BIX: A Radio Program From Miami University – Part 1
In May 1971, James Robert Grover submitted “A Creative Aural History Thesis” to the Department of Speech of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. The title of the thesis is “A Series of Nineteen One-Half-Hour Original Tape-Recorded Radio Programs on the Life and Music of Leon Bix Beiderbecke.” The programs were produced by Jim Grover at Miami University Radio, which operates the public broadcasting radio station WMUB. The production of Bix was financed, in part, by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting under the umbrella of their Sounds of Radio competition. William Utter, manager of WMUB and Professor of Communications at the time, had written the grant proposal and was successful in securing the necessary funds. Jim’s academic adviser was Stephen C. Hathaway, who was, at the time, the director of Miami University Telecommunications Service.
Jim’s thesis was no ordinary scholarly document on an esoteric subject, nor was it a written document. Basically, what James Grover produced was a series of audio tapes. It is noteworthy that the use of an audio format, at the time, represented a highly creative approach in academic scholarship. The tapes go through Bix’s life by a combination of narration, interviews with musicians and friends who knew Bix personally, commentaries by knowledgeable people, and Bix’s own recordings. I quote from the abstract of the thesis:
The tape-recorded series of programs presents an aural history of this great American Jazz innovator.” “The interview material provides an insight to the creative and human aspects of Bix Beiderbecke.” “Although numerous authors, while tracing the evolution of jazz, have attempted to document Bix, none have used the intimate medium of radio to illustrate the entire Beiderbecke career. The nineteen tape-recorded programs of the series provide an in-depth study of the life and music of the legendary Bix”:
This is a low-key description of a magnificent document.
The people who are interviewed clearly loved Bix and provide informative, insightful, and, sometimes, humorous comments.
The analyses of Bix’s recordings are detailed, perceptive, and instructive. The narration is concise and well-woven. It is important to point out that the tapes were produced before the Sudhalter-Evans biography and the Berman video documentary were available, two excellent sources of detailed information. But I must point out also that Phil Evans (the author of biographies about Bix, Tram and Red Nichols) with his encyclopedic knowledge and documentation about Bix, John Steiner (legendary jazz records collector who in the 1940’s bought the remainings of the Paramount record company) with his knowledge and collection of mint Bix recordings, and Joseph Campbell (a local Bix aficionado who also had a superb collection of mint recordings) acted as advisors for the series.
Other important people helping with the project were Bill Utter who acted as executive producer and also was an excellent narrator for the series; Frank Powers (clarinet player and, at the time, president of the Southwest Ohio Classic Jazz Society) who analyzed the recordings; and Mary K. Fulton who wrote some of the script and the narration connecting the interviews. There is no way to do justice to this fantastic work by reading a transcript. One has to listen to the tapes using the “intimate medium of radio” as Jim Grover put it so well. But, “as a second best”, I provide a detailed description of each broadcast, taken from the pamphlet published to advertise the series.
Description of Each Twenty Nine Minute Broadcast (copied verbatim from the pamphlet published to advertise the series)
- BIX. Early Days in Davenport: His interest in music as a child; early jazz exposure. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band and the first meeting with Louis Armstrong and possibly Emmett Hardy. Bix’s involvement in music in his high school days. Recollections of Bix’s brother Charles Beiderbecke, Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Eddie Condon, and Gene Krupa.
- BIX in Chicago 1921-1922: Bix as a student at Lake Forest Academy. Chicago excursions introduced the King Oliver Creole Jazz Band and the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Bix chose music.
- BIX and the Start of the Wolverines: Autumn of 1923: Eddie Condon tells of his first impressions of the “kid with the cap”. Dud Mecum explains how the Wolverines got to the Stockton Club. The first recordings were “Fidgety Feet” and “Jazz Me Blues”.
- BIX and the Growth of the Wolverines: More recordings: “Oh Baby,”; Hoagy Carmichael reminisces about the Spring of 1924 and his composition “Riverboat Shuffle.” “I Need Some Pettin’,” “Tiger Rag,” and “Tia Juana.”
- The Last of BIX and the Wolverines and the Beginning of the BIX/Trumbauer Team: “Big Boy,” the last recording with the Wolverines. McPartland takes over – it was the end of an era. The first recording of Bix and Trumbauer, “I’m Glad,” with the Sioux City Six.
- Jean Goldkette Orchestra, BIX and His Rhythm Jugglers: Bix loved the classics, as discussed by Paul Mertz. Victor rejected a Bix solo. “Davenport Blues” was his first composition. The call to St. Louis.
- BIX in St. Louis and Return to Detroit: Goldkette: The Arcadia Ball Room and a young lady named Ruth. The Goldkette recordings of “Sunday,” “I’m Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now,” and “My Pretty Girl.” Bill Rank recalls Don Murray and Jimmy Dorsey as the “clowns” in the band.
