh Phonograph Corp., N.Y. (last line on bottom of back cover). The paper on which this catalog feels much later than 1928 which makes us suspect that is a reprint done in the 1970s or so. The grainy photos several featured recording artists: Butterbeans and Susie; Lonnie Johnson; Sara Martin; Eva Taylor; Victoria Spivey; Sippie Wallace; Laura Smith; Bertha "Chippie" Hill; Rev. J.M. Gates; Arizona Dranes (just a sketch); Clarence Williams and His Washboard Orchestra; and Louis Armstrong. The booklet concludes with a "Complete Alphabetical List" (by title) on pages 23-32. Okeh Records was a record label used by General Phonograph Corporation, a white-owned company. A series of "race" records was issued under the Okeh Records label between 1921 and 1931. Okeh's "race" series was supervised by Clarence Williams (also one of the recording stars) and Richard M. Jones, also an African American. Louis Armstrong identified as "Exclusive Okeh Artist" which appears to have been true from 1925-1928.