The Carnegie Hall Concert

On April 3, 1975 the New York Jazz Repertory Company organized a concert as a tribute to Bix Beiderbecke. I copy below the entire program, verbatim.

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Carnegie Hall – 1974-75 Season New York

Thursday Evening – April 3, 1975 – THE NEW YORK JAZZ REPERTORY COMPANY – Second Season/1975-75 [sic]

Bob Wilber, Musical Director Dave Hutson, directing original Jean Goldkette Orchestra Jimmy McPartland, Joe Venutti, Guest Soloists Featuring Members of the original Jean Goldkette Orchestra: Speigle Willcox and Bill Rank, Trombones Paul Mertz, Piano Chauncey Morehouse, Drums Richard M. Sudhalter, Narration

THE MUSIC OF BIX BEIDERBECKE

• TRUMPETS Doc Cheatham, Pee Wee Irwin, Bernie Privin, Warren Vache
• TROMBONE Eph Resnick
• SAXOPHONES Kenny Davern, Johnny Mince
• TUBA Howard Johnson
• PIANO Dill Jones
• BASS Milt Hinton
• DRUMS Bob Rosengarden
• GUITAR Bucky Pizzarelli

The New York Jazz Repertory Company is a tax-exempt not-for-profit corporation partially funded by the New York State Council on the Arts, The Carnegie Hall Corporation in association with the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of New York, and the National Endowment for the Arts. BOARD OF DIRECTORS; Hon. Robert F. Wagner, Chairman; Julius Bloom; Stanley Dance; Ahmet Ertegun; Kenneth D. Glancy; John Hammond; Elliot L. Hoffman; Bruce Lundvall; Charles K. McWhorter; Joe Newman; Mary Burke Nicholas; Jimmy Owens; Billy Taylor; George Wein; Jerry Wexler; Bob Wilber. GEORGE T. WEIN, Executive Director; MARI JO JOHNSON, Administrative Director.

THE MUSIC OF BIX BEIDERBECKE

• IN A MIST – composer; Bix Beiderbecke – played by Paul Mertz. Bix’s piano pieces have been played by everyone from Dill Jones to Bucky Pizzarelli. “In A Mist” was once played right here in Carnegie Hall as part of Paul Whiteman’s Concert of October 7th, 1928.
• FIDGETY FEET – composers; Nick LaRocca & Larry Shields The original title of this piece was “War Cloud.” Bix recorded it with The Wolverines in 1924, his first recorded work.
• TIA JUANA -composers; Gene Rodemich and Larry Conley Composed by the popular dance band leader Gene Rodemich and his trombonist, Bix and the Wolverines made this one in 1924.
• BIG BOY – composers; Milton Ager and Jack Yellen To celebrate this, his last recording with the Wolverines, Bix played piano on this side as well as cornet.
• DAVENPORT BLUES – composer: Bix Beiderbecke Recorded by Bix and His Rhythm Jugglers (mostly Goldkette sidemen) in 1925. Bix wrote the tune but Tommy Dorsey named it.
• AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL – composers, Nick LaRocca and Larry Shields Another Original Dixieland Jazz Band piece recorded by Bix and Tram in 1927. ROYAL GARDEN BLUES – composers; Clarence Williams and Spencer Williams Bix recorded this in 1924 with the Wolverines and in 1927 with Trumbauer. The Royal Gardens was one of the clubs in Chicago where King Joe Oliver’s Creole band played.
• GOOSE PIMPLES – composers; Fletcher Henderson and Jo Trent First published as a piano solo this tune provided material for another 1927 classic recording by Bix and His Gang.
• SINCE MY BEST GAL TURNED ME DOWN -composers Ray Lodwig & Howdy Quicksell This tune by trumpeter Lodwig and banjoist Quicksell from the Goldkette Band was recorded in Quicksell’s arrangement by Bix and His Gang in 1927.