- BIX and Trumbauer–1927: “Clarinet Marmalade,” “Singin’ the Blues'” the Bill Challis arrangement of “Ostrich Walk,” and Hoagy Carmichael on “Riverboat Shuffle.”
- BIX and Trumbauer–1927, the Last of the Goldkette Orchestra: “I’m Coming Virginia,” “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans,” “For No Reason at All in C,” “Three Blind Mice,” and “Clementine.” Hoagy Carmichael compares Bix’s choruses to the weaving of lace. Paul Mertz on memories of Bix.
- BIX and the New Yorkers, BIX and his Gang: Frankie Trumbauer remembers the collapse of Goldkette’s Orchestra. Hoagy recalls Bix’s “pyrotechnics.” Recordings include “There Ain’t No Land Like Dixieland,” “Royal Garden Blues,” “Jazz Me Blues,” and “Goose Pimples.” Bill Rank recalls his favorite recording with Bix – “At the Jazz Band Ball.”
- The Whiteman Period– Part I-“Sorry” and “Since My Gal Turned Me Down” recorded by Bix and His Gang. Frank Trumbauer’s recording of “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” “Changes,” one of Bix’s first recordings with Paul Whiteman. Comments by Bing Crosby.
- The Whiteman Period– Part II: “Lonely Melody,” “There’ll Come a Time” (Trumbauer), “Mississippi Mud” (Trumbauer), “Dardanella,” and the classic Whiteman recording “From Monday On.” Also, memories of Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and Gene Krupa.
- The Whiteman Period– Part III: More from Bing Crosby and Bill Challis. The Whiteman recordings of “Sugar,” “You Took Advantage of Me,” and “Tain’t So Honey, Tain’t So.” Bix’s Gang recording of “Somebody Stole My Gal.”
- The Whiteman Period– Part IV-Louis Armstrong, Bill Challis, and Bill Rank on association with Bix. Recordings include “That’s My Weakness Now,” “Ol’ Man River,” “Wa Da Da,” “Sweet Sue,” and “Love Affairs.”
- The Whiteman Period– Part V-Bill Rank … Bix missed a train on a tour in 1928. Bill Challis … Bix became ill and left the band. Paul Whiteman … Bix was a gentleman. Trumbauer recordings: “Love Nest,” “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home,” and “I Like That.” China Boy” by the Whiteman Orchestra.
- BIX: 1929-1930: Hoagy Carmichael remembers his recording date with Bix that produced “Barnacle Bill” and “Rockin’ Chair.” Bix Beiderbecke and His Orchestra: “I’ll Be A Friend With Pleasure,” and “Deep Down South.” Pee Wee Russell on Bix.
- BIX: 1930–1931: “Georgia on My Mind.” Bix’s recording of his own composition “In A Mist” as recalled by Frank Trumbauer. Bill Rank and Bill Challis … the business of writing music. Jimmy and Marian McPartland love Bix’s music.
- BIX: The Composer: “In A Mist,” “Candlelights,” “Flashes,” “In the Dark,” and “Davenport Blues.” Discussion by Bill Challis and Ralph Sutton.
- BIX: The Final Chorus: Louis Armstrong, Charles Beiderbecke, Bill Challis, Eddie Condon, Preston Jackson, Jimmy McPartland, Dr. Elwood Senderling.
Bix’s Friends Featured in the Series:
- Louis Armstrong;
- Preston Jackson;
- Bill Rank;
- Hoagy Carmichael;
- Gene Krupa;
- Pee Wee Russell;
- Bill Challis;
- Jimmy Mc Partland;
- Frank Trumbauer;
- Eddie Condon;
- Paul Mertz;
- Paul Whiteman;
- Bing Crosby.
Consultants for the Series:
- Joseph Campbell;
- Philip Evans;
- John Steiner.
The commentary was recorded by Frank Powers
Continuity was written by Mary K. Fulton
Audio Engineer: Michael J. McGuire
Produced and Directed by: Jim Grover
Narrator: Bill Utter
Final Comments
In my opinion, the nineteen tapes that make up BIX represent a national treasure that must be preserved. I checked the Library of Congress holdings, and, as far as I can ascertain, no copy of the tapes exists in their possession. I hope to investigate this question in detail in the near future with the purpose of having the Library of Congress designated as depository of this fantastic piece of American history and tribute to Bix. Suggestions are welcome.
Lastly, a piece of trivia: the Wolverines’ first campus dance job took place on January 25, 1924. They played at the junior prom at Miami University. Almost fifty years later, Jim Grover, as a beginning graduate student at Miami University, began his formidable project simply entitled “BIX“.