Classic Jazz : A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians

Foreword by Benny Carter Floyd Levin, an award-winning jazz writer, has personally known many of the jazz greats who contributed to the music's colorful history. In this collection of his articles, published mostly in jazz magazines over a fifty-year period, Levin takes us into the nightclubs, the recording studios, the record companies, and, most compellingly, into the lives of the musicians who made the great moments of the traditional jazz and swing eras. Brilliantly weaving anecdotal material, primary research, and music analysis into every chapter, Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians is a gold mine of information on a rich segment of American popular music. This collection of articles begins with Levin's first published piece and includes several new articles that were inspired by his work on this compilation. The articles are organized thematically, beginning with a piece on Kid Ory's early recordings and ending with a newly written article about the campaign to put up a monument to Louis Armstrong in New Orleans. Along the way, Levin gives in-depth profiles of many well-known jazz legends, such as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong, and many lesser-known figures who contributed greatly to the development of jazz. Extensively illustrated with previously unpublished photographs from Levin's personal collection, this wonderfully readable and extremely personal book is full of information that is not available elsewhere. Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians will be celebrated by jazz scholars and fans everywhere for the overview it provides of the music's evolution, and for the love of jazz it inspires on every page. CONTENTS 8 FOREWORD 16 PREFACE 18 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 24 INTRODUCTION 26 1 KID ORY AND THE REVIVAL ERA 34 Kid Ory 36 Kid Ory‘s Legendary 1921 Nordskog/Sunshine Recordings 39 Papa Mutt Carey 49 Buster Wilson 53 Andrew Blakeney 56 Ram Hall 58 Dink Johnson 61 Bud Scott 64 Joe Darensbourg 67 Ed “Montudie” Garland 71 Teddy Buckner 86 2 A PERSONAL VIEW OF THE MUSIC 89 Lieutenant Jim Europe’s Hellfighters— The 369th Infantry Jazz Band 90 “I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate”— The First Recorded Hit of the Jazz Age 93 The World Premiere of “Rhapsody in Blue” 98 “Relaxin’ at the Touro”— Memories of Muggsy Spanier 103 Spud Murphy 107 A Memorable Jack Teagarden Record Date 110 The Duke Ellington Sacred Music Concert— New Orleans, 1970 114 Dick Hyman’s Historic Direct-to-CD Recording Session 117 3 A PERSONAL VIEW OF THE MUSICIANS 122 Benny Carter 122 James P. Johnson 124 Brun Campbell and Scott Joplin 129 Rex Stewart’s Memories of Jelly Roll Morton 134 Anita Gonzales and the Untold Story of Jelly Roll Morton’s Last Years 139 Johnny Guarnieri 150 I’m Just Wild about Eubie— Memories of Eubie Blake 153 Jess Stacy 160 Milt Hinton 164 Spiegle Willcox 167 Eddie Miller 170 Morty Corb 173 Barney Bigard 176 Wild Bill Davison 181 Rosy McHargue 184 Artie Shaw 188 Andy Razaf 190 Coot Grant and Sox Wilson 194 The World’s Greatest Jazz Band 197 4 THE INFLUENCE OF NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS ON CLASSIC JAZZ 202 The Jazz Journey—From Lulu White’s Mahogany Hall to Carnegie Hall 202 Papa Celestin and the Voodoo Queen 206 Danny Barker—The Jazz Troubadour 215 Lorenzo Tio, Jr., and the Clarinetists of the Crescent City 220 Willie James Humphrey, Jr. 227 George Lewis 231 Alton Purnell 234 Bill Russell 237 5 THE GREAT LOUIS ARMSTRONG 243 Louis Armstrong’s Underrated Recordings during the Big-Band Era 244 “Ambassador Satch” on the World Stage 247 A Sentimental Journey—Louis’ Funeral 250 6 JAZZ ON THE WEST COAST 255 Los Angeles in the Swing Era 255 The Palomar Ballroom Fire 258 The Firehouse Five and the Good Time Jazz Record Company 265 The Yerba Buena Jazz