CHAPTERS IN BOOKS AND RELATED BOOKS
“Twelve Lives in Jazz” by Duncan Schiedt
Delta Editrice, Parma, Italy, 1996. Description: oversize book; 176 pages; hundreds of photographs. This beautifully produced and printed book provides biographical information on twelve jazz musicians using mostly photographs, interspersed with a limited amount of text. One of the lives included in the book is that of Bix Beiderbecke. The chapter about Bix consists of 12 pages and contains 17 photographs. Bix’s life facts are presented concisely. The quality of the photographs is excellent. Some of the other lives in this book are those of Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Jelly Roll Morton, Fletcher Henderson, and Benny Goodman.
“A Pictorial History of Jazz”
Written by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer, Jr., Crown. Publishers, Inc., New York, 1955. Description: oversize book; 282 pages; hundreds of photographs. A second edition was published in 1966. The book is divided into 21 chapters. Chapter 9 is entitled “Bixology” and consists of 8 pages and contains 15 photographs. Compared to “Twelve Lives in Jazz”, this book contains a much higher ratio of photographs to text. Other chapters of interest, in connection with Bix, are chapter 8, “Friars Point Shuffle” which provides photographs of the Austin High Gang and other Chicagoans, and chapter 1, “Turn on the Heat” which provides photographs of several of the “hot” white musicians who were Bix’s contemporaries (Coon-Sanders Nighthawks, Bailey’s Lucky Seven, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Phil Napoleon) or played with Bix (Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Miff Mole, Adrian Rollini, the Dorsey Brothers, Frank Signorelli).
“Jazz Masters of the Twenties”
Written by Richard Hadlock, Collier Books, New York, 1965. Description: 255 pages, eleven photographs. The book consists of eight chapters about the following jazz giants: Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Bix Beiderbecke, The Chicagoans, Fats Waller and James P. Johnson, Jack Teagarden, Fletcher Henderson and Don Redman, Bessie Smith, and Eddie Lang. A very well-written summary of Bix’s life and an excellent analysis of his recordings.
“Jazz Masters of the Thirties”
Written by Rex Stewart, MacMillan. Publishing Co., New York, 1972. Description: 223 pages. The book consists of twenty chapters and covers, among others, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Red Norvo, and Duke Ellington. The first chapter discusses the Jean Goldkette Orchestra. This is an interesting, personal account by one of the players in the jazz scene at the time of Goldkette’s zenith when Bix and Tram were part of the band.
“The Reluctant Art, Five Studies in the Growth of Jazz”
Written by Benny Green, MacGibbon, and Kee, London, 1962. Description: 191 pages. The book consists of five chapters about Bix Beiderbecke, Benny Goodman, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, and Charlie Parker. The author, in a thoughtful fashion, tries to demystify Bix. He argues against detractors, such as the irrational Rudi Blesh; he chastises those who use hyperbole, such as Hoagy Carmichael and Eddie Condon. The author does not get bogged down in the details of Bix’s life. The emphasis is on an analysis of Bix’s dedication to music and of his recordings. An excellent treatment of Bix’s life as a musician.
“Jam Session, An Anthology of Jazz”
Edited by Ralph J. Gleason, The Jazz Book Club, London, 1961. Description: 253 pages with illustrations. The book, divided into six sections such as The Background of Jazz, The Jazz Revival, The Coming of Modern Jazz, etc. is a compilation of articles previously published in various magazines. The article by Otis Ferguson, “Young Man with a Horn” was originally published in The New Republic in 1936. It is a rather short article but of particular interest for several reasons. It was written not long after Bix’s death. The title of the article was later borrowed by Dorothy Baker for her (failed) novel. Ferguson’s article was essential in bringing jazz and Bix to the attention of the public.
“The Jazz Tradition”
Written by Martin Williams, Oxford University Press, New York, 1983. Description: 287 pages and discographic information. The book consists of twenty-two chapters covering such great jazz artists as King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, etc. The chapter on Bix is entitled “Bix Beiderbecke, The White Man’s Burden”. The author begins by discussing white and black contributions to jazz. The basic tenet in this article is “that white players of the ‘twenties and early ‘thirties brought a particular lyric sensibility to jazz and this sensibility has had an effect on its subsequent development.” The author goes further to say that Bix was the most important and influential of those white musicians, and provides an interesting analysis of his musical contributions.