INTERMISSION – THE JEAN GOLDKETTE ORCHESTRA DIRECTED BY DAVE HUTSON

• MY PRETTY GIRL – composer; Charles Fulcher recorded by the composer, Fulcher, and his Atlanta-based band in 1925, two years before Bix and the Goldkette band waxed this head arrangement for Victor.
• SUNDAY – composers; Ned Miller, Chester Cohn, Jules Stein & Bennie Krueger The original arrangement by Bill Challis included a vocal by the Keller Sisters and Lynch.
• I’M GONNA MEET MY SWEETIE NOW – composers; Jessie Greer and Benny Davis A Bill Challis arrangement recorded by Goldkette in 1927
• SINGIN’ THE BLUES – composers; Con Conrad; J. Russell Robinson, Sam Lewis, and Joe Young. After the 1927 recording, this tune belonged to Bix and Tram forever.
• I’M COMIN VIRGINIA -composers; Donald Heywood and Will Marion Cook This tune from the show “Africana” was recorded by Bix and Tram in 1927. The arrangement was by Irving Riskin.
• WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS – composers; Turner Layton and Henry Cramer This 1922 tune from the show, “The Spice of Life” was recorded by Bix and Tram in 1927 in an arrangement by Don Murray.
• CLARINET MARMALADE -composers: Larry Shields & Henry Ragas A little jelly cooked up by two members of the O.D.J.B. A good tune for jamming. Bix and Tram cut this side in 1927 with Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet and including Bill Rank, Paul Mertz, and Chauncey Morehouse among others.
• CLEMENTINE FROM NEW ORLEANS -composers; Turner Layton & Henry Cramer Another 1927 head arrangement recorded by Bix with Goldkette Program Notes by Joe H. Klee New York Correspondent, The Mississippi Rag

A copy of the program was kindly supplied by Ed Mazar; I thank him very much. A scan of the first page with signatures from Mertz, Venuti, and McPartland follows below. I point out a few errors. Spiegle and Venuti were misspelled. At the Jazz band Ball was recorded by Bix and His Gang. The 1927 recording of Royal Garden Blues is by Bix and His Gang.

An Advertisement for the Carnegie Hall Concert.

REPERTORY COMPANY CONCERTS AT CARNEGIE HALL

The Music of BIX BEIDERBECKE.

Special Guests: Bill Challis, Paul Mertz, Bill Rank Joe Venuti & Speigan* Wilcox**

Thurs., April 3 8pm

Photo of Bix

The NYJRC will present a history-making event. Bill Challis, the arranger of the original Jean Goldkette Orchestra, with which Bix was featured, will be the guest musical director of this concert. Joining Challis will be many of the original members of the 1926 Goldkette band including violinist Joe Venuti, trombonist Bill Rank, and Spegan Wilcox and pianist Paul Mertz.

On the same program under the musical direction of Bob Wilber, the NYJRC will recreate the Wolverines, with whom Bix Beiderbecke starred when he was 20 years old. Beiderbecke’s originality on cornet and piano influenced many jazz musicians, among them trumpeters Bobby Hackett and Jimmy McPartland. Bix’s piano compositions were in part inspired by Debussy harmonic ideas.

The April 3 program will include: Candlelight Suite, I’m Comin’ Virginia, Singing the Blues, Blue Room, On the Alamo, Clarinet Marmalade, Clementine, My Pretty Girl, and Riverboat Shuffle.

Among those performing are: Doc Cheatham, Kevin Davern, Milt Hinton, Dick Hyman, Yank Lawson, Jimmy McPartland, Marion McPartland, Paul Mertz, Johnny Mince, Bucky Pizzarelli, Bernie Previn, Bill Rank, Eph Resnick, Bobby Rosengarten, Warren Vache, Joe Venuti, Bob Wilber, and Spegan Wilcox.

*Correct spelling: Spiegle

**Correct spelling: Willcox

Note that some of the names in the ad are not included in the program and vice versa.

Another Advertisement

 

Reviews of Concert

Daily News, April 5, 1975 – Once More, with feeling, it’s Bix.

