[Dixielandjazz] Mixed Race Recording/Jamming

[Stan Brager]

In the 1920's, it was not uncommon for blacks and whites to record together.
While not as common as today's recording bands, there were no prohibitions
about that. Fats Waller recorded with Nat Shilkret's Rhyth-Melodists in
which both whites and blacks were in the band. In March, 1929, Eddie Condon
recorded with Fats Waller and His Buddies. Later that year, Fats also
recorded in the backup band for Gene Austin which also included Carl Kress
on guitar.

And there was a good deal of socialization. I'm referring to the parties
which were given by Red Norvo and his wife Mildred in which many blacks and
whites were invited.

Benny Goodman and Buster Bailey took lessons from Franz Schoep. Benny
recalled playing duets with Buster at these sessions.

Many white jazz musicians grew up respecting the black musicians and, as
King Oliver used to say, when he spotted them in a South Side Chicago club,
"here they are for their lessons."

Stan
Stan Brager
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike" <mike at railroadstjazzwest.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 10:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Mixed Race Recording/Jamming


> Hi Randy,
>
>    I think you have to consider the attitudes towards race and
> "interracial mingling" at the times of the 1920s & 1930s. Blacks
> were still considered to be below second class citizens.
> Acceptable contact with blacks at that time was limited mostly
> to employer/employee(which also included Father/Nanny)
> relations. Anything more intimate than that had severe physical,
> sometimes legal and social consequences.
>
>    Musicians on the other hand, from what I have read and heard,
> did associate with one another. The limits were stretched a
> little beyond what would have been acceptable in normal society,
> but not very much.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Randy Fendrick wrote:
>
> >
> > 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.
>
>
>
>