Waterson, Berlin & Snyder
"Jean" 1919 Jazz Era Sheet Music by Shelton Brooks | Art Nouveau Cover
"Jean" 1919 Jazz Era Sheet Music by Shelton Brooks | Art Nouveau Cover
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AT A GLANCE
- Title:
- "Jean"
- Performance medium:
- Piano & voice
- Type:
- Sheet music
- Subject:
- Cover Art: Art Nouveau / Early Art Deco Influence
- Artist:
- F S M (Initials only)
- Composer:
- Shelton Brooks (1885–1975)
- Era:
- Jazz Age (1920 - 1935)
- Date:
- 1919
- Publisher:
- Waterson, Berlin & Snyder, New York
- Material:
- Paper
- Dimensions:
- 9" by 12"
- Color:
- Orange, grays, black
- Notes:
- Early African American jazz composer
- Condition:
- Excellent
Low stock: 1 left
An Early Jazz-Era Composition with Striking Orange Art Nouveau Cover
An important example of early Jazz-era publishing and African American musical achievement, offering both cultural history and bold decorative impact.
Composed by Shelton Brooks and published by Waterson, Berlin & Snyder of New York in 1919, Jean, represents a moment of growing recognition for Black composers in early 20th-century American popular music. The back cover features promotional stanzas for You’re a Million Miles from Nowhere by Walter Donaldson, Sam Lewis, and Joe Young — further grounding the piece in its 1919 musical landscape.
Brooks was an influential African American composer of ragtime and early jazz, and this song reflects the transition from late Tin Pan Alley to the emerging Jazz Age. He was widely recognized for his vaudeville-style songwriting and has been called Canada’s first jazz composer.
The cover art features a beautifully stylized illustration of a woman in flowing 1910s fashion, framed by delicate garland vines overlooking a reflecting pool. The palette of warm orange, muted grays, and black creates bold visual contrast that displays exceptionally well.
The sheet music remains in excellent condition, with only a previous owner’s name written lightly in pencil on the cover — easily erased if desired for framing. Housed in a protective sleeve.
This piece with its Art Nouveau influence and vivid Art Deco color palette has exceptional decorative presence and displays beautifully when framed in a music room, study, vintage-inspired living space, or gallery wall.
We ask that when making your purchasing decision that you consider the photos as part of the item's description.
We ask that when making your purchasing decision that you consider the photos as part of the item's description.
We do our best to provide you within the written description as much information, whether it’s the history, manufacturer, or condition, for each item we sell.
We also recognize that a “picture is worth a thousand words” and ask that you view the photos we provide closely. Often, a photo can be more effective than a written description when determining if an item will meet your needs and satisfaction.
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