“The Jazz Makers”
Edited by Nat Shapiro and Nat Hentoff, Peter Davies Ltd., London, 1958. Description: 368 pages. The book covers the lives and music of twenty-one jazzmen, including Jelly Roll Morton, Baby Dodds, Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, Bix Beiderbecke, Pee Wee Russell, etc. The chapter on Bix is written by George Hoefer. He begins in a similar vein as Benny Green’s “The Reluctant Art.” I quote: “So, we have Bix Beiderbecke, an unappreciated artist while still alive, going through a complete cycle of favor and disfavor in the short space of twenty years: from the greatly exaggerated, “He was the greatest,” to the “He was grossly overrated” schools of thought.” Thus, the author dismisses earlier, biased opinions, disregards overblown claims, and centers his attention on Bix’s music. To place his analysis in context, the author interweaves some facts from Bix’s life and his music. In this manner, the author provides an informative evaluation.
“The Art of Jazz”
Edited by Martin T. Williams, Grove Press, Inc., New York, 1960. Description: 248 pages. This is an anthology of articles previously published in various venues. Some of the artists included are Sidney Bechet, King Oliver, James P. Johnson, and Bessie Smith. The article about Bix Beiderbecke was written by George Avakian, a one-time director of popular albums for Columbia Records. The article in this book is a condensation of the liners that Mr. Avakian wrote for the Columbia Records CL-844, CL-845, and CL-846, “The Bix Beiderbecke Story”, Volumes 1, 2, and 3. The article is a nice short summary of Bix’s life and a good evaluation of Bix’s musical legacy and impact on the world of jazz.
“The Making of Jazz, A Comprehensive History”
Written by James Lincoln Collier, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1978. Description: 543 pages, discography and bibliography, photographs. This detailed and thoughtful book is divided into four parts. I. The Precursors. II New Orleans: The Burgeoning of the Classic Style. III The Swing Age: A Music Mature. IV The Modern Age. Part II contains a chapter entitled “Bix: the Tragic Temperament.” This is, in my opinion, one of the best short treatments of Bix’s life and music. Utilizing a concise style, blending together facts and interpretation, the author comes up with a plausible analysis of Bix’s inability to take control of his life. Part II includes a chapter named “Henderson, Goldkette, and the Making of the Big Band.” There is little discussion of the Jean Goldkette band. The analysis focuses on the other great band in the Goldkette organization, McKinney’s Cotton Pickers.
“Voices of the Jazz Age”
Written by Chip Deffaa, University of Illinois Press, Urbana and Chicago, 1990. Description: 256 pages, notes, bibliography, a guide to further listening, photographs, index. The book consists of eight chapters each about a jazz giant born before 1910: Sam Wooding, Benny Waters, Bix Beiderbecke, Joe Tarto, Bud Freeman, Jimmy McPartland, Freddie Moore, and Jabbo Smith. The chapter about Bix is entitled “Bix Beiderbecke: An Appreciation”. The content of the chapter is an elaboration and expansion of the booklet that accompanied the release in 1988 of the Sunbeam set of recordings “Sincerely, Bix Beiderbecke”. This is one of the best profiles about Bix that I have seen. The author provides complete biographical information, places Bix in context with respect to jazz history, and discusses the influence of Bix on other musicians. There is a fairly detailed discussion of the relations between Bix and his family, and of recordings that have been attributed to Bix.
“Jazzmen”
Edited by Frederic Ramsey, Jr. and Charles Edward Smith, Harcourt, Brace and Co. New York, 1939. Description: 360 pages, 18 illustrations. A collection of eight articles about jazz musicians (King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, and the Austin High School Gang) and general jazz topics (New Orleans Music, White New Orleans, Blues, Boogie Woogie). The chapter on Bix by Edward J. Nichols is a readable account, but somewhat superficial.
