[Dixielandjazz] Mixed Race Recording/Jamming

[Randy Fendrick]

Bill-When I taught jazz history 25 years ago, I used as a text, the 
Marshall Stearns, The Story of Jazz.  While he doesn't describe actual 
contacts the reader definitely gets the feeling that they were playing 
together.  The source that I really like to point to is the Eddie 
Condon book, unfortunately I loaned my copy to a friend, and he hasn't 
returned it so I can't quote the exact title or references.    This 
book originally published in the mid-1940's and up-dated in the early 
60's, definitely talks about integrated jam sessions in Chicago during 
the mid 1920's.  I am presently reading a new book, for me, published 
in 2005, by William Howland Kenny, entitled Jazz on the River.  This 
volume talks about extensive contact, and integrated bands before 1917. 
  If one looks at 1917,  as being a watershed year both in jazz and in 
American history,  many are able to reach conclusions that allow 
extensive contact between the races before that time and that contact 
continued through out the twenties and thirties.

In 1917, ODJB recorded their first jazz record, which would indicate 
that there was some contact before that time.  Secondly, that is the 
year, that those guardians of American morality, the US Navy closed 
Storyville, thus putting the musicians of that locale out of work.   
Third, two movies which had a large impact on racial relations in the 
US was being widely screened, they were Birth of A Nation (1915), and 
Intolerance (1916).  Birth is credited by many to have led to the 
rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan, and this group, as many on this list 
should recall from their US History classes, had a great deal of 
popularity throughout the US during the early 1920's and were not 
exactly equal opportunity employers, but this doesn't mean that old 
friendships were not maintained, at least in private settings.  The 
musicians union of the time, required segregated bands, but that didn't 
take place until 1917 and the Streckfus family began requiring 
segregated bands on their riverboats in that year.  All are indicators 
of a new racist philosophy which was taking place at the outbreak, for 
the US, of World War I.  Many years ago, I met a 90 year old Black man, 
who marched with integrated units as he joined the army in his home 
town, only to reach France and find that he was not allowed to go to 
the front, for fear, that there would be race riots.  He was also a 
witness to the race riots(and recounted his experiences on being place 
on a sealed trained and trucked to embarkation point at Fort Dix N.J.) 
in Texas during the early part of American involvement in WWI.  I, only 
wish, I had recorded that conversation.

It is hard for me to believe that whites and blacks, in the US were 
able to develop the music that we call jazz without contact.  Bix was 
raised in Davenport, Iowa, which just happened to be the place on the 
Mississippi where the river boats were sheltered from the ice pressures 
during the winter months, I think a person would be hard pressed to say 
that there was not contact between he and the river boat musicians.  It 
has been a long time since I read Evan's book on Bix, and, I am ashamed 
to say, that while I knew Evan's and played music with his father, I 
really did not get to talk to him about Bix, as both of us were rather 
myopic because at that time in my life and I had absolutely no interest 
in this kind of music.  Strange how things work out.
I hope this helps, and when my book on Condon is returned, I will post 
the title and the references.  By the way, another real interesting 
book is the Levin book, Classic Jazz.  Most of the members of this list 
should read this.  It is not a difficult read and it gives many person 
reflections.

later,
rf
  Randy Fendrick,
Southside Chicago Seven
Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra