http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/b006x41z/console

From Johm Petters in http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=37502171

"Famous for 'White Christmas' and his duet with David Bowie on 'Little Drummer Boy', Harrly Lillis Crosby, 1903 - 1977, Bing was one of the first white jazz vocalists, influenced by Louis Armsrtong and Bix Beiderbecke.

This edition of Jazz Library, hosted by Alyn Shipton with his guest, vocalist, Gwyneth Herbert, traces the Old Groaner's recordings from the early Paul Whiteman days in the late 1920s through to the 70s on a series of fine jazz recordings.

The Rhythm Boys, the vocal trio with whom Bing hit the big time with Whiteman are featured with Bix on 'From Monday On'.

A marvellous pairing of Bing with Duke Ellington's Orchestra in 1932 with,'St Louis Blues', demonstrates Bing's improvisational skills.

The classic anthem of the Depression, 'Brother Can You Spare A Dime', a scintillating duet with Connee Boswell and his brother, Bob's Bobcats, with Muggsy Spanier on 'Yes Indeed'.

The late guitar wizard, Les Paul, who died earlier this year is heard with Crosby on,'It's Been A Long Long Time'.

Proving that hot jazz remained with him throughout, there is a swinging collaboration with a small band led by Woody Herman and the classic pairing of Eddie Condon's drinking band, which included the great Wild Bill Davison on cornet and the amazing George Wettling on drums.

Bing and arguably the most important musicain of the 20th century, Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong duet on the famous, 'Now You Has Jazz,Jazz, Jazz' from the hit movie, 'High Society''.

'Last Night on the Back Porch' features Bing with the west coast Dixieland style of Bob Scoby's Frisco Band, whilst 'They All Laughed' finds Crosby swinging a Gershwin evergreen with a splendid orchestra led by Buddy Bregman.

Bing with Billy May and Rosemary Clooney on a latin flavoured track, 'Brazil' emostrates another facet of the singer's talent.

Only weak point in the show was the dubious inclusion of the Bing /Bowie collaboration on the pretty awaful, 'Little Drummer Boy', which could not be classed as a jazz record by any yardstick.

Full marks, despite that, to Alyn & Gwyneth for a first class show."

Albert

Apeda was a diversified corporate studio located in New York City and organized in 1906 by partners Alexander W. Dreyfoos and Henry Obstfield. From its organization it pursued two business strategies: shooting original portraiture and reproducing uncopyrighted images by other photographers of newsworthy scenes or celebrities under its own trade name. Dreyfoos was the head photographer and to him goes credit for developing sports portraiture as a field analogous to theatrical portraiture in its treatment and promotion. The studio became the primary metropolitan photographer of boxers and baseball players as well as a publicity manufacturer for Broadway performers. Apeda's great advantage among the New York metropolitan studios was its possession of industrial photograph developers and postcard printers. Whenever a New York photographer took a shot that they could not reproduce and market themselves or took a photograph that could not be copyright because there was no contract between photographer and sitter (the situation of flashlight stills of Broadway plays for instance), Apeda would secure a print, eradicate whatever name or trademark appeared on the print and affixed their own Apeda signature. In 1912 they began selling copies of White Studio's production stills for 'The Chorus Lady,' 'A Gentleman of Leisure,' 'Gentleman from Mississippi,' and 'Thais' under the Apeda name, provoking a law suit, White Studio v. Dreyfoos that Luther S. White would eventually lose. Like Underwood & Underwood, Apeda would buy up the entire production archive of photographers who had business difficulties or were moving to other parts of the country. Apeda, for instance, bought up the negatives of the Geisler-Andrews firm after the partners split. In the 1920s, the business was managed by Harold Danziger, whose background was in theater management. During the 1930s and 1940s, Apeda turned away from theatrical work to develop High School and Armed Services photography on a large scale. In the later 20th century, it was reorganized as Apco Apeda and operated until the 1990s when its New York headquarters had difficulties with the Environmental Protection Agency for chemical pollution.

We have had a tremendous number of Apeda photos in the forum. Here is one of Paul Whiteman. It is signed to Edward Werner. I looked up Edward Werner in Google and in Rayno's Whiteman biography. Zilch. Does anyone know who was Edward Werner and his connection to Whiteman?

Albert

Thanks Nick. I enjoyed enormously the Abe Lincoln website (the second one, below) 

http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_061452/100

From the magazine "Box Office, The Pulse of the Movie Industry," Jume 14, 1952, In the section titled "Detroit" (p. 100),

"Lloyd Hammond, former independent film producer, was the major-domo for the big press party at the Pfeiffer Brewery Tuesday. Others present were ... Edward Werner, former musical director at the Michigan Theatre."

http://www.abelincolntrombone.com

This is a very informative site about trombonist Abram "Abe" Lincoln. Biography, articles, discography, photos (take a look at the photo section, Lisa), etc. Abe Lincoln replaced Tommy Dorsey in the California Ramblers and was a member of the Paul Whiteman, Leo Reisman and Roger Wolfe Kahn o orchestras in the 1930s. Abe Lincoln made recordings with, among others, Bing Crosby and Hoagy Carmichael (connections to Bix) in the 1930s and with Red Nichols in 1956. Here are a couple of relevant quotes from Floyd Levin's article.

"I left the Ramblers when I got a call from Detroit to join Sammy Dibert's band. Sammy played reeds and his brother John played banjo. They both came from Lancaster and worked in my brother Bud's band with me." While in Detroit, Abe sat in with the Goldkette orchestras, worked in the Michigan Theater Orchestra conducted by Ed Werner, and recorded Rossini's William Tell Overture. The record was later used as the radio theme song for the Lone Ranger when the program was launched in Detroit in 1930."

"The Dimick Orchestra [James B. Dimick's Million Dollar Sunny Brook Orchestra of Greensville, PA] traveled to Detroit to play the Arcadia Dance Hall and opened the Hollywood Theatre in Detroit with Richie Craig as the M.C. Note: Abe spent some, time in Detroit playing at the Arcadia, sitting in with the Goldkette bands, and then was with Ed Werner at the Michigan where Lou Kosloff guest conducted."

Paul Whiteman appeared twice (in the 1920s) in the Michigan Theater. The first time Nov 21- Nov 27, 1926. According to Don Rayno, Whiteman stopped, sometime during the week, perhaps Nov 25, by the Graystone Ballroom to catch the Jean Goldkette orchestra. The second time Oct 9-15, 1927. Paul could have signed the photo during any of the two engaements.

Albert

Here are two photos of the Michigan Theater (Wikipedia). In its splendor and now as a parking lot.

For Veniero. In the Floyd Levin article, I found the following sentence,

"Despite their name, the California Ramblers were not from the West Coast and never played there. The Ohio group was formed by banjoist Ray Kitchenman in 1921, and named after their early venue, the Ramblers Inn on Pelham Parkway, Bronx, New York. Violinist Arthur Hand was the leader. Ed Kirkeby, the group's manager/agent had extraordinary marketing skills and soon secured bookings for them in prestigious venues."

The banjoist's name has been spelled in several ways, Kitchingman, Kitchingham and now Kitchenman. The Ohio connection has to do with the fact that several of the first members of the band were from Ohio [from Lost Chords].

From Rust's Jazz Discography

Ace Brigode And His Fourteen Virginians: Lucien Criner, Bud Lincoln (tp) Abe Lincoln (tb) Al Delaney (fhr) Ace Brigode (vn, ldr) Al Tresize, Cliff Gamet (cl,as) Eddie Allen (cl, ts) Ray Welch (vln) Frank Skinner, Nick Cortez (bj) Happy Masefiedd (tu) Fred Brohez (d) 

New York, June 2, 1925 Yes Sir, That's My Baby 

Lord gives Ace Brigode (cl, ldr) and Frank Skinner (p). 

Bud Lincoln was one of Abe's brothers. In Floyd Levin's article, Abe is quoted, "I had five brothers - three were musicians. Bud and Roy played trumpet, and Chet played trombone. My brother Bud would have been right up at the top of the trumpeter's [list] if he hadn't had a fatal accident. He was on a par with Phil Napoleon, leader of the Original Memphis Five, then the leading white jazz group in the country. Bud Lincoln formed a six piece band in 1921. He played trumpet and Abe was the fourteen year old trombonist. They took almost any job offered to them - strawberry festivals, dances, parties, picnics, college proms, etc. Bud was six years older than me. He went to the dances, heard all the bands and brought the tunes home for me to learn."  

The 1910 US Census lists John Lincoln 38, living with wife Ella 34, sons Raymond 16, Robert 14, Victor 7, Abraham 3, Chester 8 months, and daughter Mary 10. In the 1920 US Census Victor is 17 and Abraham 12 (and another son, Roy 8). I guess Bud was Victor. 

From jazz on line (Who plays the solo at about 1:30 and what instrument does he play?) Nice, peppy recording. 

   or copy and paste www.jazz-on-line.com/a/mp3w/1925_118.mp3 

According to Rust's Dance band discography, the first recording ever by Abe Lincoln took place on Oct 13, 1924. It was "Bye, Bye, Baby." 

Albert

Steve H kindly sent scans of two pages from "The Red Nichols Story: After Intermission, 1942-1965" by Philip R. Evans, Stanley Hester, Stephen Hester and Linda K. Evans, Studies in Jazz, The Scarecrow Press, 1997   with detailed information about the sessions.

Thanks, Steve.

Albert

.... Red Nichols and Abe Lincoln together is "T.N.T" by the Varsity Eight, c. Jan 1, 1926. Also in the recording, according to Rust,  Bobby Davis, Arnold Brilhart, Sam Ruby, Adrian Rollini, Irving Brodsky, Tommy Fellini and Stan King. According to Ate van Delden in the liners for the Timeless "Varsity Eight" CD, the bass saxophonist is not Adrian Rollini.

Listen to this nice recording.

       or copy and paste   bixography.com/TNTVarsityEight.mp3

Albert

.... clearly not Adrian Rollini. Not Spencer Clark either. Who could it be?

Here is "Milenberg Joys" by the Varsity Eight, (Roy Johnston, Abe Lincoln, Bobby Davis, Arnold Brilhart, Sam Ruby, Adrian Rollini (this time the real thing), Irving Brodsky, Tommy Felline, Stan King).

Ate comments about the magnificent solo by Adrian, and mentions the quote of Massenet's "Thais." I think the few interpolated notes come around 2:20-2:23. Listen

Albert

... before Adrian ends his solo. Is this on purpose or in error?

I forgot to mention the nice solo by Abe Lincoln; indeed, Mike, neither Molian nor Teagardian.

Albert

Radio Program # 170. (loaded on 12/26/09)   Bix's recordings played by other American bands. 61.04 min

Real Audio       Streaming audio file.   Download file.   14.2 MB   

mp3 files   Streaming mp3 file   http://bixography.com/wbixmp3/wbix170.m3u  

   55.9 MB or copy and paste bixography.com/wbixmp3/wbix170.mp3  

My Pet. Sam Lanin's Troubadours. May 10. 1928. Vocal by Scrappy Lambert.
Sweet Sue. Sam Lanin's Troubadours. May 10. 1928. Vocal by Scrappy Lambert.
The Man I Love. Fred Rich and His Orchestra. Dec 10, 1927. Vocal by Vaughn de Leath.
You Took Advantage of Me. Fred Rich and His Orchestra. May 4, 1928.. Vocal by James Melton.
My Ohio Home. Sam Lanin and His Orchestra. Dec 29, 1927. Vocal by Scrappy Lambert.
The Man I Love. Sam Lanin's Famous Players. Dec 9, 1927. Vocal by Irving Kaufman.
Dusky Stevedore. Louisiana Rhythm Kings. (Coon-Sanders Nighhawks.) Aug 13, 1928. Vocal by Harry Maxfield.
Rhythm King. Coon-Sanders Nighhawks. Dec 12, 1928. Vocal by Carleton Coon.
Chloe. Sam Lanin's Famous Players and Singers. Jan 25, 1928. Vocal by Irving Kaufman.
Sunday. Broadway Bellhops. Oct 22, 1926. Vocal by Irving Kaufman. Albert

WBIX #171 will be uploaded on Jan 28, 2010.

Albert

Star Dust is one of the masterpieces of all time. It can be interpreted as a ballad, as jazz, to create a mood, etc. I understand that there are over 5,000 recordings of the tune. If you listened to one recording a day, it would take over 10 years to listen to them all.

Albert

In http://www.jazzwax.com/2009/12/sunday-wax-bitx.html

Marc Myers discusses how people might be listening to music in the future. Streaming services is one way to go. This was also discussed in a New York Times article

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/technology/companies/05apple.html?scp=3&sq=streaming%20&st=cse

where it is reported that Apple stroke a deal to buy Lala, a music start-up company.

There are advantages to having available on streaming an enormous music collection. You dont have to buy and burn CDs, download music and store several gigabytes in your computer. You can choose to listen to any recording at home, in your car, or via your mobile device.

When you listen to the radio, you are at the mercy of the broadcaster. Pandora has gone a step further in the direction of personal choice -you can choose a particular artist and have his/her music stream into your computer. But still, you do not have a choice of individual songs. The future may bring us that. In fact, the present has done that for selected 1920s music - note the redhotjazz archive and jazz-on-line collections of jazz and dance band music.

Of course, collectors of 78s will not be deterred. Owning the object is part (or for some people, most) of the charm.

Albert

.... include using an acoustic machine? I am not much of a collector of 78s ( I have a few  hundred, compared to several thousand for real collectors), but when I play them, I use a Victrola Consolette 7313 with an orthophonic reproducer. The experience is quasi-psychedelic.

Do you guys use modern equipment with electric turntables, magnetic cartridges, and electronic amplification? If you do (which would save tear and wear on the records), does the modern equipment take away from the "experience" of traveling back in time? By the way, my favorite time machine is sound film, your can hear and see the past.

Albert

 PS I do not want to detract from your excellent posting, Brad. However, at the risk of sounding pedantic, let me point out that your statement "the groove is a virtual molecular replication of the original wax master" is only approximately accurate. I am glad you used the word "virtual" (in essence, but not in actual fact). The actual molecular compositions of wax and shellac are radically different, so the groove on the shellac could not be an exact molecular replication of the original wax master, and even with the word virtual, the use of the phrase a "virtual molecular replication" may be a bit of a stretch. The undulating V-groove inscribed on the shellac is an exact physical copy of the groove on the wax: the undulations created on the wax by capturing the sound waves are replicated precisely on the shellac.

"According to todays count in The Jazz Discography, the #1 recorded jazz tune of all time is Body And Soul 1947 occurrences in our database."

Maybe if one is restricted to the listings in the Jazz Discography, but how about the most recorded tune of all time? I think it is Hoagy's Star Dust.

Did you know that Annette Hanshaw has a magnificent version of the great tune Body and Soul? Recorded on Oct 7, 1930.

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/hanshaw/bodyandsoul.ram

Paul Whiteman recorded Body and Soul on Oct 10,1930.

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/whiteman/bodysoul.ram

According to jazzstandards.com,

While in London, Hollywood songwriter/conductor Johnny Green wrote Body and Soul for Gertrude Lawrence. Jack Hylton & His Orchestra recorded the ballad first in Britain, but it was Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (Jack Fulton, vocal) who popularized it. Their recording hit the charts on October 11, 1930, and held the number one spot for six weeks.

Here is Jack Hylton's version of  July 2, 1930.

http://www.jazz-on-line.com/ram/VIC36027x.ram

Also from jazzstandards.com

On October 15^th, 1930, Body and Soul appeared in the Broadway revue, Threes a Crowd. The show would run for 272 performances with Libby Holman performing the song as Clifton Webb [my favorite Clifton Webb movie is "Laura'] danced. Body and Soul was one of the revues standout songs, and Holmans recording rose to number three on the recording charts.

Here is Libby Holman's version, Oct 1930.

http://www.jazz-on-line.com/a/rama/BRU34706.ram

I like the Benny Goodman Trio's version of Jul 13, 1935. This is from the first recording session ever by the Trio, Benny, Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa.

http://www.jazz-on-line.com/a/ramc/VIC92705-1.ram

Louis Armstrong recorded the tune on Oct 9, 1930. I believe this was not released until 1932.

http://www.jazz-on-line.com/a/ramw/1932_073.ram

Of course, there is the legendary version by Coleman Hawkins of  Oct 11, 1939. According to John Chilton, "Hawk decided to treat the song informally, making it a two-chorus ballad feature for himself.... Backed by what was the simplest of arrangements, Coleman Hawkins achieved the apotheosis of his entire career, creating a solo that remains the most perfectly conceived and executed example of jazz tenor-sax playing ever recorded."

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/misc/bodyandsoul.ram

Albert

I had the date for the first recording of "Body and Soul" from the magnificent jackhylton.com website. But these Brits give the date starting with the day and following with the month. I interpreted 07/02/30 as July 2, 1930. Wrong. It is Feb 7, 1930!

Albert

.... here is an mp3 file of the recording of "Body and Soul" by Spike Hughes and His Decca Dents. This comes from Nick's own 78. Recorded on March 11, 1930. The Decca Dents are Sylvester Ahola, t; Philip Buchel, as; Stan Andrews, vn; Eddie Carroll, p; Leslie Smith, g; Spike Hughes, sb, dir, arr; Val Rossing, d, vocal. Note there is no trombone. Is it fair to say that some/several 1920s/1930s British dance bands did not use trombones?

If the music does not begin to stream as you open the posting, copy and paste the following.

bixography.com/BodyandSoulSpikeHughes.mp3

Thanks very much Nick. Great recording.

Albert

Bix as a predecessor of "cool jazz." Perhaps in some of his recordings, Bix displays the restraint that has been taken to be a characteristic, a fingerprint if you like, of the "cool jazz" style. But that is far from what is needed to identify Bix as a cat who blows cool. Restraint is just one aspect of Bix's style (and not always; think of "From Monday On," most of his recordings with His Gang, etc) First, note that Bix's playing is filled with strong and deep emotions - what Sudhalter describes as layered and complex. Second, and this is very important, there is what I would call the "content" of his music, new melodies improvised over the chord structure of the tune, and new improvisations in every take. Just the fact that he did not play the same thing twice shows, to me at least, that he was not approaching his music in a cerebral (cool) manner, but in an impetuous way, conveying what he was feeling at different times. I imagine that people describe Bix's style as restrained, in part, because Bix is often compared with Louis Armstrong, the other cornetist/genius of the 1920s. Of course, in comparison with hot Louis the extrovert, Bix is cold and introvert. Would we view Bix as "cool" if Louis had not dominated jazz since the 1920s? I don't know, but I doubt it.

Bix as a cool guy. To me, a cool guy is supremely confident and gregarious, his life is focused in the external world, not in his internal life. A cool guy is not consumed by a passion for his chosen field of endeavor; on the conrrary, his life is filled with superficial fun. My vision of a cool guy is Paul Newman in "Hud." Although Bix was friendly, I doubt that he was gregarious. Bix was consumed by his passion for music, almost to the exclusion of other activities - several people who knew Bix are witnesses of Bix's fascination, perhaps obsession, with music. Bix was not very talkative. If we take Sylvester Ahola's recollection of Bix ("I am a musical degenerate"), we would infer that Bix  was not a confident guy. Thus, Bix lacks several of the attributes that I view essential in describing a guy a s cool.

I hope this provides a preliminary explication of why I don't view Bix as a cool guy, either musically or in his personality. If I have a chance, and if necessary, I will expand.

Albert

Of course I read the chapter on Bix, as well as several other chapters in The Birth (and Death) of the Cool. I also read Teds chapter in The Oxford Companion to Jazz, Edited by Bill Kirchner, 2000.  In this chapter, Ted already brings up Bix as a practitioner of cool. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

One of the reasons I did not directly spoke to Teds definition of "cool" is that there is no crisp statement in his book of what are the characteristic aspects of the "cool style" (as a personality). I am not the first one to make this point. I quote from the review in 

http://www.citypaper.com/arts/story.asp?id=19283

"In this regard, one challenge that we face is that he never offers a concrete definition of "cool." The following is about as close as he comes, first in the positive, then in the negative:

Cool was defined by its reliance on image and irony, by its artifice and playful fluidity. It was marked, above all, by an outward focus on trends and fashions. The notion of lifestyle--a term that hardly existed outside of academic literature during the first half of the twentieth century--became of paramount import during the Age of Cool, and the idea that once could shape one's persona and way of living as though they were works of art (a foreign concept to most people during the Great Depression) became widespread. Postcool, in contrast, is built on a new earnestness and directness, a celebration of simplicity and authenticity. Irony is out; plainspokenness is in. The natural and down-to-earth are preferred to the glitzy and fashionable. The real is valued above the contrived, honesty above artifice. Communications--from the simple text message to the spin-doctoring of prominent pundits on the boob tube--are quicker and to the point. Postcool is less exciting than cool, but more practical and results oriented. It's less malleable and fluid, but far more predictable in its behavior patterns.

Yet the shift to a postcool mentality is not without its downsides. Above all, many problems are created when society loses its cool. The directness and bluntness of postcool life are only a step away from outright hostility and confrontation." 

If "It (cool) was marked, above all, by an outward focus on trends and fashions" is taken as a crucial aspect of Teds definition of "cool," then certainly, Bix was not cool. Bix's key characteristic was his inward focus on the music within himself, and how he would express such music through his playing of cornet and piano. I don't see any interest on the part of Bix on "trends and fashions."

Going on the postcool, Ted writes that it is "a celebration of simplicity and authenticity" and The real is valued above the contrived, honesty above artifice. Well, that is exactly what Bix did. His music was authentic, honest. There was supreme creativity and authencitiy in Bixs music; he did not have to hide behind artifice.

I disagree with one of  Teds statements that you quote in your post, namely, "He embraces the most raucous and uninhibited music he can find, not just for how it sounds, but also as a symbol of his way of life." I dont think so. I believe that Bix had such a passion for music, at first about jazz, that he embraced it for how it would fit his sensibility, not as a "symbol of his way of life." I dont think that Bix wanted to give a message about a way of life when he devoted his life to music; it was the manifestation of his great passion, obsession if you like, for creating music.

Ted seems to paint Bix as a rebel, an outsider. I disagree. Bix was not rebelling against the bourgeois society of his parents, did not go outside their mores for sake of becoming an outsider; Bix was merely following his own inner, powerful  driving forces towards creating music.

"Cool" as a personality trait finds its origins in the cool jazz movement, and as such it has a fairly well understood meaning, restrained, detached, cerebral. Today, I believe that cool guys are viewed as charismatic individuals, admired by many, not because of particular achievements in music (or other forms of art, or science), but because of their persona, individuals who seek female partners and are highly successful at seducing them, they display a certain amount of disdain and a great amount of self-confidence.

In my previous post I used this view of "cool" and concluded that Bix certainly was not cool. I supplement my previous discussion with the present posting where I discuss Bix in the light of Teds concept of "cool." I still thing that Bix was not a cool guy. He was a passionate guy, consumed by his obsession with music. I cant remember who it was that said that Bix didnt want us (musicians) to have any fun, all he wanted to do was try new things. As I wrote in my brief biography of Bix in the main Bixography website, By all accounts, Bix was a kind, gentle, and generous man. He was an individual of few words, introspective, and unconcerned by the superficial details and demands of daily routine. Music was the all-consuming focus of his life, the essence of his being; and in music, he wrought his everlasting legacy.

Albert

It makes sense to me. If one is going to write a treatise on cool, then it is not appropriate, in my opinion, to have a definition of a "cool" personality in one section of the book, and another one in another section. Of course, not all traits characteristic of the cool guy would apply to all individuals, but the key ones should. Ted writes, "Cool was defined by its reliance on image and irony, by its artifice and playful fluidity. It was marked, above all, by an outward focus on trends and fashions." These, which I take to be very important in Teds view of the cool, ought to be found in Bix. They are not.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

There is a huge difference between being a rebel, an outsider for the sake of being an outsider, and Bixs lifestyle. In my book, for Bix to be a rebel, he would have had to have an agenda to abandon societys and his familys beliefs and principles. Bix as an outsider would have made a conscious decision to lead his life outside that of his family because he objected to his familys lifestyle. NO! I dont think there was such an agenda, such a conscious decision. As a I said repeatedly, Bix had a passion (and a genius) for music and the path (lifestyle) he chose had nothing to do with rebellion or deliberately choosing to be an outsider, but the natural flow of events for a person who decided to become a jazz/dance band musician.

Albert

.... and shoveling all that amount is no fun, in particular the heavy stuff that town snowplows dump in front of your driveway when they clean the streets! When I lived in State Colleg, PA, the snow was removed in dump trucks, not just pushed around. So far I have done half. I am not looking forward to the next half.

But I look forward to your views about the subject of Bix as a "cool guy."

Albert

. for an explanation of why Bix was not an outsider and instead I explained why Bix was not a rebel.

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> 

You missed two things. First, the title of your post was Bix as a rebel. Second, in my explanation of why Bix was not a rebel, I also provided the reasons why I think Bix was not an outsider. I guess, I will have to repeat and expand. Perhaps, this time it will be understood.

Bix an outsider? Incidentally, I recommend the book The Outsider by Colin Wilson which I read in the 1950s. Briefly, I view an outsider as an individual who is at odds with society, in particular with the environment where he grew up. The young people who lived in communes in the 1960s and 1970s were outsiders. They chose to drop the lifestyle of their parents. In my view, these were outsiders by design, they objected to the society where they grew up, they chose an utterly different lifestyle than that of their parents. Bix lived in the environment of jazz and dance band musicians. Certainly, that environment was outside of the mainstream community of his youth and family. But he did not object to the lifestyle of his parents. In order to pursue the passion of his life, he had to move outside the community of his parents. Not because he disliked and objected to his parents lifestyle, but because the jazz musicians community was the place where he could develop and fulfill his life ambition. He did not go outside the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Midwest lifestyle because he objected or disapprove of that life style, but because the only way he could fulfill his ambition was by going outside. He did not do this mindlessly, as you suggest I said. It was a deliberate decision on Bixs part, but not one because he disliked or despised his parents environment, but because it was the only way to proceed if he was to become a professional musician.

Bix as cool guy? Ted clearly states that the concept of cool developed in the 1950s world of jazz. It then spread to the world of "movies, literature, and other cultural spheres." What started as a designation of a style of jazz became generalized as a designation of a personality, an attitude, an approach to life. Now, Ted looks for roots of cool jazz in the 1920s. He thinks he finds them in Bix. Now, Bix becomes  the progenitor of cool jazz. But  Ted goes further. He decides to define a cool guy in the 1920s and 30s. The definition from the cool jazz days is not applicable. So he invents a cool guy in the 1920s and 1930s. Ted assigns to the cool guy several characteristics, which happen to coincide with Bix's lifestyle. So Ted  declares that Bix is the progenitor of both cool jazz and the cool guy. [Seems like playing with loaded dice to me.] But the characteristics of Bix as a persona are radically different from those of the cool guy as viewed in the 1950s and beyond. So why should these be used to define a cool guy in the 1920s but not in the 1950s? There's something circular here. Anyway, you listed the following:

-         "the outsider among the outsiders, a self-imposed alienation." I covered this above. In the case of Bix, I explained that it was not an alienation self-imposed by his desire to distance himself from his parents lifestyle,  but one  imposed by the fact that he wanted to fulfill his musical aspirations.

-         "he sees himself as misunderstood, an underdog." Misunderstood by whom? His fellow musicians, his parents, society at large? I dont think so. Certainly not by his fellow musicians or his mother. Many musicians had nothing but praise and admiration for Bixs musical genius. His mother? She certainly understood what Bixs role was in the Paul Whiteman orchestra. Society? Maybe, but I dont know if Bix cared for the "understanding" of society.