“Frontiers of Jazz”
Edited by Ralph de Toledano, Oliver Durrell, Inc. New York, 1947. Description: 178 pages. A compilation of articles published earlier in a variety of magazines. There is one article, by George Johnson, about “The Wolverines and Bix.” George Johnson was the tenor sax player for the Wolverine Orchestra. This article is of particular interest for two reasons. First, there is a first-hand account of one of the active players in the jazz scene around 1923-24. Second, this is the only account of the Wolverines that I have been able to find. George Johnson provides several anecdotes of great interest and also gives his personal opinion of the impact that Bix had on his fellow musicians.
“Bunny Berigan, Elusive Legend of Jazz”
Written by Robert Dupuis, Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, 1993. Description: 368 pages, nineteen photographs, genealogy, discography, and bibliography. This book is a detailed account of trumpeter Bunny’s life and music. Interestingly, in 1931, Bix and Bunny appeared in the same bandstand with the group led by the Dorsey brothers. Chapter 10, entitled “In a Mist” provides an interesting comparison of the two immortals.
“Waiting for Dizzy”
Written by Gene Lees, Oxford University Press, New York, 1991. Description: 234 pages. This book consists of a series of interviews of important jazz musicians by an insider, a man who is a musician himself. One of the chapters, entitled Bix and Bill, is the result of an interview of Bill Challis. There is first a general discussion of the importance of white musicians in jazz, in particular, Bix and Tram, and of Bill Challis’ (with Vince Giordano) recording of “The Goldkette Project”. The interview is full of insights into Bix’s activities during the Goldkette, Whiteman, and post-Whiteman years. There are two other interviews of interest in connection with Bix, those of the great jazz violinist Joe Venuti and of Spiegle Willcox, who played trombone with Bix and the Jean Goldkette Orchestra.
“We Called It Music”
Written by Eddie Condon, Henry Holt and Co., New York, 1947. Description: 341 pages, photographs, discography. This is an autobiographical account by the banjo player. The dedication of the book reads “FOR BIX, I hope he is not wearing a cap”. One of the chapters is entitled “Young Man with a Cap”. The cap refers to Eddie’s first encounter with Bix in 1922 in connection with a gig in Syracuse by a group of Chicago musicians under the name of The Royal Harmonists of Indiana. Apparently, Bix was wearing a cap (and a green overcoat) when he met Eddie who could not believe that a guy wearing that kind of cap (and a green overcoat) could be the greatest jazz cornetist of all time. The chapter contains many stories related to Bix – as remembered by Mr. Condon. It is not clear what is the proportion of fact to fiction in most of the accounts.
“My Life in Jazz”
Written by Max Kaminsky, Andre Deutsch Ltd. London, 1964. Description: 242 pages. Another autobiographical book, but this one is well-written and believable. In chapter 2, Max provides a detailed account of his first meeting with Bix in Boston, in the Spring of 1926, when the Jean Goldkette orchestra toured the northeast. This is a very interesting, personal narrative with lots of very interesting tidbits of information.
“The Stardust Road”
Written by Hoagy Carmichael, Rinehart, and Co., Inc. New York, 1946. Description: 156 pages, photographs. This autobiographical book is dedicated to Bix Beiderbecke and to William Moenkhaus. There are references to Bix throughout the book. In fact, the book starts with Hoagy’s account of how he learned of Bix’s death. Hoagy has a tendency to exaggerate things, but, by and large, the book is required reading for anyone who desires to have a more than superficial understanding of Bix.
“Sometimes I Wonder”
Written by Hoagy Carmichael with Stephen Longstreet, Farrar, Strauss, and Giraux, New York, 1965. Description: 313 pages, photographs. This is an excellent account of Hoagy’s life. This autobiography emphasizes the first thirty years of Hoagy’s life. There are lots of fascinating details about Bix. Overall, the accounts here are much more believable than those in “The Stardust Road”. I liked particularly the sections covering the Wolverine days.
