Sunday, May 01, 2005
Bix Beiderbecke
Great article by Frank Gray (The Guardian,UK) on Bix Beiderbecke and other jazz musicians who lived and performed in New York City.
Bix was a rarity--a White cat in a field dominated by Blacks. I have a CD which includes such classics as "Riverboat Shuffle", "Singin' the Blues", and "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans". All of them originally recorded in 1927. Bix was accompanied by saxophonist Frankie Trambauer and guitarist Eddie Lang.
"He was completely self-taught and could not read music." Amazing.
A marble plaque on the wall of the building where he died reads:
In Memory of Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke
Pioneer Jazz Cornetist, Pianist & Composer
The Original Young Man With A Horn
Born - March 10th, 1903
Davenport, Iowa
Died - August 6th 1931
43-30 46th Street, Sunnyside, New York
Paul Maringelli and The Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Committee
Guardian-Beiderbecke
Singin' The Blues
Charley Records Ltd, London,UK
CD 2013 (1993)