-         "his art dictates his response to the world (e.g., he is spontaneous and flouts rules)."Bix showed contempt for rules? Prohibition? Millions did too. Were they all cool? Spontaneous? Most people are spontaneous, only a few put on an act on their everyday behavior.

-         "he values experience the way a banker hoards capital" ???? Does not compute for me.

Bix cool (either in music or as a guy)? My response, a resounding "no!" And in my opinion, too much psychological claptrap for Bix whose life revolved around music and little else, and whose motivations were dictated mostly by his desire to create music..

Albert

.... I "haven't done much to dent his [Ted Gioia] argument."

 Let' get back to basics. You provided the following list of characteristics of a cool guy and requested (more than once) that I respond. [Here, I expanded on these characteristics by quoting from Ted's chapter on Bix.]

• Outsider among outsiders (takes satisfaction in its far remove from social norms and expectations)
• Misunderstood (he roots for the underdog and misunderstood, and often sees himself in these terms)
• Flouts rules (the rules apply to others, not to him)
• Values experience the way a banker hoards capital (???)

Except for the last item in the list which I do not understand (maybe you can explain it to me), I responded to all of the above and concluded that, if the list defines a cool guy, Bix was not cool. You have not commented on my specific responses to the items in the list (except the general question of what is an outsider) , but claim that Teds argument stands. This means that Bix, in your view, meets the characteristics listed above. Could you provide evidence that Bix indeed meets these criteria?

Albert

I regret that you decided to respond specifically to the items in question by neglecting the material in parenthesis in my previous post, the one you answered to. I had added these because they define better what Gioia meant

Outsider among outsiders (takes satisfaction in its far remove from social norms and expectations)

The parenthetical material is crucial. It supports my point that the choice Bix made of devoting his life to music was not a rebellion against his parents world, that he was not going outside just for the sake of being an outsider. One who takes satisfaction to be outside does it intentionally to show his contempt for social norms. Bix did not go into the outside world of jazz musicians to satisfy himself and to remove himself from social norms. He went there because it was the natural and probably only way to fulfill his aspirations as a creator of music.

Misunderstood (he roots for the underdog and misunderstood, and often sees himself in these terms)

In fact, some of the examples you gave show that, at least, some of Bixs fellow musicians understood him. "Everybody loved Bix," his friend Russ Morgan famously said. The guy didn't have an enemy in the world. But he was out of this world most of the time" (Shapiro and Hentoff, p. 151). The extraterrestrial, according to Benny Goodman. These guys understood Bix. Indeed, Bix was not your garden variety musician, blowing music during hours and then looking for fun and girls. He was unusual, different. Bix was serious about music, as Louis Armstrong told us. Louis was another musician who understood Bix. Yes, Bix was different and that was captured by Benny and by Russ Morgan. Another musician, I cant remember who, said that Bix did not want us (musicians) to have fun. He was always thinking of music. Several of his fellow musicians indeed understood that Bix was different, always involved with his internal world of music. The quotes you provided from Sudhalter and Evans come from Bix almost at the end of his life, when he was sick, his body and mind ravaged by the excesses of prohibition booze with its high content of toxic substances. That was not the normal state of mind that Bix had when he was healthy.

Flouts rules (the rules apply to others, not to him)

I will agree with this. You give good examples aside from prohibition (which, in fact, was disregarded by millions of Americans). Night escapades from Lake Forest, playing cornet in an unorthodox manner, etc

Values experience the way a banker hoards capital

I think I understand now. But you did not give any evidence that Bix valued experience, or did I miss it? I imagine that experience means trying a variety of things. I don't believe that Bix was trying a variety of things. His life revolved around his music and his alcohol addiction. What else? I dont know of any.

The bottom line, one out of four does not make Bix a cool guy, even using the rather narrow parameters described by Gioia.

Albert

It is regrettable that you equate the statements you quoted about Bix from fellow musicians with Bix being a mystery. You dont seem to appreciate the conceptual difference between mystery and misunderstanding or between "misunderstanding" and "not understanding." You write, "In responding to my claim that Bix was not always well understood by his mates ..." That's not what Gioia wrote, he used the word "misunderstanding." Not understanding (or not well understood, as you put it) is absence of comprehension. Misunderstanding is misconception, misinterpretation, having the wrong idea.

Here are the exact quotes that you mentioned, plus a couple of additional ones.

-         Russ Morgan, "But he was out of this world most of the time." No mention of a mystery or of misunderstanding. Just that Bix lived in his in his own world. Indeed, Bix lived for his music: that was almost his entire world.

-         Benny Goodman, "Where, what planet, did this guy come from? Is he from outer space? I'd never heard anything like the way he played; not in Chicago, no place. The tone -- he had this wonderful, ringing cornet tone. He could have played in a symphony orchestra with that tone. But also the intervals he played, the figures -- whatever the hell he did." Nothing to do with mystery or misunderstanding. A statement by Benny being amazed by the way Bix played; Benny had not heard anything like it anywhere.

-         Wingy Manone in 1964, "Trumpet on the Wing." "He [Bix] was always talking music, telling us, 'Let's play this chord,' or 'let's figure out some three way harmony for the trumpets after the job tonight.' It seemed to us he didnt want us to enjoy our life." Nothing to do with mystery or misunderstanding. Wingy complains that all Bix wants to do is play music.

-         Louis Armstrong. "Bix was the only musician I ever met who was as serious about music as I am." No question of mystery, just the widely mentioned aspect of Bix's life, his passion for music.

To be fair, I should also quote Jimmy McPartland who does mention the word mystery.

In "Lost Chords," Conversations Between Jimmy McPartland and Richard Sudhalter, 1981 to 1985, "Bix was a mystery to us," cornetist Jimmy McPartland once confessed. "We all knew him, admired him, thought he was a great guy. But in a way we didn't know him at all. He wasn't really like us." A mention of mystery, but also that Bix "wasn't really like us." Of course, Bix was a genius, Jimmy and the rest of the musicians in Bixs inner circle were not.

Even if we go with the "mystery"bit, I dont know why you are so amazed. When Jimmy says that Bix was a mystery, he is basically acknowledging that he cannot understand what Bix is all about, that Jimmy is unable to comprehend Bix. As I indicated above, this is different from misunderstanding. Misunderstanding is failure to interpret correctly. Stating that Bix was a mystery, reveals not knowing.  Stating that Bix was misunderstood represents a misconception, a mistaken view.

Albert

.... "of course we can't prove that Bix was innocent of the molestation charge." 

There is no need to prove that Bix was innocent. Under the US system of justice, an individual is innocent unless proven guilty.

Albert

My understanding, but I would defer to a competent attorney, is that a defendant is innocent unless proven guilty; the presumption is not that the accused is not guilty until proven guilty; there is the presumption that the accused is "innocent," not a presumption that he/she is"not guilty". In the Coffin vs United States Case, the Supreme Court stated,

"The principle that there is a presumption of innocence in favor of the accused is the undoubted law, axiomatic and elementary, and its enforcement lies at the foundation of the administration of our criminal law."

Unfortunately, when mud is thrown at an individual, it sticks. Many (most?)  people do not believe in the innocence of an individual if he is charged with a crime, even if not convicted. Case in point, Bix's arrest. Bixophiles will give Bix the benefit of the doubt in the sense that they are not certain that he committed the alleged offense. But they are not certain that he did not commit it. To me, the presumption of innocence is not just a legal phrase, but a living principle.To me, an individual who is not proven guilty is innocent, not only in the legal sense, but also in fact.

I don't know how many of you have seen the posting of Sarah Ivens's daughter in

http://www.network54.com/Forum/27140/message/1249675435/  (I edited the message to remove the email address of  Marianne Beveridge; it took me several attempts)

You will see that Sarah Ivens was visually impaired. I may write some more about this whole business in the future. But at this point, I will ask the question, "How is it possible for a 5-year old, visually impaired little gilr to be one mile from her home?"

Albert

I view the doctrine of "Innocent Until Proven Guilty" as a fundamental philosophical principle regarding the rights of human beings, not just as a procedure in courts. As far as I am concerned, a person not proven guilty is innocent, period. I know that many (if not most) people will view with suspicion anyone who is charged with a crime. The argument goes something like, "Why would this person be arrested if he/she was innocent? He/she must have done something." Not necessarily. I have read about so many miscarriages of justice that I have no confidence in the infallibility of the justice system, and witnesses are often unreliable. To me, that is exactly the problem that the philosophical principle tries to address, sadly unsuccessfully in practice. I stick to the principle.

I certainly can argue the facts in the case of Bixs arrest, even if I believe in the doctrine outlined above. My beliefs do not affect my rational powers, my adherence to logic and reason. I know how to gather and analyze facts and documents in an objective manner. I have done this for nearly 60 years, and very successfully, I may add.

Indeed, there are different addresses given in the police report and in the affidavit. The police report gives the residence of Sarah Ivens as 1700 Iowa St. The affidavit gives the residence of Preston Ivens as 3030 Grand Avenue. 1700 Iowa St is about 500 yards from the garage. 3030 Grand Ave is close to one mile from the garage. Gerri did a lot of research on this subject and may have more information.

You want to know how I view my role in the field of Bixology? No secret, nothing mysterious, no agendas, no dark motives. I am a Bix researcher. I research Bix, the man, the musician, anything that has to do with Bix, and publish my findings in jazz journals, in the main Bixography website, and in the Bixography forum. Everything is in the open, nothing is suppressed . As a matter of fact, I was the first to report in the public domain transcriptions of the original documents relevant ot Bix's arrest. That was  on Jan 7, 2001. See

http://www.network54.com/Forum/27140/message/978897881

Albert

You assert that since I believe that Bix was innocent of the April 22, 1921 charge, I cannot discuss credibly the facts associated with Bixs arrest. That is absurd. I will explain.

I examined, objectively, all available documents  [In fact, I was the first to publish them back on Jan 7, 2001.]

Police Report.

-         Sarah Ivens is 5-years old and is reported to be on April 22, 1921 in Goddards garage at the corner of Locust and Grand Avenue.

-         The police report states that Sarahs place of residence is 1700 Iowa Street, about 500 yards from Goddards garage.

-         Bix is accused of taking Sarah out of the rain into a car in the garage and putting his hands on her person outside of her dress. He is arrested at his residence at 1924 Grand Avenue for Lewd and Lascivious Act with Child. Bix waives preliminary hearing and is held to the Grand Jury on $1500 bond.

-         Bix is said to have closed the door of the car, at which point the girl hollered.

-         That attracted the attention of two youngsters (18 and 16) who were working across the street.

-         The two youngsters went over and the girl went home.

Preston Ivens Affidavit.

-         Preston R. Ivens presents, in Sep 1921, an affidavit in which he requests that no action be taken by the Grand Jury.

-         Mr. Ivens was advised to drop the case against Bix for the betterment of the child.

-         Preston Ivens gives 3030 Grand Avenue as his address. [This about one mile from Goddards garage. Maybe the Ivens family moved from Iowa St to Grand Ave between April and September 1921]

-         Mr. Ivens states that on April 22, 1921 my little girl came home, told me a man took her in the garage, said some awful things to her. I ran up to the garage, then called up he police but could get no clue.

-         Mr. Ivens continues, Next day I saw two boys whom I had seen when I went to the garage, I asked I they saw a man take a little girl to the garage the day before. They said yes and told me it was the defendant.

-         Mr. Ivens states that the girl told him, the chief of police and the county attorney that the defendant asked her to show herself.

The case was disposed of in the following manner. The plaintiff requested that no action be taken by the Grand Jury. The final disposition of the case was No Bill filed. See my posting of Feb 11, 2001.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/27140/message/981940989/

The finding of a no bill in this instance was the consequence of the plaintiff dropping the charges; it was a housekeeping procedure to officially close the case. Note also that Bix had no attorney representing him.

On the basis of the documentation and the doctrine of Innocent until Proven Guilty, Bix is innocent. For me, this brings closure to the case as we know it presently.

Of course, if new information became available, I would examine it carefully. As a matter of fact, I asked Sarah Ivens daughter if she had any documentation; the answer, alas, was negative. You see, regardless of what you may believe or write, I always act rationally and logically, and my research methodology is governed by highly demanding and rigorous standards.

Albert

There is no way to know what effect, if any, Bix's arrest had on him. No witnesses have provided information, Bix did not leave any diaries or writings on this subject, and there are no relevant interviews. Therefore, any discussion of how the arrest affected (if at all) Bix is necessarily speculative.

In your experience as a criminal lawyer, you have found that most people suffer tremendously when arrested. I do not doubt it. The problem comes with generalizations. What applies to one or even the majority of individuals who experience an arrest, does not necessarily apply to Bix.

I could argue, and there is no documentation that would disprove this scenario, that Bix was completely unaffected by the event, and that, in fact, the experience strengthened the affective/emotional ties with his family and vice versa. Suppose that Bixs parents knew with absolute certainty that Bix had not committed the alleged act. In the face of an unjust accusation, they are compelled to provide strong moral support to their son, and their love for and devotion to him become deeper; and this in turn is reciprocated by Bix.

Here is another scenario. Suppose that Bix's parents were quite upset about the arrest, and sent him out to Lake Forest as soon as it was possible, and that Bix was traumatized by the experience.

These are just two out of a wide variety of scenarios that do not contradict any known facts about Bix or any extant documents.

I recognize that a good number of people will believe that it is "reasonable" that Bix would have been negatively affected by the arrest. But I dont know of any specific evidence to support that view.

In my opinion, inquiries along these lines are unproductive.

Albert

Thanks for making the Bixography Forum a great success (over half a million page views in 2009) and for keeping the legacy of Bix alive.

Albert Haim

		Month       Worldwide     Month       Worldwide January       41,444      July        52,331 February       49,461      August        53,369 March       43,592      September        47,973 April       53,813      October        47,885 May       55,836      November        47,138 June       48,930      December        20,059

The first recording by the California Ramblers dates from Nov 17, 1921. It is the standard The Sheik (of Araby)."

Image from Wikipedia

Listen to the recording.

http://www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/caramblers/Thesheik1.ram

This is from the remarkable redhotjazz archive. We get used to simply click on links and listen to recordings waxed almost 100 years ago. Scott Alexander, the owner of the redhotjazz website, deserves our profound gratitude for having created his fantastic website. Anyway, back to the point of this posting. The recording is pre-Adrian Rollini (he joined in the first few months of 1922). The banjoist in The Sheik is Ray Kitchingman, and he takes a solo.

I suspected that perhaps Mike Pingitore with Whiteman had recorded a solo earlier than Nov 17, 1921. I looked up Whiteman recordings and found a banjo solo by Mike Pingitore in Lonesome Hours, recorded on Jan 25, 1922.

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/whiteman/lnsmehrs.ram

Is there a banjo solo by Pingitore in an earlier recording by Whiteman? Is the Nov 17, 1921 banjo solo by Ray Kitchingman the first in a dance band/jazz band recording?

Albert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQZCn-3nMe0&feature=related

Also in youtube, there is a relentless version by the Quintette of the Hot Club of France where Django and Stephane do a bit of a chase chorus towards the end of the recording.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6jwvS0mHwo

And don't miss this remarkable version by Red Nichols and His Five Pennies, where Glen Miller plays the melody straight,  while Jack Teagarden improvises in an obbligato above  Miller. Also a great solo by Benny Goodman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsiczuYwy1s&feature=related

And what about this piece of extravagant nostalgia from the film "Tin Pan Alley"? Betty Grable, Alice Faye, the Nicholas Brothers, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXkZACn8-_o

Albert

The roster of musicians given on the record label of the reisssue of Brunswick 4805 (Album  B-1001, record 3) is the same as that given by Rust in the last edition of his Jazz Records Discography, namely,

Red Nichols, Ruby Weinstein, Charlie Teagarden - trumpet

Jack Teagarden, Glen Miller - trombone

Benny Goodman, Sid Stoneburn, Babe Russin - reeds

Joe Sullivan - piano

Art Miller - string bass

Gene Krupa - drums

Treg or Teg Brown - guitar or banjo?

The record label gives guitar; Rust gives banjo. Which is it?  The record label gives Teg. Rust gives Treg. Which is it?

Albert

Albert

.... the latest issue of Chemical and Engineering News. The article is a short account of interesting findings in recent studies by French researchers: contrary to previous hypotheses, the unusual quality of Stradivari violins does not seem to be related to the varnish used by Antonio Stradivari to finish his violins. What was Stradivari's secret? The wood? Maybe extraordinary wormanship?

From the press release,

Stradivari therefore used materials that were easily obtained and broadly used in his time. The use of multiple red pigments allowed him to give a variety of tints to his instruments, which are still highly praised for their beautiful appearance. Says Echard, "Stradivari thus did not use any unusual or secret ingredients, he was simply a true master of his craft."

Are the makes of violins used by Joe Venuti known?

Albert

Here is the abstract of the original article published in the International Edition of Angewandte Chemie. If anyone wants the complete article, let me know.

The Nature of the Extraordinary Finish of Stradivaris Instruments (p NA)
Jean-Philippe Echard, Loïc Bertrand, Alex von Bohlen, Anne-Solenn Le Hô, Céline Paris, Ludovic Bellot-Gurlet, Balthazar Soulier, Agnès Lattuati-Derieux, Sylvie Thao, Laurianne Robinet, Bertrand Lavédrine, Stéphane Vaiedelich
Published Online: Dec 3 2009 10:56PM
DOI: 10.1002/anie.200906553

The composition of Stradivari\9s varnish has raised numerous hypotheses and controversies for the past two centuries, although a clear understanding of the materials could not be reached. In their Communication (DOI: 10.1002/anie.200905131), J.-P. Echard et al. describe the chemical stratigraphy of the varnishes from five representative Stradivari instruments by using a wide array of analytical techniques. In particular, Stradivari used several red pigments, and may have sought a variety of tints to give his instruments their beautiful appearance.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/science/04strad.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Albert

Here are the exact Venuti's words as related by Nigel Kennedy. From

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/sep/29/classicalmusicandopera2

"Yeah, I got to meet Venuti in New York, just before he died," says Kennedy. "He pulled out this Stradivarius and said, 'I bet my fiddle's fucking louder than yours.' It was, because he'd drilled a hole in it for a volume knob."

Albert

The link you gave does not work because it has a period at the end. The following works

http://www.goldenage-wtic.org/BB-24.html

Fascinating program. We had a long thread on this, beginning with

http://www.network54.com/Forum/27140/message/1209062300

Albert

.... WTIC site. See

http://www.goldenage-wtic.org/log-bb.html

Albert

One of the programs is a conversation with George T. Simon.

http://www.goldenage-wtic.org/BB-15.html

Fascinating material. There is a segment where Simon talks about Bix. Here is that segment.

http://bixography.com/SimonSays.ram

Bix did not die in his 30s, but at age 28. Changes is the second recording of Bix with Whiteman (the first was Washboard Blues, discussed in a recent thread). Fantastic recording! Bix plays his solo using a mute. I wonder why he chose (or the arranger, Bill Challis) chose to do so.