“Jelly Roll, Bix, and Hoagy. Gennett Studios and the Birth of Recorded Jazz”
Written by Rick Kennedy, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1994. Description: 233 pages, twenty-one illustrations, notes, and bibliography. This book is an exhaustive,well-documented account of the Gennett Recording Company. The author manages to make the history of this relatively obscure (except among jazz fans and collectors) recording company fascinating. There is an extensive discussion of Bix, of the Wolverines and their recordings, and of the friendship between Bix and Hoagy. The author provides an in-depth discussion regarding the speculation that Bix might have been the cornetist in Marion McKay’s recording of Doo Wacka Doo (It was probably Leroy Morris). The detailed account of the lawsuit brought by the Victor Company against the Starr Piano Company (the parent organization of the Gennett Recording Company) is instructive and fascinating.
“Tram, The Frank Trumbauer Story”
Written by Philip R. Evans and Larry F. Kiner, with William Trumbauer, The Scarecrow Press, Inc., Metuchen, N. J., 1994. Description: 821 pages plus xix, twenty-four photographs, a comprehensive discography, chronology, and song title index. This book is number 18 in the Studies in Jazz series from the Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers -The State University of New Jersey. The biography covers the first 274 pages. It is very detailed and includes memos written in 1953 by Tram as he planned an autobiography. Tram’s comments, taken from his 1928 diary and from pages of three other diaries, are included in the chronology section. The discography is extremely detailed and includes the original issues, reissues, LP albums, and CDs. There are numerous references to Bix Beiderbecke. In fact, the Bix and Tram combination was so important, that this book is required reading for anyone who has more than a passing interest in Bix.
“Sylvester Ahola, The Gloucester Gabriel”
Written by Dick Hill, The Scarecrow Press, Inc., Metuchen, N. J., 1993. Description: 220 pages plus xi, thirteen photographs, discography, bibliography, and song index. This book is number 14 in the Studies in Jazz series from the Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers -The State University of New Jersey. The author had free access to the files, letters, and diaries of Saima and Sylvester Ahola. Extracts from the diaries are included in the biography section. There are several interesting references to Bix.
“Lost Chords, White Musicians and Their Contribution to Jazz, 1915-1945”
Written by Richard M. Sudhalter, Oxford University Press, New York, 1999. Description: 890 pages, thirty-seven photographs, index of names, index of musical titles, bibliographic notes. This massive and well-documented work contains a lot of material about Bix and related musicians, such as Jean Goldkette, Frank Trumbauer, Miff Mole, Adrian Rollini, Bud Freeman, Eddie Lang, and the Dorsey brothers. From a first reading, the chapter “Bix Beiderbecke and Some of His Friends” is an excellent analysis of Bix’s seminal contributions to the jazz idiom. Several of Bix’s solos are analyzed in detail and there is an interesting attempt at understanding Bix’s decline and eventual self-destruction through alcoholism. The author provides insights and an analysis of Bix’s tragedy not found in previous treatments.
A thorough, thoughtful, and very positive review of “Lost Chords” is provided by Phillip D. Atteberry, Professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh, in the April 1999 issue of The Mississippi Rag. Mr. Atteberry refers to Richard Sudhalter’s treatment of Bix:
Of Bix Beiderbecke, Sudhalter is brief and eloquent, and I am impressed. Sudhalter co-wrote an excellent biography of Beiderbecke, Bix: Man and Legend, but often writers who have done such extensive research on a topic find it difficult to distill their knowledge into a few pages. Sudhalter briefly and gracefully argues that Beiderbecke, even more than Armstrong, is a phenomenon unto himself, springing from no particular style or school and influencing others less than we have imagined. Sudhalter argues that even though many musicians borrowed Bix’s phrases, few pierced through to the brooding spirit beneath them.
Finally, I quote the last two paragraphs from the review:
It is not possible, in a single review, to touch upon all the excellences of this book. Suffice it to say that the chapters on Artie Shaw, Red Norvo and Mildred Bailey, Pee Wee Russell, and Jack Teagarden are as intelligent and insightful as anything I’ve read on the topic. Most books embellish or refine an existing way of thinking. Only a few books prompt us to think in fundamentally new ways, to see a subject through an entirely new lens. Lost Chords is one of those rare books. It takes a large investment of time, but it’s worth it. In most respects, this is a book that jazz lovers will never finish but will keep returning to as their listening trails expand.
