A Connection of Tom Brown with Bix via Jean Godlkette.
by
Steve H kindly sends this beautiful image. Thanks, Steve.
According to the record label, "It's the Blues" was composed by Goldkette, Crozier and Hakins.
According to the red hot jazz archives the composers are Porter Grainger/Jean Goldkette /Crozier.
The liners for the Josh Duffee CD "Half A World Away" gives "Goldkette/Grainger/arr. Crozier.
Porter Grainger was a black pianist/composer. He was the accompanist of several blues singers. In particular, he accompanied Bessie Smith in the 1928 stage production of "Mississippi Days." As a composer Grainger wrote the following shows,
Yeah Man [Original, Special, All Black Cast, Revue]
Music by Porter Grainger;
Lyrics by Porter Grainger
May 26, 1932 - May 27, 1932
Brown Buddies [Original, Musical, All Black Cast, Comedy]
Additional numbers by Porter Grainger
Oct 7, 1930 - Jan 10, 1931
Hot Rhythm [Original, Musical, Revue]
Music by Porter Grainger;
Lyrics by Porter Grainger
Aug 21, 1930 - Oct 1930
Lucky Sambo [Original, Musical, All Black Cast, Comedy]
Music by Porter Grainger;
Performer: Porter Grainger [Hitt Keys];
Book by Porter Grainger;
Lyrics by Porter Grainger
I have been unable to identify Hakins.
Crozier is George Crozier, a trombonist/arrranger and a member of the early Goldkette band. According to Stan Kuwik (IAJRC Journal, Jan 1989) Crozier replaced Paul Van Loan as trombonist (late 1923) and he, in turn, was replaced by Tommy Dorsey (early 1924) as Crozier's responsibilities were shifted to arranger. I looked up George Crozier in Rust and found him as trombonist on March 8, 1923 in a recording session in New York of Don Parker's Western Melody Boys, and as arranger in a Apr 3, 1929 session of the Dorsey Brothers and their Concert Orchestra. In 1922 he was with the Ed Elkins orchestra. Here is a photo of the orchestra with Crozier in the first row on the rhs.
In an interview of Charles Margulis by Dick Holbrook in "Record Research," Margulis states that George D. Crozier is the brother of Rupert Crozier who was with Whiteman from Oct 1927 to April 1929, at the same time as Bix. So here is another connection of Crozier to Bix.
Indeed, George and Rupert were brothers. The 1900 US Census lists Geroge Crozier, age 45 living in Marietta NE with wife Linda (33) and sons George born in Aug 1896 and Rupert F. born in Dec 1897. Rayno gives the birth date of Rupert Freeman Crozier as Dec 22, 1897. I also found Rupert age 22 living in Oakland Cal in 1920, occupation musician with a theatre.
Listen to the recreation of Jean Goldkette's "It's the Blues" by Josh Duffee and His Orchestra.
The transcription is by forumite Frank v. Frank writes the following about Crozier's arrangement for "It's the Blues."
"George Crozier's 1924 qarrangement of this Jean Goldkette composition -a real ear-opener. Innovative voicings in the clarinet trio and the trumpet trio (Jimmy Dorsey joined the band's two regular trumpet players in this 1924 recording), a double tempo clarinet chorus, a four string violin solo - simply one of the best recorded jazz arrangements of the early 1920s."
And here is the 1925 recording of "It's the Blues" by Isham Jones. "Inspired" by the Crozier arrangement.
![[linked image]](http://bixbeiderbecke.com/TomBrownItstheBlues.jpg)
![[linked image]](http://www.vjm.biz/images/Elkinsweb.jpg)