Albert

Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang were not part of the working Goldkette band when Bix was with Goldkette. Eddie and Joe were added for recordings. Bill Challis said that when the numbers were played on the road, Bix would take the solos that Joe and Eddie had taken in the recording. That gave me an idea. Maybe arrangements could be made of the Goldkette recordings where the violin solo is replaced by a cornet solo in the style of Bix but keeping the guitar as Eddie had played it. I don't mean use Venuti's notes played on cornet, although that might be interesting too as an experiment; I mean a newly created solo in the style of Bix blending with the original Goldkette arrangement, instead of Venuti's solo. I hope this suggestion is not viewed as presumptuous on my part. Just an idea for expanding the repertoire of recreations/reinventions of Bix's music without copying note for note what Bix was doing.

Another related idea would be making arrangements of tunes we wish Bix had recorded (Star Dust, Angry, Too Busy, Ain't Misbehaving, etc) following closely the style of Godlkette for some tunes, Whiteman for other tunes, or Trumbauer with Bix for still other tunes, re-inventing the way these bands would have done such tunes. The model for this would be Hyman and Pletcher's "If Bix Played Gershwin." Maybe, "If Bix Had Recorded These Tunes."

Albert

Thanks for your posting and your kind words.

Some information about Alan. He is a faculty member in the Jazz Studies program at Capilano University in Vancouver, Canada. Alan also teaches trumpet and jazz piano at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, as well as at Vancouver Community College. Alan has a lot in common with Andy S. They both have a strong interest in Bix, play trumpet or cornet and piano, and have degrees from prestigious universities in Illinois, Alan from Northwestern University, Andy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne.

The two Canadian Broadcasting Corporations programs about Whiteman were entitled "Paul Whiteman and Friends" (March 1995) and "Paul Whiteman - The King of Symphonic Jazz" (March 1996). Alan conducted and was soloist. Interesting that Alan played in one of the CBC programs Bill Challis' arrangement of Fats Waller's  "Ain't Misbehaving," one of the tunes I wished Bix had recorded. Alan, do you happen to have a recording of that tune played in the CBC program? I imagine that for Bix's solo, Challis's arrangement simply left room for Bix to do his thing.

Albert

The Whiteman band played "Ain't Misbehavin'" twice in the Old Gold Hour; first on  Aug 6, 1929 (Rolfe type arrangement with accordion solo), and again on Nov 12, 1929 (perhaps Challis's arrangement). The Sep 16, 1929 date given by Bowman for the violin part of Challis's arrangement fits nicely with the Nov 12 broadcast.

There must be at least a third arrangment.  On July 9, 1935 Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra recorded the great Waller's and Razaf's composition "Ain't Misbehaving." This is clearly neither Bill Challis's arrangement (PWC# 0021-1 in the Whiteman Collection, Williams College) as described by Alan, nor the arrangement described for the Old Gold broadcast of Aug 6, 1929. Jack Teagarden is prominent in this arrangement (vocal, solo, coda). Here is a streaming file from the red hot jazz archive.

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/whiteman/aintmisb.ram

Albert

Alan kindly sends a scan of an article published in the Globe and Mail, a Toronto newspaper, on the occasion of Bix's 100th anniversary of his birth.

http://bixography.com/BixArticle10March2003GlobeAndMail1.pdf

http://bixography.com/BixArticle10March2003GlobeAndMail2.pdf

Thank you, Alan.

Albert

Saturday, December 12th

3:00pm - 6:00pm

Chartwell Booksellers

presents

HOLIDAY TEA at THREE

Vince Giordano & his Nighthawks

Eleven-piece band playing music of the 1920s & '30s

for your dancing pleasure

In the Arcade of the Park Avenue Plaza Building

55 East 52nd Street (between Park & Madison), New York, NY 10055

ph: (212) 308-0643
There will be plenty of room to dance and have a cup of warm tea while shopping and sightseeing.

This is open to the public - free of charge!

Vince and the Nighthawks are fantastic, and so versatile: they can play sweet (Isn't It Romantic), blues (Snag It), fast and furious (My Pretty Girl), waltzes (a medley, including one of my favorite waltzes, Berlin's What'll I Do which was used, very effectively to give a nostalgic feeling to Redford's "The Great Gatsby"), etc. You name a tune from the 20s or 30s and Vince with the Nighthawks will give you a splendid rendition. Vince can switch seamlessly from tuba to singing, to bass sax, to string bass, to introducing the numbers. 

Several contributors to the forum were present, Vince, of course, Sue, Rob, Michael S and yours truly. With his characteristic generosity, Vince mentioned the Bix website and me when he introduced the tune "Sugar." Thank you, Vince, you are much too kind.

Everyone enjoyed the excellent music and the festive atmosphere. A great day in the Big Apple.

Albert

.... (from right to left) Michael, Rob and I were enjoying immensely the versatile music of Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks.

Albert

.... to see them on the screen of your computer, thanks to Michael S.  Go to

http://jazzlives.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/those-versatile-nighthawks/

Excellent report, video and sound. You get a good feeling for the atmosphere, the band, the listeners, the dancers.

If you were there, this is a chance to revisit the numbers that you particularly enjoyed.

Thank you, Michael.

Albert

PS I did not catch who was saying "Hey Al" during the "Sugar" segment. Did anyone?

Hoagy recorded his composition "Washboard Blues" several times. The first was with the Hitch's Happy Harmonists (without Hitch) on 5-19-1925. Hoagy directed and played piano, including a short piano solo where, at one point, he changes the tempo considerably. The next was with Paul Whiteman on 11-18-1927. He has a short piano solo which he copied from himself. The Casa Loma Orchestra recorded "Washboard Blues: on 3-16-1931. Pianist Joe Hall copied Hoagy's solo. Listen to the three solos in sequence, in the order given above.

http://bixography.com/PianoSolosHHHPWCLO.ram

Any other copy or copies of Hoagy's solo by other than Hoagy himself? Old or new. Don Bestor's band is on the sheet music (see below), but I don't think he recorded the tune.

Albert

 Here is a scan of Whiteman's 1927 recording signed by Bill Challis, courtesy of Joe Giordano.

An image of the sheet music with Don Bestor orchestra

http://www.network54.com/Forum/27140/message/1223850593/

In one of the subsequent postings, Brad wrote, "Far as I know, no printed version of 'Washboard Blues' has ever included this solo part." According to Sudhalter's "Stardust Melody," this is how the piano solo got created.

"Wickemeyer had his doubts about Washboard Blues right from the start, especially the slow (120 bpm) tempo. Worse yet, after listening to them, the technician abandons his nest of pulleys, weights, and cranks to inform Hitch and his companions that the thing is too short by 20 seconds-11 percent of the three-minute playing time of a 78 rpm record. An eternity. Hitch, unruffled, doesn't miss a beat. 'Hoagy will put in  a piano solo, ' he says. The musicians file out for a smoke, leaving the composer to his panicked thoughts. And by the time they return he's got something. A bit of the blues, some double-time stuff-and in bars 5 and 6 an elegaic little phrase he'd some day extract for use in another, even better known song."

The red hot jazz archive has two other versions of Washboard Blues with Hoagy doing the singing and the playing. One in 1933

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/hoagy/Washboard2.ram

and one in 1956.

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/whiteman/washboardbluespw50.ram

Neither of these includes a piano solo like the one in Hoagy's recordings from 1925 (Hitch's Happy Harmonists) or 1927 (Whiteman).

jazzonline has several other versions of Washboard Blues. 

Mildred Bailey http://www.jazz-on-line.com/a/ramc/VOC22905.ram

Red Nichols http://www.jazz-on-line.com/a/ramc/BRU20992.ram

Tommy Dorsey http://www.jazz-on-line.com/a/ramc/VIC019426.ram

None of these three versions have a piano solo like Hoagy's piano solo in his 1925 and 1927 versions.

Albert

"Just had a phone call from Richard Johnson [not Rich Johnson] to say that the discography is at the printers with a publication date of mid-January 2010.
It consists of 4800 pages, with indices, in 5 volumes. Price will be $125 per volume or $500.00 the set plus postage. Bound in Columbia Royal Blue with gold blocking."

I hope it will be available on CD and/or by online subscritpion.

2. Some interesting articles about discographies by Will Friedwald.

On Discography http://www.jazz.com/jazz-blog/2009/5/27/on-discography

Rust Never Sleeps http://www.jazz.com/jazz-blog/2009/6/10/friedwald-discography-two

The Detectives of Jazz. http://www.jazz.com/jazz-blog/2009/7/3/friedwald-discogrpahy-three

And don't fail to read the introduction of  Allan Sutton's article in

http://www.mainspringpress.com/MORTON-DISCOG.html

Albert

http://redhotjazz.com/Songs/reser/eskimos/toobusycce.ram

The arranger must have loved "Berceuse" from the opera Jocelyn by Benjamin Godard. He interpolates it twice.