Band and the Jazz Man Label 271 Benny Strickler 273 Turk Murphy’s Final Triumph 276 I Remember Bob Scobey 279 Dave Dexter, Jr. 284 The Poor Angel Hot Jazz Society 287 Dick Cary’s Tuesday Night Band 288 7 UNSUNG HEROES 293 Pete Daily 293 Stew Pletcher 297 Sammy Lee 300 Pud Brown 303 Bob McCracken 305 Pat Gogerty 307 Rick Fay 308 8 THE SEVEN-YEAR CHALLENGE TO COMPLETE THE LOUIS ARMSTRONG STATUE 312 A Fund Is Created in Old New Orleans 312 “For the Love of Louis,” by Ned Brundage 315 Bing Crosby to the Rescue 326 July 4, 1976 333 EPILOGUE 338 INDEX 340 A 340 B 341 C 343 D 345 E 346 F 346 G 347 H 348 I 349 J 349 K 350 L 351 M 352 N 354 O 354 P 355 Q 356 R 356 S 358 T 360 U 361 V 361 W 361 Y 362 Z 362 Profiles The Studios, Record Companies, And Of Course, The Musicians Who Made Music Famous. 1. Kid Ory And The Revival Era : Kid Ory ; Kid Ory's Legendary 1921 Nordskog/sunshine Recordings ; Papa Mutt Carey ; Buster Wilson ; Andrew Blakeney ; Ram Hall ; Dink Johnson ; Bud Scott ; Joe Darensbourg ; Ed Montudie Garland ; Teddy Buckner -- 2. A Personal View Of The Music : Lieutenant Jim Europe's Hellfighters, The 369th Infantry Jazz Band ; I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate, The First Recorded Hit Of The Jazz Age ; The World Premiere Of Rhapsody In Blue ; Relaxin' At The Touro, Memories Of Muggsy Spanier ; Spud Murphy ; A Memorable Jack Teagarden Record Date ; The Duke Ellington Sacred Music Concert, New Orleans, 1970 ; Dick Hyman's Historic Direct-to-cd Recording Session --^ 3. A Personal View Of The Musicians : Benny Carter ; James P. Johnson ; Brun Campbell And Scott Joplin ; Rex Stewart's Memories Of Jelly Roll Morton ; Anita Gonzalez And The Untold Story Of Jelly Roll Morton's Last Years ; Johnny Guarnieri ; I'm Just Wild About Eubie, Memories Of Eubie Blake ; Jess Stacy ; Milt Hinton ; Spiegle Willcox ; Eddie Miller ; Morty Corb ; Barney Bigard ; Wild Bill Davison ; Rosy Mchargue ; Artie Shaw ; Andy Razaf ; Coot Grant And Sox Wilson ; The World's Greatest Jazz Band -- 4. The Influence Of New Orleans Musicians On Classic Jazz : The Jazz Journey, From Lulu White's Mahogany Hall To Carnegie Hall ; Papa Celestin And The Voodoo Queen ; Danny Barker, The Jazz Troubadour ; Lorenzo Tio, Jr., And The Clarinetists Of The Crescent City ; Willie James Humphrey, Jr. ; George Lewis ; Alton Purnell ; Bill Russell --^ 5. The Great Louis Armstrong : Louis Armstrong's Underrated Recordings During The Big-band Era ; Ambassador Satch On The World Stage ; A Sentimental Journey, Louis' Funeral -- 6. Jazz On The West Coast : Los Angeles In The Swing Era ; The Palomar Ballroom Fire ; The Firehouse Five And The Good Time Jazz Record Company ; The Yerba Buena Jazz Band And The Jazz Man Label ; Benny Strickler ; Turk Murphy's Final Triumph ; I Remember Bob Scobey ; Dave Dexter, Jr. ; The Poor Angel Hot Jazz Society ; Dick Carey's Tuesday Night Band -- 7. Unsung Heroes : Pete Daily ; Stew Pletcher ; Sammy Lee ; Pud Brown ; Bob Mccracken ; Pat Gogerty ; Rick Fay -- 8. The Schallenge Challenge To Complete The Louis Armstrong Statue : A Fund Is Created In Old New Orleans ; For The Love Of Louis / By Ned Brundage ; Bing Crosby To The Rescue ; July 4, 1976. Floyd Levin ; Foreword By Benny Carter. Includes Index. Floyd Levin, an award-winning jazz writer, has personally known many of the jazz greats who contributed to the music's colorful history. In this collection of his articles, published mostly in jazz magazines over a fifty-year period, Levin takes us into the nightclubs, the recording studios, the record companies, and, most compellingly, into the lives of the musicians who made the great moments of the traditional jazz and swing eras. Brilliantly weaving anecdotal material, primary research, and music analysis into every chapter, Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians is a gold mine of information on a rich segment of American popular music.

This collection of articles begins with Levin's first published piece and includes several new articles that were inspired by his work on this compilation. The articles are organized thematically, beginning with a piece on Kid Ory's early recordings and ending with a newly written article about the campaign to put up a monument to Louis Armstrong in New Orleans. Along the way, Levin gives in-depth profiles of many well-known jazz legends, such as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong, and many lesser-known figures who contributed greatly to the development of jazz.

Extensively illustrated with previously unpublished photographs from Levin's personal collection, this wonderfully readable and extremely personal book is full of information that is not available elsewhere. Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians will be celebrated by jazz scholars and fans everywhere for the overview it provides of the music's evolution, and for the love of jazz it inspires on every page. Floyd Levin, an award-winning jazz writer, has personally known many of the jazz greats who contributed to the music's colorful history. In this collection of his articles, published mostly in jazz magazines over a fifty-year period, Levin takes us into the nightclubs, the recording studios, the record companies, and, most compellingly, into the lives of the musicians who made the great moments of the traditional jazz and swing eras. Brilliantly weaving anecdotal material, primary research, and music analysis into every chapter, __Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians__ is a gold mine of information on a rich segment of American popular music. This collection of articles begins with Levin's first published piece and includes several new articles that were inspired by his work on this compilation. The articles are organized thematically, beginning with a piece on Kid Ory's early recordings and ending with a newly written article about the campaign to put up a monument to Louis Armstrong in New Orleans. Along the way, Levin gives in-depth profiles of many well-known jazz legends, such as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong, and many lesser-known figures who contributed greatly to the development of jazz. Extensively illustrated with previously unpublished photographs from Levin's personal collection, this wonderfully readable and extremely personal book is full of information that is not available elsewhere. __Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians__ will be celebrated by jazz scholars and fans everywhere for the overview it provides of the music's evolution, and for the love of jazz it inspires on every page. The author of this book, an award-winning jazz writer, has personally known many of the jazz greats who contributed to the music's colorful history. This book, which contains works published mostly in jazz magazines over a fifty-year period, takes us into the nightclubs, the recording studios, the record companies, and, most compellingly, into the lives of the musicians who made the great moments of the traditional jazz and swing eras. Weaving anecdotal material, primary research, and music analysis into every chapter, the book is a mine of information on a rich segment of American popular music. This collection begins with the author's first published piece and includes several new chapters that contain material inspired by his work on this compilation. The chapters are organized thematically, beginning with a piece on Kid Ory's early recordings and ending with a newly written chapter about the campaign to put up a monument to Louis Armstrong in New Orleans. Along the way, the book gives in-depth profiles of many well-known jazz legends, such as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong, and many lesser-known figures who contributed greatly to the development of jazz "Floyd Levin, an award-winning jazz writer, has personally known many of the jazz greats who contributed to the music's colorful history. In this collection of his articles, published mostly in jazz magazines over a fifty-year period. Levin takes us into the nightclubs, the recording studios, the record companies, and, most compellingly, into the lives of the musicians who made the great moments of the traditional jazz and swing eras. Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians is a treasury of information on a rich segment of American popular music."--BOOK JACKET. An award-winning jazz journalist looks back on five decades of music history, offering readers his collection of articles on jazz music and musicians. My first published article, which appeared in a 1949 issue of Melody Maker, featured the legendary trombonist Kid Ory.