A lengthy and insightful review of the book appeared in the February 1999 issue of the Atlantic Monthly. The review is available online.
Addendum 12/29/00 Richard M. Sudhalter is the recipient of one of the 33rd Annual Ascap-Deems Taylor Awards for the year 2000. The ASCAP-Deems Taylor Awards are presented in honor of Deems Taylor, a distinguished composer, music critic, editor, and radio commentator who served as ASCAP’s (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) President from 1942-1948. The special citation was bestowed upon Richard Sudhalter for his book “Lost Chords: White Musicians and Their Contribution to Jazz. 1915-1945”, Oxford University Press, 1999. The presenter of the award singled out “breadth and scope of research” as well as “elegance of writing style” in the award ceremonies. “Lost Chords” was also selected by the New York Times as one of the “Notable Books of the Year” in the non-fiction category at the end of 1999.
“Call Me Lucky”
Written by Bing Crosby as told to Pete Martin, Simon and Schuster, Inc., N. Y., 1953. Description: 343 pages plus vii, sixty-one photographs, and index. In his professional career, Bing Crosby wore many hats (no pun intended). He was a jazz singer, a crooner, a slapstick comedian, a serious film actor, a TV personality, an entertainer, etc., etc., etc. We focus here on Bing, the jazz singer, in my opinion, the best jazz singer of all time. Bing’s path crossed Bix’s in late 1927 when Bix, after the failure of the New Yorkers, joined Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra. Bix and Bing were roommates, they double-dated the Shaffney sisters and were good drinking buddies. In this biography, which covers all of Bing’s career, the activities of Bing, the jazz singer, are necessarily a small portion of the book. Nevertheless, there are some interesting insights into Bix’s life, interests, and musical genius. The third and fourth sections of chapter 5 are entitled Bix and Bix’s Crowd, respectively. There are only three pages devoted to Bix, but they are dense in information and contain lots of little gems. Some examples follow:
The cornet was his instrument, but I sometimes think he played piano better than he played the cornet.
Bix never liked to go to bed, so he always felt terrible physically.
Bix was very intellectual, very well read, and as good an authority on new American symphonic music or classical music as anyone I’ve ever known.
Although Bing’s memories of Bix cover just a few pages, I think that any serious Bixophile ought to read them carefully.
Liners in Records
In a message of 2/14/00, Mike Heckman writes: “Liner notes provide a substantial amount of Bixiana and might deserve a mention as sources of information.” Indeed, there is a lot of information in liners and, in particular, in booklets associated with records or albums.
Perhaps the most notable booklet, included in the “Sincerely Bix” Sunbeam complete set of Bix’s recordings, is “Bix Beiderbecke: An Appreciation” by Chip Deffaa. There is extensive biographical information with critiques and interpretations. The booklet was expanded and is one of the chapters in Deffaa’s book “Voices of the Jazz Age”. The liners for the three-volume, 1950’s Columbia set “The Bix Beiderbecke Story” were written by George Avakian, record producer and jazz historian. They contain priceless biographical and discographical information. George Avakian also wrote the liners for the 1940s Columbia Records Album Hot Jazz Classics, Jazz As It Should Be Played, Bix Beiderbecke”. In addition to interesting notes, the inside cover of the album has a copy of Bix’s letter of February 5, 1929, to Tommy Rockwell.
A great booklet comes with the Time-Life Giants of Jazz set on Bix Beiderbecke. The main part of the booklet was written by Curtis Prendergast and has a very informative text and gorgeous photographs. The notes on the music were written by Richard M. Sudhalter with his usual flair and insights.
Volume 2 of “Bix Restored” includes a booklet entitled “Bix and His Gangs” by Randy Skretvedt, editor of Past Times. Randy does something quite novel here. Instead of recycling information about Bix, he writes “capsule biographies of some of Bix’s compatriots”. Each entry includes lots of information in a concise manner.
The liners written by Marc Richard for the French 8-volume set of CDs of Bix’s recordings are very useful,l, particularly from a discographical viewpoint. Monsieur Richard has interesting opinions and he is not shy about sharing them with the readers.
As I come across other useful liners, I will add information about them here.