This is not the first time that "Berceuse" is interpolated in a dance band recording. Listen to the beginning of this fantastic recording of "Leave My Baby Alone" by the Golden Gate orchestra.

http://bixography.com/leavemybabyalonecr.ram

Albert

... similarities in spelling between Berceuse and Because. I think it has to do with similarity in notes. Listen to the first few notes of each tune, first Too Busy then Berceuse.

http://bixography.com/TooBusyBerceuse.ram

Albert

Try this one, Makin' Whoopee and Ain't Misbehaving

http://bixography.com/MakinWhoopeeAintMisbehavin.ram

And one noted by Brad in his thorough analysis of Cradle of Love, Cradle of Love and Makin' Whoopee.

http://bixography.com/CradleMakinWhoopee.ram

Albert

Michael K and I have been talking about Lou Black, banjoist who knew Bix in 1922, when Bix used to sneak out from Lake Forest Academy to go to Chicago to  listen to the NORK and other jazz bandsLou Black is mentioned once in Evans and Evans book, and four times in Rich Johnson's The Davenport Album. Here is a bit of biographical data from

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fbfpxqrgldse~T1

This banjoist was born and died in a Midwest town called Rock Island, but as a musician he strictly inhabited jazz territory. He began flailing on the banjo as a child, and at 16 was playing professionally with Rock Island's most swinging combos. Pianist Carlisle Evans fronted a riverboat band, which represented the young banjoist's first road trip in 1919, although it was a river and not a highway that carried the S.S. Capitol along. Early in the '20s, Black joined up with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings group at the Friars' Inn venue in Chicago. He stayed with this outfit for several years, joining the Original Memphis Melody Boys in 1923 for a wee stint before returning to the employment of earlier bandleader Evans.

Beginning in the mid-'20s and continuing into the early '30s, Black picked up a position as a staff musician on radio WHO in Des Moines, IA. It might have been the built-in obscurity of this station that got to him, but he wound up quitting music entirely for a time period roughly equal to the number of years he had already been alive. That took him all the way up until 1961, and in the process he missed having to make the same decision that almost every other jazz banjoist did (i.e., switching to guitar). Theoretically having achieved some kind of balance between playing music and not playing, he began a short but final period of activity on the banjo. In 1963 he surprised Dixieland jazz fans by sitting in with various groups around New York City. Later that year, the banjoist began playing gigs around the area of Moline, IL. In late 1965 he was injured in a car crash, then died from a heart attack while still recuperating in the hospital. The Black discography consists mostly of archive recordings done during the early days of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, and he does not seem to have recorded during his '60s period of music-making.

There is an article about Lou in the New Yorker of Nov 2, 1963. Here is an abstract of the article from the New Yorkers Archives website.

Vance Bourjaily, Whitney Balliett, The Talk of the Town, A Burning Desire, The New Yorker, November 2, 1963, p. 37

ABSTRACT: Talk story about Lou Black, the original banjoist with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, a seven-piece white jazz group that set Chicago on its ear in 1921, when it opened at the Friar's Inn. Black has made a part-time comeback recently. Writer got together with him, here, through Vance Bourjaily novelist & assistant prof. of English at the State Univ. of Iowa. Black retired from music in 1931 & has become a successful businessman. He is 62, was born & still lives in Rock Island, Ill. He works for the Moline Consumers Company where he's an outdoor-building materials man. He hadn't touched the banjo in 30 years; he started playing again when his daughter asked him to teach her the banjo. Since last August he's been working two nights a week at the Arabian Room of the Holiday Inn in Moline, with a trio, & the place is packed. During his visit to N.Y. he went over to Bourbon Street & was asked to play his banjo. He started playing when he was seven. He began professionally in 1917, with a dentist named Wrixon [Doc Wrixon, AH]. In 1919 he joined Evans' Original Jazz Band. In 1921 he went over to the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. They broke up in 1923 & then he joined the Memphis Melody Boys; in 1925 he rejoined Carlisle Evans. Later he joined Station WHO in Des Moines, where he stayed until 1931.

I only have access to the abstract. Does anyone have access to the complete article? If you are a subscriber of the New Yorker, I believe you do. I wonder what the article has to say about Bix.

Lou Black made recordings in 1922-1923 with the Midway Dance orchestra , the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, The Original Memphis Boys and the Chicago Blues Dance orchestra.

Here is a great recording of Eccentric, the terrific tune by J. Russell Robinson, by the NORK. Lou is clearly audible.

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/nork/eccentric.ram

Here are a couple of interesting articles about Lou Black.

The Post Standard, - December 1, 1963, Syracuse, New York

NO COMEBACK, IF YOU PLEASE

Old Jazz Picker Hot Again

ROCK ISLAND, IL.

"One thing I can't stand is a has-been who tries to make a comeback

Lou Black, 62, a banjo player who worked with some of the great bands of the Roaring 20s, is being rediscovered by old time jazz buffs and is reluctant to return to the old limelight.

Lou said he thought the sudden interest in him was first generated some months ago when he'd taken a part-time playing job at a local nitery.

During a recent trip to New York City, Black made tape recordings at the request ofRobert J. Mantler, prominent music researcher. "Then, some old timers contacted me and the next thing I knew I was sitting in at some New York nightspots. Black said. Later he made some records for Columbia. Then an invitation came from Brian Rust, British music critic, to make a series of appearances in London. "I haven't decided whether I want to make the trip to England and I don't know how many more trips to New York I'll be making. "I'm happy in my selling job, with my little part-time music job and living with my wife on Rock Island."

Black was born in Rock Island and began fingering a banjo at the age of 7. He played well enough in a few years to "work small local jobs." Lou joined the Carlisle Evans dance orchestra in 1920. They played a number of Midwest spots, a season in New Orleans and for a time offered entertainment on the excursion steamer, the Capitol,which then plied the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Mo., and St. Paul Minn.

During the next few years, Lou played with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings , the

famed Dixieland Jass Band, and King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, Jean Goldkette's dance orchestra and other bands in many of the nation's biggest cities. Later came a season with a band formed by Jack Teagardcn. There also were side jobs with other great names, among them Bix Beiderbecke, a native of Davenport, Iowa and also a musician in his 20s. In 1928, Lou said, he tired of traveling and with Mrs. Black and their two children moved to Des Moines where he look a job as assistant program director with radio station WHO. Black left WHO in 1931, came to Rock Island and "put away my banjo."

A few months ago, the daughter of an old family friend asked Lou to teach her to play the banjo. He agreed loosen up his cramped, aging fingers and started practicing himself. Then he started playing some of the old time tunes that sound good only when played on a banjo; then he bought another banjo, this time for about $1,000; then "a couple of guys my age joined me" and the combo went to work. They work only Friday and Saturday nights because we have daytime jobs," Lou said. His sidemen are Lee Stoctcrau on the piano, and Bert Kells, a saxophone and clarinet player. They play "mostly old time jazz with modern piece now and then," Lou said.

The Blacks have a son Louis Jr. who lives in Detroit with his wife and three children,  and adaughter who makes St Louis her home with a husband and four children.

Return lo the limelight, Lou? "Naw I got a ready made audience any time we have a visit from my son and his family and daughter and her family, all at one time."

Des Moines Sunday Register, Jan 12, 1964

Old Rhythm King Lou Black Beats the Dust Off His Banjo

By Gene Raffensperger

MUSIC world, particularly that segment that reveres Dixieland, had given up Lou Black for dead. Indeed many of the famous contemporaries of his era were dead. Black, who was born and reared in Rock Island, IL was and is one of the great banjo players. In an era when the banjo was a solid rhythm instrument, Black was a star on a Mississippi River boat. He play ed in the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, top drawer in the music world of the Roaring 20's.

Black was a friend of the immortal Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke, the cornet player from Davenport. He also played with Jelly Roll Morton, Leon Rappola [sic] and other greats of the jazz era. A fan once said of Lou Black, "He's got paws like a bear, but he picks that banjo with a feather." A music critic who heard Black play many times wrote "He.'s a Dixieland man first last and always. It comes out no matter what he plays."

But at age 30, in the prime of his career, Black put down his banjo. He was disgruntled with the turn of music. He watched the guitar and bass replace the banjo in bands. Sadly he saw his beloved banjo laughed off the center stage to become in his words "a .taxi driver's instrument."

So Black carved out a new career as a salesman, and his banjo gathered dust in his home in Rock Island. A year ago the daughter of an old friend came to him and asked to learn the banjo. "I told her I didn't want to play," said Black, now 62. "I was done. I hadn't played for 30 years. I had nothing to play for."

But the young woman persisted. "I began to play a little more all the time," Black now recalls.

I realized that something had gone out of my life and now it was coming back."

Black on banjo, and two friends, Lee Stoeteray on piano. Bert Kells on saxophone, were booked into the Holiday Inn in Moline, III., late last summer. They are still there, playing two nights a week. Sitting on that stand some of the old magic returned to Blacks fingers and gave life to the Dixieland beat in "That's a Plenty," "Bill Bailey" and others. The applause washed over him again as it had done 30 years ago. They hadn't forgotten Lou Black at all, and a whole new generation had newly found him.

"I'm getting a tremendous kick out of this," says Black. "But sometimes it makes me want to cry. I can't help but think of all the fellows who can't be here to play again. My fingers don't do what they used to, but my mind knows more."

They still remember Lou Black in New York and Chicago, too. Thanks to urging by his friend and hunting companion, Vance Bourjaily, novelist and assistant English professor at the State University of Iowa, Black returned to New York. He made oral tapes for a jazz buff who is writing of the era.. He sat in with the band at Bourbon Street, and played until 4 a.m. when the audience would not stop calling for more. He would like to make a record or two, but he will not again make music his fulltime career.

