What are some good jazzy songs (preferably from the 20s)?
The answers that you have got so far are not correct. I am listening almost every day to that type of music and can give you here some information. First of all, you should know that the recording industry made an important evolution in 1926 / 1927 (it depends on the record label). The recording industry has changed from accoustical recordings (the musicians played into a horn) to the electrical recordings (they played into a microphone). This was giant step for the recording quality (it’s like a jump to the moon). Why am I telling you all this? The reason is that recordings from the accoustical period are not good for a party like atmosphere for that number of people. Even if they didn’t talk they couldn’t hear the music. And that type of music is not suitable for untrained ears either. So you have to concentrate on a period between 1926-1929. First of all check out all the Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings of this period. It’s not only the sound qualitiy which