Bix Beiderbecke was a highly influential jazz cornetist who died in 1931 at the age of 28, leaving some highly lyrical, purely personal music and the reputation of being probably the first true jazz legend (his life was supposed to be the basis of the novel, “Young Man With a Horn”). The legend surfaced in a big way Thursday night at Carnegie Hall when the New York Jazz Repertory Company put on a special concert of Biederbecke’s (sic) music. Musically, it was an outstanding evening, by far the most successful the Jazz Rep has had, and by far the most enthusiastically received. Bix’s small group (the Wolverines) was recreated for the occasion by Bob Wilber and five members of another Biederbecke (sic) ensemble were on hand. One can only hope that George Wein, one of the Jazz Rep’s directors, will be moved to include this piece as part of the Newport Jazz Festival. It deserves a rehearing. Patricia O’Haire

New York Times, April 5, 1975 – A WARM SALUTE FOR BEIDERBEKE 20’S – Jazz Veterans Join in a Recreation of His Music – by JOHN S. WILSON

A glimpse of living history and crisp recreations of some classic jazz performances created a warm, sentimental glow that made the New York Jazz Repertory Company’s presentation of the music of Bix Beiderbecke at Carnegie Hall on Thursday evening unusually affecting. The music was drawn from recordings made by the celebrated jazz cornetist with small groups throughout the nineteen-twenties and with Jean Goldkette’s orchestra in 1927. The recreated small groups included the Wolverines, with Jimmy McPartland, who replaced Beiderbecke in that band, on hand to take the Beiderbecke solos. The 1975 version of Goldkette’s orchestra, playing arrangements transcribed and conducted by Dave Hutson, included five men who were reproducing the roles they played with Goldkette almost 50 years ago Rank and Spiegle Wilcox (sic), trombonists; Paul Mertz, pianist; Chauncey Morehouse, drummer, and Joe Venuti, violinist, the only one of the five who still carries on an active musical career. All these veteran musicians were in fine fettle, playing solos with a style and vigor that belied their white hair, although one must except Mr. Venuti, who has virtually no hair. He is playing now even better than he did then, if that is possible. But while these old-timers lent an unusual touch of authenticity to the performances, it was the younger players, adapting sensitively to the period style, who gave the music its essential qualities. Kenny Davern restyled in a masterly way with a huge bass saxophone, Johnny Mince and Bob Wilber caught the appropriate clarinet mannerisms, and a stream of trumpeters and cornetists picked up the Beiderbecke role from time to time -notably Bernie Privin on “Singin’ the Blues”, Warren Vache, a young cornetist who rolled through the Beidebecke phrases with disarming ease, and Dick Sudhalter, author of a biography of Beiderbecke, “Bix: Mand and Legend,” who also served as narrator for the program.

I am indebted to Rich Johnson for sending me copies of the ads and the reviews.

Photograph of Band Playing at the Concert

I am indebted to Friedrich Hachenberg for sending me a scan of the photograph.

 

 

The Second Carnegie Hall Concert

Friday Evening, June 27, 1975, Carnegie Hall, One Performance 7:30 P.M. The New York Jazz Repertory Company Plays the Music of Bix Beiderbecke.

• Dave Hutson, musical director
• Francis Williams, Jimmy McPartland, Johnny Glasel, trumpets;
• Warren Vache, cornet;
• Zoot Sims, Eddie Daniels, Johnny Mince, reeds;
• Bill Rank, Spiegle Willcox, Jack Jeffers, trombone;
• Vince Giordano, tuba;
• Joe Venuti, violin;
• Dill Jones, Marian McPartland, piano;
• Major Holley, Milt Hinton, bass;
• Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar;
• Panama Francis, drums.
• The Blue Four: Joe Venuti, violin; Zoot Sims, tenor; Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar; Vince Giordano, tuba.

Program

I am indebted to Friedrich Hachenberg for sending me a scan of the program.

The Blue Four Rehearsing for the Concert. Joe Venuti, violin; Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar; Vince Giordano, bass saxophone; Zoot Sims, tenor saxophone. Spiegle Willcox observing.

However, Bernie Privin did manage to tour Europe that year with the ‘ghost’ Tommy Dorsey band (Dorsey had died in 1956) and in 1975 visited Russia that year with the remarkably successful New York Jazz Repertory Company where he interpreted Armstrong’s music along with the ex-Count Basie trumpeter Joe Newman. “new york jazz repertory company” search google

 

To Bix Or Not To Bix?