"Nothing is sadder than an old has been trying to make a comeback," he feels. Then why did he come back as he has?  "The banjo has been maligned for a long time and I want to prove it doesn't deserve that. A lot of years in my life went to waste. I don't suppose I could have kept the banjo alive, but I didn't help things by quitting. When I first started to play the banjo I had an insatiable desire to be the best. I suppose now I'd just like to prove I can still do it."

Some comments.

-         Lou Black is said to have played with Bix, King Oliver, Jean Goldkette and Jack Teagarden. Maybe the mention of Bix applies to Bix sitting with the NORK. But King Oliver, Jack Teagarden? Josh, do you know anything about Lou Black playing with Goldkette? My understanding is that Howdy Quicksell was with Goldkette from the beginning to the end. Jelly Roll Morton ? There is a NORK session (July 17, 1923) with JRM, but the banjoist, according to Rust, was Bob Gillette (later with the Wolverines).

-         Lou Black Jr. is mentioned in one of the articles. Michael K tells me that he played last week with Lou Black, Jr. who is 86 and plays drums! Michael, did you ask Lou if he has photos or letters or a diary from his father?

Albert

I note the following in what Brendan copied.

We were at the Friar's Inn for a couple of years, and when we'd finished work, or when there were no more customers to play for, we'd go over to the Dreamland and sit in with Pop Oliver and Louis Armstrong.

Was it common for white, young Chicagoans (both native and imported) to sit with bands of black musicians in the 1920s? The accounts of such sittings come from white musicians recollections years after the events. Are there objective, e.g., newspapers or magazines of the 1920s, accounts of such sittings? Were these after hours for Dreamland events? I understand that, occasionally in the 1920s, in the color-blind environment of recording studios, black and white musicians would record together. But would they play together in the bright lights of a dance hall with customers listening and dancing?

Albert

Bix sat with Louis after hours.

Did professional, established musicians from one band sit with other bands in the 1920s? Or were young musicians on their way to become professionals more likely to do so?

Albert

.... NORK-Jelly Roll Morton recordings of Jul 17 and 18, 1923.

Mike (Dr. Jazz website) kindly informed me, "According to Laurie Wright in "Mr. Jelly Lord" page 14 . . . "Early listings have given Lou Black as the banjoist, but when interviewed he denied his presence and suggested that Bob Gillette might be responsible." Therefore, the assignment of Bob Gillette is tentative. As a matter of fact, in the Jelly Roll Morton discography,

http://www.doctorjazz.co.uk/page15.html

the name of Bob Gillette is written in red,  "The names of musicians that appear in red typeface indicates that there is some uncertainty as to their actual presence on the recording."

Albert

Scott Deveaux and Gary Giddins'  book  "Jazz."  was published by W. W. Norton & Co in Oct 2009. It is a 704-page book described as follows in Gary's website,

http://www.garygiddins.com

The story of jazz for the general reader as it has never been told before, from the inside out: a comprehensive, eloquent, scrupulously researched page-turner. In this vivid history of jazz, a respected critic and a leading scholar capture the excitement of Americas unique music with intellectual bite, unprecedented insight, and the passion of unabashed fans. They explain what jazz is, where it came from, and who created it and why, all within the broader context of American life and culture. Emphasizing its African American roots, Jazz traces the history of the music over the last hundred years.

Bix Beiderbecke is mentioned 19 times in the book. I transcribe here the analysis of "Singin' the Blues."

Note that Bill Rank is given as the trombonist. It is not. It is Miff Mole.

Albert

From Polecat Records (Mike Polad).

The suite was recorded by Marvin Ash and is brought to you through the courtesy of Enrico. Thanks!

http://bixography.com/OdeToBixEarlRohlfMarvinAsh.ram

Albert

.... about 4 minutes and a bit more extensively at about 8 minutes.

Albert

For the convenience of readers, here is the direct link to the Fresh Air review.

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1440418

I gave this link in my review of Geoff Muldaur's CD. See 

http://ms.cc.sunysb.edu/~alhaim/recordingstributes.htm#visionmusicbixmuldaur

I played two tracks from the CD in two of the WBIX programs, "In the Dark" (#97) and "Davenport Blues" (# 158).

Albert

From the Timeless CD "The London Gabrieli Brass Ensemble, The Influence of Jazz." There are two pieces in this CD, "Jazz Colours" and "Magnolia Suite." The last track in the "Magnolia Suite" [another track in the Magnolia Suite is "Singin' the Blues."] is entitled "Inner Bix." It is really "In A Mist" arranged for two trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba.

Listen, courtesy of Rob. Thanks for your generosity, Rob!

There is another version for a brass quintet by the Westwind Brass. You can hear an excerpt in

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/westwind/from/payplay

Albert

PS I will add this recording to my list of "In A Mist" recordings. I had missed it because the title was changed to "Inner Bix."

.... the icon of a player and the music should start immediately. Try this instead,

Copy and paste bixography.com/InAMistBrass.mp3

As for the other version, I simply gave the link so that forumites could listen free to an excerpt and for information purposes.

Thanks for alerting me. I wonder how many readers get the red x instead of the icon of an mp3 player. I would appreciate if forumites let me know if they get an x or the music starts streaming as soon asthey open the posting. Thank you.

Albert

On March 2, 1928, Red Nichols and His Five Pennies (in fact, 11 instrumentalists, Red Nichols, Leo McConville, Manny Klein, Miff Mole, Dudley Fosdick, Fud Livingston, Murray Kellner, Arthur Schutt, Carl Kress, Art Miller, Vic Berton, and one vocalist,Scrappy Lambert) went into the Brunswick studios and recorded, as was often the case with Brunswick records, two versions of "Can't Yo Heah Me Calling, Caroline?" one with a vocal refrain (Scrappy Lambert again!) and one without vocal for the non-English speaking world (Germany, Austria, and I think Argentina), Br 20062 and A-5044, respectively.

In general, the two recordings made by Brunswick for the two audiences were very much the same, except that the vocalist in the American version was replaced by an instrumental solo in the German version. However, here is a departure of this trend. In Br 20062, the solo at 2:30 is taken by Red, sounding in parts uncannily like Bix. In Br A-5044, the solo at 2:22 is taken by Fud Livingston. I only heard these two versions once, but it seems to me that Reds and Fuds solos follow rather similar patterns. We are dealing with 12-in records, sort of semi-symphonic arrangements a la "Sweet Sue," with hot solos by Red and Fud in the two versions. There must be other differences, Br 20062 is 4 min in length whereas Br A-5044 is only 3 min 50 sec.

Listen to the vocal version first

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/nichols/CantYoHearMeCallinCaroline26775.ram

and then to the non-vocal version

http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/nichols/CantYoHearMeCallinCaroline26777-G.ram

Albert

To view the Power Point presentation I gave during  the 2005 Bix cruise, go to

http://bixbeiderbecke.com/PowerPointPresentations/PowerPointPresentations.html

and click on item # 3. The file size is 51.8 MB.

Albert

TT.Armstrong always described his own playing and performances in terms of what he recalled from his past. He saw his playing as a way to paint pictures. He talks about being on the bandstand and thinking about things that happened to him in his life. Duke Ellington was the same way. In my experience, this is not how musicians generally refer to what they do and how they do it.

How do musicians generally refer to what they do and how they do it? Is there any documentation? I imagine that of all musicians, Artie Shaw, who was remarkably cogent and highly articulate, must have said or written something on this subject. Other musicians? Bix was reticent and said little. I don't remember Bix's fellow musicians telling much about what Bix was doing and how he did it. If anyone talked about this, it would have been Bill Challis.

Bix's piano compositions do tell us something about what Bix was doing or trying to convey, especially the titles: contrasts in light and darkness, chiaroscuros. But his cornet solos? Complex and varying feelings yes (buoyant in "From Monday On," poignant in "I'll Be A Friend With Pleasure," bittersweet in "I'm Coming Virginia," etc) but what else, if anything?

I am surprised that Louis saw his playing as a way to paint pictures. There are distinct art forms, painting, writing, music. Each has its own language, different and unique. Granted that some music conveys or paints images ("La Mer" by Debussy, for example), but I don't associate images from Louis's past with his playing of, for example, "Star Dust." What was Louis painting when he played "West End Blues" or "Potato Head Blues"? Can someone explain?

Albert

Albert

"When I blow I think of times and things from outa the past that gives me an image of the tune. Like moving pictures passing in front of my eyes. A town, a chick somewhere back down the line, an old man with no name you seen once in a place you don't remember."

From Terry Teachout's Armstrong biography.

Albert

.... "In A Mist", visit

http://www.nme.com/awards/video/id/q_3m4bbsLdc

I prefer, infinitely more, the images in Lisa's youtube videos that feature Bix's piano compositions.

Albert

.... synesthete. Synesthesia is a condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color. That was the case with Duke Ellington. According to Don George, "Sweet Man: The Real Duke Ellington," the Duke saw timbres as colors.

Albert

The Oakland Tribune of June 20, 1928 carries a story about Whiteman recording for  Columbia Records and some ads for his recordings. One of the ads has Whiteman's last name misspelled. His views about jazz are outlined.

Albert

http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-native-credited-with-writing-famed-hokey-pokey-dies-at-104-1.447701

Albert

New York Times article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/arts/music/03degen.html

Albert