The Charleston City All-Stars – The Roaring 20’s album art
![The Roaring 20’s Special Edition, G.A. 33-602, 1957. Illustration by John Groth. Track names in No. 2, with and Bold Italic for small bits. [More info on Discogs]](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/115/115053/115053.jpeg?filename=50016679942_87add14724_4k.jpg)
The Roaring 20’s Special Edition, G.A. 33-602, 1957. Illustration by John Groth. Track names in Alternate Gothic No. 2, with Franklin Gothic and Venus Bold Italic for small bits. [More info on Discogs]
The Roaring 20’s is a series of records with “great hit songs of the 20’s, excitingly performed by Enoch Light and the Charleston City All-Stars”. It was started by Grand Award Records in 1955. Most of the covers shown here were designed for pressings from 1957: four LPs, a double LP, and a 7″ EP. The series also included the EPs Vol. 7, Vol. 8 and Vol. 9, some of them with art reused from the LPs.
All covers in this series feature a wordmark based on Metropolis. Willy Schwerdtner’s design from 1928 is shown in caps of increasing size, virtually creating a gradient from the Bold to the taller Titling cut. Although it was already possible to create such perspective effects through photographic means at the time, chances are it’s handlettering.
The Grand Award logo uses Caslon 540 Italic, with roman capitals. The label’s art director Casper Pinsker, Jr. worked with various illustrators. For the secondary texts, he employed a range of standard typefaces, most of them sans serifs.
![The Roaring 20’s Volume 1, G.A. 33-327, 1957 (1961 pressing). Illustration by Tracy Sugarman. “Volume 1” is in Extra Bold Condensed. Track names in /, art credits in . [More info on Discogs]](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/N180/180975/180975.jpeg?filename=lp_the-original-roaring-20s-volume-1_the-charleston-city-all-stars_0000.jp2&id=lp_the-original-roaring-20s-volume-1_the-charleston-city-all-stars&scale=4&rotate=0)
The Roaring 20’s Volume 1, G.A. 33-327, 1957 (1961 pressing). Illustration by Tracy Sugarman. “Volume 1” is in Vogue Extra Bold Condensed. Track names in Futura/Futura Condensed, art credits in Bodoni. [More info on Discogs]
![The Roaring 20’s Volume 2, GA 33-340, 1957. Illustration by Davis Stone. Track names in all-caps Extra Bold, art credits in . [More info on Discogs]](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/N180/180972/180972.jpeg?filename=37578660706_ad42db4efd_4k.jpg)
The Roaring 20’s Volume 2, GA 33-340, 1957. Illustration by Davis Stone. Track names in all-caps Vogue Extra Bold, art credits in Bodoni. [More info on Discogs]
![The Roaring 20’s Volume 2, GA 33-353, 1957. Illustration by Emerson Barron. Track names in Bold Condensed, art credit in Extra Condensed. [More info on Discogs]](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/N180/180974/180974.jpeg?filename=lp_the-roaring-20s-volume-3_the-charleston-city-all-stars-enoch-lig_0000.jp2&id=lp_the-roaring-20s-volume-3_the-charleston-city-all-stars-enoch-lig&scale=4&rotate=0)
The Roaring 20’s Volume 2, GA 33-353, 1957. Illustration by Emerson Barron. Track names in Erbar-Grotesk Bold Condensed, art credit in Ultra Bodoni Extra Condensed. [More info on Discogs]
![The Roaring 20’s Volume 5, GA 33-378. Illustration by Elmer Wexler. “World’s Finest Performances” is in a . Track names in all-caps . [More info on Discogs]](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/N180/180973/180973.jpeg?filename=39844192142_2074fa84d9_4k.jpg)
The Roaring 20’s Volume 5, GA 33-378. Illustration by Elmer Wexler. “World’s Finest Performances” is in a Clarendon/Ionic. Track names in all-caps Futura. [More info on Discogs]
The Roaring 20’s Volume 6, G.A. EP2018, 1955(?). While the subtitle is set in Vogue Extra Bold, most other small text uses Futura/Futura Condensed. Illustration by Emerson Barron.
