Irving Kaufman (singer)

Irving Kaufman (actually Isidore Kaufman, born February 8, 1890 in Syracuse (New York); † January 3, 1976 in Indio, California ) was an American singer who enjoyed his greatest popularity in the 1920s.

Life and work

Kaufman was the son of Russian Jewish immigrants and a member of the Kaufman Brothers, which he formed with his brothers Phillip and Jack. First, he sang in various circuses and movie theaters, tenor was in Jenny Eddy Trio and ultimately lead singer in the 50-strong Merrick 's band. In 1911 he came to New York to work as Songplugger for Sheet Music publishers. 1914 Kaufman played first record for the label Victor ( Are You From Dixie, with Billy Murray ) Columbia, Vocalion, Gennett, Edison, Harmony, Elvet clays, Brunswick, ( Ol ' Man River ), banner (St. Louis Blues ), Okeh and Perfect one. For Edison and RCA Victor, he recorded under his own name, for other labels he used a number of non- Jewish-sounding pseudonyms. Occasionally, as in the case of the title Broadway Bell - Hops from 1927, he was only as a vocal chorus behannt; often he was listed with vocal refrain by George Beaver on the Cheap labels.

Kaufman was a singer in vaudeville style and certainly not a jazz singer. Nevertheless, he was on his records accompanied by leading jazz musicians of the time such as Bix Beiderbecke, Frank Trumbauer, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Red Nichols, Miff Mole and Eddie Lang. He was one of the most prominent singers of the 1920s. In the 1930s and 1940s, his success was after; yet the producer Joe Davis booked him into the 40s for various nostalgia bands. The highlight of this phase was his appearance in Kurt Weill's Street Scene on Broadway. After a heart attack, he finished in 1949 his career and made until 1974, no further recordings, when he published a 2-LP set titled Reminisce with Irving Kaufman, mostly transcriptions of his earlier recordings, but also some new recordings, where he launched the second of its Mrs. Belle Brooks (1904-1993) was accompanied. He spent his retirement in Palm Springs ( California). He died in early January 1976.

Disco Graphical Notes

• Anthology - The Last Recording Pioneer ( Archeophone, 1914-1923), with Bix Beiderbecke, Billy Murray, Jack Kaufman, Eubie Blake