This is the title of a TV program broadcast by France’s Antenne 2 Television channel on October 21, 1976. The Telecast lasted about one hour and 45 minutes and was broadcast on prime time. The film was the creation of Jean-Christophe Averty, a well-known (in France) jazz personality, TV director, radio host, and record producer. I gather that the program was a docudrama with quite a bit of fiction thrown in. [Will they ever learn?] Various actors (including real musicians) played the roles of Bix and the other characters in the program. From “Telerama”, a French TV guide, and from Eric I gathered the following information. Leon Bix Beiderbecke: Patrick Artero Frank Trumbauer: Gérard Badini Dick Voynow: Claude Bolling* Bing Crosby: James Sparrow Jimmy Hartwell: Claude Luter Emmet Ardy [sic]: Irakli Paul Whiteman: Roger Trapp Pee Wee Russell: Christian Morin Hoagy Carmichael: Yannick Singery Lucky Fortunia: France Dougnac Mezz Mezzrow: Pierre Atlan Gennet [sic], record producer: Bernard Cara Holbrock [piano teacher]: Germaine Delba A Musician: Andre Villeger The announcement of the program in Telerama only gives information about the actors, but not about the program. The liners, written by French jazz critic Jean Wagner, provide a little bit of biographical information about Bix and a lot of rationalization about Bix’s alcohol addiction and “frustration.” The soundtrack included live performances by the musicians-actors and original recordings from Bix. Eric gave me the following information about the musicians. – Jean-Christophe Averty is an important name in French television, although he no longer works on TV. He is also a radio host, record producer, and humorist. He is a walking encyclopedia of old jazz and of the French popular song before World War Two. – Patrick Artero is a real jazz trumpeter. He was a member of the “Anachronic Jazz Band.” He is still active. – Claude Luter plays clarinet in the traditional style. He is very well known in France. He accompanied Sidney Bechet during the 1950s. Claude Luter with his group “Les Lorientais” was an important musician during the existentialist phase in the Quartier Latin and played in the clubs on the Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Prés. In spite of his age (he started playing professionally in the mid-1940s), he remains active. – Irakli is a traditional jazz trumpeter. He is quite active currently and has made a reputation for his ability to imitate Louis Armstrong’s style. – Gérard Badini plays saxophone and clarinet in the traditional as well as more modern style. He is quite active. He has led several bands, namely “The Gérard Badini Swing Machine” (the band included for a time Sam Woodyard, ex-drummer with Duke Ellington) and the “Super Swing Machine.” – Claude Bolling is a jazz pianist, orchestra leader, music composer for the cinema. Bolling has recorded several jazz albums. He has also recorded with classical musicians such as Jean-Pierre Rampal, Yo-Yo Ma, and Alexandre Lagoya,. Bolling is still very active.* – Christian Morin is a jazz clarinet player.

Currently, he is well known as a host of TV games. – André Villeger plays saxophone in traditional and modern styles. * Claude Bolling composed the soundtrack for the film “Borsalino”, a great film that takes place in the South of France during the 1920s. The soundtrack is mostly jazz in the traditional style but also includes some tangos. It is one of my all-time favorite movie soundtracks. The March 1975 issue of “Hot Jazz” includes a “Roman photo”, freely translated as a “story in pictures.” Basically, we have a series of stills from the film with captions that explain the scene in question. Here are the images and my translation of the captions. I apologize for the poor quality of the images. Unfortunately, the original photographs in the magazine were of low quality. The title of the “Roman photo” is in error. It is not “To Bix Or Not To Be” but “To Bix Or Not To Bix.” To see images 1-12 click here. To see images 13-24, click here. Be patient while the images download.

