Gramophone live session at Jazzcampus Basel

Abstract

This presentation examines early jazz and related performance practices through historical recordings reproduced on original early twentieth-century gramophones. It asks how reliably early recordings document performance and how strongly recording and playback technologies shape their evidence. A historical overview of acoustic recording is combined with live demonstrations using shellac discs and gramophones. By recreating historical listening conditions, the session explores the effects of technical limitations on recorded sound and offers a critical perspective on relationships among performers, media technologies, and changing musical aesthetics.