Gershwin and Porter are well documented, so I’ll focus here on the now less well-known Rube Bloom.

Reuben Bloom was an American songwriter, pianist, arranger, band leader, recording artist, vocalist, and author.

He worked with many well-known performers, including Bix Beiderbecke, Joe Venuti, Ruth Etting, Ray Miller, Miff Mole, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey.

He collaborated with a wide number of lyricists, including Johnny Mercer, Ted Koehler, and Mitchell Parish.

During the 1920s he wrote many novelty piano solos.

He recorded for the Aeolian Company’s Duo-Art reproducing piano system including his “Spring Fever”.

His first hit, which we hear with play today was ‘Soliloquy’ (19270. His last was ‘Here’s to My Lady’ in 1952, which he wrote with Johnny Mercer.

In 1928, he made records with Joe Venuti’s Blue Four for OKeh, including five songs he sang, as well as played piano.

Bloom formed and led bands during his career, most notably Rube Bloom and His Bayou Boys, which recorded three records in 1930, considered some of the best made early in the Depression.

The Bayou Boys was an all-star studio group with Benny Goodman, Adrian Rollini, Tommy Dorsey and Mannie Klein.

Bloom played with Bix Beiderbecke and Frankie Trumbauer in the Sioux City Six.

Bloom published several books on piano method during his lifetime.