1. No caption.
2. Pilgrimage of Bix Beiderbecke’s friends to Davenport (January 1932): Pee Wee Russell, Frankie Trumbauer, and Hoagy Carmichael, shown in the still with Miss Holbrock, piano teacher who tells the story of Bix’s childhood. [Ed: Priscilla Holbrook gave some piano lessons to an adult Bix, at the end of 1923].
3. Bix as a child fascinated by a riverboat going by.
4. The riverboat St. Paul of the Stretfus [sic] line as young Bix (1914) would see it; the Fate Marable ragtime orchestra was on board.
5. A 13-year-old Bix listens to the first records of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and tries to play trumpet (1917). [Ed. Bix was fourteen when the ODJB records were issued] 6. 1920. First engagement with the Carlisle Evans Orchestra. [Ed. Bix was not engaged by the Evans orchestra. He may have sat with them in 1921]
6. 1923. Bix joins the Wolverines, Dick Voynow-led orchestra…
7. … that plays mainly in university campuses of the Midwest.
8. No caption.
9. During the Wolverine tours, Bix meets Hoagy.
10. The Wolverines record their first records (1924). Contemporary document. [Ed. famous photograph of the Wolverines in the Gennett recording studio.]
11. J. V. Averty’s reconstruction of the preceding document.
12. In the Fall of 1924 go to New York and practice in their hotel room in preparation for their appearance in the Cinderella Ballroom …
13. … where many musicians come to listen to Bix Beiderbecke.
14. Bix is hired by Jean Goldkettte, the leader of one of the best orchestras in the land.
15. While the orchestra is in Chicago, Bix goes to the Elite Cafe to listen to Bessie Smith.
16. No caption.
17. When the Goldkette Orchestra dissolves, Bix joins the Paul Whiteman Orchestra (1927).
18. Because of an illness, Bix cannot participate in the filming of the King of Jazz (1930).
19. Bix meets Fortunia. [Ed. There is no woman named Fortunia in Bix’s life.]
20. Fortunia tells him how much she admires his piano recording of “In A Mist.”
21. Bix records with Hoagy Carmichael in New York (May 1930).
22. No caption.
23. Bix Beiderbecke died in August 1931 and is buried in Davenport. I am indebted to Eric Min-Tung and Jean-Pierre Lion for generously sending me information about “To Bix Or Not To Bix.”

 

Salute to Bix

The “Internationales Jazz Festival Bern” has taken place every year since 1976. The 1993 festival featured a Salute to Bix performed by Randy Sandke’s New York Allstars. The musicians in the band were:

• Randy Sandke (tp)
• Dan Barrett (tb)
• Ken Peplowski (cl)
• Scott Robinson (sax)
• Mark Shane (p)
• Marty Grosz (g)
• Linc Milliman (b)
• Dave Ratajczak (dr)

The band played an all-Bix tunes concert. The songs chosen came from all periods of Bix’s career.  “Tia Juana” from the Wolverine days;  “My Pretty Girl” from Bix’s tenure with Goldkette. There were several Whiteman tunes, “China Boy,” “There Ain’t No Man That’s Worth the Salt of My Tears,” and “Because My Baby Don’t Mean Maybe Now.” There were a couple of Bix and His Gang tunes, “Sorry” and “At the Jazz Band Ball,” and a couple of Tram tunes, “Wait ’till You See My Cherie” and “Riverboat Shuffle.” At times, the New York Allstars played note for note the arrangements from Bix’s recordings with Randy taking Bix’s part. At other times they presented their own interpretations and improvisations. For example, Singin’ the Blues/I’m Coming Virginia were excellent note-for-note interpretations of the two Bix classics (as Randy said, “I can’t improve on what Bix did”). On the other hand, the band presented its own version of “I’ll Be A Friend With Pleasure”: it was a stirring and beautiful interpretation, including a very interesting chase chorus by three trumpets. Mark Shane played a piano solo of “In A Mist.” There were two numbers by Marty Gosz alone. “Changes” had an excellent vocal and a great guitar accompaniment. “Mississippi Mud” was a humorous rendition, Marty making use of his German background. Candlelights was arranged by Randy for orchestra: it was a haunting, profound interpretation. All in all, an excellent and moving “Salute” to the great Bix Beiderbecke. I am indebted to Randy Sandke for his kind and generous gift of a video recording of the “Salute to Bix.”